Method and system for controlling haptic content - Patents.com

Abstract

An audio system presented herein includes a transducer array, a sensor array, and a controller. The controller controls haptic content provided to a user through actuation of at least one transducer in the transducer array while presenting audio content to the user. The transducer array presents the audio content along with the haptic content to the user. The audio system can be part of a headset.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to artificial reality systems, and more particularly, to audio systems configured to control tactile content for presentation to a user of the audio system. [Background technology]

[0002] Head-mounted displays in artificial reality systems often include features such as speakers or personal audio devices to provide audio content to a user of the head-mounted display. In some cases, conventional head-mounted displays may use bone conduction and / or cartilage conduction to provide audio content to a user. However, at certain frequencies and amplitudes, in addition to hearing the audio content, the audio content may be perceived by the user as a tactile stimulus (e.g., via mechanoreceptors embedded in tissue). Summary of the Invention

[0003] Embodiments of the present disclosure support an audio system, method, and computer-readable medium for providing content to a user, e.g., a headset wearer, according to the appended claims. The audio system includes a transducer array and a controller. The controller is configured to control haptic content provided to the user via actuation of at least one transducer in the transducer array. The transducer array is configured to present the haptic content to the user. The audio system may be incorporated as part of the headset.

[0004] In one aspect of the invention, an audio system may include a controller configured to control haptic content provided to a user via actuation of at least one transducer in a transducer array while presenting audio content to a user, the transducer array being configured to present the audio content accompanied by the haptic content to the user.

[0005] In one embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the controller may be further configured to provide navigation instructions to the user using the haptic content. Further, the at least one transducer may be implemented as a plurality of cartilage conduction transducers, at least one of which is attached to a corresponding ear of the user, and the controller may be further configured to selectively apply the haptic content to the corresponding ear via the at least one cartilage conduction transducer to provide navigation instructions to the user.

[0006] In one embodiment of a system according to the present invention, the controller is further configured to increase speech intelligibility for audio content presented to the user by controlling the haptic content.

[0007] In one embodiment of a system according to the present invention, the controller may be further configured to generate audio content with a defined level of near field effect by controlling the haptic content.

[0008] In one embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the controller may be further configured to control the haptic content when generating the audio content by altering the spectral content of the input audio signal based on the perceptual model. Additionally, the system may further comprise a sensor array configured to detect sounds produced by the transducer array, and the controller may be further configured to generate the perceptual model based at least in part on the detected sounds.

[0009] In one embodiment of a system according to the present invention, the controller may be further configured to control the haptic content by expanding a portion of the frequency spectrum of the audio signal when generating the audio content for presentation to the user.

[0010] In one embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the controller may be further configured to augment the sound source by controlling the haptic content, the sound source being located at a location remote from the user. Further, the sound source may be a virtual sound source.

[0011] In one embodiment of a system according to the present invention, the controller may be further configured to perform haptic enhancements on the audio signal to create audio content with haptic content for presentation to a user.

[0012] In one embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the system may further comprise a sensor array configured to detect sound produced by the at least one transducer, and the controller may be further configured to detect a level of degradation of the detected sound and, based on the detected level of degradation, process the audio signal to mitigate degradation of acoustic content in the audio content for presentation to the user.

[0013] In one embodiment of a system according to the invention, the transducer array may include one or more cartilage conduction transducers.

[0014] In one embodiment of a system according to the present invention, the transducer array may include at least one of one or more air conduction transducers, one or more bone conduction transducers, and one or more cartilage conduction transducers.

[0015] In one embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the audio system may be part of a headset.

[0016] In one aspect, the invention is directed to a method that includes controlling an amount of haptic content to be imparted to a user via actuation of at least one transducer in a transducer array while presenting audio content to a user, and instructing the transducer array to present audio content to the user, where the audio content includes haptic content.

[0017] In one embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the method may further include at least one of: providing navigation instructions to a user using haptic content; increasing speech intelligibility for audio content presented to a user by controlling haptic content within the audio content; and generating audio content with a defined level of near-field effect by controlling haptic content within the audio content.

[0018] In one embodiment of the method according to the invention, the method may further comprise controlling the haptic content when generating the audio content by altering the spectral content of the input audio signal based on a perceptual model.

[0019] In one embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the method may further include controlling the haptic content by extending a portion of the frequency spectrum of the audio signal when generating the audio content for presentation to the user.

[0020] In one aspect, the invention is directed to a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method in accordance with the invention or to control an amount of haptic content to be provided to a user via actuation of at least one transducer in a transducer array while presenting audio content to a user, and to instruct the transducer array to present audio content to a user, the audio content including haptic content. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a headset implemented as an eyewear device according to one or more embodiments. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a headset implemented as a head mounted display in accordance with one or more embodiments. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an audio system according to one or more embodiments. [Figure 2B] 2B is an exemplary graph illustrating tactility threshold levels for transducer actuation in the audio system of FIG. 2A as a function of frequency in accordance with one or more embodiments. [Diagram 3] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process for adjusting the level of haptic content while presenting audio content in accordance with one or more embodiments. [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process for controlling haptic content presented to a user in accordance with one or more embodiments. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system including a headset, according to one or more embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] The figures depict various embodiments for purposes of illustration only. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods shown herein may be employed without departing from the principles described herein.

[0023] A transducer placed near the outer ear can create acoustic pressure waves (e.g., by exciting certain tissue) in the ear canal that can be perceived as sound by a person. At certain frequencies, when the excitation level increases, the person may begin to detect a haptic sensation (i.e., the sensation of touch) (e.g., via mechanoreceptors embedded in the tissue). Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to audio systems that control and adjust the level of haptic content presented to a user of the audio system.

[0024] Enclosed herein is an audio system for controlling the modality of presented content (i.e., audio only, haptic only, or audio / haptic combination). The audio system includes a transducer array, a sensor array, and an audio controller. The transducer array presents content to the user via, for example, cartilage conduction, bone conduction, air conduction, or some combination thereof. The sensor array detects sound produced by the transducer array. The sensor array may include at least one acoustic sensor and / or at least one vibration sensor (i.e., accelerometer). The audio controller may control the transducer array to adjust a level of haptic feedback that may be provided to the user via actuation of one or more transducers in the transducer array while presenting the content based on the detected sound. In some embodiments, the audio controller adjusts the level of haptic feedback such that the user does not perceive any haptic content. The audio controller may adjust the level of haptic feedback using, for example, a perceptual model that is specific to the user and may be obtained via a calibration process. In some embodiments, the audio controller controls the transducer array to control haptic content provided to the user via actuation of one or more transducers in the transducer array. In one or more embodiments, at least one transducer in the transducer array is configured to induce tissue vibrations (e.g., skin vibrations) strong enough to be felt as a haptic sensation (e.g., touch). The haptic content intentionally controlled to be perceived by the user may be utilized, for example, to provide navigation instructions to the user, to increase speech intelligibility, to provide a near-field effect, some combination thereof, etc.

[0025] The audio system presented herein may be part of a headset. The headset may be, for example, a near-eye display (NED), a head-mounted display (HMD), or some other type of headset. The headset may be part of a virtual reality system. The headset further includes a display and an optical assembly. The display of the headset is configured to emit image light. The optical assembly of the headset is configured to direct the image light to an eye box of the headset corresponding to the location of the user's eyes. In some embodiments, the image light may include depth information about a local area around the headset. Alternatively or additionally, the audio system presented herein may operate with a set of smart headphones having cartilage conduction actuator(s) and / or bone conduction actuator(s).

[0026] The audio system presented herein controls and adjusts the level of haptic content presented to a user of the audio system. Haptic content can often be considered annoying. The audio system presented herein is configured to make the haptic content useful information to the user. The audio system presented herein can also be configured to mitigate the haptic content so that it is not perceived by the user.

[0027] Embodiments of the present invention may include or be implemented in association with a synthetic reality system. Synthetic reality is a form of reality that is conditioned in some manner prior to presentation to a user, which may include, for example, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), hybrid reality, or any combination and / or derivative thereof. Synthetic reality content may include fully generated content or generated content combined with captured (e.g., real-world) content. Synthetic reality content may include video, audio, haptic feedback, or any combination thereof, any of which may be presented in a single channel or multiple channels (such as stereo video that creates a three-dimensional effect for the viewer). Additionally, in some embodiments, synthetic reality may also relate to applications, products, accessories, services, or any combination thereof that are used to create content in the synthetic reality and / or are otherwise used in the synthetic reality. A virtual reality system that provides virtual reality content may be implemented on a variety of platforms, including a wearable device (e.g., a headset) connected to a host computer system, a stand-alone wearable device (e.g., a headset), a mobile device or computing system, or any other hardware platform capable of providing virtual reality content to one or more observers.

