Apparatus for embedding tactile data in an audio signal
By embedding tactile data into audio signals using inaudible frequencies, the complexity and cost of separate transmission systems are reduced, and the user experience is enhanced with synchronized tactile and audio stimulation.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- WOOJER
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-18
AI Technical Summary
Tactile-audio devices often require separate transmission systems for audio and tactile signals, adding complexity and cost, and existing methods for combining these signals can degrade audio quality.
A processor embeds tactile data into an audio signal by replacing inaudible audio frequencies with tactile data, using a predetermined protocol to generate a unified tactile-audio signal, which is then decoded to synchronize tactile and audio stimulation.
This approach simplifies the operation of tactile-audio systems and enhances the user experience without noticeable audio distortion, streamlining integration and coordination of tactile and audio signals.
Smart Images
Figure IL2025051117_18062026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] APPARATUS FOR EMBEDDING TACTILE DATA IN AN AUDIO SIGNAL
[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention relates to tactile-audio devices.
[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Tactile-audio devices are devices that provide simultaneous audio and tactile stimulation to a user. A typical tactile-audio device will have one or more tactile traducers that are in contact with a user’s body, and that convert a tactile signal into tactile stimulation felt by the user. The tactile-audio device may also include one or more audio output interfaces or devices , such as speakers or headphones, that convert an audio signal into sound stimulation. The tactile and sound stimulation are usually coordinated in such a way as to provide a unique stimulating experience to the user. Tactile-audio devices have found uses in a variety of situations such as gaming, entertainment, and therapeutics. The audio signal may be input to the tactile-audio device from an external source, or may be pre-recorded in a memory associated with the device. The tactile signal may be input from an external source, prerecorded in the memory of the device or generated by analysis of the audio signal.
[0006] Tactile-audio devices may either use a single audio interface and derive the tactile stimulation out of the audio signal, or use separate transmission system lines for audio and tactile signals. This often adds complexity and cost to the system.
[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In one of its aspects, the present invention provides an apparatus, for generating a tactile-audio signal from an input audio signal and an input tactile signal in one combined audio channel. The apparatus includes a processor configured to embed data included in the input tactile signal in the input audio signal according to a predetermined protocol in order to generate a tactile-audio signal. The predetermined protocol may involve, for example, erasing some audio data contained in the input audio signal and replacing the erased data with tactile data contained in the input tactile signal. The generated tactile-audio signal can then be input to a tactile-audio system, as a gaming system, a therapeutic system, or any system that normally utilizes an audio signal together with a tactile signal. The inventors have found that by uniting the audio and tactile signals into a single tactile-audio signal can streamline the operation of the tactile-audio system, and can enhance the user’s audio-tactile experience, without noticeably deteriorating from the perceived audio quality.
[0009] In one embodiment, when audio data included in the input audio signal is replaced with data from the input tactile signal, the data erased from the input audio signal is preferably audio data that is in a frequency range that is inaudible to humans. For example, the processor may be configured to replace data in the input audio signal in the frequency range of 17,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz, which is inaudible to most people, with the tactile data. Replacing the audio data in this frequency range with tactile signals will thus cause little, if any, distortion of the audio component of the tactile-audio signal and would be imperceptible to a user, thus preserving the audio effect.
[0010] In another of its aspects, the invention provides a system comprising an apparatus of the invention and a tactile -audio device. The apparatus may be integral with the tactile-audio device, or may by an add-on feature adapted to be connected to the tactile audio device. The system includes one or more tactile transducers. The tactile -audio signal output from the apparatus is input to the tactile-audio device. The processor is configured to decode the tactile audio signal according to the predetermined protocol used by the processor of the apparatus to embed the input tactile signal with the input audio signal. Decoding of the tactile-audio signal involves isolating the tactile data embedded in the tactile-audio signal into one or more generated tactile signals, essentially equivalent to the tactile signal originally input to the apparatus and to transmit the generated tactile signal to one or more of the tactile transducers. The processor is further configured to generate from the input tactile-audio signal an audio signal essentially equivalent to the input audio signal originally input to the apparatus and to transmit the generated audio signal to one or more audio output devices or interfaces which may be, for example, Bluetooth or Aux interfaces, speakers or earphones. In one embodiment, the generated audio and the tactile signals are synchronized so that tactile stimulation generated by the tactile transducers is coordinated with the audio effect from the audio output devices. Thus, in one of its aspects, the present invention provides an apparatus for generating a tactile-audio signal from one or more input audio signals and one or more input tactile signals, the apparatus comprising a first processor configured to embed tactile data included in one or more of the input tactile signals into one or more of the input audio signals according to a protocol comprising:
[0011] (a) for each of one or more of the input audio signals, filtering the input audio signal to remove one or more frequencies above a first predetermined frequency and replacing audio data filtered out of the input audio signal with tactile data based on data contained in one or more of the input tactile signals to generate the tactile-audio signal.
