TWI839670B - Electronic device, electronic system and transmission method - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic device, an electronic system and a transmission method are provided. The electronic device is adapted to communicate an audio information with an external device. The electronic device includes an interface circuit and a controller. The interface circuit is coupled to the external device. The controller is coupled to the interface circuit. The controller provides a write information to the external device through the interface circuit. When the audio information is communicated between the interface circuit and the external device, the controller performs an in-system programming to the external device according to the write information.

Description

Electronic device, electronic system and transmission method

The present invention relates to a device, a system and a method, and in particular to an electronic device, an electronic system and a transmission method.

In existing audio communication technology, for example, when an electronic device is transmitting audio information with a codec device in accordance with the Inter-IC Sound (I ² S) standard, if the electronic device wants to write to the memory of the codec device at the same time, the audio information transmitted between the electronic device and the codec device must be stopped or paused before the write information can be transmitted. In this way, the audio content that the user originally listened to or recorded will inevitably be interrupted due to the influence of the write operation.

The present invention provides an electronic device, an electronic system and a transmission method, which can provide an online burning function when transmitting audio information.

The electronic device of the present invention is suitable for transmitting audio information with an external device. The electronic device includes an interface circuit and a controller. The interface circuit is coupled to the external device. The controller is coupled to the interface circuit. The controller provides write information to the external device through the interface circuit, so that when the audio information is transmitted between the interface circuit and the external device, the controller performs online burning of the external device according to the write information.

The electronic system of the present invention includes a first electronic device and a second electronic device. The first electronic device includes a first interface circuit, a memory and a first controller. The first controller receives information from the first interface circuit to write to the memory. The second electronic device is coupled to the first electronic device to transmit audio information. The second electronic device includes a second interface circuit and a second controller. The second interface circuit is coupled to the first interface circuit to transmit audio information. The second controller is coupled to the second interface circuit, wherein the second controller provides write information to the first controller through the second interface circuit, so that when the audio information is transmitted between the first interface circuit and the second interface circuit, the first controller performs an online burning to the memory according to the write information.

The transmission method of the present invention includes providing a first electronic device and a second electronic device to transmit audio information between the first electronic device and the second electronic device; and when transmitting audio information between the first electronic device and the second electronic device, the second electronic device provides writing information to the first electronic device to perform online burning on the first electronic device.

Based on the above, the electronic device, electronic system and transmission method of the present invention can maintain the continuous and uninterrupted transmission of audio information while writing to the memory, effectively providing users with a better user experience.

1, 3: Electronic system

10, 20, 30, 40: Electronic devices

11, 21, 31, 41: Controller

12, 22, 32, 42: Interface circuit

23, 43: Memory

33: Port management circuit

34~36: Port

44:Memory controller

45: Audio processing circuit

46:Analog-to-digital converter

47: Digital to Analog Converter

Clk1, Clk2: clock signal

DI/DO: data signal

F1: Frame time

S40, S41: Steps

T1~T6: Time period

Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electronic system in an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the waveform of the signal transmitted between the electronic devices in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of an electronic system in an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a flow chart of the transmission method of embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG1 is a block diagram of an electronic system 1 in an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic system 1 includes electronic devices 10 and 20. The electronic devices 10 and 20 are coupled to each other and can transmit audio information to each other. The electronic device 10 includes a controller 11 and an interface circuit 12. The electronic device 20 includes a controller 21, an interface circuit 22, and a memory 23. In general, the interface circuits 12 and 22 are coupled to each other to transmit audio information, and the transmission between the interface circuits 12 and 22 can comply with an Inter-IC Sound (I ² S) standard. While the electronic device 10 and the electronic device 20 are transmitting audio information, the controller 11 of the electronic device 10 can also provide write information to the electronic device 20 through the interface circuit 12 to perform in system programming (ISP) on the memory 23 of the electronic device 20. Therefore, the electronic devices 10, 20 and the electronic system 1 can simultaneously write to the memory 23 of the electronic device 20 while maintaining the transmission of audio information continuously and without interruption, effectively improving the convenience of the system.

In some embodiments, the electronic device 10 may be, for example, a main control device, the electronic device 20 may be, for example, a codec device, and the electronic device 20 may be further coupled to an audio device (not shown in FIG. 1 ). For example, the audio device may be a sound receiving or playing device such as an earphone, a microphone, a speaker, etc. The electronic device 20 connected between the electronic device 10 and the audio device may encode and/or decode audio information between the two. In this way, the electronic device 10 and the audio device may transmit audio information to the audio device through the electronic device 20. That is, the electronic device 10 may receive audio information provided by the audio device, or the electronic device 10 may provide audio information to the audio device to transmit audio information. Of course, the above embodiment is only one embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the implementation of the electronic system 1, electronic devices 10, 20.

