With Encoder Patents (Class 381/23)
  • Patent number: 8041041
    Abstract: A system for generating stereo-channel audio signals with surround information is disclosed. The system includes a surround mapping unit configured to receive signals from a number of audio channels and generate a pair of stereo-channel audio signals based on the audio channels. The pair of stereo-channel audio signals includes binaural and spatial information. The system also includes a stereo-channel encoder configured to receive and encode the pair of stereo-channel audio signals from the surround mapping unit thereby generating a pair of encoded stereo-channel audio signals. The system further includes a stereo-channel decoder configured to receive and decode the pair of encoded stereo-channel audio signals thereby obtaining the pair of stereo-channel audio signals. The pair of stereo-channel audio signals are capable of being used to generate surround effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Anyka (Guangzhou) Microelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fa-Long Luo, Zhenyu Wei, Xiang Wan, Norman Hu
  • Patent number: 8036390
    Abstract: A scalable encoding device prevents sound quality deterioration of a decoded signal, reduces the encoding rate, and reduces the circuit size. The scalable encoding device includes a first layer encoder for generating a monaural signal by using a plurality of channel signals (L channel signal and R channel signal) constituting a stereo signal and encoding the monaural signal to generate a sound source parameter. The scalable encoding device also includes a second layer encoder for generating a first conversion signal by using the channel signal and the monaural signal, generating a synthesis signal by using the sound source parameter and the first conversion signal, and generating a second conversion coefficient index by using the synthesis signal and the first conversion signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Michiyo Goto, Koji Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20110235810
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for generating a multi-channel synthesizer control signal, a multi-channel synthesizer, a method of generating an output signal from an input signal and a machine-readable storage medium are provided. On an encoder-side, a multi-channel input signal is analyzed for obtaining smoothing control information, which is to be used by a decoder-side multi-channel synthesis for smoothing quantized transmitted parameters or values derived from the quantized transmitted parameters for providing an improved subjective audio quality in particular for slowly moving point sources and rapidly moving point sources having tonal material such as fast moving sinusoids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicants: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V., CODING TECHNOLOGIES AB, KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: MATTHIAS NEUSINGER, JÜRGEN HERRE, SASCHA DISCH, HEIKO PURNHAGEN, KRISTOFER KJÖRLING, JONAS ENGDEGARD, JEROEN BREEBAART, ERIK SCHUIJERS, WERNER OOMEN
  • Patent number: 8027479
    Abstract: A multi-channel decoder for generating a binaural signal from a downmix signal using upmix rule information on an energy-error introducing upmix rule for calculating a gain factor based on the upmix rule information and characteristics of head related transfer function based filters corresponding to upmix channels. The one or more gain factors are used by a filter processor for filtering the downmix signal so that an energy corrected binaural signal having a left binaural channel and a right binaural channel is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Coding Technologies AB
    Inventor: Lars Villemoes
  • Patent number: 8027480
    Abstract: A method and circuit for deriving a set of multichannel audio signals from a conventional monaural or stereo audio signal uses an auxiliary multichannel spectral mapping data stream. Audio can be played back in stereo and multichannel formats from a conventional stereo signal on compact discs, FM radio, or other stereo or monaural delivery systems. The invention reduces the data rate needed for the transmission of multichannel digital audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Inventor: Terry D. Beard
  • Patent number: 8023660
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing a set of spatial cues associated with an upmix audio signal having more than two channels on the basis of a two-channel microphone signal has a signal analyzer and a spatial side information generator. The signal analyzer is configured to obtain a component energy information and a direction information on the basis of the two-channel microphone signal, such that the component energy information describes estimates of energies of a direct sound component of the two-channel microphone signal and of a diffuse sound component of the two-channel microphone signal, and such that the directional information describes an estimate of a direction from which the direct sound component of the two-channel microphone signal originates. The spatial side information generator is configured to map the component energy information and the direction information onto a spatial cue information describing the set of spatial cues associated with an upmix audio signal having more than two channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventor: Christof Faller