[0012] The first predetermined frequency may be, for example, 16,000 Hz or above 16,000 Hz. The first predetermined frequency may be 17,000 Hz or above 17,000 Hz. Any one or more of the input audio signals and the input tactile signals may be digital signals. Any one or more of the input audio signals and the input tactile signals may be analog signals.
[0013] The first processor may be further configured to modulate tactile data in one or more of the input tactile signals to have one or more frequencies above the first predetermined frequency prior to embedding the tactile data in the input tactile signals in one or more of the audio signals. The modulation may be AM modulation or FM modulation.
[0014] The processor may be further configured to tag or label the tactile data included in the tactile-audio signal. Tagging or labeling of the tactile data in the tactile-audio signals may include isolating the tactile data in the tactile-audio signal by buffers. A carrier tone in a second predetermined frequency range may be used as a signal to indicate a presence of at least a portion of the tactile signals in the tactile-audio signal. The carrier tone may be located on a DC value of one or more of the modulated tactile signals.
[0015] A third predetermined frequency band may be used as a buffer band separating the audio data in the tactile-audio signal from the tactile data in the tactile-audio signal.
[0016] In another of its aspects, the invention provides a system comprising:
[0017] (a) an apparatus of the invention (b) a tactile-audio device, the tactile-audio device comprising
[0018] (i) one or more tactile transducers;
[0019] (ii) one or more audio output devices;
[0020] (c) a second processor configured to:
[0021] (i) decode the tactile-audio signal generated by the apparatus according to the protocol used by the first processor of the apparatus, wherein decoding of the tactile-audio signal involves:
[0022] • recovering the tactile data embedded in the tactile- audio signal into one or more output tactile signals essentially equivalent to one or more of the input tactile signals;
[0023] • transmit the one or more output tactile signals to one or more of the tactile transducers;
[0024] • recovering the audio data embedded in the tactile- audio signal into one or more output audio signals essentially equivalent to one or more of the input audio signals;
[0025] In the system of the invention one or more output audio signals may be synchronized with one or more of the output tactile signals so that tactile stimulation generated by one or more of the tactile transducers is coordinated with audio stimulation generated by one or more of the audio output devices.
[0026] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0028] Fig. 1 shows an apparatus for embedding tactile data in an audio signal in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and
[0029] Fig. 2 shows a system comprising the apparatus of Fig. 1 and a tactile-audio device. Fig. 3 shows an exemplary non-limiting signal processing flow embedding narrowband tactile signals in a stereo audio channel; and
[0030] Fig. 4 shows a non-limiting exemplary spectral map of embedding a single haptic channel in mono audio.
[0031] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0032] Fig. 1 shows an apparatus, generally indicated by the numeral 15, for generating a tactile-audio signal 21 from one or more input audio signals 17 and one or more input tactile signals 19, in accordance with one embodiment of this aspect of the invention. The input tactile signals 19 may have been generated independently from the audio signal. Alternatively, one or more of the tactile signals 19 may have been generated by an analysis of one or more of the input audio signals 17. For example, processing of the input audio signal may be performed by any one or more of the methods described in PCT Publication WO2012 / 028973.
[0033] The apparatus 15 includes a first processor 23 configured to embed data included in one or more of the input tactile signals 19 into one or more of the input audio signals 17 according to a protocol, explained below, in order to generate one or more tactile-audio signals 21. As used herein, the term “tactile- audio signal” refers to a signal containing both tactile and audio data. The predetermined protocol involves filtering out audio data above a first predetermined frequency contained in one or more of the input audio signals 17 and replacing the data filtered out with tactile data contained in one or more of the input tactile signals 19. As explained below, the tactile-audio signal 21 can then be input to a tactile-audio system, such as a gaming system, a therapeutic system, or any system that normally utilizes an audio signal together with a tactile signal. The inventors have found that uniting the audio and tactile signals into a single tactile-audio signal can simplify the integration with tactile systems of existing audio capable devices, streamline the operation of the tactile-audio system and enhance the user’s audio-tactile experience.
