Multichannel Audio Distribution via Centralized Clock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large-scale playback systems with Sonos intelligent devices face complexity and inefficiency due to the need for individual software updates and complex data streaming, especially when handling multiple playback devices and data streams, which can lead to technical challenges in maintaining synchronized audio playback across many devices.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a centralized reference clock for timing synchronization, channelized audio distribution, and local mixing capabilities within playback devices, allowing for separate software applications for specific roles and reducing the need for extensive software downloads, while enabling efficient multicast distribution and centralized paging functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If individual software updates are implemented for each playback device, then device functionality can be updated, but system complexity and update time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides software update management into segments: a centralized server handles update distribution, while individual playback devices receive updates independently through their existing network connections. This segmentation allows each device to be updated separately without coordinating all devices simultaneously, reducing system management complexity while maintaining update capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A centralized software update server acts as an intermediary between the software vendor and multiple playback devices. The server receives update packages, stores them, and distributes them to requesting devices, eliminating the need for direct device-to-device coordination and simplifying the overall update process.
2Reliability
If complex data streaming is used to maintain synchronized audio playback across many devices, then audio synchronization is achieved, but network bandwidth consumption and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple audio data streams into a single multicast stream that can be received by multiple playback devices simultaneously. Instead of sending separate unicast streams to each device, the system combines the streams and distributes them efficiently across the network, reducing bandwidth consumption while maintaining synchronization through a centralized reference clock.
Solution Approach 2:
A centralized reference clock acts as an intermediary that provides timing synchronization to all playback devices. Rather than having devices synchronize through complex peer-to-peer protocols, the reference clock mediates the synchronization process, providing a simple time reference that all devices can use to maintain synchronized playback without excessive network overhead.
3Adaptability or versatility
If extensive software downloads are required for each playback device, then full functionality is available, but initial setup time and network load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts commonly used functionality into a core software package that is downloaded once and installed on all playback devices. Less frequently used features are implemented as optional add-on modules that can be downloaded and installed on-demand, reducing initial download time while maintaining full functionality when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring playback devices with essential software and settings during manufacturing. This preliminary setup reduces the amount of software that needs to be downloaded and configured during initial user setup, significantly reducing initial setup time while maintaining full device functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed example configurations include a playback device configured to, among other features, (i) receive reference clock timing; (ii) receive two or more data streams, where each data stream includes audio content and playback timing; (iii) for each data stream, generate sample-rate adjusted audio content for the data stream by adjusting a sample rate of at least a portion of the audio content of the data stream to compensate for a difference between a rendering clock at the playback device and the reference clock; (iv) generate a mix of the sample-rate adjusted audio content of the two or more data streams at the playback device; and (v) play the mix of the sample-rate adjusted audio content of each data stream based on a clock time of the rendering clock at the playback device and the playback timing information for each data stream.