Audio signal loudness control

Abstract

Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to audio signal loudness control. A method for controlling loudness of an audio signal is disclosed. The method includes responsive to determining presence of a noise signal, deriving a target partial loudness adjustment based, at least in part, on at least one of a first factor related to the noise signal and a second factor related to the audio signal. The method further includes determining a target partial loudness of the audio signal based, at least in part, on the target partial loudness adjustment. Corresponding system, apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling loudness of an audio signal, comprising:
 responsive to determining presence of a noise signal, deriving a target adjustment for perceived loudness of the audio signal in the presence of the noise signal based, at least in part, on a first factor related to the noise signal and a second factor related to the audio signal; and   determining a target perceived loudness of the audio signal in the presence of the noise signal based, at least in part, on the target adjustment; wherein   said first factor includes a type of the noise signal and a level of the noise signal; and   said second factor includes a type of the audio signal and a level of the audio signal; and wherein   deriving the target adjustment comprises:
 determining a candidate adjustment for perceived loudness of the audio signal in the presence of the noise signal corresponding to each of the first and the second factor; and 
 determining the target adjustment by combining the candidate adjustments according to a weight associated with each of the first and the second factor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the deriving of the target adjustment is further based, at least in part, on a third factor related to a user, the third factor at least including at least one of personal information and preference of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein deriving the target adjustment comprises:
 determining a candidate adjustment for perceived loudness of the audio signal in the presence of the noise signal corresponding to each of the first, second and third factors; and   determining the target adjustment by combining the candidate adjustments according to a weight associated with each of the first, second and third factors.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein determining the target perceived loudness of the audio signal in the presence of the noise signal based, at least in part, on the target adjustment comprises:
 determining a reference perceived loudness of the audio signal in the presence of the noise signal; and   determining the target perceived loudness of the audio signal from the reference perceived loudness and the target adjustment.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 smoothing the target perceived loudness for applying to the audio signal.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 detecting behavior of the user after the target perceived loudness is applied to the audio signal; and   modifying at least one of the candidate adjustments and the weights based on the behavior of the user.   
     
     
         7 . A system for controlling loudness of an audio signal, comprising:
 an adjustment deriving unit configured to, responsive to determining presence of a noise signal, derive a target adjustment for perceived loudness of the audio signal in the presence of the noise signal based, at least in part, on a first factor related to the noise signal and a second factor related to the audio signal; and   a target perceived loudness determining unit configured to determine a target perceived loudness of the audio signal in the presence of the noise signal based, at least in part, on the target adjustment; wherein   said first factor includes a type of the noise signal and a level of the noise signal; and   said second factor includes a type of the audio signal and a level of the audio signal; and wherein   the adjustment deriving unit is configured to derive the target adjustment by
 determining a candidate adjustment for perceived loudness of the audio signal in the presence of the noise signal corresponding to each of the first and the second factor; and 
 determining the target adjustment by combining the candidate adjustments according to a weight associated with each of the first and the second factor. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the deriving of the target adjustment is further based, at least in part, on a third factor related to a user, the third factor at least including at least one of personal information and preferences of the user. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the adjustment deriving unit comprises:
 an individual adjustment determining unit configured to determine a candidate adjustment for perceived loudness of the audio signal in the presence of the noise signal corresponding to each of the first, second and third factors; and   an adjustment combination unit configured to determine the target adjustment by combining the candidate adjustments according to a weight associated with each of the first, second and third factors.   
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the target perceived loudness determining unit comprises:
 a reference perceived loudness determining unit configured to determine a reference perceived loudness of the audio signal in the presence of the noise signal,   wherein the target perceived loudness determining unit is configured to determine the target perceived loudness of the audio signal from the reference perceived loudness and the target adjustment.   
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a smoothing processing unit configured to smooth the target perceived loudness for applying to the audio signal.   
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a behavior detecting unit configured to detect behavior of the user after the target perceived loudness is applied to the audio signal; and   an adaptive modifying unit configured to modify at least one of the candidate adjustments and the weights based on the behavior of the user.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for audio signal loudness control, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   memory storing instructions,   the memory and the instructions configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform the method of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising machine executable instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to perform the method of  claim 1 .