Dolby Labs Patents Granted

Patents granted to Dolby Labs by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11632527
    Abstract: A projection display system comprises a light source configured to emit a light in response to a content data; an optical modulator configured to modulate the light; and a controller configured to adjust a light level of the projection display system based on the content data and a metadata relating to a future frame, thereby to reduce a perceptibility of a visual artifact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin J. Richards, Barret Lippey, Juan P. Pertierra, Dzhakhangir V. Khaydarov, Duane Scott Dewald, Nathan Shawn Wainwright, Darren Hennigan, John David Jackson
  • Patent number: 11632318
    Abstract: Some implementations involve analyzing audio packets received during a time interval that corresponds with a conversation analysis segment to determine network jitter dynamics data and conversational interactivity data. The network jitter dynamics data may provide an indication of jitter in a network that relays the audio data packets. The conversational interactivity data may provide an indication of interactivity between participants of a conversation represented by the audio data. A jitter buffer size may be controlled according to the network jitter dynamics data and the conversational interactivity data. The time interval may include a plurality of talkspurts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Kai Li, Xuejing Sun, Gary Spittle
  • Patent number: 11626123
    Abstract: A method for decoding an encoded audio bitstream is disclosed. The method includes receiving the encoded audio bitstream and decoding the audio data to generate a decoded lowband audio signal. The method further includes extracting high frequency reconstruction metadata and filtering the decoded lowband audio signal with an analysis filterbank to generate a filtered lowband audio signal. The method also includes extracting a flag indicating whether either spectral translation or harmonic transposition is to be performed on the audio data and regenerating a highband portion of the audio signal using the filtered lowband audio signal and the high frequency reconstruction metadata in accordance with the flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Patent number: 11626119
    Abstract: The present document relates to a method of layered encoding of a compressed sound representation of a sound or sound field. The compressed sound representation comprises a basic compressed sound representation comprising a plurality of components, basic side information for decoding the basic compressed sound representation to a basic reconstructed sound representation of the sound or sound field, and enhancement side information including parameters for improving the basic reconstructed sound representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Sven Kordon, Alexander Krueger
  • Patent number: 11626121
    Abstract: A method for decoding an encoded audio bitstream is disclosed. The method includes receiving the encoded audio bitstream and decoding the audio data to generate a decoded lowband audio signal. The method further includes extracting high frequency reconstruction metadata and filtering the decoded lowband audio signal with an analysis filterbank to generate a filtered lowband audio signal. The method also includes extracting a flag indicating whether either spectral translation or harmonic transposition is to be performed on the audio data and regenerating a highband portion of the audio signal using the filtered lowband audio signal and the high frequency reconstruction metadata in accordance with the flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Kristofer Kjoerling, Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Patent number: 11626120
    Abstract: A method for decoding an encoded audio bitstream is disclosed. The method includes receiving the encoded audio bitstream and decoding the audio data to generate a decoded lowband audio signal. The method further includes extracting high frequency reconstruction metadata and filtering the decoded lowband audio signal with an analysis filterbank to generate a filtered lowband audio signal. The method also includes extracting a flag indicating whether either spectral translation or harmonic transposition is to be performed on the audio data and regenerating a highband portion of the audio signal using the filtered lowband audio signal and the high frequency reconstruction metadata in accordance with the flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Kristofer Kjoerling, Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Patent number: 11621011
    Abstract: Described herein is a method of decoding an audio or speech signal, the method including the steps of: (a) receiving, by a decoder, a coded bitstream including the audio or speech signal and conditioning information; (b) providing, by a bitstream decoder, decoded conditioning information in a format associated with a first bitrate; (c) converting, by a converter, the decoded conditioning information from the format associated with the first bitrate to a format associated with a second bitrate; and (d) providing, by a generative neural network, a reconstruction of the audio or speech signal according to a probabilistic model conditioned by the conditioning information in the format associated with the second bitrate. Described are further an apparatus for decoding an audio or speech signal, a respective encoder, a system of the encoder and the apparatus for decoding an audio or speech signal as well as a respective computer program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Janusz Klejsa, Per Hedelin