[0028] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a headset 100 implemented as an eyewear device, according to one or more embodiments. In some embodiments, the eyewear device is a NED. In general, the headset 100 may be worn on a user's face such that content (e.g., media content) is presented using a display assembly and / or an audio system. However, the headset 100 may also be used such that media content is presented to the user in a different manner. Examples of media content presented by the headset 100 include one or more images, videos, audio, or some combination thereof. The headset 100 may include a display assembly including a frame and including one or more display elements 120, a depth camera assembly (DCA), an audio system, and a position sensor 190, among other components. Although FIG. 1A illustrates the components of the headset 100 in exemplary locations on the headset 100, the components may be located elsewhere on the headset 100, on a peripheral device paired with the headset 100, or some combination thereof. Similarly, there may be more or fewer components on the headset 100 than those illustrated in FIG. 1A.

[0029] The frame 110 holds the other components of the headset 100. The frame 110 includes a front portion that holds one or more display elements 120 and end pieces (e.g., temples) for attachment to a user's head. The front portion of the frame 110 fits over the top of the user's nose. The length of the end pieces may be adjustable (e.g., adjustable temple length) to fit different users. The end pieces may also include portions (e.g., temple tips, ear pieces) that curve behind the user's ears.

[0030] The one or more display elements 120 provide light to a user wearing the headset 100. As shown in FIG. 1A, the headset 100 includes a display element 120 for each eye of the user. In some embodiments, the display element 120 generates image light that is provided to an eyebox of the headset 100. The eyebox is a location in space that the user's eyes occupy while wearing the headset 100. For example, the display element 120 can be a waveguide display. A waveguide display includes a light source (e.g., a two-dimensional source, one or more line sources, one or more point sources, etc.) and one or more waveguides. Light from the light source is in-coupled into one or more waveguides, which output light in a manner such that there is a pupil replication in the eyebox of the headset 100. In-coupling and / or out-coupling of light from the one or more waveguides can be performed using one or more diffraction gratings. In some embodiments, the waveguide display includes scanning elements (e.g., waveguides, mirrors, etc.) that scan light from a light source as it is internally coupled into one or more waveguides. Note that in some embodiments, one or both of the display elements 120 are opaque and do not transmit light from a local area around the headset 100. The local area is the area around the headset 100. For example, the local area may be a room in which a user wearing the headset 100 is inside, or the user wearing the headset 100 may be outside and the local area is the outside area. In this context, the headset 100 generates VR content. Alternatively, in some embodiments, one or both of the display elements 120 are at least partially transparent such that light from the local area may be combined with light from one or more display elements to create AR and / or MR content.

[0031] In some embodiments, the display elements 120 are lenses that do not generate image light, but instead transmit light from a local area to the eyebox. For example, one or both of the display elements 120 can be non-corrective lenses (non-prescription) or prescription lenses (e.g., monofocal, bifocal, and trifocal, or progressive) to help correct a user's vision deficiencies. In some embodiments, the display elements 120 can be polarized and / or tinted to protect the user's eyes from the sun.

[0032] It should be noted that in some embodiments, the display element 120 may include an additional optical block (not shown). The optical block may include one or more optical elements (e.g., lenses, Fresnel lenses, etc.) that direct light from the display element 120 to the eyebox. The optical block may, for example, correct aberrations in some or all of the image content, magnify some or all of the image, or some combination thereof.

[0033] The DCA determines depth information for a portion of a local area around the headset 100. The DCA includes one or more imaging devices 130 and a DCA controller (not shown in FIG. 1A), and may also include an illuminator 140. In some embodiments, the illuminator 140 illuminates a portion of the local area with light. The light may be, for example, structured light in the infrared (IR) (e.g., dot patterns, bars, etc.), an IR flash for time of flight, etc. In some embodiments, the one or more imaging devices 130 capture an image of the portion of the local area including the light from the illuminator 140. As shown, FIG. 1A shows a single illuminator 140 and two imaging devices 130. In an alternative embodiment, there is no illuminator 140 and there are at least two imaging devices 130.

[0034] The DCA controller calculates depth information for a portion of the local area using the captured image and one or more depth determination techniques, which may be, for example, direct time-of-flight (ToF) depth sensing, indirect ToF depth sensing, structured light, passive stereo analysis, active stereo analysis (using texture added to the scene by light from the illuminator 140), some other technique for determining the depth of the scene, or some combination thereof.

[0035] The audio system provides audio content. The audio system includes a transducer array, a sensor array, and an audio controller 150. However, in other embodiments, the audio system may include different and / or additional components. Similarly, in some cases, functionality described with respect to components of the audio system may be distributed among the components in a manner different than that described here. For example, some or all of the functionality of audio controller 150 may be performed by a remote server.

[0036] The transducer array presents sound to the user. The transducer array includes multiple transducers. The transducers can be speakers 160 or tissue transducers 170 (e.g., bone conduction transducers or cartilage conduction transducers). As shown in FIG. 1A, the speakers 160 can be enclosed in the frame 110. In some embodiments, instead of individual speakers for each ear, the headset 100 includes a speaker array with multiple speakers integrated into the frame 110 to improve the directionality of the presented audio content, for example, using beamforming array processing. The tissue transducers 170 couple to the user's head and directly vibrate the user's tissue (e.g., bone or cartilage) to generate sound. The number and / or location of the transducers can differ from those shown in FIG. 1A.

[0037] The sensor array detects sounds within a local area of ​​the headset 100. In some embodiments, the sensor array includes multiple acoustic sensors 180. The acoustic sensors 180 capture sounds emitted from one or more sound sources in the local area (e.g., a room). Each acoustic sensor is configured to detect sound and convert the detected sound into an electronic format (analog or digital). The acoustic sensors 180 can be acoustic wave sensors, microphones, sound transducers, or similar sensors suitable for detecting sound.

[0038] In some embodiments, one or more acoustic sensors 180 may be placed in the ear canal of each ear (e.g., acting as a binaural microphone). In some embodiments, acoustic sensors 180 may be placed on the exterior surface of headset 100, on the interior surface of headset 100, separate from headset 100 (e.g., part of some other device), or some combination thereof. The number and / or locations of acoustic sensors 180 may differ from those shown in FIG. 1A. For example, the number of acoustic detection locations may be increased to increase the amount of audio information collected as well as the sensitivity and / or accuracy of that information. The acoustic detection locations may be oriented such that the microphone is capable of detecting sounds in a wide range of directions around the user wearing headset 100.

[0039] In some other embodiments, the sensor array includes multiple vibration sensors, e.g., accelerometers. The accelerometers capture information about the acceleration of the vibrations that is used to control and / or adjust the amplitude level of the sound signal. The accelerometers may be embedded in the frame 110. Alternatively, the accelerometers may be positioned in contact with the tissue in the vicinity of a transducer, e.g., tissue transducer 170. Additionally, a proximity sensor may also be used to ensure that the tissue transducer 170 (e.g., a cartilage conduction transducer) is in the proper location.

[0040] The audio controller 150 processes information from the sensor array that represents sounds detected by the sensor array. The audio controller 150 may comprise a processor and a computer-readable storage medium. The audio controller 150 may be configured to generate a direction of arrival (DOA) estimate, generate an acoustic transfer function (e.g., an array transfer function and / or a head-related transfer function), track the location of a sound source, form a beam in the direction of a sound source, classify a sound source, generate a sound filter for the speaker 160, or some combination thereof.

[0041] In some embodiments, audio controller 150 controls the transducer array to adjust the level of haptic content provided to a user wearing headset 100 via actuation of at least one of the transducers (e.g., tissue transducer 170), for example, while presenting audio content to the user. Haptic content is generally a by-product of audio content, and the same transducer(s) that produce audio can also produce haptic content. Audio controller 150 may be configured to generate content of different modalities for presentation to the user. Audio controller 150 may be configured to generate content that is audio only, haptic only, or a combination of audio and haptic. Additionally, audio controller 150 may be configured to mitigate both audio and haptic content, such that the content is not presented to the user.

[0042] The audio controller 150 may adjust the haptic content by adjusting one or more actuation parameters of at least one of the transducers. The actuation parameter for a transducer may be a signal (e.g., mechanical or electrical) used to actuate the transducer. The actuation parameter may be, for example, a voltage, a current, a mechanical pressure, some other actuation signal, or some combination thereof. The audio controller 150 may adjust an actuation parameter of at least one transducer for a frequency band relative to a haptic threshold level. A value of the actuation parameter below the threshold level corresponds to a range of actuation in which a portion of the haptic content for the frequency band is not perceived by the user, and a value at or above the threshold level corresponds to a range in which a portion of the haptic content is perceived by the user. The acoustic sensor 180 may detect sounds produced by the transducer array, e.g., the tissue transducer 170 and / or the speaker 160. The audio controller 150 may derive a haptic threshold level for the actuation parameter of the tissue transducer 170 for the frequency band based on a portion of the detected sounds within the frequency band. Audio controller 150 may then adjust the activation parameters to be below the haptic threshold level when activating tissue transducer 170 for presentation of the portion of haptic content within the frequency band.

