Patents by Inventor David S. McGrath

David S. McGrath 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).

  • Publication number: 20240114306
    Abstract: An multi-input, multi-output audio process is implemented as a linear system for use in an audio filterbank to convert a set of frequency-domain input audio signals into a set of frequency-domain output audio signals. A transfer function from one input to one output is defined as a frequency dependent gain function. In some implementations, the transfer function includes a direct component that is substantially defined as a frequency dependent gain, and one or more decorrelated components that have frequency-varying group phase response. The transfer function is formed from a set of sub-band functions, with each sub-band function being formed from a set of corresponding component transfer functions including direct component and one or more decorrelated components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: David S. MCGRATH
  • Publication number: 20240098435
    Abstract: A computer implemented system for rendering captured audio soundfields to a listener comprises apparatus to deliver the audio soundfields to the listener. The delivery apparatus delivers the audio soundfields to the listener with first and second audio elements perceived by the listener as emanating from first and second virtual source locations, respectively, and with the first audio element and/or the second audio element delivered to the listener from a third virtual source location. The first virtual source location and the second virtual source location are perceived by the listener as being located to the front of the listener, and the third virtual source location is located to the rear or the side of the listener.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard J. CARTWRIGHT, David S. MCGRATH, Glenn N. DICKINS
  • Publication number: 20240031768
    Abstract: The positions of a plurality of speakers at a media consumption site are determined. Audio information in an object-based format is received. Gain adjustment value for a sound content portion in the object-based format may be determined based on the position of the sound content portion and the positions of the plurality of speakers. Audio information in a ring-based channel format is received. Gain adjustment value for each ring-based channel in a set of ring-based channels may be determined based on the ring to which the ring-based channel belongs and the positions of the speakers at a media consumption site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicants: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Nicolas R. TSINGOS, David S. MCGRATH, Freddie SANCHEZ, Antonio MATEOS SOLE
  • Publication number: 20240015434
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems which convert a multi-microphone input signal to a multichannel output signal making use of a time- and frequency-varying matrix. For each time and frequency tile, the matrix is derived as a function of a dominant direction of arrival and a steering strength parameter. Likewise, the dominant direction and steering strength parameter are derived from characteristics of the multi-microphone signals, where those characteristics include values representative of the inter-channel amplitude and group-delay differences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventor: David S. MCGRATH
  • Publication number: 20240013793
    Abstract: Method for encoding scene-based audio is provided. In some implementations, the method involves determining, by an encoder, a spatial direction of a dominant sound component in a frame of an input audio signal. In some implementations, the method involves determining rotation parameters based on the determined spatial direction and a direction preference of a coding scheme to be used to encode the input audio signal. In some implementations, the method involves rotating sound components of the frame based on the rotation parameters such that, after being rotated, the dominant sound component has a spatial direction that aligns with the direction preference of the coding scheme. In some implementations, the method involves encoding the rotated sound components of the frame of the input audio signal using the coding scheme in connection with an indication of the rotation parameters or an indication of the spatial direction of the dominant sound component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Stefan BRUHN, Harald MUNDT, David S. MCGRATH, Stefanie BROWN
  • Publication number: 20240005933
    Abstract: The present document describes a method (700) for encoding a multi-channel input signal (201). The method (700) comprises determining (701) a plurality of downmix channel signals (203) from the multi-channel input signal (201) and performing (702) energy compaction of the plurality of downmix channel signals (203) to provide a plurality of compacted channel signals (404). Furthermore, the method (700) comprises determining (703) joint coding metadata (205) based on the plurality of compacted channel signals (404) and based on the multi-channel input signal (201), wherein the joint coding metadata (205) is such that it allows upmixing of the plurality of compacted channel signals (404) to an approximation of the multi-channel input signal (201). In addition, the method (700) comprises encoding (704) the plurality of compacted channel signals (404) and the joint coding metadata (205).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicants: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: David S. MCGRATH, Michael ECKERT, Heiko PURNHAGEN, 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: 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
  • Patent number: 11770666
    Abstract: A computer implemented system for rendering captured audio soundfields to a listener comprises apparatus to deliver the audio soundfields to the listener. The delivery apparatus delivers the audio soundfields to the listener with first and second audio elements perceived by the listener as emanating from first and second virtual source locations, respectively, and with the first audio element and/or the second audio element delivered to the listener from a third virtual source location. The first virtual source location and the second virtual source location are perceived by the listener as being located to the front of the listener, and the third virtual source location is located to the rear or the side of the listener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard J. Cartwright, David S. McGrath, Glenn N. Dickins
  • Patent number: 11743674
