Multi-Instance Spatial Audio Decoder With Channel Router
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current audio object coding schemes are limited to a maximum of two downmix channels, restricting flexibility in adjusting audio scenes and are restricted to time-variant mixing, lacking the ability to perform frequency-variant mixing.
Innovation Solution
A decoder and method that generate audio output signals from three or more downmix channels, using an input channel router, channel processing units, and a renderer, with a covariance matrix to process and combine channels for flexible mixing and rendering, allowing for arbitrary numbers of downmix/upmix channels and fully flexible mixing of audio objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If current audio object coding schemes are used with a maximum of two downmix channels, then the system maintains simplicity in processing, but the flexibility in adjusting audio scenes is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the processing of three or more downmix channels into multiple independent channel processing units, where each unit handles a specific subset of channels. This segmentation allows the system to process arbitrary numbers of channels while maintaining manageable complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel processing units are designed to be universal and adaptable, capable of handling different numbers and configurations of downmix channels. The system can process any number of channels (not limited to two) by configuring the appropriate number of processing units, providing versatility without requiring completely different system architectures.
2Adaptability or versatility
If time-variant mixing is used in audio object coding, then the system maintains simplicity in implementation, but the ability to perform frequency-variant mixing is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces frequency-variant mixing capabilities that allow the system to adaptively process different frequency components of audio signals differently. The channel processing units can apply frequency-selective operations, enabling dynamic adjustment of mixing parameters across the frequency spectrum while maintaining a unified processing framework.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple channel processing units are used to process three or more downmix channels, then the flexibility in channel processing is improved, but the computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the channel processing into parallel units, the patent enables independent processing of channel subsets. This segmentation allows computational tasks to be distributed and potentially parallelized, improving computational efficiency despite the increased number of processing units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows for selective activation of channel processing units based on the specific audio scene requirements. Not all processing units need to operate at full capacity simultaneously, enabling partial action that optimizes computational resource utilization while maintaining the capability for flexible channel processing when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A decoder for generating an audio output signal having one or more audio output channels from a downmix signal having three or more downmix channels, wherein the downmix signal encodes three or more audio object signals is provided. The decoder includes an input channel router and at least two channel processing units. Each channel processing unit of the at least two channel processing units is configured to generate one or more of at least two processed channels depending on side information and depending on one or more of the three or more downmix channels received by the channel processing unit from the input channel router.