Dolby Labs Patents

Dolby Laboratories, Inc. licenses its audio technologies, including its noise-reduction systems, to the media industry. Its product portfolio includes Dolby Digital Plus (DD+), Dolby Digital (DD), AAC and HE-AAC, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, Dolby AC-4, Dolby Voice and Dolby Vision. Products that incorporate Dolby technologies include televisions, set-top boxes, computers, DVD and Blu-ray devices, soundbars, smartphones, tablets, video game consoles, and automobile entertainment systems.

Dolby Labs Patents by Type
  • Patent number: 11818372
    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: January 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 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: 11817108
    Abstract: The present document relates to audio coding systems. In particular, the present document relates to efficient methods and systems for parametric multi-channel audio coding. An audio encoding system configured to generate a bitstream indicative of a downmix signal and spatial metadata for generating a multi-channel upmix signal from the downmix signal is described. The system comprises a downmix processing unit configured to generate the downmix signal from a multi-channel input signal; wherein the downmix signal comprises m channels and wherein the multi-channel input signal comprises n channels; n, m being integers with m<n. Furthermore, the system comprises a parameter processing unit configured to determine the spatial metadata from the multi-channel input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Tobias Friedrich, Alexander Mueller, Karsten Linzmeier, Claus-Christian Spenger, Tobias R. Wagenblass
  • Patent number: 11817111
    Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for training a neural network, as well as for implementing audio encoders and decoders via trained neural networks, are provided. The neural network may receive an input audio signal, generate an encoded audio signal and decode the encoded audio signal. A loss function generating module may receive the decoded audio signal and a ground truth audio signal, and may generate a loss function value corresponding to the decoded audio signal. Generating the loss function value may involve applying a psychoacoustic model. The neural network may be trained based on the loss function value. The training may involve updating at least one weight of the neural network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Roy M. Fejgin, Grant A. Davidson, Chih-Wei Wu, Vivek Kumar
  • Patent number: 11817114
    Abstract: Some implementations involve receiving a content stream that includes audio data, determining a content type corresponding to the content stream and determining, based at least in part on the content type, a noise compensation method. Some examples involve performing the noise compensation method on the audio data to produce noise-compensated audio data, rendering the noise-compensated audio data for reproduction via a set of audio reproduction transducers of the audio environment, to produce rendered audio signals, and providing the rendered audio signals to at least some audio reproduction transducers of the audio environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Alan Port, Daniel Steven Templeton, Jack Gregory Hays
  • Patent number: 11817110
    Abstract: The invention provides an efficient implementation of cross-product enhanced high-frequency reconstruction (HFR), wherein a new component at frequency Q?+r?0 is generated on the basis of existing components at ? and ?+?0. The invention provides a block-based harmonic transposition, wherein a time block of complex subband samples is processed with a common phase modification. Superposition of several modified samples has the net effect of limiting undesirable intermodulation products, thereby enabling a coarser frequency resolution and/or lower degree of oversampling to be used. In one embodiment, the invention further includes a window function suitable for use with block-based cross-product enhanced HFR. A hardware embodiment of the invention may include an analysis filter bank, a subband processing unit configurable by control data and a synthesis filter bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventor: Lars Villemoes
  • Publication number: 20230359430
    Abstract: Media input audio data corresponding to a media stream and microphone input audio data from at least one microphone may be received. A first level of at least one of a plurality of frequency bands of the media input audio data, as well as a second level of at least one of a plurality of frequency bands of the microphone input audio data, may be determined. Media output audio data and microphone output audio data may be produced by adjusting levels of one or more of the first and second plurality of frequency bands based on the perceived loudness of the microphone input audio data, of the microphone output audio data, of the media output audio data and the media input audio data. One or more processes may be modified upon receipt of a mode-switching indication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Alexander, Chunjian Li, Joshua Brandon Lando, Alan J. Seefeldt, C. Phillip Brown, Dirk Jeroen Breebaart
  • Publication number: 20230360659
    Abstract: A method for representing a second presentation of audio channels or objects as a data stream, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a set of base signals, the base signals representing a first presentation of the audio channels or objects; (b) providing a set of transformation parameters, the transformation parameters intended to transform the first presentation into the second presentation; the transformation parameters further being specified for at least two frequency bands and including a set of multi-tap convolution matrix parameters for at least one of the frequency bands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Dirk Jeroen Breebaart, David Matthew Cooper, Leif Jonas Samuelsson
  • Publication number: 20230360662
