Virtual Reflection Surfaces for Real-Time Stereophonic Sound
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for generating stereophonic sound in virtual reality environments face challenges in computing room impulse responses in real time, particularly in complex virtual spaces, leading to difficulties in reproducing stereophonic sound efficiently.
Innovation Solution
An information processing method that determines the position of virtual reflection surfaces based on user position and obstacle location in the virtual space, reducing the need for complex computations by converting obstacles to reflection surfaces, and using geometrical acoustic simulation to generate room impulse responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex virtual spaces with obstacles are simulated using traditional room impulse response methods, then acoustic accuracy is improved, but processing time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex virtual space into simpler components by converting obstacles into virtual reflection surfaces. This segmentation allows the acoustic simulation to process only the essential reflective elements rather than computing full room impulse responses for entire complex geometries, thereby reducing processing time while maintaining acoustic accuracy for stereophonic sound reproduction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified copies of the acoustic environment by generating virtual reflection surfaces that replicate the acoustic behavior of obstacles. These virtual surfaces serve as computationally efficient proxies that preserve the essential acoustic properties needed for stereophonic sound without requiring full-fidelity simulation of complex obstacle geometries
2Productivity
If real-time stereophonic sound reproduction is implemented in complex virtual spaces, then user experience is improved, but computational load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential acoustic information needed for stereophonic sound reproduction by converting obstacles into virtual reflection surfaces. This extraction process removes unnecessary computational complexity while retaining the key acoustic properties required for real-time sound field synthesis in virtual reality environments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the representation parameters of obstacles from detailed geometric models to simplified virtual reflection surface parameters. This parameter transformation reduces computational complexity by replacing complex obstacle geometry computations with simpler surface reflection calculations, enabling real-time processing while maintaining acoustic fidelity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces processing time and load required to reproduce stereophonic sound, allowing for real-time generation of acoustic virtual environments with improved accuracy and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
using geometrical acoustic simulation to generate room impulse responses
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing method includes: obtaining spatial information indicating a shape of a virtual space including an obstacle and a sound source object that emits a predetermined sound; obtaining position information indicating a position and an orientation of a user in the virtual space; and generating an acoustic virtual environment by determining, based on the position and the orientation of the user and a position of the obstacle in the virtual space, a position of a virtual reflection surface off which the predetermined sound is reflected in the virtual space.