Distributed Audio Processing in Streaming Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
PC-independent audio streaming systems face challenges in performing time-consuming audio processing tasks due to limited processing capabilities, leading to unresponsiveness and increased costs when using high-speed server processors or additional processors.
Innovation Solution
Distributed audio processing is achieved by assigning audio processing tasks to streamed audio playing satellite units, allowing the base unit to focus on other operations and improve responsiveness without the need for high-speed server processors or additional processors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a high speed server processor is used in the base station to perform time-consuming audio processing tasks, then the processing capability is improved, but the power usage increases and the cost substantially increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the audio processing workload between the base station and remote satellite units. The base station identifies and issues audio processing tasks to appropriate satellite units, while the base station itself focuses on audio streaming operations. This segmentation allows processing capability to be distributed across multiple devices, improving overall productivity without requiring a high-speed server processor in the base station, thereby avoiding increased power usage and cost.
2Productivity
If another processor is added to the base station to perform special audio processing tasks, then the processing capability is improved, but the complexity and cost of the base station increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the audio processing function from the base station and relocates it to remote satellite units. The base station retains only the function of identifying and issuing audio processing tasks, while the actual processing is performed externally by satellite units. This extraction eliminates the need for additional processors in the base station, thereby reducing device complexity and cost while maintaining improved audio processing capability through the distributed system.
3Productivity
If the base station performs all audio processing tasks itself, then the processing capability is sufficient, but the base station becomes unresponsive to user inputs and other operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the system's functions into two categories: audio streaming operations (handled by the base station) and audio processing tasks (handled by satellite units). This functional segmentation allows the base station to remain responsive to user inputs by delegating time-consuming processing tasks to satellite units, while still maintaining sufficient overall audio processing capability through the distributed architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for performing distributed audio processing within the system uses streamed audio playing satellite units of the system to perform audio processing tasks, which are assigned to the appropriate streamed audio playing satellite units by an audio streaming base unit of the system.