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and device for processing a first and a second audio signal representing an input binaural audio signal acquired by a binaural recording device. The present invention further relates to a method for rendering a binaural audio signal on a speaker system. The method for processing a binaural signal comprising extracting audio information from the first audio signal, computing a band gain for reducing noise in the first audio signal and applying the band gains to respective frequency bands of the first audio signal in accordance with a dynamic scaling factor, to provide a first output audio signal. Wherein the dynamic scaling factor has a value between zero and one and is selected so as to reduce quality degradation for the first audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Zhiwei Shuang, Yuanxing Ma, Yang Liu, Ziyu Yang, Giulio Cengarle
  • Publication number: 20230362575
    Abstract: A method (910) for rendering an audio signal in a virtual reality rendering environment (180) is described. The method (910) comprises rendering (911) an origin audio signal of an audio source (311, 312, 313) from an origin source position on an origin sphere (114) around an origin listening position (301) of a listener (181). Furthermore, the method (900) comprises determining (912) that the listener (181) moves from the origin listening position (301) to a destination listening position (302). In addition, the method (900) comprises determining (913) a destination source position of the audio source (311, 312, 313) on a destination sphere (114) around the destination listening position (302) based on the origin source position, and determining (914) a destination audio signal of the audio source (311, 312, 313) based on the origin audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Leon TERENTIV, Christof FERSCH, Daniel FISCHER
  • Patent number: 11810589
    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. The high frequency regeneration is performed as a post-processing operation with a delay of 3010 samples per audio channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Kristofer Kjoerling, Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Patent number: 11810590
    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. The high frequency regeneration is performed as a post-processing operation with a delay of 3010 samples per audio channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Kristofer Kjoerling, Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Patent number: 11812020
    Abstract: The quantization parameter QP is well-known in digital video compression as an indication of picture quality. Digital symbols representing a moving image are quantized with a quantizing step that is a function QSN of the quantization parameter QP, which function QSN has been normalized to the most significant bit of the bit depth of the digital symbols. As a result, the effect of a given QP is essentially independent of bit depth a particular QP value has a standard effect on image quality, regardless of bit depth. The invention is useful, for example, in encoding and decoding at different bit depths, to generate compatible, bitstreams having different bit depths, and to allow different bit depths for different components of a video signal by compressing each with the same fidelity (i.e., the same QP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Walter C. Gish, Christopher J. Vogt
  • Patent number: 11810591
    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. The high frequency regeneration is performed as a post-processing operation with a delay of 3010 samples per audio channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Kristofer Kjoerling, Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Patent number: 11810592
    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. The high frequency regeneration is performed as a post-processing operation with a delay of 3010 samples per audio channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Kristofer Kjoerling, Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Patent number: 11810582
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for stereo encoding and decoding using complex prediction in the frequency domain. In one embodiment, a decoding method, for obtaining an output stereo signal from an input stereo signal encoded by complex prediction coding and comprising first frequency-domain representations of two input channels, comprises the upmixing steps of: (i) computing a second frequency-domain representation of a first input channel; and (ii) computing an output channel on the basis of the first and second frequency-domain representations of the first input channel, the first frequency-domain representation of the second input channel and a complex prediction coefficient. The upmixing can be suspended responsive to control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Heiko Purnhagen, Pontus Carlsson, Lars Villemoes
  • Publication number: 20230352058
    Abstract: A deep-learning-based system for performing automated multitrack mixing based on a plurality of input audio tracks is described herein. The system comprises one or more instances of a deep-learning-based first network and one or more instances of a deep-learning-based second network. Particularly, the first network is configured to, based on the 5 input audio tracks, generate parameters for use in the automated multitrack mixing. The second network is configured to, based on the parameters, apply signal processing and at least one mixing gain to the input audio tracks, for generating an output mix of the audio tracks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Christian James Steinmetz, Joan Serra
  • Publication number: 20230353781
    Abstract: A method of coding at least one image comprising the steps of splitting the image into a plurality of blocks, of grouping said blocks into a predetermined number of subsets of blocks, of coding each of said subsets of blocks in parallel, the blocks of a subset considered being coded according to a predetermined sequential order of traversal. The coding step comprises, for a current block of a subset considered, the sub-step of predictive coding of said current block with respect to at least one previously coded and decoded block, and the sub-step of entropy coding of said current block on the basis of at least one probability of appearance of a symbol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Felix Henry, Stephane Pateux
