Patents by Inventor Johannes Boehm

Johannes Boehm 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: 10939220
    Abstract: The invention discloses rendering sound field signals, such as Higher-Order Ambisonics (HOA), for arbitrary loudspeaker setups, where the rendering results in highly improved localization properties and is energy preserving. This is obtained by rendering an audio sound field representation for arbitrary spatial loudspeaker setups and/or by a a decoder that decodes based on a decode matrix (D). The decode matrix (D) is based on smoothing and scaling of a first decode matrix {circumflex over (D)} with smoothing coefficients. The first decode matrix {circumflex over (D)} is based on a mix matrix G and a mode matrix {tilde over (?)}, where the mix matrix G was determined based on L speakers and positions of a spherical modelling grid related to a HOA order N, and the mode matrix {tilde over (?)} was determined based on the spherical modelling grid and the HOA order N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Boehm, Florian Keiler
  • Publication number: 20210051432
    Abstract: A method for generating loudspeaker signals associated with a target screen size is disclosed. The method includes receiving a bit stream containing encoded higher order ambisonics signals, the encoded higher order ambisonics signals describing a sound field associated with a production screen size. The method further includes decoding the encoded higher order ambisonics signals to obtain a first set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals representing dominant components of the sound field and a second set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals representing ambient components of the sound field. The method also includes combining the first set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals and the second set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals to produce a combined set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter JAX, Johannes BOEHM, William REDMANN
  • Patent number: 10893372
    Abstract: A method for performing DRC on a HOA signal comprises transforming the HOA signal to the spatial domain, analyzing the transformed HOA signal, and obtaining, from results of said analyzing, gain factors that are usable for dynamic compression. The gain factors can be transmitted together with the HOA signal. When applying the DRC, the HOA signal is transformed to the spatial domain, the gain factors are extracted and multiplied with the transformed HOA signal in the spatial domain, wherein a gain compensated transformed HOA signal is obtained. The gain compensated transformed HOA signal is transformed back into the HOA domain, wherein a gain compensated HOA signal is obtained. The DRC may be applied in the QMF-filter bank domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Boehm, Florian Keiler
  • Publication number: 20200382889
    Abstract: Improved methods and/or apparatus for decoding an encoded audio signal in soundfield format for L loudspeakers. The method and/or apparatus can render an Ambisonics format audio signal to 2D loudspeaker setup(s) based on a rendering matrix. The rendering matrix has elements based on loudspeaker positions and wherein the rendering matrix is determined based on weighting at least an element of a first matrix with a weighting factor g=1/?{square root over (L)}. The first matrix is determined based on positions of the L loudspeakers and at least a virtual position of at least a virtual loudspeaker that is added to the positions of the L loudspeakers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Florian Keiler, Johannes Boehm
  • Publication number: 20200359150
    Abstract: A method for performing DRC on a HOA signal comprises transforming the HOA signal to the spatial domain, analyzing the transformed HOA signal, and obtaining, from results of said analyzing, gain factors that are usable for dynamic compression. The gain factors can be transmitted together with the HOA signal. When applying the DRC, the HOA signal is transformed to the spatial domain, the gain factors are extracted and multiplied with the transformed HOA signal in the spatial domain, wherein a gain compensated transformed HOA signal is obtained. The gain compensated transformed HOA signal is transformed back into the HOA domain, wherein a gain compensated HOA signal is obtained. The DRC may be applied in the QMF-filter bank domain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes BOEHM, Florian KEILER
  • Patent number: 10827295
    Abstract: For generating 3D audio content from a two-channel stereo signal, the stereo signal (x(t)) is partitioned into overlapping sample blocks and is transformed into time-frequency domain. From the stereo signal directional and ambient signal components are separated, wherein the estimated directions of the directional components are changed by a predetermined factor, wherein, if changes are within a predetermined interval, they are combined in order to form a directional centre channel object signal. For the other directions an encoding to Higher Order Ambisonics HOA is performed. Additional ambient signal channels are generated by de-correlation and rating by gain factors, followed by encoding to HOA. The directional HOA signals and the ambient HOA signals are combined, and the combined HOA signal and the centre channel object signals are transformed to time domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Boehm, Xiaoming Chen
  • Publication number: 20200296531
    Abstract: The invention improves HOA sound field representation compression and decompression. A decoder decodes compressed dominant directional signals and compressed residual component signals so as to provide decompressed dominant directional signals and decompressed time domain signals representing a residual HOA component in a spatial domain. A re-correlator re-correlates the decompressed time domain signals to obtain a corresponding reduced-order residual HOA component. A processor determines a decompressed residual HOA component based on the corresponding reduced-order residual HOA component, and determines predicted directional signals based on at least a parameter. The processor is further configured to determine an HOA sound field representation based on the decompressed dominant directional signals, the predicted directional signals, and the decompressed residual HOA component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexander Krueger, Sven Kordon, Johannes Boehm
