Nova Patents
MY165339A

Controlling spatial audio parameters as a function of auditory events

Abstract

An audio encoder or encoding method receives a plurality of input channels and generates one or more audio output channels and one or more parameters describing desired spatial relationships among plurality of audio channels that may be derived from the one or more audio output channels, by detecting changes in signal characteristics with respect to time in one or more of the plurality of audio input channels, identifying as auditory event boundaries changes in signal characteristics with respect to time in the one or more of the plurality of audio input channels, an audio segment between consecutive boundaries constituting an auditory event in the channel or channels (6), and generating all or some of the one or more parameters at least partly in response to auditory events and/or the degree of change in signal characteristics associated with the auditory event boundaries (4). An auditory-event-responsive audio upmixer or upmixing method is also disclosed.

MY165339A, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 5

Term

No projected expiry on record.

  1. Priority
  2. Filed
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  4. Today

12 claims: 7 independent, 5 dependent

  1. 1
    CLAIMS 1. An audio processing method in which a processor receives a plurality of input channels and generates a number of audio output channels larger than the number of input channels, comprising detecting changes in spectral shape with respect to time in one or more of the plurality of audio input channels, in said one or more of the plurality of audio input channels, identifying a continuous succession of auditory event boundaries in the audio signal, in which every change in spectral shape with respect to time exceeding a threshold defines a boundary, wherein each auditory event is an audio segment between adjacent boundaries that tends to be perceived as separate and distinct, each boundary representing the end of the preceding event and the beginning of the next event such that a continuous succession of auditory events is obtained, and generating said audio output channels at least partly in response to auditory event boundaries and/or the degree of change in spectral shape associated with said auditory events boundaries, wherein said generating said output channels is updated only at the boundaries of auditory events.
  2. 6
    Apparatus comprising a processor receives a plurality of input channels and generates a number of audio output channels larger than the number of input channels, the processor comprising detecting means which changes in spectral shape with respect to time in one or more of the plurality of audio input channels, identifying means which identifies a continuous succession of auditory event boundaries in the audio signal in said one or more of the plurality of audio input channels, in which every change in spectral shape with respect to time exceeding a threshold defines a boundary, wherein each auditory event is an audio segment between adjacent boundaries that tends to be perceived as separate and distinct, each boundary representing the end of the preceding event and the beginning of the next event such that a continuous succession of auditory events is obtained, and generating means which generates said audio output channels at least partly in response to auditory event boundaries and/or the degree of change in spectral shape associated with said auditory event boundaries, wherein said generating said output channels is updated only at the boundaries of auditory events.
  3. 8
    A computer program, on a computer-readable recording medium, that causes a computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1-5.
  4. 9
    A method comprising producing a bitstream using the method of any one of claims 1-5.
  5. 10
    An apparatus comprising producing means which produces a bitstream using the method of any one of claims 1 -5.
  6. 11
    An audio processor in which the processor is adapted to receive a plurality of input channels and generates a number of audio output channels larger than the number of input channels, comprising means (6) for detecting changes in spectral shape with respect to time in one or more of the plurality of audio input channels, PI 20063679 means (4) for identifying in said one or more of the plurality of audio input channels, a continuous succession of auditory event boundaries in the audio signal, in which every change in spectral shape with respect to time exceeding a threshold defines a boundary, wherein each auditory event is an audio segment between adjacent boundaries that tends to be perceived as separate and distinct, each boundary representing the end of the preceding event and the beginning of the next event such that a continuous succession of auditory events is obtained, and means (26) for generating said audio output channels at least partly in response to auditory events boundaries and/or the degree of change is spectral shape associated with said auditory event boundaries, wherein said means lor generating said output channels is updated only at the boundaries of auditory events.
  7. 12
    An audio processor in which the processor is adapted to receive a plurality of input channels and generate a number of audio output channels larger than the number of input channels, comprising a detector (4”, 6”) that is adapted to detect changes in spectral shape with respect to time in one or more of the plurality of audio input channels and to identify in said one or more of the plurality of audio input channels a continuous succession of auditory event boundaries in the audio signal, in which every change in spectral shape with respect to time exceeding a threshold defines a boundary, wherein each auditory event is an audio segment between adjacent boundaries that tends to be perceived as separate and distinct, each boundary representing the end of the preceding event and the beginning of the next event such that a continuous succession of auditory events is obtained, and an upmixer (26) adapted to generate said audio output channels at least partly in response to auditory events boundaries and/or the degree of change in spectral shape associated with said auditory event boundaries, wherein said upmixer is updated only at the boundaries of auditory events. PI 20063679 Ί & MAR Μ1 AMENDMENTy
Independent claims7