Spatial Audio Parameter Merging Across Bands and Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spatial audio encoding methods require a significant number of bits to represent spatial audio parameters, especially when multiple directions and sound sources are present, leading to inefficient use of bandwidth in immersive audio communications.
Innovation Solution
The method involves merging spatial audio parameters across multiple frequency bands and/or time frames to reduce the bit rate, using a system that analyzes multi-channel audio signals to generate metadata, encodes this metadata, and decodes it to reconstruct the spatial audio signal efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If spatial audio parameters are encoded for each frequency band and time frame separately, then the spatial audio quality is improved, but the bit rate increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges spatial audio parameters across multiple frequency bands and/or time frames by computing a combined parameter set that represents multiple individual parameter sets. This reduces the total number of parameters that need to be encoded and transmitted, thereby reducing bit rate while maintaining spatial audio quality through the merged parameter representation
Solution Approach 2:
The merged spatial audio parameters serve multiple frequency bands and/or time frames simultaneously, allowing a single set of parameters to represent spatial characteristics across different bands or frames. This multi-functional approach reduces redundancy and optimizes bandwidth usage while preserving spatial audio quality
2Quantity of substance
If the number of spatial audio parameters is reduced by merging, then the bit rate is reduced, but the spatial audio quality may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter representation by computing merged spatial audio parameters that aggregate information from multiple frequency bands and/or time frames. This parameter transformation maintains the essential spatial characteristics while reducing the total parameter count, thereby reducing bit rate without significant quality loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary merging of spatial audio parameters before encoding, combining parameters from multiple bands or frames into a reduced set that preserves the necessary spatial information. This preliminary consolidation ensures that the reduced parameter set still captures the essential spatial characteristics for high-quality reproduction
Data Source
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AI summary
There is inter alia disclosed an apparatus for spatial audio encoding comprising: means for determining at least two of a type of spatial audio parameter for one or more audio signals, wherein a first of the type of spatial audio parameter is associated with a first group of samples in a domain of the one or more audio signals and a second of the type of spatial audio parameter is associated with a second group of samples in the domain of the one or more audio signals; and means for merging the first of the type of spatial audio parameter and the second of the type of spatial audio parameter into a merged spatial audio parameter.