ADAPTIVE BITRATE CODING FOR SPATIAL AUDIO STREAMING

Techniques are provided for spatial audio streaming using adaptive bitrate encoding and decoding in bandwidth limited virtual reality applications. A methodology implementing the techniques according to an embodiment includes calculating weight factors for audio channels associated with each of a plurality of microphones. The weight factors are based on the position and head angle, relative to the microphones, of a user wearing a head mounted display (HMD). The method also includes encoding and decoding the audio channels, for transmission to the HMD, at a selected bitrate, the bitrate based on the weight factor for the audio channel. The method further includes applying an adaptive gain compensation to each of the received and decoded audio channels, the gain compensation also based on the weight factor. The method further includes mixing the resulting gain compensated channels to generate a stereo audio signal to be played through speakers of the HMD.