Audio processing

1 . An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

receive or obtain at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals and a video signal for processing;

classify a first audio signal of the at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals for time synchronization with the video signal by classifying the first audio signal as a non-speech signal;

classify a second audio signal of the at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals not for time synchronization with the video signal by classifying the second audio signal as a speech signal;

process the first audio signal for time synchronization with the video signal wherein the processing introduces a first delay for time synchronization with the video signal; and

process the second audio signal wherein the processing introduces a second delay shorter than the first delay.

2 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a first path comprising a first audio coder and a second path comprising a second audio coder, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

direct the first audio signal along the first path to be processed, with the first delay, by the first audio coder; and

direct the second audio signal along the second path to be processed, with the second delay, by the second audio coder.

3 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the second path is optimized for minimum delay.

4 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first path is optimized for audio-video synchronization.

5 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process the video signal;

wherein the first delay is adjusted to time synchronize the processed first audio signal with the processed video signal, and

wherein an event in the processed video signal that produces a sound is time synchronized with the produced sound in the processed first audio signal.

6 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

classify the second audio signal by classifying the audio signal as a conversational speech signal.

7 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

classify the first audio signal by classifying the audio signal as a non-conversational speech signal.

8 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

classify the at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals using at least one of audio analysis of the at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals or video analysis of the video signal.

9 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

identify a sound source in the video signal, and

classify at least one audio signal of the at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals associated with the identified sound source as the first audio signal.

10 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

identify a sound source as not being in the video signal, and classify at least one audio signal of the at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals associated with the identified sound source as the second audio signal.

11 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second audio signal introduces the second delay during a first mode and the apparatus is further caused to:

process the second audio signal wherein the processing of the second audio signal introduces the first delay such that the processed first audio signal and the processed second audio signal are time synchronized during a second mode.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first mode is a participant mode and the second mode is a non-participant mode.

13 . A method comprising:

receiving or obtaining at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals and a video signal for processing;

classifying a first audio signal of the at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals as a non-speech signal;

classifying a second audio signal of the at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals as a speech signal, wherein the second audio signal is to be processed with less delay than the first audio signal;

processing the first audio signal wherein the processing introduces a first delay; and

processing the second audio signal wherein the processing introduces a second delay, wherein the second delay is shorter than the first delay.

14 . The method as claimed in claim 13 , comprising a first path comprising a first audio coder and a second path comprising a second audio coder, wherein the first audio signal is directed along the first path to be processed, with the first delay and the second audio signal is directed along the second path to be processed.

15 . The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the second path is optimized for minimum delay.

16 . The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first path is optimized for audio-video synchronization.

17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon that when executed by at least one processor perform at least the following:

receiving or obtaining at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals and a video signal for processing;

classifying a first audio signal of the at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals as a non-speech signal;

classifying a second audio signal of the at least two partially temporally overlapping audio signals as a speech signal, wherein the second audio signal is to be processed with less delay than the first audio signal;

processing the first audio signal wherein the processing introduces a first delay; and

processing the second audio signal wherein the processing introduces a second delay, wherein the second delay is shorter than the first delay.