  • Patent number: 8019614
    Abstract: A temporal processing apparatus includes: a splitter splitting an audio signal, included in the sub-band domain, into diffuse signals indicating reverberating components and direct signals indicating non-reverberating components; a downmix unit generating a downmix signal by downmixing the direct signals; BPFs respectively generating a bandpass downmix signal and bandpass diffuse signals; normalization processing units respectively generating a normalized downmix signal and normalized diffuse signals; a scale computation processing unit computing, on a predetermined time slot basis, a scale factor indicating the magnitude of energy of the normalized downmix signal with respect to energy of the normalized diffuse signals; a calculating unit generating scale diffuse signals; a HPF generating high-pass diffuse signals; an adding unit generating addition signals; and a synthesis filter bank performing synthesis filter processing on the addition signals and transforming the addition signals into the time domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takagi, Kok Seng Chong, Takeshi Norimatsu, Shuji Miyasaka, Akihisa Kawamura, Kojiro Ono, Tomokazu Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8015018
    Abstract: Each of N audio signals are filtered with a unique decorrelating filter (38) characteristic, the characteristic being a causal linear time-invariant characteristic in the time domain or the equivalent thereof in the frequency domain, and, for each decorrelating filter characteristic, combining (40, 44, 46), in a time and frequency varying manner, its input (Zi) and output (Z-i) signals to provide a set of N processed signals (X i). The set of decorrelation filter characteristics are designed so that all of the input and output signals are approximately mutually decorrelated. The set of N audio signals may be synthesized from M audio signals by upmixing (36), where M is one or more and N is greater than M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Alan Jeffrey Seefeldt, Mark Stuart Vinton
  • Patent number: 8014535
    Abstract: A method and circuit for deriving a set of multichannel audio signals from a conventional monaural or stereo audio signal uses an auxiliary multichannel spectral mapping data stream. Audio can be played back in stereo and multichannel formats from a conventional stereo signal on compact discs, FM radio, or other stereo or monaural delivery systems. The invention reduces the data rate needed for the transmission of multichannel digital audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Inventor: Terry D. Beard
  • Patent number: 8014534
    Abstract: The present invention provides improvements to prior art audio codecs that generate a stereo-illusion through post-processing of a received mono signal. These improvements are accomplished by extraction of stereo-image describing parameters at the encoder side, which are transmitted and subsequently used for control of a stereo generator at the decoder side. Furthermore, the invention bridges the gap between simple pseudo-stereo methods, and current methods of true stereo-coding, by using a new form of parametric stereo coding. A stereo-balance parameter is introduced, which enables more advanced stereo modes, and in addition forms the basis of a new method of stereo-coding of spectral envelopes, of particular use in systems where guided HFR (High Frequency Reconstruction) is employed. As a special case, the application of this stereo-coding scheme in scalable HFR-based codecs is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Coding Technologies AB
    Inventors: Fredrik Henn, Kristofer Kjorling, Lars Liljeryd, Jonas Roden, Jonas Engdegard
  • Publication number: 20110211703
    Abstract: A parametric representation of a multi-channel audio signal having parameters suited to be used together with a monophonic downmix signal to calculate a reconstruction of the multi-channel audio signal can efficiently be derived in a stereo-backwards compatible way when a parameter combiner is used to generate the parametric representation by combining a one or more spatial parameters and a stereo parameter resulting in a parametric representation having a decoder usable stereo parameter and an information on the one or more spatial parameters that represents, together with the decoder usable stereo parameter, the one or more spatial parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventors: Lars Villemoes, Heiko Purnhagen, Jonas Roeden, Jonas Engdegard, Jeroen Breebaart, Erik Schuijers
