Multi-Source Sound Space Construction for Free Listener Positions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stereophonic technologies, such as the Ambisonics method, struggle to reproduce a sound field accurately when a sound collection device is fixed and the listener moves freely, especially when multiple sound sources are present.
Innovation Solution
A sound space construction device that acquires audio data from multiple sound sources, determines their positions, generates extraction audio data, converts it to stereophonic format, adjusts angles and distances based on the listener's position, and superimposes these sounds to create a realistic sound field at a free position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the Ambisonics method is used to reproduce a sound field in 360-degree directions, then the sound field can be reproduced at a fixed microphone position, but the sound field cannot be reproduced when the experiencer moves freely in virtual space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sound field into multiple individual sound sources, each with its own spatial characteristics. By separating the sound field into discrete sound source components, the system can independently track and reproduce each source's position and movement, enabling accurate sound field reproduction at arbitrary listener positions while maintaining 360-degree spatial awareness.
2Device complexity
If a sound collection device is fixed, then the device structure is simple, but the sound field at free positions cannot be reproduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing system that mathematically transforms the fixed microphone array's captured sound field into a virtual sound field that can be reproduced at any listener position. This intermediary computational layer allows the fixed physical device to achieve the effect of a movable sound collection system without the mechanical complexity.
3Measurement precision
If conventional Ambisonics B-format space tracking is used, then the sound field can be tracked for a single sound source, but space tracking cannot be performed when there are two or more sound sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the multi-source sound field into individual sound source components, applying space tracking independently to each source. This segmentation allows the system to maintain accurate position tracking for multiple sound sources simultaneously, overcoming the limitation of conventional Ambisonics B-format which can only track a single sound source.
Data Source
AI summary
A sound space construction device includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry acquires audio data including audio from sound sources, determines sound source positions as positions of the sound sources based on the audio data, generates pieces of extraction audio data by extracting audio represented by the audio data in regard to each sound source and generating the extraction audio data representing the extracted audio, generates stereophonic sounds corresponding to the sound sources by converting a format of the pieces of extraction audio data to a format of stereophonic audio, acquires an auditory position where audio is listened to, calculates an angle and a distance between the auditory position and each sound source position, adjusts each stereophonic sound by using the angle and the distance corresponding to each h sound source position and thereby generates adjusted stereophonic sounds as stereophonic sounds at the auditory position, and superimposes the adjusted stereophonic sounds together.