Dynamic Virtual Wall Layouts for Spatial Audio Localization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual acoustic environments face challenges in accurately simulating the geometry of real acoustic environments without prior knowledge, leading to difficulties in localizing virtual audio sources, especially when users move within or outside defined virtual rooms.
Innovation Solution
An audio system comprising earpieces, a sensing system, and a processing device that dynamically updates audio signals based on user position and orientation, using virtual walls and image audio sources to adapt the virtual acoustic environment in real-time, ensuring correct sound localization and avoiding impairments by adjusting virtual wall layouts and image source positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fixed virtual room layout is used, then the system is simple to implement, but sound localization deteriorates when users move outside the defined virtual room
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic wall layout adjustment where virtual walls are automatically repositioned based on real-time user position data from sensors. When a user moves outside the original virtual room boundaries, the system calculates new wall positions to create an expanded virtual space, ensuring continuous accurate sound localization throughout the physical environment.
2Reliability
If virtual walls are dynamically adjusted to maintain user position within virtual space, then sound localization is maintained, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors user position through sensor input and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust virtual wall positions. The processing device receives real-time position data, calculates appropriate wall repositioning, and updates the virtual acoustic environment accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that maintains localization accuracy automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or manual systems for adjusting virtual boundaries with automated computational methods. The processing device uses algorithms to calculate new wall positions based on sensor data, substituting what would otherwise require manual intervention or complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
3Measurement precision
If image audio sources are repositioned based on virtual wall layouts, then auditory cues remain accurate, but computational load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates image audio source positions based on the current virtual wall layout and user position before rendering audio. By preparing these positional calculations in advance rather than computing them in real-time during audio playback, the system reduces computational load during critical audio processing while maintaining accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
Providing a virtual acoustic environment comprises determining updates to audio signals based at least in part on information in sensor output, including, for each of multiple time intervals: determining an updated position of a wearable audio device, based at least in part on position information in the sensor output; determining layouts of at least four virtual walls, where the layouts are determined such that the updated position is within a space defined by the virtual walls; determining positions of at least four image audio sources associated with a virtual audio source, where a position of each image audio source is dependent on a layout of a corresponding one of the virtual walls and a position of the virtual audio source; and processing the audio signals using an update determined based at least in part on the respective positions of the virtual audio source and the image audio sources.