Audio System Decomposing Signals for Spatial Channel Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current audio systems, particularly spatial audio systems, fail to provide an optimal spatial experience due to limitations in generating elevated and wide spatial channels, resulting in a less convincing and diffuse sound stage.
Innovation Solution
An audio system that decomposes input signals into transient and non-transient components and applies different weightings to generate new spatial channels with distinct characteristics, allowing for enhanced spatial effects and improved sound rendering by emphasizing or de-emphasizing specific sound types, such as explosions, and creating additional spatial channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional two-dimensional surround sound formats are used, then audio content compatibility is maintained, but spatial experience is insufficient and not convincing
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal is segmented into transient and non-transient components, allowing different processing strategies for different signal types. This segmentation enables the system to create convincing spatial effects by selectively emphasizing transient components in elevated channels, while maintaining compatibility with traditional audio content formats.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from traditional two-dimensional horizontal surround sound to three-dimensional spatial audio by adding elevated speakers positioned above the listener. This dimensional expansion creates a more immersive spatial experience while using signal processing to generate appropriate content for the new vertical dimension.
2Adaptability or versatility
If elevated speakers are added to create three-dimensional spatial audio, then spatial experience is enhanced, but generation of elevated channels from existing two-dimensional channels does not provide optimal performance
Solution Approach 1:
Different signal processing treatments are applied to different components of the audio signal based on their temporal characteristics. Transient components receive enhanced weighting in elevated channel generation, while non-transient components are treated differently, optimizing the spatial effect quality for each type of sound content.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the weighting parameters between transient and non-transient components when generating elevated spatial channels. By adjusting these parameters based on signal characteristics, the system achieves optimal spatial effect quality across different types of audio content.
3Adaptability or versatility
If uniform weighting is applied to all audio components, then processing simplicity is maintained, but spatial effects are not significant enough and sound stage is diffuse
Solution Approach 1:
The signal processing system dynamically adjusts weighting factors based on the temporal characteristics of audio components. Rather than using static uniform weighting, the system adapts its processing in real-time to emphasize transient components appropriately, creating significant spatial effects without overly complex fixed structures.
Data Source
AI summary
An audio system comprises a receiver which receives an input audio signal. A decomposer (103) decomposes the audio signal into at least a transient component signal and a non-transient component signal. An output circuit (105, 107, 109) then generates a first output audio signal in response to a weighted combination of the transient component signal and the non-transient component signal. In the combination the weighting of the transient component signal is different than the weighting of the non-transient component signal. A new signal with different emphasis of specific sound characteristics can be achieved. The approach may be particularly suited to generation of new spatial audio channels from an existing spatial audio channel, such as in particular the generation of an elevated channel from audio signals of a lower channel.