Abstract: An audio system is described that includes one or more speaker arrays that emit sound corresponding to one or more pieces of sound program content into associated zones within a listening area. Using parameters of the audio system (e.g., locations of the speaker arrays and the audio sources), the zones, the users, the pieces of sound program content, and the listening area, one or more beam pattern attributes may be generated. The beam pattern attributes define a set of beams that are used to generate audio beams for channels of sound program content to be played in each zone. The beam pattern attributes may be updated as changes are detected within the listening environment. By adapting to these changing conditions, the audio system is capable of reproducing sound that accurately represents each piece of sound program content in various zones.

Abstract: An audio encoding device and an audio decoding device are described herein. The audio encoding device may examine a set of audio channels/channel groups representing a piece of sound program content and produce a set of ducking values to associate with one of the channels/channel groups. During playback of the piece of sound program content, the ducking values may be applied to all other channels/channel groups. Application of these ducking values may cause (1) the reduction in dynamic range of ducked channels/channel groups and/or (2) movement of channels/channel groups in the sound field. This ducking may improve intelligibility of audio in the non-ducked channel/channel group. For instance, a narration channel/channel group may be more clearly heard by listeners through the use of selective ducking of other channels/channel groups during playback.

Abstract: An audio system is described that includes one or more speaker arrays that emit sound corresponding to one or more pieces of sound program content into associated zones within a listening area. Using parameters of the audio system (e.g., locations of the speaker arrays and the audio sources), the zones, the users, the pieces of sound program content, and the listening area, one or more beam pattern attributes may be generated. The beam pattern attributes define a set of beams that are used to generate audio beams for channels of sound program content to be played in each zone. The beam pattern attributes may be updated as changes are detected within the listening environment. By adapting to these changing conditions, the audio system is capable of reproducing sound that accurately represents each piece of sound program content in various zones.

Abstract: An audio system is described that includes one or more speaker arrays that emit sound corresponding to one or more pieces of sound program content into associated zones within a listening area. Using parameters of the audio system (e.g., locations of the speaker arrays and the audio sources), the zones, the users, the pieces of sound program content, and the listening area, one or more beam pattern attributes may be generated. The beam pattern attributes define a set of beams that are used to generate audio beams for channels of sound program content to be played in each zone. The beam pattern attributes may be updated as changes are detected within the listening environment. By adapting to these changing conditions, the audio system is capable of reproducing sound that accurately represents each piece of sound program content in various zones.

Abstract: A directivity adjustment device that includes a test sound signal generator, a surface detector, and a content processor is described. The test sound signal generator generates test sound signals to scan a listening area (e.g., a room) in a nodding and rotating fashion. The test sounds are emitted by one or more loudspeaker arrays and are sensed by a microphone as they permeate throughout the listening area. The sensed sound is analyzed by the surface detector, to identify reflected sounds in relation to direct sound. Based on the amplitude variance between the peaks that represent the direct and reflected sounds reaching a predefined threshold, an adjusted directivity ratio for the content processor is selected or calculated, which results in a reduction of the level of reflected sounds and corresponding comb filtering effects. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An audio system is described that receives a piece of sound program content for playback from a content distribution system. The piece of sound program content may include a multi-channel dialog signal and a combined multi-channel music and effects signal. The audio system may determine a first set of directivity patterns for the multi-channel dialog signal and a second set of directivity patterns for the combined multi-channel music and effects signal. The first set of directivity patterns associated with channels of the dialog signal may have higher directivity indexes than the second set of directivity patterns associated with corresponding channels of the music and effects signal. By associating dialog components with a higher directivity than music and effects components, the system increases the intelligibility of dialog for a piece of sound program content while allowing music and effects to retain conventional directivity having a typical ratio of direct-to-reverberant sound energy.

