Blind Source Separation Remixing With Time-Domain Artefact Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current audio processing techniques are inadequate for effectively remixing or upmixing audio content to accommodate devices with more audio channels than the content provides, often resulting in poor quality due to artefacts and interference from blind source separation.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device and method that performs blind source separation, followed by time-domain filtering to reduce artefacts, and then remixing or upmixing to produce a high-quality remixed or upmixed signal, using adaptive filtering techniques based on parameters like reverberation time and short-time energy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If blind source separation is performed to separate audio sources, then the separated sources can be obtained for remixing, but artefacts and interference are introduced reducing signal quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to remix audio contentVSAvoidsignal quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component - the artefact reduction unit - that sits between the blind source separation unit and the remixing unit. This intermediary processes the separated sources to remove artefacts and interference before they affect the final remixed output, thus mediating between the need for source separation and the requirement for high signal quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional frequency-domain processing with time-domain filtering mechanisms. By substituting the conventional approach with time-domain artefact reduction techniques, the system achieves better artefact removal while preserving signal quality, effectively replacing a mechanical processing approach with a more sophisticated temporal filtering system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If time-domain filtering is applied to reduce artefacts, then signal quality improves, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal qualityVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the audio processing task into distinct functional units: blind source separation, artefact reduction through time-domain filtering, and remixing. By dividing the complex processing into modular segments, each handling a specific aspect, the system manages processing complexity through structured decomposition while maintaining high signal quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial filtering - only filtering specific frequency bands or time segments where artefacts are present rather than applying full-spectrum filtering throughout. This selective approach reduces the overall processing complexity while still achieving significant artefact reduction and signal quality improvement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS12014710B2Device, method and computer program for blind source separation and remixing

Publication Date: 2024.06.18 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

An electronic device comprising a circuitry configured to perform (402; 602; 902; 1002) blind source separation (201) based on a received input signal (1) to obtain separated sources; to perform (403; 605; 906; 1005) time-domain filtering (202) on at least one of the separated sources to obtain at least one filtered separated source; and to perform (404; 606; 907; 1006) remixing or upmixing (203) based on the at least one filtered separated source.