SRS LABS, INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20130272543 | SYSTEM FOR ADJUSTING LOUDNESS OF AUDIO SIGNALS IN REAL TIME - A method of adjusting a loudness of an audio signal in real time may include receiving an electronic audio signal and dividing the audio signal into a plurality of frames. Processing of the frames may be performed in real time. The processing may include measuring initial loudness values for blocks of samples in a frame to produce a plurality of initial loudness values, and computing a weighted average of at least some of the initial loudness values. The weights may be selected based on one or more of the recency of the initial loudness values, variation of the initial loudness values, and estimated information content of the audio signal. The processing may further include selectively discarding at least some of the loudness values that reach an adaptive loudness threshold. Weights can be adjusted based on the variation of the loudness values of the audio signal. | 10-17-2013 |
20130272542 | SYSTEM FOR ADJUSTING LOUDNESS OF AUDIO SIGNALS IN REAL TIME - A method of adjusting a loudness of an audio signal in real time may include receiving an electronic audio signal and dividing the audio signal into a plurality of frames. Processing of the frames may be performed in real time. The processing may include measuring initial loudness values for blocks of samples in a frame to produce a plurality of initial loudness values, and computing a weighted average of at least some of the initial loudness values. The weights may be selected based on one or more of the recency of the initial loudness values, variation of the initial loudness values, and estimated information content of the audio signal. The processing may further include selectively discarding at least some of the loudness values that reach an adaptive loudness threshold. Weights can be adjusted based on the variation of the loudness values of the audio signal. | 10-17-2013 |
20130016854 | MICROPHONE ARRAY PROCESSING SYSTEM - An audio system is provided that employs time-frequency analysis and/or synthesis techniques for processing audio obtained from a microphone array. These time-frequency analysis/synthesis techniques can be more robust, provide better spatial resolution, and have less computational complexity than existing adaptive filter implementations. The time-frequency techniques can be implemented for dual microphone arrays or for microphone arrays having more than two microphones. Many different time-frequency techniques may be used in the audio system. As one example, the Gabor transform may be used to analyze time and frequency components of audio signals obtained from the microphone array. | 01-17-2013 |
20120259625 | SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING AN AUDIO SIGNAL TO ENHANCE SPEECH INTELLIGIBILITY - An adaptive audio system can be implemented in a communication device. The adaptive audio system can enhance voice in an audio signal received by the communication device to increase intelligibility of the voice. The audio system can adapt the audio enhancement based at least in part on levels of environmental content, such as noise, that are received by the communication device. For higher levels of environmental content, for example, the audio system might apply the audio enhancement more aggressively. Additionally, the adaptive audio system can detect substantially periodic content in the environmental content. The adaptive audio system can further adapt the audio enhancement responsive to the environmental content. | 10-11-2012 |
20120250895 | SYSTEM FOR ADJUSTING PERCEIVED LOUDNESS OF AUDIO SIGNALS - A method of adjusting a loudness of an audio signal may include receiving an electronic audio signal and using one or more processors to process at least one channel of the audio signal to determine a loudness of a portion of the audio signal. This processing may include processing the channel with a plurality of approximation filters that can approximate a plurality of auditory filters that further approximate a human hearing system. In addition, the method may include computing at least one gain based at least in part on the determined loudness to cause a loudness of the audio signal to remain substantially constant for a period of time. Moreover, the method may include applying the gain to the electronic audio signal. | 10-04-2012 |
20120232910 | SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY CREATING AND RENDERING AUDIO OBJECTS - Embodiments of systems and methods are described for providing backwards compatibility for legacy devices that are unable to natively render non-channel based audio objects. These systems and methods can also be beneficially used to produce a reduced set of audio objects for compatible object-based decoders with low computing resources. | 09-13-2012 |
20120230497 | SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY CREATING AND RENDERING AUDIO OBJECTS - Embodiments of systems and methods are described for providing backwards compatibility for legacy devices that are unable to natively render non-channel based audio objects. These systems and methods can also be beneficially used to produce a reduced set of audio objects for compatible object-based decoders with low computing resources. | 09-13-2012 |