  • Patent number: 11622130
    Abstract: Sampled data is packaged in checkerboard format for encoding and decoding. The sampled data may be quincunx sampled multi-image video data (e.g., 3D video or a multi-program stream), and the data may also be divided into sub-images of each image which are then multiplexed, or interleaved, in frames of a video stream to be encoded and then decoded using a standardized video encoder. A system for viewing may utilize a standard video decoder and a formatting device that de-interleaves the decoded sub-images of each frame reformats the images for a display device. A 3D video may be encoded using a most advantageous interleaving format such that a preferred quality and compression ratio is reached. In one embodiment, the invention includes a display device that accepts data in multiple formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Alexandros Tourapis, Walter J. Husak, Peshala V. Pahalawatta, Athanasios Leontaris
  • Patent number: 11621009
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an audio encoding and decoding (codec) system for voice encoding/decoding using a spectral shaper model. In an embodiment, a method of audio signal decoding comprises: receiving a bit stream associated with an audio signal, the bit stream including encoded transform coefficients, spectral envelope data and one or more parameters of a spectral shaper model, the spectral shaper model indicative of a fundamental frequency of a multi-sinusoidal signal model, where the fundamental frequency corresponds to a time domain delay; decoding the encoded transform coefficients; adjusting the decoded transform coefficients using the spectral envelope data and the spectral shaper model; reconstructing transform coefficients of the audio signal using the adjusted, decoded transform coefficients; and transforming the reconstructed transform coefficients into a time domain audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Lars Villemoes, Janusz Klejsa, Per Hedelin
  • Patent number: 11619873
    Abstract: A novel projection system includes a base signal source, a highlight signal source, a base/highlight destination, and a shared optical element. A base signal provided by the base source and a highlight signal provided by the highlight source are combined by the shared optical element. In a particular embodiment, the base signal source and the highlight signal source each include a light source, a spatial light modulator, and optics, and the base/highlight destination includes optics and a spatial light modulator. In a more particular embodiment, the base signal source and the highlight source provide spatially modulated lightfields to the shared optical element. In another particular embodiment, the base signal and the highlight signal are modulated by the spatial light modulator of the base/highlight destination after being combined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Juan P. Pertierra, Martin J. Richards, Barret Lippey, Nathan Shawn Wainwright, John David Jackson
  • Patent number: 11621013
    Abstract: A method for decoding an encoded audio bitstream is disclosed. The method includes receiving the encoded audio bitstream and decoding the audio data to generate a decoded lowband audio signal. The method further includes extracting high frequency reconstruction metadata and filtering the decoded lowband audio signal with an analysis filterbank to generate a filtered lowband audio signal. The method also includes extracting a flag indicating whether either spectral translation or harmonic transposition is to be performed on the audio data and regenerating a highband portion of the audio signal using the filtered lowband audio signal and the high frequency reconstruction metadata in accordance with the flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Patent number: 11612813
    Abstract: A system is configured to receive player multimedia having live coverage of physical expressions or actions of a player in an online activity and activity multimedia of live participation in the online activity associated with one or more play accounts. In a near continuous fashion, the system is configured to select in real time, for each time point, one or more player items being portions of the player multimedia or one or more activity items being portions of the activity multimedia corresponding to the time point to form a composite item. The system is configured to further transmit in real time the composite item to one or more viewer accounts. The system is configured to then receive viewer data in response and produce future composite items based on the viewer data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen Spencer Hooks, Aaron Joseph Krasnov, Eric Whelan Yeargan, Stewart Murrie
  • Patent number: 11616482
