Audio Signal Rendering With Room-Adaptive Flutter Echo Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio rendering technologies for virtual and augmented reality applications often fail to accurately represent the acoustic environment, leading to suboptimal user experiences due to insufficient simulation of acoustic phenomena, particularly flutter echoes and diffuse reverberation, which are crucial for immersion and realism.
Innovation Solution
An audio apparatus and method that generates a flutter echo audio signal using a feedback delay network with multiple feedback loops, adapting parameters based on room metadata to simulate flutter echoes and diffuse reverberation, allowing for efficient and accurate rendering of acoustic environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing audio rendering technologies are used, then the system is simple to implement, but the acoustic environment simulation is inaccurate and lacks immersion
Solution Approach 1:
The audio rendering system is segmented into distinct functional modules: a feedback delay network for flutter echo simulation, a reverberation algorithm for diffuse reverberation, and an adapter for parameter control. This segmentation allows each module to specialize in specific acoustic phenomena, improving simulation accuracy while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback delay network is designed to serve multiple functions: it can simulate flutter echoes between parallel surfaces and also contribute to diffuse reverberation. The adapter provides universal parameter control across different acoustic scenarios. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, balancing accuracy improvement with complexity control.
2Reliability
If detailed acoustic phenomena simulation is implemented, then user immersion is enhanced, but computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements partial simulation by focusing computational resources on the most perceptually important acoustic phenomena - flutter echoes and diffuse reverberation - rather than attempting to simulate all possible acoustic effects. The adapter allows dynamic adjustment of simulation parameters to balance quality and computational cost based on available resources and scene requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of performing complex physical acoustic calculations in real-time, the system uses algorithmic models that copy and approximate acoustic behavior through mathematical relationships. The feedback delay network copies the behavior of sound waves bouncing between parallel surfaces, and the reverberation algorithm copies the diffusion of sound in enclosed spaces, providing realistic results with reduced computational burden.
3Measurement precision
If flutter echo and diffuse reverberation are accurately simulated, then acoustic realism is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flutter echo simulation and diffuse reverberation simulation are merged into a unified audio rendering pipeline controlled by a single adapter. The feedback delay network and reverberation algorithm work together as integrated components rather than separate systems, reducing overall complexity while maintaining the ability to accurately simulate both acoustic phenomena simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The approach provides a more natural and realistic audio experience by accurately simulating flutter echoes and diffuse reverberation, reducing computational complexity and resource allocation, while enhancing user immersion in virtual and augmented reality applications.
Implementation Method 1
a feedback delay network comprising a plurality of feedback loops, the signal generator being arranged to generate the flutter echo audio signal from output signals of a set of feedback loops of the plurality of feedback loops being fed an audio source signal
Implementation Method 2
the variety and range of experiences based on audiovisual content have increased substantially in recent years... provide a natural and realistic perception of the audio environment including damping, reflection, coloration etc.
Implementation Method 3
determine a flutter echo estimate for the room in response to the room metadata, the flutter echo estimate being indicative of a level of a flutter echo in the room
Data Source
AI summary
An audio apparatus for generating a flutter echo audio signal comprises a receiver (401) arranged to receive room metadata indicative of properties of a room. The room metadata may e.g. indicate dimensions of the room and/or acoustic reflection data for boundaries of the room. An estimator (405) determines a flutter echo estimate for the room in response to the room metadata where the flutter echo estimate is indicative of a level of a flutter echo in the room. A signal generator (403) includes a feedback delay network comprising a plurality of feedback loops. The signal generator (403) is arranged to generate the flutter echo audio signal from output signals of a set of feedback loops of the plurality of feedback loops being fed an audio source signal. An adapter (407) adapts a first parameter for a first feedback loop of the set of feedback loops in response to the flutter echo estimate.