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AppleGranted patentAudio & voiceInterest 4/10

Apple patents audio signals that tell players which sound engine to use

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

Apple describes a method for packaging audio files with specific instructions that tell a media player which version of a sound processing tool to use. The file includes start and end points that define exactly where these instructions apply during playback.

Why it mattersThis helps ensure that immersive sound effects play correctly across different devices by explicitly telling the software how to handle the audio data.

In the filing’s own words

A system may utilize a signaling method to enable immersive audio rendering by a player. The system may package, in one or more bitstreams, audio content generated by a content creation tool for input to a type of audio renderer, selected from a plurality of types of audio renderers, a selected sub-type of the type of audio renderer, and a version of the selected sub-type of audio renderer. The one or more bitstreams may indicate start and end channel indexes in which the selected type, sub-type, and version are effective. The one or more bitstreams may be provided for transmission to a player. The one or more bitstreams may configure the player to utilize an audio renderer, for playback of the audio content in a playback environment, of the selected sub-type and the version indicated in the one or more bitstreams. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A signaling method for immersive audio rendering by a player, comprising: packaging, in one or more bitstreams, i) audio content generated by a content creation tool for input to a type of audio renderer, selected from a plurality of types of audio renderers, ii) a selected sub-type of the type of audio renderer, and iii) a version of the selected sub-type of audio renderer, wherein the one or more bitstreams indicate a start channel index and an end channel index in which the selected type, sub-type, and version are effective; and providing the one or more bitstreams to be transmitted to a player, wherein the one or more bitstreams configure the player to utilize an audio renderer, for playback of the audio content in a playback environment, of the selected sub-type and the version signaled in the one or more bitstreams.

Facts

Company
Apple (Apple Inc.)
Official title
Signaling for immersive audio rendering
Patent number
US12769502B2
Application number
18777083
Filed
Jul 18, 2024
Granted
Oct 20, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
20

Classified under

G06F 3/162 Physics & computingG06F 3/165 Physics & computingH04S 3/008 Electricity & electronicsH04S 2420/01 Electricity & electronicsH04S 2420/11 Electricity & electronics

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.