20120170759 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED STREAMING AUDIO - A system and method for enhancement and management of streaming audio is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system provides a client-side decoder that is compatible with numerous audio formats, so that a user can enjoy relatively high-quality audio from various sources, even from sources that do not provide multi-channel or high-quality audio data. The system and method also include a management system for managing and controlling the use of licensed signal processing software to further enhance an audio stream. In one embodiment, the management system is used to manage a signal processing module that provides psychoacoustic audio processing to create a wider soundstage, an acoustic correction process to increase the perceived height and clarity of the audio image, and bass enhancement processing to create the perception of low bass from the small speakers or headphones typically used with multi-media systems and portable audio players. | 07-05-2012 |
20120170757 | IMMERSIVE AUDIO RENDERING SYSTEM - A depth processing system can employ stereo speakers to achieve immersive effects. The depth processing system can advantageously manipulate phase and/or amplitude information to render audio along a listener's median plane, thereby rendering audio along varying depths. In one embodiment, the depth processing system analyzes left and right stereo input signals to infer depth, which may change over time. The depth processing system can then vary the phase and/or amplitude decorrelation between the audio signals over time to enhance the sense of depth already present in the audio signals, thereby creating an immersive depth effect. | 07-05-2012 |
20120170756 | IMMERSIVE AUDIO RENDERING SYSTEM - A depth processing system can employ stereo speakers to achieve immersive effects. The depth processing system can advantageously manipulate phase and/or amplitude information to render audio along a listener's median plane, thereby rendering audio along varying depths. In one embodiment, the depth processing system analyzes left and right stereo input signals to infer depth, which may change over time. The depth processing system can then vary the phase and/or amplitude decorrelation between the audio signals over time to enhance the sense of depth already present in the audio signals, thereby creating an immersive depth effect. | 07-05-2012 |
20120099733 | AUDIO ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM - A stereo widening system and associated signal processing algorithms are described herein that can, in several embodiments, widen a stereo image with fewer processing resources than existing crosstalk cancellation systems. These system and algorithms can advantageously be implemented in a handheld device or other device with speakers placed close together, thereby improving the stereo effect produced with such devices at lower computational cost. However, the systems and algorithms described herein are not limited to handheld devices, but can more generally be implemented in any device with multiple speakers. | 04-26-2012 |
20120014528 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUDIO PROCESSING - Systems and methods for audio signal processing are disclosed, where a discrete number of simple digital filters are generated for particular portions of an audio frequency range. Studies have shown that certain frequency ranges are particularly important for human ears' location-discriminating capability, while other ranges are generally ignored. Head-Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs) are examples response functions that characterize how ears perceive sound positioned at different locations. By selecting one or more “location-critical” portions of such response functions, one can construct simple filters that can be used to simulate hearing where location-discriminating capability is substantially maintained. Because the filters can be simple, they can be implemented in devices having limited computing power and resources to provide location-discrimination responses that form the basis for many desirable audio effects. | 01-19-2012 |
20110286602 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED STREAMING AUDIO - A system and method for enhancement and management of streaming audio is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system provides a client-side decoder that is compatible with numerous audio formats, so that a user can enjoy relatively high-quality audio from various sources, even from sources that do not provide multi-channel or high-quality audio data. The system and method also include a management system for managing and controlling the use of licensed signal processing software to further enhance an audio stream. In one embodiment, the management system is used to manage a signal processing module that provides psychoacoustic audio processing to create a wider soundstage, an acoustic correction process to increase the perceived height and clarity of the audio image, and bass enhancement processing to create the perception of low bass from the small speakers or headphones typically used with multi-media systems and portable audio players. | 11-24-2011 |
20110274279 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED STREAMING AUDIO - A system and method for enhancement and management of streaming audio is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system provides a client-side decoder that is compatible with numerous audio formats, so that a user can enjoy relatively high-quality audio from various sources, even from sources that do not provide multi-channel or high-quality audio data. The system and method also include a management system for managing and controlling the use of licensed signal processing software to further enhance an audio stream. In one embodiment, the management system is used to manage a signal processing module that provides psychoacoustic audio processing to create a wider soundstage, an acoustic correction process to increase the perceived height and clarity of the audio image, and bass enhancement processing to create the perception of low bass from the small speakers or headphones typically used with multi-media systems and portable audio players. | 11-10-2011 |
