Virtual Sound Source Mirroring for Early Reflections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current models for simulating early reflections in virtual reality and augmented reality applications are complex and computationally intensive, leading to reduced accuracy and quality due to the generation of duplicate virtual sound sources and high computational burdens.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for determining virtual sound sources representing reflections in a room by iteratively mirroring sound sources around room boundaries, with selection criteria to prevent duplicate sources and reduce complexity, allowing for efficient generation of accurate early reflections models.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If sound source mirroring is performed for all boundaries in each iteration, then complete coverage of reflection paths is achieved, but duplicate virtual sound sources are generated and computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The algorithm segments the set of boundaries by tracking which boundaries have been processed in previous iterations. It divides the mirroring operation into two parts: boundaries that have been processed (and thus should not be processed again) and boundaries that have not been processed (and should be processed). This segmentation prevents duplicate virtual sound sources while maintaining complete coverage of all unique reflection paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The algorithm performs preliminary tracking of processed boundaries before executing the mirroring operation in each iteration. By maintaining a record of which boundaries have already been used for mirroring, the system prepares in advance to avoid redundant computations, thereby reducing computational complexity while preserving accuracy.
2Reliability
If iterative sound source mirroring is performed without tracking processed boundaries, then all possible reflection paths are considered, but computational resources are wasted on duplicate sources
Solution Approach 1:
The algorithm implements feedback by continuously monitoring and recording which boundaries have been processed in previous iterations. This feedback mechanism informs subsequent iterations about the state of boundary processing, enabling the system to skip redundant mirroring operations while ensuring that all unique reflection paths are eventually covered, thus improving computational efficiency without sacrificing completeness.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple iterations of boundary mirroring are performed, then higher order reflections are captured, but the number of virtual sound sources increases exponentially
Solution Approach 1:
The algorithm segments the exponential growth of virtual sound sources by tracking which boundaries have been processed. Instead of generating all possible combinations of mirrored sources, it systematically processes only unique boundary sequences, thereby capturing higher order reflections with significantly fewer virtual sound sources than the exponential growth would otherwise require.
Data Source
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AI summary
An acoustic image source model for early reflections in a room is generated by iteratively mirroring (305) rooms around boundaries (e.g. walls) of rooms of the previous iteration. The boundaries around which to mirror in each iteration is determined (303) by a specific selection criterion including requiring that mirror directions cannot be reversed, cannot be in an excluded direction and cannot be repeated unless in a continuous series of mirrorings.