Apparatus and Method for Decomposing an Audio Signal Using a Variable Threshold

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This patent describes an apparatus and method for automatically decomposing an audio signal into two components: a 'background' (such as noise or ambiance) and a 'foreground' (such as distinct events or transients like claps). The system uses a variable, signal-dependent threshold to determine, for each block of audio, what should be considered foreground or background. The threshold and separation are based on analyzing the variability of audio features (e.g., energy or power) over time, allowing for more perceptually accurate separation that adapts to different audio contexts.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Audio post-processing for live recordings, such as concerts or events, to isolate applause, audience claps, or other transient sounds from background noise.
• Sound enhancement for teleconferencing or speech broadcasts, by reducing noise and emphasizing speech or critical sounds.
• Music production and mixing, allowing for more detailed control over transient and ambience components in tracks.
• Restoration and remastering of old recordings, enabling better separation and cleaning up of foreground and background audio elements.
• Measurement and analysis tools for audio signal quality or characteristics, such as counting the number/density of transient events (claps, percussive hits, etc.).
• Multichannel audio upmixing, where foreground and background components can be spatially distributed differently to enhance the listening experience.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• More accurate and perceptually relevant separation between background and foreground audio components, improving audio clarity and quality.
• Automatically adapts to different audio environments and signal variabilities without requiring manual threshold tuning.
• Reduces artifacts common with conventional separation techniques, leading to more natural-sounding results.
• Enables independent processing of background and foreground components, providing flexibility in post-production and live applications.
• Applicable to mono, stereo, and multichannel signals and suitable for both real-time and offline processing.
• Supports enhanced encoding and transmission by allowing separate handling of key sound components, improving efficiency and effectiveness in storage or streaming.
• Facilitates advanced audio effects, restoration, or measurement that leverage the separate manipulation of transient and background sounds.

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Patent Abstract

An apparatus for decomposing an audio signal into a background component signal and a foreground component signal, comprises: a block generator (110) for generating a time sequence of blocks of audio signal values; an audio signal analyzer (120) for determining a characteristic of a current block of the audio signal and for determining a variability of the characteristic within a group of blocks comprising at least two blocks of the sequence of blocks; and a separator (130) for separating the current block into a background portion (140) and a foreground portion (150) wherein the separator (130) is configured to determine (182) a separation threshold based on the variability and to separate the current block into the background component signal (140) and the foreground component signal (150), when the characteristic of the current block is in a predetermined relation to the separation threshold.