Spatial Audio Rendering for Distinguishing Participant and Private Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spatial audio systems struggle to effectively render participant and private audio objects in immersive audio experiences, such as audio calls, where the private audio object is less prominent than the participant audio object.
Innovation Solution
The system obtains a spatial audio signal comprising participant and private audio objects, rendering the participant audio object in a first spatial location and the private audio object in a second spatial location, ensuring the private audio object is less prominent by positioning it outside a guard area or at a greater distance from the user.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the private audio object is rendered with the same prominence as the participant audio object, then the user can hear all audio content clearly, but the participant audio object becomes less distinguishable and the immersive experience is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different spatial rendering characteristics to different audio objects. Participant audio objects are rendered with high prominence in specific spatial locations, while private audio objects are rendered with reduced prominence in different spatial locations. This creates locally optimized audio presentation where each audio object type receives appropriate prominence based on its nature and importance, resolving the contradiction between overall distinguishability and rendering complexity.
2Loss of information
If multiple audio objects are rendered in the same spatial location, then the system is simpler to implement, but the user cannot distinguish the origins and associations of different audio objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the spatial audio space into distinct regions and assigns different audio objects to different spatial locations. Participant audio objects and private audio objects are separated into different spatial zones, allowing the user to distinguish their origins through spatial cues. This segmentation approach preserves information about audio object identities while managing the complexity of spatial audio signal processing through systematic spatial organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the spatial dimension to differentiate audio objects that would otherwise be indistinguishable in a mono or stereo mix. By distributing audio objects across three-dimensional space with different prominence levels, the system adds a spatial dimension to audio presentation, enabling users to distinguish origins and associations without overly complex signal processing at any single point.
3Loss of information
If the private audio object is positioned close to the participant audio object, then the association between them is clearer, but the private audio object becomes too prominent and distracting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a nuanced spatial arrangement where the private audio object is positioned in proximity to its associated participant audio object but with reduced prominence. This local differentiation allows the association to be perceived through spatial relationship while the reduced prominence prevents distraction. The solution optimizes the local spatial environment for each audio object pair rather than applying uniform rendering rules.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples of the disclosure relate to apparatus, methods and computer programs. The apparatus including circuitry configured for obtaining a spatial audio signal where the spatial audio signal includes at least one participant audio object and at least one private audio object wherein the private audio object is associated with a participant which generated the participant audio object. The apparatus also includes circuitry configured for causing the participant audio object to be rendered in a first spatial location and causing the private audio object to be rendered in a second spatial location so that the rendering of the private audio object is less prominent than the rendering of the participant audio object.