Audio Location Cueing for Communication Systems
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems face challenges in efficiently conveying media source location information across different communication networks, leading to inefficient collaboration among security and safety personnel, as they often require laborious manual intervention to determine the relative positions of speakers.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that receive location information from a first endpoint and present communications to a user of a second endpoint in a manner reflecting the first endpoint's location relative to the second, using orientation and distance cues, such as altering audio volume and direction, even when location information is not explicitly embedded in the media stream.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual intervention is used to determine relative positions of speakers, then location information can be obtained, but the process becomes laborious and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical determination of speaker positions with an automated audio processing system that uses signal processing techniques to automatically calculate relative positions of speakers based on audio signals received from multiple microphones, eliminating the need for manual intervention while maintaining location accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary audio processing system that acts as a mediator between the speakers and the users, automatically determining relative positions through audio signal analysis and presenting this information to users without requiring direct manual measurement or intervention
2Loss of information
If location information is conveyed to users, then situational awareness is enhanced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential location information from the audio signals and presents it to users in a simplified format, separating the complex signal processing functions from the user interface to maintain simplicity while providing comprehensive situational awareness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the audio processing system into separate functional modules that handle different aspects of location determination independently, allowing each module to be optimized separately and reducing overall system complexity through modular design
3Productivity
If audio signals are processed to determine speaker positions, then collaboration efficiency improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent processes only the necessary audio signals required for location determination rather than analyzing all audio data, using partial action to achieve sufficient collaboration efficiency while minimizing energy consumption by avoiding excessive processing
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4C
Figure 5
AI summary
A method for conveying media source location information includes receiving a first communication from a first endpoint and receiving location information indicating a first location of the first endpoint . The method also includes presenting the first communication to a user of a second endpoint in a manner to reflect the first location relative to a second location of the second endpoint .