    Abstract: The positions of a plurality of speakers at a media consumption site are determined. Audio information in an object-based format is received. Gain adjustment value for a sound content portion in the object-based format may be determined based on the position of the sound content portion and the positions of the plurality of speakers. Audio information in a ring-based channel format is received. Gain adjustment value for each ring-based channel in a set of ring-based channels may be determined based on the ring to which the ring-based channel belongs and the positions of the speakers at a media consumption site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignees: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB, Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Nicolas R. Tsingos, David S. McGrath, Freddie Sanchez, Antonio Mateos Sole
  • Publication number: 20230230600
    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: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: David S. MCGRATH
  • Patent number: 11706564
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems which convert a multi-microphone input signal to a multichannel output signal making use of a time- and frequency-varying matrix. For each time and frequency tile, the matrix is derived as a function of a dominant direction of arrival and a steering strength parameter. Likewise, the dominant direction and steering strength parameter are derived from characteristics of the multi-microphone signals, where those characteristics include values representative of the inter-channel amplitude and group-delay differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: David S. McGrath
  • Patent number: 11699451
    Abstract: The present document describes a method (700) for encoding a multi-channel input signal (201). The method (700) comprises determining (701) a plurality of downmix channel signals (203) from the multi-channel input signal (201) and performing (702) energy compaction of the plurality of downmix channel signals (203) to provide a plurality of compacted channel signals (404). Furthermore, the method (700) comprises determining (703) joint coding metadata (205) based on the plurality of compacted channel signals (404) and based on the multi-channel input signal (201), wherein the joint coding metadata (205) is such that it allows upmixing of the plurality of compacted channel signals (404) to an approximation of the multi-channel input signal (201). In addition, the method (700) comprises encoding (704) the plurality of compacted channel signals (404) and the joint coding metadata (205).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: David S. McGrath, Michael Eckert, Heiko Purnhagen, Stefan Bruhn
  • Publication number: 20230215444
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for adaptive downmixing of audio signals with improved continuity. An audio encoding system receives an input multi-channel audio signal including a primary input audio channel and L non-primary input audio channels. The system determines a set of L input gains. For each of the channels and gains, the system forms a respective scaled non-primary input audio channel. The system forms a primary output audio channel from the sum of the primary input audio channel and the scaled non-primary input audio channels. The system determines a set of L prediction gains. The system forms a prediction channel from the primary output audio channel. The system forms L non-primary output audio channels. The system forms an output multi-channel audio signal from the primary output audio channel and the L non-primary output audio channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: David S. MCGRATH
  • 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20220375482
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments enable converting audio signals captured in various formats by various capture devices into a limited number of formats that can be processed by an audio codec (e.g., an Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS) codec). In an embodiment, a simplification unit of the audio device receives an audio signal captured by one or more audio capture devices coupled to the audio device. The simplification unit determines whether the audio signal is in a format that is supported/not supported by an encoding unit of the audio device. Based on the determining, the simplification unit, converts the audio signal into a format that is supported by the encoding unit. In an embodiment, if the simplification unit determines that the audio signal is in a spatial format, the simplification unit can convert the audio signal into a spatial “mezzanine” format supported by the encoding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Stefan BRUHN, Michael ECKERT, Juan Felix TORRES, Stefanie BROWN, David S. MCGRATH
  • Publication number: 20220277757
    Abstract: Methods and systems for improving signal processing by smoothing the covariance matrix of a multi-channel signal by setting a forgetting factor based on the bins of a band. A method and system for resetting the smoothing based on transient detection is also disclosed. A method and system for resampling for the smoothing during a banding transition is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: David S. MCGRATH, Stefanie BROWN, Juan Felix TORRES
  • Patent number: 11410666
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments enable converting audio signals captured in various formats by various capture devices into a limited number of formats that can be processed by an audio codec (e.g., an Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS) codec). In an embodiment, a simplification unit of the audio device receives an audio signal captured by one or more audio capture devices coupled to the audio device. The simplification unit determines whether the audio signal is in a format that is supported/not supported by an encoding unit of the audio device. Based on the determining, the simplification unit, converts the audio signal into a format that is supported by the encoding unit. In an embodiment, if the simplification unit determines that the audio signal is in a spatial format, the simplification unit can convert the audio signal into a spatial “mezzanine” format supported by the encoding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Bruhn, Michael Eckert, Juan Felix Torres, Stefanie Brown, David S. McGrath
  • Publication number: 20220231669
    Abstract: A filterbank, suitable for modifying audio signals with dynamic gains in each band, is constructed so that the perceived latency is small, while a larger group delay is applied at low frequencies to enable higher frequency resolution in the lower frequency bands. The higher group delay at low frequencies is achieved by inserting an all-pass filter into the reconstructed filter response.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: David S. MCGRATH