Audio Signal Mixing Phase Adaptation to Prevent Cancellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing signal mixing technologies often result in amplitude and phase cancellation of audio signals, leading to attenuation and unwanted artifacts, particularly when signals have the same amplitude and opposite phases, which affects audio localization and quality.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for mixing audio signals that include signal lines with transfer functions containing both amplitude and phase information, where the phase of the output signal is adapted to the phase of the audio signal with higher strength, using a line controller to manage the transfer functions and minimize artifacts by ensuring the phase characteristic of the output signal aligns with the dominant input signal in each frequency range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If phase information is discarded to avoid cancellation, then signal attenuation is reduced, but audio localization capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the phase of signal components based on their amplitude strengths. The phase adaptation mechanism modifies phase parameters selectively - when one signal has higher amplitude, its phase is preserved while the other signal's phase is adjusted to prevent cancellation. This resolves the contradiction by changing phase parameters conditionally rather than discarding them entirely, thus maintaining localization capability while preventing attenuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamics by making the phase configuration adaptive and time-varying. The phase adaptation occurs dynamically based on the instantaneous amplitude relationship between signals. When signal strengths change, the phase relationship is automatically adjusted to maintain optimal mixing characteristics. This dynamic approach allows the system to prevent cancellation without permanently sacrificing phase information for localization.
2Device complexity
If conventional signal mixing is used, then processing simplicity is maintained, but audible artifacts and cancellation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the amplitude relationship between mixed signals and adjusting phase parameters accordingly. The system evaluates the signal strengths in real-time and modifies the phase configuration to prevent cancellation and artifacts. This feedback mechanism adds complexity to the processing but eliminates harmful artifacts, achieving superior audio quality while managing computational requirements through efficient phase adaptation algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and a method for mixing at least two audio signals are provided that comprise transferring the audio signals with respective transfer functions, the audio signals each having an amplitude and a phase; adding the audio signals to provide an output signal representative of the mixed audio signals, the output signal having an amplitude and a phase; controlling at least one of the transfer functions of the signal lines so that the phase of the output signal is adapted to the phase of the audio signal with a higher signal strength than the other audio signal(s), the signal strengths corresponding to the amplitudes of the audio signals.