U.S. patent application number 14/199188 was filed with the patent office on 2014-07-03 for object-based 3-dimensional audio service system using preset audio scenes.
This patent application is currently assigned to ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE. The applicant listed for this patent is ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE. Invention is credited to Jin-Woo HONG, Dae-Young JANG, In-Seon JANG, Kyeong-Ok KANG, Tae-Jin LEE, Yong-Ju LEE, Jeong-Il SEO, Jae-Hyoun YOO.
Application Number | 20140185810 14/199188 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41314481 |
Filed Date | 2014-07-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140185810 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LEE; Yong-Ju ; et
al. |
July 3, 2014 |
OBJECT-BASED 3-DIMENSIONAL AUDIO SERVICE SYSTEM USING PRESET AUDIO
SCENES
Abstract
Provided are an object-based three dimensional (3-D) audio
service system using preset audio scenes and a method thereof. The
system and the method are suggested for enabling a user to easily
and conveniently watch and listen an object based 3-D audio service
by eliminating inconvenience that requires a user to control each
of object audio signals of sound sources. The system includes:
audio input means for inputting an audio signal; preset audio scene
generating means for extracting object audio signals from the audio
signal inputted through the audio input means and generating more
than one of 3-D audio scene information by arranging the extracted
object audio signals in a 3-D space and editing features of each
object; and encoding means for encoding and multiplexing the audio
signal and the 3-D audio scene information for each object audio
signal.
Inventors: |
LEE; Yong-Ju; (Daejon,
KR) ; LEE; Tae-Jin; (Daejon, KR) ; YOO;
Jae-Hyoun; (Daejon, KR) ; KANG; Kyeong-Ok;
(Daejon, KR) ; HONG; Jin-Woo; (Daejon, KR)
; JANG; In-Seon; (Daejon, KR) ; SEO; Jeong-Il;
(Daejon, KR) ; JANG; Dae-Young; (Daejon,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE |
Daejon |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Daejon
KR
|
Family ID: |
41314481 |
Appl. No.: |
14/199188 |
Filed: |
March 6, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12300720 |
Nov 13, 2008 |
8705747 |
|
|
PCT/KR2007/002395 |
May 16, 2007 |
|
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14199188 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
381/2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04H 20/88 20130101;
H04N 21/8106 20130101; H04N 21/44012 20130101; H04S 3/008 20130101;
H04H 40/36 20130101; H04H 20/89 20130101; H04H 20/47 20130101; H04H
60/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
381/2 |
International
Class: |
H04S 3/00 20060101
H04S003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 19, 2006 |
KR |
10-2006-0045184 |
Claims
1. An object-based audio reproducing apparatus comprising:
de-multiplexing and decoding object-based audio contents and a
plurality of preset audio scenes; controlling the object-based
audio contents using preset audio scene selected from a plurality
of preset audio scenes by user, and reproducing means the
controlled object-based audio contents, wherein each of the
plurality of preset audio scenes is configured based on two or more
different audio input signals;
2. The object-based audio reproducing method of claim 1, wherein
the preset audio scene is related to volume of each of object-based
audio signals of the two or more different audio input signals
included in the object-based audio contents.
3. The object-based audio reproducing method of claim 1, wherein
the preset audio scene is related to at least one among a location,
a volume, a direction, and a sound field environment of each of
object-based audio signals.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an object-based three
dimensional (3-D) audio service system using preset audio scenes
and a method thereof; and, more particularly, to an object-based
3-D audio service system using preset audio scenes and a method
thereof for providing an interactive service that enables a user or
a viewer to directly form an audio scene using a 3-D audio related
technology for providing realistic broadcasting to a user or a
viewer.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional audio
service system.
[0003] As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional audio service system
includes an audio service providing apparatus 10 and an audio
service reproducing apparatus 20. The audio service providing
apparatus 10 includes an audio-capture unit 11 for capturing an
audio signal such as sound, an editing/mixing unit 12 for editing
and mixing the captured audio signal to transmit the audio signal
to an audio service reproducing apparatus 20, and a
storing/transmitting unit 13 for storing the mixed audio signal and
transmitting the mixed audio signal to the audio service
reproducing apparatus 20.