  • Publication number: 20230353740
    Abstract: A method for coding includes; segmenting an image into blocks; grouping blocks into a number of subsets; coding, using an entropy coding module, each subset, by associating digital information with symbols of each block of a subset, including, for the first block of the image, initializing state variables of the coding module; and generating a data sub-stream representative of at least one of the coded subsets of blocks. Where a current block is the first block to be coded of a subset, symbol occurrence probabilities for the first current block are determined based on those for a coded and decoded predetermined block of at least one other subset. Where the current block is the last coded block of the subset: writing, in the sub-stream representative of the subset, the entire the digital information associated with the symbols during coding of the blocks of the subset, and implementing the initializing sub-step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Felix Henry, Stephane Pateux, Gordon Clare
  • Publication number: 20230353970
    Abstract: Diffuse or spatially large audio objects may be identified for special processing. A decorrelation process may be performed on audio signals corresponding to the large audio objects to produce decorrelated large audio object audio signals. These decorrelated large audio object audio signals may be associated with object locations, which may be stationary or time-varying locations. For example, the decorrelated large audio object audio signals may be rendered to virtual or actual speaker locations. The output of such a rendering process may be input to a scene simplification process. The decorrelation, associating and/or scene simplification processes may be performed prior to a process of encoding the audio data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Dirk Jeroen BREEBAART, Lie LU, Nicolas R. TSINGOS, Antonio MATEOS SOLE
  • Publication number: 20230353762
    Abstract: Several embodiments of scalable image processing systems and methods are disclosed herein whereby color management processing of source image data to be displayed on a target display is changed according to varying levels of metadata.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil W. Messmer, Robin Atkins, Steve Margerm, Peter W. Longhurst
  • Patent number: 11805379
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for translating a first plurality of audio input channels to a second plurality of audio output channels. This includes determining that there is pair-wise coding among any of the first plurality of audio input channels, determining an input/output-mapping matrix for mapping at least a first set of the first plurality of audio input channels to at least a second set of the second plurality of audio output channels; and deriving the second plurality of audio output channels based on first plurality of audio input channels, the input/output-mapping matrix and the determined pair-wise coding. The first plurality of audio input channels represent the same soundfield represented by the second plurality of audio output channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Mark F. Davis
  • Patent number: 11803351
    Abstract: A communication system, method, and computer-readable medium therefor comprise a media server configured to receive a plurality of audio streams from a corresponding plurality of client devices, the media server including circuitry configured to rank the plurality of audio streams based on a predetermined metric, group a first portion of the plurality of audio streams into a first set, the first portion of the plurality of audio streams being the N highest-ranked audio streams, group a second portion of the plurality of audio streams into a second set, the second portion of the plurality of audio streams being the M lowest-ranked audio streams, forward respective audio streams of the first set to a receiver device, and discard respective audio streams of the second set, wherein N and M are independent integers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Glenn N. Dickins, Feng Deng, Michael Eckert, Craig Johnston, Paul Holmberg
  • Patent number: 11803948
    Abstract: Methods and systems for the display management of HDR video signals are presented. The mapping is based on tone mapping and color volume mapping which map an input signal with an input dynamic range and color volume to a target display with a target dynamic range and color volume. Both a global tone-mapping and precision-mapping methods using pyramid filtering are presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Robin Atkins, Jaclyn Anne Pytlarz, Elizabeth G. Pieri
  • Publication number: 20230345176
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reconstructing N audio channels from M audio channels is disclosed. The method includes receiving a bitstream containing an encoded audio signal representing the M audio channels and decoding the encoded audio signal to obtain a frequency domain representation of the M audio channels. The method further includes extracting a parameter from the bitstream and reconstructing at least one of the N audio channels using the parameter. The parameter represents an angle between two signals, at least one of which is included in the M audio channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Heiko PURNHAGEN, Lars VILLEMOES, Jonas ENGDEGARD, Jonas ROEDEN, Kristofer KJOERLING
  • Publication number: 20230344970
    Abstract: A projection system and calibration method therefore relate to a light source configured to emit a light in response to an image data, an optical system configured to project the light emitted by the light source; receiving an input associated with a plurality of light values corresponding to a plurality of primary lightfields; converting the input associated with the plurality of light values to a plurality of projector primary color values; determining a gain map based on the plurality Values of projector primary color values; applying the gain map to an image to perform a chromaticity uniformity correction by adjusting levels of the plurality of primary lightfields so that a primary mixture is the same over an image frame, and projecting the image with the optical system in the image frame, wherein the second image is corrected by the gain map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Jerome D. Shields
