IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,707,824
Granted Patent B2
US 10,707,824 · App. 16/509,791 · Granted Jul 7, 2020

Volume leveler controller and controlling method

Inventors: Jun Wang (Beijing, CN); Lie Lu (San Francisco, CA); Alan J. Seefeldt (Alameda, CA)
Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
H03G7/002G10L21/0364G10L25/30G10L25/51H03G3/3089H03G3/32H03G5/165H03G7/007H04M7/006H04M2203/305
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,707,824
App. No.
16/509,791
Granted
Jul 7, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Volume leveler controller and controlling method are disclosed. In one embodiment, A volume leveler controller includes an audio content classifier for identifying the content type of an audio signal in real time; and an adjusting unit for adjusting a volume leveler in a continuous manner based on the content type as identified. The adjusting unit may configured to positively correlate the dynamic gain of the volume leveler with informative content types of the audio signal, and negatively correlate the dynamic gain of the volume leveler with interfering content types of the audio signal.

Claims (26)

1. A loudness normalization method based upon a target loudness value, the method comprising:

determining dynamic gain parameters to be applied to audio segments of an audio signal based upon short-term or long-term characteristics of the audio signal, said determining including determining one or more dynamic gain parameters for a first audio segment based on a short-term characteristic of the audio signal and the target loudness value, and determining one or more dynamic gain parameters for a second audio segment based on a long-term characteristic of the audio signal and the target loudness value;

modifying a loudness of the first audio segment by employing the one or more dynamic gain parameters for the first audio segment; and

modifying a loudness of the second audio segment by employing the one or more dynamic gain parameters for the second audio segment,

wherein a loudness of the audio signal on playback is consistent with the target loudness value over the audio segments.

2. The loudness normalization method of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic gain parameters are identified and applied in real time.

3. The loudness normalization method of claim 1 , wherein dialog enhancement is applied having an effect of making dialog more prominent within a particular context.

4. The loudness normalization method of claim 1 , wherein a loudness equalization is applied to have an effect on one or more playback levels on a tonal balance.

5. The loudness normalization method of claim 1 , wherein a parameter smoothing is applied to the dynamic gain parameters.

6. An audio processing apparatus configured to normalize loudness based upon a target loudness value, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing a computer program;

in which the at least one memory with the computer program is configured with the at least one processor to cause the audio processing apparatus to at least:

determine dynamic gain parameters to be applied audio segments of an audio signal based upon short-term or long-term characteristics of the audio signal, said determining including determining one or more dynamic gain parameters for a first audio segment based on a short-term characteristic of the audio signal and the target loudness value, and determining one or more dynamic gain parameters for a second audio segment based on a long-term characteristic of the audio signal and the target loudness value;

modify a loudness of the first audio segment by employing the one or more dynamic gain parameters for the first audio segment; and

modifying a loudness of the second audio segment by employing the one or more dynamic gain parameters for the second audio segment,

wherein a loudness of the audio signal on playback is consistent with the target loudness value over the audio segments.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the dynamic gain parameters are identified and applied in real time.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein dialog enhancement is applied having an effect of making dialog more prominent within a particular context.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein a loudness equalization is applied to have an effect on one or more playback levels on a tonal balance.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein a parameter smoothing is applied to the dynamic gain parameters.

11. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for causing to perform operations, said operations comprising:

determining dynamic gain parameters to be applied to audio segments of an audio signal based upon short-term or long-term characteristics of the audio signal, said determining including determining one or more dynamic gain parameters for a first audio segment based on a short-term characteristic of the audio signal and the target loudness value, and determining one or more dynamic gain parameters for a second audio segment based on a long-term characteristic of the audio signal and the target loudness value;

modifying a loudness of the first audio segment by employing the one or more dynamic gain parameters for the first audio segment; and

modifying a loudness of the second audio segment by employing the one or more dynamic gain parameters for the second audio segment,

wherein a loudness of the audio signal on playback is consistent with the target loudness value over the audio segments.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2019
From: WANG, JUN; LU, LIE; SEEFELDT, ALAN
To: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050785/0671 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 2013 1 0100422 · Mar 26, 2013 · national
Continuity (5)
Division 15432679 · Feb 14, 2017
Division 15284953 · Oct 4, 2016
Division 14777271
Provisional Application 61811072 · Apr 11, 2013
Related Publication 20190334497A1 · Oct 31, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,375,053