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for performing at least one of enhancement, decoding, or rendering of a multichannel audio signal in response to compression feedback or feedback from a smart amplifier. For example, the compression feedback may be indicative of amount of compression applied to each of multiple frequency bands, of the audio signal or an enhanced audio signal generated in response thereto. The enhancement (e.g., bass enhancement) may include dynamic routing of audio content of the input audio signal between channels of an enhanced audio signal generated in response thereto. The enhancement and compression may be performed on a per speaker class basis. Other aspects are systems (e.g., programmed processors) and devices (e.g., devices having physically-limited bass reproduction capabilities, such as, for example, a notebook or laptop computer, tablet, soundbar, mobile phone, or other device with small speakers) configured to perform any embodiment of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy Alan Port, Sean Alexander Brady
  • Patent number: 11616987
    Abstract: Disclosed is an encoding/decoding method and apparatus related to adaptive deblocking filtering. There is provided an image decoding method performing adaptive filtering in inter-prediction, the method including: reconstructing, from a bitstream, an image signal including a reference block on which block matching is performed in inter-prediction of a current block to be encoded; obtaining, from the bitstream, a flag indicating whether the reference block exists within a current picture where the current block is positioned; reconstructing the current block by using the reference block; adaptively applying an in-loop filter for the reconstructed current block based on the obtained flag; and storing the current block to which the in-loop filter is or is not applied in a decoded picture buffer (DPB).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Je Chang Jeong, Ki Baek Kim
  • Patent number: 11614682
    Abstract: Projection systems and/or methods for efficient use of light by recycling a portion of the light energy for future use are disclosed. In one embodiment, a projection display system is disclosed comprising a light source; an integrating rod that receives light from said light source at a proximal end that comprise a reflective surface which may reflecting/recycle light down said integrating rod; of reflecting light down said integrating rod; a relay optical system, said relay optical system further comprising optical elements that are capable of moving the focal plane of the projector display system; and a modulator comprising at least one moveable mirror that reflects light received from the integrating rod in either a projection direction or a light recycling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Martin J. Richards, Nathan Wainwright, Douglas J. Gorny, Duane Scott Dewald
  • Patent number: 11610569
    Abstract: This disclosure falls into the field of adapting external content to a video stream, and more specifically it is related to analyzing the video stream to define a suitable narrative model, and adapting the external content based on this narrative model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventor: 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
  • Patent number: 11611727
    Abstract: A novel high efficiency image projection system includes a beam-steering modulator, an amplitude modulator, and a controller. In a particular embodiment the controller generates beam-steering drive values from image data and uses the beam-steering drive values to drive the beam-steering modulator. Additionally, the controller utilizes the beam-steering drive values to generate a lightfield simulation of a lightfield projected onto the amplitude modulator by the beam-steering modulator. The controller utilizes the lightfield simulation to generate amplitude drive values for driving the amplitude modulator in order to project a high quality version of the image described by the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Juan P. Pertierra, Martin J. Richards, Christopher John Orlick, Clement Le Barbenchon, Angelo M. Pires Arrifano
  • Patent number: 11610595
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a pitch filter for filtering a preliminary audio signal generated from an audio bitstream is disclosed. The pitch filter has an operating mode selected from one of either: (i) an active mode where the preliminary audio signal is filtered using filtering information to obtain a filtered audio signal, and (ii) an inactive mode where the pitch filter is disabled. The preliminary audio signal is generated in an audio encoder or audio decoder having a coding mode selected from at least two distinct coding modes, and the pitch filter is capable of being selectively operated in either the active mode or the inactive mode while operating in the coding mode based on control information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Barbara Resch, Kristofer Kjörling, Lars Villemoes
  • Patent number: 11606545
    Abstract: A system and method for displaying image data comprise receiving 2D video data, generating, from the video data, a first plurality of intensity values of virtual primaries of a first virtual color gamut and a second plurality intensity values of a second virtual color gamut, the first plurality of intensity values being below a luminance threshold and approximating a predefined color gamut and the second plurality of intensity values being above the luminance threshold, converting the first plurality of intensity values into a third plurality of intensity values of predefined primaries of a first projection head of a display system and the second plurality of intensity values into a fourth plurality of intensity values of predefined primaries of a second projection head of the display system, and dynamically adjusting pixel levels of spatial modulators of the display system based on the third plurality and the fourth plurality of intensity values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Ashley Nicole Penna, Trevor Davies, Martin J. Richards
