IP Library Granted Patent US 12,315,521
Granted Patent B2
US 12,315,521 · App. 18/404,520 · Granted May 27, 2025

Methods, apparatus and systems for encoding and decoding of directional sound sources

Inventors: Nicolas R. Tsingos (San Francisco, CA); Mark R. P. Thomas (Walnut Creek, CA); Christof Fersch (Neumarkt, DE)
Assignees: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION; DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
G10L19/008H04S7/302H04S2400/11H04S2420/01
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,315,521
App. No.
18/404,520
Granted
May 27, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Some disclosed methods involve encoding or decoding directional audio data. Some encoding methods may involve receiving a mono audio signal corresponding to an audio object and a representation of a radiation pattern corresponding to the audio object. The radiation pattern may include sound levels corresponding to plurality of sample times, a plurality of frequency bands and a plurality of directions. The methods may involve encoding the mono audio signal and encoding the source radiation pattern to determine radiation pattern metadata. Encoding the radiation pattern may involve determining a spherical harmonic transform of the representation of the radiation pattern and compressing the spherical harmonic transform to obtain encoded radiation pattern metadata.

Claims (19)

1. A method for decoding audio data, comprising:

receiving an encoded core audio signal, encoded radiation pattern metadata and encoded audio object metadata, wherein the audio object metadata includes Six Degrees of Freedom (6DoF) source orientation information;

decoding the encoded core audio signal to determine a core audio signal;

decoding the encoded radiation pattern metadata to determine a decoded radiation pattern;

rendering the core audio signal based on the audio object metadata and the decoded radiation pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the core audio signal comprises a plurality of directional objects based on a cluster of objects, and wherein the decoded radiation pattern is representative of a centroid that reflects an average value for each frequency band.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encoded radiation pattern metadata corresponds with a time—and frequency-varying set of spherical harmonic coefficients.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encoded radiation pattern metadata comprises audio object type metadata.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the audio object type metadata indicates parametric directivity pattern data and wherein the parametric directivity pattern data includes one or more functions selected from a list of functions that consists of a cosine function, a sine function or a cardioidal function.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the audio object type metadata indicates dynamic directivity pattern data and wherein the dynamic directivity pattern data corresponds with a time—and frequency-varying set of spherical harmonic coefficients.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising receiving the dynamic directivity pattern data prior to receiving the encoded core audio signal.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rendering is based on applying subband gains, based at least in part on the decoded radiation pattern, to the decoded core audio signal.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the audio object type metadata indicates database directivity pattern data and wherein decoding the encoded radiation pattern metadata to determine the decoded radiation pattern comprises querying a directivity data structure that includes audio object types and corresponding directivity pattern data.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to perform the method of 1 .

11. An audio decoding apparatus, comprising:

an interface system; and

a control system configured for:

receiving, via the interface system, audio data corresponding to at least one audio object, the audio data including a monophonic audio signal, audio object position metadata, and a rendering parameter, wherein the audio object position metadata includes

Six Degrees of Freedom (6DoF) source orientation information; determining whether the rendering parameter indicates a positional mode or a directivity mode; and, upon determining that the rendering parameter indicates a directivity mode, rendering the audio data for reproduction via at least one loudspeaker according to a directivity pattern indicated by at least one of the audio object position metadata.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2024
From: TSINGOS, NICOLAS R.; THOMAS, MARK R. P.; FERSCH, CHRISTOF
To: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION; DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
Reel/Frame 066977/0347 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17727732 · Apr 23, 2022
Continuation 17047403
Provisional Application 62741419 · Oct 4, 2018
Provisional Application 62681429 · Jun 6, 2018
Provisional Application 62658067 · Apr 16, 2018
Related Publication 20240212693A1 · Jun 27, 2024
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