Audio Stream Tagging for Content-Specific Equalization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing audio players lack the ability to differentiate between various forms of content in audio streams and adapt the rendering accordingly, leading to suboptimal user experience when switching between music playback and voice responses.

Innovation Solution

The audio player is equipped with the capability to label audio streams with digital tags indicating the type of content, allowing it to apply different equalization profiles and rendering settings based on the content type, ensuring optimal audio quality and user understanding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the audio player uses a single equalization profile for all audio content, then the device complexity is reduced, but the audio quality and user understanding deteriorate when switching between music and voice responses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio rendering adaptabilityVSAvoidcontent differentiation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments audio content into distinct types (music, voice responses, etc.) using digital tags. Each content type is then processed with its own equalization profile, allowing the system to apply different rendering settings to different segments of audio content based on their type classification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by using digital tags to identify specific portions of audio streams and applying content-specific equalization profiles to those portions. This ensures that each segment of audio content receives the appropriate rendering treatment tailored to its type, rather than a uniform approach across all content.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If the audio player applies different equalization profiles for different content types, then the audio quality and user understanding are improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio rendering precisionVSAvoidcontent type identification system
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces digital tags as an intermediary element that facilitates the connection between audio content and appropriate equalization profiles. These tags act as mediators that carry content type information, enabling the system to automatically select and apply the correct rendering settings without requiring complex analysis of the audio content itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of audio rendering by dynamically switching between different equalization profiles based on content type identification. The system modifies rendering parameters (equalization settings) in response to detected content type changes, allowing precise control over audio output characteristics for different content categories.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If the audio player dynamically switches equalization settings based on content type, then the user experience is enhanced, but the processing time and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser experience qualityVSAvoidprocessing time for content analysis
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-tagging audio content with digital identifiers before playback. This preparation work is done in advance, allowing the system to quickly identify content type and switch to the appropriate equalization profile without requiring complex real-time analysis during playback, thus minimizing processing delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3649638B1Last mile equalization
Publication Date: 2025.06.11 BOSE CORP
  • EP3649638B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3649638B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3649638B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

An audio playback system performs a method including identifying a first type of audio included in a first audio stream, tagging the first audio stream with a first digital tag corresponding to the first type of audio, identifying a second type of audio included in a second audio stream, tagging the second audio stream with a second digital tag corresponding to the second type of audio, rendering the first audio stream with a first equalization profile applied thereto, the first equalization profile selected responsive to the audio playback system detecting the first digital tag in the first audio stream, and rendering the second audio stream with a second equalization profile different than the first equalization profile applied thereto, the second equalization profile selected responsive to the audio playback system detecting the second digital tag in the second audio stream.