The electronic device 10 includes a controller 11 and an interface circuit 12. The controller 11 can access the memory of the electronic device 10 (not shown in FIG. 1 ) to obtain and execute software or firmware instructions to encode and/or decode the transmitted data, or perform other necessary operations. The interface circuit 12 is coupled to the controller 11 and can be used for transmission that complies with the inter-chip audio standard.

The electronic device 20 includes a controller 21, an interface circuit 22, and a memory 23. The interface circuit 22 is coupled to the interface circuit 21. The interface circuit 22 can be used for transmission that complies with the inter-chip audio standard. The controller 21 is coupled to the interface circuit 22, and the controller 21 can obtain the transmitted audio information from the interface circuit 22 and encode and/or decode the audio information. The memory 23 is coupled to the controller 21. In some embodiments, the data stored in the memory 23 can be software or firmware instructions to provide the controller 21 with access and execution. For example, the electronic device 20 can control, adjust, or mix the voice of the transmitted audio information through the data stored in the memory 23.

The interface circuits 12 and 22 can transmit audio information in accordance with the Inter-IC Sound (I ² S) standard. Furthermore, in order to realize the online burning function, the interface circuits 12 and 22 can also support time-division multiplexing (TDM). Therefore, while the audio information is transmitted between the electronic devices 10 and 20, the electronic device 10 can provide write information to perform online burning on the electronic device 20. In other words, when the electronic device 10 updates or burns data in the memory 23 of the electronic device 20, the audio information transmitted between the electronic devices 10 and 20 can remain continuous and uninterrupted. Therefore, the electronic devices 10, 20 and the electronic system 1 can provide users with a better user experience.

The controllers 11 and 21 may be, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), or other programmable general-purpose or special-purpose micro control unit (MCU), microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP), programmable controller, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), graphics processing unit (GPU), arithmetic logic unit (ALU), complex programmable logic device (CPLD), field programmable gate array (FPGA), any other type of integrated circuit, state machine, processor based on advanced RISC machine (ARM), or other similar components or combinations of the above components. Alternatively, the controllers 11 and 21 may be hardware circuits designed and implemented using a hardware description language (HDL) or any other digital circuit design method known to those skilled in the art. The controllers 11 and 21 may be implemented in the same or different ways.

The memory 23 can store data to provide access. The memory 23 can be, for example, a fixed or removable random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD) or a similar element or a combination of the above elements. The memory 23 can store information related to functions such as voice control, adjustment or mixing.

FIG2 is a waveform diagram of a signal transmitted between the electronic devices 10 and 20 of FIG1 . As shown in FIG2 , the signal transmitted between the electronic devices 10 and 20 includes clock signals Clk1 and Clk2 and data signals DI/DO. In some embodiments, each pulse of the clock signal Clk1 may correspond to each bit of data transmitted between the electronic devices 10 and 20. The clock signal Clk2 may define the frame time F1 for the electronic devices 10 and 20 to transmit signals, that is, the sampling frequency for the signal transmission between the electronic devices 10 and 20. The data signal DI/DO may be the signal transmitted between the electronic devices 10 and 20, and the data signal DI/DO may include audio information and write information. In this way, the electronic devices 10 and 20 can transmit the data signals DI/DO according to the clock signals Clk1 and Clk2.

Specifically, the electronic devices 10 and 20 can communicate with each other based on the clock signals Clk1 and Clk2, wherein the electronic devices 10 and 20 can distinguish the frame time F1 based on the clock signal Clk2, and the electronic devices 10 and 20 can distinguish multiple time intervals T1 to T6 in each frame time F1 based on the clock signal Clk1, so that the electronic devices 10 and 20 can transmit audio information and write information through the data signals DI/DO in the corresponding time intervals. In some embodiments, the cycle length of the frame time F1 distinguished by the clock signal Clk2 can be 192 times the cycle length of the clock signal Clk1, and each frame time F1 can be distinguished into time intervals T1 to T6. That is to say, each frame time F1 can have 192 pulses of the clock signal Clk1, and each time interval T1~T6 can have 32 pulses of the clock signal Clk1 respectively. Of course, according to different design concepts and usage settings, the cycle length of the frame time F1 and the number of time intervals in each frame time F1 can be adjusted better. For example, the sampling frequency of the clock signal Clk2 can be 32KHz, 44.1KHz, 44KHz, 48KHz, 96KHz, 192KHz, or any frequency between 32KHz~192KHz, and the number of time intervals can be 6, 8, 12, etc. or more.

