With the advent of high definition recording and playback systems, a proportion of the ultrasonic frequency spectrum can potentially be used as a container for unperceivable data and used to trigger events or to hold metadata in the form of text, ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) or a website URL. The Sonic Quick Response Code (SQRC) algorithm is proposed as a method for embedding inaudible acoustic metadata within a 96 kHz audio file in the 30–35 kHz bandwidth range. Thus any receiver that has sufficient bandwidth and decode software installed can immediately find metadata on the audio being played. SQRC data was mixed at random periods into 96 kHz music audio files and listening subjects were asked to identify if they perceived the introduction of the high frequency content. Results show that none of the subjects in this pilot study could perceive the 30–35 kHz material. As a result, it is shown that it is possible to conduct high-resolution audio testing without significant or perceptible artifacts caused by intermodulation distortion.

Authors: Sheppard, Mark; Toulson, Rob; Lopez, Mariana
Affiliations: Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK; University of Westminster, London, UK(See document for exact affiliation information.)
AES Convention: 141 (September 2016) Paper Number: 9662
Publication Date: September 20, 2016 Import into BibTeX
Subject: Signal Processing
Permalink: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=18466

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