Immersive audio rendering system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of rendering depth in an audio output signal, the method comprising:
- receiving a plurality of audio signals;
identifying first depth steering information from the audio signals at a first time, the first depth steering information responsive to a first decorrelation of the audio signals;
applying nonlinear processing to the first depth steering information to produce second depth steering information, the nonlinear processing configured to accentuate a magnitude of the first depth steering information with a greater than linear increase that nonlinearly emphasizes the first decorrelation of the audio signals such that relatively faster changes in the magnitude of the first decorrelation are emphasized more than relatively slower changes in the magnitude of the first decorrelation;
identifying subsequent depth steering information from the audio signals at a second time;
decorrelating, by one or more processors, the plurality of audio signals by a first amount that depends at least partly on the second depth steering information to produce first decorrelated audio signals, wherein said decorrelating comprises applying greater decorrelation responsive to the second depth steering information being relatively higher and applying less decorrelation responsive to the second depth steering information being relatively lower;
outputting the first decorrelated audio signals for playback to a listener;
subsequent to said outputting, decorrelating the plurality of audio signals by a second amount different from the first amount, the second amount depending at least partly on the subsequent depth steering information to produce second decorrelated audio signals; and
outputting the second decorrelated audio signals for playback to the listener.
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Abstract
A depth processing system can employ stereo speakers to achieve immersive effects. The depth processing system can advantageously manipulate phase and/or amplitude information to render audio along a listener'"'"'s median plane, thereby rendering audio along varying depths. In one embodiment, the depth processing system analyzes left and right stereo input signals to infer depth, which may change over time. The depth processing system can then vary the phase and/or amplitude decorrelation between the audio signals over time to enhance the sense of depth already present in the audio signals, thereby creating an immersive depth effect.
151 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of rendering depth in an audio output signal, the method comprising:
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receiving a plurality of audio signals; identifying first depth steering information from the audio signals at a first time, the first depth steering information responsive to a first decorrelation of the audio signals; applying nonlinear processing to the first depth steering information to produce second depth steering information, the nonlinear processing configured to accentuate a magnitude of the first depth steering information with a greater than linear increase that nonlinearly emphasizes the first decorrelation of the audio signals such that relatively faster changes in the magnitude of the first decorrelation are emphasized more than relatively slower changes in the magnitude of the first decorrelation; identifying subsequent depth steering information from the audio signals at a second time; decorrelating, by one or more processors, the plurality of audio signals by a first amount that depends at least partly on the second depth steering information to produce first decorrelated audio signals, wherein said decorrelating comprises applying greater decorrelation responsive to the second depth steering information being relatively higher and applying less decorrelation responsive to the second depth steering information being relatively lower; outputting the first decorrelated audio signals for playback to a listener; subsequent to said outputting, decorrelating the plurality of audio signals by a second amount different from the first amount, the second amount depending at least partly on the subsequent depth steering information to produce second decorrelated audio signals; and outputting the second decorrelated audio signals for playback to the listener. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of rendering depth in an audio output signal, the method comprising:
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receiving a plurality of audio signals; identifying first depth steering information associated with the audio signals, the first depth steering information changing over time; applying nonlinear processing to the first depth steering information to produce second depth steering information, the nonlinear processing configured to accentuate a magnitude of the first depth steering information with a greater than linear increase that nonlinearly emphasizes the first decorrelation of the audio signals such that relatively faster changes in the magnitude of the first decorrelation are emphasized more than relatively slower changes in the magnitude of the first decorrelation; decorrelating the plurality of audio signals dynamically over time by an amount that depends on the second depth steering information, such that a greater existing depth in the audio signals is emphasized relatively more and a lower existing depth in the audio signals is emphasized relatively less, to produce a plurality of decorrelated audio signals; and outputting the plurality of decorrelated audio signals for playback to a listener; wherein at least said decorrelating is performed at least by electronic hardware. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for rendering depth in an audio output signal, the system comprising:
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a depth estimator configured to; receive two or more audio signals and to identify depth information associated with the two or more audio signals, and apply nonlinear processing to the depth information to produce nonlinear depth information, the nonlinear processing configured to accentuate a magnitude of the depth information with a greater than linear increase; and a depth renderer comprising one or more processors, the depth renderer configured to decorrelate the two or more audio signals by an amount that depends on the nonlinear depth information, such that a greater existing depth in the two or more audio signals is emphasized relatively more and a lower existing depth in the two or more audio signals is emphasized relatively less, to produce a plurality of decorrelated audio signals, and output the plurality of decorrelated audio signals. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of rendering depth in an audio output signal, the method comprising:
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receiving input audio comprising two or more audio signals; estimating depth information associated with the input audio, the depth information changing over time, said estimating the depth information comprising calculating an amount of existing decorrelation between the two or more audio signals; emphasizing the depth information to produce nonlinear depth information by at least nonlinearly accentuating a magnitude of the first depth stcering information with a greater than linear increase; enhancing the audio dynamically based on the nonlinear depth information, by one or more processors, said enhancing varying dynamically based on variations in the nonlinear depth information over time, said enhancing comprising emphasizing the existing decorrelation between the two or more audio signals based in part on the amount of existing decorrelation; and outputting the enhanced audio.
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Specification