  • Patent number: 10771912
    Abstract: A method for generating loudspeaker signals associated with a target screen size is disclosed. The method includes receiving a bit stream containing encoded higher order ambisonics signals, the encoded higher order ambisonics signals describing a sound field associated with a production screen size. The method further includes decoding the encoded higher order ambisonics signals to obtain a first set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals representing dominant components of the sound field and a second set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals representing ambient components of the sound field. The method also includes combining the first set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals and the second set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals to produce a combined set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Jax, Johannes Boehm, William Redmann
  • Publication number: 20200273470
    Abstract: Soundfield signals such as e.g. Ambisonics carry a representation of a desired sound field. The Ambisonics format is based on spherical harmonic decomposition of the soundfield, and Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) uses spherical harmonics of at least 2nd order. However, commonly used loudspeaker setups are irregular and lead to problems in decoder design. A method for improved decoding an audio soundfield representation for audio playback comprises calculating a panning function (W) using a geometrical method based on the positions of a plurality of loudspeakers and a plurality of source directions, calculating a mode matrix (?) from the loudspeaker positions, calculating a pseudo-inverse mode matrix (?+) and decoding the audio soundfield representation. The decoding is based on a decode matrix (D) that is obtained from the panning function (W) and the pseudo-inverse mode matrix (?+).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Johann-Markus BATKE, Florian KEILER, Johannes BOEHM
  • Publication number: 20200252737
    Abstract: The invention discloses rendering sound field signals, such as Higher-Order Ambisonics (HOA), for arbitrary loudspeaker setups, where the rendering results in highly improved localization properties and is energy preserving. This is obtained by rendering an audio sound field representation for arbitrary spatial loudspeaker setups and/or by a a decoder that decodes based on a decode matrix (D). The decode matrix (D) is based on smoothing and scaling of a first decode matrix {circumflex over (D)} with smoothing coefficients. The first decode matrix {circumflex over (D)} is based on a mix matrix G and a mode matrix {tilde over (?)}, where the mix matrix G was determined based on L speakers and positions of a spherical modelling grid related to a HOA order N, and the mode matrix {tilde over (?)} was determined based on the spherical modelling grid and the HOA order N.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Boehm, Florian Keiler
  • Patent number: 10694308
    Abstract: Improved methods and/or apparatus for decoding an encoded audio signal in soundfield format for L loudspeakers. The method and/or apparatus can render an Ambisonics format audio signal to 2D loudspeaker setup(s) based on a rendering matrix. The rendering matrix has elements based on loudspeaker positions and wherein the rendering matrix is determined based on weighting at least an element of a first matrix with a weighting factor g=1/?{square root over (L)}. The first matrix is determined based on positions of the L loudspeakers and at least a virtual position of at least a virtual loudspeaker that is added to the positions of the L loudspeakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Florian Keiler, Johannes Boehm
  • Patent number: 10638244
    Abstract: A method for performing DRC on a HOA signal comprises transforming the HOA signal to the spatial domain, analyzing the transformed HOA signal, and obtaining, from results of said analyzing, gain factors that are usable for dynamic compression. The gain factors can be transmitted together with the HOA signal. When applying the DRC, the HOA signal is transformed to the spatial domain, the gain factors are extracted and multiplied with the transformed HOA signal in the spatial domain, wherein a gain compensated transformed HOA signal is obtained. The gain compensated transformed HOA signal is transformed back into the HOA domain, wherein a gain compensated HOA signal is obtained. The DRC may be applied in the QMF-filter bank domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Boehm, Florian Keiler
  • Patent number: 10629211
    Abstract: Soundfield signals such as e.g. Ambisonics carry a representation of a desired sound field. The Ambisonics format is based on spherical harmonic decomposition of the soundfield, and Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) uses spherical harmonics of at least 2nd order. However, commonly used loudspeaker setups are irregular and lead to problems in decoder design. A method for improved decoding an audio soundfield representation for audio playback comprises calculating a panning function (W) using a geometrical method based on the positions of a plurality of loudspeakers and a plurality of source directions, calculating a mode matrix (?) from the loudspeaker positions, calculating a pseudo-inverse mode matrix (?+) and decoding the audio soundfield representation. The decoding is based on a decode matrix (D) that is obtained from the panning function (W) and the pseudo-inverse mode matrix (?+).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johann-Markus Batke, Florian Keiler, Johannes Boehm
  • Patent number: 10623881
