Patents by Inventor Christian Helmrich

Christian Helmrich has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10679632
    Abstract: An apparatus for decoding an audio signal includes a receiving interface, wherein the receiving interface is configured to receive a first frame and a second frame. Moreover, the apparatus includes a noise level tracing unit for determining noise level information being represented in a tracing domain. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a first reconstruction unit for reconstructing a third audio signal portion of the audio signal depending on the noise level information and a second reconstruction unit for reconstructing a fourth audio signal portion depending on noise level information being represented in the second reconstruction domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Michael Schnabel, Goran Markovic, Ralph Sperschneider, Jérémie Lecomte, Christian Helmrich
  • Patent number: 10672404
    Abstract: An apparatus for decoding an encoded audio signal to obtain a reconstructed audio signal is provided, having: a receiving interface for receiving one or more frames, a coefficient generator, and a signal reconstructor. The coefficient generator is configured to determine one or more first audio signal coefficients, and one or more noise coefficients. Moreover, the coefficient generator is configured to generate one or more second audio signal coefficients, depending on the one or more first audio signal coefficients and depending on the one or more noise coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Michael Schnabel, Goran Markovic, Ralph Sperschneider, Jérémie Lecomte, Christian Helmrich
  • Patent number: 10622000
    Abstract: An apparatus for selecting one of a first encoding algorithm having a first characteristic and a second encoding algorithm having a second characteristic for encoding a portion of an audio signal to obtain an encoded version of the portion of the audio signal has a first estimator for estimating a first quality measure for the portion of the audio signal, which is associated with the first encoding algorithm, without actually encoding and decoding the portion of the audio signal using the first encoding algorithm. A second estimator is provided for estimating a second quality measure for the portion of the audio signal, which is associated with the second encoding algorithm, without actually encoding and decoding the portion of the audio signal using the second encoding algorithm. The apparatus has a controller for selecting the first or second encoding algorithms based on a comparison between the first and second quality measures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Emmanuel Ravelli, Stefan Doehla, Guillaume Fuchs, Eleni Fotopoulou, Christian Helmrich
  • Patent number: 10607614
    Abstract: An apparatus for decoding an encoded audio signal to obtain a reconstructed audio signal includes a receiving interface for receiving one or more frames comprising information on a plurality of audio signal samples of an audio signal spectrum of the encoded audio signal, and a processor for generating the reconstructed audio signal. The processor is configured to generate the reconstructed audio signal by fading a modified spectrum to a target spectrum, if a current frame is not received by the receiving interface or if the current frame is received by the receiving interface but is corrupted, wherein the modified spectrum includes a plurality of modified signal samples, wherein, for each of the modified signal samples of the modified spectrum, an absolute value of the modified signal sample is equal to an absolute value of one of the audio signal samples of the audio signal spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Michael Schnabel, Goran Markovic, Ralph Sperschneider, Jérémie Lecomte, Christian Helmrich
  • Patent number: 10600428
    Abstract: An encoder for encoding an audio signal is configured to encode the audio signal in a transform domain or filter-bank domain, is configured to determine spectral coefficients of the audio signal for a current frame and at least one previous frame, and is configured to selectively apply predictive encoding to a plurality of individual spectral coefficients or groups of spectral coefficients which are separated by at least one spectral coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschug e.V.
