Pulse-Modulated Audio Interface for Single-Wire Data Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital audio data transfer in electronic devices often requires multiple signal paths, leading to issues like electromagnetic interference and increased cost, power consumption, and latency, especially when transmitting stereo audio data.
Innovation Solution
A digital data transmission circuitry that encodes multiple data channels into a single pulse stream using a pulse generator to modulate the timing of rising and falling edges within transfer periods, allowing for low-latency data transfer over a single communication link.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate wires are used for data and clock signals, then signal integrity is maintained, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate signal wires (data wire and clock wire) into a single communication wire. The encoder merges the data signal and clock signal into one encoded signal stream that carries both information types, eliminating the need for separate physical connections while maintaining signal integrity through the encoding scheme.
Solution Approach 2:
The single communication wire performs multiple functions: it carries both data information and clock synchronization information. The encoded signal stream simultaneously conveys the actual data payload and the timing/clock references needed for proper signal interpretation, making the wire universal for multiple signal types.
2Reliability
If multiple separate wires are used for data and clock signals, then signal integrity is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate signal wires (data wire and clock wire) into a single communication wire. The encoder merges the data signal and clock signal into one encoded signal stream that carries both information types, eliminating the need for separate physical connections while maintaining signal integrity through the encoding scheme.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of signal interference and power consumption from multiple wires into a benefit by using a single wire with encoded signals. The encoding scheme transforms the complexity of managing multiple signals into a simplified single-signal transmission that actually reduces power consumption and eliminates interference issues.
3Measurement precision
If separate clock line is used for digital audio data transmission, then data synchronization is achieved, but latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the data signal and clock signal into a single encoded signal stream transmitted over one wire. The encoder integrates timing information directly into the data stream, eliminating the need for separate clock line connections and reducing the time required for signal transmission and synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The encoder performs preliminary encoding of both data and clock information into a unified signal format before transmission. This pre-processing integrates the synchronization requirements into the data stream itself, so that no additional time is needed for separate clock signal processing or synchronization at the receiver end.
Data Source
AI summary
This application relates to methods and apparatus for transfer of multiple digital data streams, especially of digital audio data over a single communications link such as a single wire. The application describes audio interface circuitry comprising a pulse-length-modulation (PLM) modulator. The PLM is responsive to a plurality of data streams (PDM-R, PDM-L), to generate a series of data pulses (PLM) with a single data pulse having a rising and falling edge in each of a plurality of transfer periods defined by a first clock signal (TCLK). The timing of the rising and falling edge of each data pulse is dependent upon a combination of the then current data samples from the plurality of data streams. The duration and position of the data pulse in the transfer window in effect defines a data symbol encoding the data. Circuitry for receiving and extracting the data is also disclosed. An interface receives the stream of data pulses (PLM) and data extraction circuitry samples the data pulse to determine which of the possible data symbols the pulse represents and determines a data value for at least one received data stream.