Audio Processing Device Feature Variation Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for detecting interesting sections in audio signals rely on the continuity of audio features, which are inadequate for identifying sections with sudden sounds, such as a starter pistol, as these features may not appear continuously.

Innovation Solution

An audio processing device that calculates feature variation values for each unit section of an audio signal, allowing for the detection of feature sections without relying on continuity, by comparing these values to a threshold and assessing temporal variations in audio features.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional methods assess continuity of audio features to detect interesting sections, then the detection method is simple and easy to implement, but it fails to detect sections with sudden sounds that do not have continuous audio features

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of detection methodVSAvoiddetection accuracy for sudden sounds

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The audio signal is divided into multiple unit sections, and feature variation is calculated for each unit section by comparing it with adjacent sections. This segmentation allows the system to detect sudden changes in audio features at specific locations without requiring continuous feature patterns throughout the entire signal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of detecting interesting sections by finding continuous audio features (conventional approach), the invention inverts the approach by detecting sections based on feature variation and changes. By calculating feature variation values that quantify temporal variation, the system identifies sudden sounds through their deviations from normal continuous patterns rather than through continuity itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If the invention calculates feature variation values for each unit section to detect sudden sounds, then detection reliability for non-continuous audio events is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection accuracy for non-continuous audio eventsVSAvoidcomplexity of feature variation calculation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system calculates feature variation values for each unit section, which may involve more computation than strictly necessary. By performing this calculation for all unit sections rather than only at potential transition points, the system ensures thorough detection of sudden sounds while maintaining a systematic and manageable processing approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS9113269B2Audio processing device, audio processing method, audio processing program and audio processing integrated circuit

Publication Date: 2015.08.18 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORP OF AMERICA

AI summary

Provided is an audio processing device comprising: a feature data generation unit which generates, for each unit section of an audio signal, section feature data expressing features of the audio signal in the unit section; a feature variation calculation unit which calculates, for each unit section, a feature variation value quantifying temporal variation of the features in the unit section, by setting the unit section as a target section and using section feature data of unit sections close to the target section; and a section judgment unit which judges, for each unit section, whether the unit section is a feature unit section including a variation point of the features, based on comparison of a threshold value and the feature variation value. Through the above, the audio processing device can detect feature unit sections from an audio signal of an AV content or the like.