  • Publication number: 20110200198
    Abstract: An audio encoder has a common preprocessing stage, an information sink based encoding branch such as spectral domain encoding branch, a information source based encoding branch such as an LPC-domain encoding branch and a switch for switching between these branches at inputs into these branches or outputs of these branches controlled by a decision stage. An audio decoder has a spectral domain decoding branch, an LPC-domain decoding branch, one or more switches for switching between the branches and a common post-processing stage for post-processing a time-domain audio signal for obtaining a post-processed audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Inventors: Bernhard Grill, Stefan Bayer, Guillaume Fuchs, Stefan Geyersberger, Ralf Geiger, Johannes Hilpert, Ulrich Kraemer, Jeremie Lecomte, Markus Multrus, Max Neuendorf, Harald Popp, Nikolaus Rettelbach, Frederik Nagel, Sascha Disch, Juergen Herre, Yoshikazu Yokotani, Stefan Wabnik, Gerald Schuller, Jens Hirschfeld
  • Publication number: 20110182432
    Abstract: A coding apparatus which suppresses an extreme increase in a bit rate, includes: a downmixing and coding unit (301) that downmixes audio signals that have been provided, to reduce the number of channels to be fewer than the number of the provided audio signals, and to code the downmix signals; an object parameter extracting unit (304) that extracts parameters indicating correlation between the audio signals; and a multiplexing circuit (309) that multiplexes the extracted parameters with the generated downmix coded signals. The object parameter extracting unit (304) includes: an object classifying unit (305) that classifies each of the provided audio signals into a predetermined one of types based on audio characteristics; and an object parameter extracting circuit (308) that extracts parameters using a temporal granularity and a frequency granularity each of which is determined for a corresponding one of the types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Tomokazu Ishikawa, Takeshi Norimatsu, Kok Seng Chong, Huan Zhou
  • Publication number: 20110182433
    Abstract: A decoding apparatus (10) is disclosed which includes: a storing means (11) for storing encoded audio signals including multi-channel audio signals; a transforming means (40) for transforming the encoded audio signals to generate transform block-based audio signals in a time domain; a window processing means (41) for multiplying the transform block-based audio signals by a product of a mixture ratio of the audio signals and a first window function, the product being a second window function; a synthesizing means (43) for overlapping the multiplied transform block-based audio signals to synthesize audio signals of respective channels; and a mixing means (14) for mixing audio signals of the respective channels between the channels to generate a downmixed audio signal. Furthermore, an encoding apparatus is also disclosed which downmixes the multi-channel audio signals, encodes the downmixed audio signals, and generates the encoded, downmixed audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventor: Yousuke Takada
  • Patent number: 7986789
    Abstract: A multi-channel input signal having at least three original channels is represented by a parameter representation of the multi-channel signal. A first balance parameter, a first coherence parameter, or a first inter-channel time difference between a first channel pair and a second balance parameter, or a second coherence parameter, or a second inter-channel time difference parameter between a second channel pair are calculated. This set of parameters is the parameter representation of the original signals. The first channel pair has two channels, which are different from two channels of a second channel pair. Furthermore, each channel of the two channel pairs is one of the original channels, or a weighted combination of the original channels, and the first channel pair and the second channel pair include information on the three original channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Coding Technologies AB
    Inventors: Heiko Purnhagen, Lars Villemoes, Jonas Engdegard, Jonas Roeden, Kristofer Kjoerling
  • Patent number: 7983922
    Abstract: On an encoder-side, a multi-channel input signal is analyzed for obtaining smoothing control information, which is to be used by a decoder-side multi-channel synthesis for smoothing quantized transmitted parameters or values derived from the quantized transmitted parameters for providing an improved subjective audio quality in particular for slowly moving point sources and rapidly moving point sources having tonal material such as fast moving sinusoids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Matthias Neusinger, Jürgen Herre, Sascha Disch, Heiko Purnhagen, Kristofer Kjörling, Jonas Engdegard, Jeroen Breebaart, Erik Schuijers, Werner Oomen
