Systems and methods for handling silence in audio streams

A host comprising:

• a bus interface configured to be coupled to an audio bus;
• an audio halt detector configured to detect an audio halt in an audio stream;
• a transmitter coupled to the bus interface and configured to receive the audio stream from the audio halt detector;
• a multiplexer configured to embed one of a plurality of silent tones into the audio stream at the audio halt;
• and
• a control system configured to select one of the plurality of silent tones.

A device comprising:

• a bus interface configured to be coupled to an audio bus;
• a receiver coupled to the bus interface and configured to receive an audio stream therefrom;
• a silent tone detector configured to sample the audio stream and detect an embedded silent tone therein;
• and
• a control system configured to mute output from an associated speaker in response to detection of the embedded silent tone.

A method of preventing audio artifacts at a speaker, the method comprising:

• receiving an audio stream from an audio bus;
• detecting within the audio stream an embedded silent tone;
• and
• in response to detection of the embedded silent tone, muting output from an associated speaker.