Server-Based Audio Mixing and Video Cropping for Live Streaming

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Solution Overview

Problem

Distributing high-quality audio and video of live performances over the Internet is challenging due to poor sound and video quality, often resulting from inadequate equipment setup and lack of technical expertise, especially in amateur recordings.

Innovation Solution

A system that receives rehearsal data to match sound and performers, edits video based on analysis of rehearsal data to emphasize prominent performers, and associates audio with edited video for streaming, while also handling network bandwidth limitations by capturing high-definition video and instructing cameras to crop or compress frames for efficient streaming.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If high-definition video is captured and streamed, then video quality is improved, but network bandwidth requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and transmits only the most relevant video data (frames containing prominent performers) rather than all video data. The server identifies salient performers and crops/extracts their regions from full HD video, sending only these extracted portions to reduce bandwidth while maintaining quality for important content.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies different quality levels to different regions of the video content. High-definition quality is maintained for regions containing prominent performers, while other regions are either cropped out or transmitted at lower quality, creating a locally optimized quality distribution that balances overall video quality with bandwidth efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If automatic video editing is performed based on rehearsal data, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic video editingVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions during rehearsal by capturing and storing rehearsal data that identifies performer positions, movements, and prominence. This preliminary data collection and analysis enables automatic video editing during the actual performance without requiring complex real-time decision-making, as the editing rules are pre-established from rehearsal observations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary component (the server with automated editing algorithms) that mediates between the raw video feed and the final output. This intermediary automatically analyzes rehearsal data, identifies prominent performers, and applies editing rules to generate the final video, simplifying operation while managing complexity through specialized automated processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3923269B1Server-based processing and distribution of multimedia content of a live musical performance
Publication Date: 2023.11.08 DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORP
  • EP3923269B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3923269B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3923269B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and computer program products for network-based processing and distribution of multimedia content of a live performance are disclosed. In some implementations, recording devices can be configured to record a multimedia event (e.g., a musical performance). The recording devices can provide the recordings to a server while the event is ongoing. The server automatically synchronizes, mixes and masters the recordings. The server performs the automatic mixing and mastering using reference audio data previously captured during a rehearsal. The server streams the mastered recording to multiple end users through the Internet or other public or private network. The streaming can be live streaming.