Binaural Sound Clip Playback Using Pre-Convolved HRTFs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for exchanging sound clips during electronic communication face challenges in accurately localizing 3D sound due to the lack of customized head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) and inefficient processing, leading to time-consuming transmission and resource utilization.

Innovation Solution

Pre-convolving sound clips with HRTFs before communication, using unique identifications to retrieve and play the clips without transmission, and replacing generic with customized HRTFs for correct localization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If sound clips are transmitted during electronic communication, then sound exchange is enabled, but transmission time and network bandwidth are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound exchange efficiencyVSAvoidtransmission time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-convolves sound clips with HRTFs before communication occurs, so that when sound exchange is needed during electronic communication, the processed sound clips are already ready for immediate playback. This eliminates the need for real-time convolution processing and transmission during the communication itself, thereby reducing transmission time and improving sound exchange efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If generic HRTFs are used for sound localization, then processing is simplified, but sound localization accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing complexityVSAvoidsound localization accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different HRTF processing to different users based on their individual characteristics. Each user receives sound clips convolved with their specific customized HRTFs, which are tailored to their unique head, ear, and torso anatomy. This ensures that each user experiences accurate sound localization appropriate to their individual physiology, rather than using a one-size-fits-all generic HRTF approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If sound clips are convolved with customized HRTFs, then sound localization accuracy is improved, but processing resources and time are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound localization accuracyVSAvoidprocessing resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs the computationally intensive convolution of sound clips with customized HRTFs in advance, before the electronic communication takes place. This preliminary processing allows the system to use customized HRTFs for accurate sound localization without consuming excessive processing resources during the actual communication, as the heavy computational work has already been completed beforehand.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12425795B2Playing binaural sound clips during an electronic communication

Publication Date: 2025.09.23 IP3 2025 SERIES 925 OF ALLIED SECURITY TRUST I

AI summary

A method plays sound clips in binaural sound to users during an electronic communication between two or more users. A processor convolves the sound clips with HRTFs so the sound externally localize away from a head of the user listening to the sound clip. The sound clips play to users during the electronic communication without transmitting the sound clips to electronic devices of the users.