[0004] The audio service reproducing apparatus 20 includes a
receiver 21 for receiving an audio signal transmitted from the
audio service providing apparatus 10, a controller 22 for
controlling the received audio signal, and a reproducer 23 for
reproducing an audio signal.
[0005] An audio signal, which is provided through broadcasting
services such as TV broadcasting, radio broadcasting, and Digital
Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) based on the conventional audio
service system, is generally created by mixing a plurality of audio
signals captured from various sound sources. For example, an audio
signal provided through a soccer game broadcasting is created by
mixing noises in a soccer stadium, yelling of a crowd, and a voice
of an announcer.
[0006] Although a user or a viewer can control the volume of the
overall audio signal, it is impossible to control the volume of
each object such as the voice of an announcer, the yelling of a
crowd, and the noises of the soccer stadium. It is because the
audio signal is transmitted after a plurality of object audio
signals are mixed into one audio signal in a general broadcasting
service.
[0007] However, if a transmitter such as the audio service
providing apparatus 10 independently transmits object audio signals
of the sound sources without the object audio signals of the sound
sources mixed to one audio signal, a receiver such as the audio
service reproducing apparatus 20 can independently control the
volumes of the object audio signals of the sound sources. An
object-based audio service denotes such an audio service that
allows a user or a viewer to control each of the object audio
signals at a receiver by independently transmitting the object
audio signals of the sound sources through a transmitter.
[0008] For example, if an audio signal of a soccer game
broadcasting is provided based on an object-based 3-D audio
service, a user or a viewer can control each of objects, such as
the noises in the soccer stadium, the yelling of the crowd, and the
voices of an announcer to obtain a desired audio setting. That is,
a user or a viewer can control the noise of the soccer stadium
loud, the yelling of the crowd soft, and the voice of the announcer
loud. Or, a viewer can control the audio signal to reproduce only
the noises of the soccer stadium and the voice of an announcer
without the yelling of the crowd reproduced.
[0009] Therefore, there is a great demand for developing a method
for providing an object-based 3-D audio service that enables a user
to control each of object audio signals of sound sources, which can
be applied to all broadcasting services and multimedia services
providing audio such as digital broadcasting, radio broadcasting,
Digital Multimedia Broadcasting, Internet broadcasting, digital
movie, DVD, moving picture contents.
[0010] Although a conventional object-based 3-D audio system and a
control method thereof was introduced in Korean Patent Publication
No. 10-2004-0037437, published on May 7, 2004, the conventional
object-based 3-D audio system requires a user to control each of
object audio signals of sound sources to set the audio signals
according to user's preference. Therefore, it is very annoying to a
user or a viewer.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0011] An embodiment of the present invention is directed to
providing an object-based three dimensional (3-D) audio service
system and a method thereof for enabling a user to easily and
conveniently watch and listen an object-based 3-D audio service by
eliminating inconvenience that requires a user to control each of
object audio signals of sound sources.
[0012] Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be
understood by the following description, and become apparent with
reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Also, it is
obvious to those skilled in the art of the present invention that
the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized
by the means as claimed and combinations thereof.
Technical Solution
[0013] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there
is provided an object-based three dimensional (3-D) audio service
providing apparatus using preset audio scenes, including: audio
input means for inputting an audio signal; preset audio scene
generating means for extracting object audio signals from the audio
signal inputted through the audio input means and generating more
than one of 3-D audio scene information by arranging the extracted
object audio signals in a 3-D space and editing features of each
object; and encoding means for encoding and multiplexing the audio
signal and the 3-D audio scene information for each object audio
signal.
[0014] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided an object-based 3-D audio service reproducing
apparatus using preset audio scenes including: decoding means for
de-multiplexing and decoding object-based 3-D audio contents; audio
scene forming means for forming 3-D audio scene information
according to one selected from a plurality of 3-D audio scene
information in the de-multiplexed and decoded object-based 3-D
audio contents by a user including a viewer; audio signal mixing
means for controlling features of objects in an audio signal of the
de-multiplexed and decoded object-based 3-D audio contents
according to the formed 3-D audio scene information; and
reproducing means for reproducing the audio signal with one of the
features controlled.
