Method and system for a multi-channel audio interconnect bus
View Patent ↗Provided is a system and method for communicating audio. A method includes transmitting audio information segments on a first signal line, each segment including a format portion representative of audio format modes, and a data portion having audio data corresponding to one or more of the format modes. The method also includes transmitting a number of synchronization markers on a second signal line. Each marker is representative of a timing of one of the audio information segments.
1. A method for communicating audio comprising:
communicating audio between an encoder and decoder using a 2-line serial multi channel audio interconnect data bus including only a first signal line and a second signal line;
transmitting, by the encoder, audio information segments on the first signal line, each segment including (i) a format portion representative of audio format modes and (ii) a data portion having audio data corresponding to one or more of the format modes; and
transmitting, by the encoder, a number of synchronization markers on the second signal line, each marker being representative of a timing of one of the audio information segments, a rate of the markers being independent of a system clock rate,
wherein only the first signal line and the second signal line form the 2-line serial multi-channel audio interconnect data bus structured to communicate audio, the system clock not communicated via the 2-line serial multi-channel audio interconnect data bus.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the audio data comprises a serial bit stream.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the audio information segments are unmodulated.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the audio information segments are representative of one or more audio channels.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the format portion comprises a 32 bit data word.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the format modes include at least one of a version number, an audio stream ID, an audio sampling rate, an audio format, and a sample width.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the audio stream ID includes an indication of an intended recipient of one or more of the transmitted audio segments.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the format modes are dynamic.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the format modes are configured to vary from one information segment to another information segment.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the synchronization markers include sync pulses.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein each sync pulse represents a start of transmission of one of the information segments.
12. A method for communicating audio comprising:
communicating audio between an encoder and decoder using a 2-line serial multi channel audio interconnect data bus including only a first signal line and a second signal line;
receiving, by the decoder, audio information segments on the first signal line, each segment including (i) a format portion representative of audio format modes and (ii) a data portion having audio data corresponding to one or more of the format modes; and
receiving, by the decoder, a number of synchronization markers on the second signal line, each marker being representative of a timing of one of the audio information segments, a rate of the markers being independent of a system clock rate,
wherein only the first signal line and the second signal line form the 2-line serial multi-channel audio interconnect data bus structured to communicate audio, the system clock not communicated via the 2-line serial multi-channel audio interconnect data bus.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the audio information segments are unmodulated.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the audio information segments are representative of one or more audio channels.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the format portion comprises a 32 bit data word.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the synchronization markers represents a start of reception of the one of the audio information segments.
17. A system for communicating audio, comprising:
a 2-line serial multi-channel audio interconnect data bus configured to communicate audio, including only a first signal line and a second signal line;
an encoder coupled to the 2-line serial multi-channel audio interconnect data bus and configured to transmit audio information segments on the first signal line, each segment including (i) a format portion representative of audio format modes and (ii) a data portion having audio data corresponding to one or more of the format modes,
the encoder further configured to transmit a number of synchronization markers on the second signal line, each marker being representative of a timing of one of the audio information segments, a rate of the markers being independent of a system clock rate; and
a decoder coupled to the 2-line serial multi-channel audio interconnect data bus and configured to receive the audio information segments on the first signal line,
the decoder further configured to receive a number of the synchronization markers on the second signal line,
wherein only the first signal line and the second signal line form the 2-line serial multi-channel audio interconnect data bus structured to communicate audio, the system clock not communicated via the 2-line serial multi-channel audio interconnect data bus.