IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,962,231
Granted Patent B2
US 7,962,231 · App. 11/840,333 · Granted Jun 14, 2011

Apparatus and method for providing data in a multi-renderer system

Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.; Tu Ilmenau
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,962,231
App. No.
11/840,333
Granted
Jun 14, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus for providing data for wave field synthesis rendering in a wave field synthesis system with plurality of renderer modules, at least one loudspeaker being associated with each renderer module, and the loudspeakers associated with the renderer modules being attachable at different positions in a reproduction room, includes a provider for providing a plurality of audio files, wherein a virtual source at a source position is associated with an audio file, and a data output for providing the audio file to a renderer with which an active loudspeaker is associated, with the data output further formed to not provide the audio file to a renderer if all loudspeakers associated with the renderer are not to be active for the reproduction of the source. Thus, unnecessary data transmissions in the wave field synthesis system are avoided, while making optimum use of the renderer maximum capacity in a multi-renderer system.

Claims (51)

1. An apparatus for providing data for the wave field synthesis rendering in a wave field synthesis system, comprising:

a provider for providing a plurality of audio files, wherein a virtual source at a source position is associated with an audio file; and

a data output for providing the audio file to a first renderer module with which a loudspeaker is associated that is to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source, wherein the data output is further formed to not provide the audio file to a second renderer module; wherein

loudspeakers associated with the second renderer module are not to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source;

the wave field synthesis system comprises the first renderer module and the second renderer module;

at least one loudspeaker is associated with each of the first renderer module and the second renderer module;

the loudspeakers associated with first renderer module and the second renderer module are attachable at different positions in a reproduction room; and

each of the first renderer module and the second renderer module comprises a certain maximum processing capacity, and wherein the data output is formed to provide an audio file to one of the first renderer module and the second renderer module only when a minimum proportion of the loudspeakers associated with the one of the first renderer module or the second renderer module has been determined to be active, wherein the minimum proportion is variable and depends on a utilization of the first renderer module or the second renderer module, which can be determined by a utilization determinator.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a data manager for determining whether the at least one loudspeaker associated with the first renderer module or the second renderer module is to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source or not, wherein the data manager is formed to perform the determination based on the source position and a loudspeaker position or a renderer module identification.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the reproduction room comprises a reference point, wherein the data manager is formed to determine a loudspeaker to be active if the source position is between the reference point and the loudspeaker, or if the loudspeaker is between the source position and the reference point.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the data manager is formed to determine a loudspeaker to be active if an angle between a first line from the source position to the reference point and a second line from the loudspeaker to the reference point lies between 0° and 90°.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the data manager is formed to determine a loudspeaker to be non-active if a connection line from the source position to the reference point does not comprise any directional components parallel to a main sound emission direction of the loudspeaker.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein several loudspeakers are associated with the first renderer module or the second renderer module, and wherein the data output is formed to supply the first renderer module or the second renderer module with the audio file only if more than 10% of the loudspeakers associated with the first renderer module or the second renderer module have been determined to be active, or if the loudspeakers associated with the first renderer module or the second renderer module would provide, for a virtual source, a synthesis signal with an amplitude higher than a minimum threshold.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein several loudspeakers are associated with the first renderer module or the second renderer module, and wherein the first renderer module or the second renderer module is supplied with an audio file only if at least one loudspeaker associated with the first renderer module or the second renderer module has been determined to be active.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the data output is formed to increase a minimum proportion if the utilization determined by the utilization determinator increases.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the utilization determinator is formed to determine a current or estimated future utilization.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the data output comprises a lookup table, which is formed to receive a source position as input quantity, and which is formed to provide, as output quantity for the first renderer module and the second renderer module, information as to whether the first renderer module or the second renderer module for the source position input on the input side is to be active or not.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the data output is formed to provide the audio file for a virtual source, a source position for the virtual source, and information on beginning, end and/or duration of the virtual source in an audio scene to the first renderer module or the second renderer module with which an active loudspeaker is associated.

12. A method for providing data for the wave field synthesis rendering in a wave field synthesis system, comprising:

providing a plurality of audio files, wherein a virtual source at a source position is associated with an audio file; and

providing the audio file, by a data output, to a first renderer module with which a loudspeaker is associated that is to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source, wherein the audio file is not provided to a second renderer module; wherein

loudspeakers associated with the second renderer module are not to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source;

the wave field synthesis system comprises the first renderer module and the second renderer module;

at least one loudspeaker is associated with each of the first renderer module and the second renderer module;

the loudspeakers associated with the first renderer module and the second renderer module are attachable at different positions in a reproduction room; and

each renderer module comprises a certain maximum processing capacity, and wherein the data output is formed to provide an audio file to the first or the second renderer only when a minimum proportion of the loudspeakers associated with the first or the second renderer module has been determined to be active, wherein the minimum proportion is variable and depends on a utilization of the first or the second renderer module, which can be determined by a utilization determination operation.

13. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a computer program with program code for performing, when the program is executed on a computer, a method for providing data for the wave field synthesis rendering in a wave field synthesis system, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of audio files, wherein a virtual source at a source position is associated with an audio file; and

providing the audio file, by a data output, to a first renderer module with which a loudspeaker is associated that is to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source, wherein the audio file is not provided to a second renderer module; wherein

loudspeakers associated with the second renderer module are not to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source;

the wave field synthesis system comprises the first renderer module and the second renderer module;

at least one loudspeaker is associated with each of the first renderer module and the second renderer module;

the loudspeakers associated with the first renderer module and the second renderer module are attachable at different positions in a reproduction room; and

each renderer module comprises a certain maximum processing capacity, and wherein the data output is formed to provide an audio file to the first or the second renderer only when a minimum proportion of the loudspeakers associated with the first or the second renderer module has been determined to be active, wherein the minimum proportion is variable and depends on a utilization of the first or the second renderer module, which can be determined by a utilization determination operation.

14. An apparatus for providing data for the wave field synthesis rendering in a wave field synthesis system, comprising:

a provider for providing a plurality of audio files, wherein a virtual source at a source position is associated with an audio file; and

a data output for providing the audio file to a first renderer module with which a loudspeaker is associated that is to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source, wherein the data output is further formed to not provide the audio file to a second renderer module, wherein loudspeakers associated with the second renderer module are not to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source; wherein

the wave field synthesis system comprises the first renderer module and the second renderer module, wherein at least one loudspeaker is associated with each renderer module, and wherein the loudspeakers associated with the renderer modules are attachable at different positions in a reproduction room; and

the data output is formed to further provide information on a type of the virtual source to the first or the second renderer module, the information on the type of the virtual source indication, whether the virtual source is a point source, whether the virtual source is a source for plane waves or whether the virtual source is a source for waves of another shape.

15. A method for providing data for the wave field synthesis rendering in a wave field synthesis system, comprising:

providing a plurality of audio files, wherein a virtual source at a source position is associated with an audio file; and

providing, by a data output, the audio file to a first renderer module with which a loudspeaker is associated that is to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source, wherein the audio file is not provided to a second renderer module; wherein

loudspeakers associated with the second renderer are not to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source;

the wave field synthesis system comprises the first renderer module and the second renderer module, wherein at least one loudspeaker is associated with each renderer module, and wherein the loudspeakers associated with the renderer modules are attachable at different positions in a reproduction room; and

the data output is formed to further provide information on a type of the virtual source to the first or the second renderer module, the information on the type of the virtual source indication, whether the virtual source is a point source, whether the virtual source is a source for plane waves or whether the virtual source is a source for waves of another shape.

16. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a computer program with program code for performing, when the program is executed on a computer, a method for providing data for the wave field synthesis rendering in a wave field synthesis system, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of audio files, wherein a virtual source at a source position is associated with an audio file; and

providing, by a data output, the audio file to a first renderer module with which a loudspeaker is associated that is to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source, wherein the audio file is not provided to a second renderer module, wherein loudspeakers associated with the second renderer module are not to be active for the reproduction of the virtual source; wherein

the wave field synthesis system comprises the first renderer module and the second renderer module, wherein at least one loudspeaker is associated with each renderer module, and wherein the loudspeakers associated with the renderer modules are attachable at different positions in a reproduction room; and

the data output is formed to further provide information on a type of the virtual source to the first or the second renderer module, the information on the type of the virtual source indication, whether the virtual source is a point source, whether the virtual source is a source for plane waves or whether the virtual source is a source for waves of another shape.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE COUNTRY OF THE SECOND RECEIVING PARTY FROM GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC TO GERMANY PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 020204 FRAME 0472. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ENTIRE INTEREST. Recorded Jan 28, 2008
From: REICHELT, KATRIN; GATZSCHE, GABRIEL; HEIMRICH, THOMAS; SATTLER, KAI-UWE; BRIX, SANDRA
To: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.; TU ILMENAU
Reel/Frame 020423/0395 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CITY OF THE ASSIGNEE TU ILMENAU FROM ILLMENAU TO ILMENAU PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 019926 FRAME 0566. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ENTIRE INTEREST. Recorded Dec 6, 2007
From: REICHELT, KATRIN; GATZSCHE, GABRIEL; HEIMRICH, THOMAS; SATTLER, KAI-UWE; BRIX, SANDRA
To: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.; TU ILMENAU
Reel/Frame 020204/0472 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2007
From: REICHELT, KATRIN; GATZSCHE, GABRIEL; HEIMRICH, THOMAS; SATTLER, KAI-UWE; BRIX, SANDRA
To: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.; TU ILMENAU
Reel/Frame 019926/0566 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2005 008 343 · Feb 23, 2005 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2006001412 · Feb 16, 2006
Related Publication 20080019534A1 · Jan 24, 2008