Sound processing program, sound processing method, and sound processing device

Abstract

To limit the sound to be subjected to sound pressure adjustment compared to a case of uniformly compressing the sound pressure.SOLUTION: A sound processing program causes a computer to execute processing of: adding reference value data that indicates a reference value of a sound pressure calculated in advance for a prescribed sound being an individual sound, to prescribed sound data for reproducing the prescribed sound from an output unit; when the prescribed sound is reproduced from the output unit, acquiring the prescribed sound data; and when the reference value of the sound pressure of the prescribed sound indicated by the reference value data added to the acquired prescribed sound data is out of a prescribed range within a range of a set dynamic range, adjusting the sound pressure of the prescribed sound to be reproduced from the output unit so as to fall within the prescribed range.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a sound processing program, a sound processing method, and a sound processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a technology for providing sounds that do not cause a user to feel uncomfortable when content is provided. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-220798 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, when a game is executed as the above content, sounds reproduced from a speaker as an output unit have various sound pressures, from high sound pressures such as cannon explosions to low sound pressures such as the cries of living creatures. If the sound pressure is uniformly compressed in the game to match the dynamic range, there is a risk that the sound pressure of sounds that are not desired to be changed will also be compressed.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a sound processing program, a sound processing method, and a sound processing device that can limit sounds whose sound pressure is adjusted, compared to a case where sound pressure is uniformly compressed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The sound processing program of the first aspect causes a computer to execute a process of adding reference value data indicating a reference value of sound pressure calculated in advance for an individual specified sound to specified sound data for playing the specified sound from an output unit, acquiring the specified sound data when playing the specified sound from the output unit, and adjusting the sound pressure of the specified sound to be played from the output unit so that it falls within the specified range if the reference value of the sound pressure of the specified sound indicated by the reference value data added to the acquired specified sound data falls outside a specified range within a set dynamic range.

[0007] The sound processing program of the second aspect is the sound processing program of the first aspect, and causes a computer to execute a process of adjusting the sound pressure of the specified sound while maintaining the magnitude relationship between the reference values ​​of the sound pressure of various sounds reproduced from the output unit.

[0008] A sound processing program of a third aspect is a sound processing program of the first or second aspect, and causes a computer to execute at least one of the following processes: reducing the sound pressure of the specified sound to be played from the output unit when the reference value of the sound pressure of the specified sound indicated by the reference value data is equal to or greater than a first threshold value; and increasing the sound pressure of the specified sound to be played from the output unit when the reference value of the sound pressure of the specified sound indicated by the reference value data is equal to or less than a second threshold value.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the sound processing program is a sound processing program of any one of the first to third aspects, and causes a computer to execute processing to vary the amount by which the sound pressure of the specified sound played from the output unit is increased or decreased based on at least one of a user selection and a scene.

[0010] A sound processing program of a fifth aspect is a sound processing program of any one of the first to fourth aspects, which causes a computer to execute a process of adjusting the sound pressure of the specified sound to be played from the output unit in a specified scene before combining the acquired specified sound data with sound data for playing other sounds to be played from the output unit in the specified scene.

[0011] A sixth aspect of the sound processing method is a method in which a computer executes a process of adding reference value data indicating a reference value of sound pressure calculated in advance for an individual specified sound to specified sound data for playing the specified sound from an output unit, acquiring the specified sound data when playing the specified sound from the output unit, and adjusting the sound pressure of the specified sound to be played from the output unit so that it falls within the specified range if the reference value of the sound pressure of the specified sound indicated by the reference value data added to the acquired specified sound data falls outside a specified range within a set dynamic range.

[0012] The seventh aspect of the sound processing device includes a sound processing unit that adds reference value data indicating a reference value of sound pressure calculated in advance for an individual specified sound to specified sound data for playing the specified sound from an output unit, acquires the specified sound data when playing the specified sound from the output unit, and adjusts the sound pressure of the specified sound to be played from the output unit so that it falls within the specified range if the reference value of the sound pressure of the specified sound indicated by the reference value data added to the acquired specified sound data falls outside a specified range within a set dynamic range. Effect of the Invention

[0013] With the sound processing program, sound processing method, and sound processing device according to the present disclosure, it is possible to limit sounds whose sound pressure is adjusted, compared to a case where sound pressure is uniformly compressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the information processing device. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of an information processing device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for explaining average value data. [Figure 4] 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of sound processing. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a first explanatory diagram illustrating a specific example of sound processing. [Figure 6]FIG. 2 is a second explanatory diagram illustrating a specific example of sound processing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The information processing device 10 according to this embodiment will be described below. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an information processing device 10. The information processing device 10 is, for example, a home game machine, a portable game machine, an arcade game machine, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, etc. In the present embodiment, as an example, the information processing device 10 is a "home game machine". The information processing device 10 is an example of a "computer" and a "sound processing device".