20110172997 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REDUCING AUDIO NOISE - Various embodiments of systems and methods for reducing audio noise are disclosed. One or more sound components such as noise and network tone can be detected based on power spectrum obtained from a time-domain signal. Results of such detection can be used to make decisions in determination of an adjustment spectrum that can be applied to the power spectrum. The adjusted spectrum can be transformed back into a time-domain signal that substantially removes undesirable noise(s) and/or accounts for known sound components such as the network tone. | 07-14-2011 |
20110066428 | SYSTEM FOR ADAPTIVE VOICE INTELLIGIBILITY PROCESSING - An adaptive audio system can be implemented in a communication device. The adaptive audio system can enhance voice in an audio signal received by the communication device to increase intelligibility of the voice. The audio system can adapt the audio enhancement based at least in part on levels of environmental content, such as noise, that are received by the communication device. For higher levels of environmental content, for example, the audio system might apply the audio enhancement more aggressively. Additionally, the adaptive audio system can detect substantially periodic content in the environmental content. The adaptive audio system can further adapt the audio enhancement responsive to the environmental content. | 03-17-2011 |
20110040397 | SYSTEM FOR CREATING AUDIO OBJECTS FOR STREAMING - Systems and methods for providing object-oriented audio are described. Audio objects can be created by associating sound sources with attributes of those sound sources, such as location, velocity, directivity, and the like. Audio objects can be used in place of or in addition to channels to distribute sound, for example, by streaming the audio objects over a network to a client device. The objects can define their locations in space with associated two or three dimensional coordinates. The objects can be adaptively streamed to the client device based on available network or client device resources. A renderer on the client device can use the attributes of the objects to determine how to render the objects. The renderer can further adapt the playback of the objects based on information about a rendering environment of the client device. Various examples of audio object creation techniques are also described. | 02-17-2011 |
20110040396 | SYSTEM FOR ADAPTIVELY STREAMING AUDIO OBJECTS - Systems and methods for providing object-oriented audio are described. Audio objects can be created by associating sound sources with attributes of those sound sources, such as location, velocity, directivity, and the like. Audio objects can be used in place of or in addition to channels to distribute sound, for example, by streaming the audio objects over a network to a client device. The objects can define their locations in space with associated two or three dimensional coordinates. The objects can be adaptively streamed to the client device based on available network or client device resources. A renderer on the client device can use the attributes of the objects to determine how to render the objects. The renderer can further adapt the playback of the objects based on information about a rendering environment of the client device. Various examples of audio object creation techniques are also described. | 02-17-2011 |
20110040395 | OBJECT-ORIENTED AUDIO STREAMING SYSTEM - Systems and methods for providing object-oriented audio are described. Audio objects can be created by associating sound sources with attributes of those sound sources, such as location, velocity, directivity, and the like. Audio objects can be used in place of or in addition to channels to distribute sound, for example, by streaming the audio objects over a network to a client device. The objects can define their locations in space with associated two or three dimensional coordinates. The objects can be adaptively streamed to the client device based on available network or client device resources. A renderer on the client device can use the attributes of the objects to determine how to render the objects. The renderer can further adapt the playback of the objects based on information about a rendering environment of the client device. Various examples of audio object creation techniques are also described. | 02-17-2011 |
20110038490 | SYSTEM FOR INCREASING PERCEIVED LOUDNESS OF SPEAKERS - A system can be provided for increasing loudness of an audio signal to present a perceived loudness to a listener that is greater than a loudness provided natively by a loudspeaker. The system can include one or more of the following: a frequency suppressor, a loudness adjuster, an equalizer, and a distortion control module. The frequency suppressor can increase headroom in the audio signal by filtering out low and/or high frequencies. The loudness adjuster can calculate a loudness of the audio signal and apply a gain to the audio signal to increase the loudness. The equalizer can further increase headroom by attenuating portions of a passband of the loudspeaker's frequency response. The distortion control module can induce partial harmonic distortion in the audio signal to further increase loudness. | 02-17-2011 |
