Apparatus and Method for Quality Determination of Audio Signals

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This invention is an advanced system and method for automatically evaluating the perceived quality of audio signals, especially those processed through coding or compression. Unlike traditional objective audio quality measurement systems that mainly rely on physical or psychoacoustic differences, this solution incorporates cognitive effects such as informational masking (where rapidly changing signals make certain distortions less noticeable) and perceptual streaming (the separation of distortions into different auditory 'objects'). By combining multiple distortion metrics and weighting them with models of human auditory cognition, the system achieves more accurate predictions of the perceived quality, particularly for challenging audio types like music encoded with bandwidth extension techniques.

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

• Automated quality control during the development and testing of audio codecs (e.g., for MP3, AAC, HE-AAC, MPEG-H 3D Audio).
• Monitoring and assessment of audio quality in live streaming, broadcasting, and telecommunication systems to ensure end-user satisfaction.
• Integration into audio encoders for real-time optimization of encoding parameters to maximize sound quality at various bitrates and transmission conditions.
• Objective benchmarking and comparison of different audio processing algorithms without the need for extensive human listening tests.
• Validation tool for regulatory and standardization bodies to objectively test audio technologies compliant with perceptual quality standards.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• More accurate prediction of perceived audio quality, closely matching results from human listening tests.
• Enhanced ability to handle difficult cases such as music and parametrically coded audio where traditional metrics fail or overestimate degradation.
• Reduces time, cost, and subjectivity associated with conducting extensive listening tests by providing an objective, automated alternative.
• Supports real-time or near-real-time operation suitable for live streaming or adaptive encoding workflows.
• Facilitates the development of higher-quality audio codecs and processing algorithms, potentially leading to better end-user experiences in music, streaming, and communications.

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Patent Abstract

An apparatus for quality determination of an audio signal according to an embodiment is provided. The apparatus comprises a perceptual model (110) for receiving the audio signal and for determining distortion information for each of one or more distortion metrics, wherein each distortion metric of the one or more distortion metrics depends on a comparison between a feature of the audio signal and of a corresponding feature of reference information. Moreover, the apparatus comprises a distortion-to-quality mapping module (120) for determining a quality of the audio signal depending on the distortion information for each of the one or more distortion metrics and depending on information on one or more cognitive effects.