Spatial Audio Beamforming for 6DoF Source Focus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spatial audio technologies, such as Ambisonics and Higher-Order Ambisonics, do not effectively modify sound gain and diffuseness based on user movement in six-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) exploration, leading to unrealistic and limiting audio experiences in virtual reality systems.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that detect a user's predetermined gesture to identify a sound source of interest, determine a directional vector, and process audio data to modify sound gain and diffuseness dynamically, using beamforming techniques to create a directional beam pattern that adapts to user position and orientation changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If spatial audio data is provided without dynamic adjustment based on user movement, then the system complexity is reduced, but the immersive experience and realism of virtual space exploration deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the audio processing adaptive and changeable based on user movement. The system dynamically adjusts gain and diffuseness parameters in real-time according to the user's orientation and position changes, transforming a static audio system into a dynamic one that responds to user interaction, thereby enhancing immersive experience without requiring complete system redesign
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring user movement and orientation data, then using this information to adjust audio parameters. The user's physical actions provide feedback that loops back to modify the audio output, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to user behavior and enhances the virtual reality experience
2Measurement precision
If gain and diffuseness are dynamically adjusted based on user orientation, then the perception of spatial audio is improved, but the computational processing required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adjusting audio parameters specifically in the direction of user interest rather than uniformly across all spatial audio data. The system modifies gain and diffuseness locally in the relevant angular sectors based on user orientation, rather than processing the entire audio field, thereby improving spatial perception while reducing computational overhead
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements parameter changes by dynamically modifying gain and diffuseness values based on user orientation and distance to sound sources. These parameter adjustments are calculated efficiently using the user's known position and orientation data, transforming static audio parameters into dynamic ones that enhance spatial perception without requiring complex real-time audio analysis
3Reliability
If beam width is adjusted based on distance to sound source, then the realism of sound source proximity is improved, but the complexity of audio processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting beam width as a function of distance to the sound source. The system calculates appropriate beam width values based on the user's distance from sound sources and dynamically modifies the directional audio processing accordingly, enhancing the realism of proximity perception through simple parameter adjustment rather than complex spatial processing
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamics by making beam width adaptive to distance changes. As the user moves closer to or farther from sound sources, the beam width dynamically adjusts to maintain realistic acoustic perception, transforming a static beamforming approach into a distance-adaptive one that enhances realism without requiring complete processing architecture changes
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, method and computer program is disclosed. The apparatus may comprise means for providing audio data for output to a user device, the audio data representing a virtual space comprising a plurality of sounds located at respective spatial locations within the virtual space, the plurality of sounds being respectively associated with a plurality of sound sources. The apparatus may also comprise means for detecting a predetermined gesture associated with a user identifying one of the plurality of sound sources to be a sound source of interest, determining a directional vector between a position of the user at a time of detecting the predetermined gesture and a position of the sound source of interest in the virtual space, and processing the audio data such that sounds at least in the direction of the directional vector are modified when output to the user device.