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 a new type of decode matrix for sound field data, and a new way to obtain the decode matrix.

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.

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 (?+) .

Abstract: The invention improves HOA sound field representation compression. The HOA representation is analysed for the presence of dominant sound sources and their directions are estimated. Then the HOA representation is decomposed into a number of dominant directional signals and a residual component. This residual component is transformed into the discrete spatial domain in order to obtain general plane wave functions at uniform sampling directions, which are predicted from the dominant directional signals. Finally, the prediction error is transformed back to the HOA domain and represents the residual ambient HOA component for which an order reduction is performed, followed by perceptual encoding of the dominant directional signals and the residual component.

Abstract: Currently there is no simple and satisfying way to create 3D audio from existing 2D content. The conversion from 2D to 3D sound should spatially redistribute the sound from existing channels. From a multi-channel 2D audio input signal (x(k)(t)) a 3D sound representation is generated which includes an HOA representation Formula (I) and channel object signals Formula (II) scaled from channels of the 2D audio input signal. Additional signals Formula (III) placed in the 3D space are generated by scaling (21, 222; 41, 422; Formula (IV)) channels from the 2D audio input signal and by decorrelating (24, 25; 44, 45, 451; Formula (V)) a scaled version of a mix of channels from the 2D audio input signal, whereby spatial positions for the additional signals are predetermined. The additional signals Formula (III) are converted (27; 47) to a HOA representation Formula (I).

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.

Abstract: Multi-channel audio content is mixed for a particular loudspeaker setup. However, a consumer's audio setup is very likely to use a different placement of speakers. The present invention provides a method of rendering multi-channel audio that assures replay of the spatial signal components with equal loudness of the signal. A method for obtaining an energy preserving mixing matrix (G) for mixing L1 input audio channels to L2 output channels comprises steps of obtaining a first mixing matrix ?, performing a singular value decomposition on the first mixing matrix ? to obtain a singularity matrix S, processing the singularity matrix S to obtain a processed singularity matrix ?, determining a scaling factor a, and calculating an improved mixing matrix G according to G=a U ? VT. The perceived sound, loudness, timbre and spatial impression of multi-channel audio replayed on an arbitrary loudspeaker setup practically equals that of the original speaker setup.

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 a new type of decode matrix for sound field data, and a new way to obtain the decode matrix.

Abstract: Sound scenes in 3D can be synthesized or captured as a natural sound field. For decoding, a decode matrix is required that is specific for a given loudspeaker setup and is generated using the known loudspeaker positions. However, some source directions are attenuated for 2D loudspeaker setups like e.g. 5.1 surround. An improved method for decoding an encoded audio signal in soundfield format for L loudspeakers at known positions comprises steps of adding (10) a position of at least one virtual loudspeaker to the positions of the L loudspeakers, generating (11) a 3D decode matrix (D?), wherein the positions ({circumflex over (?)}1 . . . {circumflex over (?)}L) of the L loudspeakers and the at least one virtual position ({circumflex over (?)}L+1?) are used, downmixing (12) the 3D decode matrix (D?), and decoding (14) the encoded audio signal (i14) using the downscaled 3D decode matrix ({tilde over (D)}). As a result, a plurality of decoded loudspeaker signals (q14) is obtained.

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 (?+).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an operating module for dynamically creating the user interface on the operating module for controlling and operating a machine of the food industry, in particular the beverage industry. The operating module comprises a plurality of operating elements having attributes, which can assume the value of a parameter and can be activated or deactivated depending on the user. By means of an operating module context, operating elements having certain attributes and values can be selected in order to be displayed on the operating module. The invention further relates to a method for dynamically creating and displaying an operating interface for operating a machine of the food industry.

Abstract: For converting a channel-based 3D audio signal to a higher-order Ambisonics HOA audio signal, the channel-based 3D audio signal is transformed (21) from time domain to frequency domain. A primary ambient decomposition (22) 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 (37) for each triplet. From the directional signals directional information of a total directional signal for each triple is derived (23). That total directional signal is HOA encoded (25) according to the derived directions, and ambient signals are HOA encoded (24) 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 (27) in order to obtain a HOA coefficients signal for the channel-based 3D audio signal, followed by a transformation (26) into time domain.

Abstract: The invention improves HOA sound field representation compression. The HOA representation is analysed for the presence of dominant sound sources and their directions are estimated. Then the HOA representation is decomposed into a number of dominant directional signals and a residual component. This residual component is transformed into the discrete spatial domain in order to obtain general plane wave functions at uniform sampling directions, which are predicted from the dominant directional signals. Finally, the prediction error is transformed back to the HOA domain and represents the residual ambient HOA component for which an order reduction is performed, followed by perceptual encoding of the dominant directional signals and the residual component.

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 (?+).

Abstract: Multi-channel audio content is mixed for a particular loudspeaker setup. However, a consumer's audio setup is very likely to use a different placement of speakers. The present invention provides a method of rendering multi-channel audio that assures replay of the spatial signal components with equal loudness of the signal. A method for obtaining an energy preserving mixing matrix (G) for mixing L1 input audio channels to L2 output channels comprises steps of obtaining a first mixing matrix ?, performing a singular value decomposition on the first mixing matrix ? to obtain a singularity matrix S, processing the singularity matrix S to obtain a processed singularity matrix ?, determining a scaling factor a, and calculating an improved mixing matrix G according to G=aU?VT. The perceived sound, loudness, timbre and spatial impression of multi-channel audio replayed on an arbitrary loudspeaker setup practically equals that of the original speaker setup.

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.

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 a new type of decode matrix for sound field data, and a new way to obtain the decode matrix.

Abstract: Conventional audio compression technologies perform a standardized signal transformation, independent of the type of the content. Multi-channel signals are decomposed into their signal components, subsequently quantized and encoded. This is disadvantageous due to lack of knowledge on the characteristics of scene composition, especially for e.g. multi-channel audio or Higher-Order Ambisonics (HOA) content. An improved method for encoding pre-processed audio data comprises encoding the pre-processed audio data, and encoding auxiliary data that indicate the particular audio pre-processing. An improved method for decoding encoded audio data comprises determining that the encoded audio data had been pre-processed before encoding, decoding the audio data, extracting from received data information about the pre-processing, and post-processing the decoded audio data according to the extracted pre-processing information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decompressing a Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) signal representation is disclosed. The apparatus includes an input interface that receives an encoded directional signal and an encoded ambient signal and an audio decoder that perceptually decodes the encoded directional signal and encoded ambient signal to produce a decoded directional signal and a decoded ambient signal, respectively. The apparatus further includes an extractor for obtaining side information related to the directional signal and an inverse transformer for converting the decoded ambient signal from a spatial domain to an HOA domain representation of the ambient signal. The apparatus also includes a synthesizer for recomposing a Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) signal from the HOA domain representation of the ambient signal and the decoded directional signal. The side information includes a direction of the directional signal selected from a set of uniformly spaced directions.

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 (?+).