  • Patent number: 7983424
    Abstract: The envelope of a decorrelated signal derived from an original signal can be shaped without introducing additional distortion, when a spectral flattener is used to spectrally flatten the spectrum of the decorrelated signal and the original signal prior to using the flattened spectra for deriving a gain factor describing the energy distribution between the flattened spectra, and when the so derived gain factor is used by an envelope shaper to timely shape the envelope of the decorrelated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V., Coding Technologies AB
    Inventors: Kristofer Kjörling, Jürgen Herre, Sascha Disch, Lars Villemoes
  • Publication number: 20110164756
    Abstract: Generic and specific C-to-E binaural cue coding (BCC) schemes are described, including those in which one or more of the input channels are transmitted as unmodified channels that are not downmixed at the BCC encoder and not upmixed at the BCC decoder. The specific BCC schemes described include 5-to-2, 6-to-5, 7-to-5, 6.1-to-5.1, 7.1-to-5.1, and 6.2-to-5.1, where “.1” indicates a single low-frequency effects (LFE) channel and “.2” indicates two LFE channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: AGERE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Frank Baumgarte, Jiashu Chen, Christof Faller
  • Publication number: 20110158415
    Abstract: An audio signal decoder for providing a decoded multi-channel audio signal representation on the basis of an encoded multi-channel audio signal representation has a time warp decoder configured to selectively use individual audio channel specific time warp contours or a joint multi-channel time warp contour for a reconstruction of a plurality of audio channels represented by the encoded multi-channel audio signal representation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Stefan Bayer, Sascha Disch, Ralf Geiger, Guillaume Fuchs, Max Neuendorf, Gerald Schuller, Bernd Edler
  • Patent number: 7966147
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, generating images according to intersection points includes obtaining samples of signals from transmitter-receiver pairs. A transmitter-receiver pair is configured to transmit a signal and receive the signal reflected by an object. Intersection points are determined, where an intersection point indicates an intersection for integer multiples of a sample-time distance. A subset of samples corresponding to the intersection points is selected. Image data is generated from the selected subset of samples, where the image data is used to generate an image of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: William T. Jennings, Dache′ P. Barnhart
  • Patent number: 7965848
    Abstract: An intermediate channel representation of a multi-channel signal can be reconstructed highly efficient and with high fidelity, when upmix parameters for upmixing a transmitted downmix signal to the intermediate channel representation are derived that allow for an upmix using the same upmixing algorithms as within the multi-channel reconstruction. This can be achieved when a parameter re-calculator is used to derive the upmix parameters that takes into account also parameters having information on channels that are not included in the intermediate channel representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignees: Dolby International AB, Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Lars Villemoes, Kristofer Kjoerling, Jeroen Breebaart
  • Patent number: 7965849
    Abstract: A method and circuit for deriving a set of multichannel audio signals from a conventional monaural or stereo audio signal uses an auxiliary multichannel spectral mapping data stream. Audio can be played back in stereo and multichannel formats from a conventional stereo signal on compact discs, FM radio, or other stereo or monaural delivery systems. The invention reduces the data rate needed for the transmission of multichannel digital audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Inventor: Terry D. Beard
  • Patent number: 7961889
    Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of processing a multi-channel audio signal using space information. The apparatus includes: a main coding unit down mixing a multi-channel audio signal by applying space information to surround components included in the multi-channel audio signal, generating side information using the multi-channel audio signal or a stereo signal of a down-mixed result, coding the stereo signal and the side information, and transmitting the coded result as a coding signal; and a main decoding unit receiving the coding signal, decoding the stereo signal and the side information using the received coding signal, up mixing the decoded stereo signal using the decoded side information, and restoring the multi-channel audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junghoe Kim, Sangchul Ko, Shihwa Lee, Eunmi Oh, Miao Lei
