Object-Based Audio Rendering with Legacy-Compatible Base Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio decoding and rendering systems struggle to provide a full range audio experience for object-based audio programs, especially when legacy systems are unable to parse object channels and related metadata, limiting the flexibility and personalization of audio content rendering.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a personalizable object-based audio program that includes a base layer compatible with legacy playback systems, which can render a default set of speaker channels, and an extension layer that can be processed by non-legacy systems to provide customizable mixes of speaker and object channels, allowing for a full range audio experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If object-based audio programs include metadata and object channels for personalized mixing, then audio rendering flexibility and user interaction are improved, but legacy playback systems cannot parse and render these channels, limiting compatibility
Solution Approach 1:
The audio program is segmented into distinct components: speaker channels that legacy systems can render, and object channels with metadata that non-legacy systems can process for personalized mixes. This segmentation allows different system types to access and render appropriate portions of the audio content independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio program structure is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides a complete audio experience for legacy systems through speaker channels alone, while simultaneously enabling enhanced personalized mixing for non-legacy systems that can process object channels and metadata. This multi-functionality resolves the compatibility issue.
2Device complexity
If legacy systems render only speaker channels without object channels, then system simplicity is maintained, but full range audio experience and personalization capabilities are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The audio program is prepared in advance with both speaker channels and object channels encoded, along with metadata describing rendering parameters. This preliminary preparation ensures that legacy systems can immediately render the speaker channels for a complete audio experience, while non-legacy systems can later access the object channels for personalization without requiring additional processing or conversion.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods for generating an object based audio program, renderable in a personalizable manner, and including a bed of speaker channels renderable in the absence of selection of other program content (e.g., to provide a default full range audio experience). Other embodiments include steps of delivering, decoding, and/or rendering such a program. Rendering of content of the bed, or of a selected mix of other content of the program, may provide an immersive experience. The program may include multiple object channels (e.g., object channels indicative of user-selectable and user-configurable objects), the bed of speaker channels, and other speaker channels. Another aspect is an audio processing unit (e.g., encoder or decoder) configured to perform, or which includes a buffer memory which stores at least one frame (or other segment) of an object based audio program (or bitstream thereof) generated in accordance with, any embodiment of the method.