Patents by Inventor Michael Schug

Michael Schug 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).

  • Patent number: 11948592
    Abstract: Many portable playback devices cannot decode and playback encoded audio content having wide bandwidth and wide dynamic range with consistent loudness and intelligibility unless the encoded audio content has been prepared specially for these devices. This problem can be overcome by including with the encoded content some metadata that specifies a suitable dynamic range compression profile by either absolute values or differential values relative to another known compression profile. A playback device may also adaptively apply gain and limiting to the playback audio. Implementations in encoders, in transcoders and in decoders are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey Riedmiller, Harald Mundt, Michael Schug, Martin Wolters
  • Publication number: 20230343347
    Abstract: Many portable playback devices cannot decode and playback encoded audio content having wide bandwidth and wide dynamic range with consistent loudness and intelligibility unless the encoded audio content has been prepared specially for these devices. This problem can be overcome by including with the encoded content some metadata that specifies a suitable dynamic range compression profile by either absolute values or differential values relative to another known compression profile. A playback device may also adaptively apply gain and limiting to the playback audio. Implementations in encoders, in transcoders and in decoders are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey RIEDMILLER, Harald MUNDT, Michael SCHUG, Martin WOLTERS
  • Publication number: 20230267938
    Abstract: Described are methods of processing an audio signal for packet loss concealment. The audio signal comprises a sequence of frames, each frame containing representations of a plurality of audio channels and reconstruction parameters for upmixing the plurality of audio channels to a predetermined channel format. One method includes: receiving the audio signal; and generating a reconstructed audio signal in the predefined channel format based on the received audio signal. Generating the reconstructed audio signal comprises: determining whether at least one frame of the audio signal has been lost; and if a number of consecutively lost frames exceeds a first threshold, fading the reconstructed audio signal to a predefined spatial configuration. Also described is a method of encoding an audio signal. Yet further described are apparatus for carrying out the methods, as well as corresponding programs and computer-readable storage media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Harald MUNDT, Stefan BRUHN, Heiko PURNHAGEN, Simon PLAIN, Michael SCHUG
  • Patent number: 11670315
    Abstract: Many portable playback devices cannot decode and playback encoded audio content having wide bandwidth and wide dynamic range with consistent loudness and intelligibility unless the encoded audio content has been prepared specially for these devices. This problem can be overcome by including with the encoded content some metadata that specifies a suitable dynamic range compression profile by either absolute values or differential values relative to another known compression profile. A playback device may also adaptively apply gain and limiting to the playback audio. Implementations in encoders, in transcoders and in decoders are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey Riedmiller, Harald Mundt, Michael Schug, Martin Wolters
  • Publication number: 20230049495
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a companding method and system for reducing coding noise in an audio codec. A compression process reduces an original dynamic range of an initial audio signal through a compression process that divides the initial audio signal into a plurality of segments using a defined window shape, calculates a wideband gain in the frequency domain using a non-energy based average of frequency domain samples of the initial audio signal, and applies individual gain values to amplify segments of relatively low intensity and attenuate segments of relatively high intensity. The compressed audio signal is then expanded back to the substantially the original dynamic range that applies inverse gain values to amplify segments of relatively high intensity and attenuating segments of relatively low intensity. A QMF filterbank is used to analyze the initial audio signal to obtain a frequency domain representation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicants: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB, DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Per Hedelin, Arijit Biswas, Michael Schug, Vinay Melkote
  • Publication number: 20220358944
    Abstract: Many portable playback devices cannot decode and playback encoded audio content having wide bandwidth and wide dynamic range with consistent loudness and intelligibility unless the encoded audio content has been prepared specially for these devices. This problem can be overcome by including with the encoded content some metadata that specifies a suitable dynamic range compression profile by either absolute values or differential values relative to another known compression profile. A playback device may also adaptively apply gain and limiting to the playback audio. Implementations in encoders, in transcoders and in decoders are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey Riedmiller, Harald Mundt, Michael Schug, Martin Wolters
  • Patent number: 11423923
