Spatial Audio Noise Suppression Without Losing Directional Cues
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unwanted noise, such as wind noise, detracts from the immersive audio experience provided by stereo or spatial audio signals, affecting the stability and directional perception of audio scenes.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method for selectively modifying stereo or spatial audio signals by suppressing unwanted noise based on a determined level of spatial interest in the audio scene, identifying significant audio sources, and adjusting the audio representation to reduce or eliminate noise while maintaining desired spatial dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If unwanted noise is suppressed in stereo or spatial audio signals, then audio quality is improved, but spatial and directional qualities may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between noise components and significant audio sources in specific spatial regions. The system suppresses unwanted noise locally in channels where it is detected while preserving spatial information in other channels, achieving selective modification that maintains directional perception.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the audio signal into individual channels from multiple microphones and processes each channel separately. By analyzing each channel's noise content and spatial contribution independently, the system can selectively suppress noise in specific channels while maintaining the overall spatial structure of the audio scene.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If individual signals with unwanted noise are suppressed, then noise reduction is achieved, but the audio scene representation may be degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring the audio scene to identify significant audio sources and their spatial locations. This feedback information guides the selective suppression process, ensuring that only noise is removed while preserving important audio sources, thereby maintaining reliable audio scene representation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by suppressing noise only in the extent necessary to remove unwanted sound while leaving intact the spatial representation. The system modifies the audio signal partially - only in the channels and regions where noise is detected - rather than applying complete suppression that would degrade the entire audio scene.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus, method and computer program is described comprising: providing a stereo or spatial audio signal produced using individual signals from respective microphones of a user device, the stereo or spatial audio signal representing an audio scene; detecting unwanted noise in at least one of the individual signals; responsive to detecting the unwanted noise, modifying the stereo or spatial audio signal based on a determined level of spatial interest in the audio scene meeting a predetermined condition; and providing the modified audio signal for output via one or more speakers.