[0016] 1, the information processing device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a storage 14, a display 15, a speaker 16, an external I / F (Interface) 17, a communication I / F 18, and an input I / F 19. Each component is connected to each other via a bus 20 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0017] The CPU 11 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls each section.

[0018] The ROM 12 stores various programs and various data. The RAM 13 serves as a working area for temporarily storing programs or data.

[0019] The storage 14 is configured with a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD) or a flash memory, and stores various programs and various data. The storage 14 stores, as various data, sound data for reproducing individual sounds from the speaker 16 while the game is being executed. "Individual sounds" include music, background music (BGM), sound effects, and voice.

[0020] The display 15 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays various information. In this embodiment, the display 15 is integrated with the information processing device 10. However, this is not limited, and the display 15 may be separate from the information processing device 10. Also, in this embodiment, the display 15 does not have a touch panel. However, this is not limited, and the display 15 may have an integrated touch panel. The speaker 16 plays sounds indicated by sound data stored in the storage 14 during execution of the game. The speaker 16 is an example of an "output unit."

[0021] The external I / F 17 is an interface for connecting an external device to the information processing device 10. The external device is, for example, a recording medium 30.

[0022] The recording medium 30 may be a compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk read only memory (DVD-ROM), a universal serial bus (USB) memory, or an SD memory card. A game processing program 30A and a sound processing program 30B are stored in the recording medium 30. The CPU 11 reads the game processing program 30A and the sound processing program 30B from the recording medium 30 via the external I / F 17, and executes the game processing program 30A and the sound processing program 30B using the RAM 13 as a working area. The game processing program 30A and the sound processing program 30B are not limited to being stored in the recording medium 30, and may be stored in advance in the storage 14 of the information processing device 10, or may be downloadable to the information processing device 10 via a network. The sound processing program 30B is an example of a "sound processing program."

[0023] The communication I / F 18 is an interface for connecting the information processing device 10 to a network. For example, the communication I / F 18 uses a wired communication standard such as Ethernet (registered trademark) or FDDI, or a wireless communication standard such as 4G, 5G, or Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0024] The input I / F 19 is an interface for connecting to the input device 40. The input device 40 is a controller having operation buttons and directional keys, a mouse, a keyboard, etc., and is used for various inputs. A user operates the game using the input device 40. Operation information indicating the contents of the input operation performed by the user using the input device 40 is stored in the RAM 13. In this embodiment, the input device 40 is separate from the information processing device 10. However, this is not limited to this, and the input device 40 may be integrated with the information processing device 10. In addition, the input device 40 may be detachable from the information processing device 10. In addition, the number of input devices 40 may be one or more.

[0025] Next, a description will be given of the functional configuration of the information processing device 10. FIG 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the information processing device 10.

[0026] 2, the CPU 11 of the information processing device 10 has, as functional components, a reception unit 11A, a game execution unit 11B, a sound processing unit 11C, and a sound playback unit 11D. Each functional component is realized by the CPU 11 reading and executing at least one of a game processing program 30A and a sound processing program 30B stored in the recording medium 30.

[0027] The reception unit 11A receives an input operation for a game performed using the input device 40 from a user.

[0028] The game execution unit 11B executes a predetermined game by executing the game processing program 30A stored in the recording medium 30. The game has three dynamic range modes, a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode, for various sounds reproduced from the speaker 16 during the game. The user can select a desired dynamic range mode by performing a predetermined input operation for the game using the input device 40. Here, the first mode is a dynamic range mode in which sounds represented by sound data stored in the storage 14 are reproduced from the speaker 16 without performing sound processing by the sound processing unit 11C, which will be described later. The second mode and the third mode are dynamic range modes in which sounds represented by sound-processed sound data are reproduced from the speaker 16. The differences between the second mode and the third mode will be described later.

[0029] The sound processor 11C adds average value data indicating an average value of sound pressure calculated in advance for each sound represented by the sound data to the sound data stored in the storage 14. As an example, the sound processor 11C adds average value data indicating an average value of sound pressure calculated in advance for each sound effect to sound effect data for playing the sound effect from the speaker 16.

[0030] For example, in the above game, the sound processor 11C extracts multiple sound pressure values ​​that satisfy a predetermined condition from sound effect data provided for a certain sound effect (e.g., the sound of a cannon). The sound processor 11C calculates the average of the extracted multiple sound pressure values ​​to obtain the average sound pressure value of the sound effect. The sound processor 11C performs the above process for multiple sound effects (e.g., the sound of a cannon, the sound of hitting with a weapon), calculates average value data for each of the multiple sound effects, and adds the calculated average value data to the corresponding sound effect data.