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a companding method and system for reducing coding noise in an audio codec. A compression process reduces an original dynamic range of an initial audio signal through a compression process that divides the initial audio signal into a plurality of segments using a defined window shape, calculates a wideband gain in the frequency domain using a non-energy based average of frequency domain samples of the initial audio signal, and applies individual gain values to amplify segments of relatively low intensity and attenuate segments of relatively high intensity. The compressed audio signal is then expanded back to the substantially the original dynamic range that applies inverse gain values to amplify segments of relatively high intensity and attenuating segments of relatively low intensity. A QMF filterbank is used to analyze the initial audio signal to obtain a frequency domain representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignees: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Per Hedelin, Arijit Biswas, Michael Schug, Vinay Melkote
  • Patent number: 11341982
    Abstract: Many portable playback devices cannot decode and playback encoded audio content having wide bandwidth and wide dynamic range with consistent loudness and intelligibility unless the encoded audio content has been prepared specially for these devices. This problem can be overcome by including with the encoded content some metadata that specifies a suitable dynamic range compression profile by either absolute values or differential values relative to another known compression profile. A playback device may also adaptively apply gain and limiting to the playback audio. Implementations in encoders, in transcoders and in decoders are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey Riedmiller, Harald Mundt, Michael Schug, Martin Wolters
  • Patent number: 11232804
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for audio coding. A method of encoding a portion of an audio signal comprises determining whether the portion of the audio signal is likely to contain dense transient events, and if it is determined that the portion of the audio signal is likely to contain dense transient events, quantizing the portion of the audio signal using a quantization 5 mode that applies a substantially constant signal-to-noise ratio over frequency for the portion of the audio signal. The present disclosure further relates to a method of detecting dense transient events in a portion of an audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Arijit Biswas, Michael Schug, Harald Mundt
  • Patent number: 11195536
    Abstract: The present document describes a method for allocating bits to a frame of a sequence of frames to yield a bitstream having a constant average bitrate, wherein the frame comprises audio data and metadata. The method comprises maintaining an overall bit reservoir and maintaining a virtual bit reservoir being a subset of the overall bit reservoir, such that bits for the metadata of the frame are allocated from the virtual bit reservoir and such that bits for the audio data of the frame are allocated from the overall bit reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Michael Schug, Holger Hoerich, Tobias R. Wagenblass, Christof Fersch, Karsten Linzmeier
  • Publication number: 20200395031
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a companding method and system for reducing coding noise in an audio codec. A compression process reduces an original dynamic range of an initial audio signal through a compression process that divides the initial audio signal into a plurality of segments using a defined window shape, calculates a wideband gain in the frequency domain using a non-energy based average of frequency domain samples of the initial audio signal, and applies individual gain values to amplify segments of relatively low intensity and attenuate segments of relatively high intensity. The compressed audio signal is then expanded back to the substantially the original dynamic range that applies inverse gain values to amplify segments of relatively high intensity and attenuating segments of relatively low intensity. A QMF filterbank is used to analyze the initial audio signal to obtain a frequency domain representation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicants: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB, DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Per Hedelin, Arijit Biswas, Michael Schug, Vinay Melkote
  • Publication number: 20200194011
    Abstract: The present document describes a method for allocating bits to a frame of a sequence of frames to yield a bitstream having a constant average bitrate, wherein the frame comprises audio data and metadata. The method comprises maintaining an overall bit reservoir and maintaining a virtual bit reservoir being a subset of the overall bit reservoir, such that bits for the metadata of the frame are allocated from the virtual bit reservoir and such that bits for the audio data of the frame are allocated from the overall bit reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Michael SCHUG, Holger HOERICH, Tobias R. WAGENBLASS, Christof FERSCH, Karsten LINZMEIER
  • Patent number: 10679639
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a companding method and system for reducing coding noise in an audio codec. A compression process reduces an original dynamic range of an initial audio signal through a compression process that divides the initial audio signal into a plurality of segments using a defined window shape, calculates a wideband gain in the frequency domain using a non-energy based average of frequency domain samples of the initial audio signal, and applies individual gain values to amplify segments of relatively low intensity and attenuate segments of relatively high intensity. The compressed audio signal is then expanded back to the substantially the original dynamic range that applies inverse gain values to amplify segments of relatively high intensity and attenuating segments of relatively low intensity. A QMF filterbank is used to analyze the initial audio signal to obtain a frequency domain representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Per Hedelin, Arijit Biswas, Michael Schug, Vinay Melkote