[0015] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a method for providing an object-based 3-D audio
service using preset audio scenes, including the steps of:
inputting an audio signal; extracting object audio signals from the
inputted audio signal and generating more than one of 3-D audio
scene information by arranging the extracted object audio signals
in a 3-D space and editing features of each object; and encoding
and multiplexing the audio signal and the 3-D audio scene
information for each object audio signal.
[0016] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a method for reproducing object-based 3-D audio
service using preset audio scenes including the steps of:
de-multiplexing and decoding object-based 3-D audio contents;
forming 3-D audio scene information according to one selected from
a plurality of 3-D audio scene information in the de-multiplexed
and decoded object-based 3-D audio contents by a user including a
viewer; controlling features of objects in an audio signal of the
de-multiplexed and decoded object-based 3-D audio contents
according to the formed 3-D audio scene information; and
reproducing the audio signal with one of the features
controlled.
Advantageous Effects
[0017] An object-based three dimensional (3-D) audio service system
and a method thereof according to the present invention provides
previously generated preset audio scenes to a user or a viewer with
an object-based 3-D audio service applied to all broadcasting
services and multimedia services providing audio, such as digital
broadcasting, radio broadcasting, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting
(DMB), Internet broadcasting, digital movies, Digital Video Disk
(DVD), and moving picture contents. Therefore, the object-based 3-D
audio service system and a method thereof according to the present
invention eliminates the inconvenience of a user to control each of
object audio signals of sound sources and enables the user to
easily and conveniently watch and listen the object-based 3-D audio
service.
[0018] The present invention can be applied to broadcasting
services and multimedia services providing audio, such as digital
broadcasting, radio broadcasting, DMB, Internet broadcasting,
digital movies, DVD, and moving picture contents, and the present
invention is not limited to the types of mediums for transmitting
and storing object-based audio contents for broadcasting and
multimedia services providing audio.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional audio
service system.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an object-based
three-dimensional (3-D) audio service system using preset audio
scenes in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing an
object-based 3-D audio service using preset audio scenes in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for reproducing
an object-based 3-D audio service using preset audio scenes in
accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.
BEST MODE FOR THE INVENTION
[0023] The advantages, features and aspects of the invention will
become apparent from the following description of the embodiments
with reference to the accompanying drawings, which is set forth
hereinafter.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an object-based
three-dimensional (3-D) audio service system using preset audio
scenes in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 2, the object-based 3-D audio service
system includes an object-based 3-D audio service providing
apparatus 30, a transmitting medium 50, and an object-based 3-D
audio service reproducing apparatus 40. The 3-D service providing
apparatus 30 receives an audio signal through various input
devices, creates more than one of object-based 3-D audio scene
information which can be selected by a user or a viewer, and
transmits the created object-based 3-D audio scene information to
the object-based 3-D audio service reproducing apparatus 40. The
transmitting medium 50 is a medium such as a digital broadcasting
network or an Internet network for connecting the object-based 3-D
audio service providing apparatus 30 and the object-based 3-D audio
service reproducing apparatus 40 through a network. The
object-based 3-D audio service reproducing apparatus 40 generates
more than one of 3-D audio scenes based on the object-based 3-D
audio scene information transmitted from the object-based 3-D audio
service providing apparatus 30.
[0026] Hereinafter, the constituent elements of the object-based
3-D audio service system using preset audio scenes according to the
present embodiment will be described in detail.
[0027] The object-based 3-D audio service providing apparatus 30
includes an input unit 31, a preset audio scene generator 32, an
encoder 33, and a transmitter 34.
[0028] The input unit 31 receives audio signals through various
input devices. The preset audio scene generator 32 extracts
object-based audio signals (hereinafter, object audio signals) from
the audio signal received through the input unit 31, arranges the
extracted object audio signals in a three dimensional space, and
creates more than one of 3-D audio scene information by editing
features such as a location, a size, a direction, and a sound field
environment of each object. The encoder 33 encodes and multiplexes
the audio signal inputted through the input unit 31 and the
object-based 3-D audio scene information created by the preset
audio scene generating unit 32 for transmitting the input audio
signal and the generated preset audio scene information to the
object-based 3-D audio service reproducing apparatus 40. For
example, the input audio signals and the generated preset audio
scene information are multiplexed to a moving picture experts group
4 (MPEG-4) file format in a digital broadcasting network. The
transmitter 34 transforms the multiplexed object-based audio
contents including the input audio signal and the created
object-based 3-D audio scene information from the encoding unit 33
to a transport format. For example, the transmitter 34 transforms
the multiplexed object-based audio contents to a MPEG-2 transport
stream (TS) for a digital broadcasting network.
