System and method for capturing, encoding, distributing, and decoding immersive audio
AssigneeDTS, Inc.
InventorsMichael M. Goodwin, Jean-Marc Jot, Martin Walsh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sound field coding system and method that provides flexible capture, distribution, and reproduction of immersive audio recordings encoded in a generic digital audio format compatible with standard two-channel or multi-channel reproduction systems. This end-to-end system and method mitigates any impractical need for standard multi-channel microphone array configurations in consumer mobile devices such as smart phones or cameras. The system and method capture and spatially encode two-channel or multi-channel immersive audio signals that are compatible with legacy playback systems from flexible multi-channel microphone array configurations.
Claims15
A method for processing a plurality of capture microphone signals, comprising:
- selecting a capture microphone configuration having a plurality of capture microphones for capturing sound from at least one audio source, the capture microphone configuration defining a microphone directivity for each of the plurality of capture microphones relative to a reference direction;
- selecting a virtual microphone configuration having a plurality of virtual microphones for encoding spatial information about a position of the at least one audio source relative to the reference direction, the virtual microphone configuration defining a virtual microphone directivity for each of the plurality of virtual microphones relative to the reference direction;
- calculating spatial encoding coefficients based on the capture microphone configuration and on the virtual microphone configuration;
- converting the plurality of capture microphone signals into a Spatially Encoded Signal (SES) including virtual microphone signals;
- and
- defining at least one of the capture or virtual microphone directivities as a complex amplitude scaling factor that is dependent on the position of the at least one audio source and contains a non-zero phase component;
- wherein each of the virtual microphone signals is obtained by combining the capture microphone signals using the spatial encoding coefficients.
A method for processing a plurality of capture microphone signals, comprising:
- selecting a capture microphone configuration having a plurality of capture microphones for capturing sound from at least one audio source, the capture microphone configuration defining a microphone directivity for each of the plurality of capture microphones relative to a reference direction;
- selecting a virtual microphone configuration having a plurality of virtual microphones for encoding spatial information about a position of the at least one audio source relative to the reference direction, the virtual microphone configuration defining a virtual microphone directivity for each of the plurality of virtual microphones relative to the reference direction;
- calculating spatial encoding coefficients based on the capture microphone configuration and on the virtual microphone configuration;
- and
- converting the plurality of capture microphone signals into a Spatially Encoded Signal (SES) including virtual microphone signals;
- defining at least one of the capture microphone directivities as a frequency-dependent amplitude scaling factor that depends on the position of the at least one audio source;
- and
- wherein each of the virtual microphone signals is obtained by combining the capture microphone signals using the spatial encoding coefficients.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.