Spatially-Limited Visual Highlighting for Audio Source Localization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulty in associating audio sources with specific portions of a visual scene in multimedia content, particularly in augmented and virtual reality applications, where visual and audio content are rendered simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that determine a portion of a visual scene based on the position of a sound source, enabling spatially-limited visual highlighting, with visual characteristics dynamically adapting to sound source variations, such as volume and spatial extent, for effective audio-visual synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spatial audio rendering is used to create immersive audio experiences, then audio realism is improved, but difficulty in detecting and measuring sound source positions worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies visual highlighting (analogous to color changes) to portions of the visual scene corresponding to sound sources. This visual indication changes or appears in response to detected sound sources, making their positions easily identifiable while maintaining spatial audio rendering for immersive audio experiences.
2Reliability
If visual and audio content are rendered simultaneously in VR/AR, then immersion is improved, but ease of operation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces visual highlighting as an intermediary element that mediates between the audio content and visual scene. This highlighting portion acts as a connector that helps users associate sound sources with their corresponding visual locations, making the audio-visual association process easier while maintaining simultaneous rendering of both content types.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method comprising: determining a portion of a visual scene, wherein the portion is dependent upon a position of a sound source within the visual scene; and enabling adaptation of the visual scene to provide, via a display, spatially-limited visual highlighting of the portion of the visual scene.