Wireless Display Audio Sync via Local Silent Stream Generation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for initializing and synchronizing display devices with audio data are inefficient, particularly in wireless configurations, leading to bandwidth and power wastage due to the transmission of silent audio data streams, which can result in audio clipping and increased power consumption.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves shifting the generation of silent audio data streams from the transmitter to the receiver, where metadata associated with the audio data stream is stored and used to transmit a silent data stream based on this information, eliminating the need for continuous synchronization and reducing bandwidth and power usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a silent audio data stream is transmitted over the wireless link to maintain audio synchronization, then audio synchronization is retained, but bandwidth and power consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio synchronizationVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the silent audio data generation function from the transmitter and relocates it to the receiver. The transmitter only sends a trigger signal or metadata, while the receiver generates the actual silent audio data locally using stored audio format information, eliminating the need to transmit unnecessary audio data over the wireless link.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The receiver creates a local copy of the audio data stream by generating silent audio frames based on stored metadata from the latest audio data stream. This copied silent data is then used to maintain synchronization without requiring continuous transmission of actual audio content from the transmitter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If a silent audio data stream is transmitted over the wireless link to maintain audio synchronization, then audio synchronization is retained, but valuable wireless network bandwidth is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio synchronizationVSAvoidbandwidth
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the silent audio data generation function from the transmitter and relocates it to the receiver. The transmitter only sends a trigger signal or metadata, while the receiver generates the actual silent audio data locally using stored audio format information, eliminating the need to transmit unnecessary audio content over the wireless link.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of transmitting complete silent audio data streams, the system transmits only essential metadata or trigger signals from the transmitter. The receiver then performs the partial action of generating the actual silent audio frames locally, reducing overall data transmission requirements while maintaining synchronization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If the transmitter generates and transmits silent audio data streams, then audio synchronization is maintained, but device complexity and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio synchronizationVSAvoidtransmitter complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the silent audio data generation function from the transmitter and relocates it to the receiver. The transmitter only sends a trigger signal or metadata, while the receiver generates the actual silent audio data locally using stored audio format information, eliminating the need to transmit unnecessary audio content over the wireless link.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2865162B1Remote audio keep alive for a wireless display
Publication Date: 2019.12.25 ATI TECHNOLOGIES ULC
  • EP2865162B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2865162B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2865162B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An apparatus and method is provided for improving initialization and synchronization of display devices to audio data. Current implementations to retain synchronization between a transmitter and a display use "Keep Alive" silent audio data stream in the format of the latest data stream on an interface between the transmitter and the display even when no data is available. Implementing the above solution in a system where the silent audio data stream is transmitted over a wireless link is bandwidth and power inefficient. The techniques provide an apparatus and method to efficiently generate and transmit silent audio data stream for maintaining synchronization.