    Inventors: Bernd Edler, Christian Helmrich, Max Neuendorf, Benjamin Schubert
  • Publication number: 20200090671
    Abstract: The invention provides an audio encoder for encoding an audio signal so as to produce therefrom an encoded signal, the audio encoder including: a framing device configured to extract frames from the audio signal; a quantizer configured to map spectral lines of a spectrum signal derived from the frame of the audio signal to quantization indices, wherein the quantizer has a dead-zone, in which the input spectral lines are mapped to quantization index zero; and a control device configured to modify the dead-zone; wherein the control device includes a tonality calculating device configured to calculate at least one tonality indicating value for at least one spectrum line or for at least one group of spectral lines, wherein the control device is configured to modify the dead-zone for the at least one spectrum line or the at least one group of spectrum lines depending on the respective tonality indicating value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Martin DIETZ, Guillaume FUCHS, Christian HELMRICH, Goran MARKOVIC
  • Patent number: 10593345
    Abstract: Apparatus for decoding an encoded audio signal including an encoded core signal and parametric data, including: a core decoder for decoding the encoded core signal to obtain a decoded core signal; an analyzer for analyzing the decoded core signal before or after performing a frequency regeneration operation to provide an analysis result; and a frequency regenerator for regenerating spectral portions not included in the decoded core signal using a spectral portion of the decoded core signal, the parametric data, and the analysis result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Sascha Disch, Ralf Geiger, Christian Helmrich, Frederik Nagel, Christian Neukam, Konstantin Schmidt, Michael Fischer
  • Publication number: 20200082841
    Abstract: Apparatus for decoding an encoded audio signal including an encoded core signal and parametric data, including: a core decoder for decoding the encoded core signal to obtain a decoded core signal; an analyzer for analyzing the decoded core signal before or after performing a frequency regeneration operation to provide an analysis result; and a frequency regenerator for regenerating spectral portions not included in the decoded core signal using a spectral portion of the decoded core signal, the parametric data, and the analysis result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Sascha DISCH, Ralf GEIGER, Christian HELMRICH, Frederik NAGEL, Christian NEUKAM, Konstantin SCHMIDT, Michael FISCHER
  • Patent number: 10586548
    Abstract: An encoder for encoding an audio signal has a predictor, a factorizer, a transformer and a quantize and encode stage. The predictor is configured to analyze the audio signal to obtain prediction coefficients describing a spectral analog of the audio signal or a fundamental frequency of the audio signal and subject the audio signal to an analysis filter function dependent on the prediction coefficients to output a residual signal of the audio signal. The factorizer is configured to apply a matrix factorization onto an audiocorrelation or covariance matrix of synthesis filter function defined by the prediction coefficients to obtain factorized matrices. The transformer is configured to transform the residual signal based on the factorized matrices to obtain a transformed residual signal. The quantize and decode stage is configured to quantize the transformed residual signal to obtain a quantized transformed residual signal or an encoded quantized transformed residual signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Tom Baeckstroem, Johannes Fischer, Christian Helmrich
  • Patent number: 10573334
    Abstract: An apparatus for decoding an encoded audio signal, includes a spectral domain audio decoder for generating a first decoded representation of a first set of first spectral portions, the decoded representation having a first spectral resolution; a parametric decoder for generating a second decoded representation of a second set of second spectral portions having a second spectral resolution being lower than the first spectral resolution; a frequency regenerator for regenerating every constructed second spectral portion having the first spectral resolution using a first spectral portion and spectral envelope information for the second spectral portion; and a spectrum time converter for converting the first decoded representation and the reconstructed second spectral portion into a time representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Sascha Disch, Frederik Nagel, Ralf Geiger, Balaji Nagendran Thoshkahna, Konstantin Schmidt, Stefan Bayer, Christian Neukam, Bernd Edler, Christian Helmrich
  • Publication number: 20200051577
    Abstract: In multichannel audio coding, an improved coding efficiency is achieved by the following measure: the noise filling of zero-quantized scale factor bands is performed using noise filling sources other than artificially generated noise or spectral replica. In particular, the coding efficiency in multichannel audio coding may be rendered more efficient by performing the noise filling based on noise generated using spectral lines from a previous frame of, or a different channel of the current frame of, the multichannel audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Maria Luis VALERO, Christian HELMRICH, Johannes HILPERT
  • Publication number: 20200020343
    Abstract: An approach is described that obtains spectrum coefficients for a replacement frame of an audio signal. A tonal component of a spectrum of an audio signal is detected based on a peak that exists in the spectra of frames preceding a replacement frame. For the tonal component of the spectrum a spectrum coefficients for the peak and its surrounding in the spectrum of the replacement frame is predicted, and for the non-tonal component of the spectrum a non-predicted spectrum coefficient for the replacement frame or a corresponding spectrum coefficient of a frame preceding the replacement frame is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Janine Sukowski, Ralph Sperschneider, Goran Markovic, Wolfgang Jaegers, Christian Helmrich, Bernd Edler, Ralf Geiger
  • Patent number: 10515652
    Abstract: Apparatus for decoding an encoded audio signal including an encoded core signal, including: a core decoder for decoding the encoded core signal to obtain a decoded core signal; a tile generator for generating one or more spectral tiles having frequencies not included in the decoded core signal using a spectral portion of the decoded core signal; and a cross-over filter for spectrally cross-over filtering the decoded core signal and a first frequency tile having frequencies extending from a gap filling frequency to an upper border frequency or for spectrally cross-over filtering a first frequency tile and a second frequency tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Sascha Disch, Ralf Geiger, Christian Helmrich, Frederik Nagel, Christian Neukam, Konstantin Schmidt, Michael Fischer