Specifically, in the time intervals T1 and T2, audio information can be transmitted between the electronic devices 10 and 20. More specifically, the audio information transmitted between the electronic devices 10 and 20 includes left channel information and right channel information. In the time interval T1, when the clock signal Clk2 is at the enable voltage level, the data signal DI/DO transmitted by the electronic devices 10 and 20 may include right channel information; in the time interval T2, when the clock signal Clk2 is at the disable voltage level, the data signal DI/DO transmitted by the electronic devices 10 and 20 may include left channel information, wherein the left channel information and the right channel information may be, for example, 16-bit, 24-bit or 32-bit data in pulse-code modulation (PCM).

Furthermore, in the time interval T3 to T6, the electronic devices 10 and 20 can transmit write information. More specifically, the write information transmitted between the electronic devices 10 and 20 includes a write command and write data. In the time interval T3, the data signal DI/DO transmitted by the electronic devices 10 and 20 can include a write command; in the time interval T4 to T6, the data signal DI/DO transmitted by the electronic devices 10 and 20 can include write data.

In this embodiment, since the audio information transmitted between the electronic devices 10 and 20 only includes left channel information and right channel information, only two time periods are required for transmission. In this way, the electronic system 1 and the electronic devices 10 and 20 can transmit audio information in the time periods T1 and T2, and in other time periods T3 to T6 where no audio information is transmitted, the electronic system 1 and the electronic devices 10 and 20 can transmit write information. Of course, the number of time periods used for transmission between the electronic devices 10 and 20 can be adjusted or changed according to the compatibility of the interface circuits 12 and 22 and user needs, so that the electronic devices 10 and 20 can transmit with fewer or more time periods. According to the above, when the electronic devices 10 and 20 transmit audio information, the electronic device 10 can simultaneously write to the memory 23 of the electronic device 20 in an online burning manner, so that the audio information transmitted between the electronic devices 10 and 20 can remain continuous and uninterrupted, so as to provide users with a better user experience.

FIG3 is a block diagram of an electronic system 3 in an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic system 3 includes electronic devices 30 and 40. The electronic device 30 includes a controller 31, an interface circuit 32, a port management circuit 33, and ports 34 to 36. The electronic device 40 includes a controller 41, an interface circuit 42, a memory 43, a memory controller 44, an audio processing circuit 45, an analog to digital converter (ADC) 46, and a digital to analog converter (DAC) 47.

Generally speaking, the controller 31, interface circuit 32, controller 41, interface circuit 42 and memory 43 in FIG. 3 are similar to the controller 11, interface circuit 12, controller 21, interface circuit 22 and memory 23 in FIG. 1 , respectively. For the relevant description, please refer to the relevant paragraphs above and no further description will be given here.

In the electronic device 30, the controller 31 is also coupled to the port management circuit 33, and is coupled to the ports 34-36 through the port management circuit 33. The ports 34-36 may be the same or different ports to respectively connect to external devices and access data. In some embodiments, the port 34 may be a universal serial bus (USB) port, the port 35 may be a network port, and the port 36 may be a secure digital memory card (SD card) port. In this way, the port 34 may be connected to a flash drive, a desktop computer, a laptop, a tablet computer, or other electronic devices that can be connected and access data through a USB port. The connection port 35 can be connected to a network cable or a network connection device, and can be connected to the Internet (world wide web, WWW) through the network cable to access data. The connection port 36 can be connected to a memory card, for example, to access the data of the memory card. The connection port management circuit 33 is coupled between the controller 31 and each connection port 34~36, and the connection port management circuit 33 can be responsible for signal transmission between the controller 31 and the connection ports 34~36.

In the electronic device 40, the controller 41 is coupled to the interface circuit 42, the memory controller 44 and the audio processing circuit 45. The controller 41 and the audio processing circuit 45 can process the encoding/decoding operation of the audio information and transmit it to the audio device through the analog-to-digital converter 46 and the digital-to-analog converter 47. The controller 41 can be coupled to the memory 43 through the memory controller 44, and the controller 41 and the memory controller 44 can write to the memory 43 according to the write information.

In some implementations, the audio processing circuit 45 may be, for example, a mixer, which can perform mixing processing on the transmitted audio information. The memory 43 can store data with functions such as voice control, adjustment or mixing. In this way, the audio processing circuit 45 in the electronic device 40 can perform mixing or other operations on the audio information by accessing the memory 43.

In general, on one hand, the electronic system 3 can transmit audio information (for example, the electronic device 30 receives audio information from the electronic device 40, or the electronic device 30 sends audio information to the electronic device 40). On the other hand, the electronic system 3 can also obtain write data from an external device through at least one of the connection ports 34-36 without interrupting the transmission of audio information, and write online to the memory 43 of the electronic device 40 through the time-sharing multiplexing of the controller 31 and the interface circuits 32 and 42. Therefore, through the overall configuration of the electronic system 3 and the electronic devices 30 and 40, the function of online burning can be realized, effectively improving the convenience of the system.