[0043] In some embodiments, audio controller 150 controls haptic content provided to a user wearing headset 100 via actuation of at least one of the transducers (e.g., tissue transducer 170) while presenting audio content to the user such that the controlled haptic content is perceived by the user at a certain time. In such a case, the transducer array presents audio content and controlled haptic content to the user. In one or more embodiments, audio controller 150 uses the controlled haptic content to provide navigation instructions to the user. For example, audio controller 150 applies haptic content to a corresponding tissue transducer 170 (e.g., a cartilage conduction transducer) attached to a corresponding ear of the user to provide navigation instructions to the user. In another embodiment, audio controller 150 controls haptic content to increase speech intelligibility for audio content presented to the user. In yet another embodiment, audio controller 150 controls haptic content to generate audio content with a defined level of near-field effect. Additional details regarding the operation of audio controller 150 and other components of the audio system are provided below with respect to FIGS. 2A, 3, and 4.

[0044] Position sensor 190 generates one or more measurement signals in response to movement of headset 100. Position sensor 190 may be located in a portion of frame 110 of headset 100. Position sensor 190 may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU). Examples of position sensor 190 include one or more accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, one or more magnetometers, another suitable type of sensor that detects movement, a type of sensor used for error correction of the IMU, or some combination thereof. Position sensor 190 may be located external to the IMU, internal to the IMU, or some combination thereof.

[0045] In some embodiments, the headset 100 may provide simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) for the position of the headset 100 and updating of a model of the local area. For example, the headset 100 may include a passive camera assembly (PCA) that generates color image data. The PCA may include one or more RGB cameras that capture images of some or all of the local area. In some embodiments, some or all of the imaging devices 130 of the DCA may also function as the PCA. Images captured by the PCA and depth information determined by the DCA may be used to determine parameters of the local area, generate a model of the local area, update a model of the local area, or some combination thereof. Additionally, the position sensor 190 tracks the position (e.g., location and pose) of the headset 100 within the room. Additional details regarding the components of the headset 100 are described below with respect to FIG. 5.

[0046] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a headset 105 implemented as an HMD, according to one or more embodiments. In an embodiment describing an AR and / or MR system, a front portion of the HMD is at least partially transparent in the visible band (approximately 380 nm to 750 nm), and a portion of the HMD between the front of the HMD and the user's eyes is at least partially transparent (e.g., a partially transparent electronic display). The HMD includes a front rigid body 115 and a band 175. The headset 105 includes many of the same components described above with reference to FIG. 1A, but modified to integrate with the HMD form factor. For example, the HMD includes a display assembly, a DCA, an audio system, and a position sensor 190. FIG. 1B shows an illuminator 140, multiple speakers 160, multiple imaging devices 130, multiple acoustic sensors 180, and a position sensor 190.

[0047] FIG. 2A is a block diagram of an audio system 200 according to one or more embodiments. The audio system in FIG. 1A or FIG. 1B may be an embodiment of the audio system 200. The audio system 200 generates one or more acoustic transfer functions for a user. The audio system 200 may then use the one or more acoustic transfer functions to generate audio content for the user. In the embodiment of FIG. 2A, the audio system 200 includes a transducer array 210, a sensor array 220, and an audio controller 230. Some embodiments of the audio system 200 have different components than those described herein. Similarly, in some cases, functionality may be distributed among components in a different manner than those described herein.

[0048] The transducer array 210 is configured to present content. The presented content may be audio content, haptic content, or some combination thereof. The transducer array 210 includes multiple transducers. A transducer is a device that provides content, e.g., audio content, haptic content, or some combination thereof. A transducer may be, for example, a speaker (e.g., speaker 160), a tissue transducer (e.g., tissue transducer 170), some other device that provides content, or some combination thereof. A tissue transducer may be configured to function as a bone conduction transducer or a cartilage conduction transducer. The transducer array 210 may present content via air conduction (e.g., via one or more speakers), via bone conduction (via one or more bone conduction transducers), via a cartilage conduction audio system (via one or more cartilage conduction transducers), or some combination thereof. In some embodiments, the transducer array 210 may include one or more transducers to cover different portions of a frequency range. For example, a piezoelectric transducer may be used to cover a first portion of the frequency range and a moving coil transducer may be used to cover a second portion of the frequency range.

[0049] The bone conduction transducer generates acoustic pressure waves by vibrating bones / tissues in the user's head. The bone conduction transducer may be coupled to a portion of the headset and may be configured to be coupled to a portion of the user's skull behind the pinna. The bone conduction transducer receives vibration commands from the audio controller 230 and vibrates a portion of the user's skull based on the received commands. The vibrations from the bone conduction transducer generate tissue-borne acoustic pressure waves that bypass the eardrum and propagate toward the user's cochlea.

[0050] The cartilage conduction transducer generates acoustic pressure waves by vibrating one or more portions of the pinna cartilage of the user's ear. The cartilage conduction transducer may be coupled to a portion of the headset and may be configured to be coupled to one or more portions of the pinna cartilage of the ear. For example, the cartilage conduction transducer may be coupled to the back of the pinna of the user's ear. The cartilage conduction transducer may be located anywhere along the pinna cartilage around the outer ear (e.g., the auricle, the tragus, some other portion of the pinna cartilage, or some combination thereof). Vibrating one or more portions of the pinna cartilage may generate airborne acoustic pressure waves outside the ear canal, tissue-borne acoustic pressure waves that vibrate some portions of the ear canal, thereby generating airborne acoustic pressure waves within the ear canal, or some combination thereof. The generated airborne acoustic pressure waves propagate along the ear canal toward the eardrum.

[0051] The transducer array 210 generates content according to instructions from the audio controller 230. In some embodiments, the content is spatialized. Spatialized content is content that appears to originate from a particular direction and / or target area (e.g., objects in a local area and / or virtual objects). For example, spatialized content can make sounds appear to originate from a virtual singer across the room from a user of the audio system 200. The transducer array 210 can be coupled to a wearable device (e.g., headset 100 or headset 105). In an alternative embodiment, the transducer array 210 can be multiple speakers that are separate from the wearable device (e.g., coupled to an external console).

[0052] The sensor array 220 detects sounds in a local area around the sensor array 220. The sensor array 220 may include multiple acoustic sensors, each of which detects air pressure fluctuations of sound waves and converts the detected sounds into an electronic format (analog or digital). The multiple acoustic sensors may be located on the headset (e.g., headset 100 and / or headset 105), on the user (e.g., in the user's ear canal), on the neckband, or some combination thereof. The acoustic sensor may be, for example, a microphone, a vibration sensor, an accelerometer, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the sensor array 220 is configured to monitor the audio content generated by the transducer array 210 using at least some of the multiple acoustic sensors. Increasing the number of sensors may improve the accuracy of the sound field created by the transducer array 210 and / or the information (e.g., directionality) representative of the sound from the local area. In some embodiments, at least one sensor of the sensor array 220 may be implemented as a non-invasive electrode or an implant in the user's tissue configured to detect neuronal firing when mechanoreceptors are active. Such an implemented sensor(s) of sensor array 220 can detect a user's tactile sensations without any manual feedback from the user.

[0053] The audio controller 230 controls the operation of the audio system 200. In the embodiment of FIG. 2A, the audio controller 230 includes a data store 235, a DOA estimation module 240, a transfer function module 250, a tracking module 260, a beamforming module 270, a sound filter module 280, and a haptic control module 285. The audio controller 230 may be located within a headset in some embodiments. Some embodiments of the audio controller 230 have different components than those described here. Similarly, functions may be distributed among the components in a different manner than those described here. For example, some functions of the controller may be implemented outside the headset.

[0054] Data store 235 stores data for use by audio system 200. The data in data store 235 may include sounds recorded in the local area of ​​audio system 200, content (i.e., audio content, haptic content, or a combination thereof), head-related transfer functions (HRTFs), transfer functions for one or more sensors, array transfer functions (ATFs) for one or more of the acoustic sensors, sound source locations, a virtual model of the local area, direction of arrival estimates, sound filters, one or more perceptual models, operating parameters, and other data relevant for use by audio system 200, or any combination thereof.

[0055] A perceptual model stored in the data store 235 may be used, for example, by the haptic control module 285, to adjust the level of haptic content when presenting content to a user via the transducer array 210. The perceptual model may include information about a haptic threshold level for at least one actuation parameter (e.g., input voltage, input current, etc.) as a function of frequency (or frequency band) for actuating one or more transducers in the transducer array 210. Values ​​of the actuation parameter below the threshold level for a frequency band correspond to a range of actuation in which a portion of the haptic content for the frequency band is not perceived by the user, and values ​​at or above the threshold level correspond to a range in which a portion of the haptic content is perceived by the user. Each perceptual model in the data store 235 may be unique for a particular user and / or a particular acoustic environment (e.g., indoor environment, outdoor environment, empty room, occupied room, etc.). Alternatively, a single perceptual model in the data store 235 may be common for multiple users and / or multiple acoustic environments. In some embodiments, the perceptual model in the data store 235 may be obtained, for example, by the haptic control module 285, by performing a calibration of the transducer array 210 for a particular user and / or a particular acoustic environment in which the audio system 200 is located.

[0056] The DOA estimation module 240 is configured to localize the location of sound sources in a local area based in part on information from the sensor array 220. Localization is the process of determining where a sound source is located relative to a user of the audio system 200. The DOA estimation module 240 performs a DOA analysis to localize one or more sound sources in the local area. The DOA analysis may include analyzing the intensity, spectrum, and / or time of arrival of each sound at the sensor array 220 to determine the direction from which the sound originated. In some cases, the DOA analysis may include any suitable algorithm for analyzing the ambient acoustic environment in which the audio system 200 is located.

