INTEGRATED PSYCHOACOUSTIC BASS ENHANCEMENT (PBE) FOR IMPROVED AUDIO

• US 20120259626A1
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Ren, Xiang, Pei
• Granted Patent: US 9,055,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/226
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0208 Noise filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation

Abstract

Psychoacoustic Bass Enhancement (PBE) is integrated with one or more other audio processing techniques, such as active noise cancellation (ANC), and/or receive voice enhancement (RVE), leveraging each technique to achieve improved audio output. This approach can be advantageous for improving the performance of headset speakers, which often lack adequate low-frequency response to effectively support ANC.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an active noise cancellation (ANC) module; and

a psychoacoustic bass enhancement (PBE) module configured to produce a PBE signal based on output from the ANC module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the PBE module is configured to produce the PBE signal based on an audio signal and the output from the ANC module.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a control module configured to adjust one or more PBE parameters of the PBE module based on at least one characteristic of an audio signal and the output from the ANC module.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control module is configured to adjust the PBE parameters based on a speaker profile.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the PBE parameters are selected from the group consisting of a bass cut-off frequency, a crossover filter order, harmonic control parameters, audio dynamics parameters, a non-bass content delay, and any suitable combination of the foregoing.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a combiner configured to combine the PBE signal and an ANC signal from the ANC module.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a microphone configured to produce an ambient noise signal;

wherein the ANC module is configured to produce an ANC signal based on the ambient noise signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a receive voice enhancement module (RVE) configured to provide parameters for adjusting the PBE performed by the PBE module.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a microphone configured to produce an ambient noise signal;

wherein the RVE module is configured to selectively apply gain to one or more frequencies of an audio signal based on the ambient noise signal.

10. A method of processing an audio signal, comprising:

receiving the audio signal; and

performing psychoacoustic bass enhancement (PBE) on the audio signal based on output from an active noise cancellation (ANC) module.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein performing PBE includes performing PBE on the audio signal based on content of the audio signal and the output from an active noise cancellation (ANC) module.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

adjusting one or more PBE parameters based on content of the audio signal and the output from the ANC module.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising adjusting the PBE parameters based on a speaker profile.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the PBE parameters are selected from the group consisting of a bass cut-off frequency, a crossover filter order, a harmonic control parameter, an audio dynamics parameter, a non-bass content delay, and any suitable combination of the foregoing.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

combining a PBE signal and an ANC signal from the ANC module to produce an output audio signal.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an ambient noise signal from a microphone; and

outputting an ANC signal from the ANC module based on the ambient noise signal.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

adjusting the PBE based on parameters from a receive voice enhancement module (RVE).

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

the RVE module receiving an ambient noise signal from a microphone; and

the RVE module selectively applying gain to one or more frequencies of the audio signal based on the ambient noise signal.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving the audio signal; and

means for performing psychoacoustic bass enhancement (PBE) on the audio signal based on output from an active noise cancellation (ANC) module.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the performing means includes means for producing a PBE signal based on an audio signal and the output from the ANC module.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for adjusting one or more PBE parameters based on at least one characteristic of an audio signal and the output from the ANC module.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the adjusting means includes means for adjusting the PBE parameters based on a speaker profile.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the PBE parameters are selected from the group consisting of a bass cut-off frequency, a crossover filter order, a harmonic control parameter, an audio dynamics parameter, a non-bass content delay, and any suitable combination of the foregoing.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for combining a PBE signal and an ANC signal from the ANC module.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for producing an ambient noise signal;

wherein the ANC module is configured to produce an ANC signal based on the ambient noise signal.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for providing receive voice enhancement (RVE) parameters for adjusting the PBE.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for producing an ambient noise signal; and

means for selectively applying gain to one or more frequencies of an audio signal based on the ambient noise signal.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a set of instructions executable by one or more processors, comprising:

programming code for receiving an audio signal; and

programming code for performing psychoacoustic bass enhancement (PBE) on the audio signal based on output from an active noise cancellation (ANC) module.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising programming code for producing a PBE signal based on an audio signal and the output from the ANC module.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising:

programming code for adjusting one or more PBE parameters based on at least one characteristic of an audio signal and the output from the ANC module.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, further comprising programming code for adjusting the PBE parameters based on a speaker profile.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the PBE parameters are selected from the group consisting of a bass cut-off frequency, a crossover filter order, a harmonic control parameter, an audio dynamics parameter, a non-bass content delay, and any suitable combination of the foregoing.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising:

programming code for combining a PBE signal and an ANC signal from the ANC module.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising:

programming code for producing an ambient noise signal; and

programming code for producing an ANC signal based on the ambient noise signal.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising:

programming code for providing receive voice enhancement (RVE) parameters for adjusting the PBE.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising:

programming code for producing an ambient noise signal; and

programming code for selectively applying gain to one or more frequencies of an audio signal based on the ambient noise signal.