Acoustic communication system

• US 20050219068A1
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intrasonics SARL
• Original Assignee: Intrasonics SARL
• Inventors: Guy, Donald Glen, Jones, Aled Wynne, Bartlett, David, Reynolds, Michael Raymond, Timson, Daniel Reginald Ewart, Kelly, Peter John, Hosking, Ian Michael, Vasilopolous, Nicolas, Hart, Alan Michael, Morland, Robert John
• Granted Patent: US 7,460,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/365 allowing a choice of facial features, e.g. to change the facial expression change of expression through animation A63H3/48, self-moving A63H13/005; movable eyes A63H3/40
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/30 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2155 Acoustic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/253 Telephone sets using digital voice transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 : specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 : involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/607 : for more than one sound signal, e.g. stereo, multilanguages H04N5/602 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 : Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital

Abstract

There is described a number of encoders for encoding a data signal within an audio signal. In some of the encoders, the audio signal is separated into a tonal part and a residual part, and the data signal is shaped based on the residual part. In other encoders, the data signal is separated into a tonal part and a residual part, and the data signal is combined with the audio signal independence upon the residual part. In other encoders, the rate at which the data is encoded within the audio signal is varied in dependence upon the audio signal. There are also described various decoders associated with the described encoders.

Claims

1-161. -161. (canceled)

162. An apparatus for shaping a data signal for embedding within an audio signal, the apparatus comprising:

a first receiver operable to receive the data signal;

a second receiver operable to receive the audio signal;

a processor operable to process the audio signal to generate a residual signal representative of a difference between a tonal component of the received audio signal and the received audio signal; and

a shaper operable to shape the spectrum of the data signal in dependence upon the residual signal to form a shaped data signal.

163. An apparatus according to claim 162, wherein the processor comprises:

a modeller operable to model the audio signal to generate a tonal signal representative of a tonal component of the audio signal; and

a subtractor operable to differentiate the tonal signal and the audio signal to generate the residual signal.

164. An apparatus according to claim 163, wherein the modeller comprises:

a time series modeller operable to apply a time series model to the audio signal in order to generate a plurality of coefficients indicative of the audio signal; and

a synthesiser operable to synthesise the tonal signal using the generated coefficients.

165. An apparatus according to claim 164, wherein the time series modeller is operable to perform linear predictive coding in order to generate said coefficients.

166. An apparatus according to claim 164, further comprising a modifier operable to modify the time series model in order to vary the number of coefficients generated by said time series modeller.

167. An apparatus according to claim 166, in which the modifier comprises a user interface, wherein the modifier is operable to vary the number of generated coefficients in accordance with a user signal received via the user interface.

168. An apparatus according to claim 166, in which the modifier comprises a tonality determiner operable to determine a level of tonality of the audio signal, wherein the modifier is operable to vary the number of generated coefficients in dependence upon the determined level of tonality.

169. An apparatus according to claim 162, wherein the data signal has a data signal spectrum and the shaper comprises:

a spectrum analyser operable to analyse the spectrum of the residual signal to generate a plurality of frequency-dependent coefficients;

a scaling factors generator operable to generate a plurality of scaling factors using the plurality of frequency-dependent coefficients; and

an adjuster operable to adjust the data signal spectrum using the plurality of scaling factors to generate the shaped data signal.

170. An apparatus according to claim 169, wherein the spectrum analyser is a first spectrum analyser and is operable to generate a first plurality of frequency-dependent coefficients, and the adjuster comprises:

a second spectrum analyser operable to analyse the spectrum of the data signal to generate a second plurality of frequency-dependent coefficients;

a scaler operable to scale the second plurality of frequency-dependent coefficients using the plurality of scaling factors to generate a plurality of scaled coefficients; and

a synthesiser operable to synthesise the shaped data signal using the plurality of scaled coefficients.

171. An apparatus according to claim 170, wherein the first and second spectrum analysers are operable to perform a Fourier transform.

172. An apparatus according to claim 170, wherein the first and second spectrum analysers are operable to perform a wavelet transform.

