Abstract: An apparatus for generating loudspeaker signals includes an object metadata processor configured to receive metadata, to calculate a second position of the audio object depending on the first position of the audio object and on a size of a screen if the audio object is indicated in the metadata as being screen-related, to feed the first position of the audio object as the position information into the object renderer if the audio object is indicated in the metadata as being not screen-related, and to feed the second position of the audio object as the position information into the object renderer if the audio object is indicated in the metadata as being screen-related. The apparatus further includes an object renderer configured to receive an audio object and to generate the loudspeaker signals depending on the audio object and on position information.

Abstract: The present application discloses exemplary arrangements of an end-fire microphone array inside a vehicle and exemplary digital signal processors configured for the end-fire in-car microphone array. The exemplary digital signal processors may be configured in two modes, a phone call mode and an automatic speech recognition mode. In each mode, the exemplary digital signal processors are improved for enhanced SNR. Different end-fire microphone array arrangements are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system includes one or more computing devices that encode spatial perceptual cues into a monaural channel to generate a plurality of output channels. A computing device determines a target amplitude response for the mid and side channels of the plurality of output channels, defining a spatial perceptual associated with one or more frequency-dependent phase shifts. The computing device determines a transfer function of a single-input, multi-output allpass filter based on the target amplitude response and determines coefficients of the allpass filter based on the transfer function, and processes the monaural channel with the coefficients of the allpass filter to generate the plurality of channels having the encoded spatial perceptual cues. The allpass filter is configured to be colorless with respect to the individual output channels, allowing for the placement of spatial cues into the audio stream to be decoupled from the overall coloration of the audio.

Abstract: The audio signal processing method in accordance with one embodiment receives an audio signal, obtains a first image, estimates room information based on the obtained first image, sets an acoustic parameter according to the estimated room information, applies sound processing to the audio signal according to the set acoustic parameter, and outputs the audio signal subjected to the sound processing.

Abstract: The disclosed techniques provide promotion of engagement by transitioning viewing perspectives to a temporary viewing perspective showing clusters of group activity. A system shows each person a view of a large virtual environment, e.g., in a stadium full of representations of meeting attendees. Each person sees the virtual environment from a point of view originating from each person's representation, e.g., a first-person avatar view. When a group activity meets one or more conditions, the system determines parameters of a temporary perspective view from a point-of-view of a virtual camera based on the positions of people in a cluster of representations. The parameters of the temporary perspective view can be selected to show a threshold number of representations found in a cluster in a virtual environment. The system can then transition the view of each member of the group from a first-person perspective to the point-of-view of the virtual camera.

Abstract: There is provided generating, at a control device of a media communication session between participant devices, a session description for the communication session, the session description including media stream identifiers and at least one element including an arrangement of the media stream identifiers indicating a background media stream and associated one or more overlay media streams, and sending, by the control device, the session description to the participant devices for indicating the participant devices to associate the background media stream with one or more overlay media streams for rendering a scene with at least three degrees of freedom.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques to process an image for a video conference. A method includes obtaining an image from a camera, identifying a first person and a second person in the image, labeling pixels in the image belonging to the first person and to the second person, determining a first distance between the first person and the camera and a second distance between the second person and the camera, and based on the first distance and the second distance, selectively removing or blurring at least one of the first person and the second person from the image, before transmitting the image to an endpoint of a video conference, by manipulating the pixels in the image belonging to the at least one of the first person and the second person.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of rendering audio. A binaural signal is split on an amplitude weighting basis into a front binaural signal and a rear binaural signal, based on perceived position information of the audio. In this manner, the front-back differentiation of the binaural signal is improved.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a method including obtaining information of available quality features of a sender device for providing omnidirectional visual media content; selecting one or more of the available quality features; and providing an indication of the selected one or more of the available quality features. There is also provided a method including obtaining information of available quality features of a receiver device for processing omnidirectional visual media content; providing an indication of the available quality features; receiving from a sender device indication of available quality features of the sender device among the available quality features of the receiver device; selecting one of the quality features, which are available both in the sender device and in the receiver device; and providing an indication of the selected quality feature.

Abstract: One example method includes receiving, by the video conference provider, a plurality of responses during a time period, the plurality of responses each provided by one of a plurality of participants in a video conference, the video conference associated with a host and hosted by a video conference provider, and each of the plurality of responses associated with a timestamp and one of a plurality of types of responses, wherein the one of the types of responses comprises an audible response, a visual response, or a user input response. The method also includes sampling, by the video conference provider, the plurality of responses to identify a plurality of response characteristics and generating, by the video conference provider, a consolidated response associated with each timestamp, the consolidated response based at least in part on the plurality of response characteristics.