[0031] Furthermore, the sound processing unit 11C acquires from the storage 14 sound data of each sound to be reproduced from the speaker 16 in accordance with the progress of the game executed by the game execution unit 11B. Then, when the acquired sound data is sound effect data and the second or third dynamic range mode is set, the sound processing unit 11C performs sound processing to adjust the sound pressure of the sound effect to be reproduced from the speaker 16 based on the average value data added to the sound effect data. The flow of the sound processing will be described later. Note that the sound effect is an example of a "predetermined sound", the average value of the sound pressure is an example of a "reference value of sound pressure", the average value data is an example of "reference value data", and the sound effect data is an example of "predetermined sound data".

[0032] The sound playback unit 11D plays back from the speaker 16 sounds based on the sound data stored in the storage 14, such as sounds represented by the sound data stored in the storage 14 and sounds represented by the sound data processed by the sound processing unit 11C.

[0033] Next, a specific example of the above average value data will be described. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing average value data added to the sound effect data stored in the storage 14. As shown in FIG.

[0034] FIG. 3 shows, as an example, average value data for four types of sound effects: a cannon sound, a weapon hitting sound, the sound of bell crickets, and the sound of rustling clothes. As shown in FIG. 3, the average value of the sound pressure of the cannon sound is "-6 dB", the average value of the weapon hitting sound is "-8 dB", the average value of the bell crickets' sound is "-25 dB", and the average value of the sound pressure of the clothes rustling sound is "-26 dB". In this case, for example, average value data indicating that the average value of the sound pressure is "-6 dB" is added to the sound effect data for the cannon sound as, for example, attribute data. Similarly, the average value data for the weapon hitting sound, the sound of bell crickets, and the sound of rustling clothes are added to the sound effect data for each sound effect.

[0035] The number of sound effects for which the average sound pressure is calculated is not limited to four, and may be more or less than four. Also, the average sound pressure values ​​shown in FIG. 3 are merely examples, and the average sound pressure values ​​of each sound effect may differ from those shown in FIG.

[0036] Next, the flow of the sound processing will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the sound processing. The CPU 11 reads out the sound processing program 30B from the recording medium 30, expands it in the RAM 13, and executes it to perform the sound processing. As an example, the sound processing is executed when a sound effect is reproduced from the speaker 16.

[0037] 4, the CPU 11 acquires sound effect data of a sound effect to be reproduced from the speaker 16 from the storage 14. Then, the CPU 11 proceeds to step S11.

[0038] In step S11, the CPU 11 acquires the dynamic range mode set in the game, and then the CPU 11 proceeds to step S12.

[0039] In step S12, the CPU 11 determines whether the dynamic range mode acquired in step S11 is the second mode or the third mode. If the CPU 11 determines that the dynamic range mode is the second mode or the third mode (step S12: YES), the CPU 11 proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the dynamic range mode is not the second mode or the third mode (step S12: NO), the CPU 11 ends the sound processing.

[0040] In step S13, the CPU 11 determines whether the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effects indicated in the average value data added to the sound effect data acquired in step S10 is equal to or greater than an upper threshold. If the CPU 11 determines that the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effects is equal to or greater than the upper threshold (step S13: YES), the CPU 11 proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effects is not equal to or greater than the upper threshold (step S13: NO), the CPU 11 proceeds to step S14. The upper threshold is an example of a "first threshold."

[0041] In step S14, the CPU 11 determines whether the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effects indicated in the average value data added to the sound effect data acquired in step S10 is equal to or less than a lower threshold value that is smaller than an upper threshold value. If the CPU 11 determines that the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effects is equal to or less than the lower threshold value (step S14: YES), the CPU 11 proceeds to step S16. On the other hand, if the CPU 11 determines that the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effects is not equal to or less than the lower threshold value (step S14: NO), the CPU 11 ends the sound processing. The lower threshold value is an example of a "second threshold value."

[0042] In step S15, CPU 11 reduces the sound pressure of the sound effect reproduced from speaker 16. Specifically, CPU 11 adds information indicating an instruction to reproduce the sound effect with the sound pressure reduced by a predetermined amount to the sound effect data acquired in step S10. At this time, when the dynamic range mode acquired in step S11 is the third mode, CPU 11 increases the amount by which the sound pressure of the sound effect is reduced compared to when the dynamic range mode is the second mode. As a result, the sound effect represented by the sound effect data is reproduced from speaker 16 with the sound pressure reduced by a predetermined amount. Then, CPU 11 ends the sound processing.