Abstract: An audio encoding device and an audio decoding device are described herein. The audio encoding device may examine a set of audio channels/channel groups representing a piece of sound program content and produce a set of ducking values to associate with one of the channels/channel groups. During playback of the piece of sound program content, the ducking values may be applied to all other channels/channel groups. Application of these ducking values may cause (1) the reduction in dynamic range of ducked channels/channel groups and/or (2) movement of channels/channel groups in the sound field. This ducking may improve intelligibility of audio in the non-ducked channel/channel group. For instance, a narration channel/channel group may be more clearly heard by listeners through the use of selective ducking of other channels/channel groups during playback.

Abstract: An audio encoding device and an audio decoding device are described herein. The audio encoding device may examine a set of audio channels/channel groups representing a piece of sound program content and produce a set of ducking values to associate with one of the channels/channel groups. During playback of the piece of sound program content, the ducking values may be applied to all other channels/channel groups. Application of these ducking values may cause (1) the reduction in dynamic range of ducked channels/channel groups and/or (2) movement of channels/channel groups in the sound field. This ducking may improve intelligibility of audio in the non-ducked channel/channel group. For instance, a narration channel/channel group may be more clearly heard by listeners through the use of selective ducking of other channels/channel groups during playback.

Abstract: A directivity adjustment device that includes a test sound signal generator, a surface detector, and a content processor is described. The test sound signal generator generates test sound signals to scan a listening area (e.g., a room) in a nodding and rotating fashion. The test sounds are emitted by one or more loudspeaker arrays and are sensed by a microphone as they permeate throughout the listening area. The sensed sound is analyzed by the surface detector, to identify reflected sounds in relation to direct sound. Based on the amplitude variance between the peaks that represent the direct and reflected sounds reaching a predefined threshold, an adjusted directivity ratio for the content processor is selected or calculated, which results in a reduction of the level of reflected sounds and corresponding comb filtering effects. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A home audio system that includes an audio receiver and one or more loudspeaker arrays is described. The audio receiver measures the acoustic properties of the room in which the loudspeaker arrays reside and the audio characteristics of the sound program content to be played through the loudspeaker arrays. Based on these measurements, the audio receiver assigns a directivity ratio and potentially various beam patterns to one or more segments of the sound program content. The assigned directivity ratio is used by the receiver to play the segment of the sound program content through the loudspeaker arrays. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An audio system that maintains an identical or similar direct-to-reverberant ratio for sound produced from a first speaker array and sound produced by a second speaker array at the location of a listener is described. The audio system may determine characteristics of the first and second speaker arrays, including the distance between the first speaker array and the listener and the second speaker array and the listener. Based on these characteristics, beam patterns are selected for one or more of the speaker arrays such that sound produced by each of the speaker arrays maintains a preferred direct-to-reverberant ratio at the location of the listener.

Abstract: An audio encoding device and an audio decoding device are described herein. The audio encoding device may examine a set of audio channels/channel groups representing a piece of sound program content and produce a set of ducking values to associate with one of the channels/channel groups. During playback of the piece of sound program content, the ducking values may be applied to all other channels/channel groups. Application of these ducking values may cause (1) the reduction in dynamic range of ducked channels/channel groups and/or (2) movement of channels/channel groups in the sound field. This ducking may improve intelligibility of audio in the non-ducked channel/channel group. For instance, a narration channel/channel group may be more clearly heard by listeners through the use of selective ducking of other channels/channel groups during playback.

Abstract: An audio system is described that includes one or more speaker arrays that emit sound corresponding to one or more pieces of sound program content into associated zones within a listening area. Using parameters of the audio system (e.g., locations of the speaker arrays and the audio sources), the zones, the users, the pieces of sound program content, and the listening area, one or more beam pattern attributes may be generated. The beam pattern attributes define a set of beams that are used to generate audio beams for channels of sound program content to be played in each zone. The beam pattern attributes may be updated as changes are detected within the listening environment. By adapting to these changing conditions, the audio system is capable of reproducing sound that accurately represents each piece of sound program content in various zones.