[0034] When audio data included in the input audio signal 17 is replaced with data from the input tactile signal 19, the data erased from the input audio signal is preferably audio data that is inaudible to humans. Thus, for example, the first predetermined frequency may be 16,000 Hz or 17,000Hz. Audio signals 17 in the frequency range of 17,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz, are inaudible to most people. Filtering audio data above 16,000 Hz or above 17,000 Hz will cause little, if any distortion of the audio component of the tactile-audio signal 21, and would be imperceptible to a user, thus preserving the original audio effect.
[0035] The range of tactile data is usually low bandwidth, typically in the 0 Hz to 250 Hz range. Thus, the protocol run by the first processor may include modulating the frequency of the embedded tactile data into a frequency range above the first predetermined frequency.
[0036] The processor 23 may be further configured to tag or label the tactile data included in the tactile-audio signal in order to allow a tactile-audio system receiving one or more of the output tactile-audio signals 21 as an input to identify the tactile component of the tactile-audio signal 21, as explained below. This may be done, for example, by isolating the tactile data in the tactile-audio signal by buffers. Additionally or alternatively, a tone, for example in a first predetermined frequency range, for example 17,990-18,010 Hz may be used as a signal to indicate to the tactile-audio system of the presence and location of the tactile signals in the tactile-audio signals 21. A signal in a second predetermined frequency range, such as, 17,750-18,250, may be assigned as a standard frequency range for the tactile data. A third predetermined frequency band, such as 18250-18500 Hz, may be used as a buffer band separating the audio data in the tactile -audio signal from the tactile data.
[0037] Fig. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of a system 33 comprising an apparatus 15 of the invention and a tactile-audio device 2, in accordance with one embodiment of this aspect of the invention. The apparatus 31 may be integral with the tactile-audio device 2, or may by an add-on feature adapted to be connected to the tactile audio device 2. The system 33 comprises one or more tactile transducers. Two tactile transducers 20A and 20B are shown in Fig. 2. This is by way of example only, and the system 2 may comprise any number of tactile transducers. The system 2 includes a second processor 18. The tactile- audio signals 21 output from the apparatus 31 is input to the processor 18 via wired or wireless communication channel 32. The processor 18 is configured to decode the tactile audio signal 21 according to the protocol used by the processor 23 of the apparatus 15 to embed the input tactile signals 19 into the input audio signals 17. Decoding of the tactile-audio signal 21 by the second processor 18 involves isolating the tactile data embedded in the tactile-audio signals 21 into one or more output tactile signals 23, essentially equivalent to the original input tactile signals 19 and to transmit the tactile signals 23 to one or more of the tactile transducers 20A and 20B over wired or wireless communication channels 22A and 22B, respectively. The processor is further configured to generate from the input tactile-audio signal 21 one or more audio signals 27 essentially equivalent to the input audio signals 17 and to transmit the generated audio signals 27 to one or more audio output devices, such as the audio output devices 30A and 30B, which may be, for example, earphones or speakers. In one embodiment, the audio signals 27 and the tactile signals 23 are synchronized so that tactile stimulation generated by the tactile transducers 20A and 20B is coordinated with the audio stimulation generated by the audio output devices 30A and 30B.
[0038] Figs. 3 and 4 show, as a specific example, a protocol carried out by the first processor 23. In the example of Fig. 3, two audio input signals, a first input audio signal, referred to as the "stereo audio input left" 304, and a second input audio signal, referred to as "stereo audio input right" 305 are input to the first processor 23. The stereo audio input left 304 and the stereo audio input right 305 are shown graphically in the top row of Fig. 4. Three input tactile signals, "tactile signal 0" 310 "tactile signal 1 " 311, and "tactile signal 2" 312 are to be embedded in the stereo audio input left 304. Another three input tactile signals, "tactile signal 4" 314 , " tactile signal 5" 311, and "tactile signal 6" 312 are to be embedded in the stereo audio input right 305. The six tactile signals 310, 311, 312, 314, 315, and 316 are shown graphically in Fig. 4. The stereo audio input Left 301 and the stereo audio input right 303 are subjected to low pass filtering (step 387), as explained above to generate "Low Passed Audio L" 302 / L and "Low-Passed Audio R" 302 / R. Each of the input tactile signals 310, 311, 312, 314, 315, and 316 preferably undergo a preliminary low pass filtering step 388, prior to the modulation step 380. In the modulation step, the three tactile signals 310, 311 and 312 are modulated by characteristic carrier frequencies fo, fi, and f2, respectively. Similarly, the three tactile signals 314, 315 and 316 are modulated by the characteristic carrier frequencies fo, fi, and fi, respectively. The frequencies fo, fi, and fi are selected to be in the range of frequencies removed from the low pass filtering step 387 that was performed on the low passed audio L signal 302 / L and the low passed audio R signal 302 / R. The modulated input tactile signals may then be subjected to a post-modulation band pass filtering (step 389) to remove any undesirable frequencies in the modulated input tactile signals. Each of the input tactile signals 310, 311, 312, 314, 315, and 316 is now in an embeddable form, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, respectively. The embeddable tactile signals 330, 331, and 332 are then embedded in the low pass audio L signal (302L), to yield the output left tactile- audio signal 300. The embeddable tactile signals 333, 334, and 335 are then embedded in the low pass audio R signal (302R), to yield the output right tactile- audio signal 301. The left tactile-audio signal 300 and the right tactile-audio signal 301 are shown graphically in the bottom row of Fig. 4.