[0043] In step S16, CPU 11 increases the sound pressure of the sound effect reproduced from speaker 16. Specifically, CPU 11 adds information indicating an instruction to reproduce the sound effect with a predetermined increased sound pressure to the sound effect data acquired in step S10. At this time, when the dynamic range mode acquired in step S11 is the third mode, CPU 11 increases the amount by which the sound pressure of the sound effect is increased compared to when the dynamic range mode is the second mode. As a result, the sound effect represented by the sound effect data is reproduced from speaker 16 with the sound pressure increased by the predetermined amount. Then, CPU 11 ends the sound processing.

[0044] Next, a specific example of the sound processing will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 shows an example of sound processing for the sound pressure of various sound effects reproduced from the speaker 16 in scene SC1 as a predetermined scene in the game. As an example, the various sound effects reproduced from the speaker 16 in scene SC1 are four types: sound effect A, sound effect B, sound effect C, and sound effect D.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a first explanatory diagram for explaining a specific example of sound processing. FIG. 5 shows, from the left, the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode when the dynamic range mode set in the game. The dynamic range of the first mode is the range D1 indicated by the arrow extending in the vertical direction in FIG. 5. The dynamic range of the second mode is the range D2 indicated by the arrow extending in the vertical direction in FIG. 5. The dynamic range of the third mode is the range D3 indicated by the arrow extending in the vertical direction in FIG. 5. Each dynamic range indicates that the sound pressure increases toward the top of the figure and decreases toward the bottom of the figure. Here, the wide-narrow relationship of each dynamic range mode is range D1>range D2>range D3.

[0046] In FIG. 5, from the top, the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect A is indicated by a broken line as "sound pressure S1", the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect B is indicated by a broken line as "sound pressure S2", the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect C is indicated by a broken line as "sound pressure S3", and the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect D is indicated by a broken line as "sound pressure S4". In other words, the magnitude relationship of the average values ​​of the sound pressures of various sound effects is sound pressure S1>sound pressure S2>sound pressure S3>sound pressure S4. Each average value is common to the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode. In addition, in FIG. 5, the upper threshold of the second mode is indicated by a solid line as "threshold V1", the lower threshold is indicated by a solid line as "threshold V2", the upper threshold of the third mode is indicated by a solid line as "threshold V3", and the lower threshold is indicated by a solid line as "threshold V4". The threshold V3 is smaller than the threshold V1, and the threshold V4 is larger than the threshold V2.

[0047] Here, when the second mode is set, the CPU 11 compares the average value of the sound pressure of each of the sound effects A to D reproduced from the speaker 16 in the scene SC1 with the threshold value V1 and the threshold value V2 to determine whether or not to adjust the sound pressure of each sound effect. In the case of FIG. 5, the sound pressure S1, which is the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect A, is equal to or greater than the threshold value V1, and the sound pressure S4, which is the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect D, is equal to or less than the threshold value V2. In this case, the CPU 11 adds information indicating an instruction to reproduce the sound effect A with the sound pressure reduced to a range smaller than the threshold value V1 and larger than the sound pressure S2 (for example, the target value T1 shown by the dashed line in FIG. 5) to the sound effect data of the sound effect A. The CPU 11 also adds information indicating an instruction to reproduce the sound effect D with the sound pressure increased to a range larger than the threshold value V2 and smaller than the sound pressure S3 (for example, the target value T2 shown by the dashed line in FIG. 5) to the sound effect data of the sound effect D.

[0048] Furthermore, when the third mode is set, the CPU 11 compares the average value of the sound pressure of each of the sound effects A to D reproduced from the speaker 16 in the scene SC1 with the threshold value V3 and the threshold value V4 to determine whether or not to adjust the sound pressure of each sound effect. In the case of FIG. 6, the sound pressure S1 which is the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect A and the sound pressure S2 which is the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect B are equal to or greater than the threshold value V3, and the sound pressure S3 which is the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect C and the sound pressure S4 which is the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect D are equal to or less than the threshold value V4. In this case, the CPU 11 adjusts the sound pressures of the sound effects A to D while maintaining the magnitude relationship between the average values ​​of the sound pressures of the sound effects A to D. Note that the "state where the magnitude relationship is maintained" does not have to be reversed, and also includes the concept of the case where the sound pressures of different sounds become the same.

