Sound Processing for Indirect Sound Localization via Object-Channel Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sound processing technologies struggle to effectively localize indirect sounds, such as reverberations, due to the immense computational load when the number of indirect sounds increases, leading to an inadequate reverberation experience for users.
Innovation Solution
A sound processing method that applies a first localization process for direct sounds and a second localization process for indirect sounds, using either object-based or channel-based processing, selected based on conditions related to the sound source or space, to optimize reverberation experience while managing computational load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If object-based processing is applied to all indirect sounds, then sound localization quality is improved, but computational load becomes immense and processing becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different processing qualities to different sound components: object-based processing is applied selectively to important indirect sounds (such as early reflections from specific directions) while channel-based processing is applied to less important indirect sounds. This local differentiation maintains high localization quality where needed while reducing overall computational load.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the indirect sound processing into two distinct pathways: object-based processing for localized sound sources and channel-based processing for distributed sound sources. This segmentation allows the system to manage computational resources more effectively by not applying the more computationally intensive object-based processing to all indirect sounds uniformly.
2Productivity
If channel-based processing is used for all indirect sounds, then computational load is reduced, but sound localization quality becomes inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies channel-based processing as the default for computational efficiency but switches to object-based processing locally when high localization quality is required for specific indirect sounds, such as those from important directional sources or early reflections that contribute significantly to spatial perception.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of indirect sounds increases, then reverberation realism is improved, but computational load becomes immense
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the processing parameter dynamically based on the characteristics of each indirect sound, such as arrival time, direction, and importance. Early reflections and sounds from specific directions trigger object-based processing, while later and less directional sounds use channel-based processing, allowing the system to handle increasing numbers of indirect sounds without proportional increase in computational load.
Data Source
AI summary
A sound processing method includes receiving sound information containing a sound signal of a sound source and position information of the sound source, applying, to the sound signal of the sound source, a first localization process in which a sound image of a direct sound of the sound source is localized based on the position information of the sound source, applying, to the sound signal of the sound source, a second localization process in which the sound image of an indirect sound of the sound source is localized based on the position information of the sound source, receiving a condition related to the sound source or a space, and selecting object-based processing or channel-based processing based on the condition to apply the second localization process.