Customized Binaural Rendering with Diffuse Signal Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rendering spatial audio content binaurally via headphones or earbuds can cause audio scene instability when the user moves their head, particularly due to differing listener preferences for immersiveness and scene stability, which are challenging to balance based on the type of audio content being listened to.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an upmixer that separates stereo audio into steered and diffuse signals, applies diffuse signal modification parameters based on the listening context, and generates a customized multichannel output signal, which is then rendered as a binaural audio signal by a virtualizer, considering head orientation and listening preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If binaural rendering is applied via headphones or earbuds to create spatial audio, then immersiveness is improved, but audio scene stability deteriorates when the user moves their head
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal is segmented into steered signals (directional content) and diffuse signals (background content). This segmentation allows independent processing of different audio components, enabling the steered signals to maintain scene stability while diffuse signals provide immersiveness, thus resolving the contradiction between these two qualities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the rendering parameters based on head orientation and listening context. By making the audio rendering adaptive to user movement and content type, the system maintains scene stability for directional sounds while preserving immersiveness through dynamic adjustment of diffuse signal distribution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If diffuse signals are re-distributed to output channels to enhance immersiveness, then audio scene stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different quality treatments are applied to different signal components: steered signals maintain fixed spatial positioning for stability, while diffuse signals are re-distributed across output channels to enhance immersiveness. This local differentiation of signal processing qualities resolves the contradiction by applying appropriate treatments to specific audio components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters such as the proportion of diffuse signals to be re-distributed and attenuation degrees based on listening context and content type. These parameter adjustments enable dynamic balancing between scene stability and immersiveness, allowing optimization for different audio scenarios.
3Device complexity
If a fixed binaural rendering approach is used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different listening contexts deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects listening context and head orientation, then self-adjusts rendering parameters without requiring manual user configuration. This self-service capability provides adaptability to different contexts while maintaining relatively simple device architecture, as the complexity is managed through automatic detection and adjustment rather than complex manual controls.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and media for processing audio are provided. In some embodiments, a method for processing audio may involve receiving a stereo audio signal. The method may involve separating the stereo audio signal into steered signals and diffuse signals. The method may involve determining one or more diffuse signal modification parameters based on a current listening context, wherein the one or more diffuse signal modification parameters indicate a proportion of the diffuse signals to be re-distributed to one or more output channels in an output multichannel signal or a degree of attenuation to be applied to the diffuse signals. The method may involve generating the output multichannel signal based on the steered signals, the diffuse signals, and the one or more diffuse signal modification parameters. The method may involve providing the output multichannel signal to a virtualizer for rendering as a binaural audio signal for playing on a wearable device.