[0049] For example, the CPU 11 adds information indicating an instruction to play back the sound effect A with the sound pressure reduced to a range less than the threshold value V3 and greater than the sound pressure of the adjusted sound effect B (for example, the target value T3 shown by the dashed line in FIG. 5), to the sound effect data of the sound effect A. The CPU 11 also adds information indicating an instruction to play back the sound effect B with the sound pressure reduced to a range less than the sound pressure of the adjusted sound effect A (target value T3) and greater than the sound pressure of the adjusted sound effect C (for example, the target value T4 shown by the dashed line in FIG. 5), to the sound effect data of the sound effect B. The CPU 11 also adds information indicating an instruction to play back the sound effect C with the sound pressure increased to a range more than the threshold value V4 and less than the sound pressure of the adjusted sound effect B (target value T4) (for example, the target value T5 shown by the dashed line in FIG. 5), to the sound effect data of the sound effect C. Furthermore, CPU 11 adds information to the sound effect data of sound effect D indicating an instruction to increase the sound pressure of sound effect D to a range greater than threshold value V4 and less than the sound pressure of adjusted sound effect C (target value T5) (for example, target value T6 indicated by a dashed dotted line in FIG. 5). As described above, threshold value V3 is smaller than threshold value V1, so in the third mode, the amount by which the sound pressure of sound effect A is decreased is greater than in the second mode. Also, as described above, threshold value V4 is greater than threshold value V2, so in the third mode, the amount by which the sound pressure of sound effect D is increased is greater than in the second mode.

[0050] As described above, in the information processing device 10, the CPU 11 adds average value data indicating the average value of the sound pressure calculated in advance for each sound effect to sound effect data for playing the sound effect from the speaker 16. When playing the sound effect from the speaker 16, the CPU 11 acquires the sound effect data from the storage 14. When the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect indicated by the average value data added to the acquired sound effect data falls outside a predetermined range within the set dynamic range, the CPU 11 adjusts the sound pressure of the sound effect to be played from the speaker 16 so that it falls within the predetermined range. The predetermined range is a range from a lower threshold to an upper threshold set in the dynamic range mode. For example, in the case of the second mode shown in FIG. 5, the predetermined range is a range from the threshold V2 to the threshold V1. With the above configuration, the information processing device 10 can limit the sounds to be adjusted in sound pressure compared to the case of compressing the sound pressure uniformly.

[0051] Furthermore, in the information processing device 10, the CPU 11 adjusts the sound pressure of the sound effects while maintaining the magnitude relationship of the average values ​​of the sound pressures of the various sound effects reproduced from the speaker 16. For example, the magnitude relationship of the average values ​​of the sound pressures of the various sound effects in the above scene SC1 is sound pressure S1>sound pressure S2>sound pressure S3>sound pressure S4. The various sound effects are an example of "various sounds".

[0052] For example, in the present embodiment, in the second mode shown in FIG. 5, the threshold value V1 is set to a value larger than the sound pressure S2 and smaller than the sound pressure S1. Also, in the present embodiment, in the second mode, the threshold value V2 is set to a value larger than the sound pressure S4 and smaller than the sound pressure S3. Then, as described above, the CPU 11 reduces the sound pressure of the sound effect A reproduced from the speaker 16 in the scene SC1 to a range smaller than the threshold value V1 and larger than the sound pressure S2 (for example, the target value T1), and increases the sound pressure of the sound effect D to a range larger than the threshold value V2 and smaller than the sound pressure S3 (for example, the target value T2). Therefore, even if the sound pressures of the sound effect A and the sound effect D are adjusted in the scene SC1, the magnitude relationship between the average values ​​of the sound pressures of the sound effects A to D is maintained. With the above configuration, the information processing device 10 can narrow the dynamic range without destroying the magnitude relationship between the sound pressures of the sound effects.

[0053] Furthermore, in the information processing device 10, when the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effects indicated by the average value data is equal to or greater than an upper threshold, the CPU 11 reduces the sound pressure of the sound effects to be reproduced from the speaker 16 in the above-mentioned scene SC1. When the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effects indicated by the average value data is equal to or less than a lower threshold, the CPU 11 increases the sound pressure of the sound effects to be reproduced from the speaker 16 in the scene SC1. As a result, the information processing device 10 can individually reduce the sound pressure of each sound effect determined to have a high sound pressure and reproduce it from the speaker 16. Furthermore, the information processing device 10 can individually increase the sound pressure of each sound effect determined to have a low sound pressure and reproduce it from the speaker 16.

[0054] Furthermore, in the information processing device 10, the CPU 11 changes the amount by which the sound pressure of the sound effect reproduced from the speaker 16 is increased or decreased based on the user's selection of a dynamic range mode (see FIG. 5). As a result, the information processing device 10 can reproduce the sound effect from the speaker 16 in a dynamic range according to the user's selection.

