Spatial Cue Rendering for Flexible Multichannel Audio Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for rendering multi-object or multi-channel audio signals lack flexibility in controlling the spatial cues during decoding, limiting the ability to precisely position and manipulate audio signals in a desired sound scene.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that includes a decoder and a spatial cue renderer, which processes and controls spatial cue information such as Channel Level Difference (CLD), Channel Prediction Coefficient (CPC), and Inter-Channel Correlation (ICC) to adjust the power gains of audio signals, allowing for flexible control of audio signal positions and sound scenes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional SAC decoding is used, then audio signals can be decoded from down-mixed signals, but the positions of audio signals are fixed and cannot be flexibly controlled in the sound scene

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in controlling audio signal positionsVSAvoidcomplexity of spatial cue control system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a spatial cue renderer that dynamically adjusts the positions of audio signals in the sound scene by modifying spatial cue parameters (CLD, CPC, ICC) based on rendering control information. This transforms the static decoding process into a dynamic one where audio object positions can be flexibly controlled without changing the overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent controls the positions of audio signals by changing spatial cue parameters (Channel Level Difference, Channel Prediction Coefficient, and Inter-Channel Correlation) in the decoded signal. By adjusting these parameters according to rendering control information, the system achieves flexible positioning of audio objects in the sound scene without complex hardware modifications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If spatial cue information is transmitted for audio decoding, then sound quality is improved, but the ability to precisely control and manipulate audio signal positions is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision in positioning audio signalsVSAvoidloss of spatial control information
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary rendering of audio signals using the transmitted spatial cue information to create an initial sound scene. This preliminary action preserves the spatial relationships encoded in the CLD, CPC, and ICC parameters, enabling subsequent precise positioning adjustments without losing the original spatial information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses rendering control information as feedback to adjust the spatial cue parameters during the rendering process. This feedback mechanism allows the decoder to precisely control audio signal positions by comparing the desired sound scene configuration with the current rendering state and making appropriate adjustments to the spatial cues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP1989704B1Method and apparatus for control of randering multiobject or multichannel audio signal using spatial cue
Publication Date: 2013.10.16 ELECTRONICS & TELECOMM RES INST
  • EP1989704B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1989704B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP1989704B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present research relates to controlling rendering of multi-object or multi-channel audio signals. The present research provides a method and apparatus for controlling rendering of multi-object or multi-channel audio signals based on spatial cues in a process of decoding the multi-object or multi-channel audio signals. To achieve the purpose, the method suggested in the research controls rendering in a spatial cue domain in the process of decoding the multi-object or multi-channel audio signals.