Abstract: Described are multiple cameras in a conference room, each pointed in a different direction. A primary camera includes a microphone array to perform sound source localization (SSL). The SSL is used in combination with a video image to identify the speaker from among multiple individuals that appear in the video image. Pose information of the speaker is developed. Pose information of each individual identified in each other camera is developed. The speaker pose information is compared to the pose information of the individuals from the other cameras. The best match for each other camera is selected as the speaker in that camera. The speaker views of each camera are compared to determine the speaker view with the most frontal view of the speaker. That camera is selected to provide the video for provision to the far end.

Abstract: Example techniques may involve headphone interaction. An implementation may include while headphones are disconnected from a control device, the control device receiving an indication of particular audio content being played back by a first zone of the media playback system. While the particular audio content is being played back by the one or more playback devices of the media playback system, detecting that headphones have been connected to the first control device. Headphones may be connectable to the control device via either (a) an analog headphone jack or (b) a point-to-point personal area network connection. In response to detecting that the headphones are connected to the control device: the control device (i) causing the one or more playback devices of the first zone to stop playback of the particular audio content; (ii) retrieving the particular audio content and (iii) resuming playback of the particular audio content via the connected headphones.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are wearable devices, their configurations, and methods of operation that use self-mixing interferometry signals of a self-mixing interferometry sensor to recognize user inputs. The user inputs may include voiced commands or silent gesture commands. The devices may be wearable on the user's head, with the self-mixing interferometry sensor configured to direct a beam of light toward a location on the user's head. Skin deformations or vibrations at the location may be caused by the user's speech or the user's silent gestures and recognized using the self-mixing interferometry signal. The self-mixing interferometry signals may be used for bioauthentication and/or audio conditioning of received sound or voice inputs to a microphone.

Abstract: Techniques for video conferencing are disclosed. In one embodiment, a mirror assembly can be used to position a mirror in front of a camera, reflecting a view of the camera downward towards a whiteboard or other drawing surface, allowing a user to show a drawing during a video conference. In another embodiment, video data and audio data of a user in a video conference can be analyzed to determine what portions of the video data and audio data should be transmitted to a remote participant in the video conference. Unintentional input supplied by the user in the video data and audio data may be used to determine which portions of the video data and audio data to transmit.

Abstract: Higher Order Ambisonics represents three-dimensional sound independent of a specific loudspeaker set-up. However, transmission of an HOA representation results in a very high bit rate. Therefore, compression with a fixed number of channels is used, in which directional and ambient signal components are processed differently. The ambient HOA component is represented by a minimum number of HOA coefficient sequences. The remaining channels contain either directional signals or additional coefficient sequences of the ambient HOA component, depending on what will result in optimum perceptual quality. This processing can change on a frame-by-frame basis.

Abstract: A method performed by a first electronic device that includes a first speaker, the method includes, receiving, via a network, a representation of audio content, while a second electronic device is playing back the audio content through a second speaker, determining that the first electronic device is moving away from the second electronic device, and, in response to determining that the first electronic device is moving away from the second electronic device, using the representation of audio to play back the audio content through the first speaker.

Abstract: A method including receiving, at a camera, light comprising a visible spectrum and an infrared spectrum (200). The method also includes detecting, using the visible spectrum, a candidate image of a head (202). The method also includes determining an estimated true size of the head (204). The method also includes determining, using the infrared spectrum, a temperature of the head (206). The method also includes filtering the candidate image of the head with respect to an operation of a video controller configured to track one or more images of heads in the visible spectrum. Filtering is based on both the estimated true size of the head and the temperature of the head (208).

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes maintaining a video communication between client devices with each being associated with a respective video stream, which is associated with a respective match scale measured based on a height of frames of the video stream and a depth of subjects within the frames, determining a respective scaling factor and cropping for each video stream, wherein the respective scaling factor is calculated based on the match scale associated with the corresponding video stream and a target match scale determined from the match scales associated with all video streams, and wherein the respective cropping is determined based on a uniformity of positions of the subjects within the frames across all video streams, generating a merged video stream from each video stream based on the respective scaling factor and cropping, and sending instructions for presenting the merged video stream to one or more of the client devices.

Abstract: An electronic device, a method, and a computer program product provides freeze frame videos in place of a live video feed to a video communication session. A processor of the electronic device determines that a local participant is connected via the electronic device to an ongoing video communication session with second participants having corresponding second participant devices. The processor captures, via an image capturing device, local video encompassing the local participant. The processor determines a video segment of the local video to identify as a freeze frame video. The processor presents the freeze frame video to the video communication session in response to a trigger condition that pauses a presentation of live video feed of the local participant to the video communication session. The processor loops the presentation of the freeze frame video until an expiration of a threshold maximum time established for presenting the freeze frame video.

Abstract: Disclosed aspects relate to visual image management associated with a set of visual images with respect to a set of computer users. A set of visual image features that relates to both the set of visual images and the set of computer users may be detected. Based on the set of visual image features that relates to both the set of visual images and the set of computer users, a set of display attributes may be determined to construct a presentation configuration associated with the set of visual images with respect to the set of computer users. The set of display attributes may be provided to construct the presentation configuration to display the set of visual images with respect to the set of computer users.