Flexible Renderer for 3D Audio Signal Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face challenges in efficiently transmitting and reproducing 22.2-channel audio signals, particularly in environments with fewer speakers than channels, and in providing flexible rendering for 3D audio experiences, including headphone listening and mixed channel-object signals.
Innovation Solution
An audio signal processing method that receives and decodes bit-streams containing channel and object signals, generates user reproduction channel information, and uses a flexible renderer to produce a reproduction signal, adapting to varying speaker configurations and environments by selecting and combining channel signals with object signals based on user environment information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If 22.2-channel audio signals are transmitted to provide high-quality 3D audio, then audio quality is improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal is segmented into two distinct components: channel signals (5.1 or 7.1 surround audio) and object signals (spatial audio objects with position information). This segmentation allows the system to process and transmit audio data separately, enabling flexible rendering without requiring a complete 22.2-channel speaker infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio processing system is designed to handle multiple functions: it can process traditional channel-based audio, object-based audio, or a combination of both. The renderer can adaptively mix channel and object signals to produce the final output, making the system universally applicable to different audio formats and speaker configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If 22.2-channel signals are reproduced in environments with fewer speakers, then adaptability is improved, but rendering complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rendering system dynamically adjusts the mixing of channel and object signals based on the actual speaker configuration. The renderer determines which speakers are available and dynamically routes audio objects to appropriate speakers, adapting the audio presentation in real-time to match the physical environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes rendering parameters such as gain values, panning positions, and spatial distribution based on the detected speaker configuration. By adjusting these parameters, the renderer can effectively reproduce audio objects in environments with fewer speakers while maintaining spatial accuracy and audio quality.
3Ease of operation
If object-based signal transmission is implemented to enable interactive listening, then user control is improved, but transmission and processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
Object position information and spatial metadata are pre-calculated and embedded in the audio bitstream during encoding. This preliminary action allows the decoder to efficiently retrieve and process only the necessary position data without requiring complex real-time calculations, reducing processing overhead while maintaining interactive control capabilities.
4Adaptability or versatility
If flexible rendering is implemented to support various listening environments, then versatility is improved, but computational load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The renderer implements partial processing by selectively applying complex object-based rendering only when necessary (e.g., when object signals are present and speaker configuration supports it). For simpler scenarios, the system uses streamlined processing paths, reducing computational load while maintaining versatility for when full flexibility is needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an audio signal processing method. The audio signal processing method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving a bit-stream including at least one of a channel signal and an object signal; receiving a user's environment information; decoding at least one of the channel signal and the object signal on the basis of the received bit-stream; generating the user's reproducing channel information on the basis of the user's received environment information; and generating a reproducing signal through a flexible renderer on the basis of at least one of the channel signal and the object signal and the user's reproducing channel information.