Distributed Audio Processing for Longer Playback Device Battery Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer demand for longer battery life in specialized devices increases as they transition from simple special-purpose operating systems (SPOS) to general-purpose operating systems (GPOS), leading to power consumption issues that reduce runtime significantly, making it challenging to maintain long battery life while enabling more complex features.
Innovation Solution
A distributed processing architecture that integrates a low-power SPOS processor with a high-power GPOS processor, where the low-power processor handles basic operations and puts the high-power processor into a low-power state or turns it off during non-complex tasks, allowing the high-power processor to function as a co-processor for tasks requiring GPOS capabilities only when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a general-purpose operating system (GPOS) is implemented in specialized devices to enable complex features, then device functionality and versatility are improved, but power consumption increases and battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into two distinct processing components: a low-power processor running a specialized operating system for basic functions, and a high-power processor running a general-purpose operating system for complex tasks. This segmentation allows the device to leverage GPOS capabilities only when needed, rather than continuously consuming high power.
Solution Approach 2:
The high-power processor dynamically transitions between active and low-power states based on task requirements. The system activates the GPOS processor only when complex features are needed, and transitions it to a low-power state or shuts it down during non-complex tasks, making the power consumption adaptive to actual workload demands.
2Productivity
If a high-power processor runs continuously to support complex operations, then processing capability is improved, but battery runtime is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The high-power processor operates in periodic bursts rather than continuously. It activates only when complex processing tasks are required and remains in a low-power state otherwise. This periodic operation pattern maintains processing capability when needed while significantly extending battery runtime by minimizing high-power consumption periods.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a low-power processor is used to extend battery life, then energy efficiency is improved, but ability to run complex features is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The low-power processor acts as an intermediary that manages system operations and activates the high-power processor only when complex features are required. It handles basic operations efficiently while serving as a gateway to unlock advanced capabilities when needed, thus maintaining both energy efficiency and complex feature capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-processor architecture provides multi-functionality by combining the capabilities of both low-power and high-power processors. The system can operate in low-power mode for extended battery life or switch to high-performance mode for complex tasks, making it universally capable of handling both simple and complex operations appropriately.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to power management techniques for reducing the power consumption of playback devices. Additionally, aspects of the present disclosure related to distributed processing techniques for processing audio across two or more processors.