Embedded Frame Synchronization in Digital Audio Encoding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless digital hearing aids face challenges in maximizing audio signal quality due to bandwidth limitations, which necessitate a tradeoff between bandwidth and power consumption, leading to degraded audio quality and increased battery drain, and existing synchronization methods like preambles require additional bandwidth and can cause interruptions in audio data streams.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that embeds a frame signal into digital data streams using a unique encoding pattern, allowing the receiver to recover the frame signal without the need for separate bit clock or frame signal transmission, thereby reducing overhead and maximizing payload data bandwidth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate bandwidth is allocated for frame signal synchronization, then synchronization reliability is improved, but available bandwidth for audio data is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the frame synchronization signal with the audio data stream by encoding synchronization information within the existing data bandwidth. Instead of allocating separate bandwidth for synchronization, the frame signal is embedded within the audio data stream using specific bit patterns that do not interfere with the audio content, thus maintaining synchronization reliability while preserving full bandwidth for audio transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the audio data stream serve multiple functions: it carries both the audio information and the frame synchronization signal simultaneously. By encoding synchronization markers within the data stream structure, the same transmission channel performs dual roles, eliminating the need for dedicated synchronization bandwidth and maximizing the utility of available bandwidth.
2Measurement precision
If bandwidth is increased to maximize audio quality, then audio signal quality is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures continuous transmission of audio data without interruption for separate synchronization signals. By embedding synchronization within the continuous data stream, the system maintains uninterrupted audio transmission at optimal bitrates, avoiding the power-wasting interruptions that would occur with separate synchronization transmissions while preserving audio quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the encoding parameters to embed synchronization information efficiently within the existing data stream without increasing transmission bitrate. By carefully selecting synchronization patterns and encoding methods, the system achieves reliable frame synchronization while maintaining the same bandwidth and power consumption levels, thus preserving audio quality without additional energy cost.
3Ease of operation
If preambles are used for synchronization, then frame signal detection is simplified, but bandwidth overhead increases and audio artifacts are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds synchronization markers at predetermined positions within the data stream structure, allowing the receiver to anticipate and efficiently detect frame boundaries without requiring lengthy preambles. This preliminary positioning of synchronization information enables simple detection logic while avoiding bandwidth overhead and audio artifacts associated with traditional preamble-based methods.
Data Source
AI summary
Digital data encoding and decoding method and system is provided. The data encoding includes encoding a frame signal into a bit stream, including detecting a specific bit pattern in the bit stream when the frame signal is present, generating a control signal in respect to the specific bit pattern, and encoding the bit stream into one or more marks and one or more spaces so that encoded data include a unique encoding pattern for the frame signal. The data decoding includes detecting at least one of mark and space from encoded data, recovering a bit stream from the encoded data when the at least one of mark and space is present, detecting a specific bit pattern associating with a frame signal from the encoded data when the at least one of mark and space is present, and recovering the frame signal from the encoded data.