Individually Addressable Driver Array for Spatial Audio Rendering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current audio systems primarily utilize front-firing speakers that propagate sound directly to listeners, limiting the spatial effects that can be provided by content intended for reflection off surfaces, resulting in a less immersive listening experience.
Innovation Solution
An upmixing system that generates both reflected and direct audio sub-channels, utilizing an array of individually addressable drivers to propagate sound waves directly to the listener and reflect them off surfaces, allowing for a more comprehensive spatial audio experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional front-firing speakers are used to propagate sound directly to listeners, then the system structure remains simple, but the spatial effects and immersion are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The audio system is segmented into multiple independently addressable drivers within speaker units, allowing separate control of direct and reflected sound components. This segmentation enables the system to provide both direct sound propagation and reflected spatial effects simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between system simplicity and spatial versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
Each speaker unit is designed with multiple drivers that can perform multiple functions: some drivers propagate sound directly to listeners while others direct sound at surfaces for reflection. This multi-functionality allows a single speaker unit to provide both direct and reflected spatial effects, enhancing adaptability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If only direct sound propagation is used, then the system configuration remains simple, but the immersive listening experience is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically routes audio signals to different driver types based on the desired spatial effect. The audio processor can adaptively adjust which drivers are active and how they are configured, allowing the system to transition between direct sound propagation and reflected spatial effects as needed, thereby enhancing the immersive experience without requiring a permanently complex configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio processor acts as an intermediary that decomposes multi-channel audio signals into direct and reflected sub-channels, then routes them to appropriate drivers. This intermediary processing enables the system to generate complex spatial audio experiences from simpler speaker configurations by intelligently managing signal distribution.
3Adaptability or versatility
If reflected sound is added to the system, then the spatial immersion is enhanced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple drivers within each speaker unit are merged into a unified, independently addressable array. This merging allows the system to combine direct and reflected sound functions within a single integrated speaker unit rather than requiring separate speaker systems, thereby enhancing spatial effects while controlling overall system complexity through consolidation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the spatial listening experience by accurately rendering both direct and reflected sound components, providing a more immersive and realistic audio reproduction that mimics the intended spatial presentation of sound sources.
Implementation Method 1
at least one reflected driver for propagation of sound waves off of the one or more surfaces
Implementation Method 2
at least one direct driver for propagation of sound waves directly to the playback location
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Embodiments are described for a system of rendering spatial audio content in a listening environment. The system includes a rendering component configured to generate a plurality of audio channels including information specifying a playback location in a listening area, an upmixer component receiving the plurality of audio channels and generating, for each audio channel, at least one reflected sub-channel configured to cause a majority of driver energy to reflect off of one or more surfaces of the listening area, and at least one direct sub-channel configured to cause a majority of driver energy to propagate directly to the playback location.