Patents by Inventor Giulio CENGARLE

Giulio CENGARLE has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240056760
    Abstract: A method of audio processing includes performing spatial analysis on a binaural signal to estimate level differences and phase differences characteristic of a binaural filter of the binaural signal, performing object extraction on the binaural audio signal using the estimated level and phase differences to generate a left/right main component signal and a left/right residual component signal. The system may process the left/right main and left/right residual components differently using different object processing parameters for e.g. repositioning, equalization, compression, upmixing, channel remapping or storage to generate a processed binaural signal that provides an improved listening experience. Repositioning may be based on head tracking sensor data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Dirk Jeroen BREEBAART, Giulio CENGARLE, C. Phillip BROWN
  • Publication number: 20240022224
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method comprises: filtering reference audio content items to separate the reference audio content items into different frequency bands; for each frequency band, extracting a first feature vector from at least a portion of each of the reference audio content items, wherein the first feature vector includes at least one audio characteristic of the reference audio content items; obtaining at least one semantic label from at least a portion of each of the reference audio content items; obtaining a second feature vector consisting of the first feature vectors per frequency band and the at least one semantic label; generating, based on the second feature vector, cluster feature vectors representing centroids of clusters; separating the reference audio content items according to the cluster feature vectors; and computing an average target profile for each cluster based on the reference audio content items in the cluster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Giulio CENGARLE, Nicholas Laurence ENGEL, Patrick Winfrey SCANNELL, Davide SCAINI
  • Publication number: 20240013799
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method, comprises: dividing, using at least one processor, an audio input into speech and non-speech segments; for each frame in each non-speech segment, estimating, using the at least one processor, a time-varying noise spectrum of the non-speech segment; for each frame in each speech segment, estimating, using the at least one processor, speech spectrum of the speech segment; for each frame in each speech segment, identifying one or more non-speech frequency components in the speech spectrum; comparing the one or more non-speech frequency components with one or more corresponding frequency components in a plurality of estimated noise spectra and selecting the estimated noise spectrum from the plurality of estimated noise spectra based on a result of the comparing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Davide Scaini, Chunghsin Yeh, Giulio Cengarle, Mark David de Burgh
  • Patent number: 11843930
    Abstract: An audio object including audio content and object metadata is received. The object metadata indicates an object spatial position of the audio object to be rendered by audio speakers in a playback environment. Based on the object spatial position and source spatial positions of the audio speakers, initial gain values for the audio speakers are determined. The initial gain values can be used to select a set of audio speakers from among the audio speakers. Based on the object spatial position and a set of source spatial positions at which the set of audio speakers are respectively located in the playback environment, a set of non-negative optimized gain values for the set of audio speakers is determined. The audio object at the object spatial position is rendered with the set of optimized gain values for the set of audio speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignees: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Jun Wang, Giulio Cengarle, Juan Felix Torres, Daniel Arteaga
  • Publication number: 20230360662
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and device for processing a first and a second audio signal representing an input binaural audio signal acquired by a binaural recording device. The present invention further relates to a method for rendering a binaural audio signal on a speaker system. The method for processing a binaural signal comprising extracting audio information from the first audio signal, computing a band gain for reducing noise in the first audio signal and applying the band gains to respective frequency bands of the first audio signal in accordance with a dynamic scaling factor, to provide a first output audio signal. Wherein the dynamic scaling factor has a value between zero and one and is selected so as to reduce quality degradation for the first audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Zhiwei Shuang, Yuanxing Ma, Yang Liu, Ziyu Yang, Giulio Cengarle
  • Patent number: 11749243
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for network-based processing and distribution of multimedia content of a live performance are disclosed. In some implementations, recording devices can be configured to record a multimedia event (e.g., a musical performance). The recording devices can provide the recordings to a server while the event is ongoing. The server automatically synchronizes, mixes and masters the recordings. The server performs the automatic mixing and mastering using reference audio data previously captured during a rehearsal. The server streams the mastered recording to multiple end users through the Internet or other public or private network. The streaming can be live streaming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignees: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Philip Nicol, Antonio Mateos Sole, Giulio Cengarle, Cristina Michel Vasco
  • Publication number: 20230267945
    Abstract: Described is a method of performing automatic audio enhancement on an input audio signal including at least one speech-articulation noise event. The method comprises: segmenting the input audio signal into a number of audio frames; obtaining at least one feature parameter from the audio frames; and determining, based at least in part on the obtained feature parameter, a respective type of the speech-articulation noise event and a respective time-frequency range associated with the speech-articulation noise event within the input audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Chunghsin YEH, Giulio CENGARLE, Mark David DE BURGH