    Abstract: A method, a computer readable storage medium, and an apparatus for determining a target sound scene at a target position from two or more source sound scenes. A positioning unit positions spatial domain representations of the two or more source sound scenes in a virtual scene. These representations are represented by virtual loudspeaker positions. A projecting unit then obtains projected virtual loudspeaker positions of a spatial domain representation of the target sound scene by projecting the virtual loudspeaker positions of the two or more source sound scenes on a circle or a sphere around the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: InterDigital CE Patent Holdings
    Inventors: Achim Freimann, Jithin Zacharias, Peter Steinborn, Ulrich Gries, Johannes Boehm, Sven Kordon
  • Patent number: 10614821
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods for decoding Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) audio signals. HOA audio signals may be decompressed based on perceptual decoding to determine at least an HOA representation corresponding to the HOA audio signals. A rotated transform may be determined based on a rotation of a spherical sample grid. A rotated HOA representation may be determined based on the rotated transform and the HOA representation. The rotated HOA representation may be rendered to output to a loudspeaker setup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Boehm, Sven Kordon, Alexander Krueger, Peter Jax
  • Patent number: 10609501
    Abstract: The invention improves HOA sound field representation compression and decompression. A decoder decodes compressed dominant directional signals and compressed residual component signals so as to provide decompressed dominant directional signals and decompressed time domain signals representing a residual HOA component in a spatial domain. A re-correlator re-correlates the decompressed time domain signals to obtain a corresponding reduced-order residual HOA component. A processor determines a decompressed residual HOA component based on the corresponding reduced-order residual HOA component, and determines predicted directional signals based on at least a parameter. The processor is further configured to determine an HOA sound field representation based on the decompressed dominant directional signals, the predicted directional signals, and the decompressed residual HOA component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Krueger, Sven Kordon, Johannes Boehm
  • Patent number: 10600425
    Abstract: A system for converting a channel-based 3D audio signal to a higher-order Ambisonics HOA audio signal, the channel-based 3D audio signal is transformed from time domain to frequency domain. A primary ambient decomposition is carried out for three-channel triplets of blocks of the domain channel-based 3D audio signal, wherein directional signals and ambient signals are provided for each triplet. From the directional signals directional information of a total directional signal for each triple is derived. That total directional signal is HOA encoded according to the derived directions, and ambient signals are HOA encoded according to channel positions. The HOA coefficients of the HOA encoded directional signal and the HOA coefficients of the HOA encoded ambient signal are superimposed in order to obtain a HOA coefficients signal for the channel-based 3D audio signal, followed by a transformation into time domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Boehm, Xiaoming Chen
  • Patent number: 10595145
    Abstract: The invention discloses rendering sound field signals, such as Higher-Order Ambisonics (HOA), for arbitrary loudspeaker setups, where the rendering results in highly improved localization properties and is energy preserving. This is obtained by rendering an audio sound field representation for arbitrary spatial loudspeaker setups and/or by a decoder that decodes based on a decode matrix (D). The decode matrix (D) is based on smoothing and scaling of a first decode matrix {circumflex over (D)} with smoothing coefficients. The first decode matrix {circumflex over (D)} is based on a mix matrix G and a mode matrix {tilde over (?)}, where the mix matrix G was determined based on L speakers and positions of a spherical modelling grid related to a HOA order N, and the mode matrix {tilde over (?)} was determined based on the spherical modelling grid and the HOA order N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Boehm, Florian Keiler
  • Publication number: 20200068330
    Abstract: A method for performing DRC on a HOA signal comprises transforming the HOA signal to the spatial domain, analyzing the transformed HOA signal, and obtaining, from results of said analyzing, gain factors that are usable for dynamic compression. The gain factors can be transmitted together with the HOA signal. When applying the DRC, the HOA signal is transformed to the spatial domain, the gain factors are extracted and multiplied with the transformed HOA signal in the spatial domain, wherein a gain compensated transformed HOA signal is obtained. The gain compensated transformed HOA signal is transformed back into the HOA domain, wherein a gain compensated HOA signal is obtained. The DRC may be applied in the QMF-filter bank domain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes BOEHM, Florian KEILER
  • Patent number: 10567899
    Abstract: A method for performing DRC on a HOA signal comprises transforming the HOA signal to the spatial domain, analyzing the transformed HOA signal, and obtaining, from results of said analyzing, gain factors that are usable for dynamic compression. The gain factors can be transmitted together with the HOA signal. When applying the DRC, the HOA signal is transformed to the spatial domain, the gain factors are extracted and multiplied with the transformed HOA signal in the spatial domain, wherein a gain compensated transformed HOA signal is obtained. The gain compensated transformed HOA signal is transformed back into the HOA domain, wherein a gain compensated HOA signal is obtained. The DRC may be applied in the QMF-filter bank domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Boehm, Florian Keiler