  • Patent number: 7961890
    Abstract: A parametric representation of a multi-channel audio signal describes the spatial properties of the audio signal well with compact side information when a coherence information, describing the coherence between a first and a second channel, is derived within a hierarchical encoding process only for channel pairs including a first channel having only information of a left side with respect to a listening position and including a second channel having only information from a right side with respect to a listening position. As within the hierarchical process the multiple audio channels of the audio signal are downmixed iteratively into monophonic channels, one can pick the relevant parameters from an encoding step involving only channel pairs carrying the information needed to describe the spatial properties of the multi-channel audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung, e.V., Coding Technologies AB, Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Andreas Hölzer, Jürgen Herre, Heiko Purnhagen, Kristofer Kjörling, Jonas Röden, Lars Villemoes, Jonas Engdegard, Jeroen Breebaart, Erik Schuijers, Werner Oomen
  • Patent number: 7945055
    Abstract: A first signal representation of one or more of the multiple channels is encoded in a first encoding process, and a second signal representation of one or more of the multiple channels is encoded in a second, filter-based encoding process. Filter smoothing can be used to reduce the effects of coding artifacts. However, conventional filter smoothing generally leads to a rather large performance reduction and is therefore not widely used. It has been recognized that coding artifacts are perceived as more annoying than temporary reduction in stereo width, and that they are especially annoying when the coding filter provides a poor estimate of the target signal; the poorer the estimate, the more disturbing artifacts. Therefore, signal-adaptive filter smoothing is introduced in the second encoding process or a corresponding decoding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericcson (publ)
    Inventors: Anisse Taleb, Stefan Andersson
  • Patent number: 7941320
    Abstract: Generic and specific C-to-E binaural cue coding (BCC) schemes are described, including those in which one or more of the input channels are transmitted as unmodified channels that are not downmixed at the BCC encoder and not upmixed at the BCC decoder. The specific BCC schemes described include 5-to-2, 6-to-5, 7-to-5, 6.1-to-5.1, 7.1-to-5.1, and 6.2-to-5.1, where “0.1” indicates a single low-frequency effects (LFE) channel and “0.2” indicates two LFE channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Agere Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Baumgarte, Jiashu Chen, Christof Faller
  • Publication number: 20110103593
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a pipelined dual audio path processing audio CODEC are disclosed and may comprise centrally generating multiplexer (MUX) select signals for clock domains in an audio CODEC including a plurality of audio inputs and audio processing paths. The MUX select signals may be generated in a single clock domain. Each of the audio processing paths may traverse a plurality of clock domains and may include infinite impulse response (IIR) and cascaded integrator comb (CIC) filters. One or more adders may be shared in the CIC filters, and one or more multipliers and one or more adders may be shared in the IIR filters. The clock domains may be synchronized utilizing the centrally generated enable signals. An output signal of the IIR filters may be buffered in each of the audio paths utilizing a first-in-first-out buffer. The MUX select signals may be generated utilizing a finite state machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventor: Thirunathan Sutharsan
  • Publication number: 20110103592
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method of encoding and decoding multiple channel signals based upon phase information and one or more residual signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung Hoe Kim, Eun Mi Oh
  • Publication number: 20110106543
    Abstract: A method and associated device are provided for spatial synthesis of a sum signal to obtain at least two output signals, the sum signal as well as the spatialization parameters being output from a parametric coding by matrixing of an original multi-channel signal. The method comprises: decorrelation of the sum signal to obtain a decorrelated signal; applying a synthesis matrix, whose coefficients depend on the spatialization parameters, to the decorrelated signal and to the sum signal to obtain said output signals, wherein for at least one range of value of at least one spatialization parameter, the coefficients of the synthesis matrix are determined according to a criterion of minimizing a quantitative function, relating to the quantity of decorrelated signal in each of the output signals obtained by applying the synthesis matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: France Telecom
