Wireless Earbud Bandwidth Reduction via Duration Signaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In speech-controlled devices, fully wireless earbuds face challenges in design and usage due to bandwidth consumption issues when sending audio data, leading to degraded music playback and potential failure in detecting wakewords and commands, especially when ambient noise is high or the user's hands are occupied.
Innovation Solution
The primary earbud determines an audio-input mode and sends only the duration of audio packets to the secondary earbud, which generates corresponding audio by injecting zeros into its playback buffer, reducing bandwidth usage by a factor of 25 and allowing for efficient audio processing and command detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If audio data is sent continuously between earbuds, then music playback quality is maintained, but bandwidth consumption increases and causes degraded performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by sending audio data only during specific time intervals (when audio-input mode is not initiated) rather than continuously. The system alternates between sending full audio packets for music playback and sending only duration information when speech input is detected, thereby reducing overall bandwidth consumption while maintaining music quality during non-speech periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies extraction by removing unnecessary audio data transmission during speech-input modes. Instead of sending complete audio packets, the system extracts and transmits only the essential duration information, eliminating redundant data transmission while preserving the ability to maintain music playback quality when needed.
2Reliability
If bandwidth is allocated for audio data transmission, then music playback is maintained, but wakeword and command detection fails due to insufficient bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making the audio data transmission adaptive based on operational mode. The system dynamically adjusts what data to send (full packets vs. duration only) based on whether audio-input mode is initiated, allowing bandwidth to be reallocated between music playback and speech processing depending on current needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic action by switching between different transmission modes based on detected speech activity. During normal operation, full audio packets are sent for music playback. When speech is detected, the system periodically switches to sending only duration information, freeing up bandwidth for wakeword and command detection.
3Quantity of substance
If audio data transmission is reduced to save bandwidth, then bandwidth consumption decreases, but the ability to maintain synchronized audio playback between earbuds is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies copying by having the secondary earbud create a copy of the audio experience using only duration information. Instead of transmitting actual audio data, the system sends duration parameters that allow the secondary earbud to generate equivalent audio output, maintaining synchronization and audio quality without consuming transmission bandwidth.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method includes a first device (e.g., a primary wireless earbud) and a second device (e.g., a secondary wireless earbud). The first device receives audio data from a third device (e.g., a mobile device) and sends the audio data to the second device; the first and second devices output the audio. When the first device detects a wakeword, to reduce use of wireless bandwidth, the first device sends only an indication of duration of playback of the audio data to the second device instead of the audio data. The second device outputs blank audio having a duration corresponding to the received location to stay in sync with the first device. The first device transmits audio data corresponding to the wakeword to the third device.