Audio Object Rendering with Dynamic Position Mapping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of cinema sound systems with multiple channels and three-dimensional loudspeaker layouts makes it difficult to accurately position and render audio objects, as existing methods struggle to efficiently manage audio reproduction data across various environments.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method for rendering audio programs to multiple loudspeaker feed signals, using metadata that includes position information and parameters to determine the optimal reproduction position within a reproduction environment, employing an interface and logic system to compute speaker gains and render audio objects based on reproduction environment data, allowing for dynamic object positioning and speaker zone constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of channels and loudspeaker positions increases to create more immersive 3D sound environments, then audio immersion and localization accuracy are improved, but the complexity of positioning and rendering audio objects increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the audio rendering task by introducing intermediate metadata layers (audio objects, speaker zones, fixed positions) that break down the complex rendering process into manageable steps: object creation, zone assignment, position determination, and final speaker mapping. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system manageability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces several intermediary concepts: audio objects as intermediaries between source audio and reproduction, speaker zones as intermediaries between audio objects and individual speakers, and fixed positions as intermediaries between continuous audio object positions and discrete speaker locations. These intermediaries simplify the mapping relationship and reduce rendering complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If audio objects are allowed to move freely in continuous 3D space, then audio immersion is improved, but the difficulty of mapping to discrete speaker positions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the position of audio objects based on reproduction environment capabilities. Audio objects can exist in continuous 3D space during authoring and playback control, but are dynamically mapped to appropriate speaker positions during rendering based on the specific reproduction environment configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds the dimension of speaker zones as an intermediate layer between the continuous 3D audio object position space and the discrete speaker position space. This creates a hierarchical mapping: audio objects in 3D space → speaker zones (2D or 1D regions) → individual speakers (discrete positions), making the mapping process more manageable.
3Adaptability or versatility
If audio reproduction data is generalized for wide variety of reproduction environments, then system versatility is improved, but the precision of audio reproduction in specific environments may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates universal audio reproduction data in the form of audio objects with metadata that can be reproduced across different environments. The same audio object can be rendered to different speaker configurations (5.1, 7.1, immersive setups) by adjusting the rendering parameters while maintaining the core audio content and positional information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter-based control where audio objects have metadata parameters (position, velocity, acceleration, speaker zone assignments) that can be adjusted during rendering to match specific reproduction environments. This allows the same audio data to be adapted to different environments by changing rendering parameters rather than creating separate audio data for each environment.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method, apparatus, and medium for rendering an audio program to a number of loudspeaker feed signals are provided. The audio program may include one or more audio objects, and metadata associated with each of the one or more audio objects. The metadata may include position information indicating a time-varying position of the audio object and a parameter indicating whether the audio object should be reproduced at the time-varying position, or at one of a plurality of fixed positions. In response to the position and the parameter, a position at which to reproduce each audio object may be determined. The determined position may be one of the plurality of fixed positions that is nearest to the time-varying position indicated by the position information. Each audio object may be reproduced at the determined position by rendering the audio object into one or more of the loudspeaker feed signals.