[0057] For example, the DOA analysis may be designed to receive an input signal from the sensor array 220 and apply digital signal processing algorithms to the input signal to estimate the direction of arrival. These algorithms may include, for example, delay-and-sum algorithms in which the input signal is sampled and the resulting weighted and delayed versions of the sampled signal are averaged together to determine the DOA. A least mean squared (LMS) algorithm may also be implemented to create an adaptive filter. The adaptive filter may then be used to identify, for example, differences in signal strength or differences in time of arrival. These differences may then be used to estimate the DOA. In another embodiment, the DOA may be determined by transforming the input signal into the frequency domain and selecting specific bins in the time-frequency (TF) domain to process. Each selected TF bin may be processed to determine whether the bin contains a portion of the audio spectrum with a direct path audio signal. The bins with a portion of the direct path signal may then be analyzed to identify an angle at which the sensor array 220 received the direct path audio signal. The determined angle may then be used to identify the DOA for the received input signal. Other algorithms not listed above may also be used, alone or in combination with the above algorithms, to determine the DOA.

[0058] In some embodiments, the DOA estimation module 240 may also determine a DOA for an absolute position of the audio system 200 within the local area. The position of the sensor array 220 may be received from an external system (e.g., a headset, a virtual reality console, a mapping server, some other component, such as a position sensor (e.g., position sensor 190), etc.). The external system may create a virtual model of the local area, in which the local area and the position of the audio system 200 are mapped. The received position information may include the location and / or orientation of part or all of the audio system 200 (e.g., the sensor array 220). The DOA estimation module 240 may update the estimated DOA based on the received position information.

[0059] The transfer function module 250 is configured to generate one or more acoustic transfer functions. In general, a transfer function is a mathematical function that gives a corresponding output value for each possible input value. Based on the parameters of the detected sound, the transfer function module 250 generates one or more acoustic transfer functions related to the audio system. The acoustic transfer function may be an array transfer function (ATF), a head-related related transfer function (HRTF), another type of acoustic transfer function, or some combination thereof. The ATF characterizes how a microphone receives sound from a point in space.

[0060] The ATF includes several transfer functions that characterize the relationship between a sound and the corresponding sound received by the acoustic sensors in the sensor array 220. Thus, for a sound source, there is a corresponding transfer function for each of the acoustic sensors in the sensor array 220. Collectively, the set of transfer functions is also referred to as the ATF. Note that a sound source can be, for example, someone or something that generates a sound in a local area, a user, or one or more transducers of the transducer array 210. The ATF for a particular sound source location relative to the sensor array 220 can vary from user to user due to human anatomy (e.g., ear shape, shoulders, etc.) that affect the sound as it travels to the person's ear. Thus, the ATF of the sensor array 220 is personalized for each user of the audio system 200.

[0061] In some embodiments, the transfer function module 250 determines one or more HRTFs for a user of the audio system 200. An HRTF characterizes how an ear receives sound from a point in space. The HRTF for a particular source location for a person is specific to each ear of a person (and specific to the person) due to the person's anatomy (e.g., ear shape, shoulders, etc.) that affect sound as it travels to the person's ears. In some embodiments, the transfer function module 250 may determine the HRTFs for the user using a calibration process. In some embodiments, the transfer function module 250 may provide information about the user to a remote system. The remote system may use, for example, machine learning, to determine a set of HRTFs customized for the user and provide the customized set of HRTFs to the audio system 200.

[0062] The tracking module 260 is configured to track the location of one or more sound sources. The tracking module 260 may compare current DOA estimates and compare them to a stored history of previous DOA estimates. In some embodiments, the audio system 200 may recalculate the DOA estimates on a periodic schedule, such as once per second or once per millisecond. The tracking module may compare the current DOA estimates to previous DOA estimates, and in response to a change in the DOA estimate for a sound source, the tracking module 260 may determine that the sound source has moved. In some embodiments, the tracking module 260 may detect a change in location based on visual information received from a headset or some other external source. The tracking module 260 may track the movement of one or more sound sources over time. The tracking module 260 may store values ​​for the number of sound sources and the location of each sound source at each time point. In response to a change in the value of the number or location of the sound sources, the tracking module 260 may determine that the sound source has moved. The tracking module 260 may calculate an estimate of the localization variance, which may be used as a confidence level for each determination of a change in movement.

[0063] The beamforming module 270 is configured to process one or more ATFs to selectively emphasize sounds from sound sources in an area but not from other areas. In analyzing sounds detected by the sensor array 220, the beamforming module 270 may combine information from different acoustic sensors to emphasize relevant sounds from a particular region of the local area but not from outside the area. The beamforming module 270 may separate audio signals associated with sounds from a particular sound source from other sound sources in the local area based on, for example, different DOA estimates from the DOA estimation module 240 and the tracking module 260. Thus, the beamforming module 270 may selectively analyze individual sound sources in the local area. In some embodiments, the beamforming module 270 may expand signals from sound sources. For example, the beamforming module 270 may apply a sound filter that removes signals above, below, or between certain frequencies. The signal expansion serves to expand sounds associated with a given identified sound source relative to other sounds detected by the sensor array 220.

[0064] The sound filter module 280 determines sound filters for the transducer array 210. In some embodiments, the sound filters cause the audio content to be spatialized so that it appears to originate from a target area. The sound filter module 280 may use HRTFs and / or acoustic parameters to generate the sound filters. The acoustic parameters represent acoustic properties of a local area. The acoustic parameters may include, for example, reverberation time, reverberation level, room impulse response, etc. In some embodiments, the sound filter module 280 calculates one or more of the acoustic parameters. In some embodiments, the sound filter module 280 requests the acoustic parameters from a mapping server (e.g., as described below with respect to FIG. 5).

[0065] The sound filter module 280 provides sound filtering to the transducer array 210. In some embodiments, the sound filter may cause positive or negative amplification of sound depending on the frequency.

[0066] In some embodiments, the haptic control module 285 controls the transducer array 210 to adjust a level of haptic content provided to the user via actuation of at least one transducer (e.g., a cartilage conduction transducer) in the transducer array 210 while presenting content to the user via the transducer array 210. The content may include only audio content, only haptic content, or a combination of audio and haptic content. To deliver only audio content, the haptic control module 285 may adjust an actuation parameter (e.g., input signal level) of at least one transducer for a frequency band below a haptic threshold level such that a portion of the haptic content for the frequency band is not perceived by the user. It should be noted that values ​​of the actuation parameter below the haptic threshold level correspond to a range of actuation in which a portion of the haptic content for the frequency band is not perceived by the user, and values ​​at or above the haptic threshold level correspond to a range in which a portion of the haptic content is perceived by the user.

[0067] In one or more embodiments, the haptic control module 285 adjusts the level of the haptic content by applying a fixed actuation threshold approach, for example, based on the transducer sensitivity. The transducer sensitivity may be defined as a transfer function between an actuation parameter (i.e., the level of an actuation input signal, such as an input voltage) and an output sound pressure for multiple frequency bands of a sound pressure wave delivered to a user through a transducer. In the case of audio-only content, the frequency band is a general frequency band covering the humanly perceived sound spectrum, for example, between approximately 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz. In the case of haptic-only content, the frequency band is limited to low frequencies, for example, frequencies below approximately 500 Hz, since mechanoreceptors are mainly sensitive to frequencies below 500 Hz. If the sensitivity of the transducers in the transducer array 210 is constant over time and across multiple users (e.g., over time and across multiple users), the haptic control module 285 may, for example, derive a fixed haptic threshold level for an actuation parameter (e.g., an actuation signal) in each defined frequency band of multiple frequency bands covering the acoustic spectrum perceived by humans. The haptic control module 285 may, for example, apply a standard dynamic range compression scheme to ensure that the level of the actuation parameter for actuation of at least one transducer in the transducer array 210 falls below the derived haptic threshold level to avoid haptic sensations for the particular frequency band associated with the derived haptic threshold level.

[0068] In some embodiments, the sensor array 220 detects sounds (i.e., audio / haptic content) produced by the transducer array 210 when at least one transducer in the transducer array 210 is actuated via an operating parameter having a set of initial values ​​for a set of frequency bands. The haptic control module 285 may derive a haptic threshold level for the operating parameter for each frequency band in the set based on a portion of the detected sounds within the frequency band. The portion of the detected content within the frequency band may include an amount of haptic content that may be greater than or less than a minimum level of haptic content that is sufficient to be perceived by a user for the frequency band (e.g., depending on the initial values ​​of the operating parameters for the frequency band and the user's perception). The haptic control module 285 may determine a haptic threshold level for the operating parameter for a frequency band such that a portion of the content produced by the transducer array 210 for the frequency band includes approximately a minimum level of haptic content, for example, by adjusting the level of the operating parameter relative to the initial value of the operating parameter for the frequency band. The haptic control module 285 may then adjust the actuation parameters relative to the haptic threshold level when actuating at least one transducer while presenting content (i.e., audio only, haptics only, or a combination of audio and haptics) to the user. When the actuation parameters are at or above the haptic threshold level, a portion of the haptic content for the frequency band is perceived by the user. Alternatively, when the actuation parameters are below the haptic threshold level, a portion of the haptic content for the frequency band is not perceived by the user.

