AUDIO SPATIAL ENVIRONMENT ENGINE

摘要

An audio spatial environment engine is provided for converting between different formats of audio data. The audio spatial environment engine (100) allows for flexible conversion between N-channel data and M-channel data and conversion from M-channel data back to N'-channel data, where N, M, and N' are integers and where N is not necessarily equal to N'. For example, such systems could be used for the transmission or storage of surround sound data across a network or infrastructure designed for stereo sound data. The audio spatial environment engine provides improved and flexible conversions between different spatial environments due to an advanced dynamic down-mixing unit (102) and a high-resolution frequency band up-mixing unit (104). The dynamic down-mixing unit includes an intelligent: analysis and correction loop (108, 110) capable of correcting for spectral, temporal, and spatial inaccuracies common to many down-mixing methods. The up-mixing unit utilizes the extraction and analysis of important inter-channel spatial cues across high-resolution frequency bands to derive the spatial placement of different frequency elements. The down-mixing and up-mixing units, when used individually or as a system, provide improved sound quality and spatial distinction.