Audio processing

1. A method comprising:

determining a time difference between at least a first audio channel and a second audio channel of the same acoustic space wherein the time difference is determined by correlating audio data of the first audio channel as a consequence of an event in the acoustic space against audio data of the second audio channel as a consequence of the event in the acoustic space; and

enabling a corrective time shift between the first audio channel and the second audio channel when the time difference exceeds a threshold, wherein the corrective time shift comprises introducing or discarding a segment of audio from the first audio channel or the second audio channel.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the audio data comprises an audio signal or a parameter of an encoded audio signal.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the event is a triggered audio output event within the acoustic space for the purpose determining the time difference.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining of a time difference between at least a first audio channel and a second audio channel of the same acoustic space occurs intermittently every first period of time.

5. A method according to claim 1 , comprising determining a time difference between audio channels other than the first audio channel and the second audio channel at a time different to that when the time difference between the first audio channel and the second audio channel is determined.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the corrective time shift introduces a segment of additional audio to an audio channel or discards a segment of audio from an audio channel.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein a segment of additional audio is introduced to an audio channel by adding a segment of audio data to an audio data buffer.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein enabling the corrective time shift involves setting a flag that delays implementing the corrective time shift until an additional predetermined condition is satisfied.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the time difference indicates whether the second audio channel lags or leads the first audio channel, the method comprising:

enabling application of a forward time shift to the second audio channel by adding audio data to the second audio channel when the time difference exceeds a first lag threshold; and

enabling application of a backward time shift to the second audio channel by discarding audio data of the second audio channel when the time difference exceeds a first lead threshold.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the first lag threshold has a value equivalent to at least half the duration of the audio data added and wherein the first lead threshold has a value equivalent to at least half the duration of the audio data discarded.

11. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

determine a time difference between at least a first audio channel and a second audio channel of the same acoustic space wherein the processing circuitry correlates audio data of the first audio channel against audio data of the second audio channel;

compare the determined time difference with a threshold; and

apply a corrective time shift between the first audio channel and the second audio channel when the time difference is determined to exceed a threshold, wherein the corrective time shift comprises introducing or discarding a segment of audio from the first audio channel or the second audio channel.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine a time difference between at least a first audio channel and a second audio channel of the same acoustic space intermittently every first period of time.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the first period of time is adaptive.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the corrective time shift introduces a segment of additional audio to an audio channel or discards a segment of audio from an audio channel.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 , comprising an audio data buffer, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

add a segment of additional audio to the audio data buffer.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14 , comprising an audio data buffer, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

discard a segment of additional audio in the audio data buffer.

17. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

perform a corrective time shift between the first audio channel and the second audio channel when the time difference exceeds a threshold.

18. An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

transmit a command to force, at a remote location, a corrective time shift between the first audio channel and the second audio channel.

19. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable medium having computer-executable program code portions stored therein, the computer-executable program code portions comprising program code instructions configured to:

determine a time difference between at least a first audio channel and a second audio channel of the same acoustic space wherein the time difference is determined by correlating audio data of the first audio channel as a consequence of an event in the acoustic space against audio data of the second audio channel as a consequence of the event in the acoustic space; and

enable a corrective time shift between the first audio channel and the second audio channel when the time difference exceeds a threshold, wherein the corrective time shift comprises introducing or discarding a segment of audio from the first audio channel or the second audio channel.