    Inventors: Florent Jaillet, David Virette
  • Publication number: 20110096932
    Abstract: A parametric stereo upmix apparatus (300, 400) generating a left signal (206) and a right signal (207) from a mono downmix signal (204) based on spatial parameters (205). Said parametric stereo upmix being characterized in that it comprises a means (310) for predicting a difference signal (311) comprising a difference between the left signal (206) and the right signal (207) based on the mono downmix signal (204) scaled with a prediction coefficient (321). Said prediction coefficient is derived from the spatial parameters (205). Said parametric stereo upmix apparatus (300, 400) further comprises an arithmetic means (330) for deriving the left signal (206) and the right signal (207) based on a sum and a difference of the mono downmix signal (204) and said difference signal (311).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventor: Erik Gosuinus Petrus Schuijers
  • Patent number: 7933417
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an encoding device for saving the number of bits of codes. In step S11, the differential value between a normalization coefficient Bi to be encoded and a normalization coefficient Bi-1 for an encoding unit Ai-1 in a band adjacent to the lower side of an encoding unit Ai corresponding to the normalization coefficient Bi is computed. In step S12, reference is made to a table in which a differential value having a high frequency of occurrence is associated with a code having a small number of bits, and a code corresponding to the computed differential value is read. In step S13, it is determined whether or not all normalization coefficients B have been encoded. If it is determined that all normalization coefficients B have been encoded, in step S14, the code read in step S12 is output. The present invention is applicable to an audio recorder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Toyama, Shiro Suzuki, Minoru Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7933415
    Abstract: A method of synthesizing a first (L) and a second (R) output signal from an input signal (x). The method comprises: filtering (201) the input signal to generate a filtered signal; obtaining a correlation parameter indicative of a desired correlation between the first and second output signals; obtaining a level parameter (c) indicative of a desired level difference between the first and second input signals; and transforming the input signal and the filtered signal by a matrixing operation (203) into the first and second output signals, where the matrixing operation depends on the correlation parameter and the level parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Dirk Jeroen Breebaart
  • Patent number: 7933416
    Abstract: A method of encoding multi-channel signals having two or more channels into a first signal and a second signal, and an apparatus to perform the method, the method including generating the first signal by performing a first operation using a first channel signal in the multi-channel signals; and generating the second signal by performing a second operation using a combination of the first channel signal and a second channel signal in the multi-channel signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dohyung Kim, Junghoe Kim, Shihwa Lee
  • Publication number: 20110085671
    Abstract: An encoding apparatus comprises a frame processor (105) which receives a multi channel audio signal comprising at least a first audio signal from a first microphone (101) and a second audio signal from a second microphone (103). An ITD processor 107 then determines an inter time difference between the first audio signal and the second audio signal and a set of delays (109, 111) generates a compensated multi channel audio signal from the multi channel audio signal by delaying at least one of the first and second audio signals in response to the inter time difference signal. A combiner (113) then generates a mono signal by combining channels of the compensated multi channel audio signal and a mono signal encoder (115) encodes the mono signal. The inter time difference may specifically be determined by an algorithm based on determining cross correlations between the first and second audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: Motorola, Inc
    Inventor: Jonathan A. Gibbs
  • Patent number: 7912729
    Abstract: A system extends the high-frequency spectrum of a narrow band audio signal in the time domain. The system extends the harmonics of vowels by introducing a non linearity in a narrow band signal. Extended consonants are generated by a random-noise generator. The system differentiates the vowels from the consonants by exploiting predetermined features of a speech signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: QNX Software Systems Co.