  • Publication number: 20230343344
    Abstract: A method of generating a substitution frame for a lost audio frame of an audio signal is presented. The method may comprise determining an audio filter based on samples of a valid audio frame preceding the lost audio frame. The method may comprise generating the substitution frame based on the audio filter and the samples of the valid audio frame preceding the lost audio frame. The method may be advantageously applied to a low frequency effects (LFE) channel of a multi-channel audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventor: Stefan BRUHN
  • Publication number: 20230343346
    Abstract: Described is a method of frame-wise encoding metadata for an input signal, the metadata comprising a plurality of at least partially interrelated parameters calculable from the input signal. The method comprises, for each frame: iteratively performing, by using a looping process, steps of: determining a processing strategy from a plurality of processing strategies for calculating and quantizing the parameters; calculating and quantizing the parameters based on the determined processing strategy to obtain quantized parameters; and encoding the quantized parameters. In particular, each of the plurality of processing strategies comprises a respective first indication indicative of an ordering related to the calculation and quantization of individual parameters; and the processing strategy is determined based on at least one bitrate threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: David S. MCGRATH, Rishabh TYAGI, Stefanie BROWN, Juan Felix Torres
  • 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: 20230345192
    Abstract: Methods for dialogue enhancing audio content, comprising providing a first audio signal presentation of the audio components, providing a second audio signal presentation, receiving a set of dialogue estimation parameters configured to enable estimation of dialogue components from the first audio signal presentation, applying said set of dialogue estimation parameters to said first audio signal presentation, to form a dialogue presentation of the dialogue components; and combining the dialogue presentation with said second audio signal presentation to form a dialogue enhanced audio signal presentation for reproduction on the second audio reproduction system, wherein at least one of said first and second audio signal presentation is a binaural audio signal presentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Leif Jonas Samuelsson, Dirk Jeroen Breebaart, David Matthew Cooper, Jeroen Koppens
  • Publication number: 20230345055
    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: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robin Atkins, Peng Yin, Taoran Lu, Jaclyn Anne Pytlarz
  • Publication number: 20230343100
    Abstract: In a cloud-based system for encoding high dynamic range (HDR) video, each node receives a video segment and bumper frames. Each segment is subdivided into primary scenes and secondary scenes to derive scene-based forward reshaping functions that minimize the amount of reshaping-related metadata when coding the video segment, while maintaining temporal continuity among scenes processed by multiple nodes. Methods to generate scene-based forward and backward reshaping functions to optimize video coding and improve the coding efficiency of reshaping-related metadata are also examined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Harshad Kadu, Guan-Ming Su, Neeraj J. Gadgil, Tsung-Wei Huang
  • Publication number: 20230341754
    Abstract: A novel spatial light modulator (SLM) includes a cover glass, and modulation layer, and a plurality of pixel minors, and separates unwanted, reflected light from desired, modulated light. In one embodiment, a geometrical relationship exists between the cover glass and the pixel minors, such that light that reflects from the cover glass is separated from light that reflects from the pixel minors and is transmitted from the SLM. In one example, one of the cover glass or the pixel minors is angled with respect to the modulation layer. In another example embodiment, the cover glass has a particular thickness, which introduces destructive interference between light that reflects from the top and bottom surfaces of the cover glass. In another embodiment antireflective coatings are disposed between optical interfaces of the SLM. In another embodiment, light from the SLM is directed through an optical filter to remove unwanted light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Juan P. PERTIERRA, Martin J. RICHARDS, Barret LIPPEY
  • Patent number: 11798568
    Abstract: Conventional audio compression technologies perform a standardized signal transformation, independent of the type of the content. Multi-channel signals are decomposed into their signal components, subsequently quantized and encoded. This is disadvantageous due to lack of knowledge on the characteristics of scene composition, especially for e.g. multi-channel audio or Higher-Order Ambisonics (HOA) content. A method for decoding an encoded bitstream of multi-channel audio data and associated metadata is provided, including transforming the first Ambisonics format of the multi-channel audio data to a second Ambisonics format representation of the multi-channel audio data, wherein the transforming maps the first Ambisonics format of the multi-channel audio data into the second Ambisonics format representation of the multi-channel audio data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Oliver Wuebbolt, Johannes Boehm, Peter Jax
  • Patent number: 11798567
