Dynamic Audio Focus for Wearable AR Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current audio augmented reality technologies struggle to dynamically focus on specific sounds in real-world environments, leading to a suboptimal user experience due to limitations in sound attenuation and directional audio delivery.

Innovation Solution

A wearable audio device that detects points of interest using GPS and head tracking, dynamically focuses microphones on those points to enhance audibility while attenuating other sounds, and overlays pre-recorded audio to create an immersive experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If audio augmented reality delivers all real-time content relevant to user's location and head motion, then information completeness is improved, but sound clarity in specific directions deteriorates due to lack of focused audio delivery

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidsound directionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The audio output is segmented into multiple directional channels corresponding to different spatial locations around the user. Each channel processes and delivers audio content specific to its direction, allowing the system to provide comprehensive information while maintaining clear directional sound delivery through separate processing paths for each spatial zone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If the audio device focuses on sounds from a specific direction, then sound clarity in that direction is improved, but audibility of sounds from other directions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound directionalityVSAvoidambient sound coverage

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The audio focusing system dynamically adjusts its directional focus based on real-time detection of points of interest and user head orientation. The focus direction is not fixed but changes adaptively to track relevant sound sources and maintain optimal audio delivery to the user's ears as they move or turn their heads.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from sensors detecting user head motion and location to continuously adjust the directional audio focus. This feedback loop ensures that the audio beamforming and spatial rendering remain aligned with the user's current orientation and the detected points of interest, maintaining both clarity and contextual awareness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If pre-recorded audio is output simultaneously with improved real-time sounds, then information richness is improved, but sound clarity deteriorates due to audio mixing and interference

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation richnessVSAvoidsound clarity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs periodic alternation between pre-recorded audio and real-time captured audio rather than continuous simultaneous playback. The audio output switches between these sources in time-synchronized intervals or triggers, ensuring that when pre-recorded content plays, real-time audio is attenuated, and vice versa, thereby maintaining clarity while delivering rich information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution significantly improves the audibility of relevant sounds in real-world environments, providing a unique and immersive audio AR experience by combining physical and digital audio elements, ensuring each experience is distinct from fully digital simulations.

Implementation Method 1

receiving information regarding a first position of the user, receiving information regarding a second position of the at least one point of interest, and determining, based on the received first and second positions, that the user is in the vicinity of the at least one point of interest

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGPS satellite signal reception and trilateration:

Implementation Method 2

improving audibility, in response to the detection, of sounds received in a direction of the at least one point of interest while attenuating sounds received in at least one other direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic beamforming:

Implementation Method 3

focusing one or more microphones of the audio device in the direction of the at least one point of interest to receive the sounds emanating from the point of interest, while attenuating sounds in at least one unfocused direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicrophone array directional sensitivity:

Data Source

PatentUS10506362B1Dynamic focus for audio augmented reality (AR)

Publication Date: 2019.12.10 BOSE CORP

AI summary

A method is provided for operating a wearable audio device. At least one point of interest is detected in a vicinity of a user wearing the audio device. In response to the detection, audibility of sounds received in a direction of the at least one point of interest is improved, while attenuating sounds received in at least one other direction. The improved sounds are output for delivering by the audio device to at least one ear of the user.