Abstract: This invention describes a method for decentralized decoding of a multichannel audio signal by broadcasting the original encoded data and distributing the decoding process between a plurality of receiving units. This allows for the design and manufacture of scalable multichannel audio reproduction systems having an arbitrary number of output channels, composed of a plurality of generic decoder and loudspeaker units each generating fewer output channels. With distributed decoding, a manufacturer can use “off-the-shelf” stereo or mono signal processors, digital-to-analog converters and amplifier components in each generic decoding module, thus reducing manufacturing costs and complexity requirements for each module while offering unlimited scalability in the total number of output channels.

Abstract: A digital signal is processed by splitting it into at least two frequency subbands and the two subband signals are downsampled. A filter is applied in at least one of the subband signals. At least one of the phase and magnitude of the subband filtered signals is matched in the transition frequency band between the two subbands.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods are described for reducing undesired leakage energy produced by a non-front-facing speaker in a multi-speaker system. For example, the multi-speaker system can include an array of forward-facing speakers, one or more upward-facing speakers, and/or one or more side-facing speakers. Filters coupled to any two of the speakers in the multi-speaker system can generate audio signals output by the coupled speakers to reduce, attenuate, or cancel a portion of an audio signal output by one or more non-front-facing speakers that acoustically propagates along a direct path from the respective non-front-facing speaker to a listening position in a listening area in front of the multi-speaker system.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for processing audio signals to influence the reproduction of the audio signals. The apparatus may include a speaker, a headphone (over-the-ear, on-ear, or in-ear), a microphone, a computer, a mobile device, a home theater receiver, a television, a Blu-ray (BD) player, a compact disc (CD) player, a digital media player, or the like. The apparatus may be configured to receive a virtualization profile including a digital audio filter with a design sample rate, resample the virtualization profile to a different sample rate, filter the audio signal with the resampled virtualization profile, and reproduce the filtered audio signal as sound.

Abstract: A method and apparatus may be used to perform personalized audio virtualization. The apparatus may include a speaker, a headphone (over-the-ear, on-ear, or in-ear), a microphone, a computer, a mobile device, a home theater receiver, a television, a Blu-ray (BD) player, a compact disc (CD) player, a digital media player, or the like. The apparatus may be configured to receive an audio signal, scale the audio signal, and perform a convolution and reverberation on the scaled audio signal to produce a convolved audio signal. The apparatus may be configured to filter the convolved audio signal and process the filtered audio signal for output.

Abstract: A digital signal is processed by splitting it into at least two frequency subbands and the two subband signals are downsampled. A filter is applied in at least one of the subband signals. At least one of the phase and magnitude of the subband filtered signals is matched in the transition frequency band between the two subbands.

Abstract: A method and apparatus may be used to perform personalized audio virtualization. The apparatus may include a speaker, a headphone (over-the-ear, on-ear, or in-ear), a microphone, a computer, a mobile device, a home theater receiver, a television, a Blu-ray (BD) player, a compact disc (CD) player, a digital media player, or the like. The apparatus may be configured to receive an audio signal, scale the audio signal, and perform a convolution and reverberation on the scaled audio signal to produce a convolved audio signal. The apparatus may be configured to filter the convolved audio signal and process the filtered audio signal for output.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a surround sound system is disclosed. The method utilizes a microphone array integrated in a front center loudspeaker of the surround sound system or a soundbar facing a listener. Positions of each loudspeaker relative to the microphone array can be estimated by playing a test signal at each loudspeaker and measuring the test signal received at the microphone array. The listener's position can also be estimated by receiving the listener's voice or other sound cues made by the listener using the microphone array. Once the positions of the loudspeakers and the listener's position are estimated, spatial calibrations can be performed for each loudspeaker in the surround sound system so that listening experience is optimized.

Abstract: A sound field coding system and method that provides flexible capture, distribution, and reproduction of immersive audio recordings encoded in a generic digital audio format compatible with standard two-channel or multi-channel reproduction systems. This end-to-end system and method mitigates any impractical need for standard multi-channel microphone array configurations in consumer mobile devices such as smart phones or cameras. The system and method capture and spatially encode two-channel or multi-channel immersive audio signals that are compatible with legacy playback systems from flexible multi-channel microphone array configurations.

