Quantized transport for importer-exporter audio client in digital radio broadcast

A system comprising:

• an importer of an in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio broadcast system, the importer configured to perform:
• establishing a data link to an audio client configured to buffer audio from an audio source over a buffering duration, to produce buffered audio;
• receiving, from the audio client, an indication of the buffering duration;
• identifying a logical channel of an IBOC waveform that is assigned to the audio client and configured to transmit protocol data units (PDUs) of the audio at a PDU rate;
• computing a quantized number of PDUs that is greater than one into which the buffered audio is to be divided at the audio client based on the buffering duration and the PDU rate;
• sending, to the audio client, an indication of the quantized number;
• and
• upon sending importer data requests to the audio client over the data link, receiving, from the audio client, client data responses each including the quantized number of the PDUs.

A system comprising:

• an importer of an in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio broadcast system, the importer configured to perform:
• establishing a data link to an audio client configured to buffer audio from an audio source over a buffering duration, to produce buffered audio;
• receiving, from the audio client, an indication of the buffering duration;
• identifying a logical channel of an IBOC waveform that is assigned to the audio client and configured to transmit protocol data units (PDUs) of the audio at a PDU rate corresponding to a PDU interval that is less than the buffering duration;
• computing a quantized number of PDUs that is greater than one into which the buffered audio is to be divided at the audio client based on the buffering duration and the PDU interval;
• sending, to the audio client, an indication of the quantized number;
• and
• upon sending, to the audio client over the data link, importer data requests separated in time by the buffering duration, receiving, from the audio client, client data responses each including the quantized number of the PDUs.