Playback enhancement in audio systems
AssigneeBose Corporation
InventorJoseph Gaalaas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Audio systems and methods are provided that enhance a portion of audio content relative to other portions of the audio content. The systems and methods select the portion to be enhanced and calculate an intelligibility metric of the selected portion, such as a dialogue portion. The systems and methods determine a gain based at least in part upon the intelligibility metric and apply the gain to the selected portion to provide an enhanced portion. The systems and methods provide an audio signal, based at least in part upon the enhanced portion, to an output for conversion to an acoustic signal, such as by an acoustic transducer.
Claims20
An audio system comprising:
- an input configured to receive audio content;
- an output configured to playback audio in a listening environment;
- one or more microphones configured to detect environmental acoustic signals in the listening environment;
- and
- at least one processor coupled to the input and to the output, the at least one processor configured to
- determine an environmental noise signal based on the detected environmental acoustic signals in the listening environment,
- select a portion of the audio content to be enhanced relative to other portions of the audio content,
- calculate an intelligibility metric of the selected portion using the environmental noise signal,
- apply an enhancement to the selected portion to provide an enhanced portion, and
- provide the enhanced portion to the output for playback.
A method of enhancing a portion of audio content playback by an audio system in a listening environment, the method comprising:
- receiving the audio content;
- detecting, using one or more microphones of the audio system, environmental acoustic signals in the listening environment;
- determining an environmental noise signal based on the detected environmental acoustic signals;
- selecting the portion of the audio content to be enhanced relative to other portions of the audio content;
- calculating an intelligibility metric of the selected portion using the environmental noise signal;
- applying an enhancement to the selected portion to provide an enhanced portion;
- and
- causing playback of the enhanced portion via an output of the audio system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.