Multi-Channel Speech Compression With Spatial Transfer Functions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-channel speech processing systems face limitations due to insufficient bandwidth for transmitting raw audio signals from multiple recording devices, necessitating more processing by back-end systems and reducing efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The system utilizes a reference audio acquisition device to encode audio encounter information and generates acoustic relative transfer functions based on known geometric positions of multiple audio devices, allowing for improved encoding and compression of multi-channel speech signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multi-channel raw audio signals are transmitted from multiple recording devices, then speech processing quality is improved, but bandwidth requirements increase beyond available capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential acoustic relative transfer function parameters from the complete multi-channel audio signals. Instead of transmitting all raw audio data, the system extracts and transmits only the transfer function characteristics that capture the spatial and acoustic relationships between microphones, significantly reducing bandwidth while preserving speech processing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified representation (copy) of the acoustic environment through transfer functions. Rather than transmitting the actual multi-channel audio signals, the system transmits a mathematical model that copies the essential acoustic characteristics, allowing the backend to reconstruct or simulate the multi-channel effects with much lower bandwidth requirements.
2Productivity
If more speech processing is performed by back-end systems, then processing capability is improved, but transmission efficiency decreases due to bandwidth limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces acoustic relative transfer functions as an intermediary representation between the audio recording devices and the backend processing system. This intermediary format allows compact transmission of spatial and acoustic relationship information, enabling efficient bandwidth utilization while still providing the backend with sufficient data for advanced speech processing tasks.
3Productivity
If acoustic relative transfer functions are generated and transmitted, then encoding efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary computation of acoustic relative transfer functions at the recording device end before transmission. By pre-calculating and encoding these transfer functions locally, the system reduces the computational burden on the backend while minimizing transmission data, achieving encoding efficiency without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, computer program product, and computing system for encoding audio encounter information of a reference audio acquisition device of a plurality of audio acquisition devices of an audio recording system, thus defining encoded reference audio encounter information. Location information may be estimated, via a machine vision system, for an acoustic source within an acoustic environment. One or more acoustic relative transfer functions may be selected from a plurality of acoustic relative transfer functions for the plurality of audio acquisition devices of the audio recording system based upon, at least in part, the location information. The encoded reference audio encounter information and a representation of the selected one or more acoustic relative transfer function may be transmitted.