Enhancing intelligibility of speech content in an audio signal
AssigneeDolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
InventorsGuilin Ma, Xiguang Zheng, C. Phillip Brown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention relate to signal processing. Methods for enhancing intelligibility of speech content in an audio signal are disclosed. One of the methods comprises obtaining reference loudness of the audio signal. The method further comprises enhancing the intelligibility of the speech content by adjusting partial loudness of the audio signal based on the reference loudness and a degree of the intelligibility. Corresponding systems and computer program products are also disclosed.
Claims25
A method for enhancing intelligibility of speech content in an audio signal, the speech content contained in a speech component of the audio signal, the method comprising:
- obtaining reference loudness of the audio signal;
- enhancing the intelligibility of the speech content by adjusting partial loudness of the audio signal based on the reference loudness and a degree of the intelligibility;
- and
- outputting, from a loudspeaker, the audio signal having the intelligibility of the speech content enhanced,
- wherein enhancing the intelligibility of the speech content by adjusting the partial loudness of the audio signal comprises:
- adjusting the partial loudness of the audio signal to the reference loudness;
- determining whether an intelligibility criterion is met by the intelligibility of the speech content in the adjusted audio signal;
- determining target loudness in response to the intelligibility criterion being not met;
- and
- adjusting the partial loudness of the audio signal to the target loudness,
- wherein determining the target loudness comprises:
- calculating a first metric indicating a ratio of the speech component to the non-speech component;
- calculating a second metric indicating a ratio of the speech component to the non-speech component and an environmental noise signal;
- determining additional loudness based on the first and second metrics;
- and
- determining the target loudness based on the reference loudness and the additional loudness.
A system for enhancing intelligibility of speech content in an audio signal, the speech content contained in a speech component of the audio signal, the system comprising:
- a reference loudness obtaining unit configured to obtain reference loudness of the audio signal;
- an intelligibility enhancing unit configured to enhance the intelligibility of the speech content by adjusting partial loudness of the audio signal based on the reference loudness and a degree of the intelligibility;
- and
- a loudspeaker configured to output the audio signal having the intelligibility of the speech content enhanced,
- wherein the intelligibility enhancing unit comprises:
- a loudness adjusting unit configured to adjust the partial loudness of the audio signal to the reference loudness and adjust the partial loudness of the audio signal to a target loudness in response to an intelligibility criterion being not met;
- an intelligibility determining unit configured to determine whether the intelligibility criterion is met by the intelligibility of the speech content in the adjusted audio signal;
- and
- a target loudness determining unit configured to determine the target loudness in response to the intelligibility criterion being not met,
- wherein the target loudness determining unit comprises:
- a first metric calculating unit configured to calculate a first metric indicating a ratio of the speech component to the non-speech component;
- a second metric calculating unit configured to calculate a second metric indicating a ratio of the speech component to the non-speech component and an environmental noise signal;
- an additional loudness determining unit configured to determine additional loudness based on the first and second metrics;
- and
- a determining unit configured to determine the target loudness based on the reference loudness and the additional loudness.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.