  • Patent number: 11605391
    Abstract: A method for decoding an encoded audio bitstream is disclosed. The method includes receiving the encoded audio bitstream and decoding the audio data to generate a decoded lowband audio signal. The method further includes extracting high frequency reconstruction metadata and filtering the decoded lowband audio signal with an analysis filterbank to generate a filtered lowband audio signal. The method also includes extracting a flag indicating whether either spectral translation or harmonic transposition is to be performed on the audio data and regenerating a highband portion of the audio signal using the filtered lowband audio signal and the high frequency reconstruction metadata in accordance with the flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Patent number: 11601759
    Abstract: An integrated cinema amplifier comprises a power supply stage that distributes power over a plurality of channels for rendering immersive audio content in a surround sound listening environment. The amplifier automatically detects maximum and net power availability and requirements based on audio content by decoding audio metadata and dynamically adjusts gains to each channel or sets of channels based on content and operational/environmental conditions. A power supply stage provides power to drive a plurality of channels corresponding to speaker feeds to a plurality of speakers. The amplifier has a front panel having an LED array with each LED associated with a respective channel or group of channels of the multi-channel amplifier, and a control unit configured to light the LEDs according to display patterns based on operating status or error conditions of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Healy, Edward John Neary, Erich Hubert Vogel, Andrew Michael Poulain, Gregory J. Long, Joel A. Butler, Angela Williams, Luca Revelli, Dossym Nurmukhanov, Tanner James Cook, Marcelo Traverso M., Kenneth Schindler
  • Patent number: 11600289
    Abstract: The present document discloses a method for fading discontinued audio feeds for replay by a speaker. In particular, the method may first comprise receiving an input audio feed comprising a plurality of samples. The method may further comprise determining whether the input audio feed is discontinued. And, when discontinuity of the input audio feed is detected, the method may comprise generating an intermediate audio signal comprising a plurality of samples based on the discontinued input audio feed. In particular, the intermediate audio signal may be generated based on a last portion of the discontinued input audio feed that has been output for replay. In addition, the method may further comprise applying a fadeout function to the intermediate audio signal to generate a fadeout audio signal. Finally, the method may comprise outputting the fadeout audio signal for replay by the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Gael Lassure, Alexander Stahlmann
  • Patent number: 11601773
    Abstract: A multi-channel decoder for generating a binaural signal from a downmix signal using upmix rule information on an energy-error introducing upmix rule for calculating a gain factor based on the upmix rule information and characteristics of head related transfer function based filters corresponding to upmix channels. The one or more gain factors are used by a filter processor for filtering the downmix signal so that an energy corrected binaural signal having a left binaural channel and a right binaural channel is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventor: Lars Villemoes
  • Patent number: 11600244
    Abstract: A handheld imaging device has a data receiver that is configured to receive reference encoded image data. The data includes reference code values, which are encoded by an external coding system. The reference code values represent reference gray levels, which are being selected using a reference grayscale display function that is based on perceptual non-linearity of human vision adapted at different light levels to spatial frequencies. The imaging device also has a data converter that is configured to access a code mapping between the reference code values and device-specific code values of the imaging device. The device-specific code values are configured to produce gray levels that are specific to the imaging device. Based on the code mapping, the data converter is configured to transcode the reference encoded image data into device-specific image data, which is encoded with the device-specific code values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jon Scott Miller, Scott Daly, Mahdi Nezamabadi, Robin Atkins
  • Patent number: 11591657
    Abstract: The present invention relates to coding of audio signals, and in particular to high frequency reconstruction methods including a frequency domain harmonic transposer. A system and method for generating a high frequency component of a signal from a low frequency component of the signal is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Lars Villemoes, Per Ekstrand
