Signal Bounding Frequency Detection for Bandwidth Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio signal processing technologies face challenges in effectively extending bandwidth while maintaining sound quality, often resulting in unnatural or unpleasant sound due to arbitrary and unpredictable artificial content addition.
Innovation Solution
A method that identifies signal portions with specific characteristics to determine bounding frequencies, allowing for targeted bandwidth extension using high-band and low-band edge detection, reducing the need for fabricated content and improving audio quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If artificial bandwidth extension is applied to improve sound quality, then the frequency range is extended, but the sound becomes unnatural and unpleasant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting bounding frequencies before bandwidth extension is performed. The system analyzes the input signal to identify the actual frequency content boundaries, then uses this information to guide the bandwidth extension process, ensuring that synthetic content is only added where appropriate and not where it would create unnatural artifacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the bandwidth extension parameters based on the detected bounding frequencies. Instead of using fixed extension ranges, the system modifies the extension boundaries to match the actual signal characteristics, thereby maintaining natural sound quality while still achieving frequency range expansion.
2Illumination intensity
If artificial content is added to extend bandwidth, then the frequency coverage is improved, but the substantive content becomes harder to discern
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively adding artificial content only in the frequency regions that are actually bounded by the detected frequencies. Rather than extending the full bandwidth uniformly, the system applies bandwidth extension only where the signal evidence suggests it is appropriate, thereby preserving the clarity of substantive content while still achieving frequency coverage improvement.
3Device complexity
If bandwidth extension is applied without bounding frequency detection, then processing is simpler, but the result is arbitrary and unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by using the detected bounding frequencies to control the bandwidth extension process. The system continuously monitors the input signal characteristics, adjusts the extension parameters based on this feedback, and ensures that the output remains consistent and reliable. This closed-loop approach eliminates the arbitrariness of fixed-parameter extension while adding only moderate processing complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A signal processing platform (300) presents (101) a signal to be processed and identifies (102) signal portions with specific characteristics that are used (103) to automatically determine at least one bounding frequency that can be used to facilitate bandwidth extension for the signal. Identifying these signal portions can comprise identifying signal portions that exhibit at least a predetermined level of energy. The step of determining the bounding frequency can comprise computing a magnitude spectrum for each of the identified signal portions that can be used to determine a corresponding measure of flatness within a pass band as pertains to a corresponding normalized signal portion to thereby provide corresponding vetted signal portions. Determining the bounding frequency can then comprise accumulating the magnitude spectrum for these vetted signal portions and using the resultant accumulation to estimate a corresponding signal envelope. This signal envelope can then be used to determine the at least one bounding frequency.