Dual Audio Rendering for Shared VR Headphone and Loudspeaker Playback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual and augmented reality applications face challenges in providing an optimal user experience due to high computational resource requirements and suboptimal audio rendering, especially in social or shared experiences where users in the same location are acoustically isolated by individual headphones, diminishing the social aspect and making it difficult to dynamically adapt audio reproduction to individual head movements.
Innovation Solution
An audio apparatus that combines loudspeaker and headphone rendering techniques, using a selector to determine the appropriate renderer based on audio rendering property indicators, allowing for personalized and consistent audio experiences while maintaining social interaction among users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual headphones are used for audio reproduction in VR/AR applications, then personalized and immersive audio experience is improved, but social interaction among users in the same location deteriorates due to acoustic isolation
Solution Approach 1:
The audio reproduction system is segmented into two distinct paths: a first renderer for loudspeaker output and a second renderer for headphone output. The selector divides audio elements between these two paths based on the audio rendering property indicator, allowing different audio content to be delivered through different channels simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
Different audio elements are assigned different rendering qualities based on their intended use. Audio elements marked with the first audio rendering property indicator are rendered with localized headphone output for immersive personal experience, while those with the second indicator are rendered with omnidirectional loudspeaker output for social sharing.
2Reliability
If headphones are used for audio reproduction, then personalized audio experience is improved, but device complexity and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically selects between two rendering paths based on the audio rendering property indicator embedded in the audio data. This dynamic selection allows the system to adapt its complexity level - using the simpler loudspeaker renderer when appropriate and the more sophisticated headphone renderer only when personalized audio is required.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio reproduction apparatus is designed to perform multiple functions through a single unified system. The same apparatus can deliver both personalized headphone audio and shared loudspeaker audio, making it universally applicable to different social and immersive scenarios without requiring separate dedicated systems.
3Reliability
If audio rendering is adapted to individual head movements, then immersive experience is improved, but adaptability to social context deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The audio scene is segmented into different types of audio elements based on their spatial and social characteristics. The selector separates these elements, directing head-tracking adapted audio to the headphone renderer for immersive personal experiences while directing social audio to the loudspeaker renderer for group interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio rendering parameters are changed based on the audio rendering property indicator. Audio elements with the first indicator receive dynamic parameter adjustment based on head movement and listener pose, while audio elements with the second indicator use fixed parameters optimized for loudspeaker reproduction and social sharing.
Data Source
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AI summary
An audio apparatus and method employ a first renderer circuit, wherein the first renderer circuit is arranged to render audio elements by generating a first set of audio signals for a set of loudspeakers; and a second renderer circuit, wherein the second renderer circuit is arranged to render audio elements by generating a second set of audio signals for headphones, and select between the first renderer circuit and the second renderer circuit such that the rendering of at least a first part of a first audio element is in response to a first audio rendering property indicator which is received in an audio signal. The first audio rendering property indicator is indicative of whether the first part of the first audio element should be rendered via the loudspeakers, or rendered via the headphones.