Abstract: An audio receiver that receives left, right, and center audio channels for a piece of sound program content is described. A content processor in the audio receiver generates separate audio signals corresponding to each channel for driving corresponding transducers in left and right loudspeaker arrays. The content processor generates (1) first center audio signals for driving transducers in the left array to generate a first center pattern, (2) second center audio signals for driving transducers in the right array to generate a second center pattern, (3) left audio signals for driving transducers in the left array to generate a left pattern, and (4) right audio signals for driving transducers in the right array to generate a right pattern. The first and second center patterns collectively represent the center channel while the left and right patterns respectively represent the left and right channels.

Abstract: An audio encoding device and an audio decoding device are described herein. The audio encoding device may examine a set of audio channels/channel groups representing a piece of sound program content and produce a set of ducking values to associate with one of the channels/channel groups. During playback of the piece of sound program content, the ducking values may be applied to all other channels/channel groups. Application of these ducking values may cause (1) the reduction in dynamic range of ducked channels/channel groups and/or (2) movement of channels/channel groups in the sound field. This ducking may improve intelligibility of audio in the non-ducked channel/channel group. For instance, a narration channel/channel group may be more clearly heard by listeners through the use of selective ducking of other channels/channel groups during playback.

Abstract: A system and method is described for playing back content that includes a video stream and a final audio mix representing sounds for the video stream. An interface receives the video stream and the final audio mix. The final audio mix includes a dialogue stem and a music and effects stem that together represent an entirety of sounds for the video stream. A video/picture monitor plays-back the video stream. A first stem processing unit processes the dialogue stem. A second stem processing unit processes the music and effects stem and attenuates the music and effects stem. A summing unit combines the unmodified dialogue stem and the attenuated music and effects stem into a combined music, effects, and dialogue signal. One or more loudspeakers plays-back the combined music, effects, and dialogue signal simultaneously with the video stream. The combined music, effects, and dialogue signal provides improved intelligibility of the dialogue stem.

Abstract: An audio system is described that receives a piece of sound program content for playback from a content distribution system. The piece of sound program content may include a multi-channel dialogue signal and a combined multi-channel music and effects signal. The audio system may determine a first set of directivity patterns for the multi-channel dialogue signal and a second set of directivity patterns for the combined multi-channel music and effects signal. The first set of directivity patterns associated with channels of the dialogue signal may have higher directivity indexes than the second set of directivity patterns associated with corresponding channels of the music and effects signal. By associating dialogue components with a higher directivity than music and effects components, the system increases the intelligibility of dialogue for a piece of sound program content while allowing music and effects to retain conventional directivity having a typical ratio of direct-to-reverberant sound energy.

Abstract: An audio distribution system is described that includes an audio mixing device and one or more audio playback devices. The audio mixing device may generate final audio mixes for distribution to one or more of the audio playback devices. The final audio mixes may be associated with a video stream (e.g., a movie or television show video stream). The final audio mixes may be composed of separate music and effects and dialogue stems. In some instances, the music and effects and dialogue stems may be separately controlled during playback by the audio playback devices to improve intelligibility of the dialogue stem to users. This separate control may include the adjustment of level or the application of dynamic range compression (DRC) to a combined music and effects stem independent of adjustment of a dialogue stem.

Abstract: A home audio system that includes an audio receiver and one or more loudspeaker arrays is described. The audio receiver measures the acoustic properties of the room in which the loudspeaker arrays reside and the audio characteristics of the sound program content to be played through the loudspeaker arrays. Based on these measurements, the audio receiver assigns a directivity ratio and potentially various beam patterns to one or more segments of the sound program content. The assigned directivity ratio is used by the receiver to play the segment of the sound program content through the loudspeaker arrays. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An audio encoding device and an audio decoding device are described herein. The audio encoding device may examine a set of audio channels/channel groups representing a piece of sound program content and produce a set of ducking values to associate with one of the channels/channel groups. During playback of the piece of sound program content, the ducking values may be applied to all other channels/channel groups. Application of these ducking values may cause (1) the reduction in dynamic range of ducked channels/channel groups and/or (2) movement of channels/channel groups in the sound field. This ducking may improve intelligibility of audio in the non-ducked channel/channel group. For instance, a narration channel/channel group may be more clearly heard by listeners through the use of selective ducking of other channels/channel groups during playback.