Multi-Device Generative Audio Playback with Dynamic Channel Assignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coordinating playback of generative audio content among multiple playback devices in an environment is challenging, particularly in ensuring synchronized and dynamic adjustments based on real-time inputs, and existing systems face computational limitations and latency issues when relying on cloud-based servers for recalculating channel distributions.
Innovation Solution
A coordinator device distributes all channels of multichannel generative media content to playback devices, assigning real-time playback responsibilities and adjusting channel distributions without requiring recalculation by cloud-based servers, using a distributed architecture that leverages both local and remote computing devices for processing and synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cloud-based servers are used for recalculating channel distributions in real-time, then centralized control and coordination are achieved, but computational latency and processing delays occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized cloud-based processing into distributed local processing units at each playback device. Each device independently calculates its own channel distribution based on local environmental inputs, eliminating the need for continuous cloud recalculation and reducing computational latency while maintaining coordination reliability through peer-to-peer synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calibration of playback responsibilities and channel distributions during system setup or environmental changes. This pre-computed configuration is stored locally at each playback device, allowing rapid real-time adjustments without requiring cloud-based recalculation, thus reducing processing delays while maintaining centralized control architecture.
2Productivity
If all playback devices independently process generative audio content, then processing speed and synchronization improve, but device complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a copying mechanism where the coordinator device's calculated playback configuration and channel distribution data are replicated to all member playback devices. This allows each device to independently execute playback without performing complex real-time calculations, achieving fast synchronization while reducing individual device processing complexity through data replication rather than redundant computation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If channel distributions are dynamically adjusted based on real-time inputs, then adaptability to environmental changes improves, but computational overhead and processing burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic environmental monitoring and channel distribution recalculation at predetermined time intervals or triggered by significant environmental changes rather than continuously. This periodic action maintains adaptability to environmental conditions while significantly reducing computational energy consumption compared to continuous real-time processing, as playback devices only recalculate when necessary.
Data Source
AI summary
Generative media content (e.g., generative audio) can be played back across multiple playback devices concurrently. A coordinator device can receive a multi-channel stream of media content, with at least some channels comprising generative media content. The coordinator device transmits each of the channels to a plurality of playback devices. A first playback device plays back a first subset of the channels according to first playback responsibilities and a second playback device plays back a second subset of the channels according to second playback responsibilities. The first and/or second playback responsibilities can be dynamically modified over time, for example in response to one or more input parameters.