    Inventors: Rajeev Nongpiur, Phillip A. Hetherington
  • Publication number: 20110058679
    Abstract: A method and a device are described for processing a stereo signal obtained from an encoder, which encodes an N-channel audio signal into spatial parameters (P) and a stereo down-mix comprising first and second stereo signals (L0, R0). A first signal and a third signal are added in order to obtain a first output signal (Low), wherein the first signal (L0wL) comprises the first stereo signal (L0) modified by a first complex function (g1), and the third signal (L0wR) comprises the second stereo signal (R0) modified by a third complex function (g3). A second signal and a fourth signal are added to obtain a second output signal (R0w). The fourth signal (R0wR) comprises the second stereo signal (R0) modified by a fourth complex function (g4), and the second signal (R0wL) comprises the first stereo signal (L0) modified by a second complex function (g2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Machiel Willem Van Loon, Dirk Jeroen Breebaart, Gerard Herman Hotho, Erik Gosuinus Petrus Schuijers, Heiko Purnhagen, Karl Jonas Roeden
  • Patent number: 7903824
    Abstract: At an audio encoder, cue codes are generated for one or more audio channels, wherein a combined cue code (e.g., a combined inter-channel correlation (ICC) code) is generated by combining two or more estimated cue codes, each estimated cue code estimated from a group of two or more channels. At an audio decoder, E transmitted audio channel(s) are decoded to generate C playback audio channels. Received cue codes include a combined cue code (e.g., a combined ICC code). One or more transmitted channel(s) are upmixed to generate one or more upmixed channels. One or more playback channels are synthesized by applying the cue codes to the one or more upmixed channels, wherein two or more derived cue codes are derived from the combined cue code, and each derived cue code is applied to generate two or more synthesized channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignees: Agere Systems Inc., Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Christof Faller, Juergen Herre
  • Publication number: 20110051938
    Abstract: A method of encoding stereo audio that minimizes a number of pieces of side information required for parametric-encoding and parametric-decoding of the stereo audio. The side information may include parameters about interchannel intensity difference (IID), interchannel correlation (IC), overall phase difference (OPD), and interchannel phase difference (IPD), which are required to restore the mono audio to the stereo audio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Han-gil MOON, Nam-suk LEE
  • Publication number: 20110051939
    Abstract: A method of encoding stereo audio that minimizes a number of pieces of side information required for parametric-encoding and parametric-decoding of the stereo audio. The side information may include parameters about interchannel intensity difference (IID), interchannel correlation (IC), overall phase difference (OPD), and interchannel phase difference (IPD), which are required to restore the mono audio to the stereo audio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Han-gil MOON, Jong-hoon JEONG
  • Patent number: 7899191
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of synthesizing a mono audio signal 3 based on an available encoded multichannel audio signal 2. The encoded multichannel audio signal 2 is assumed to comprise at least for a part of an audio frequency band separate parameter values for each channel of the multichannel audio signal. In order to reduce the processing load in synthesizing the mono audio signal 2, it is proposed that the parameter values of the multiple channels are combined at least for a part of an audio frequency band in the parameter domain. The combined parameter values are then used for synthesizing the mono audio signal. The invention relates equally to a corresponding audio decoder, to a corresponding coding system and to a corresponding software program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Ari Lakaniemi, Pasi Ojala
  • Publication number: 20110044458
    Abstract: Spatial information associated with an audio signal is encoded into a bitstream, which can be transmitted to a decoder or recorded to a storage media. The bitstream can include different syntax related to time, frequency and spatial domains. In some embodiments, the bitstream includes one or more data structures (e.g., frames) that contain ordered sets of slots for which parameters can be applied. The data structures can be fixed or variable. The data structure can include position information that can be used by a decoder to identify the correct slot for which a given parameter set is applied. The slot position information can be encoded with either a fixed number of bits or a variable number of bits based on the data structure type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Hee Suk Pang, Dong Soo Kim, Jae Hyun Lim, Hyen O. Oh, Yang Won Jung
  • Publication number: 20110040398
    Abstract: In a method of encoding input signals (CH1 to CH3; 400 to 450) in a multi-channel encoder (5; 15) to generate corresponding output data having down-mix output signals (610, 620) together with complementary parametric data (600), the method includes a first step of down-mixing input signals (CH1 to CH3; 400 to 450) to generate the corresponding down-mix output signals (610, 620), and a second step of processing the input signals (CH1 to CH3; 400 to 450) during down-mixing to generate the parametric data (600) complementary to the down-mix output signals (610, 620). Processing of the input signals (CH1 to CH3; 400 to 450) involves including information in the down-mix signals (610, 620) which is useable during subsequent decoding of the down-mix output signals (610, 620) and the parametric data (600) to determine at least some parameter data and thereby enabling representations of the input signals (CH1 to CH3; 400 to 450) to be subsequently regenerated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: GERARD HERMAN HOTHO, DIRK JEROEN BREEBAART, EVGENY ALEXANDROVITCH VERBITSKIY, ALBERTUS CORNELIS DEN BRINKER
