IP Library Granted Patent US 11,540,080
Granted Patent B2
US 11,540,080 · App. 17/474,669 · Granted Dec 27, 2022

Audio processing apparatus and method, and program

Inventors: Yuki Yamamoto (Chiba, JP); Toru Chinen (Kanagawa, JP); Minoru Tsuji (Chiba, JP)
Assignee: Sony Corporation
H04S7/303G10L19/008H04S3/008H04S5/02H04S2400/01H04S2400/11H04S2400/13H04S2400/15
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,540,080
App. No.
17/474,669
Granted
Dec 27, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present technology relates to an audio processing apparatus and method and a program that make it possible to obtain sound of higher quality. An acquisition unit acquires an audio signal and metadata of an object. A vector calculation unit calculates, based on a horizontal direction angle and a vertical direction angle included in the metadata of the object and indicative of an extent of a sound image, a spread vector indicative of a position in a region indicative of the extent of the sound image. A gain calculation unit calculates, based on the spread vector, a VBAP gain of the audio signal in regard to each speaker by VBAP. The present technology can be applied to an audio processing apparatus.

Claims (12)

1. An audio processing apparatus comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire metadata including position information indicative of a position of an audio object and sound image information configured from a vector of at least two or more dimensions and representative of an extent of a sound image from the position;

a vector calculation unit configured to calculate, based on a horizontal direction angle and a vertical direction angle of a region representative of the extent of the sound image determined by the sound image information, a plurality of spread vectors, each of which is indicative of a position in the region, wherein a number of the plurality of spread vectors is determined in advance and is not dependent on the extent of the sound image; and

a gain calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the at least one spread vector and using vector base amplitude panning (VBAP), a gain of an audio signal supplied to a corresponding sound outputting unit of two or more sound outputting units positioned in proximity to the position indicated by the position information.

2. An audio processing method comprising:

acquiring metadata including position information indicative of a position of an audio object and sound image information configured from a vector of at least two or more dimensions and representative of an extent of a sound image of the audio object from the position;

calculating a plurality of spread vectors, each of which is indicative of a position in a region representative of the extent of the sound image of the audio object determined by the sound image information, wherein the plurality of spread vectors are determined based on a ratio between a horizontal direction angle and a vertical direction angle of the region; and

calculating, based on the plurality of spread vectors and using vector base amplitude panning (VBAP), a gain of each of audio signals supplied to two or more sound outputting units positioned in the proximity of the position indicated by the position information.

3. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a computer program that, when executed by a computer, perform a method comprising:

acquiring metadata including position information indicative of a position of an audio object and sound image information configured from a vector of at least two or more dimensions and representative of an extent of a sound image of the audio object from the position;

calculating a plurality of spread vectors, each of which is indicative of a position in a region representative of the extent of the sound image of the audio object determined by the sound image information, wherein the plurality of spread vectors are determined based on a ratio between a horizontal direction angle and a vertical direction angle of the region; and

calculating, based on the plurality of spread vectors and using vector base amplitude panning (VBAP), a gain of each of audio signals supplied to two or more sound outputting units positioned in the proximity of the position indicated by the position information.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2021
From: YAMAMOTO, YUKI; CHINEN, TORU; TSUJI, MINORU
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059097/0023 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2015-126650 · Jun 24, 2015 · national
JP 2015-148683 · Jul 28, 2015 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16734211 · Jan 3, 2020
Continuation 15737026
Related Publication 20210409892A1 · Dec 30, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,294,850