Abstract: The present document describes a method (400) for encoding a soundfield representation (SR) input signal (101, 301) describing a soundfield at a reference position, wherein the SR input signal (101, 301) comprises a plurality of channels for a plurality of different directivity patterns of the soundfield at the reference position. The method (400) comprises extracting (401) one or more audio objects (103, 303) from the SR input signal (101, 301). Furthermore, the method (400) comprises determining (402) a residual signal (102, 302) based on the SR input signal (101, 301) and based on the one or more audio objects (103, 303). The method (400) also comprises performing joint coding of the one or more audio objects (103, 303) and/or the residual signal (102, 302). In addition, the method (400) comprises generating (403) a bitstream (701) based on data generated in the context of joint coding of the one or more audio objects (103, 303) and/or the residual signal (102, 302).

Abstract: A method of encoding channel or object based input audio for playback, the method including the steps of: (a) initially rendering the channel or object based input audio into an initial output presentation; (b) determining an estimate of the dominant audio component from the channel or object based input audio and determining a series of dominant audio component weighting factors for mapping the initial output presentation into the dominant audio component; (c) determining an estimate of the dominant audio component direction or position; and (d) encoding the initial output presentation, the dominant audio component weighting factors, the dominant audio component direction or position as the encoded signal for playback.

Abstract: Apparatus, computer readable media and methods for processing a multi-channel, spatial audio format input signal. For example, one such method comprises determining object location metadata based on the received spatial audio format input signal; and extracting object audio signals based on the received spatial audio format input signal, wherein the extracting object audio signals based on the received spatial audio format input signal includes determining object audio signals and residual audio signals.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for training an acoustic model for a far-field utterance processing system are provided. The acoustic model may be configured to map an input audio signal into linguistic or paralinguistic units. The training may involve imparting far-field acoustic characteristics upon near-field training vectors that include a plurality of near-microphone utterance signals. Imparting the far-field acoustic characteristics may involve generating a plurality of simulated room impulse responses, convolving one or more of the simulated room impulse responses with the near-field training vectors, to produce a plurality of simulated far-field utterance signals and saving the results of the training in one or more non-transitory memory devices corresponding with the acoustic model. Generating simulated room impulse responses may involve simulating room reverberation times but not simulating early reflections from room surfaces.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of converting an audio signal in an intermediate signal format to a set of speaker feeds suitable for playback by an array of speakers. The audio signal in the intermediate signal format is obtainable from an input audio signal by means of a spatial panning function. The method comprises determining a discrete panning function for the array of speakers, determining a target panning function based on the discrete panning function, wherein determining the target panning function involves smoothing the discrete panning function, and determining a rendering operation for converting the audio signal in the intermediate signal format to the set of speaker feeds, based on the target panning function and the spatial panning function. The present disclosure further relates to a corresponding apparatus and a corresponding computer-readable storage medium.

Abstract: Apparatus, computer readable media and methods for processing a multi-channel, spatial audio format input signal. For example, one such method comprises determining object location metadata based on the received spatial audio format input signal; and extracting object audio signals based on the received spatial audio format input signal, wherein the extracting object audio signals based on the received spatial audio format input signal includes determining object audio signals and residual audio signals.

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.

Abstract: A method for creating an output soundfield signal from an input soundfield signal, the method including the steps of: (a) forming at least one delayed signals from the input soundfield signal, (b) for each of the delayed signals, creating an acoustically transformed delayed signal, by an acoustic transformation process, and (c) combining together the acoustically transformed delayed signals and the input soundfield signal to produce the output soundfield signal.

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.

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.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for training an acoustic model for a far-field utterance processing system are provided. The acoustic model may be configured to map an input audio signal into linguistic or paralinguistic units. The training may involve imparting far-field acoustic characteristics upon near-field training vectors that include a plurality of near-microphone utterance signals. Imparting the far-field acoustic characteristics may involve generating a plurality of simulated room impulse responses, convolving one or more of the simulated room impulse responses with the near-field training vectors, to produce a plurality of simulated far-field utterance signals and saving the results of the training in one or more non-transitory memory devices corresponding with the acoustic model. Generating simulated room impulse responses may involve simulating room reverberation times but not simulating early reflections from room surfaces.

Abstract: A method of encoding channel or object based input audio for playback, the method including the steps of: (a) initially rendering the channel or object based input audio into an initial output presentation; (b) determining an estimate of the dominant audio component from the channel or object based input audio and determining a series of dominant audio component weighting factors for mapping the initial output presentation into the dominant audio component; (c) determining an estimate of the dominant audio component direction or position; and (d) encoding the initial output presentation, the dominant audio component weighting factors, the dominant audio component direction or position as the encoded signal for playback.

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.

Abstract: A method of encoding channel or object based input audio for playback, the method including the steps of: (a) initially rendering the channel or object based input audio into an initial output presentation; (b) determining an estimate of the dominant audio component from the channel or object based input audio and determining a series of dominant audio component weighting factors for mapping the initial output presentation into the dominant audio component; (c) determining an estimate of the dominant audio component direction or position; and (d) encoding the initial output presentation, the dominant audio component weighting factors, the dominant audio component direction or position as the encoded signal for playback.

Abstract: A method of creating a multichannel audio signal by: determining an expected series of audio emission source locations around an expected listener location; determining a surface around the expected listener location, the surface including the expected series of audio emission source locations; mapping an audio object location into a surface energy component having a surface energy location and magnitude and an expected listener location energy component having an expected listeners location energy location and magnitude; panning an audio object signal for the surface energy component to surrounding expected audio emission sources to produce a first set of surface panned audio emission signals; panning the audio object signal for the expected listeners location energy location to surrounding expected audio emission sources to produce a second set of expected listeners location panned audio emission signals; combining the first and second set of panned audio signals to produce the multichannel audio signal.