Method and apparatus for accommodating primary content audio and secondary content remaining audio capability in the digital audio production process

• US 7,266,501 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Benhov GmbH, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Akiba Electronics Institute LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Saunders, William R., Vaudrey, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US10/314,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20030125933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• Field of Search: 704/500, 381/10
• US Class Current: 704/500
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/0575 Aids for the handicapped in speaking
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00007 Time or data compression or expansion audio compression based on psychoacoustics G10L19/00; data processing for reproducing audio data at different playback speeds G10L21/04; video compression H04N19/00; data compression per se H03M7/30
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00992 Circuits for stereophonic or quadraphonic recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/00036 AC-3, i.e. ATSC digital audio compression standard
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10546 specifically adapted for audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10592 specifically adapted for recording or reproducing multichannel signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10601 surround sound signal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/00 Systems employing more than two channels, e.g. quadraphonic H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence

Abstract

The invention enables the inclusion of voice and remaining audio information at different parts of the audio production process. In particular, the invention embodies special techniques for VRA-capable digital mastering, accommodation of PCPV/PCA and/or SCRA signals in audio CODECs, VRA-capable encoders and decoders, and VRA in DVD and other digital audio file formats. The invention facilitates an end-listener'"'"'s voice-to-remaining audio (VRA) adjustment upon the playback of digital audio media formats by focusing on new configurations of multiple parts of the entire digital audio system, thereby enabling a new technique intended to benefit audio end-users (end-listeners) who wish to control the ratio of the primary vocal/dialog content of an audio program relative to the remaining portion of the audio content in that program. The invention facilitates storage of VRA audio programs on optical storage media, authoring systems for VRA-capable DVDs, playback hardware integrated into VRA-capable optical disc apparatus, and VRA playback hardware for use with non-VRA capable optical disc playback apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with a voice-to-remaining-audio-capable (VRA-capable) optical medium, comprising:

a first audio decoder that decodes a first compressed audio signal read from the optical medium; and

a second audio decoder that decodes a second compressed audio signal read from the optical medium, the first audio decoder and the second audio decoder being arranged to separately accept the first compressed audio signal and the second compressed audio signal in a parallel input configuration, wherein the first audio decoder and the second audio decoder decode the first compressed audio signal and the second compressed audio signal without loss of time alignment and video frame synchronization between the first compressed audio signal read from the optical disc, the second compressed audio signal read from the optical medium, and accompanying video data read from the optical medium.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first compressed audio signal is a primary content pure voice (PCPV/PCA) contextual audio signal, wherein the PCPV/PCA contextual audio signal comprises substantially vocal information and the second compressed audio signal is a secondary content remaining audio (SCRA) contextual audio signal, wherein the SCRA contextual audio signal comprises audio information substantially other than that included in the PCPV/PCA contextual audio signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of the PCPV/PCA and SCRA contextual audio signals retain spatial information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical medium is one of a DVD and a fiber optic medium.

5. A method of playback of a bitstream, comprising:

determining whether the bitstream comprises a voice-to-remaining-audio-capable (VRA-capable) audio program, the VRA-capable audio program comprising at least one of a PCPV/PCA channel and an SCRA channel; and

if the bitstream comprises a VRA-capable audio program;

identifying and decoding VRA auxiliary data in the bitstream;

identifying the at least one of the PCPV/PCA channel and the SCRA channel in the bitstream; and

decoding the at least one of the PCPV/PCA and the SCRA channels according to an audio compression format specified in the bitstream.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the VRA auxiliary data includes playback parameters of the VRA-capable audio program.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the playback parameters include parameters for one of language, amplitude, and dynamic range.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the audio compression format is one of an LPCM format, a Dolby Digital format, a DTS format, a PCM format, an MPEG-1 format, an MPEG-2 format, and MPEG-2 AAC format, and a VRA format.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the bitstream is one of:

read from an optical recording medium, read from a fiber optic interface, and received via a wireless transmission.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the optical recording medium is a DVD.

11. An authoring system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor adapted to execute instructions stored in the memory, the instructions including instructions to perform the method of claim 5.

