Apple patents method to compress 3D audio data
Apple describes a way to shrink the size of 3D audio files, known as higher order ambisonics, by changing how much detail is kept in different frequency ranges. The system analyzes the sound and adjusts the data amount based on specific spatial components to save space.
In the filing’s own words
Encoding and decoding of higher order ambisonics, HOA, data for purposes of bitrate reduction. One aspect uses principal components analysis to produce spatial descriptors. Other aspects include various spatial descriptor quantization techniques.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method for encoding higher order ambisonics, HOA, data by varying sub-band bandwidth as a function of SD index and SB index, the method comprising: analyzing an input HOA matrix to produce a first SD group that comprises a plurality of first SD components, wherein the plurality of first SD components cover a plurality of first sub-bands, respectively, and a second SD group that comprises a plurality of second SD components, wherein the plurality of second SD components cover a plurality of second sub-bands, respectively, wherein each of the plurality of second sub-bands has a different bandwidth than each of the plurality of first sub-bands; and formatting the first SD group and the second SD group into an encoded audio content bitstream.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Higher Order Ambisonics Encoding And Decoding
- Publication number
- US20260279367A1
- Application number
- 19665276
- Filed
- May 1, 2026
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Inventors
- 3
- Claims
- 12
Classified under
G10L 19/0204 Physics & computingG10L 19/008 Physics & computingG10L 19/24 Physics & computingMore from Apple in Audio & voice
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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.