    Abstract: A method for encoding an input audio stream including the steps of obtaining a first playback stream presentation of the input audio stream intended for reproduction on a first audio reproduction system, obtaining a second playback stream presentation of the input audio stream intended for reproduction on a second audio reproduction system, determining a set of transform parameters suitable for transforming an intermediate playback stream presentation to an approximation of the second playback stream presentation, wherein the transform parameters are determined by minimization of a measure of a difference between the approximation of the second playback stream presentation and the second playback stream presentation, and encoding the first playback stream presentation and the set of transform parameters for transmission to a decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignees: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Dirk Jeroen Breebaart, David Matthew Cooper, Leif Jonas Samuelsson, Jeroen Koppens, Rhonda J. Wilson, Heiko Purnhagen, Alexander Stahlmann
  • Patent number: 11796905
    Abstract: One or more perforation hole pattern methods are applied (402) to generate a spatial distribution of perforation holes forming a semi-random pattern for an image display screen. The image display screen is perforated (404) with the spatial distribution of perforation holes forming the semi-random pattern. Image rendering light is emitted (406) with a light projector toward the image display screen that is installed in an image rendering environment. At least a portion of the image rendering light emitted from the light projector is reflected (408) by the image display screen, toward a viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Martin J. Richards, Barret Lippey
  • Patent number: 11800151
    Abstract: In a method to improve the coding efficiency of high-dynamic range (HDR) images, a decoder parses sequence processing set (SPS) data from an input coded bitstream to detect that an HDR extension syntax structure is present in the parsed SPS data. It extracts from the HDR extension syntax structure post-processing information that includes one or more of a color space enabled flag, a color enhancement enabled flag, an adaptive reshaping enabled flag, a dynamic range conversion flag, a color correction enabled flag, or an SDR viewable flag. It decodes the input bitstream to generate a preliminary output decoded signal, and generates a second output signal based on the preliminary output signal and the post-processing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Peng Yin, Taoran Lu, Fangjun Pu, Tao Chen, Walter J. Husak
  • Publication number: 20230335142
    Abstract: A method comprising receiving a first input bit stream for a first parametrically coded input audio signal, the first input bit stream including data representing a first input core audio signal and a first set including at least one spatial parameter relating to the first parametrically coded input audio signal. A first covariance matrix of the first parametrically coded audio signal is determined based on the spatial parameter(s) of the first set. A modified set including at least one spatial parameter is determined based on the determined first covariance matrix, wherein the modified set is different from the first set. An output core audio signal is determined, which is based on, or constituted by, the first input core audio signal. An output bit stream for a parametrically coded output audio signal is generated, the output bit stream including data representing the output core audio signal and the modified set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Dirk Jeroen Breebaart, Michael Eckert, Heiko Purnhagen
  • Patent number: 11792591
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for decompressing a Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) signal representation is disclosed. The apparatus includes an input interface that receives an encoded directional signal and an encoded ambient signal and an audio decoder that perceptually decodes the encoded directional signal and encoded ambient signal to produce a decoded directional signal and a decoded ambient signal, respectively. The apparatus further includes an extractor for obtaining side information related to the directional signal and an inverse transformer for converting the decoded ambient signal from a spatial domain to an HOA domain representation of the ambient signal. The apparatus also includes a synthesizer for recomposing a Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) signal from the HOA domain representation of the ambient signal and the decoded directional signal. The side information includes a direction of the directional signal selected from a set of uniformly spaced directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexander Krueger, Sven Kordon, Johannes Boehm, Johann-Markus Batke
  • Patent number: 11792416
    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: January 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Peng Yin, Taoran Lu, Tao Chen
  • Patent number: 11792429
    Abstract: An encoding device evaluates a plurality of processing and/or post-processing algorithms and/or methods to be applied to a video stream, and signals a selected method, algorithm, class or category of methods/algorithms either in an encoded bitstream or as side information related to the encoded bitstream. A decoding device or post-processor utilizes the signaled algorithm or selects an algorithm/method based on the signaled method or algorithm. The selection is based, for example, on availability of the algorithm/method at the decoder/post-processor and/or cost of implementation. The video stream may comprise, for example, downsampled multiplexed stereoscopic images and the selected algorithm may include any of upconversion and/or error correction techniques that contribute to a restoration of the downsampled images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexandros Tourapis, Athanasios Leontaris, Peshala V. Pahalawatta, Kevin J. Stec
  • Patent number: 11792253
    Abstract: Bandwidth adaptation is achieved with selection of quality levels of media content to be transferred based on network conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher Mueller, Yuwen He, James Crenshaw