[0029] The transformed object-based audio contents including the
input audio signal and the generated object-based 3-D audio scene
information may be transmitted to the object-based 3-D audio
reproducing apparatus 40 and may be stored in a storing medium.
[0030] The transmitter 34 may transmit the object-based audio
contents including the input audio signal and the object-based 3-D
audio scene information to the object-based 3-D audio reproducing
apparatus 40 through a digital broadcasting network such as a
terrestrial DMB channel 50.
[0031] If the sound source of the audio signal inputted to the
input unit 31 is a mixed sound source, the preset audio scene
generator 32 uses a Convolutive Blind Source Separation technique
to extract object audio signals. Especially, the preset audio scene
generator 32 forms more than one of object-based 3-D audio scene
information by controlling a ratio of each object-based the audio
scene information of each object audio signal, which is set
according to the control of a user such as an editor.
[0032] The object-based 3-D audio service reproducing apparatus 40
includes a decoder 42, an audio scene information forming unit 43,
an audio signal mixer 44, and an audio signal reproducer 45. The
decoder 42 de-multiplexes and decodes object-based audio contents
including an audio signal and object-based 3-D audio scene
information for reproducing. The audio scene information forming
unit 43 provides the object-based 3-D audio scene information of
the object-based 3-D audio contents, which is de-multiplexed and
decoded by the decoder 42, to a user such as a viewer to select,
and forms the object-based 3-D audio scene information according to
the user selection. The audio signal mixer 44 mixes object audio
signals of the audio signal of the de-multiplexed and decoded
object-based 3-D audio contents from the decoder 42 by controlling
features of each object, such as a location, a direction, a size,
and a sound field of each object according to the object-based 3-D
audio scene information formed by the audio scene information
forming unit 43. The audio signal reproducer 45 reproduces the
audio signal mixed to one object-based 3-D audio scene by the audio
signal mixer 44.
[0033] The object-based audio contents including the audio signal
and the object-based 3-D audio scene information may be provided
through a broadcasting service or a multimedia service such as
digital broadcasting, radio broadcasting, Digital Multimedia
Broadcasting (DMB), Internet broadcasting, digital movies, Digital
Video Disk (DVD), and moving picture contents. Although the
object-based audio contents may be received through the receiver in
the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited
thereto. That is, the object-based audio contents may be provided
through a transmission medium or a storage medium that can provide
a broadcasting service or a multimedia service that provides an
audio.
[0034] The audio scene information forming unit 43 enables a user
or a viewer to select features of objects such as a location, a
direction, a volume, and a sound field environment of each object
and forms new object-based 3-D audio scene information according to
the features including a location, a direction, a volume, and a
sound field environment of each object set by the user.
[0035] A user or a viewer can control features of a 3-D audio space
by changing a reverberation time of a 3-D space through controlling
a volume and a delay time of an initial reflected sound through the
audio scene information forming unit 43.
[0036] That is, the object-based 3-D audio service system using the
preset audio scene according to the present embodiment previously
generates object-based 3-D audio scenes that are expected to be
frequently used and provides the generated object-based 3-D audio
scenes as preset audio scenes to a user or a viewer. That is, the
object-based 3-D audio service system according to the present
embodiment enables a user or a viewer to select one of the preset
audio scenes in order to make a user to conveniently watch and
listen a broadcasting program with the desired audio
preference.
[0037] For example, noises of a soccer stadium, yelling of a crowd,
a voice of an announcer are defined as audio objects for a soccer
game broadcasting, and the defined audio objects are transmitted
independently. With the audio objects, a first audio scene having
information about volume of the noises of soccer stadium, the
yelling of a crowd, and the voice of an announcer set to 1:1:1, a
second audio scene having information about volume of the noises of
a soccer stadium, the yelling of a crowd, and the voice of an
announcer set to 1:0.5:1, and an audio scene having information
about volume of the noises of a soccer stadium, the yelling of a
crowd, and the voice of an announcer set to 1:0:1 are transmitted
as the preset audio scenes. Then, a user or a viewer selects one of
the preset audio scenes to watch and listen the soccer game
broadcasting with the desired audio preference.