  • Patent number: 7876904
    Abstract: Inputting of a parametrically encoded audio signal comprising at least one combined signal of a plurality of audio channels and one or more corresponding sets of side information describing a multi-channel sound image and including channel configuration information is shown along with deriving, from the channel configuration information, audio source location data describing at least one of horizontal and vertical positions of audio sources in the binaural audio signal; selecting, from a predetermined set of head-related transfer function filters, a left-right pair of head-related transfer function filters matching closest to the audio source location data, wherein the left-right pair of head-related transfer function filters is searched in a stepwise motion in a horizontal plane; and synthesizing a binaural audio signal from the at least one processed signal according to side information and the channel configuration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Pasi Ojala, Julia Turku
  • Patent number: 7876905
    Abstract: A method and circuit for deriving a set of multichannel audio signals from a conventional monaural or stereo audio signal uses an auxiliary multichannel spectral mapping data stream. Audio can be played back in stereo and multichannel formats from a conventional stereo signal on compact discs, FM radio, or other stereo or monaural delivery systems. The invention reduces the data rate needed for the transmission of multichannel digital audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Inventor: Terry D. Beard
  • Patent number: 7873171
    Abstract: A method and circuit for deriving a set of multichannel audio signals from a conventional monaural or stereo audio signal uses an auxiliary multichannel spectral mapping data stream. Audio can be played back in stereo and multichannel formats from a conventional stereo signal on compact discs, FM radio, or other stereo or monaural delivery systems. The invention reduces the data rate needed for the transmission of multichannel digital audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Inventor: Terry D. Beard
  • Publication number: 20110002469
    Abstract: A method comprising selecting a subset of audio sources from a plurality of audio sources, and transmitting signals from said selected subset of audio sources to an apparatus, wherein said subset of audio sources is selected in dependence on information provided by said apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: NOKIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Pasi Ojala
  • Publication number: 20110002470
    Abstract: A multi-channel input signal having at least three original channels is represented by a parameter representation of the multi-channel signal. A first balance parameter, a first coherence parameter, or a first inter-channel time difference between a first channel pair and a second balance parameter, or a second coherence parameter, or a second inter-channel time difference parameter between a second channel pair are calculated. This set of parameters is the parameter representation of the original signals. The first channel pair has two channels, which are different from two channels of a second channel pair. Furthermore, each channel of the two channel pairs is one of the original channels, or a weighted combination of the original channels, and the first channel pair and the second channel pair include information on the three original channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventors: Heiko Purnhagen, Lars Villemoes, Jonas Engdegard, Jonas Roeden, Kristofer Kjoerling
  • Patent number: 7864965
    Abstract: A method and circuit for deriving a set of multichannel audio signals from a conventional monaural or stereo audio signal uses an auxiliary multichannel spectral mapping data stream. Audio can be played back in stereo and multichannel formats from a conventional stereo signal on compact discs, FM radio, or other stereo or monaural delivery systems. The invention reduces the data rate needed for the transmission of multichannel digital audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Inventor: Terry D. Beard
  • Patent number: 7864964
    Abstract: A method and circuit for deriving a set of multichannel audio signals from a conventional monaural or stereo audio signal uses an auxiliary multichannel spectral mapping data stream. Audio can be played back in stereo and multichannel formats from a conventional stereo signal on compact discs, FM radio, or other stereo or monaural delivery systems. The invention reduces the data rate needed for the transmission of multichannel digital audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Inventor: Terry D. Beard
  • Patent number: 7864966
    Abstract: A method and circuit for deriving a set of multichannel audio signals from a conventional monaural or stereo audio signal uses an auxiliary multichannel spectral mapping data stream. Audio can be played back in stereo and multichannel formats from a conventional stereo signal on compact discs, FM radio, or other stereo or monaural delivery systems. The invention reduces the data rate needed for the transmission of multichannel digital audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Inventor: Terry D. Beard