  • Patent number: 11792428
    Abstract: An encoding device evaluates a plurality of processing and/or post-processing algorithms and/or methods to be applied to a video stream, and signals a selected method, algorithm, class or category of methods/algorithms either in an encoded bitstream or as side information related to the encoded bitstream. A decoding device or post-processor utilizes the signaled algorithm or selects an algorithm/method based on the signaled method or algorithm. The selection is based, for example, on availability of the algorithm/method at the decoder/post-processor and/or cost of implementation. The video stream may comprise, for example, downsampled multiplexed stereoscopic images and the selected algorithm may include any of upconversion and/or error correction techniques that contribute to a restoration of the downsampled images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexandros Tourapis, Athanasios Leontaris, Peshala V. Pahalawatta, Kevin J. Stec
  • Publication number: 20230326469
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for a matrix coded stereo signal with periphonic elements. A mixing matrix, suitable for processing a multi-channel audio input signal, is constructed so that the resulting multi-channel output signal contains the same audio elements from the input signal, wherein the spatial relationships between audio elements, as defined by panning rules associated with the input signal format, are preserved in the output signal, as defined by matrix encoding rules associated with the output signal format. The choice of the coefficients of the mixing matrix is governed by a phase-preference rule that is used to determine the appropriate phase to apply to each input signal channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: David S. MCGRATH, Hao LUO
  • Publication number: 20230327353
    Abstract: Embodiments of a configurable loudspeaker using a user orientable routing card that allows for multiple electrical drive modes in a non-powered loudspeaker system. The speaker has one or more drivers mounted in enclosure, an audio input interface configured to be coupled to an audio source through one or more amplifiers, and a connector interface configured to receive a routing card. The routing card is configured to be inserted in a first orientation to connect the audio input interface in a first operating mode with respect to driver selection and connection to the one or more amplifiers, and a second orientation to connect the audio input interface in a second operating mode with respect to driver selection and connection to the one or more amplifiers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Joel A. Butler, Jeremy David Sommerfeld
  • Publication number: 20230324783
    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: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Juan P. Pertierra, Martin J. Richards, Barret Lippey, Nathan Shawn Wainwright, John David Jackson
  • Publication number: 20230328133
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for data traffic management in multi-source content delivery are described. The apparatus includes a downloader and a controller. The downloader is coupled to servers via communication links. The controller is configured to determine initial download requests for the servers based on predetermined information about a quality of the links. The controller is also configured to send the initial download requests to the servers with the downloader. The controller is further configured to update the information about the quality of the communication links after the downloader receives data associated with a data file from the servers via the communication links. The controller is also configured to determine subsequent download requests for the servers based on the updated information about the quality of the communication links. The controller of further configured to send the subsequent download requests to the servers via the downloader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Mingchao Yu, Oliver O'Neill, Thomas Franklin Antioch, Vahid Naghshin, Jason Michael Cloud, Mark Craig Reed, Jeffrey Riedmiller, Elliot Osborne
  • Publication number: 20230328469
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to reverberation generation for headphone virtualization. A method of generating one or more components of a binaural room impulse response (BRIR) for headphone virtualization is described. In the method, directionally-controlled reflections are generated, wherein directionally-controlled reflections impart a desired perceptual cue to an audio input signal corresponding to a sound source location. Then at least the generated reflections are combined to obtain the one or more components of the BRIR. Corresponding system and computer program products are described as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Louis D. Fielder, Zhiwei Shuang, Grant A. Davidson, Xiguang Zheng, Mark S. Vinton
  • Patent number: 11782672
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a method and system for receiving, in a bitstream, metadata associated with the audio data, and analyzing the metadata to determine whether a loudness parameter for a first group of audio playback devices are available in the bitstream. Responsive to determining that the parameters are present for the first group, the system uses the parameters and audio data to render audio. Responsive to determining that the loudness parameters are not present for the first group, the system analyzes one or more characteristics of the first group, and determines the parameter based on the one or more characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignees: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey Riedmiller, Scott Gregory Norcross, Karl Jonas Roeden
  • Patent number: 11785263
    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: November 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robin Atkins, Peng Yin, Taoran Lu, Jaclyn Anne Pytlarz
  • Patent number: D1001562
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alan J. Seefeldt, Lucas E. Saule, Peter Michaelian, Vincent Voron