HOA Audio Rendering Adaptation for Screen Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surround sound technologies lack flexibility in adapting to different speaker geometries and acoustic conditions, requiring content creators to remix audio for various configurations, and fail to synchronize audio with video perspectives and display sizes.
Innovation Solution
The use of Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) soundfields represented by spherical harmonic coefficients (SHC), which can be encoded and decoded to adapt to various speaker configurations and display sizes, allowing for flexible audio rendering and synchronization with video perspectives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional surround sound technologies are used, then audio can be rendered for specific speaker configurations, but the system lacks flexibility to adapt to different speaker geometries and requires remixing for various configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) representation with spherical harmonic coefficients to encode audio in a format that can be decoded for various speaker geometries. By changing the decoding parameters (speaker positions, geometry type) rather than the encoded audio format, the system achieves flexibility across different configurations without requiring separate mixes for each geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The HOA encoding format serves as a universal representation that can be decoded for multiple speaker configurations (5.1, 7.1, different geometries). A single encoded HOA stream can be universally adapted to various playback systems through parameter-based decoding, eliminating the need for configuration-specific remixes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional surround sound technologies are used, then audio is rendered for fixed configurations, but the system fails to synchronize audio with video perspectives and display sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptation where the HOA decoding parameters are adjusted in real-time based on video perspective and display size. As the video perspective changes (e.g., camera angle, zoom level), the audio rendering dynamically updates to match, creating synchronized audio-visual experiences adapted to the current viewing conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses video metadata (perspective information, display size) as feedback to adjust audio rendering parameters. The audio decoder receives information about the current video state and automatically adapts the HOA decoding to synchronize with the visual perspective, creating a cohesive multi-sensory experience.
3Adaptability or versatility
If HOA representation is used, then flexibility and synchronization are improved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs HOA encoding during the audio production phase, converting traditional mix formats into HOA representation with embedded metadata. This preliminary action stores the audio in a flexible format that requires less complex processing during playback, as the decoding can be performed with simpler parameter adjustments rather than complex real-time mixing operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and techniques for rendering audio data are generally disclosed. An example device for rendering a higher order ambisonic (HOA) audio signal includes a memory configured to store the HOA audio signal, and one or more processors coupled to the memory. The one or more processors are configured to perform a loudness compensation process as part of generating an effect matrix. The one or more processors are further configured to render the HOA audio signal based on the effect matrix.