Frequency-Selective Audio Mixing for Priority Sound Clarity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional smart mixing techniques, when applied to high-quality sound systems like those used in business settings, can result in noticeable degradation of non-priority sounds, leading to an unnatural listening experience due to overemphasis on priority sounds.
Innovation Solution
A mixing device that generates a control signal, known as the 'vivid signal', to selectively apply prioritized mixing in specific frequency bands of the priority sound, while performing simple addition in other bands, thereby suppressing the degradation of non-priority sounds and maintaining the clarity of priority sounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If prioritized mixing is applied to amplify priority sound, then clarity of priority sound is improved, but degradation of non-priority sound occurs leading to unnatural listening experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies prioritized mixing selectively in specific frequency bands where priority sound components are concentrated, rather than uniformly across all frequencies. The control signal generation unit identifies frequency bands containing priority sound components and generates control signals to apply prioritized mixing only in those bands, leaving other bands to be processed by simple addition. This localized application maintains priority sound clarity while preserving non-priority sound quality in frequency bands where it matters less.
2Measurement precision
If prioritized mixing is applied across all frequency bands, then priority sound clarity is maximized, but non-priority sound degradation becomes noticeable in high-quality sound systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements frequency-selective prioritized mixing by generating control signals that activate prioritized mixing only in frequency bands containing priority sound components. The control signal takes a first value in specific frequency bands and a second value in other bands, enabling the mixing device to apply different mixing strategies locally across the frequency spectrum.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the frequency spectrum into multiple bands and applies different mixing operations to each segment. The mixing device separates the frequency spectrum, applying prioritized mixing to segments containing priority sound and simple addition to other segments, thereby resolving the contradiction between clarity enhancement and naturalness preservation.
3Reliability
If simple addition is used for mixing, then naturalness of mixed sound is maintained, but clarity of priority sound is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies simple addition in frequency bands where priority sound components are not concentrated, preserving the naturalness of the mixed sound in those regions. Simultaneously, prioritized mixing is applied in frequency bands containing priority sound components to enhance clarity, creating a hybrid approach that leverages the strengths of both mixing methods in appropriate frequency regions.
Data Source
AI summary
A mixing device of a first signal and a second signal on a time-frequency plane, includes a control signal generation unit to generate a control signal indicating whether to perform prioritized mixing that includes amplification of the first signal and attenuation of the second signal; and a gain derivation unit to derive a first gain for amplifying the first signal and a second gain for attenuating the second signal based on the control signal. The control signal takes at least a first value and a second value different from the first value, wherein the first value is not continuous beyond a predetermined bandwidth on a frequency axis. The mixing device applies the prioritized mixing to the first and second signals when the control signal indicates the first value, and applies simple addition to the first and second signals when the control signal indicates the second value.