Abstract: The invention discloses a system applied to optimize the perceived sound quality in virtual sound zones. The system includes a method to establish a threshold of acceptability for an interfering audio programme on a target audio programme. The method includes physical parameters like target programme and interferer programme which combined with the scenarios: information gathering, entertainment and reading and/or working, constitutes modes of operations that may be processed and controlled by a system controller.

Abstract: For determining a subjective property such as loudness of a binaural sound signal left and right sound pressures in the left and right ears of a human being, resulting from the binaural sound signal, are determined. The left and right sound pressures are frequency analyzed to obtain left and right frequency spectra. In each frequency band, the diotic (common) sound pressure in the left and right ears is determined, which would result from a plane wave frontal incidence on the human being, and that would produce the same perceived loudness as the frequency bandwidth limited left and right sound pressures. In each frequency band the inverse frontal head related transfer functions are used to determine the free-field sound pressure that would produce the same perceived loudness as the diotic sound pressure. The loudness is determined as the loudness of the totality of frequency bandwidth limited free field sound pressures, preferably using the international standard ISO 532.

Abstract: The invention discloses a system applied to optimize the perceived sound quality in virtual sound zones. The system includes a method to establish a threshold of acceptability for an interfering audio programme on a target audio programme. The method includes physical parameters like target programme and interferer programme which combined with the scenarios: information gathering, entertainment and reading and/or working, constitutes modes of operations that may be processed and controlled by a system controller.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and corresponding system for predicting the perceived spatial quality of sound processing and reproducing equipment. According to the invention a device to be tested, a so-called device under test (DUT), is subjected to one or more test signals and the response of the device under test is provided to one or more means for deriving metrics, i.e. a higher-level representation of the raw data obtained from the device under test. The derived one or more metrics is/are provided to suitable predictor means that “translates” the objective measure provided by the one or more metrics to a predicted perceived spatial quality. To this end said predictor means is calibrated using listening tests carried out on real listeners. By means of the invention there is thus provided an “instrument” that can replace expensive and time consuming listening tests for instance during development of various audio processing or reproduction systems or methods.

Abstract: The invention relates to simulation of sound fields in enclosures, for instance for application in listening tests, where test subjects assess the sound quality or other sound perception characteristics of the sound field. According to a specific embodiment, the system comprises a binaural synthesis portion which synthesizes sound for instance from a sound-reproduction equipment based on measured impulse responses of an actual room stored in a data base (31) and a binaural recording portion comprising a data base 32 for storing binaural recordings of other sound signals made in the room. Data from these databases are mixed (41) and reproduced by means of a headphone (39) provided with a head tracker (42) for tracking the movements of the listener's head. The invention furthermore comprises the use of cross-fading functions (36, 37) to enable the dynamic listening conditions, where the movements of the listener's head are taken into account during the simulation process.

Abstract: A procedure and apparatus for generating automatic replay of recordings.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and corresponding system for predicting the perceived spatial quality of sound processing and reproducing equipment. According to the invention a device to be tested, a so-called device under test (DUT), is subjected to one or more test signals and the response of the device under test is provided to one or more means for deriving metrics, i.e. a higher-level representation of the raw data obtained from the device under test. The derived one or more metrics is/are provided to suitable predictor means that “translates” the objective measure provided by the one or more metrics to a predicted perceived spatial quality. To this end said predictor means is calibrated using listening tests carried out on real listeners. By means of the invention there is thus provided an “instrument” that can replace expensive and time consuming listening tests for instance during development of various audio processing or reproduction systems or methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and corresponding system for predicting the perceived spatial quality of sound processing and reproducing equipment. According to the invention a device to be tested, a so-called device under test (DUT), is subjected to one or more test signals and the response of the device under test is provided to one or more means for deriving metrics, i.e. a higher-level representation of the raw data obtained from the device under test. The derived one or more metrics is/are provided to suitable predictor means that “translates” the objective measure provided by the one or more metrics to a predicted perceived spatial quality. To this end said predictor means is calibrated using listening tests carried out on real listeners. By means of the invention there is thus provided an “instrument” that can replace expensive and time consuming listening tests for instance during development of various audio processing or reproduction systems or methods.

Abstract: The invention relates to simulation of sound fields in enclosures, for instance for application in listening tests, where test subjects assess the sound quality or other sound perception characteristics of the sound field. According to a specific embodiment, the system comprises a binaural synthesis portion which synthesises sound for instance from a sound-reproduction equipment based on measured impulse responses of an actual room stored in a data base (31) and a binaural recording portion comprising a data base 32 for storing binaural recordings of other sound signals made in the room. Data from these databases are mixed (41) and reproduced by means of a headphone (39) provided with a head tracker (42) for tracking the movements of the listener's head. The invention furthermore comprises the use of cross-fading functions (36, 37) to enable the dynamic listening conditions, where the movements of the listener's head are taken into account during the simulation process.

Abstract: The invention relates to the automatic generation of playlists based on a collection of digital recordings and a desire to listen to a particular artist or genre, or to re-create the mood generated by a particular recording. The procedure comprises automatic analysis of the musical content expressed as combinations of spectral content and rhythm, classification into genres and establishing an internal database using the musical content as classifiers for retrieval. Furthermore a particular recording not yet forming part of the collection of recordings may be subjected to the same kind of analysis based on the same criteria and be used as the expression of a request for replay of other music from the collection of recordings without conscious or verbalised input.

Abstract: For determining a subjective property such as loudness of a binaural sound signal left and right sound pressures in the left and right ears of a human being, resulting from the binaural sound signal, are determined. The left and right ear and right sound pressures are frequency analyzed to obtain left and right frequency spectra. In each frequency band, the diotic (common) sound pressure in the left and right ears is determined, which would result from a plane wave frontal incidence on the human being, and that would produce the same perceived loudness as the frequency bandwidth limited left and right sound pressures. In each frequency band the inverse frontal headrelated transfer functions are used to determine the free-field sound pressure that would produce the same perceived loudness as the diotic sound pressure. The loudness is determined as the loudness of the totality of frequency bandwidth limited free field sound pressures, preferably using the international standard ISO 532.