[0038] A user may directly control each of the audio objects if the
user cannot find a desired audio scene from the provided audio
scenes. However, it is preferable to provide a large number of
preset audio scenes to a user in order to enable the user to find a
desired audio scene from the provided preset audio scenes.
[0039] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing an
object-based 3-D audio service using preset audio scenes in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0040] Referring to FIG. 3, the input unit 31 of the object-based
3-D audio service providing apparatus 30 receives an object-based
audio signal through various input devices at step S301.
[0041] The preset audio scene generator 32 extracts object-based
audio signals, that is, object audio signals, from the audio signal
inputted through the input unit 31 at step S302. Then, the preset
audio scene generator 32 generates more than one of object-based
3-D audio scene information at step S304 by arranging the extracted
object audio signals in a 3-D space and editing the features of
each object audio signal such as a location, a direction, a volume,
and a sound field environment of the audio object at step S303. The
encoder 33 encodes and multiplexes the audio signal inputted
through the input unit 31 and the object-based 3-D audio scene
information generated by the preset audio scene generator 32 at
step S305. For example, the encoder 33 encodes and multiplexes the
audio signal and the object-based 3-D audio scene information into
MPEG-4 file format for a digital broadcasting network.
[0042] Then, the transmitter 34 transforms the multiplexed
object-based audio contents including the audio signal and the
object-based 3-D audio scene information to be proper to a
transport format and transmits the transformed object-based audio
contents at step S306. For example, the multiplexed object-based
audio contents are transformed to a MPEG-2 TS in a digital
broadcasting network.
[0043] For example, the transmitter 34 transmits the transformed
object-based audio contents including the audio signal and the
object-based 3-D audio scene information to the object-based 3-D
audio reproducing apparatus 40 through a digital broadcasting
network such as a terrestrial DMB channel. The transformed
object-based audio contents including the audio signal and the
object-based 3-D audio scene information may be stored in a storing
medium.
[0044] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for reproducing
an object-based 3-D audio service using preset audio scenes in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0045] Referring to FIG. 4, the receiver 41 of the object-based 3-D
audio service reproducing apparatus 40 receives the object-based
audio contents including an audio signal and object-based 3-D audio
information through, for example, a digital broadcasting network
such as a terrestrial DMB channel 50 or the Internet network at
step S401.
[0046] The receiver 41 may receive the object-based audio contents
through a transmission medium that can provide a broadcasting
service or a multimedia service that provides an audio. Or, the
object-based audio contents may be inputted through the storing
medium.
[0047] The decoder 42 de-multiplexes and decodes the received or
inputted object-based audio contents including the audio signal and
the object-based 3-D audio scene information at step S402. The
audio scene information forming unit 43 provides the object-based
3-D audio scene information of the de-multiplexed and decoded
object-based 3-D audio contents to a user or a viewer to select,
and forms object-based 3-D audio scene information according to the
user selection at step S403.
[0048] Then, the audio signal mixer 44 mixes object audio signals
by controlling features of objects in the audio signal of the
de-multiplexed and decoded object-based 3-D audio contents, such as
a location, a direction, a volume, and a sound field environment of
each audio object, according to the object-based 3-D audio scene
information formed by the audio scene information forming unit 43
at step S404. Finally, the audio signal reproducer 45 reproduces
the audio signal mixed based on one of the object-based 3-D audio
scenes by the audio signal mixer 44 at step S405.
[0049] The above described method according to the present
invention can be embodied as a program and stored on a computer
readable recording medium. The computer readable recording medium
is any data storage device that can store data which can be
thereafter read by the computer system. The computer readable
recording medium includes a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access
memory (RAM), a CD-ROM, a floppy disk, a hard disk and an optical
magnetic disk.
[0050] While the present invention has been described with respect
to certain preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those
skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be
made without departing from the spirits and scope of the invention
as defined in the following claims.
* * * * *