3D Audio Diffraction Modeling Using Voxel Projection Pathfinding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio rendering technologies fail to accurately simulate acoustic diffraction effects in three-dimensional virtual environments due to computational intensity, complexity of object geometry, and requirements for realism, leading to unrealistic sound reproduction.
Innovation Solution
A method involving voxelization and two-dimensional projection mapping to reduce complexity, using pathfinding algorithms to determine virtual source positions that simulate acoustic diffraction, allowing for realistic sound rendering in three-dimensional audio scenes with reduced computational load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ray-tracing techniques are used to simulate acoustic diffraction, then accuracy of diffraction simulation is improved, but computational complexity and processing time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the three-dimensional audio scene into discrete volumetric elements (voxels), each representing a spatial position with specific acoustic properties. This segmentation transforms the continuous acoustic space into a grid-based representation, enabling efficient pathfinding algorithms to operate on discrete volume elements rather than continuous ray-tracing calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a two-dimensional projection map that is a simplified copy or representation of the three-dimensional voxelized scene. This projection map preserves essential spatial and occlusion information while reducing computational complexity, allowing pathfinding to be performed on a 2D representation rather than full 3D ray-tracing.
2Measurement precision
If ray-tracing techniques are used to simulate acoustic diffraction, then accuracy of diffraction simulation is improved, but processing time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary processing by voxelizing the three-dimensional audio scene and generating the two-dimensional projection map before pathfinding operations. This preprocessing step organizes spatial and occlusion information in advance, enabling faster query-based pathfinding operations during runtime without requiring complex real-time ray-tracing calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The two-dimensional projection map serves as a simplified copy of the 3D scene that preserves essential diffraction information while enabling faster 2D pathfinding operations. This projection allows the system to determine diffraction paths and virtual source positions more quickly than full 3D ray-tracing would require.
3Measurement precision
If complex diffraction simulation methods are used, then accuracy of virtual source positioning is improved, but algorithm complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a two-dimensional projection map as an intermediary data structure between the 3D voxelized scene and the pathfinding algorithm. This intermediary preserves spatial relationships and occlusion information needed for accurate virtual source positioning while enabling the use of simpler 2D pathfinding algorithms instead of complex 3D diffraction simulations.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Described herein is a method of processing audio content for rendering in a three-dimensional audio scene, wherein the audio content comprises a sound source at a source position, the method comprising: obtaining a voxelized representation of the three-dimensional audio scene, wherein the voxelized representation indicates volume elements in which sound can propagate and volume elements by which sound is occluded; generating a two-dimensional projection map for the audio scene based on the voxelized representation by applying a projection operation to the voxelized representation that projects onto a horizontal plane; and determining parameters indicating a virtual source position of a virtual sound source based on the source position, a listener position, and the projection map, to simulate, by rendering a virtual source signal from the virtual source position, an impact of acoustic diffraction by the three-dimensional audio scene on a source signal of the sound source at the source position. Described are moreover a corresponding apparatus as well as corresponding computer program products.