USB Audio Control Circuit for BIOS De-Pop Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Audio control circuits with USB interfaces face challenges in accurately controlling de-pop circuits to suppress popping noise during device initialization without affecting normal audio playback, as existing standards do not provide effective methods for managing this issue.

Innovation Solution

An audio control circuit with a USB interface and processing circuit determines the operating stage of a host device through enumeration packets, generating control signals to enable or disable the de-pop circuit accordingly, ensuring proper noise suppression during BIOS and OS stages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the de-pop circuit is enabled during device initialization, then popping noise is suppressed, but normal audio playback is affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepopping noiseVSAvoidnormal audio playback
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The de-pop circuit is dynamically controlled by switching it on during BIOS stage initialization and off during OS stage normal operation. The system transitions between different operational states based on the initialization phase, allowing the circuit to adapt its behavior to current operational requirements rather than remaining static.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The de-pop circuit is enabled in advance during the BIOS stage before normal audio playback begins. This preliminary action prevents popping noise from occurring in the first place during initialization, and the circuit is subsequently disabled once the initialization is complete and normal operation starts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the de-pop circuit is always enabled, then popping noise is eliminated, but audio playback quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepopping noiseVSAvoidaudio playback quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the state of the de-pop circuit based on operational stage. During BIOS stage, the circuit is enabled to suppress popping; during OS stage, it is disabled to maintain audio quality. This dynamic control resolves the contradiction by applying the circuit only when necessary rather than continuously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the audio control circuit controls the de-pop circuit, then popping noise is suppressed during BIOS stage, but the control mechanism becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepopping noiseVSAvoidcontrol mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The audio control circuit automatically detects the operational stage (BIOS or OS) and self-regulates the de-pop circuit accordingly without requiring external control logic. The circuit serves itself by monitoring its own operational context and making appropriate control decisions, thereby suppressing popping noise while avoiding additional control mechanism complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4012550A1Audio control circuit and associated control method
Publication Date: 2022.06.15 REALTEK SEMICON CORP
  • EP4012550A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4012550A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4012550A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention provides an audio control circuit (100) comprising an USB interface circuit (110) and a processing circuit (120).The USB interface circuit (110) is used to connect to a host device (102), and the processing circuit (1 20) is configured to perform enumeration with the host device (102) via the USB interface circuit (110), and the processing circuit (120) is further configured to determine if the host device (102) operates in a BIOS stage or an operating system stage to generate a control signal according to packets of the enumeration. When the processing circuit (120) determines that the host device (102) operates in the BIOS stage, the processing circuit (120) generates the control signal to enable a de-pop circuit (104); and when the processing circuit (120) determines that the host device (102) operates in the operating system stage, the processing circuit (120) disables the de-pop circuit (104).