Headset Audio Mixing for Overwhelmed Game Sound Perceptibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional audio processing systems for gaming fail to effectively manage audio levels, leading to loud sounds overwhelming important game sounds, which can distract players and hinder their gaming experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for dynamic control of game audio based on audio analysis, where a gaming device, such as a headset, receives multiple audio channels, determines when one sound overwhelms another, and adjusts the audio levels to improve the perceptibility of the overwhelmed sound, by muting or decreasing the level of the overwhelming sound and maintaining or increasing the level of the overwhelmed sound.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional audio processing systems are used, then the system complexity is low, but loud sounds overwhelm important game sounds reducing audio clarity
Solution Approach 1:
The audio processing system dynamically adjusts the volume levels of different audio channels in real-time based on the detected audio content. The system continuously monitors audio signals and modifies channel levels adaptively, transitioning from static conventional audio processing to dynamic context-aware processing, thereby improving audio clarity without requiring overly complex fixed architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the output audio analysis is fed back into the audio processing pipeline. The audio analysis unit detects prominent sounds and feeds this information back to the audio channel mixer, which then adjusts the mixing parameters accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that continuously optimizes audio clarity based on real-time conditions
2Loss of information
If audio levels are statically managed, then the ease of operation is high, but important game sounds become indistinguishable from background noise
Solution Approach 1:
The audio processing system performs self-adjustment by automatically analyzing the audio content and modifying channel levels without requiring manual user intervention. The audio analysis unit and channel mixer work autonomously to detect prominent sounds and adjust the mixing parameters, eliminating the need for users to manually configure audio settings while preserving important game sounds
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes audio processing parameters, specifically the volume levels of different audio channels, based on the detected audio content. When a prominent sound is detected in a specific channel, the system adjusts the mixing parameters to reduce that channel's volume or mute it temporarily, thereby preventing audio information loss without requiring complex user configuration
3Object-affected harmful factors
If all audio channels are played at full volume, then the productivity of audio output is high, but distracting sounds interfere with game immersion
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and identifies prominent distracting sounds from the audio mix using audio analysis. When a distracting sound is detected in a specific audio channel, the system selectively mutes or reduces the volume of that particular channel while maintaining the output levels of other channels, thereby removing the harmful distracting element without reducing the overall effectiveness of the audio output
Solution Approach 2:
The audio mixing system transitions from static full-volume output to dynamic adaptive mixing. The channel mixer continuously adjusts the volume levels of different audio channels based on real-time audio analysis, temporarily reducing or muting channels containing distracting sounds while maintaining full output on channels with important game sounds, thus eliminating distractions without sacrificing audio output effectiveness
Data Source
AI summary
A headset, during play of a particular game, receives a plurality of audio channels carrying game sounds and determines whether a first of the game sounds overwhelms a second of the game sounds. In response to the determination, the headset adjusts a level of one or more of the audio channels such that perceptibility of the second game sound is improved relative to perceptibility of the first game sound prior to the adjustment, wherein for the adjustment, a level of one or more of the audio channels carrying the first game sound is decreased while a level of one or more of the audio channels carrying the second game sound is maintained or increased. The audio channels include three or more audio channels and the adjustment of the level of the audio channels is performed while the three or more audio channels are combined into two stereo channels.