[0055] Furthermore, in the information processing device 10, the CPU 11 adjusts the sound pressure of the sound effect to be reproduced from the speaker 16 in the scene SC1 before combining the acquired sound effect data with sound data for reproducing other sounds to be reproduced from the speaker 16 in the above-mentioned scene SC1, specifically, before sending the sound effect data to a bus. A bus is a device for combining multiple sound data into one. In this embodiment, the bus is reproduced by software. The bus may be used, for example, to transmit sound from an internet search engine.<URL: https: / / sio-dtm.com / 2019 / 10 / 05 / bus-tips / > and<URL: https: / / masatsumu-dtm.com / word_65-bus / > Since this is publicly known as disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 6,399,343, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0056] The sounds reproduced from the speaker 16 in the scene SC1 are diverse, including sound effects A to D, as well as background music and voice. The CPU 11 sends a plurality of sounds to be reproduced from the speaker 16 in the scene SC1, for example, sound effect data for the sound effects A to D and background music sound data, to the same bus. The CPU 11 then generates a composite wave by combining the waveforms of the sound data of the plurality of sounds within the bus, and reproduces the sound represented by the generated composite sound data from the speaker 16.

[0057] Here, in a bus, a mixing process using effectors such as an equalizer and a compressor may be performed as a general sound processing. Conventionally, in order to adjust the dynamic range of a plurality of sounds, a compressor, which is an effector for reducing sound pressure, has been applied to the bus to reduce the sound pressure of the plurality of sounds contained in the bus. In this method, the compressor reduces the sound pressure of the plurality of sounds based on the sound with the maximum sound pressure in the bus, and therefore the sound pressure of sounds other than the sound with the maximum sound pressure may be unnecessarily reduced.

[0058] In contrast, in this embodiment, the CPU 11 adjusts the sound pressure of the sound effect to be reproduced from the speaker 16 in scene SC1 before sending the sound effect data obtained from the storage 14 to the bus. As a result, the information processing device 10 reduces the user's discomfort felt by the various sounds reproduced from the speaker 16 in scene SC1, compared to a case in which the sound pressures of multiple sounds are adjusted in the bus.

[0059] (others) In the above embodiment, the CPU 11 adds, to the sound data stored in the storage 14, average value data indicating the average value of sound pressure calculated in advance for each sound represented by the sound data. However, the data added to the sound data is not limited to average value data. For example, the CPU 11 may add, to the sound data stored in the storage 14, maximum value data indicating the maximum value of sound pressure, minimum value data indicating the minimum value of sound pressure, or median value data indicating the median value of sound pressure calculated in advance for each sound represented by the sound data. In this case, the CPU 11 may perform sound processing to adjust the sound pressure of the sound effect to be reproduced from the speaker 16 based on the maximum value data, minimum value data, or median value data added to the sound data. In this case, the maximum value of sound pressure, the minimum value of sound pressure, or the median value of sound pressure is an example of a "reference value of sound pressure", and the maximum value data, minimum value data, or median value data is an example of a "reference value data".

[0060] However, when the maximum value of the sound pressure of the sound effect indicated by the maximum value data becomes equal to or greater than the upper threshold value and the sound pressure of the sound effect is reduced, if the sound pressure of the sound effect is high only for a moment, the user may not be able to hear the sound effect reproduced during the other period. Also, when the minimum value of the sound pressure of the sound effect indicated by the minimum value data becomes equal to or less than the lower threshold value and the sound pressure of the sound effect is increased, if the sound pressure of the sound effect is low only for a moment, the user may feel that the sound effect reproduced during the other period is noisy. If the reference value data added to the sound data is average value data or median value data, the above problem does not occur. Therefore, it is preferable that the reference value data added to the sound data is average value data or median value data rather than maximum value data or minimum value data.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the sound effect is an example of the "predetermined sound", but is not limited thereto. For example, the "predetermined sound" may be a sound other than the sound effect such as music, background music, and voice.

[0062] In the above embodiment, when the second mode or the third mode is set, the CPU 11 adjusts the sound pressure of the sound effect reproduced from the speaker 16 based on the average value data added to the sound effect data. However, this is not limited to this, and the above game may be one in which the dynamic range mode cannot be selected. In this case, the CPU 11 compares the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect with the upper threshold and the lower threshold without considering the dynamic range mode, and determines whether or not to adjust the sound pressure of the sound effect.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the CPU 11 changes the amount by which the sound pressure of the sound effect reproduced from the speaker 16 is increased or decreased based on the selection of the dynamic range mode by the user. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the CPU 11 may change the amount based on the scene instead of or in addition to the selection of the dynamic range mode by the user. For example, the CPU 11 may set the dynamic range mode to the second mode when the scene in the game becomes scene SC2, or set the dynamic range mode to the third mode when the scene becomes scene SC3. In this way, the CPU 11 may dynamically switch the dynamic range mode according to the scene in the game to change the amount.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the CPU 11 executes both a process of decreasing the sound pressure of the sound effect reproduced from the speaker 16 in the scene SC1 when the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect indicated by the average value data is equal to or greater than the upper threshold, and a process of increasing the sound pressure of the sound effect reproduced from the speaker 16 in the scene SC1 when the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect indicated by the average value data is equal to or less than the lower threshold. However, without being limited to this, the CPU 11 may execute only one of the above two processes.

