Overlapping Filter Banks With Approximate Blocks for Low Delay

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing digital signal processing systems face challenges with significant total delay due to the non-zero delay introduced by transform filters, particularly in unidirectional filter arrangements, which can be inconvenient in various applications.

Innovation Solution

The proposed audio processing system employs a method and device for efficient real-to-imaginary operation in the frequency-domain representation of audio signals, utilizing a synthesis stage and an analysis stage connected by a processor to form a partially complex frequency-domain representation. This involves using FIR filters with output buffers to compute approximate values of time-domain representations, allowing the analysis stage to initiate computations earlier and reduce pass-through time by using approximate values from the synthesis stage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If transform filters are used for real-to-imaginary conversion in frequency-domain representation, then accurate signal processing is achieved, but total delay becomes considerable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal processing accuracyVSAvoidtotal delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The synthesis stage computes approximate values of time blocks ahead of their actual output time. Specifically, the output of the synthesis stage at time n is made available to the analysis stage at time n-d1, where d1≥1 represents the number of time blocks ahead. This preliminary computation allows the analysis stage to start processing earlier without waiting for complete synthesis output, thereby reducing total delay while maintaining processing accuracy through subsequent refinement with exact values.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If exact values from synthesis stage are waited for before analysis stage computation, then processing accuracy is maintained, but pass-through time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing accuracyVSAvoidpass-through time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The analysis stage performs partial computation using approximate values from the synthesis stage before the complete exact values are available. Instead of waiting for all synthesis output to be finalized, the analysis stage processes available approximate data immediately and refines the results later when exact values become available. This partial action approach reduces pass-through time while maintaining sufficient processing accuracy for the application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2817882B1Low delay real-to-complex conversion in overlapping filter banks for partially complex processing
Publication Date: 2020.06.10 DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
  • EP2817882B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2817882B1 patent drawingFigure 3a
  • EP2817882B1 patent drawingFigure 3b~4

AI summary

An arrangement of overlapping filter banks comprises a synthesis stage and an analysis stage. The synthesis stage receives a first signal segmented into time blocks and outputs, based thereon, an intermediate signal to be received by the analysis stage forming the basis for the computation of a second signal segmented into time frames. In an embodiment, the synthesis stage is operable to release an approximate value of the intermediate signal in a time block located L - 1 time blocks ahead of its output block, which approximate value is computed on the basis of any available time blocks of the first signal, so that the approximate value contributes, in the analysis stage, to the second signal. The delay is typically reduced by L - 1 blocks. Applications include audio signal processing in general and real -to-complex conversion in particular.