Apparatus and method for providing various audio environments in multimedia content playback system

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing various audio environments in a multimedia content playback system are disclosed. The content processing terminal of the multimedia content playback system includes an audio signal processor for performing a voice enhancement function of generating an enhanced voice source from an audio source of the multimedia content in a voice enhancement procedure, and performing a background enhancement function of generating an enhanced background source from an audio source of the multimedia content in a background enhancement procedure; and a volume controller for separating a volume level of the enhanced voice source and a volume level of the enhanced background source based on a volume control signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A content processing terminal of a multimedia content playback system, comprising:
 an audio signal processor for performing a voice enhancement function of generating an enhanced voice source from an audio source of the multimedia content in a voice enhancement procedure, and performing a background enhancement function of generating an enhanced background source from an audio source of the multimedia content in a background enhancement procedure; and   a volume controller for separating a volume level of the enhanced voice source and a volume level of the enhanced background source based on a volume control signal.   
     
     
         2 . The content processing terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein the audio signal processor comprises a voice enhancement audio source part for separating the audio source of the multimedia content into a first voice signal and a first background signal and for performing the voice enhancement function in the voice enhancement procedure; and
 a background enhancement audio source part for separating the audio source of the multimedia content into a second voice signal and a second background signal and for performing the background enhancement function in the background enhancement procedure.   
     
     
         3 . The content processing terminal according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a controller for deactivating the voice enhancement function in the background enhancement procedure, and deactivating the background enhancement function in the voice enhancement procedure.   
     
     
         4 . The content processing terminal according to  claim 2 , wherein the voice enhancement audio source part generates the enhanced voice source based on signal features of each of the first and second voice signals 
     
     
         5 . The content processing terminal according to  claim 4 , wherein the voice enhancement audio source part compares a feature value of the first voice signal and a feature value of the second voice signal by unit time or unit frequency, identifies differences between the feature values by the unit time or the unit frequency, and determines feature values of the enhanced voice source in consideration of characteristics of the voice signals. 
     
     
         6 . The content processing terminal according to  claim 2 , wherein the background enhancement audio source part generates the enhanced background source based on each signal feature of the first background signal and the second background signal. 
     
     
         7 . The content processing terminal according to  claim 6 , wherein the background enhancement audio source part compares a feature value of the first background signal and a feature value of the second background signal by unit time or unit frequency, identifies differences between the feature values by the unit time or the unit frequency, and determines feature values of the enhanced background source in consideration of characteristics of the background signals. 
     
     
         8 . The content processing terminal according to  claim 2 , wherein the voice enhancement audio source part separates the audio source of the multimedia content into the first voice signal and the first background signal by using a support vector machine (SVM)-based audio separation algorithm,
 wherein the background enhancement audio source part separates the audio source of the multimedia content into the second voice signal and the second background signal by using a Gaussian mixture model (GMM)-based audio separation algorithm.   
     
     
         9 . The content processing terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein the audio signal processor separates the audio source through a single audio separation algorithm, and further separates the audio source through an additional audio separation algorithm. 
     
     
         10 . A content processing terminal of a multimedia content playback system, comprising:
 an audio signal processor for processing a voice signal separated from an audio source of multimedia content to produce a voice source and for processing a background signal separated from the audio source to produce a background source;   a controller for controlling the audio signal processor to adjust at least one of the voice source and the background source in accordance with a volume control signal; and   a graphical user interface (GUI) processor for acquiring a graphical user interface (GUI) component corresponding to the volume control signal,   wherein the audio signal processor sequentially separates the audio source through a single audio separation algorithm and further separates the audio source through an additional audio separation algorithm.   
     
     
         11 . The content processing terminal according to  claim 10 , wherein the audio signal processor comprises a voice enhancement audio source part for separating the audio source of the multimedia content into a first voice signal and a first background signal and for performing a voice enhancement function in a voice enhancement procedure; and
 a background enhancement audio source part for separating the audio source of the multimedia content into a second voice signal and a second background signal and for performing a background enhancement function in a background enhancement procedure.   
     
     
         12 . The content processing terminal according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller deactivates the voice enhancement function in the background enhancement procedure, and deactivates the background enhancement function in the voice enhancement procedure. 
     
     
         13 . The content processing terminal according to  claim 11 , wherein the voice enhancement audio source part generates enhanced voice sources based on signal features of each of the first and second voice signals 
     
     
         14 . The content processing terminal according to  claim 11 , wherein the background enhancement audio source part generates enhanced background sources based on each signal feature of the first background signal and the second background signal. 
     
     
         15 . A method of providing an audio environment of a content processing terminal, comprising:
 processing a voice signal separated from an audio source of multimedia content to produce a voice source;   processing a background signal separated from the audio source to produce a background source; and   adjusting at least one of the voice source and the background source according to a volume control signal,   wherein the step of processing the voice signal further comprises:   separating the audio source through a single audio separation algorithm, and   further separating the audio source through an additional audio separation algorithm.