Spatial Disassembly Processor for Stereo Audio
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spatial disassembly systems for stereo audio signals suffer from limited channel separation and inability to accurately position sounds due to reliance on temporal separation and incomplete mathematical models of human auditory localization.
Innovation Solution
The method involves splitting input channels into frequency components and steering on a frequency-by-frequency basis using subband representations, preserving spectral and spatial balance through specific construction rules, and employing Short-Term Fourier Transform for efficient processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If temporal separation is used to steer sounds to different spatial locations, then channel separation is improved, but the system cannot simultaneously produce sound at several locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio signal into multiple frequency bands using spectral decomposition. Each frequency band is then independently processed and steered to different spatial locations using frequency-dependent spatial filtering. This allows simultaneous sound production at multiple locations because different frequencies can occupy the same temporal space without interfering with each other, resolving the contradiction between channel separation and simultaneous multi-location sound production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from temporal separation (one-dimensional time domain) to frequency-domain separation (adding a frequency dimension). By decomposing signals into frequency bands and applying spatial steering in the frequency domain, the system achieves multiple simultaneous spatial locations without temporal constraints, effectively adding a new dimension to the signal processing approach.
2Ease of manufacture
If linear weighted sum of phase shifted inputs is used, then processing is simple, but channel separation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frequency spectrum into multiple bands and applies different spatial filtering operations to each band. This segmentation allows the system to achieve better channel separation by processing different frequency components independently with optimized filters, rather than using a single linear weighted sum approach that works uniformly across all frequencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the processing parameters dynamically based on frequency band. Different spatial filtering coefficients and delay values are applied to different frequency bands to optimize channel separation for each band's characteristics. This frequency-dependent parameter adjustment enables superior channel separation compared to fixed linear processing.
3Measurement precision
If steered systems are used with temporal separation, then directional enhancement is achieved, but the entire audio signal must be steered and cannot be processed independently at different locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio signal into frequency bands and applies independent spatial steering to each band. This allows different parts of the audio signal to be steered to different spatial locations simultaneously without requiring the entire signal to be processed as a single unit, reducing the complexity of coordinating multiple steering operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves from temporal-domain steering to frequency-domain steering. By operating in the frequency domain, the system can independently process and steer different frequency components to different locations without the temporal constraints that complicate multi-location steering in the time domain.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of disassembling a pair of input signals L(t) and R(t) to form subband representations of N output channel signals o1(t), o2(t), . . . , oN(t), wherein t is time. The method includes the steps of generating a subband representation of the signal L(t) containing a plurality of subband components Lk(t) where k is an integer ranging from 1 to M; generating a subband representation of the signal R(t) containing a plurality of subband components Rk(t); and constructing the subband representation for each of the plurality of output channel signals, each of those subband representations containing a plurality of subband components oj,k(t), wherein oj,k(t) represents the kth subband of the jth output channel signal and is constructed by combining components of the input signals L(t) and R(t) according to an output construction rule: oj,k(t)=f(Lk(t),Rk(t)) for k=1, 2, . . . , M and j=1, 2, . . . , N.