prometeu-runtime/docs/runtime/specs/05-audio-peripheral.md

Audio Peripheral (Audio System)

Domain: virtual hardware: audio Function: normative

Didactic companion: ../learn/mental-model-audio.md

1 Scope

This chapter defines the runtime-facing audio contract of PROMETEU.

The AUDIO peripheral is responsible for sound generation and mixing under explicit machine limits.

Core contract:

• command-driven control from the game loop;
• fixed output format;
• finite voice count;
• deterministic voice conflict policy;
• explicit cost in cycles and certification surface.

2 General Architecture

The audio system is composed of:

• Voices (channels) — independent players
• Samples — PCM data
• Mixer — summation of voices
• Output — PCM stereo buffer

Timing boundary:

• game sends commands at 60 Hz;
• audio generates PCM at 48 kHz.

3 Output Format

• Sample rate: 48,000 Hz
• Format: PCM16 stereo (signed i16)
• Clipping: saturation/clamp

4 Voices

4.1 Quantity

MAX_VOICES = 16

Each voice:

• plays 1 sample at a time
• is independent
• is mixed into the final output

4.2 Voice State

Each voice maintains:

• sample_id
• pos (fractional position in the sample)
• rate (pitch)
• volume (0..255)
• pan (0..255, left→right)
• loop_mode (off / on)
• loop_start, loop_end
• priority (optional)

4.3 Voice Conflict

If all voices are occupied:

• an explicit policy is applied:
  • STEAL_OLDEST
  • STEAL_QUIETEST
  • STEAL_LOWEST_PRIORITY

5 Samples

5.1 Format

PROMETEU samples:

• PCM16 mono
• own sample_rate (e.g., 22050, 44100, 48000)
• immutable data at runtime

Fields:

• sample_rate
• frames_len
• loop_start, loop_end (optional)

5.2 Command Surface

Representative command surface:

audio.play(sample, voice, volume, pan, pitch, priority)
audio.stop(voice)
audio.setVolume(voice, value)
audio.setPan(voice, value)
audio.setPitch(voice, value)
audio.isPlaying(voice)

6 Pitch and Interpolation

• rate = 1.0 → normal speed
• rate > 1.0 → higher pitch
• rate < 1.0 → lower pitch

As position becomes fractional:

• linear interpolation is used between two neighboring samples

7 Mixer

For each output frame (48kHz):

1. For each active voice:
   • read sample at current position
   • apply pitch
   • apply volume
   • apply pan → generates L/R
2. Sum all voices
3. Apply clamp
4. Write to the stereo buffer

Cost depends on:

• number of active voices
• use of interpolation

8 Synchronization with the Game

• Game runs at 60Hz
• Audio generates data at 48kHz

Every frame (60Hz):

• game sends commands:
  • play
  • stop
  • set_volume
  • set_pan
  • set_pitch

The audio applies these commands and continues playing.

9 Host Responsibilities

The PROMETEU machine defines the audio model, commands, and limits.

The host is responsible for:

• choosing the concrete audio backend;
• scheduling buffer delivery;
• keeping PCM output continuous without changing logical behavior.

10 Audio and CAP

Audio participates in the Execution CAP:

• mixing cost per frame
• cost per active voice
• command cost

Example:

Frame 1024:
voices_active: 9
mix_cycles: 410
audio_commands: 6

11 Syscall Return and Fault Policy

audio follows status-first policy for operations with operational failure modes.

Fault boundary:

• Trap: structural ABI misuse (type/arity/capability/shape mismatch);
• status: operational failure;
• Panic: internal invariant break only.

11.1 MVP return shape

In the current MVP:

• audio.play returns status:int;
• audio.play_sample returns status:int.

Return-shape matrix in v1 syscall surface:

Syscall	Return	Policy basis
audio.play	status:int	operational rejection is observable
audio.play_sample	status:int	operational rejection is observable

11.2 Minimum status table for play/play_sample

• 0 = OK
• 1 = VOICE_INVALID
• 2 = SAMPLE_NOT_FOUND
• 3 = ARG_RANGE_INVALID
• 4 = ASSET_NOT_FOUND
• 5 = NO_EFFECT

Operational rules:

• no fallback to default bank when an asset cannot be resolved;
• no silent no-op for invalid voice_id;
• invalid voice_id must return VOICE_INVALID, not ARG_RANGE_INVALID;
• invalid numeric ranges (e.g. volume, pan, pitch) must return explicit status.