Abstract: An input audio signal is equalized to form an output audio signal on the basis of an intended listening sound pressure level, the output capabilities of a particular playback device, and unique hearing characteristics of a listener. An intended listening level is first determined based on the properties of the audio signal and a mastering sound level. The intended listening level is used to determine an optimal sound pressure level for the particular playback device based on its capabilities and any master volume gain. These two levels are used to determine how much louder to make individual frequencies based on data pertaining to human auditory perception, either standardized or directly measured. The audio is further compensated on the basis of hearing loss data, again either standardized or directly measured, after optionally extending the signal bandwidth. The final, compensated audio signal is sent to the playback device for playback.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for processing audio signals to influence the reproduction of the audio signals. The apparatus may include a speaker, a headphone (over-the-ear, on-ear, or in-ear), a microphone, a computer, a mobile device, a home theater receiver, a television, a Blu-ray (BD) player, a compact disc (CD) player, a digital media player, or the like. The apparatus may be configured to receive a virtualization profile including a digital audio filter with a design sample rate, resample the virtualization profile to a different sample rate, filter the audio signal with the resampled virtualization profile, and reproduce the filtered audio signal as sound.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a system and method for decorrelating an audio signal with a hybrid filter. The hybrid filter is generated by first generating a decorrelation filter. A frequency-dependent warping is applied to the decorrelation filter. The warped decorrelation filter is then mixed with a carrier filter to generate the hybrid filter. The carrier filter may include filters for spatial processing of an audio signal, filters for upmixing an audio signal, and/or filters for downmixing an audio signal.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a surround sound system is disclosed. The method utilizes a microphone array integrated in a front center loudspeaker of the surround sound system or a soundbar facing a listener. Positions of each loudspeaker relative to the microphone array can be estimated by playing a test signal at each loudspeaker and measuring the test signal received at the microphone array. The listener's position can also be estimated by receiving the listener's voice or other sound cues made by the listener using the microphone array. Once the positions of the loudspeakers and the listener's position are estimated, spatial calibrations can be performed for each loudspeaker in the surround sound system so that listening experience is optimized.

Abstract: There are provided methods and an apparatus for conditioning an audio signal. According to one aspect of the present invention there is included a method for conditioning an audio signal having the steps of: receiving at least one audio signal, each audio signal having at least one channel, each channel being segmented into a plurality of frames over a series of time; calculating at least one measure of dynamic excursion of the audio signal for a plurality of successive segments of time; filtering the audio signal into a plurality of subbands, each frame being represented by at least one subband; deriving a dynamic gain factor from the successive segments of time; analyzing at least one subband of the frame to determine if a transient exists in the frame; and applying the dynamic gain factor to each frame having a transient.

Abstract: An audio processing system for processing a single channel audio signal includes a a processor configured to derive a synthetic difference component from the single channel audio input signal a filtering module configured to apply a first filter to the sum signal represented by the single channel signal and to apply a second filter to the synthetic difference signal; and a control module configured to crossfade to control the amount of the resulting audio signal effect by respectively scaling the sum signal and the difference signal.

Abstract: A system can include a hardware processor that can receive left and right audio signals and process the left and right audio signals to generate three or more processed audio signals. The three or more processed audio signals can include a left audio signal, a right audio signal, and a center audio signal. The processor can also filter each of the left and right audio signals with one or more first virtualization filters to produce filtered left and right signals. The processor can also filter a portion of the center audio signal with a second virtualization filter to produce a filtered center signal. Further, the processor can combine the filtered left signal, filtered right signal, and filtered center signal to produce left and right output signals and output the filtered left and right output signals.

Abstract: Embodiments of a virtual surround-sound system and methods for simulating surround-sound are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In some embodiments, a processing module may include spatial processor spatially processes surround-left and surround-right channel signals and front-left and front-right channel signals and combines the spatially-processed signals for providing to drivers of center speaker after crosstalk cancellation and combining with a center-channel signal. In some embodiments, the processing module may include circuitry to cause the spatial processor to refrain from spatially processing either the front-left and front-right channel signals when front-left and/or front-right speakers are connected.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a system and method for decorrelating an audio signal with a hybrid filter. The hybrid filter is generated by first generating a decorrelation filter. A frequency-dependent warping is applied to the decorrelation filter. The warped decorrelation filter is then mixed with a carrier filter to generate the hybrid filter. The carrier filter may include filters for spatial processing of an audio signal, filters for upmixing an audio signal, and/or filters for downmixing an audio signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus may be used to perform personalized audio virtualization. The apparatus may include a speaker, a headphone (over-the-ear, on-ear, or in-ear), a microphone, a computer, a mobile device, a home theater receiver, a television, a Blu-ray (BD) player, a compact disc (CD) player, a digital media player, or the like. The apparatus may be configured to receive an audio signal, scale the audio signal, and perform a convolution and reverberation on the scaled audio signal to produce a convolved audio signal. The apparatus may be configured to filter the convolved audio signal and process the filtered audio signal for output.

Abstract: A two-channel phase-amplitude stereo encoding and decoding scheme enabling flexible and spatially accurate interactive 3-D audio reproduction via standard audio-only two-channel transmission. The encoding scheme allows associating a 2-D or 3-D positional localization to each of a plurality of sound sources by use of frequency independent inter-channel phase and amplitude differences. The decoder is based on frequency-domain spatial analysis of 2-D or 3-D directional cues in a two-channel stereo signal and re-synthesis of these cues using any preferred spatialization technique, thereby allowing faithful reproduction of positional audio cues and reverberation or ambient cues over arbitrary multi-channel loudspeaker reproduction formats or over headphones, while preserving source separation despite the intermediate encoding over only two audio channels.