Recording Optimizer for Remote Audio Fidelity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote recording devices face challenges in generating high-fidelity recordings due to discrepancies between acoustic and electronic audio signals, leading to overrepresentation or underrepresentation of certain sound components and ambient noise issues.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that detects discrepancies between acoustic and electronic audio signals, performs compensation operations, and combines them to generate a balanced audio mix signal, using a recording optimizer that includes components for noise reduction, time alignment, bass adjustment, and panning normalization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If acoustic audio signals are used to capture performance from a distance, then the recording can capture the overall performance atmosphere, but the quality is reduced due to ambient noise pickup
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple audio signal sources (acoustic microphones and electronic line-in inputs) into a unified recording system. The mixing application integrates signals from both sources, allowing the benefits of atmospheric capture from microphones and clean signal transmission from electronic inputs to work together, resolving the contradiction between capturing performance atmosphere and avoiding ambient noise.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If electronic audio signals are used to provide cleaner signal, then the ambient noise is reduced, but the representation of certain instruments becomes unbalanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different processing and weighting to different frequency ranges and signal components. The mixing application selectively balances the representation of different instruments by adjusting the contribution of electronic versus acoustic signals in specific frequency bands, ensuring that bass instruments and other underrepresented elements maintain appropriate presence while preserving the overall cleaner signal quality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If acoustic microphones are positioned far from the stage, then the recording captures the audience perspective, but time lag relative to electronic signals increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary time alignment processing where the mixing application detects and compensates for time delays between acoustic and electronic signals before combining them. By pre-adjusting the timing of acoustic microphone signals to match electronic line-in signals, the system maintains accurate synchronization while preserving the audience perspective captured by distant microphones.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a recording optimizer included in a recorder optimizes the fidelity of output signals. In operation, the recorder receives and records two sets of input signals—one set of input signals received via microphones included in the recorder and another set of input signals received as line-inputs from a front of house console mixer. The recording optimizer analyzes the recorded signals to identify discrepancies, such as unamplified instruments that are underrepresented in the line-inputs. The recording optimizer then performs compensation operations that adjust one or more recorded signals to mitigate the discrepancies. Subsequently, the recording optimizer combines the compensated recorded signals, generating output signals that leverage the strengths of both sets of input signals to accurately represent the experienced sound. By contrast, conventional recorder/mixer combinations may produce output signals with degraded fidelity attributable to unresolved discrepancies between the source signals.