Audio Coding Loudness Compensation for Interactive Group Levels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern audio coding systems face challenges in providing consistent loudness control when users interact with audio content, leading to variations in audio scene loudness due to user adjustments of group levels.

Innovation Solution

An audio processor that includes an audio signal modifier, loudness controller, and loudness manipulator to determine and apply a loudness compensation gain based on user input, metadata, and playback configuration, ensuring consistent loudness across interactive scenarios.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If users interact with audio content to adjust group levels, then user interactivity and personalization are improved, but loudness consistency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interactivityVSAvoidloudness consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system calculates a loudness compensation gain based on the difference between reference loudness (original audio scene) and modified loudness (after user adjustments). This feedback mechanism continuously monitors loudness changes and applies compensatory gain to maintain overall loudness consistency while allowing user interactions with individual audio groups.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes the loudness compensation gain parameter based on user interactions. When users adjust group levels, the system recalculates the compensation gain and applies it to maintain consistent overall loudness, thereby adapting to user preferences while preserving loudness stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If loudness compensation gain is applied to maintain consistent loudness, then loudness normalization is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveloudness normalizationVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary loudness calculations by determining reference loudness from the original audio scene before user interactions occur. This pre-calculated reference loudness is stored and used for subsequent compensation calculations, avoiding the need for complex real-time analysis and simplifying the processing required during user interactions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The audio scene is segmented into multiple audio groups, each with its own loudness characteristics. The system calculates loudness compensation by considering individual group contributions rather than processing the entire audio scene as a single unit, thereby reducing computational complexity while maintaining accurate loudness normalization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4156180B1Loudness control for user interactivity in audio coding systems

Publication Date: 2025.07.30 FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV

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Figure 2~3

AI summary

An audio processor for processing an audio signal (100), comprises: an audio signal modifier (2) for modifying the audio signal (100) in response to a user input (200); a loudness controller (6) for determining a loudness compensation gain (C) based on a reference loudness (Lref) or a reference gain (gi) and a modified loudness (Lmod) or a modified gain (hi), where the modified loudness (Lmod) or the modified gain (hi) depends on the user input; and a loudness manipulator (5) for manipulating a loudness of a signal (101) using the loudness compensation gain (C).