[0065] In the above embodiment, CPU 11 adjusted the sound pressure of the sound effect data to be reproduced from speaker 16 in scene SC1 before combining the sound effect data with sound data for reproducing other sounds to be reproduced from speaker 16 in scene SC1 and before sending the sound effect data to the bus. However, this "before combining with sound data" is not limited to before sending the sound effect data to the bus, so long as it is before the waveforms of the sound data of multiple sounds are combined in the bus. Therefore, as the "before combining with sound data", the sound processing shown in the above embodiment may be performed in the bus before the waveforms of the sound data of multiple sounds are combined in the bus to individually adjust the sound pressure of the sound effect data to be reproduced from speaker 16 in scene SC1.

[0066] 5 shows target values ​​T1 to T6 as target values ​​when adjusting the sound pressure of sound effects, but the amount by which the sound pressure of the sound effects is increased or decreased is not limited to this, so long as the magnitude relationship between the average values ​​of the sound pressure of various sound effects reproduced from speaker 16 in scene SC1 as a predetermined scene can be maintained. Specifically, the amount by which the sound pressure is adjusted may be increased or decreased from the amount shown in the above embodiment, so long as the magnitude relationship between the average values ​​of the sound pressure of the sound effects can be maintained.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the upper threshold and the lower threshold are different between the second mode and the third mode, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the upper threshold and the lower threshold may be the same between the second mode and the third mode. Also, the upper threshold and the lower threshold may be different for each type of sound reproduced from the speaker 16 in a predetermined scene (e.g., scene SC1).

[0068] In the above embodiment, the average sound pressures (sound pressures S1 to S4) of the sound effects A to D reproduced from the speaker 16 in the scene SC1 are set to the same value regardless of the dynamic range mode set in the game (see FIG. 5). However, without being limited to this, other examples may be provided in which the average sound pressures in each dynamic range mode are set by reflecting the ratio of each dynamic range mode. In this case, the CPU 11 reflects the ratio of each dynamic range mode in the average sound pressures, and then compares each of the average sound pressures with the upper threshold and the lower threshold to determine whether or not to adjust the sound pressure of each sound effect. Hereinafter, the other examples will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6.

[0069] Fig. 6 is a second explanatory diagram for explaining a specific example of sound processing. Fig. 6 shows, from the left, the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode as the dynamic range mode set in the game. The dynamic ranges of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode are the same as those of Fig. 5, i.e., range D1, range D2, and range D3.

[0070] As shown in Fig. 6, in another example, the ratio of each dynamic range mode is reflected in the average value of the sound pressure of each of the sound effects A to D, and the average value of the sound pressure is arranged within the dynamic range of each dynamic range mode. In Fig. 6, the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect A in the first mode is indicated by a broken line as "sound pressure S1", the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect B is indicated by a broken line as "sound pressure S2", the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect C is indicated by a broken line as "sound pressure S3", and the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect D is indicated by a broken line as "sound pressure S4". In Fig. 6, the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect A in the second mode is indicated by a broken line as "sound pressure S10", the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect B is indicated by a broken line as "sound pressure S20", the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect C is indicated by a broken line as "sound pressure S30", and the average value of the sound pressure of the sound effect D is indicated by a broken line as "sound pressure S40". In addition, in Figure 6, the average sound pressure of sound effect A in the third mode is shown by a dashed line as "sound pressure S100", the average sound pressure of sound effect B is shown by "sound pressure S200", the average sound pressure of sound effect C is shown by "sound pressure S300", and the average sound pressure of sound effect D is shown by "sound pressure S400".

[0071] Next, another example of sound processing will be described. When the dynamic range mode is the first mode, the CPU 11 does not perform sound processing to adjust the sound pressure of the sound effects A to D reproduced from the speaker 16 in the scene SC1.

[0072] When the dynamic range mode is the second mode, the CPU 11 compares the average sound pressures (sound pressures S10 to S40) of the sound effects A to D with thresholds V1 and V2 to determine whether or not to adjust the sound pressure of each sound effect. The thresholds V1 and V2 shown in FIG. 6 are the same as those in FIG. 5. In the case of FIG. 6, the sound pressure S10, which is the average sound pressure of the sound effect A, is equal to or greater than the threshold V1, and the sound pressure S40, which is the average sound pressure of the sound effect D, is equal to or less than the threshold V2. In this case, the CPU 11 adds information to the sound effect data of the sound effect A indicating an instruction to reduce the sound pressure of the sound effect A to a value within a range smaller than the threshold V1 and larger than the sound pressure S20 (for example, the target value T7 indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 6). Further, the CPU 11 adds information indicating an instruction to increase the sound pressure of the sound effect D to a range greater than the threshold value V2 and less than the sound pressure S30 (for example, the target value T8 indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 6) to the sound effect data of the sound effect D.