[0069] The haptic control module 285 may adjust the level of haptic content by adjusting the operating parameters of at least one transducer for a frequency band relative to a haptic threshold level by using a perceptual model from the data store 235. The perceptual model may be common for multiple users and / or acoustic environments. Alternatively, each perceptual model in the data store 235 may be specific for each user and / or acoustic environment. Alternatively, the perceptual model may be specific for a particular group of people, for example, one perceptual model may be suitable for elderly people and another perceptual model may be suitable for young people. The haptic control module 285 may generate a perceptual model for a particular user and / or acoustic environment by calibrating at least one transducer in the transducer array 210. During calibration, the haptic control module 285 determines a haptic threshold level for multiple frequency bands based on a feedback response from the user regarding the perceived level of haptic content for each of the frequency bands. For example, the user may be located in a particular acoustic environment for which the perceptual model is generated. In one or more embodiments, instead of relying on a user's manual feedback regarding perceived haptic content, tactile sensations may be detected automatically by one or more sensors of sensor array 220 implemented, for example, as non-invasive electrodes and / or implants within the user's tissue capable of detecting the firing of the user's neurons.

[0070] In some embodiments, the haptic control module 285 estimates a level of sensitivity of at least one transducer in the transducer array 210 for the user based on a portion of the sound detected by the sensor array 220 in a frequency band below a defined threshold frequency. The haptic control module 285 may then derive a haptic threshold level (e.g., a level of an input voltage or some other actuation signal) for an operating parameter of at least one transducer for a frequency band based on the estimated transducer sensitivity for the frequency band. The haptic control module 285 adjusts the operating parameter, for example, below the haptic threshold level such that a portion of the haptic content for the frequency band is not perceived by the user. Alternatively, the haptic control module 285 adjusts the operating parameter to be at or above the haptic threshold level such that a certain level of haptic content for the frequency band is perceived by the user.

[0071] This particular approach for adjusting the level of haptic content may be referred to as an adaptive input voltage threshold approach, since the input voltage threshold is adjusted based on an estimated transducer sensitivity, which may vary, for example, from user to user and / or over time. In one or more embodiments, when the sensitivity of at least one transducer in the transducer array 210 varies from user to user but not over time, the haptic control module 285 may apply a one-time calibration for each user, for example, by utilizing an in-ear microphone, to measure the transducer sensitivity for defined frequency bands, i.e., the functional relationship between the output sound pressure and the input voltage for each frequency band. Based on the measured transducer sensitivity, the haptic control module 285 may then derive a haptic threshold level for an operating parameter for operating the at least one transducer to perceive or not perceive a portion of the haptic content for the frequency band. If the sensitivity of at least one transducer in the transducer array 210 similarly varies over time, the tactile control module 285 can be configured to repeat the calibration process a particular number of times during a defined period of time to update the tactile threshold level for a particular frequency band.

[0072] In one or more other embodiments, instead of an in-ear microphone, some inherent properties of the cartilage conduction transducer may be exploited to perform calibration using a microphone on the frame of the glasses, for example, the acoustic sensor 180 attached on the frame 110 of FIG. 1A. For example, as described, one or more transducers in the transducer array 210 may be implemented as cartilage conduction transducers. Haptic sensations generally occur in the low frequency band. When the cartilage conduction transducer has good contact with, for example, the auricular cartilage of the user's ear, the radiation pattern of the acoustic pressure waves in the air is mainly directional. However, when there is no direct contact between the cartilage conduction transducer and the auricular cartilage, the radiation pattern of the acoustic pressure waves in the air may be rather omnidirectional. Thus, the haptic control module 285 may be able to estimate the transducer sensitivity in the low frequency band by comparing signals from microphones (e.g., the acoustic sensor 180) on both sides of the cartilage conduction transducer of the transducer array 210.

[0073] In some embodiments, instead of sensitivity-based calibration, the haptic control module 285 may be configured to measure an input signal threshold curve for a range of frequencies based on user feedback regarding haptic sensations at different input signals (e.g., voltages). Instead of user manual feedback, haptic sensations may be detected by one or more sensors of the sensor array 220, implemented, for example, as non-invasive electrodes and / or implants in the user's tissue and configured to sense neuronal firing when mechanoreceptors are active. The haptic control module 285 may derive a haptic threshold level for an operating parameter of at least one transducer in the transducer array 210 for a range of frequencies based on the haptic sensations detected in the user. The haptic control module 285 may adjust the operating parameter for the at least one transducer below the threshold level such that at least a portion of the haptic content is not perceived by the user.

[0074] In some embodiments, at least one sensor (e.g., microphone and / or accelerometer) of the sensor array 220 monitors the sound pressure and / or acceleration generated by at least one transducer in the transducer array 210 when presenting an audio signal to the user. The haptic control module 285 may then control the audio content presented to the user based on at least one or both of the sound pressure and acceleration such that the amplitude of the audio content for a particular frequency is below a threshold level. Values ​​of the amplitude below the (haptic) threshold level correspond to audio content in which a portion of the haptic content for the frequency is not perceived by the user, and values ​​at or above the threshold level correspond to audio content in which a portion of the haptic content is perceived by the user. Thus, in such cases, the haptic control module 285, together with the sensor array 220, performs active control of the transducer array 210 to achieve haptic-free audio content. In one embodiment, the threshold level for haptic sensation for a frequency (or frequency band) may be obtained, for example, from a user study in which an average haptic threshold curve is obtained for a group of subjects. In another embodiment, threshold levels for tactile sensations for frequencies (or frequency bands) may be obtained using an application that allows a user to create their own custom tactile threshold curve, for example, substantially similar to hearing and audiometer applications.

[0075] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, one purpose of the audio system 200 may be to augment the audio experience through tactile stimulation. In the case of an audio system 200 having a transducer array 210 with one or more cartilage conduction transducers in the auricle of the ear to deliver an audio signal, the one or more cartilage conduction transducers may also produce a tactile sensation. The tactile sensation may be a by-product of the audio delivery. Alternatively, the tactile sensation may be actively controlled as a tactile-only signal, for example, a signal with an amplitude below a defined threshold.

[0076] In some embodiments, the haptic control module 285 controls the haptic content provided to the user via the actuation of at least one transducer in the transducer array 210 to deliver navigation signals without disrupting the visual or without interrupting other audio content, e.g., a phone call. The controlled haptic content with navigation information may be the only content delivered to the user or may be delivered together with the audio content. In one or more embodiments, a haptic signal applied to at least one cartilage conduction coupled to the driver's corresponding ear may provide appropriate navigation instructions. For example, a ring on the right ear may convey a right turn command, a ring on the left ear may convey a left turn command, and a ring on both ears may convey a "drive straight" command. The ringing may be intermittent or continuous. In one embodiment, the ringing may start weakly and become stronger as the user moves closer to the intersection where the turn should be made. An intermittent ringing (e.g., becoming weaker over time) applied to the corresponding ear may convey information that the user has missed a turn. The haptic control module 285 may have information about the user location and travel direction from, for example, a third party navigation app available on the user's mobile device. Alternatively, the haptic control module 285 may utilize location and mapping from a mapping server, which may generate and provide navigation instructions to the haptic control module 285 that controls the haptic content accordingly.

[0077] In some other embodiments, the haptic control module 285 enhances speech intelligibility by controlling haptic content presented to the user, for example, along with the audio content. For example, haptic stimuli may be delivered to improve the hearing of non-aspirated syllables such as "b" and "p." In such cases, haptic stimuli may be delivered, for example, by a vibrotactile interface to augment hearing.

[0078] In some other embodiments, actively controlled haptic signals may be used to create near-field effects. The haptic control module 285 may be configured to generate audio content with a defined level of near-field effect by controlling the haptic content. In one embodiment, the haptic control module 285 may control the haptic content to create a near-field effect as a more realistic percept of a virtual mosquito buzzing around the ear. In another embodiment, the haptic control module 285 may control the haptic content to create a near-field effect as someone whispering near the user's ear, for example, the breathing of some other person or virtual assistant.

[0079] In general, hearing (i.e., the act of listening) is integrated with touch for speech perception. For example, an unaspirated syllable like "b" is more likely to be heard as an aspirated "p" when synchronized with an air-puff on the neck or wrist. In a real-life scenario, haptic stimuli may be delivered by a vibrotactile interface instead of an air-puff to augment hearing. In noisy environments, for example, carefully delivered haptic stimuli may be used to improve speech perception. Thus, to deliver a preferred level of haptic stimuli, the haptic control module 285 may perform natural language processing (NLP) to decode the audio signal to which the user is paying attention. The haptic control module 285 may then adjust the haptic stimuli accordingly based on the decoded audio signal.