  • Patent number: 11594234
    Abstract: The present invention relates to transposing signals in time and/or frequency and in particular to coding of audio signals. More particular, the present invention relates to high frequency reconstruction (HFR) methods including a frequency domain harmonic transposer. A method and system for generating a transposed output signal from an input signal using a transposition factor T is described. The system comprises an analysis window of length La, extracting a frame of the input signal, and an analysis transformation unit of order M transforming the samples into M complex coefficients. M is a function of the transposition factor T. The system further comprises a nonlinear processing unit altering the phase of the complex coefficients by using the transposition factor T, a synthesis transformation unit of order M transforming the altered coefficients into M altered samples, and a synthesis window of length Ls, generating a frame of the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Per Ekstrand, Lars Villemoes
  • Patent number: 11594159
    Abstract: A display apparatus, a display management module and a method for ambient light compensation are described. The display management module is configured to receive an input video signal comprising a sequence of video frames and to determine whether a current video frame of the sequence of video frames immediately follows a scene change. The display management module is further configured to adjust ambient light compensation applied to the input signal in dependence on the signal indicative of intensity of ambient light only in response to determining that the current video frame of the sequence of video frames immediately follows a scene change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Robin Atkins, Craig Todd, Jaclyn Anne Pytlarz, Timo Kunkel
  • Patent number: 11594232
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products of audio processing based on Adaptive Intermediate Spatial Format (AISF) are described. The AISF is an extension to ISF that allows spatial resolution around an ISF ring to be adjusted dynamically with respect to content of incoming audio objects. An AISF encoder device adaptively warps each ISF ring during ISF encoding to adjust angular distance between objects, resulting in increase in uniformity of energy distribution around the ISF ring. At an AISF decoder device, matrices that decode sound positions to the output speaker take into account the warping that was performed at the AISF encoder device to reproduce the true positions of sound sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Juan Felix Torres, David S. McGrath, Michael William Mason
  • Patent number: 11595693
    Abstract: Methods are described to communicate source color volume information in a coded bitstream using SEI messaging. Such data include at least the minimum, maximum, and average luminance values in the source data plus optional data that may include the color volume x and y chromaticity coordinates for the input color primaries (e.g., red, green, and blue) of the source data, and the color x and y chromaticity coordinates for the color primaries corresponding to the minimum, average, and maximum luminance values in the source data. Messaging data signaling an active region in each picture may also be included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Tao Chen, Peng Yin, Taoran Lu, Walter J. Husak
  • Patent number: 11594233
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, devices and computer program products for encoding and decoding of a vector of parameters in an audio coding system. The disclosure further relates to a method and apparatus for reconstructing an audio object in an audio decoding system. According to the disclosure, a modulo differential approach for coding and encoding a vector of a non-periodic quantity may improve the coding efficiency and provide encoders and decoders with less memory requirements. Moreover, an efficient method for encoding and decoding a sparse matrix is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Leif Jonas Samuelsson, Heiko Purnhagen
  • Patent number: 11592783
    Abstract: Dual or multi-modulation display system are disclosed that comprise projector systems with at least one modulator that may employ non-mechanical beam steering modulation. Many embodiments disclosed herein employ a non-mechanical beam steering and/or polarizer to provide for a highlights modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas J. Gorny, Martin J. Richards
  • Patent number: 11587529
    Abstract: A handheld imaging device has a data receiver that is configured to receive reference encoded image data. The data includes reference code values, which are encoded by an external coding system. The reference code values represent reference gray levels, which are being selected using a reference grayscale display function that is based on perceptual non-linearity of human vision adapted at different light levels to spatial frequencies. The imaging device also has a data converter that is configured to access a code mapping between the reference code values and device-specific code values of the imaging device. The device-specific code values are configured to produce gray levels that are specific to the imaging device. Based on the code mapping, the data converter is configured to transcode the reference encoded image data into device-specific image data, which is encoded with the device-specific code values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Jon Scott Miller, Scott Daly, Mahdi Nezamabadi, Robin Atkins