  • Publication number: 20190378522
    Abstract: An audio decoder for providing at least four bandwidth-extended channel signals on the basis of an encoded representation provides first and second downmix signals on the basis of a jointly encoded representation of the first and second downmix signals using a multi-channel decoding and provides at least first and second audio channel signals on the basis of the first downmix signal using a multi-channel decoding, and provides at least third and fourth audio channel signals on the basis of the second downmix signal using a multi-channel decoding. It performs a multi-channel bandwidth extension on the basis of the first and third audio channel signals, to obtain first and third bandwidth-extended channel signals, and performs a multi-channel bandwidth extension on the basis of the second and fourth audio channel signals, to obtain second and fourth bandwidth extended channel signals. An audio encoder uses a related concept.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Sascha Dick, Christian Ertel, Christian Helmrich, Johannes Hilpert, Andreas Hoelzer, Achim Kuntz
  • Publication number: 20190371355
    Abstract: An apparatus for decoding an encoded audio signal, includes: a spectral domain audio decoder for generating a first decoded representation of a first set of first spectral portions being spectral prediction residual values; a frequency regenerator for generating a reconstructed second spectral portion using a first spectral portion of the first set of first spectral portions, wherein the reconstructed second spectral portion additionally includes spectral prediction residual values; and an inverse prediction filter for performing an inverse prediction over frequency using the spectral residual values for the first set of first spectral portions and the reconstructed second spectral portion using prediction filter information included in the encoded audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Sascha DISCH, Frederik NAGEL, Ralf GEIGER, Balaji Nagendran THOSHKAHNA, Konstantin SCHMIDT, Stefan BAYER, Christian NEUKAM, Bernd EDLER, Christian HELMRICH
  • Publication number: 20190371346
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating an encoded signal includes: a window sequence controller for generating a window sequence information for windowing an audio or image signal, the window sequence information indicating a first window for generating a first frame of spectral values, a second window function and at least one third window function for generating a second frame of spectral values, wherein the first window function, the second window function and the one or more third window functions overlap within a multi-overlap region; a preprocessor for windowing a second block of samples corresponding to the second window function and the at least one third window functions using an auxiliary window function to acquire a second block of windowed samples, a spectrum converter for applying an aliasing-introducing transform; and a processor for processing the first frame and the second frame to acquire encoded frames of the audio or image signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Christian HELMRICH, Jérémie LECOMTE, Goran MARKOVIC, Markus SCHNELL, Bernd EDLER, Stefan REUSCHL
  • Publication number: 20190362728
    Abstract: An audio encoder for providing an encoded audio information on the basis of an input audio information has a bandwidth extension information provider configured to provide bandwidth extension information using a variable temporal resolution and a detector configured to detect an onset of a fricative or affricate. The audio encoder is configured to adjust a temporal resolution used by the bandwidth extension information provider such that bandwidth extension information is provided with an increased temporal resolution at least for a predetermined period of time before a time at which an onset of a fricative or affricate is detected and for a predetermined period of time following the time at which the onset of the fricative or affricate is detected. Alternatively or in addition, the bandwidth extension information is provided with an increased temporal resolution in response to a detection of an offset of a fricative or affricate. Audio encoders and methods use a corresponding concept.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Sascha DISCH, Christian HELMRICH, Markus MULTRUS, Markus SCHNELL, Arthur TRITTHART
  • Publication number: 20190348053
    Abstract: Noise filling of a spectrum of an audio signal is improved in quality with respect to the noise filled spectrum so that the reproduction of the noise filled audio signal is less annoying, by performing the noise filling in a manner dependent on a tonality of the audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Sascha DISCH, Marc GAYER, Christian HELMRICH, Goran MARKOVIC, Maria LUIS VALERO
  • Patent number: 10475455
    Abstract: An approach is described that obtains spectrum coefficients for a replacement frame of an audio signal. A tonal component of a spectrum of an audio signal is detected based on a peak that exists in the spectra of frames preceding a replacement frame. For the tonal component of the spectrum a spectrum coefficients for the peak and its surrounding in the spectrum of the replacement frame is predicted, and for the non-tonal component of the spectrum a non-predicted spectrum coefficient for the replacement frame or a corresponding spectrum coefficient of a frame preceding the replacement frame is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Janine Sukowski, Ralph Sperschneider, Goran Markovic, Wolfgang Jaegers, Christian Helmrich, Bernd Edler, Ralf Geiger
  • Patent number: 10468042
    Abstract: In multichannel audio coding, an improved coding efficiency is achieved by the following measure: the noise filling of zero-quantized scale factor bands is performed using noise filling sources other than artificially generated noise or spectral replica. In particular, the coding efficiency in multichannel audio coding may be rendered more efficient by performing the noise filling based on noise generated using spectral lines from a previous frame of, or a different channel of the current frame of, the multichannel audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Maria Luis Valero, Christian Helmrich, Johannes Hilpert