173. An apparatus according to claim 170, wherein the scaling factors generator is operable to perform a psycho-acoustic analysis of the first plurality of frequency dependent coefficients.

174. An apparatus according to claim 173, wherein the scaling factors generator comprises a psycho-acoustic filter for performing the psycho-acoustic analysis.

175. An apparatus according to claim 174, wherein the psycho-acoustic filter has a variable bandwidth, and wherein said scaling factors generator comprises an adjuster operable to vary the variable bandwidth of the psycho-acoustic filter.

176. An apparatus according to claim 175, wherein said adjuster comprises a user interface and a setter operable to set the bandwidth of the psycho-acoustic filter in accordance with a user input received via the user interface.

177. An apparatus according to claim 175, wherein the adjuster comprises:

a tonality determiner operable to determine a level of tonality of the residual signal; and

an adjuster operable to set the bandwidth of the psycho-acoustic filter in dependence upon the determined level of tonality.

178. An apparatus according to claim 162, wherein the data signal has a data signal spectrum, the residual signal has a residual signal spectrum, and the shaper is arranged to shape the data signal spectrum to match the residual signal spectrum.

179. An apparatus according to claim 162, wherein the shaper is arranged to shape the data signal so that the temporal profile of the shaped data signal substantially matches the temporal profile of the residual signal.

180. An apparatus according to claim 162, further comprising a data spreader operable to spread the data signal to generate a spread data signal having a spread spectrum,

wherein the shaper is operable to shape the spread spectrum in dependence upon the residual signal to form the shaped data signal.

181. An apparatus according to claim 180, in which the data spreader comprises a first pseudo-noise code generator operable to generate a first pseudo-noise code,

wherein the data spreader is operable to perform direct sequence spread spectrum encoding using the first pseudo-noise code.

182. An apparatus according to claim 181, wherein the data signal comprises a sequence of data symbols, and wherein the data spreader is operable to combine each data symbol of the data signal with at least part of the first pseudo-noise code.

183. An apparatus according to claim 181, wherein the data signal comprises a sequence of data symbols,

wherein the data spreader further comprises a second pseudo-noise code generator operable to generate a second pseudo-noise code which is different from the first pseudo-noise code, and

wherein the data spreader is operable to represent each data symbol of the data signal by a code sequence from either the first pseudo-noise code or the second pseudo-noise code in dependence upon the value of the data element.

184. An apparatus according to claim 183, wherein the second pseudo-noise code generator is operable to generate a second pseudo-noise code which is substantially orthogonal to the first pseudo-noise code.

185. An apparatus for embedding a data signal within an audio signal, the apparatus comprising:

a first receiver operable to receive the data signal;

a second receiver operable to receive the audio signal;

a processor operable to process the audio signal to generate a residual signal representative of a difference between a tonal component of the received audio signal and the received audio signal;

a shaper operable to shape the spectrum of the data signal in dependence upon the residual signal to form a shaped data signal; and

a signal combiner operable to combine the shaped data signal and the audio signal to generate a modified audio signal.

186. An apparatus according to claim 185, wherein the signal combiner comprises an adder operable to add the shaped data signal and the audio signal to form the modified audio signal.

187. An apparatus according to claim 186, wherein the adder comprises a weighted adder operable to perform a weighted addition in accordance with at least one weighting factor.

188. An apparatus according to claim 187, wherein the signal combiner further comprises an adjuster operable to vary the at least one weighting factor.

189. An apparatus according to claim 188, wherein the adjuster comprises:

a first power monitor operable to determine a power level of the audio signal;

a second power monitor operable to determine a power level of the shaped data signal; and

a setter operable to set the at least one weighting factor in dependence upon the determined power levels of the audio signal and the shaped data signal.

190. An apparatus according to claim 189, wherein the setter is operable to set the at least one weighting factor so that, after weighting, the ratio of the power level of the shaped data signal and the power level of the audio signal is above a predetermined value.

191. An apparatus according to claim 189, wherein the setter is operable to set the at least one weighting factor so that, after weighting, the ratio of the power level of the shaped data signal and the power level of the modified audio signal is above a predetermined value.