12. A method of encoding a voice-to-remaining-audio-capable (VRA-capable) audio program having at least a plurality of context specific audio tracks and a VRA auxiliary track, comprising:

selecting an audio compression format used for compression of a fixed number of spatial specific audio tracks, wherein the fixed number of spatial specific audio tracks is greater than or equal to the sum of the number of the plurality of context specific audio tracks plus one and wherein the spatial specific audio tracks have a predefined assignment as specified by the selected audio compression format; and

assigning each of the plurality of context specific audio tracks and the VRA auxiliary track, respectively, to one of the spatial specific audio tracks.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of context specific audio tracks includes n primary content pure voice (PCPV/PCA) tracks and m secondary content remaining audio (SCRA) tracks, wherein n and m are integers each having a value equal to or greater than one and wherein n and m are one of equal and not equal.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a series of bits that identify;

a number representative of the number of context specific audio tracks,

the selected audio compression format; and

the assignment of each of the plurality of context specific audio tracks with reference to the spatial specific audio tracks.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

encoding, according to the selected audio compression format;

at least a first track comprising a PCPV/PCA audio signal, wherein the PCPV/PCA audio signal comprises substantially vocal information;

at least a second track comprising an SCRA audio signal, wherein the SCRA audio signal comprises audio information substantially other than that included in the PCPV/PCA audio signal; and

the VRA auxiliary track.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the VRA auxiliary track comprises a series of bits to identify:

the VRA-capable audio program as VRA-capable,

playback parameters of the PCPV/PCA signal, and

playback parameters of the SCRA signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the playback parameters include parameters for one of language, amplitude, and dynamic range.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the spatial specific audio tracks are defined by at least a right track and a left track.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the spatial specific audio tracks are defined by at least a right front (R), a left front (L), a right surround (Rs), a left surround (Ls), and a low frequency effect (LFE) track.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing the encoded at least first track, at least second track, and the VRA auxiliary track on an optical storage medium.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the optical storage medium is a DVD.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

broadcasting the encoded at least first track, at least second track, and the VRA auxiliary track via one of a terrestrial transmitter and a satellite.

23. An authoring system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor adapted to execute instructions stored in the memory, the instructions including instructions to;

identify a VRA audio program;

identify a recording format used on the VRA audio program;

encode at least two VRA audio channels, wherein the VRA audio channels are comprised of a PCPV/PCA channel and an SCRA channel; and

encode a VRA auxiliary data channel.

24. The authoring system of claim 23, wherein the VRA audio program is identified by a bit in a header file of a set of data stored on a recording medium.

25. The authoring system of claim 24, wherein the recording medium is a DVD.

26. The authoring system of claim 23, wherein the recording format is one of a zero-channel format, a one-channel premixed format, a one-channel postmixed format, a two channel premixed format, and a two-channel postmixed format.

27. The authoring system of claim 23, wherein:

the PCPV/PCA channel is comprised of a first 2-channel stereo signal; and

the SCRA channel is comprised of a second 2-channel stereo signal.

28. The authoring system of claim 27, wherein the first and second 2-channel stereo signals are encoded using Dolby AC3, wherein the PCPV/PCA channel can be stored on any of five available channel locations in the Dolby AC3 format and wherein the SCRA channel can be stored on any of the channels not used for storage of the PCPV/PCA channel in the Dolby AC3 format.

29. The authoring system of claim 23, wherein the at least two VRA audio channels are encoded using one of an AC3, a DTS, a PCM, an MPEG1, and an MPEG2 (AAC) format.

30. The authoring system of claim 23, further including instructions to:

import the VRA audio channels and VRA auxiliary data channel into the authoring system via a data editor;

link the VRA audio channels, VRA auxiliary data channel, and a corresponding video file in a data previewer while maintaining a time synchronization between the VRA audio channels, VRA auxiliary data channel, and the corresponding video file; and

construct a title set for a VRA-capable DVD.

31. The authoring system of claim 30, wherein the title set is constructed to include navigation features that allow a blend of automatic selection and user navigation of PCPV/PCA and SCRA channels for playback on a VRA-capable DVD.