  • Patent number: 11735194
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products that provide streaming capabilities to audio input and output devices are disclosed. An audio processing device connects an upstream device to a downstream device. The upstream device is plugged into an input port of the audio processing device. The audio processing device intercepts a signal from the upstream device to the downstream device. The audio processing device converts the signal to digital data and streams the digital data to a server. The digital data can include metadata, e.g., an input gain. The audio processing device can adjust the input gain in response to instructions from the server. The audio processing device feeds a pass-through copy of the audio signal to an output port. A user can connect the downstream device in a usual signal chain into the output port of the audio processing device. The streaming does not affect the user's workflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignees: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Giulio Cengarle, Antonio Mateos Sole, Davide Scaini, Suraj Suhas Barkale
  • Patent number: 11689873
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for rending an audio object having an apparent size are disclosed. An audio processing system receives audio panning data including a first grid mapping first virtual sound sources in a space and speaker positions to speaker gains. The first grid specifies first speaker gains of the first virtual sound sources in the space. The audio processing system determines a second grid of second virtual sound sources in the space, including mapping the first virtual sound sources into the second virtual sound sources of the second virtual sources. The audio processing system selects at least one of the first grid or second grid for rendering an audio object based on an apparent size of the audio object. The audio processing system renders the audio object based on the selected grid or grids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Daniel Arteaga, Giulio Cengarle, Antonio Mateos Sole
  • Patent number: 11609737
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for synchronizing audio signals captured by multiple independent devices during an audio event are described. Multiple recording devices, e.g. several smartphones, record the audio event. A computer system receives audio signals from the devices. The system determines a first delay between two audio signals based on cross-correlation of waveforms of the two audio signals. Subsequently, the system detects attacks that are present in each audio signal by computing the derivative of a respective envelope for each audio signal. The system determines a second delay between the two audio signals based on cross-correlation of attacks of the two audio signals. The system synchronizes the audio signals using the second delay upon determining that using the second delay improves sound quality over using the first delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Giulio Cengarle, Antonio Mateos Solé
  • Publication number: 20230081633
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for noise floor estimation and noise reduction, In an embodiment, a method comprises: obtaining an audio signal; dividing the audio signal into a plurality of buffers; determining time-frequency samples for each buffer of the audio signal; for each buffer and for each frequency, determining a median (or mean) and a measure of an amount of variation of energy based on the samples in the buffer and samples in neighboring buffers that together span a specified time range of the audio signal; combining the median (or mean) and the measure of the amount of variation of energy into a cost function; for each frequency: determining a signal energy of a particular buffer of the audio signal that corresponds to a minimum value of the cost function; selecting the signal energy as the estimated noise floor of the audio signal; and reducing, using the estimated noise floor, noise in the audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Giulio Cengarle, Antonio Mateos Sole, Davide Scaini
  • Publication number: 20220386053
    Abstract: An audio object including audio content and object metadata is received. The object metadata indicates an object spatial position of the audio object to be rendered by audio speakers in a playback environment. Based on the object spatial position and source spatial positions of the audio speakers, initial gain values for the audio speakers are determined. The initial gain values can be used to select a set of audio speakers from among the audio speakers. Based on the object spatial position and a set of source spatial positions at which the set of audio speakers are respectively located in the playback environment, a set of non-negative optimized gain values for the set of audio speakers is determined. The audio object at the object spatial position is rendered with the set of optimized gain values for the set of audio speakers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicants: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Jun Wang, Giulio Cengarle, Juan Felix Torres, Daniel Arteaga
  • Publication number: 20220303593
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for network-based processing and distribution of multimedia content of a live performance are disclosed. In some implementations, recording devices can be configured to record a multimedia event (e.g., a musical performance). The recording devices can provide the recordings to a server while the event is ongoing. The server automatically synchronizes, mixes and masters the recordings. The server performs the automatic mixing and mastering using reference audio data previously captured during a rehearsal. The server streams the mastered recording to multiple end users through the Internet or other public or private network. The streaming can be live streaming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Philip Nicol, Antonio Mateos Sole, Giulio Cengarle, Cristina Michel Vasco
  • Publication number: 20220295207