  • Patent number: 11585971
    Abstract: Shaped glasses have curved surface lenses with spectrally complementary filters disposed thereon. The filters curved surface lenses are configured to compensate for wavelength shifts occurring due to viewing angles and other sources. Complementary images are projected for viewing through projection filters having passbands that pre-shift to compensate for subsequent wavelength shifts. At least one filter may have more than 3 primary passbands. For example, two filters include a first filter having passbands of low blue, high blue, low green, high green, and red, and a second filter having passbands of blue, green, and red. The additional passbands may be utilized to more closely match a color space and white point of a projector in which the filters are used. The shaped glasses and projection filters together may be utilized as a system for projecting and viewing 3D images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Martin J. Richards, Wilson Allen, Gary D. Gomes
  • Patent number: 11587526
    Abstract: One or more media contents are received. A viewer's light adaptive states are predicted as a function of time as if the viewer is watching display mapped images derived from the one or more media contents. The viewer's light adaptive states are used to detect an excessive change in luminance in a specific media content portion of the one or more media contents. The excessive change in luminance in the specific media content portion of the one or more media contents is caused to be reduced while the viewer is watching one or more corresponding display mapped images derived from the specific media content portion of the one or more media contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Alexandre Chapiro, Robin Atkins, Scott Daly
  • Patent number: 11587576
    Abstract: A noise estimation method including steps of generating gap confidence values in response to microphone output and playback signals, and using the gap confidence values to generate an estimate of background noise in a playback environment. Each gap confidence value is indicative of confidence of presence of a gap at a corresponding time in the playback signal, and may be a combination of candidate noise estimates weighted by the gap confidence values. Generation of the candidate noise estimates may but need not include performance of echo cancellation. Optionally, noise compensation is performed on an audio input signal using the generated background noise estimate. Other aspects are systems configured to perform any embodiment of the noise estimation method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Graham Hines, Glenn N. Dickins, Adam J. Mills
  • Patent number: 11582432
    Abstract: Dual and multi-modulator projector display systems and techniques are disclosed. In one embodiment, a projector display system comprises a light source; a controller, a first modulator, receiving light from the light source and rendering a halftone image of said the input image; a blurring optical system that blurs said halftone image with a Point Spread Function (PSF); and a second modulator receiving the blurred halftone image and rendering a pulse width modulated image which may be projected to form the desired screen image. Systems and techniques for forming a binary halftone image from input image, correcting for misalignment between the first and second modulators and calibrating the projector system—e.g. over time—for continuous image improvement are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Jerome Shields, Martin J. Richards, Juan P. Pertierra
  • Patent number: 11582472
    Abstract: Methods and systems for frame rate scalability are described. Support is provided for input and output video sequences with variable frame rate and variable shutter angle across scenes, or for input video sequences with fixed input frame rate and input shutter angle, but allowing a decoder to generate a video output at a different output frame rate and shutter angle than the corresponding input values. Techniques allowing a decoder to decode more computationally-efficiently a specific backward compatible target frame rate and shutter angle among those allowed are also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robin Atkins, Peng Yin, Taoran Lu, Fangjun Pu, Sean Thomas McCarthy, Walter J. Husak, Tao Chen, Guan-Ming Su
  • Patent number: 11580995
    Abstract: Audio objects are associated with positional metadata. A received downmix signal comprises downmix channels that are linear combinations of one or more audio objects and are associated with respective positional locators. In a first aspect, the downmix signal, the positional metadata and frequency-dependent object gains are received. An audio object is reconstructed by applying the object gain to an upmix of the downmix signal in accordance with coefficients based on the positional metadata and the positional locators. In a second aspect, audio objects have been encoded together with at least one bed channel positioned at a positional locator of a corresponding downmix channel. The decoding system receives the downmix signal and the positional metadata of the audio objects. A bed channel is reconstructed by suppressing the content representing audio objects from the corresponding downmix channel on the basis of the positional locator of the corresponding downmix channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Toni Hirvonen, Heiko Purnhagen, Leif Jonas Samuelsson, Lars Villemoes
