Virtual Caller Placement for Binaural Sound Localization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face challenges in integrating 3D sound localization into telecommunications, particularly in determining and displaying sound localization points (SLPs) for binaural sound, managing multiple callers, and changing SLPs during calls, without correlating image locations on the display with actual sound localization.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a user interface that displays SLPs corresponding to head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) on a device, allowing users to select and change SLPs, and convolve sound with retrieved HRTFs to accurately localize sound externally or internally, using methods like interpolation and head tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If binaural sound is used for telephone calls, then sound localization accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases due to HRTF processing and multiple SLP management
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and storing HRTF data for multiple sound localization points before actual use. During a telephone call, the system can quickly retrieve and apply the appropriate HRTF without real-time computation, thereby maintaining high localization accuracy while reducing processing complexity during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system manages complexity by parameterizing the sound localization through discrete HRTF sets corresponding to different SLPs. By changing parameters (selecting different HRTF pairs from predefined sets) rather than continuously computing complex spatial transformations, the system achieves accurate localization while controlling computational demands.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple SLPs are managed during calls, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complex SLP selection and switching
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts to different call scenarios by automatically selecting appropriate HRTF pairs based on the current situation (e.g., single caller vs. multiple callers, call state). This dynamic adaptation provides versatility while maintaining ease of operation, as users don't need to manually manage the complexity of multiple SLPs - the system handles it automatically.
3Ease of operation
If visual display of SLPs is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to display integration and coordinate mapping
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary layer that maps between the visual display coordinate system and the audio spatial coordinate system. This intermediary handles the complex coordinate transformations and SLP positioning calculations, allowing the display to show intuitive visual representations of sound locations without exposing the underlying computational complexity to the user.
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable electronic device (WED) worn on a head of a first user captures video of an environment. The WED displays, before the first user answers a telephone call from a second user, the video of the environment that includes a virtual image of the second user in the environment where a voice of the second user will externally localize as binaural sound when the first user answers the telephone call.