Variable-Bandwidth Digital Audio Channel Multiplexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional audio connectors, such as TRRS connectors, often lack sufficient analog signal paths to support multichannel audio formats like 5.1 surround sound, leading to difficulties in conveying high-quality audio signals and increased susceptibility to noise.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a digital communications scheme using differential transmitter and receiver circuitry over a wired communications path, which packages and transmits data as a digital data stream with multiple traffic channels, allowing for efficient distribution and reconstruction of audio data across multiple channels, minimizing latency and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If analog signaling is used with conventional audio connectors, then compatibility with existing connectors is maintained, but the number of available signal paths is limited and noise susceptibility increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces analog signaling with digital signaling, transforming the physical signal transmission mechanism. By encoding audio data as digital bits transmitted through differential pairs, the system overcomes the limitation of physical contact paths while maintaining compatibility with existing audio connector mechanical structures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables audio connectors to serve multiple functions: they can transmit both analog audio signals (maintaining backward compatibility) and digital data streams (enabling multichannel audio). The same physical connector infrastructure supports both signaling modes, effectively doubling its utility
2Manufacturing precision
If additional analog signal wires are added to support multichannel audio, then audio fidelity and additional channels are improved, but compatibility with existing audio connectors is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes physical additional wires with digital encoding schemes. Instead of adding more analog signal paths, the system uses digital data streams that can represent multiple audio channels within the existing wire infrastructure, achieving high fidelity without modifying the connector physical structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from the spatial dimension (adding more wires) to the informational dimension (using digital encoding). By representing audio channels as data bits rather than separate physical signals, the system achieves multichannel capability within the same physical constraint
3Object-affected harmful factors
If digital data streaming is implemented over existing audio connectors, then multichannel audio support and noise resistance are improved, but requires conversion from analog to digital signaling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces vulnerable analog signaling with robust digital signaling. By using differential data pairs to transmit digital bits instead of analog voltage levels, the system achieves inherent noise immunity while the complexity of conversion is managed through integrated circuit implementation
4Productivity
If boundary slots are shared between traffic channels, then bandwidth utilization is improved, but data allocation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic slot allocation where boundary slots can be assigned to different traffic channels based on current bandwidth requirements. This dynamic sharing mechanism optimizes bandwidth utilization while the complexity is managed through programmable control logic that adapts to varying traffic conditions
Data Source
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AI summary
Electronic devices and equipment may communicate over a wired communications path. The wired communications path may include one or more wires and may be associated with a headphone cable. Data may be conveyed in the form of a digital data stream containing multiple traffic channels. The digital data stream may include superframes, each of which has multiple frames of data. The frames of data may each contain a number of data slots. Some of the slots in a superframe may be used exclusively by a particular one of the traffic channels. Boundary slots may be shared between traffic channels. Data interface circuitry may implement a data dispersion algorithm that determines the pattern in which data from each traffic channel is distributed within each boundary slot. Transmitting data interface circuitry may merge traffic channels into a single data stream. Receiving data interface circuitry may reconstruct the traffic channels.