[0080] In some embodiments, haptic stimuli may also be delivered by devices designed for hearing. For example, cartilage and bone conduction transducers in transducer array 210 may deliver vibrations (e.g., particularly at the low end of the frequency spectrum) that induce haptic sensations. Such parasitic signals may also be exploited to augment audio perception. Haptic control module 285 may control haptic content for presentation to the user by altering the spectral content of a particular acoustic signal to increase or decrease the intensity of the haptic sensation, e.g., to increase the low end of the spectrum to make a "p" more understandable and decrease it for a "b." In one or more embodiments, haptic control module 285 performs the alteration of the spectral content based on a perceptual model, e.g., stored in data store 235 and generated at least in part based on sounds detected by sensor array 220.

[0081] In one or more other embodiments, the haptic control module 285 controls haptic content for presentation to the user by expanding a portion of the frequency spectrum of the audio signal. In the case of head-mounted AR glasses with contact transducers in the ears (e.g., tissue transducers 170), signals captured by a microphone array (e.g., an array of acoustic sensors 180) may be used by the haptic control module 285 to augment a natural sound source (e.g., another speaker) with a defined combination of acoustic and haptic content. Alternatively, the haptic control module 285 may perform selective expansion of a portion of the frequency spectrum through only one modality (acoustic or haptic) to augment a natural sound source.

[0082] In some embodiments, the haptic control module 285 augments sound sources, e.g., in telepresence, by controlling haptic content. For example, the haptic control module 285 may control haptic content to make whispering perceptually more immersive and realistic (although real whispering may not elicit haptic sensations). The sound sources augmented by the haptic control module 285 may be located at a location remote from the user. The sound source may be a virtual sound source, e.g., a virtual assistant on the user's shoulder or a virtual flying insect. Alternatively, the sound source may be abstract, such as a haptic ringing to provide directional information to the user.

[0083] In some embodiments, the haptic control module 285 performs haptic enhancement on the audio signal to generate audio content with haptic content for presentation to the user. First, an acoustic signal may be recorded (e.g., by the sensor array 220) or generated (e.g., by the haptic control module 285). The haptic control module 285 may then process the acoustic signal for haptic enhancement, for example, by applying audio segmentation, frequency selective filtering, feature extraction, some other processing technique, or a combination thereof. The haptic control module 285 may then create a haptic stimulus based on the processed acoustic signal. Alternatively, the haptic control module 285 may filter the audio signal to create a haptic sensation when the audio content is delivered to the user. A haptic signal may be delivered along with the acoustic signal, for example, via a cartilage conduction transducer coupled to the tragus or shell, or via a bone conduction transducer, via a contact transducer of the transducer array 210 located near the ear.

[0084] In some embodiments, the sensor array 220 detects sounds produced by at least one transducer (e.g., a cartilage conduction transducer) in the transducer array 210 when presenting audio content to the user. The haptic control module 285 may detect a level of degradation of the detected sounds, for example, by cartilage conduction of acoustic pressure waves. The haptic control module 285 may then process the audio signal to mitigate degradation of the acoustic content in the audio signal based on the detected level of degradation. In some embodiments, the haptic control module 285 performs machine learning on the detected sounds to train a classifier. The haptic control module 285 may apply the trained classifier to classify the detected sounds into different classes (i.e., different types of degradation) based on the type and characteristics of the detected sounds. The haptic control module 285 may also alert the user when a particular type of degradation is above a threshold level.

[0085] FIG. 2B is an exemplary graph 290 illustrating average tactile threshold levels, for example for transducers of the transducer array 210 in the audio system 200, as a function of frequency, according to one or more embodiments. A curve 295 shown in FIG. 2B represents the average tactile threshold levels (e.g., expressed as sound pressure level (SPL)) as a function of frequency of the haptic content. The graph 290 illustrates threshold levels for both audibility and haptic sensation of the presented content. SPL values ​​below the curve 295 correspond to cases where a portion of the haptic content for a particular frequency is not perceived by the "average user." SPL values ​​on or above the curve 295 correspond to cases where a portion of the haptic content is perceived by the "average user." For example, the graph 290 illustrates that at 200 Hz, when the SPL created by the cartilage conduction transducer is above approximately 80 dB, the "average user" perceives both audio and haptics simultaneously, i.e., the user not only hears but also feels the sensation.

[0086] The tactile threshold curve 295 is based on tactile threshold data collected for a group of users by averaging the tactile thresholds for the group of users. In the illustrated embodiment, the tactile threshold data, represented by dB levels of SPL, is obtained using a unique (e.g., custom-made) cartilage conduction transducer placed at the same location on each user's ear. Also, the excitation level for the cartilage conduction transducer is incrementally increased until the perceived audio is bimodal, i.e., contains audio and haptic content. It should be noted that a tactile threshold curve different from the tactile threshold curve of FIG. 2B can be generated by utilizing different cartilage conduction transducers, for example, based on the amount of energy transmitted to the skin and air of each user. Furthermore, the relationship between SPL and tactile sensation can vary when the SPL is measured using different transducer devices.

[0087] The tactile threshold curve 295 of FIG. 2B shows that at lower frequencies there is a higher probability of being in the tactile domain than at higher frequencies. The tactile threshold data shown in graph 290 is obtained, for example, using a microphone placed at the entrance to the ear canal. If an accelerometer in contact with the ear shell is used, a similar threshold curve can be obtained. In such a case, the tactile threshold data would represent an acceleration threshold for when the content can be heard and felt. Note that the acceleration threshold can be converted (e.g., by integration) into information about velocity or (e.g., by double integration) into information about tissue displacement. In other embodiments (not shown in FIG. 2B), similar curves can be obtained for bone conduction and air conduction.

[0088] 3 is a flowchart of a method 300 for adjusting levels of haptic content while presenting audio content, according to one or more embodiments. The process illustrated in FIG. 3 may be performed by components of an audio system (e.g., audio system 200). Other entities may perform some or all of the steps in FIG. 3 in other embodiments. Embodiments may include different and / or additional steps or perform steps in a different order. The audio system may be part of a headset.

[0089] The audio system detects 310 sounds produced by the transducers of the transducer array (e.g., via the sensor array 220). The audio system may detect haptic sensations in the user's tissue, for example, via one or more sensors coupled to or disposed in the user's tissue. Alternatively or additionally, the audio system may monitor sound pressure and / or acceleration generated by the transducers when presenting audio to the user. The audio system may control the audio presented to the user based on the monitored sound pressure and / or acceleration such that the amplitude of the audio content for a defined frequency is below a haptic threshold level. Amplitude values ​​below the threshold level correspond to audio in which a portion of the haptic content for a frequency is not perceived by the user, and values ​​at or above the threshold level correspond to audio in which a portion of the haptic content is perceived by the user.

[0090] The audio system derives 320 a haptic threshold level for an operating parameter of the transducer for the frequency band based on a portion of the detected sounds in the frequency band. Values ​​of the operating parameter below the haptic threshold level correspond to a range of operation where a portion of the haptic content for the frequency band is not perceived by the user, and values ​​at or above the threshold level correspond to a range where a portion of the haptic content is perceived by the user. In some embodiments, the audio system estimates a level of sensitivity of the transducer for the user based on a portion of the detected sounds in the frequency band below a defined threshold frequency. The audio system derives a threshold level for the operating parameter based on the estimated level of sensitivity. In some other embodiments, the audio system derives a threshold level for the operating parameter based on haptic sensations detected, for example, by one or more sensors of the sensor array 220 located in the user's tissue.

[0091] In some embodiments, based on the detected haptic sensations for a particular user and / or acoustic environment for multiple frequency bands of the delivered haptic content, the audio system is calibrated to generate a perceptual model. The perceptual model may include information about haptic threshold levels for an operating parameter (e.g., input voltage) as a function of frequency band (or frequency) for activating a transducer. The perceptual model may be equivalent for multiple users and / or multiple acoustic environments. Alternatively, the perceptual model may be specific for a particular user and / or a particular acoustic environment.

[0092] The audio system adjusts (e.g., via the haptic control module 285) at 330 a level of haptic content to be provided to the user via actuation of transducers in the transducer array while presenting audio content to the user. The audio system may adjust the level of haptic content by adjusting the actuation parameters of the transducers (i.e., the level of the actuation signal, such as voltage or current) relative to a haptic threshold level for a particular frequency band. In some embodiments, the audio system adjusts the actuation parameters when actuating the transducers to be below the haptic threshold level, such that a portion of the haptic content for a particular frequency band is not perceived by the user. The audio system may adjust the level of haptic content based on a perceptual model.

[0093] The audio system commands the transducers to present audio content to the user, the audio content including the adjusted level of haptic content, at 340. The audio system (e.g., haptic control module 285) may apply levels of actuation parameters (e.g., input voltage levels) to actuators of the transducers for frequency bands that are below a haptic threshold level for the frequency bands, such that the user does not perceive any haptic sensation for the frequency bands.

[0094] 4 is a flowchart of a method 400 for controlling haptic content presented to a user, according to one or more embodiments. The process illustrated in FIG. 4 may be performed by components of an audio system (e.g., audio system 200). Other entities may perform some or all of the steps in FIG. 4 in other embodiments. Embodiments may include different and / or additional steps or perform steps in a different order. The audio system may be part of a headset.

