Patents by Inventor Heiko Purnhagen

Heiko Purnhagen 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: 10978079
    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: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Dirk Jeroen Breebaart, David Matthew Cooper, Leif Jonas Samuelsson, Jeroen Koppens, Rhonda Joy Wilson, Heiko Purnhagen, Alexander Stahlmann
  • Publication number: 20210104252
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Patent number: 10971163
    Abstract: Audio objects are associated with positional metadata. A received downmix signal comprises downmix channels that are linear combinations of one or more audio objects and are associated with respective positional locators. In a first aspect, the downmix signal, the positional metadata and frequency-dependent object gains are received. An audio object is reconstructed by applying the object gain to an upmix of the downmix signal in accordance with coefficients based on the positional metadata and the positional locators. In a second aspect, audio objects have been encoded together with at least one bed channel positioned at a positional locator of a corresponding downmix channel. The decoding system receives the downmix signal and the positional metadata of the audio objects. A bed channel is reconstructed by suppressing the content representing audio objects from the corresponding downmix channel on the basis of the positional locator of the corresponding downmix channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Toni Hirvonen, Heiko Purnhagen, Leif Jonas Samuelsson, Lars Villemoes
  • Publication number: 20210090580
    Abstract: A method for rendering an audio output based on an audio data stream including M audio signals, side information including a series of reconstruction instances of a reconstruction matrix C and first timing data, the side information allowing reconstruction of N audio objects from the M audio signals, and object metadata defining spatial relationships between the N audio objects. The method includes generating a synchronized rendering matrix based on the object metadata, the first timing data, and information relating to a current playback system configuration, the synchronized rendering matrix having a rendering instance for each reconstruction instance, multiplying each reconstruction instance with a corresponding rendering instance to form a corresponding instance of an integrated rendering matrix, and applying the integrated rendering matrix to the audio signals in order to render an audio output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Klaus PEICHL, Tobias FRIEDRICH, Robin THESING, Heiko PURNHAGEN, Martin WOLTERS
  • Publication number: 20210082451
    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: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Kristofer KJOERLING, Lars VILLEMOES, Heiko PURNHAGEN, Per EKSTRAND
  • Patent number: 10950252
    Abstract: On the basis of a bitstream (P), an n-channel audio signal (X) is reconstructed by deriving an m-channel core signal (Y) and multichannel coding parameters (a) from the bitstream, where 1?m<n. Also derived from the bitstream are pre-processing dynamic range control, DRC, parameters (DRC2) quantifying an encoder-side dynamic range limiting of the core signal. The n-channel audio signal is obtained by parametric synthesis in accordance with the multichannel coding parameters and while cancelling any encoder-side dynamic range limiting based on the pre-processing DRC parameters. In particular embodiments, the reconstruction further includes use of compensated post-processing DRC parameters quantifying a potential decoder-side dynamic range compression. Cancellation of an encoder-side range limitation and range compression are preferably performed by different decoder-side components. Cancellation and compression may be coordinated by a DRC pre-processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey Riedmiller, Karl J. Roeden, Kristofer Kjoerling, Heiko Purnhagen, Vinay Melkote, Leif Sehlstrom
  • Patent number: 10943595
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to an audio processing unit that includes a bitstream payload deformatter and a decoding subsystem. The decoding subsystem is coupled to the bitstream payload deformatter and configured to decode at least a portion of a block of an encoded audio bitstream. The block includes a fill element with an identifier indicating a start of the fill element and fill data after the identifier. The fill data includes at least one flag identifying whether a base form of spectral band replication or an enhanced form of spectral band replication is to be performed on audio content of the block. The identifier is a three bit unsigned integer transmitted most significant bit first and having a value of 0x6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Publication number: 20210050022
    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).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Applicants: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB, DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kristofer KJOERLING, David S. MCGRATH, Heiko PURNHAGEN, Mark R.P. THOMAS
  • Publication number: 20210014628
    Abstract: Described herein is a method (30) of rendering an audio signal (17) for playback in an audio environment (27) defined by a target loudspeaker system (23), the audio signal (17) including audio data relating to an audio object and associated position data indicative of an object position. Method (30) includes the initial step (31) of receiving the audio signal (17). At step (32) loudspeaker layout data for the target loudspeaker system (23) is received. At step (33) control data is received that is indicative of a position modification to be applied to the audio object in the audio environment (27). At step (38) in response to the position data, loudspeaker layout data and control data, rendering modification data is generated. Finally, at step (39) the audio signal (17) is rendered with the rendering modification data to output the audio signal (17) with the audio object at a modified object position that is between loudspeakers within the audio environment (27).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicants: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Dirk Jeroen BREEBAART, Antonio MATEOS SOLE, Heiko PURNHAGEN, Nicolas R. TSINGOS
  • Publication number: 20210012781
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide encoding and decoding methods, and associated encoders and decoders, for encoding and decoding of an audio scene which is represented by one or more audio signals. The encoder generates a bit stream which comprises downmix signals and side information which includes individual matrix elements of a reconstruction matrix which enables reconstruction of the one or more audio signals in the decoder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Heiko PURNHAGEN, Lars VILLEMOES, Leif Jonas SAMUELSSON, Toni HIRVONEN
