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Topic: QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality (Read 4199 times) previous topic - next topic
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QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Since they can't achieve good quality - they decide to spoil the signal so others can't be good either




Patent application US20020009000A1: Adding imperceptible noise to audio and other types of signals to cause significant degradation when compressed and decompressed


Country: US United States of America

Assignee: QDesign USA, Inc.

Published / Filed: 2002-01-24 / 2001-05-11

Application Number: US2001000854166

IPC Code: G11C 29/00;

ECLA Code: G06F1/00N7R2; G10L19/00; G11B20/00C; G11B20/00P; H04B1/66M;


U.S. Class: 365/200;


Priority Number: 2001-05-11  US2001000854166
2000-09-22  US2000000667345
2000-05-15  US2000000570655
2000-01-18  US2000000484851
2000-05-31  US2000000584134


Abstract:
Primarily in order to discourage compression of data of signals intended for interfacing with humans, such as those containing audio content, particularly music, and thus to discourage the unauthorized reproduction and distribution of such content, such as over the Internet, the signal data is modified in a manner that is normally not perceptible to humans when the signal is reproduced but which causes the signal to be significantly degraded in a manner that is perceptible if the signal is later compressed and decompressed. In one embodiment, an audio signal is modified directly in a manner that causes significant degradation of the signal if it is compressed and subsequently decompressed. In another embodiment, a compressed version of an audio signal is modified, as part of a process of compressing the signal, in a manner that allows a good quality signal to result from a subsequent decompression but which results in a significant, perceptible degradation if this decompressed signal is again compressed and decompressed.

QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Reply #1 –
Great.

Where would this kind of thing be applied? In addition to the copy protection mechanisms on Audio CDs?

QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Reply #2 –
Very nice... that must be the FINAL solution against piracy, haha. There's too much stupidity out there... 

QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Reply #3 –
Well...  hate to say - but if you can't make codec good - try to make all others sound bad


edit...

And, what if codec has a VBR option?

QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Reply #4 –
couldn't help but throw together this when I heard this story:

QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Reply #5 –
Honestly I don't believe they can achieve success with music. May be with audio books, but not music. However are there any working sound samples. I would like to try them.
Ogg Vorbis for music and speech [q-2.0 - q6.0]
FLAC for recordings to be edited
Speex for speech
 

QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Reply #6 –
From the QDesign website:

Quote
"QDX by QDesign is the only digital audio format designed to be the ultimate in usability and quality."

Wow, to add artifacts to the signal but maintain the ultimate in quality? They must be very talented. LOL  We'll see how 'imperceptable' the noise they add is.

QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Reply #7 –
I think RIAA might be VERY interested in this... Though if labels start to utilize this, maybe audio community responds with special filters which try to remove that noise pattern. 
But P2P music quality might drop even further.. not that it isn't enough horrible already.
Juha Laaksonheimo

QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Reply #8 –
Applying for a patent is not the same as getting one.  Having a patent is not the same as having your patented device ir process used.  Decades ago Columbia records was going to snip a tiny portion of the audio spectrum out of their LP's to keep something from happening.  Probably to discourage copying.  It was hooted down.

I think lots of folks, including our home-grown idiot Orrin Hatch, are trying to achive fame and fortune by throttling internet file-trading.  There is no solution yet.  When there is a "solution" there will probably be a way around it pretty quickly.  I am not worrying about any of this.  I am worried about the sky falling, however.   
Nov schmoz kapop.

QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Reply #9 –
I think they are already doing it...The last couple of albums I read articles about had the loud factor maxed out.  Could I even tell if they introduced more "noise" and made it sound bad?
I doubt it.

QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Reply #10 –
That technology might be good to stop transcoding
"Something bothering you, Mister Spock?"

QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Reply #11 –
The "imperceptible noise" protection probably involves compressing and decompressing the audio using their own encoder before printing the CD. There's no way an MP3 made from that source will sound good! Valefor, they might ask to use your front-end...

QDesign plans to patent bad audio quality

Reply #12 –
Quote
But P2P music quality might drop even further.. not that it isn't enough horrible already.


That's what I thought: half the people out there ripping and trading won't even notice if this process works because they're happy with 96kbps Xing already!

Cheers,
David.