Audio Space Simulation Using Virtual Speaker Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio systems face challenges in accurately simulating and rendering audio objects in physical environments due to variations in space acoustics, speaker placement, and density, leading to inconsistent and artificial sound experiences.
Innovation Solution
An audio system that generates and normalizes audio signals based on virtual speaker distribution and environmental factors, using a configuration manager and playback manager to adjust audio signals dynamically, ensuring consistent volume and quality across multiple speakers, and integrating an audio localization environment to simulate audio scenes outside the physical space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If audio is presented using traditional audio systems in physical spaces, then the audio can be played through speakers, but the acoustics vary based on space size, speaker placement, and materials making it difficult to assess audio perception without actual implementation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the physical audio environment using acoustic simulation software. This virtual model replicates the acoustic properties of the physical space including speaker positions, room dimensions, and material characteristics, allowing audio perception to be assessed in the virtual environment before actual implementation without requiring physical trial-and-error
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary acoustic simulation and optimization in the virtual environment before deploying the audio system physically. Audio signals are pre-processed and optimized based on the virtual model's acoustic characteristics, allowing the physical audio system to achieve optimal performance without extensive on-site adjustment
2Reliability
If multiple speakers are used to create audio scenes, then audio coverage is improved, but volume spikes and dropouts occur due to variations in speaker density and placement
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the acoustic simulation results from the virtual environment inform the optimization of audio signals for the physical speaker system. The simulation provides feedback on how audio will propagate through the specific physical space, allowing pre-adjustment of signal levels and distribution to prevent volume spikes and dropouts before the audio is actually played
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts audio signal parameters such as volume levels, frequency content, and phase based on the virtual acoustic simulation results. By changing these parameters according to the simulated acoustic environment, the system maintains consistent audio quality across areas with varying speaker density and placement configurations
3Reliability
If audio signals are generated without virtual space simulation, then the system is simpler, but the audio experience becomes inconsistent and artificial across different environments
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual acoustic simulation system serves multiple functions: it models the physical space acoustics, predicts audio propagation, optimizes signal distribution, and validates audio scene design. This multi-functional virtual environment allows a single audio signal generation process to adapt to various physical spaces and speaker configurations, ensuring consistent audio experiences across different environments without requiring separate optimization processes for each location
Data Source
AI summary
According to some embodiments, operations may include obtaining a virtual space that includes a virtual speaker distribution of virtual speakers within the virtual space. The operations may further include obtaining an audio file that includes audio corresponding to an audio object of an audio scene and generating one or more audio signals based on the virtual speaker distribution and the audio file. In these or other embodiments, the operations may include mapping each respective virtual speaker to a respective point source in an audio localization environment that corresponds to the virtual space. In addition, the operations may include providing the one or more audio signals to an audio localization system according to the mapping of the virtual speakers to their respective point sources.