[0095] The audio system controls (e.g., via the haptic control module 285) an amount of haptic content to be provided to the user through actuation of at least one transducer in the transducer array while presenting 410 audio content to the user. The audio system may provide navigation information by using the controlled haptic content. Additionally, the audio system may increase speech intelligibility for audio content presented to the user by controlling the amount of haptic content in the presented audio content. Alternatively or additionally, the audio system may generate audio content with a defined level of near-field effect by controlling the amount of haptic content in the presented audio content.

[0096] In some embodiments, the audio system controls the amount of haptic content when generating audio content by altering the spectral content of the input audio signal based on a perceptual model (e.g., stored in data store 235). The audio system may detect sounds produced by a transducer array (e.g., via a sensor array). The audio system may input information about the detected sounds into the perceptual model to adjust the level of the haptic content. In some other embodiments, the audio system controls the haptic content by expanding a portion of the frequency spectrum of the audio signal when generating audio content for presentation to a user. In yet some other embodiments, the audio system expands a sound source by controlling the haptic content, and the sound source (e.g., a virtual sound source) is located at a location that is remote from the user.

[0097] In some embodiments, the audio controller performs haptic enhancements on the input audio signal to create audio content with haptic content for presentation to the user. In some other embodiments, the audio system detects (e.g., via a sensor array) sound produced by a transducer array including at least one cartilage conduction transducer. The audio system may detect a level of degradation of the detected sound, for example, by cartilage conduction of acoustic pressure waves. Based on the detected level of degradation, the audio system may process the audio signal to reduce degradation of acoustic content in the audio content for presentation to the user.

[0098] The audio system instructs the transducer array to present audio content to the user, where the audio content includes haptic content, at 420. In some embodiments, the audio system provides navigation instructions to the user using the haptic content. The transducer array may include a plurality of cartilage conduction transducers, at least one of which is attached to a corresponding ear of the user. The audio system applies haptic content to the corresponding ear via the at least one cartilage conduction transducer, for example, to provide navigation instructions to the user.

[0099] System Environment FIG. 5 is a system 500 including a headset 505, according to one or more embodiments. In some embodiments, the headset 505 can be the headset 100 of FIG. 1A or the headset 105 of FIG. 1B. The system 500 can operate in an artificial reality environment (e.g., a virtual reality environment, an augmented reality environment, a mixed reality environment, or some combination thereof). The system 500 illustrated by FIG. 5 includes a headset 505, an input / output (I / O) interface 510 coupled to a console 515, a network 520, and a mapping server 525. Although FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary system 500 including one headset 505 and one I / O interface 510, in other embodiments, any number of these components can be included in the system 500. For example, there can be multiple headsets, each having an associated I / O interface 510, with each headset and I / O interface 510 communicating with the console 515. In alternative configurations, different and / or additional components can be included in the system 500. Additionally, the functionality described with respect to one or more of the components shown in Figure 5 may, in some embodiments, be distributed among components in a manner different than that described with respect to Figure 5. For example, some or all of the functionality of the console 515 may be provided by the headset 505.

[0100] Headset 505 includes a display assembly 530, an optical block 535, one or more position sensors 540, and a DCA 545. Some embodiments of headset 505 have different components than those described with respect to Figure 5. Additionally, the functionality provided by the various components described with respect to Figure 5 may be distributed differently among components of headset 505 in other embodiments or incorporated in a separate assembly that is remote from headset 505.

[0101] The display assembly 530 displays content to the user according to data received from the console 515. The display assembly 530 displays content using one or more display elements (e.g., display element 120). The display elements may be, for example, electronic displays. In various embodiments, the display assembly 530 comprises a single display element or multiple display elements (e.g., a display for each eye of the user). Examples of electronic displays include a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, an active matrix organic light emitting diode display (AMOLED), a waveguide display, some other display, or some combination thereof. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the display element 120 may also include some or all of the functionality of the optical block 535.

[0102] The optical block 535 may magnify the image light received from the electronic display, correct optical errors associated with the image light, and present the corrected image light to one or both eyeboxes of the headset 505. In various embodiments, the optical block 535 includes one or more optical elements. Exemplary optical elements included in the optical block 535 include apertures, Fresnel lenses, convex lenses, concave lenses, filters, reflective surfaces, or any other suitable optical elements that affect the image light. Moreover, the optical block 535 may include a combination of different optical elements. In some embodiments, one or more of the optical elements in the optical block 535 may have one or more coatings, such as a partially reflective coating or an anti-reflective coating.

[0103] The magnification and focusing of image light by optical block 535 allows the electronic display to be physically smaller, weigh less, and consume less power than larger displays. Additionally, the magnification may increase the field of view of the content presented by the electronic display. For example, the field of view of the displayed content is such that the displayed content is presented using almost all (e.g., approximately 110 degrees diagonal), and in some cases all, of the user's field of view. Additionally, in some embodiments, the amount of magnification may be adjusted by adding or removing optical elements.

[0104] In some embodiments, the optical block 535 may be designed to correct one or more types of optical errors. Examples of optical errors include barrel or pincushion distortion, longitudinal chromatic aberration, or transverse chromatic aberration. Other types of optical errors may further include spherical aberration, chromatic aberration, or lens curvature of field error, astigmatism, or any other type of optical error. In some embodiments, content provided to the electronic display for display is pre-distorted, and when the optical block 535 receives image light from the electronic display generated based on the content, the optical block 535 corrects the distortion.

[0105] The position sensor 540 is an electronic device that generates data indicative of the position of the headset 505. The position sensor 540 generates one or more measurement signals in response to the movement of the headset 505. The position sensor 190 is one embodiment of the position sensor 540. Examples of the position sensor 540 include one or more IMUs, one or more accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, one or more magnetometers, another suitable type of sensor that detects movement, or any combination thereof. The position sensor 540 may include multiple accelerometers to measure translational movement (forward / backward, up / down, left / right) and multiple gyroscopes to measure rotational movement (e.g., pitch, yaw, roll). In some embodiments, the IMU rapidly samples the measurement signals and calculates an estimated position of the headset 505 from the sampled data. For example, the IMU integrates the measurement signals received from the accelerometers over time to estimate a velocity vector and integrates the velocity vector over time to determine an estimated position of a reference point on the headset 505. The reference point is a point that may be used to represent the position of the headset 505. The reference point may generally be defined as a point in space, but in practice the reference point is defined as a point within the headset 505.

[0106] The DCA 545 generates depth information for a portion of a local area. The DCA includes one or more imaging devices and a DCA controller. The DCA 545 may also include an illuminator. The operation and structure of the DCA 545 are described above with respect to FIG. 1A.

[0107] The audio system 550 provides audio content to a user of the headset 505. The audio system 550 is substantially the same as the audio system 200 described above. The audio system 550 may include one or more acoustic sensors, one or more transducers, and an audio controller. The audio system 550 may provide spatialized audio content to the user. In some embodiments, the audio system 550 may request acoustic parameters from the mapping server 525 via the network 520. The acoustic parameters represent one or more acoustic properties of the local area (e.g., room impulse response, reverberation time, reverberation level, etc.). The audio system 550 may also request navigation instructions from the mapping server 525. For example, a user wearing the headset 505 may provide destination information, and the mapping server 525 may generate navigation instructions using the user location, the provided destination, and a model of the area. The audio system 550 may provide, for example, information describing at least a portion of a local area from the DCA 545 and / or location information for the headset 505 from the position sensor 540. The audio system 550 may use one or more of the acoustic parameters received from the mapping server 525 to generate one or more sound filters and use the sound filters to provide audio content to the user.

[0108] In some embodiments, audio system 550 controls one or more transducers to adjust a level of haptic content provided to a user via actuation of one or more transducers, for example, while presenting audio content to the user. Audio system 550 may adjust the level of haptic content by adjusting an actuation parameter of one or more transducers for a frequency band relative to a threshold level. Values ​​of the actuation parameter below the threshold level correspond to a range of actuation where a portion of the haptic content for the frequency band is not perceived by the user, and values ​​at or above the threshold level correspond to a range where a portion of the haptic content is perceived by the user.

[0109] In some other embodiments, the audio system 550 controls the haptic content provided to the user via actuation of at least one transducer in the transducer array. The audio system 550 presents the controlled haptic content to the user, for example, via one or more transducers. The audio system 550 may provide navigation instructions to the user using the haptic content, for example, by applying the haptic content to the user's corresponding ear via at least one cartilage conduction transducer attached to the ear. The audio system 550 may also increase speech intelligibility for audio content presented to the user by controlling the haptic content. Alternatively or additionally, the audio system 550 may generate audio content with a defined level of near-field effect by controlling the haptic content.