20100266143 | FREQUENCY-WARPED AUDIO EQUALIZER - In certain embodiments, an improved audio equalization filter can be generated by frequency warping one or more digital filters having a plurality of frequency bands. Frequency warping can include, for example, transforming at least some of the frequency bands of the one or more digital filters into lower frequency bands. As a result, in various implementations the audio equalization filter may be more accurate than certain currently-available IIR equalization filters. The audio equalization filter may also be more computing-resource efficient than certain currently-available FIR equalization filters. | 10-21-2010 |
20100226500 | AUDIO SIGNAL PROCESSING - Systems and methods of processing audio signals are described. The audio signals comprise information about spatial position of a sound source relative to a listener. At least one audio filter generates two filtered signals for each of audio signal. The two filtered signals are mixed with other filtered signals from other audio signals to create a right output audio channel and a left audio output channel, such that the spatial position of the sound source is perceptible from the right and left audio output channels. | 09-09-2010 |
20100098259 | AUDIO ENHANCEMENT SYSTEM - A stereo enhancement system processes the difference signal component generated from a pair of left and right input signals to create a broadened stereo image reproduced through a pair of speakers or through a surround sound system. Processing of the difference signal component occurs through equalization characterized by amplification of the low and high range of auditory frequencies. The processed difference signal is combined with a sum signal, generated from the left and right input signals, and the original left and right input signals to create enhanced left and right output signals. | 04-22-2010 |
20090190766 | MULTI-CHANNEL AUDIO ENHANCEMENT SYSTEM FOR USE IN RECORDING PLAYBACK AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING SAME - An audio enhancement system and method for use receives a group of multi-channel audio signals and provides a simulated surround sound environment through playback of only two output signals. The multi-channel audio signals comprise a pair of front signals intended for playback from a forward sound stage and a pair of rear signals intended for playback from a rear sound stage. The front and rear signals are modified in pairs by separating an ambient component of each pair of signals from a direct component and processing at least some of the components with a head-related transfer function. Processing of the individual audio signal components is determined by an intended playback position of the corresponding original audio signals. The individual audio signal components are then selectively combined with the original audio signals to form two enhanced output signals for generating a surround sound experience upon playback. | 07-30-2009 |
20090161883 | SYSTEM FOR ADJUSTING PERCEIVED LOUDNESS OF AUDIO SIGNALS - A method of adjusting a loudness of an audio signal may include receiving an electronic audio signal and using one or more processors to process at least one channel of the audio signal to determine a loudness of a portion of the audio signal. This processing may include processing the channel with a plurality of approximation filters that can approximate a plurality of auditory filters that further approximate a human hearing system. In addition, the method may include computing at least one gain based at least in part on the determined loudness to cause a loudness of the audio signal to remain substantially constant for a period of time. Moreover, the method may include applying the gain to the electronic audio signal. | 06-25-2009 |
20090094519 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED STREAMING AUDIO - A system and method for enhancement and management of streaming audio is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system provides a client-side decoder that is compatible with numerous audio formats, so that a user can enjoy relatively high-quality audio from various sources, even from sources that do not provide multi-channel or high-quality audio data. The system and method also include a management system for managing and controlling the use of licensed signal processing software to further enhance an audio stream. In one embodiment, the management system is used to manage a signal processing module that provides psychoacoustic audio processing to create a wider soundstage, an acoustic correction process to increase the perceived height and clarity of the audio image, and bass enhancement processing to create the perception of low bass from the small speakers or headphones typically used with multi-media systems and portable audio players. | 04-09-2009 |
20080240467 | FREQUENCY-WARPED AUDIO EQUALIZER - In certain embodiments, an improved audio equalization filter can be generated by frequency warping one or more digital filters having a plurality of frequency bands. Frequency warping can include, for example, transforming at least some of the frequency bands of the one or more digital filters into lower frequency bands. As a result, in various implementations the audio equalization filter may be more accurate than certain currently-available IIR equalization filters. The audio equalization filter may also be more computing-resource efficient than certain currently-available FIR equalization filters. | 10-02-2008 |