Spatial Acoustic Filter Correction for Stable Sound Localization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sound localization techniques struggle to maintain appropriate localization effects when the direction of the sound source is changed, leading to significant variations in notch width and potential loss of localization accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A filter generation device and method that includes units for acquiring spatial acoustic transfer characteristics, specifying notches and peaks, correcting frequency and level adjustments based on positional information, and generating correction filters to adapt to changes in sound source position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the direction of the sound source is changed, then the spatial acoustic transfer characteristics are changed, but the localization accuracy deteriorates due to significant variations in notch width

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to sound source direction changesVSAvoidlocalization accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the filter characteristics adjustable based on sound source position. The system dynamically adapts the notch width and frequency parameters of the spatial acoustic transfer characteristics according to the vertical position of the sound source, allowing the localization system to maintain accuracy across different directions rather than using fixed characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes physical parameters of the spatial acoustic transfer characteristics based on sound source position. Specifically, it adjusts the notch width and frequency parameters as variables that depend on the vertical position angle, transforming the static filter characteristics into position-dependent parameters that maintain localization precision across different sound source directions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If notch width is adjusted to adapt to direction changes, then adaptability improves, but localization accuracy deteriorates due to excessive characteristic changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to direction changesVSAvoidlocalization effect quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making different parts of the frequency spectrum subject to different levels of adjustment. The notch width is selectively adjusted based on the vertical position, while other frequency characteristics remain relatively stable. This localized adaptation in the frequency domain allows directionality without excessive overall characteristic changes that would degrade localization quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If a fixed filter is generated from measurement data, then device complexity is reduced, but localization accuracy deteriorates when sound source position changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilter generation complexityVSAvoidlocalization accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-measuring and storing spatial acoustic transfer characteristics for multiple sound source positions. Instead of performing complex real-time measurements and calculations when the sound source position changes, the system has already captured the characteristics at various positions and can directly apply the appropriate pre-measured data, reducing computational complexity while maintaining accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20260012746A1Filter generation device, filter generation method, and out-of-head localization device

Publication Date: 2026.01.08 JVC KENWOOD CORP

AI summary

A filter generation device according to this embodiment includes: a transfer characteristic acquisition unit configured to acquire spatial acoustic transfer characteristics from a sound source to an ear of a person being measured; a positional information acquisition unit configured to acquire positional information of the sound source in a vertical direction; a correction unit configured to correct spatial acoustic transfer characteristics based on the positional information; and a filter generation unit configured to generate a correction filter based on the corrected spatial acoustic transfer characteristics.