Unified Audio Bus Interface for Slave Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional SOUNDWIRE audio devices often require multiple links for data transmission and reception, making it unfeasible for computing platforms that need only a single link, leading to increased physical size, power consumption, and integration complexity.
Innovation Solution
The system unifies multiple audio bus interfaces by designating a primary slave audio device and dependent slave audio devices that can operate in either unify mode, where they share a single audio bus interface with a master device, or detach mode, allowing independent operation with different master devices, without increasing physical area or power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple SOUNDWIRE links are used for data transmission and reception, then audio communication capability is improved, but physical size and integration complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple SOUNDWIRE links into a single unified link by designating one slave audio device as primary and others as dependent. The dependent slave audio devices share the same audio bus interface as the primary slave device, allowing multiple audio devices to communicate through a single link instead of requiring separate links for each device pair.
Solution Approach 2:
The single audio bus interface serves multiple functions by supporting both the primary slave audio device and multiple dependent slave audio devices. The unified link can handle data transmission, reception, and status communication for all connected audio devices, making the interface universal rather than dedicated to a single device pair.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple SOUNDWIRE links are used for data transmission and reception, then audio communication capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple SOUNDWIRE links into a single unified link by designating one slave audio device as primary and others as dependent. The dependent slave audio devices share the same audio bus interface as the primary slave device, allowing multiple audio devices to communicate through a single link instead of requiring separate links for each device pair.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of ports is increased to support multiple SOUNDWIRE device pairs, then audio communication capability is improved, but physical size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple SOUNDWIRE links into a single unified link by designating one slave audio device as primary and others as dependent. The dependent slave audio devices share the same audio bus interface as the primary slave device, allowing multiple audio devices to communicate through a single link instead of requiring separate links for each device pair.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for unifying multiple audio bus interfaces in an audio system are disclosed herein. In one aspect, an integrated circuit (IC) comprises a primary slave audio device comprising a first control circuit, and a dependent slave audio device comprising a second control circuit. The primary slave audio device and the dependent slave audio device are communicatively coupled via a slave status link, and the first control circuit and the second control circuit each configured to receive, from a master audio device, a mode instruction that indicates operation in one of a detach mode and a unify mode. The second control circuit is configured to, while operating in the detach mode, transmit a slave status to the master audio device via a second control lane, and, while operating in the unify mode, transmit the slave status to the primary slave audio device via the slave status link.