3D Audio Object Merging for Lower Data and Rendering Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge with existing 3D Audio technologies is that an increased number of objects in content leads to larger data sizes and higher calculation loads, and simply discarding objects can degrade sound quality.
Innovation Solution
The technology sorts objects into pass-through and non-pass-through categories, generating new objects from non-pass-through ones to reduce the total number while maintaining sound quality by using methods like VBAP and k-means clustering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the number of objects in 3D Audio content is increased, then the immersive quality and spatial audio reproduction are improved, but the data size and calculation load become excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple audio objects that share common characteristics (such as spatial position, propagation path, or acoustic properties) are merged into a single audio object. This combining process reduces the total number of objects while preserving the essential audio information, thereby decreasing data size and calculation load without significantly compromising sound quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a unified audio object structure that can represent multiple original objects through parameters such as spatial coordinates, gain values, and propagation characteristics. This multi-functional object can emulate the behavior of several separate objects, reducing the overall object count while maintaining audio fidelity
2Reliability
If the number of objects in 3D Audio content is increased, then the immersive quality and spatial audio reproduction are improved, but the calculation amount in decoding and rendering processing becomes excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple audio objects into fewer unified objects, the patent reduces the number of individual processing operations required during decoding and rendering. This decreases the computational burden on the system while maintaining the essential audio characteristics through the unified object's parameters
3Quantity of substance
If objects are discarded to reduce the total number of objects, then the data size and calculation load are reduced, but the sound quality of the entire content is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding objects, the patent merges them into unified audio objects that preserve the essential acoustic information. This combining approach maintains sound quality by retaining the collective characteristics of the original objects while reducing the total object count
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified representations (copies) of multiple audio objects within a unified object structure. These representations capture the essential spatial and acoustic properties without requiring all the detailed information of the original objects, thereby reducing data size while maintaining perceptual quality
Data Source
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AI summary
The present technology relates to an information processing device and method and a program that make it possible to reduce the total number of objects while the influence on the sound quality is suppressed. The information processing device includes a pass-through object selection unit configured to acquire data of L objects and select, from the L objects, M pass-through objects whose data is to be outputted as it is, and an object generation unit configured to generate, on the basis of the data of multiple non-pass-through objects that are not the pass-through objects among the L objects, the data of N new objects, N being smaller than (L - M). The present technology can be applied to an information processing device.