  • Publication number: 20200176008
    Abstract: Many portable playback devices cannot decode and playback encoded audio content having wide bandwidth and wide dynamic range with consistent loudness and intelligibility unless the encoded audio content has been prepared specially for these devices. This problem can be overcome by including with the encoded content some metadata that specifies a suitable dynamic range compression profile by either absolute values or differential values relative to another known compression profile. A playback device may also adaptively apply gain and limiting to the playback audio. Implementations in encoders, in transcoders and in decoders are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey Riedmiller, Harald Mundt, Michael Schug, Martin Wolters
  • Publication number: 20200126572
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for audio coding. A method of encoding a portion of an audio signal comprises determining whether the portion of the audio signal is likely to contain dense transient events, and if it is determined that the portion of the audio signal is likely to contain dense transient events, quantizing the portion of the audio signal using a quantization 5 mode that applies a substantially constant signal-to-noise ratio over frequency for the portion of the audio signal. The present disclosure further relates to a method of detecting dense transient events in a portion of an audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Arijit BISWAS, Michael SCHUG, Harald MUNDT
  • Patent number: 10573324
    Abstract: The present document describes a method (800) for allocating bits to a frame (301) of a sequence of frames (301) to yield a bitstream having a constant average bitrate, wherein the frame (301) comprises audio data and metadata. The method (800) comprises maintaining (801) an overall bit reservoir (100) and maintaining (802) a virtual bit reservoir (510) being a subset of the overall bit reservoir (100), such that bits for the metadata of the frame (301) are allocated from the virtual bit reservoir (510) and such that bits for the audio data of the frame (301) are allocated from the overall bit reservoir (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Michael Schug, Holger Hoerich, Tobias R. Wagenblass, Christof Fersch, Karsten Linzmeier
  • Patent number: 10566006
    Abstract: Many portable playback devices cannot decode and playback encoded audio content having wide bandwidth and wide dynamic range with consistent loudness and intelligibility unless the encoded audio content has been prepared specially for these devices. This problem can be overcome by including with the encoded content some metadata that specifies a suitable dynamic range compression profile by either absolute values or differential values relative to another known compression profile. A playback device may also adaptively apply gain and limiting to the playback audio. Implementations in encoders, in transcoders and in decoders are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey Riedmiller, Harald Mundt, Michael Schug, Martin Wolters
  • Publication number: 20190325890
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a companding method and system for reducing coding noise in an audio codec. A compression process reduces an original dynamic range of an initial audio signal through a compression process that divides the initial audio signal into a plurality of segments using a defined window shape, calculates a wideband gain in the frequency domain using a non-energy based average of frequency domain samples of the initial audio signal, and applies individual gain values to amplify segments of relatively low intensity and attenuate segments of relatively high intensity. The compressed audio signal is then expanded back to the substantially the original dynamic range that applies inverse gain values to amplify segments of relatively high intensity and attenuating segments of relatively low intensity. A QMF filterbank is used to analyze the initial audio signal to obtain a frequency domain representation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicants: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB, DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Per Hedelin, Arijit Biswas, Michael Schug, Vinay Melkote
  • Publication number: 20190325886
    Abstract: Many portable playback devices cannot decode and playback encoded audio content having wide bandwidth and wide dynamic range with consistent loudness and intelligibility unless the encoded audio content has been prepared specially for these devices. This problem can be overcome by including with the encoded content some metadata that specifies a suitable dynamic range compression profile by either absolute values or differential values relative to another known compression profile. A playback device may also adaptively apply gain and limiting to the playback audio. Implementations in encoders, in transcoders and in decoders are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey Riedmiller, Harald Mundt, Michael Schug, Martin Wolters
  • Patent number: 10418045
    Abstract: Many portable playback devices cannot decode and playback encoded audio content having wide bandwidth and wide dynamic range with consistent loudness and intelligibility unless the encoded audio content has been prepared specially for these devices. This problem can be overcome by including with the encoded content some metadata that specifies a suitable dynamic range compression profile by either absolute values or differential values relative to another known compression profile. A playback device may also adaptively apply gain and limiting to the playback audio. Implementations in encoders, in transcoders and in decoders are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey Riedmiller, Harald Mundt, Michael Schug, Martin Wolters