IVAS Audio Format Negotiation for Fine-Grained Codec Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing voice codec technologies, such as AMR and EVS, do not support immersive voice experiences required by extended reality services, and there is a lack of a mechanism to negotiate IVAS codec audio formats at a finer granularity.

Innovation Solution

An audio parameter negotiation method is provided to negotiate IVAS codec audio formats at a finer granularity, ensuring that encoding and decoding capabilities match, thereby avoiding power consumption and bandwidth waste.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If IVAS speech codec is used to support immersive voice experiences, then audio format versatility is improved, but codec complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio format supportVSAvoidcodec complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The audio format negotiation is segmented into multiple granular parameters including audio format type, rate, number of channels, and object count. This allows the system to support diverse immersive audio formats (mono, stereo, multi-channel, objects, FOA, HOA, MASA) by negotiating specific combinations rather than treating audio formats as a single monolithic parameter, thereby managing complexity through structured breakdown.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If encoding and decoding capabilities are not matched, then adaptability is improved, but power consumption and bandwidth waste increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecodec capability flexibilityVSAvoidpower consumption waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the second communication entity receives encoding capability information from the first entity, compares it with its own decoding capabilities, and negotiates to select matching audio format parameters. This feedback loop ensures that the selected audio format (type, rate, channels, objects) is supported by both entities, preventing power waste from unsupported encoding and bandwidth waste from incompatible transmissions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If audio format negotiation is performed at coarse granularity, then negotiation complexity is reduced, but resource utilization efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenegotiation complexityVSAvoidresource utilization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The audio format parameter is segmented into four distinct negotiable components: audio format type (mono/stereo/multi-channel/objects/FOA/HOA/MASA), rate, number of channels, and number of objects. This fine-grained segmentation enables precise matching of encoding and decoding capabilities, improving resource utilization efficiency by selecting the most appropriate format combination rather than using coarse-grained format selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4685792A1Audio parameter negotiation method and communication device
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4685792A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4685792A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP4685792A1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

An audio parameter negotiation method and a communication apparatus are provided. The method includes: A second communication entity sends fifth audio format information and sixth audio format information to a first communication entity based on an IVAS encoding audio format and an IVAS decoding audio format that are supported by the first communication entity and an IVAS encoding audio format and an IVAS decoding audio format that are supported by the second communication entity. The fifth audio format information indicates at least one fifth audio format, the sixth audio format information indicates at least one sixth audio format, the fifth audio format is an audio format to be used by the first communication entity for IVAS decoding and/or the second communication entity for IVAS encoding, and the sixth audio format is an audio format to be used by the first communication entity for IVAS encoding and/or the second communication entity for IVAS decoding. According to the method, negotiation about a finer-granularity IVAS codec audio format can be implemented.