USB AUDIO CONTROLLER

• US 20100161857A1
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solid State System Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Solid State System Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ding, Rong-Hwa
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L

Abstract

An USB audio controller includes an USB interface unit, an audio interface unit, a storage interface unit, and a processing unit. The USB interface unit is used to connect to an USB bus for communicating with a host by a communication information. The audio interface unit is used to connect to at least one audio device for communicating with an audio signal. The storage interface unit is used to connect to a memory unit for communicating storage information. The processing unit is for processing the communicating information, storage information, or audio signal.

Claims

1. A universal serial bus (USB) audio controller, comprising:

an USB interface unit, used to connect to an USB bus for communicating with an USB host by a communication information;

an audio interface unit, used to connect to at least one audio device for communicating with an audio signal;

a storage interface unit, used to communicate with an external storage unit by a storage information; and

a processing unit, having at least one processor, for processing the communicating information, the storage information, or the audio signal, wherein when the USB interface unit is connected to the USB host, the processing unit processes with respect to an USB device class definition for the audio devices or operates together with a software in the USB host to work as an USB audio device, and processes with respect to USB mass storage class specifications or operates together with a software in the USB host to work as an USB storage device, wherein when the USB interface unit is disconnected from the USB host, the processing unit processes an audio playback function with an audio source from the storage unit or an audio record function with an audio source from audio interface unit.

2. The USB audio controller of claim 1, wherein a user switching function is provided for user to select USB audio device or USB storage device when the USB controller is connected to the USB host.

3. The USB audio controller of claim 1, wherein the audio signal comprises an input audio signal or an output audio signal, and the audio interface unit comprises one audio input unit for receiving the input audio signal or comprises one audio output unit for outputting the output audio signal.

4. The USB audio controller of claim 3, wherein the audio input unit comprises at least one analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit, or the audio output unit comprises ate least one digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit.

5. The USB audio controller of claim 1, wherein the processing unit comprises a capability to compress or decompress an audio compressed format.

6. The USB audio controller of claim 1, wherein a nonvolatile memory unit is embedded in the controller to communicate with the storage interface unit.

7. The USB audio controller of claim 1, wherein when the audio controller is connected to the USB host, the storage information is an original audio signal output to the audio device from the USB host via the audio interface unit or a compressed audio signal of the original audio signal.

8. The USB audio controller of claim 1, wherein when the audio controller is connected to the USB host, the storage information is an original audio signal input to the USB host from the audio device via the audio interface unit or a compressed audio signal of the original audio signal.

9. The USB audio controller of claim 1, wherein when the audio controller is connected to the USB host, the storage information comprises:

a first storage information, wherein the first storage information is an audio signal outputting to the audio device via the audio interface unit from the USB host or a compressed audio signal of the original outputting audio signal; and

a second storage information, wherein the second storage information is an audio signal inputs from the audio device via the audio interface unit and transmitted to USB host or a compressed audio signal of the original inputting audio signal;

for being stored by the external storage unit.

10. The USB audio controller of claim 1, wherein when the USB controller is connected to the USB host, a software stored in the storage unit is communicating with the USB host via the storage unit and the USB interface unit and is executed by the USB host.

11. The USB audio controller of claim 1, wherein the USB interface unit, the audio interface unit, the storage interface unit, and the processing unit are integrated as a single integrated circuit chip.

12. A universal serial bus (USB) audio controller, comprising:

an USB interface unit, used to connect to an USB bus for communicating with an USB host by a communication information;

an audio interface unit, used to connect to at least one audio device for communicating with an audio signal;

a storage interface unit, used to communicate with a storage unit by a storage information; and

a processing unit, having a hardware circuit or at least one processor, for processing the communicating information, the storage information, or the audio signal, wherein when the USB interface unit is connected to the USB host, the processing unit processes with respect to an USB device class definition for the audio devices or operates together with a software in the USB host to work as an USB audio device, and processes with respect to USB mass storage class specifications or operates together with a software in the USB host to work as an USB storage device,

wherein when the audio controller is connected to the USB host, the storage information is an original audio signal outputting to the audio device from the USB host via the audio interface unit, or a compressed audio signal of the original outputting audio signal.

13. The USB audio controller of claim 12, wherein the storage information further additionally includes a second storage information, wherein when the audio controller is connected to the USB host, the second storage information includes an original audio signal inputting to the USB host from the audio device via the audio interface unit, or a compressed audio signal of the original inputting audio signal.

14. The USB audio controller of claim 12, wherein a user switching function is provided for user to select one of the USB audio device or USB storage device when the USB controller is connected to the USB host.

15. The USB audio controller of claim 13, wherein a user switching function is provided for user to select one of the USB audio device or USB storage device when the USB controller is connected to the USB host.

16. A universal serial bus (USB) audio controller, comprising:

an USB interface unit, used to connect to an USB bus for communicating with an USB host by a communication information;

an audio interface unit, used to connect to at least one audio device for communicating with an audio signal;

a storage interface unit, used to communicate with a storage unit by a storage information; and

a processing unit, having a hardware circuit or at least one processor, for processing the communicating information, the storage information, or the audio signal, wherein when the USB interface unit is connected to the USB host, the processing unit processes with respect to an USB device class definition for the audio devices or operates together with a software in the USB host to work as an USB audio device, and processes with respect to USB mass storage class specifications or operates together with a software in the USB host to work as an USB storage device,

wherein when the audio controller is connected to the USB host, the storage information includes an original audio signal inputting to the USB host from the audio device via the audio interface unit, or a compressed audio signal of the original inputting audio signal.

17. The USB audio controller of claim 16, wherein a user switching function is provided for user to select one of the USB audio device or USB storage device when the USB controller is connected to the USB host.

18. A universal serial bus (USB) audio controller, comprising:

an USB interface unit, used to connect to an USB bus for communicating with an USB host by a communication information;

an audio interface unit, used to connect to at least one audio device for communicating with an audio signal;

a storage interface unit, used to communicate with a storage unit by a storage information; and

a processing unit, having a hardware circuit or at least one processor, for processing the communicating information, the storage information, or the audio signal, wherein when the USB interface unit is connected to the USB host, the processing unit processes an USB audio device class protocol with respect to an USB device class definition for the audio devices or operates together with a software in the USB host to let the USB audio controller work as an USB audio device of the USB host,

wherein when the audio controller is connected to the USB host, the storage information comprises an original audio signal outputting to the audio device from the USB host via the audio interface unit, or a compressed audio signal of the original outputting audio signal.

19. The USB audio controller of claim 18, wherein when the audio controller is connected to the USB host, the storage information further comprises a second storage information includes an original audio signal inputting to the USB host from the audio device via the audio interface unit, or a compressed audio signal of the original inputting audio signal.

20. A universal serial bus (USB) audio controller, comprising:

an USB interface unit, used to connect to an USB bus for communicating with an USB host by a communication information;

an audio interface unit, used to connect to at least one audio device for communicating with an audio signal;

a storage interface unit, used to communicate with a storage unit by a storage information; and

a processing unit, having a hardware circuit or at least one processor, for processing the communicating information, the storage information or the audio signal, wherein when the USB interface unit is connected to the USB host, the processing unit processes an USB audio device class protocol with respect to an USB device class definition for the audio devices or operates together with a software in the USB host to let the USB audio controller work as an USB audio device of the USB host,

wherein when the audio controller is connected to the USB host, the storage information comprises an original audio signal inputting to the USB host from the audio device via the audio interface unit, or a compressed audio signal of the original inputting audio signal.