[0073] When the dynamic range mode is the third mode, the CPU 11 compares the average sound pressures (sound pressures S100 to S400) of the sound effects A to D with thresholds V3 and V4 to determine whether or not to adjust the sound pressure of each sound effect. Note that the thresholds V3 and V4 shown in FIG. 6 are the same as those in FIG. 5. In the case of FIG. 6, there is no average sound pressure that is equal to or greater than threshold V3, and there is no average sound pressure that is equal to or less than threshold V4. Therefore, the CPU 11 does not perform sound processing to adjust the sound pressures of the sound effects A to D.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the CPU 11 calculates the average value data of each sound effect during the execution of the game as a function of the sound processing unit 11C, and adds the calculated average value data to the corresponding sound effect data, but the timing of performing the process is not limited. For example, the CPU 11 may perform the above process when the game is not being executed. In addition, the above process is not limited to being performed by the CPU 11 alone, and may be performed by the CPU 11 in cooperation with a person.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the sound processing executed by the CPU 11 by reading the software (program) may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. In this case, examples of the processor include a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacture, and a dedicated electric circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) which is a processor having a circuit configuration designed exclusively for executing a specific process. The sound processing may be executed by one of these various processors, or may be executed by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, a plurality of FPGAs, and a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). The hardware structure of these various processors is, more specifically, an electric circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 10 Information processing device (example of computer and sound processing device) 11C Sound Processing Unit 16 Speaker (an example of an output section) 30B Sound processing program (an example of a sound processing program)

Claims

1. adding reference value data indicating a reference value of sound pressure calculated in advance for each predetermined sound, to the predetermined sound data for reproducing the predetermined sound from an output unit; When the predetermined sound is to be reproduced from the output unit, the predetermined sound data is acquired; When a reference value of the sound pressure of the specific sound indicated by the reference value data added to the acquired specific sound data falls outside a predetermined range within a set dynamic range, the sound pressure of the specific sound reproduced from the output unit is adjusted so as to fall within the predetermined range. A sound processing program that causes a computer to carry out the processing.

2. adjusting the sound pressure of the predetermined sound while maintaining the magnitude relationship between the reference values ​​of the sound pressures of the various sounds reproduced from the output unit; 2. The sound processing program according to claim 1, for causing a computer to execute processing.

3. 2. The sound processing program according to claim 1, for causing a computer to execute at least one of the following processes: reducing the sound pressure of the specified sound to be reproduced from the output unit when the reference value of the sound pressure of the specified sound indicated by the reference value data is equal to or greater than a first threshold; and increasing the sound pressure of the specified sound to be reproduced from the output unit when the reference value of the sound pressure of the specified sound indicated by the reference value data is equal to or less than a second threshold.

4. changing an amount by which the sound pressure of the predetermined sound reproduced from the output unit is increased or decreased based on at least one of a user selection and a scene; 2. The sound processing program according to claim 1, for causing a computer to execute processing.

5. adjusting a sound pressure of the predetermined sound to be reproduced from the output unit in the predetermined scene before combining the acquired predetermined sound data with sound data for reproducing other sounds to be reproduced from the output unit in the predetermined scene; 2. The sound processing program according to claim 1, for causing a computer to execute processing.

6. adding reference value data indicating a reference value of sound pressure calculated in advance for each predetermined sound, to the predetermined sound data for reproducing the predetermined sound from an output unit; When the predetermined sound is to be reproduced from the output unit, the predetermined sound data is acquired; When a reference value of the sound pressure of the specific sound indicated by the reference value data added to the acquired specific sound data falls outside a predetermined range within a set dynamic range, the sound pressure of the specific sound reproduced from the output unit is adjusted so as to fall within the predetermined range. A sound processing method in which the processing is performed by a computer.

7. A sound processing device comprising: a sound processing unit that adds reference value data indicating a reference value of sound pressure calculated in advance for an individual specified sound to specified sound data for playing the specified sound from an output unit; when playing the specified sound from the output unit, acquires the specified sound data; and, if the reference value of the sound pressure of the specified sound indicated by the reference value data added to the acquired specified sound data falls outside a specified range within a set dynamic range, adjusts the sound pressure of the specified sound to be played from the output unit so that it falls within the specified range.

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