  • Patent number: 11582459
    Abstract: Described is picture segmentation through columns and slices in video encoding and decoding. A video picture is divided into a plurality of columns, each column covering only a part of the video picture in a horizontal dimension. All coded tree blocks (“CTBs”) belonging to a slice may belong to one or more columns. The columns may be used to break the same or different prediction or in-loop filtering mechanisms of the video coding, and the CTB scan order used for encoding and/or decoding may be local to a column. Column widths may be indicated in a parameter set and/or may be adjusted at the slice level. At the decoder, column width may be parsed from the bitstream, and slice decoding may occur in one or more columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Horowitz
  • Patent number: 11582574
    Abstract: In some embodiments, virtualization methods for generating a binaural signal in response to channels of a multi-channel audio signal, which apply a binaural room impulse response (BRIR) to each channel including by using at least one feedback delay network (FDN) to apply a common late reverberation to a downmix of the channels. In some embodiments, input signal channels are processed in a first processing path to apply to each channel a direct response and early reflection portion of a single-channel BRIR for the channel, and the downmix of the channels is processed in a second processing path including at least one FDN which applies the common late reverberation. Typically, the common late reverberation emulates collective macro attributes of late reverberation portions of at least some of the single-channel BRIRs. Other aspects are headphone virtualizers configured to perform any embodiment of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kuan-Chieh Yen, Dirk Jeroen Breebaart, Grant A. Davidson, Rhonda Wilson, David M. Cooper, Zhiwei Shuang
  • Patent number: 11582490
    Abstract: In a method to improve backwards compatibility when decoding high-dynamic range images coded in a wide color gamut (WCG) space which may not be compatible with legacy color spaces, hue and/or saturation values of images in an image database are computed for both a legacy color space (say, YCbCr-gamma) and a preferred WCG color space (say, IPT-PQ). Based on a cost function, a reshaped color space is computed so that the distance between the hue values in the legacy color space and rotated hue values in the preferred color space is minimized HDR images are coded in the reshaped color space. Legacy devices can still decode standard dynamic range images assuming they are coded in the legacy color space, while updated devices can use color reshaping information to decode HDR images in the preferred color space at full dynamic range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Robin Atkins, Peng Yin, Taoran Lu, Jaclyn Anne Pytlarz
  • Patent number: 11576004
    Abstract: Methods and systems for designing binaural room impulse responses (BRIRs) for use in headphone virtualizers, and methods and systems for generating a binaural signal in response to a set of channels of a multi-channel audio signal, including by applying a BRIR to each channel of the set, thereby generating filtered signals, and combining the filtered signals to generate the binaural signal, where each BRIR has been designed in accordance with an embodiment of the design method. Other aspects are audio processing units configured to perform any embodiment of the inventive method. In accordance with some embodiments, BRIR design is formulated as a numerical optimization problem based on a simulation model (which generates candidate BRIRs) and at least one objective function (which evaluates each candidate BRIR), and includes identification of a best one of the candidate BRIRs as indicated by performance metrics determined for the candidate BRIRs by each objective function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Grant A. Davidson, Kuan-Chieh Yen, Dirk Jeroen Breebaart
  • Patent number: 11568880
    Abstract: The application relates to HFR (High Frequency Reconstruction/Regeneration) of audio signals. In particular, the application relates to a method and system for performing HFR of audio signals having large variations in energy level across the low frequency range which is used to reconstruct the high frequencies of the audio signal. A system configured to generate a plurality of high frequency subband signals covering a high frequency interval from a plurality of low frequency subband signals is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventor: Kristofer Kjoerling
  • Patent number: 11568881
    Abstract: Methods and audio processing units for generating an object based audio program including conditional rendering metadata corresponding to at least one object channel of the program, where the conditional rendering metadata is indicative of at least one rendering constraint, based on playback speaker array configuration, which applies to each corresponding object channel, and methods for rendering audio content determined by such a program, including by rendering content of at least one audio channel of the program in a manner compliant with each applicable rendering constraint in response to at least some of the conditional rendering metadata. Rendering of a selected mix of content of the program may provide an immersive experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Sripal S. Mehta, Thomas Ziegler, Stewart Murrie