Claims
CLAIMS:
1. An apparatus for generating a tactile-audio signal from one or more input audio signals and one or more input tactile signals, the apparatus comprising a first processor configured to embed tactile data included in one or more of the input tactile signals into one or more of the input audio signals according to a protocol comprising:(b) for each of one or more of the input audio signals, filtering the input audio signal to remove one or more frequencies above a first predetermined frequency and replacing audio data filtered out of the input audio signal with tactile data based on data contained in one or more of the input tactile signals to generate the tactile-audio signal.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first predetermined frequency is 16,000 Hz or above 16,000 Hz.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the first predetermined frequency is 17,000 Hz or above 17,000 Hz.
4. The apparatus according to any one of the previous claims wherein any one one or more of the the input audio signals and the input tactile signals are digital signals.
5. The apparatus according to any one of the previous claims wherein any one one or more of the the input audio signals and the input tactile signals are analog signals.
6. The apparatus according to any one of the previous claims wherein the first processor is further configured to modulate tactile data in one or more of the input tactile signals to have one or more frequencies above the first predetermined frequency, prior to embedding the tactile data in the input tactile signals in one or more of the audio signals.
7. The apparatus according to any of the previous claims wherein the modulation is AM modulation.
8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the modulation is FM modulation.
9. The apparatus according to any one of the previous claims wherein the processor is further configured to tag or label the tactile data included in the tactile-audio signal.
10. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein tagging or labeling of the tactile data in the tactile-audio signals includes isolating the tactile data in the tactile- audio signal by buffers.
11. The apparatus according to any one of the previous claims wherein a carrier tone in a second predetermined frequency range is used as a signal to indicate a presence of at least a portion of the tactile signals in the tactile-audio signal.
12. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the carrier tone is located on a DC value of one or more of the modulated tactile signals.
13. The apparatus according to any one of the previous claims wherein a third predetermined frequency band is used as a buffer band separating the audio data in the tactile-audio signal from the tactile data in the tactile-audio signal.
14. A system comprising:(d) an apparatus for generating a tactile-audio signal from one or more input audio signals and one or more input tactile signals, the apparatus comprising;(i) a first processor configured to embed tactile data included in one or more of the input tactile signals into one or more of the input audio signals according to a protocol comprising: for each of the one or more input audio signals, filtering the input audio signal to remove one or more frequencies above a first predetermined frequency and replacing audio data filtered out of the input audio signal with tactile data based on tactile data contained in one or more of the input tactile signals to generate the tactile-audio signal.(e) a tactile-audio device, the tactile-audio device comprising(iii) one or more tactile transducers;(iv) one or more audio output devices;(f) a second processor configured to:(ii) decode the tactile-audio signal generated by the apparatus according to the protocol used by the first processor of theapparatus, wherein decoding of the tactile-audio signal involves:• recovering the tactile data embedded in the tactile- audio signal into one or more output tactile signals essentially equivalent to one or more of the input tactile signals;• transmit the one or more output tactile signals to one or more of the tactile transducers;• recovering the audio data embedded in the tactile- audio signal into one or more output audio signals essentially equivalent to one or more of the input audio signals;15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the one or more output audio signals are synchronized with one or more of the output tactile signals so that tactile stimulation generated by one or more of the tactile transducers is coordinated with audio stimulation generated by one or more of the audio output devices.