  • Patent number: 10891962
    Abstract: A method for rendering an audio output based on an audio data stream including M audio signals, side information including a series of reconstruction instances of a reconstruction matrix C and first timing data, the side information allowing reconstruction of N audio objects from the M audio signals, and object metadata defining spatial relationships between the N audio objects. The method includes generating a synchronized rendering matrix based on the object metadata, the first timing data, and information relating to a current playback system configuration, the synchronized rendering matrix having a rendering instance for each reconstruction instance, multiplying each reconstruction instance with a corresponding rendering instance to form a corresponding instance of an integrated rendering matrix, and applying the integrated rendering matrix to the audio signals in order to render an audio output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Klaus Peichl, Tobias Friedrich, Robin Thesing, Heiko Purnhagen, Martin Wolters
  • Publication number: 20210005211
    Abstract: A technique including receiving and decoding a coded bitstream encoded with audio content including first audio objects corresponding to a first media content type of two consecutive media content types and second audio objects corresponding to a second media content type of the two consecutive media content types, and audio metadata corresponding to the audio content. The audio metadata including first and second audio object gains, for the first and second audio objects, generated in part based on a first fading curve of the first media content type and a second fading curve of the second media content type, respectively. The technique further includes applying the first and second audio object gains to the first and second audio objects, and rendering a sound field represented by the first audio object with the applied first audio object gain and the second audio object with the applied second audio object gain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Alexander Stahlmann, Reinhold Boehm, Mark C. Leddy, Karsten Linzmeier, Vinay Mathew, Simon Plain, Heiko Purnhagen, Leif Sehlström, Robin Thesing
  • Publication number: 20200411019
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Kristofer KJOERLING, Lars VILLEMOES, Heiko PURNHAGEN, Per EKSTRAND
  • Publication number: 20200411017
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, devices and computer program products for encoding and decoding of a vector of parameters in an audio coding system. The disclosure further relates to a method and apparatus for reconstructing an audio object in an audio decoding system. According to the disclosure, a modulo differential approach for coding and encoding a vector of a non-periodic quantity may improve the coding efficiency and provide encoders and decoders with less memory requirements. Moreover, an efficient method for encoding and decoding a sparse matrix is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Leif Jonas SAMUELSSON, Heiko PURNHAGEN
  • Publication number: 20200411024
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to an audio processing unit that includes a buffer, bitstream payload deformatter, and a decoding subsystem. The buffer stores at least one block of an encoded audio bitstream. The block includes a fill element that begins with an identifier followed by fill data. The fill data includes at least one flag identifying whether enhanced spectral band replication (eSBR) processing is to be performed on audio content of the block. A corresponding method for decoding an encoded audio bitstream is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Publication number: 20200395023
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for outputting a stereo audio signal having a left channel and a right channel. The apparatus includes a demultiplexer, decoder, and upmixer. The upmixer is configured operate either in a prediction mode or a non-prediction mode based on a parameter encoded in the audio bitstream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Heiko Purnhagen, Pontus Carlsson, Lars Villemoes
  • Publication number: 20200389815
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, devices and computer program products for non-uniform quantization of parameters. The disclosure further relates to a method and apparatus for reconstructing an audio object in an audio decoding system taking the non-uniformly quantized parameters into account. According to the disclosure, such an approach renders it possible to reduce bit consumption without substantially reducing the quality of the reconstructed audio object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Applicant: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Heiko PURNHAGEN, Per EKSTRAND
  • Patent number: 10818306
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Per Ekstrand
  • Patent number: 10811023
    Abstract: The present document relates to time-alignment of encoded data of an audio encoder with associated metadata, such as spectral band replication (SBR) metadata. An audio decoder configured to determine a reconstructed frame of an audio signal from an access unit of a received data stream is described. The access unit comprises waveform data and metadata, wherein the waveform data and the metadata are associated with the same reconstructed frame of the audio signal. The audio decoder comprises a waveform processing path configured to generate a plurality of waveform subband signals from the waveform data, and a metadata processing path configured to generate decoded metadata from the metadata.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Kristofer Kjoerling, Heiko Purnhagen, Jens Popp
  • Patent number: 10796703
    Abstract: Methods and systems encoding a stereo audio signal having a left channel and a right channel are disclosed. The system includes a downmixer for generating a downmix signal and a residual signal from the stereo audio signal in selected frequency bands representing only part of a used audio frequency range of the stereo audio signal, and a decision module for selecting, in a time variant manner, either left/right perceptual encoding or mid/side perceptual encoding. The system also includes a parameter estimator for estimating stereo parameters for reconstructing a stereo image of a portion of the stereo audio signal, and a perceptual encoder for performing either left/right perceptual encoding or mid/side perceptual encoding based on the selecting to generate an encoded output signal. Finally, the system includes a bitstream generator for creating a bitstream signal comprising the encoded output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Heiko Purnhagen, Pontus Carlsson, Kristofer Kjoerling