Digital Audio Hub Circuit for Flexible Signal Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing signal routing circuits in consumer devices, such as smartphones, lack flexibility in interconnecting various signal processing components without being restricted to specific external devices or processing paths, limiting their functionality and usability.
Innovation Solution
A digital audio hub integrated circuit with a flexible digital mixing core and switching circuitry that allows for signal routing, processing, and conversion between multiple analogue and digital signals, enabling efficient handling of diverse audio signals and transducers, including haptic and ultrasonic signals, through a programmable architecture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed signal routing circuit is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability and versatility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal audio hub architecture where a single integrated circuit can handle multiple signal types (audio, video, data) from various sources and route them to different destinations. The circuit includes multiple analog and digital interfaces that can be configured through software to perform different routing functions, allowing one circuit to replace multiple dedicated circuits and achieve versatile signal processing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The signal routing circuit employs dynamic reconfigurability where the routing paths can be changed in real-time based on operational requirements. The circuit includes programmable switches and multiplexers that can dynamically connect different signal sources to different outputs, allowing the system to adapt its architecture during operation rather than being fixed at manufacturing time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple dedicated signal processing circuits are used, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple signal processing functions into a single integrated audio hub circuit. This includes merging analog-to-digital conversion, digital signal processing, multiplexing, and routing functions into one unified circuit block. By consolidating these previously separate circuits into a single integrated unit, the system achieves the same versatile functionality with reduced overall device complexity and fewer discrete components.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated audio hub circuit is designed to perform multiple signal processing tasks that would traditionally require separate dedicated circuits. It can simultaneously handle audio encoding, decoding, mixing, routing, and format conversion, allowing a single multi-functional circuit to replace multiple single-purpose circuits while maintaining full processing capabilities.
3Ease of operation
If a flexible signal routing circuit is implemented, then the usability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical manual routing configurations with software-controlled electronic switching. Instead of requiring precise manual wiring or mechanical switches during manufacturing, the routing paths are defined through programmable logic and software configuration files. This allows flexible signal path setup to be achieved through software rather than precise manufacturing processes, reducing the stringency of manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining routing flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit for digital signal routing. Signal routing is achieved with a multiply-accumulate block, which takes data from one or more data sources and, after any required scaling, generates output data for a data destination. Data from a data source is buffered for an entire period of a data sample clock so that the multiply-accumulate block can retrieve the data at any point in the period, and output data of the multiply-accumulate block is buffered for an entire period of the data sample clock so that the data destination can retrieve the data at any point in the period. The multiply-accumulate block operates on a time division multiplexed basis, so that multiple signal paths can be processed within one period of the sample clock.