Coarse Grid Audio Rendering Reduces Computational Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional audio rendering systems face high computational complexity and memory requirements when dealing with large audio objects, especially in low-power embedded systems, as they need to consider numerous virtual sound sources simultaneously, which can be resource-intensive and costly.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a coarse grid rendering system that reduces the number of virtual sound sources by creating a lower-density grid, allowing for the same audio rendering quality with significantly reduced computational complexity and memory usage, using techniques such as cell allocation and overlap-based speaker gain mapping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a dense grid of virtual sound sources is used to represent large audio objects, then audio rendering quality is maintained, but computational complexity and memory requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the dense virtual sound source grid into multiple sparse grids at different levels of detail. Each sparse grid represents a portion of the audio scene with fewer virtual sound sources. The system selectively combines results from these segmented sparse grids to achieve rendering quality comparable to a single dense grid, thereby reducing computational complexity while maintaining audio fidelity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic grid selection based on audio object characteristics. The system dynamically determines whether to use a dense or sparse grid representation depending on the size, position, and importance of each audio object. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain high rendering quality for critical audio objects while using computationally efficient sparse representations for less critical elements, optimizing the balance between quality and complexity.
2Measurement precision
If a dense grid of virtual sound sources is used to represent large audio objects, then audio rendering quality is maintained, but memory requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates simplified copies (sparse grid representations) of the audio scene instead of maintaining a single dense grid in memory. Each sparse grid copy contains a subset of virtual sound sources sufficient for rendering specific audio objects. The system manages multiple lightweight copies rather than one comprehensive dense representation, significantly reducing memory requirements while preserving rendering quality through selective use of appropriate copies.
3Measurement precision
If numerous virtual sound sources are considered simultaneously for large audio objects, then rendering accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by considering only the necessary subset of virtual sound sources for each audio object rather than processing all virtual sound sources simultaneously. The sparse grid representation includes only those virtual sound sources that contribute significantly to the rendering of specific audio objects, eliminating redundant computations. This selective processing maintains rendering accuracy for critical elements while dramatically reducing the total computational workload and power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer program products for rending an audio object having an apparent size are disclosed. An audio processing system receives audio panning data including a first grid mapping first virtual sound sources in a space and speaker positions to speaker gains. The first grid specifies first speaker gains of the first virtual sound sources in the space. The audio processing system determines a second grid of second virtual sound sources in the space, including mapping the first virtual sound sources into the second virtual sound sources of the second virtual sources. The audio processing system selects at least one of the first grid or second grid for rendering an audio object based on an apparent size of the audio object. The audio processing system renders the audio object based on the selected grid or grids.