Audio Playback Control via Selective Spectral Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current car infotainment systems compromise music listening experiences and voice comprehensibility by simply reducing audio volume during verbal announcements, leading to poor intelligibility of speech signals.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that adjust the volume and spectral appearance of selected audio elements to prioritize speech signals, using advanced audio processing techniques like stem- or object-based formats and content-aware filters, allowing for synchronized and optimized playback of speech and audio data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the volume of currently played media is reduced during verbal announcements, then the speech signal becomes more audible, but the music listening experience is compromised and voice comprehensibility remains poor
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal is segmented into different components (music, vocals, speech) using stem separation technology. This allows selective volume adjustment of specific segments without affecting the entire audio mix, thereby maintaining music quality while improving speech comprehensibility during announcements
Solution Approach 2:
Different volume adjustments are applied to different frequency ranges and audio components. The system applies local quality changes by boosting speech frequencies and attenuating music frequencies selectively, rather than applying a uniform volume reduction across all audio elements
2Reliability
If the volume of currently played media is reduced during verbal announcements, then the speech signal becomes more audible, but the overall audio output quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes audio parameters (volume, spectral content) based on the type of audio element. By adjusting parameters selectively for different audio components rather than applying a fixed volume reduction, the system maintains overall audio output quality while ensuring speech comprehensibility
3Ease of operation
If simple volume reduction is applied during speech prompts, then the system remains simple to operate, but the comprehensibility of the voice-over is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects speech prompts and applies appropriate audio processing without requiring manual user intervention. The automated stem separation and selective volume adjustment work in the background, maintaining ease of operation while significantly improving voice-over comprehensibility through sophisticated audio processing
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention is related to a method, a computer program code, and an apparatus for controlling playback of audio data. The invention is further directed towards a motor vehicle and an electronic device making use of such a method or apparatus, as well as to a media format suitable for use with such a method or apparatus. In a first step, a speech signal to be conveyed to a user simultaneously with playback of the audio data is received (S1). Volume and/or spectral appearance of selected elements of the audio data are then modified (S2) to obtain adjusted audio data and the adjusted audio data is played back (S3). The received speech signal may then be played back (S4) simultaneously with the adjusted audio data.