Pseudo-5.1 Audio Stream Multiplexing for Decoder Resource Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Multi-channel audio streams require significant decoding resources and hardware, increasing costs in home theater systems, as they contain more information than conventional stereo streams.

Innovation Solution

Divide a 5.1 channel audio stream into three stereo streams, multiplex the packets to create a pseudo-5.1 channel audio stream, and decode it back to the original format, reducing the decoding resources needed by processing one stereo stream at a time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional multi-channel audio decoders are used to decode multi-channel audio streams, then the audio decoding quality and surround sound experience are improved, but the hardware requirements and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudio decoding qualityVSAvoidhardware requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the multi-channel audio stream into multiple stereo streams, where each stereo stream contains audio data for specific channels. The decoder then processes each stereo stream independently using standard stereo decoding capabilities, rather than requiring a complex multi-channel decoder. This segmentation allows the system to achieve multi-channel audio output using simpler, more cost-effective hardware.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If multi-channel audio streams are decoded using standard decoders, then the surround sound experience is improved, but the decoding resources and processing power required increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurround sound experienceVSAvoiddecoding resources

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The audio stream is segmented into multiple stereo streams, each containing audio data for specific channels. The decoder processes each stereo stream independently using standard stereo decoding algorithms, which require significantly fewer computational resources than decoding the entire multi-channel stream as a single unit. This segmentation reduces the processing burden while maintaining the surround sound experience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the decoding problem from a multi-dimensional complexity (decoding all channels simultaneously) to a series of simpler one-dimensional problems (decoding each stereo stream independently). By changing the dimensionality of the decoding approach, the system achieves the same audio experience with reduced computational resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS7706415B2Packet multiplexing multi-channel audio

Publication Date: 2010.04.27 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods for providing multi-channel audio using a reduced amount of resources for the decoding process. A 5.1 channel audio stream is divided into three stereo streams. The packets from each of three stereo streams are multiplexed to create a pseudo-5.1 channel audio stream. The pseudo 5.1 channel audio stream is then decoded and demultiplexed at the output to create the output 5.1 channel audio sound. As such, the decoder resources only have decode a single pseudo 5.1 stream. This technique is equally applicable to 7.1 or other multi-channel formats.