Grouped Audio Streaming Latency Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional virtual conference systems face challenges in synchronizing audio streams between multiple participants located in different physical locations due to latency issues, which disrupts real-time audio performances and affects the quality of the final output, making it difficult to enable multiple users to perform together in a synchronized manner.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves dividing participants into ordered groups and synchronizing their performances according to a defined group order, where each group receives audio streams with controlled latency, allowing them to perform continuously without interruptions, and merging audio streams within a maximal latency threshold to maintain synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If audio streams are transmitted in real-time across multiple locations, then the performance can be streamed simultaneously to all participants, but latency issues disrupt synchronization and affect audio quality
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments participants into ordered groups (first group, second group, third group, etc.) and processes audio streams sequentially through each group rather than attempting simultaneous real-time transmission to all participants. This segmentation allows controlled latency management at each stage while maintaining overall synchronization reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by obtaining and processing audio records from each group before transmitting to the next group. Audio streams are prepared and synchronized in advance at each processing stage, ensuring that when audio reaches final participants, it is already synchronized and ready for playback without disruption.
2Productivity
If audio streams are provided to all participants simultaneously, then everyone can perform together, but latency causes desynchronization and disrupts the performance
Solution Approach 1:
Participants are divided into ordered groups where each group processes audio sequentially. The first group receives and processes audio records, then passes to the second group, and so on. This segmentation transforms the simultaneous transmission problem into a controlled sequential process, maintaining collaboration while managing latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system ensures continuous processing of audio streams through each group without interruption. Audio records flow continuously from one group to the next, and participants can perform continuously without waiting for synchronization, eliminating performance disruptions while managing latency through the ordered group structure.
3Reliability
If background sound is provided to participants, then they can perform with better audio quality, but background sound may interfere with synchronization of audio records
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and removes background sound from audio records before processing and transmission. By taking out the background sound component, the system prevents interference with synchronization while maintaining the quality of the primary audio performance records that need to be synchronized across groups.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus, and product comprising synchronizing an audio-based performance between groups of participants, wherein the audio-based performance is streamed in real time via a virtual conference system, wherein at least some participants of the groups are physically located in remote locations, wherein the groups are ordered in accordance with a pre-determined order, wherein the pre-determined order indicates that a first group immediately precedes a second group, wherein the pre-determined order indicates that the second group immediately precedes a third group, wherein said synchronizing comprises: obtaining a first audio stream from the first group; providing the first audio stream to the second group; obtaining a second audio stream from the second group; and providing the second audio stream to the third group.