  • Patent number: 11570480
    Abstract: In a method to improve backwards compatibility when decoding high-dynamic range images coded in a wide color gamut (WCG) space which may not be compatible with legacy color spaces, hue and/or saturation values of images in an image database are computed for both a legacy color space (say, YCbCr-gamma) and a preferred WCG color space (say, IPT-PQ). Based on a cost function, a reshaped color space is computed so that the distance between the hue values in the legacy color space and rotated hue values in the preferred color space is minimized HDR images are coded in the reshaped color space. Legacy devices can still decode standard dynamic range images assuming they are coded in the legacy color space, while updated devices can use color reshaping information to decode HDR images in the preferred color space at full dynamic range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Robin Atkins, Peng Yin, Taoran Lu, Jaclyn Anne Pytlarz
  • Patent number: 11570566
    Abstract: A method for generating loudspeaker signals associated with a target screen size is disclosed. The method includes receiving a bit stream containing encoded higher order ambisonics signals, the encoded higher order ambisonics signals describing a sound field associated with a production screen size. The method further includes decoding the encoded higher order ambisonics signals to obtain a first set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals representing dominant components of the sound field and a second set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals representing ambient components of the sound field. The method also includes combining the first set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals and the second set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals to produce a combined set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Jax, Johannes Boehm, William Redmann
  • Patent number: 11570455
    Abstract: The precision of up-sampling operations in a layered coding system is preserved when operating on video data with high bit-depth. In response to bit-depth requirements of the video coding or decoding system, scaling and rounding parameters are determined for a separable up-scaling filter. Input data are first filtered across a first spatial direction using a first rounding parameter to generate first up-sampled data. First intermediate data are generated by scaling the first up-sampled data using a first shift parameter. The intermediate data are then filtered across a second spatial direction using a second rounding parameter to generate second up-sampled data. Second intermediate data are generated by scaling the second up-sampled data using a second shift parameter. Final up-sampled data may be generated by clipping the second intermediate data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Peng Yin, Taoran Lu, Tao Chen
  • Patent number: 11562750
    Abstract: Some methods involve receiving an input audio signal that includes N input audio channels, the input audio signal representing a first soundfield format having a first soundfield format resolution, N being an integer ?2. A first decorrelation process may be applied to two or more of the input audio channels to produce a first set of decorrelated channels, the first decorrelation process maintaining an inter-channel correlation of the set of input audio channels. A first modulation process may be applied to the first set of decorrelated channels to produce a first set of decorrelated and modulated output channels. The first set of decorrelated and modulated output channels may be combined with two or more undecorrelated output channels to produce an output audio signal that includes O output audio channels representing a second and relatively higher-resolution soundfield format than the first soundfield format, O being an integer ?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: David S. McGrath
  • Patent number: 11564051
    Abstract: Multiple virtual source locations may be defined for a volume within which audio objects can move. A set-up process for rendering audio data may involve receiving reproduction speaker location data and pre-computing gain values for each of the virtual sources according to the reproduction speaker location data and each virtual source location. The gain values may be stored and used during “run time,” during which audio reproduction data are rendered for the speakers of the reproduction environment. During run time, for each audio object, contributions from virtual source locations within an area or volume defined by the audio object position data and the audio object size data may be computed. A set of gain values for each output channel of the reproduction environment may be computed based, at least in part, on the computed contributions. Each output channel may correspond to at least one reproduction speaker of the reproduction environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Antonio Mateos Sole, Nicolas R. Tsingos