Radio Receiver Blank Section Expansion for Seamless IP Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radio receiver technologies face challenges in seamlessly switching between radio broadcasting and IP radio broadcasting with the same content, as current methods either require a long delay time or are inefficient when dealing with varying amounts of blank sections in the audio, affecting pitch and delay efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A radio receiver system that includes a delay unit capable of performing blank section expansion delay and entire expansion delay operations, determined by a sound type determination unit, to rapidly switch between radio broadcasting and IP radio broadcasting by selectively expanding blank sections or the entire audio signal, ensuring seamless switching irrespective of the amount of blank sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the reproduction speed is reduced to delay the output sound, then the delay time is achieved, but the pitch of the output sound changes from the original pitch
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio signal into sound sections and blank sections. By processing only the blank sections for time expansion rather than the entire audio signal, the system achieves delay without uniformly slowing down the audio content, thereby avoiding pitch changes in the audible portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing qualities to different parts of the audio signal: blank sections are expanded in time to provide delay, while sound sections maintain their original playback speed and pitch. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between achieving delay and maintaining pitch accuracy.
2Loss of time
If the reproduction speed is reduced to delay the output sound, then the delay time is achieved, but a long period of time is required until the sound is delayed by the predetermined delay time
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the audio signal and identifying blank sections, the system can apply aggressive time expansion only to those sections without affecting the overall audio quality. This allows for faster achievement of the required delay time compared to uniformly slowing down the entire audio stream.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes the time expansion parameter applied to blank sections based on the required delay time. When faster switching is needed, greater time expansion is applied to blank sections, enabling the system to achieve the target delay more quickly without permanently degrading audio quality.
3Manufacturing precision
If blank sections are expanded to delay the sound, then the pitch is maintained, but a long period of time is required until the sound is delayed by the predetermined delay time when the sound has a small amount of blank sections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary analysis of the audio signal to identify blank sections in advance. This allows the system to prepare for potential switching operations by having already identified suitable sections for time expansion, reducing the latency when switching is actually required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the time expansion parameter based on the characteristics of detected blank sections. When blank sections are small, greater expansion is applied to achieve the required delay; when blank sections are large, less expansion is needed. This adaptive approach maintains pitch accuracy while optimizing switching speed.
4Loss of time
If the entire audio signal is expanded uniformly to delay the sound, then the delay is achieved, but the pitch of the sound changes and the switching time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the audio signal into distinct segments (sound sections and blank sections) and applies different processing to each. Only blank sections undergo time expansion, while sound sections play back at normal speed, preventing pitch changes in the audible content while still achieving the required delay.
Solution Approach 2:
Different processing qualities are applied locally: blank sections receive time expansion processing to provide delay, while sound sections receive no processing or minimal processing to maintain original pitch and quality. This localized approach resolves the contradiction between achieving delay and maintaining audio fidelity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
When sound to be output is switched from radio broadcasting to IP radio broadcasting, delay of output of received sound in the radio broadcasting is increased by temporally expanding only blank sections in the sound if the received sound of the radio broadcasting has a large amount of blank sections and delay of output of received sound in the radio broadcasting is increased by temporally expanding the entire sound if the received sound does not have a large amount of blank sections. When the delay time matches a delay time of the IP radio broadcasting relative to the radio broadcasting, the sound to be output is switched from the sound of the radio broadcasting to the sound of the IP radio broadcasting.