Context-Aware Loudness Control for Consistent Audio Without Artifacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solutions to the loudness inconsistency problem between different types of audio content, such as programming and interstitial material, often result in irreversible changes to the audio, artifacts, and quality degradation, failing to adapt to specific listening scenarios and user preferences.
Innovation Solution
Context-aware loudness control processes audio signals in real-time using psychoacoustic models to adjust loudness levels based on the listening environment and device, applying only necessary processing to maintain comfortable sound levels without altering the source audio, thus preserving quality and accommodating multiple user scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional audio processing modifies the audio at its source to address loudness inconsistency, then loudness consistency is improved, but audio quality is degraded and changes are irreversible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing stage that analyzes audio characteristics and generates control signals without directly modifying the source audio. A loudness analysis unit measures the input audio signal's characteristics, and a gain adjustment unit applies corrections based on these measurements, acting as a mediator between the source audio and the reproduction device to achieve loudness consistency while preserving original quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously measuring the loudness characteristics of the audio signal and using this information to adjust gain parameters. The loudness analysis unit provides feedback about the audio signal's properties, which the gain adjustment unit uses to make real-time corrections, creating a closed-loop system that maintains audio quality while ensuring consistent loudness
2Productivity
If audio processing is applied beforehand to predict reproduction scenarios, then processing efficiency is improved, but adaptability to specific listening scenarios is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptability by making the audio processing parameters adjustable in real-time based on the reproduction device's characteristics and listening scenario. The system can dynamically modify gain adjustment parameters according to the specific device being used, allowing the same processing framework to adapt to various scenarios without sacrificing processing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes processing parameters based on the reproduction device and scenario. Different gain adjustment parameters can be applied depending on the device characteristics, allowing the system to optimize performance for each specific scenario while maintaining efficient processing through a unified framework
3Reliability
If compression or expansion technology is applied to adjust audio levels, then loudness control is improved, but sound quality is degraded due to introduced artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical compression and expansion systems with a psychoacoustic-based gain adjustment mechanism. Instead of using complex compression/expansion algorithms that introduce artifacts, the system uses straightforward gain adjustment based on psychoacoustic models, achieving effective loudness control while preserving sound quality
Data Source
AI summary
Context-aware loudness control of audio content may include choosing from a plurality of loudness level models based on an audio reproduction device, measuring loudness level of the audio content based on the chosen loudness model, processing the real-time loudness measurement of the input audio signal to output real-time loudness level adjustment, processing a momentary loudness measurement of the input audio signal to output a momentary loudness level adjustment, processing a short-term loudness measurement of the input audio signal to output a short-term loudness level adjustment, adjusting the input audio signal based on the real-time, momentary, and short-term loudness level adjustments to output a post-processing input signal, measuring long-term loudness of the post-processing input signal to output a long-term loudness measurement, processing the long-term loudness measurement to output a post-processing level adjustment, and processing the real-time, momentary, short-term, and post-processing level adjustments to output an overall loudness level adjustment.