192. An apparatus according to claim 188, wherein the adjuster comprises a user interface for receiving a user signal indicative of the at least one weighting factor.

193. An apparatus according to claim 185, wherein the signal combiner comprises:

a first adder operable to add the shaped data signal and the residual signal to form a modified residual signal; and

a second adder operable to add the modified residual signal and the audio signal to form the modified audio signal.

194. An apparatus according to claim 193, wherein the first adder comprises a weighted adder operable to perform a weighted addition of the shaped data signal and the residual signal in dependence upon at least one weighting factor.

195. An apparatus according to claim 194, wherein the first adder further comprises an adjuster operable to vary the at least one weighting factor.

196. An apparatus according to claim 195, wherein the adjuster comprises a user interface for receiving a user signal indicative of the at least one weighting factor.

197. An apparatus according to claim 195, wherein the adjuster comprises:

a tonality monitor operable to determine a level of tonality of the audio signal; and

a setter operable to set the at least one weighting factor in dependence upon the determined level of tonality of the audio signal.

198. An apparatus according to claim 195, wherein the adjuster comprises:

a first power level monitor operable to determine a power level of the residual signal;

a second power level monitor operable to determine a power level of the shaped data signal; and

a setter operable to set the at least one weighting factor in dependence upon the determined power levels of the audio signal and the shaped data signal.

199. An apparatus according to claim 198, wherein the setter is arranged to set the at least one weighting factor so that the ratio of the power level of the shaped data signal and the power level of the residual signal is above a predetermined value.

200. An apparatus for embedding a data signal within an audio signal, the apparatus comprising:

a first receiver operable to receive the data signal;

a second receiver operable to receive the audio signal;

a processor operable to process the audio signal to generate a residual signal representative of a difference between a tonal component of the received audio signal and the received audio signal;

a shaper operable to shape the spectrum of the data signal in dependence upon the residual signal to form a shaped data signal; and

a signal generator operable to generate a tonal signal representative of the tonal component of the received audio signal; and

a signal combiner operable to combine the shaped data signal and the tonal signal to generate a modified audio signal.

201. An apparatus according to claim 200, wherein the signal combiner comprises an adder operable to add the shaped data signal and the tonal signal to form the modified audio signal.

202. An apparatus according to claim 200, wherein the signal combiner comprises:

a first adder operable to add the shaped data signal and the residual signal to form a modified residual signal; and

a second adder operable to add the modified residual signal and the tonal signal to form the modified audio signal.

203. An apparatus according to claim 202, wherein the first adder comprises a weighted adder operable to perform a weighted addition of the shaped data signal and the residual signal in dependence upon at least one weighting factor.

204. An apparatus according to claim 203, wherein the first adder further comprises an adjuster operable to vary the at least one weighting factor.

205. An apparatus according to claim 204, wherein the adjuster comprises a user interface for receiving a user signal indicative of the at least one weighting factor.

206. An apparatus according to claim 204, wherein the adjuster comprises:

a tonality monitor operable to determine a level of tonality of the residual signal; and

a setter operable to set the at least one weighting factor in dependence upon the determined level of tonality of the audio signal.

207. An apparatus according to claim 204, wherein the adjuster comprises:

a first power monitor operable to determine a power level of the residual signal;

means for determining a power level of the shaped data signal; and

a setter operable to set the at least one weighting factor in dependence upon the determined power levels of the audio signal and the shaped data signal.

208. An apparatus according to claim 207, wherein the setter is arranged to set the at least one weighting factor so that the ratio of the power level of the shaped data signal and the power level of the residual signal is above a predetermined value.

209. A method of shaping a data signal for embedding within an audio signal, the method comprising:

receiving the data signal;

receiving the audio signal;

processing the received audio signal to generate a residual signal representative of a difference between a tonal component of the received audio signal and the received audio signal; and

shaping the data signal in dependence upon the residual signal to form a shaped data signal.

210. A storage device storing instructions including instructions for causing a programmable processing apparatus to become operable to perform a method according to claim 209.

211. A signal conveying instructions including instructions for causing a programmable processing apparatus to become operable to perform a method according to claim 209.