Low power audio processor that multiplexes component distribution signals

• US 6,741,961 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2001
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co. Ltd. (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Lim, Chae-Duck
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Daniel A.
• Application Number:
  US09/805,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 704/229, 704/500, 704/501, 704/274, 370/522, 370/311, 375/240.15, 455/343.1, 455/574, 708/205, 713/300-340, 713/500-503, 713/600, 713/601, 348/462
• US Class Current: 704/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/007 in which the audio signals are in digital form data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02

Abstract

A low power audio processor is disclosed which includes: a bit stream processing unit for performing bit processing for an applied audio stream and for decoding the bit processed audio stream to have a format conducive to digital signal processing; a digital signal processing unit for receiving the decoded data from the bit stream processing unit to perform digital signal processing; a post processing unit for post processing audio data from the digital signal processing unit to output final audio data; and a host interface unit for interfacing with an external device to provide an audio parallel stream from the external device to the bit stream processing unit.

Claims

1. A low power audio processor comprising:

a bit stream processing unit for bit processing an applied audio stream into a bit processed audio stream and for decoding the bit processed audio stream to have a format conducive to digital signal processing;

a digital signal processing unit for digital signal processing the decoded bit processed audio stream received from the bit stream processing unit to develop a digital signal processed audio stream;

a post processing unit for receiving the digital signal processed audio stream from the digital signal processing unit to develop final audio data;

a host interface unit for interfacing with an external device to provide an audio parallel stream received from the external device to the bit stream processing unit;

a power control unit for determining a power state for each of the bit stream processing unit, the digital signal processing unit and the post processing unit in response to;

(1) a request signal and an acknowledge signal between the digital signal processing unit and the post processing unit, (2) a power down signal, and (3) a source clock, the power control unit outputting a determined power state as a power mode signal; and

an internal clock signal generator unit for receiving the source clock and the power down signal and generating clock signals, each of the clock signals corresponding to a respective one of the bit stream processing unit, the digital signal processing unit and the post processing unit.

2. The audio processor as recited in claim 1, further comprising a memory device for temporarily storing data processed at each of the bit stream processing unit, the digital a signal processing unit and the post processing unit.

3. The audio processor as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal clock generator includes:

a first multiplexor for selectively outputting one of a DC level and the source clock in response to the power down signal;

a branch for branching the output of the first multiplexor into a predetermined number of branches; and

second, third and fourth multiplexors, each for selecting respective ones of the clock signals from the branch and the DC level in response to the power state of a corresponding one of the bit stream processing unit, the digital signal processing unit and to post processing unit outputting a selected signal to a respective one of the bit stream processing, digital signal processing and post processing units to output the selected signal to the corresponding processing unit.

4. The audio processor as recited in claim 3, wherein the internal clock generator further includes a logic device for AND operating the outputs of the second, third and fourth multiplexors to drive a memory device.