[0110] The I / O interface 510 is a device that allows a user to send action requests and receive responses from the console 515. An action request is a request to perform a particular action. For example, an action request can be an instruction to start or end the capture of image data or video data, or an instruction to perform a particular action within an application. The I / O interface 510 can include one or more input devices. Exemplary input devices include a keyboard, a mouse, a game controller, or any other suitable device for receiving an action request and communicating the action request to the console 515. An action request received by the I / O interface 510 is communicated to the console 515, which performs the action corresponding to the action request. In some embodiments, the I / O interface 510 includes an IMU that captures calibration data indicative of an estimated position of the I / O interface 510 relative to an initial position of the I / O interface 510. In some embodiments, the I / O interface 510 can provide haptic feedback to the user according to instructions received from the console 515. For example, haptic feedback is provided when an action request is received, or when the console 515 performs an action, the console 515 communicates an instruction to the I / O interface 510 causing the I / O interface 510 to generate haptic feedback.

[0111] The console 515 provides content to the headset 505 for processing according to information received from one or more of the DCA 545, the headset 505, and the I / O interface 510. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the console 515 includes an application store 555, a tracking module 560, and an engine 565. Some embodiments of the console 515 have different modules or components than those described with respect to FIG. 5. Similarly, the functions described further below may be distributed among the components of the console 515 in a different manner than those described with respect to FIG. 5. In some embodiments, the functionality described herein with respect to the console 515 may be implemented in the headset 505, or in a remote system.

[0112] The application store 555 stores one or more applications for execution by the console 515. An application is a group of instructions that, when executed by the processor, generates content for presentation to a user. The content generated by an application may be in response to input received from a user via the headset 505 or movement of the I / O interface 510. Examples of applications include gaming applications, conferencing applications, video playback applications, or other suitable applications.

[0113] The tracking module 560 tracks the movement of the headset 505 or the I / O interface 510 using information from the DCA 545, information from one or more position sensors 540, or some combination thereof. For example, the tracking module 560 determines a position of a reference point of the headset 505 in a mapping of a local area based on information from the headset 505. The tracking module 560 may also determine a position of an object or virtual object. Additionally, in some embodiments, the tracking module 560 may use portions of data indicative of the position of the headset 505 from the position sensor 540 as well as a representation of the local area from the DCA 545 to predict a future location of the headset 505. The tracking module 560 provides an estimated or predicted future position of the headset 505 or the I / O interface 510 to the engine 565.

[0114] The engine 565 executes applications and receives from the tracking module 560 position information, acceleration information, velocity information, predicted future position, or some combination thereof, of the headset 505. Based on the received information, the engine 565 determines content to provide to the headset 505 for presentation to the user. For example, if the received information indicates that the user is looking left, the engine 565 generates content for the headset 505 that mirrors the user's movements in a virtual local area or in a local area that augments the local area with additional content. Additionally, the engine 565 responds to action requests received from the I / O interface 510 to perform actions within applications running on the console 515 and provide feedback to the user that the action has been performed. The feedback provided may be visual or audible feedback via the headset 505, or haptic feedback via the I / O interface 510.

[0115] The network 520 couples the headset 505 and / or the console 515 to the mapping server 525. The network 520 may include any combination of local and / or wide area networks using both wireless and / or wired communication systems. For example, the network 520 may include the Internet, as well as cellular telephone networks. In one embodiment, the network 520 uses standard communication technologies and / or protocols. Thus, the network 520 may include links using technologies such as Ethernet, 802.11, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), 2G / 3G / 4G mobile communication protocols, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), InfiniBand, PCI Express Advanced Switching, etc. Similarly, the networking protocols used on the network 520 may include Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), etc. Data exchanged over network 520 may be represented using technologies and / or formats including image data in binary form (e.g., Portable Network Graphics (PNG)), HyperText Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), etc. Additionally, all or portions of the links may be encrypted using conventional encryption technologies such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), Transport Layer Security (TLS), Virtual Private Network (VPN), Internet Protocol Security (IPsec), etc.

[0116] The mapping server 525 may include a database that stores virtual models representing multiple spaces, where one location in the virtual model corresponds to a current configuration of the local area of ​​the headset 505. The mapping server 525 receives information representing the local area and / or at least a portion of the location information for the local area from the headset 505 via the network 520. The mapping server 525 determines a location in the virtual model associated with the local area of ​​the headset 505 based on the received information and / or the location information. The mapping server 525 determines (e.g., retrieves) one or more acoustic parameters associated with the local area based in part on the determined location in the virtual model and any acoustic parameters associated with the determined location. The mapping server 525 may transmit the location of the local area and any values ​​of the acoustic parameters associated with the local area to the headset 505. The mapping server 525 may provide navigation instructions to the audio system 550. The mapping server 525 may generate navigation instructions using the user location, a destination provided by the user, and a model of the area.

[0117] Additional configuration information The above description of the embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the patent rights to the precise form disclosed. Those skilled in the art can appreciate that numerous modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure.

[0118] Some portions of this specification describe embodiments in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are commonly used by those skilled in the data processing arts to effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. While these operations are described functionally, computationally, or logically, it will be understood that they may be implemented by computer programs or equivalent electrical circuits, microcode, or the like. Further, it has proven convenient at times to refer to these mechanisms of operations as modules, without loss of generality. The described operations and their associated modules may be embodied in software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof.

[0119] Any of the steps, operations, or processes described herein may be performed or implemented in one or more hardware or software modules, alone or in combination with other devices. In one embodiment, the software modules are implemented in a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code, which may be executed by a computer processor to perform any or all of the described steps, operations, or processes.

[0120] The embodiments may also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. The apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes and / or the apparatus may comprise a general-purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such computer programs may be stored in a non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium, or any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions, which may be coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, any computing system referred to herein may include a single processor or may be an architecture employing a multiple processor design for increased computing power.

[0121] Embodiments may also relate to products manufactured by the computing processes described herein. Such products may comprise information resulting from the computing processes, which information may be stored on a non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium, and may include any embodiment of the computer program products or other data combinations described herein.

[0122] Finally, the language used herein is primarily chosen for ease of reading and educational purposes, and may not be chosen to define or limit patent rights. Therefore, the scope of patent rights is not intended to be limited by this detailed description, but rather by claims that arise for applications based on the detailed description. Thus, the disclosure of the embodiments is intended to illustrate, but not to limit, the scope of patent rights set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. a controller configured to control haptic content provided to a user via actuation of at least one transducer in a transducer array while presenting audio content to the user; the transducer array configured to present the audio content along with the haptic content to the user; Equipped with the controller is further configured to provide navigation instructions to the user using the haptic content; the at least one transducer is implemented as a plurality of cartilage conduction transducers, at least one cartilage conduction transducer of the plurality of cartilage conduction transducers being attached to a corresponding ear of the user; the controller is further configured to selectively apply the haptic content to the corresponding ear via the at least one cartilage conduction transducer to provide the navigation instructions to the user. Audio system.

2. 2. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to increase speech intelligibility for the audio content presented to the user by controlling the haptic content, and / or the controller is further configured to generate the audio content with a defined level of near-field effect by controlling the haptic content.

3. The controller: Controlling the haptic content when generating the audio content by varying the spectral content of an input audio signal based on a perceptual model 10. The audio system of claim 1 further configured as follows:

4. a sensor array configured to detect sounds produced by said transducer array; Further equipped with the controller is further configured to generate the perceptual model based at least in part on the detected sound.

4. The audio system of claim 3.

5. The controller: Controlling the haptic content by extending a portion of a frequency spectrum of an audio signal when generating the audio content for presentation to the user; and / or Augmenting an audio source by controlling the haptic content, the audio source being located at a location remote from the user, and optionally the audio source being a virtual audio source.

10. The audio system of claim 1, further configured to:

6. The controller: performing haptic enhancements on an audio signal to create the audio content with the haptic content for presentation to the user 10. The audio system of claim 1 further configured as follows:

7. a sensor array configured to detect sound produced by said at least one transducer; Further equipped with The controller: detecting a level of the detected sound degradation; processing an audio signal to mitigate degradation of acoustic content in the audio content for presentation to the user based on the detected level of degradation; The audio system of claim 1 , further configured to:

8. 2. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the transducer array includes one or more cartilage conduction transducers, or the transducer array includes at least one of one or more air conduction transducers, one or more bone conduction transducers, and one or more cartilage conduction transducers.

9. The audio system of claim 1 , wherein the audio system is part of a headset.

10. A method comprising: controlling an amount of haptic content to be provided to a user via actuation of at least one transducer in a transducer array while presenting audio content to the user; instructing the transducer array to present the audio content to the user, the audio content including the haptic content; providing navigation instructions to the user using the haptic content; Including, the at least one transducer is implemented as a plurality of cartilage conduction transducers, at least one cartilage conduction transducer of the plurality of cartilage conduction transducers being attached to a corresponding ear of the user; The method further comprising: selectively applying the haptic content to the corresponding ear via the at least one cartilage conduction transducer to provide the navigation instructions to the user. The method further comprising: Increasing speech intelligibility for audio content presented to the user by controlling the haptic content within the audio content; generating audio content with a defined level of near-field effect by controlling the haptic content within the audio content; The method of claim 10 , further comprising at least one of:

12. Controlling the haptic content when generating the audio content by varying the spectral content of an input audio signal based on a perceptual model; or Controlling the haptic content by expanding a portion of a frequency spectrum of an audio signal when generating the audio content for presentation to the user. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

13. 13. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method according to any one of claims 10 to 12. Computer program products.

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