Adaptive Beamforming for Dynamic Audio Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional static audio and data signal generation systems fail to provide optimal performance when a user moves or the recipient group's characteristics change, leading to suboptimal surround sound experiences due to volume, directionality, timing, and phase variations.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that utilize position information to dynamically adjust audio signal parameters such as volume, directionality, and timing, ensuring that sound is directed and synchronized to a specific destination position, optimizing the surround sound experience by determining the listener's position using various technologies like satellite positioning, premises-based systems, and speaker-centric position-determining sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional static audio signal generation is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but audio quality deteriorates when user position or recipient group characteristics change

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio quality consistencyVSAvoidsignal generation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic beamforming that continuously adapts audio signal parameters based on real-time detection of user position and recipient group characteristics. The system transitions from static to dynamic operation by adjusting beam patterns, gain values, and signal distribution according to changing environmental conditions, thereby maintaining audio quality consistency without requiring complete system redesign

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms by detecting user position and recipient group characteristics, then using this information to adjust audio signal generation parameters. The detected environmental data feeds back into the beamforming algorithm to optimize signal distribution, ensuring consistent audio quality while managing system complexity through intelligent adaptation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If dynamic adjustment of audio parameters based on position information is implemented, then audio quality consistency improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurround sound experience consistencyVSAvoidposition tracking and signal adjustment system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a multi-functional system that integrates position detection, recipient group analysis, and adaptive beamforming into a unified audio processing platform. The same computational framework handles multiple tasks including user localization, group characteristic detection, and real-time signal parameter adjustment, reducing overall system complexity through functional consolidation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system manages complexity by focusing adjustments on key audio signal parameters such as gain values, beam patterns, and timing synchronization rather than redesigning the entire signal generation architecture. By selectively modifying critical parameters based on position information, the system achieves consistent surround sound experience with minimal structural changes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If position information is used to direct sound to specific destinations, then sound directionality and synchronization improve, but computational requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound direction and timing accuracyVSAvoidcomputational processing power
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calculations by pre-computing beamforming weight matrices and signal parameters based on detected position information before actual audio playback. By preparing directional signal configurations in advance, the system reduces real-time computational requirements while maintaining high precision in sound direction and timing synchronization during actual operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8681997B2Adaptive beamforming for audio and data applications
Publication Date: 2014.03.25 AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE LTD
  • US8681997B2 patent drawing
  • US8681997B2 patent drawing
  • US8681997B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A system and method for performing efficient directed sound and/or data to a user utilizing position information. Various aspects may, for example, comprise determining position associated with one or more recipients of audio signals, determining one or more audio signal parameters based, at least in part, on such determined position information, and generating audio signals based on such determined audio signal parameters. For example, direction, timing, phasing and/or magnitude of such audio signals may be adapted based on a dynamic recipient positional environment.