    Abstract: A method for generating mastered audio content, the method comprising obtaining an input audio content comprising a number, M1, of audio signals, obtaining rendered presentation of the input audio content, the rendered presentation comprising a number, M2, of audio signals, obtaining a mastered presentation generated by mastering the rendered presentation, comparing the mastered presentation with the rendered presentation to determine one or more indications of differences between the mastered presentation and the rendered presentation, modifying one or more of the audio signals of the input audio content based on the indications of differences to generate the mastered audio content. With this approach, conventional, typically stereo, channel-based mastering tools can be used to provide a mastered version of any input audio content, including object-based immersive audio content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Dirk Jeroen BREEBAART, David Matthew COOPER, Giulio CENGARLE, Brett G. CROCKETT, Rhonda J. WILSON
  • Patent number: 11430463
    Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed for (possibly simultaneously) applying EQ and DRC to audio signals. In an embodiment, a method comprises: dividing an input audio signal into n frames, where n is a positive integer greater than one; dividing each frame of the input audio signal into Nb frequency bands, where Nb is a positive integer greater than one; for each frame n: computing an input level of the input audio signal in each band f, resulting in a input audio level distribution for the input audio signal; computing a gain for each band f based at least in part on a mapping of one or more properties of the input audio level distribution to a reference N audio level distribution computed from one or more reference audio signals; and applying each computed gain for each band f to each corresponding band f of the input audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignees: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Giulio Cengarle, Antonio Mateos Sole, Dirk Jeroen Breebaart
  • Patent number: 11425503
    Abstract: Embodiments are described for a method of simultaneously localizing a set of speakers and microphones, having only the times of arrival between each of the speakers and microphones. An autodiscovery process uses an external input to set: a global translation (3 continuous parameters), a global rotation (3 continuous parameters), and discrete symmetries, i.e., an exchange of any axis pairs and/or reversal of any axis. Different time of arrival acquisition techniques may be used, such as ultrasonic sweeps or generic multitrack audio content. The autodiscovery algorithm is based in minimizing a certain cost function, and the process allows for latencies in the recordings, possibly linked to the latencies in the emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignees: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Daniel Arteaga, Giulio Cengarle, David Matthew Fischer, Antonio Mateos Sole, Davide Scaini, Alan Seefeldt
  • Publication number: 20220262387
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products of automatic de-essing are disclosed. An automatic de-esser can be used without manually setting parameters and can perform reliable sibilance detection and reduction regardless of absolute signal level, singer gender and other extraneous factors. An audio processing device divides input audio signals into buffers each containing a number of samples, the buffers overlapping one another. The audio processing device transforms each buffer from the time domain into the frequency domain and implements de-essing as a multi-band compressor that only acts on a designated sibilance band. The audio processing device determines an amount of attenuation in the sibilance band based on comparison of energy level in sibilance band of a buffer to broadband energy level in a previous buffer. The amount of attenuation is also determined based on a zero-crossing rate, as well as a slope and onset of a compression curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Giulio Cengarle, Antonio Mateos Sole, Brett G. Crockett
  • Patent number: 11363314
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for network-based processing and distribution of multimedia content of a live performance are disclosed. In some implementations, recording devices can be configured to record a multimedia event (e.g., a musical performance). The recording devices can provide the recordings to a server while the event is ongoing. The server automatically synchronizes, mixes and masters the recordings. The server performs the automatic mixing and mastering using reference audio data previously captured during a rehearsal. The server streams the mastered recording to multiple end users through the Internet or other public or private network. The streaming can be live streaming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Philip Nicol, Antonio Mateos Sole, Giulio Cengarle, Cristina Michel Vasco
  • Patent number: 11356787
    Abstract: An audio object including audio content and object metadata is received. The object metadata indicates an object spatial position of the audio object to be rendered by audio speakers in a playback environment. Based on the object spatial position and source spatial positions of the audio speakers, initial gain values for the audio speakers are determined. The initial gain values can be used to select a set of audio speakers from among the audio speakers. Based on the object spatial position and a set of source spatial positions at which the set of audio speakers are respectively located in the playback environment, a set of non-negative optimized gain values for the set of audio speakers is determined. The audio object at the object spatial position is rendered with the set of optimized gain values for the set of audio speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Jun Wang, Giulio Cengarle, Juan Felix Torres, Daniel Arteaga
  • Patent number: 11322170
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products of automatic de-essing are disclosed. An automatic de-esser can be used without manually setting parameters and can perform reliable sibilance detection and reduction regardless of absolute signal level, singer gender and other extraneous factors. An audio processing device divides input audio signals into buffers each containing a number of samples, the buffers overlapping one another. The audio processing device transforms each buffer from the time domain into the frequency domain and implements de-essing as a multi-band compressor that only acts on a designated sibilance band. The audio processing device determines an amount of attenuation in the sibilance band based on comparison of energy level in sibilance band of a buffer to broadband energy level in a previous buffer. The amount of attenuation is also determined based on a zero-crossing rate, as well as a slope and onset of a compression curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Giulio Cengarle, Antonio Mateos Sole, Brett G. Crockett