Audio Rendering Virtual Position Adjustment for Device Tilt
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Solution Overview
Problem
When users tilt their mobile devices while consuming multimedia content, the audio content rendered by headphones does not adjust its orientation and trajectory to match the tilted video images, leading to an inconsistent user experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that determine the tilt angle of a mobile device's display relative to the user and modify the virtual position of the audio source accordingly, ensuring the audio content remains consistent with the video images by combining the tilt angle with the initial virtual position of the audio source, and adjusting the audio rendering accordingly, whether through headphones or speakers with height channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the display is tilted to change video image orientation, then the video images are repositioned to match the tilt, but the audio content rendered by headphones remains unaffected and inconsistent with the tilted video images
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the tilt angle of the mobile device and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the virtual position of audio sources. The tilt angle detection provides real-time information that triggers corresponding audio rendering adjustments, creating a closed-loop system that maintains audio-video consistency during device tilting.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio rendering system transitions from a static configuration to a dynamic one by continuously adjusting the virtual position of audio sources based on the current tilt angle. This dynamic adjustment ensures that audio content adapts in real-time to match the oriented video images, resolving the inconsistency between fixed headphone output and tilted display orientation.
2Ease of operation
If integrated speakers are used, then the audio content automatically follows the tilt orientation since speakers are tilted with the display, but headphones cannot physically tilt and thus cannot maintain consistent audio orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual copy of the physical tilt orientation by calculating and applying the same tilt angle to the audio source positions in the virtual sound field. This virtual copying allows headphones to replicate the orientation effect that physically tilted speakers would produce, enabling consistent audio-video alignment without requiring physical speaker tilting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical tilting of physical speakers with a computational approach that calculates and applies orientation transformations to audio source positions. This substitution of mechanical orientation with computational virtual position adjustment enables the same effect to be achieved with headphones, which cannot physically tilt.
3Reliability
If the virtual position of the audio source is modified based on tilt angle, then the audio content remains consistent with tilted video images, but additional processing complexity is introduced to calculate and apply the position modification
Solution Approach 1:
The tilt angle detection mechanism serves multiple functions: it detects device orientation for screen rotation and simultaneously provides the transformation parameter for audio source position adjustment. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate sensing systems, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining audio-video consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calculates the relationship between tilt angles and audio source position transformations, establishing a mapping that can be directly applied during rendering. By preparing the transformation logic in advance and using straightforward angular calculations, the system minimizes real-time processing complexity while ensuring accurate audio orientation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to cause AN audio source to be modified in a manner consistent with the corresponding video images once the user and/or a display upon which the images are rendered has been tilted. In regards to a method, an initial virtual position of an audio source is determined. The method also includes determining a tilt angle that defines an angle that an apparatus embodying a display for rendering images has been tilted relative to a reference orientation of the apparatus with respect to a user of the apparatus. The method may also include modifying a virtual position of an audio source based upon the tilt angle and an initial virtual position of the audio source. The method may also include causing the audio source to be rendered in accordance with the virtual position as modified.