FIG4 is a flow chart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The transmission method in FIG4 can be performed by the electronic system 1 in FIG1 or the electronic system 3 in FIG3. In step S40, a first electronic device and a second electronic device can be provided to transmit audio information between the first electronic device and the second electronic device. In step S41, when transmitting audio information between the first electronic device and the second electronic device, the second electronic device provides write information to the first electronic device to perform online burning on the first electronic device.

For the relevant description of online burning using electronic system 1 or electronic system 3, please refer to the relevant paragraphs above. Of course, a person skilled in the art can make the necessary changes or adjustments to the above-mentioned electronic devices 10, 20, 30, 40 or electronic systems 1, 3 according to different design concepts and user needs. For example, taking the electronic system 1 of Figure 1 as an example, although the above paragraph only describes the online burning of the slave device of electronic device 20 (encoding and decoding device) using electronic device 10 as the master device, the present invention is not limited to this. The electronic device 20 can also be used as a master device to perform online burning operations on the electronic device 10 as a slave device. That is, while audio information is being transmitted between the electronic devices 10 and 20, the electronic device 20 can provide write information to the electronic device 10 to write to the memory (not shown in FIG. 1 ) of the electronic device 10.

In summary, the electronic device, electronic system and transmission method of the present invention can effectively provide the electronic device with an online recording function when transmitting audio information through an interface circuit supporting time-division multiplexing mode while complying with the inter-chip audio standard. Therefore, while writing to the memory, the transmission of audio information can be kept continuous and uninterrupted, effectively providing users with a better user experience.

1: Electronic system

10, 20: Electronic devices

11, 21: Controller

12, 22: Interface circuit

23: Memory

Claims (6)

An electronic device is suitable for transmitting audio information with an external device. The electronic device includes: an interface circuit coupled to the external device; and a controller coupled to the interface circuit. The controller transmits the audio information with the external device through the interface circuit, wherein the controller provides write information to the external device through the interface circuit, so that when the audio information is transmitted between the interface circuit and the external device, the audio information and the write information are transmitted to the external device alternately in a timing sequence, and the controller performs an in-system recording on the external device according to the write information. Programming, ISP), wherein the electronic device and the external device communicate according to a first clock signal and a second clock signal, wherein the first clock signal distinguishes a plurality of frame times, and the second clock signal distinguishes a plurality of time intervals in each of the frame times, wherein in at least one first time interval among the time intervals distinguished by the second clock signal, the audio information is transmitted between the interface circuit and the external device, wherein in at least one second time interval among the time intervals, the write information is transmitted between the interface circuit and the external device. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the communication between the interface circuit and the external device complies with an Inter-IC Sound (I ² S) standard. An electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein the interface circuit supports a time-division multiplexing (TDM) mode. An electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein the audio information includes left channel information and right channel information, and the write information includes a write command and write data. An electronic system includes: a first electronic device including: a first interface circuit; a memory; and a first controller, the first interface circuit receiving information to write to the memory; and a second electronic device coupled to the first electronic device to transmit an audio information, the second electronic device including: a second interface circuit coupled to the first interface circuit to transmit the audio information; and a second controller coupled to the second interface circuit, the second controller The second controller transmits the audio information to the first electronic device through the second interface circuit, wherein the second controller provides a write information to the first controller through the second interface circuit, so that when the audio information is transmitted between the first interface circuit and the second interface circuit, the audio information and the write information are alternately transmitted to the first interface circuit in a timing sequence, and the first controller performs an online burning (input) on the memory of the first electronic device according to the write information. system programming, ISP), wherein the first electronic device and the second electronic device communicate with each other according to a first clock signal and a second clock signal, wherein the first clock signal distinguishes a plurality of frame times, and the second clock signal distinguishes a plurality of time intervals in each of the frame times, wherein in at least one first time interval among the time intervals distinguished by the second clock signal, the audio information is transmitted between the first interface circuit and the second interface circuit, wherein in at least one second time interval among the time intervals, the write information is transmitted between the first interface circuit and the second interface circuit. A transmission method includes: providing a first electronic device and a second electronic device to transmit an audio information between the first electronic device and the second electronic device; and when transmitting the audio information between the first electronic device and the second electronic device, providing a write information to the first electronic device by the second electronic device to perform an in-system recording on the first electronic device. Programming, ISP), wherein the audio information and the write information are transmitted alternately to the first electronic device in a timing sequence, wherein the first electronic device and the second electronic device communicate with each other according to a first clock signal and a second clock signal, wherein the first clock signal distinguishes a plurality of frame times, and the second clock signal distinguishes a plurality of time intervals in each of the frame times, wherein in at least one first time interval among the time intervals distinguished by the second clock signal, the audio information is transmitted between the first electronic device and the second electronic device, and wherein in at least one second time interval among the time intervals, the write information is transmitted between the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

Images