Virtual Positioning Patents (Class 381/310)
  • Patent number: 11681495
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for smart configuration of audio settings for a playback device. According to an embodiment, while a playback device is a part of a first zone group that includes the playback device and at least one first playback device, the playback device applies a first audio setting. The embodiment also includes the playback device joining a second zone group that includes the playback device and at least one second playback device. The embodiment further includes the playback device applying a second audio setting based on an audio content profile corresponding to the second zone group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan P. Lang
  • Patent number: 11668600
    Abstract: The invention relates to the technical fields of binaural audio rendering and, to this end, estimation of room acoustic parameters like reverberation time. In particular, the invention provides a device and method for estimating such acoustic parameters. The device is configured to record an acoustic signal, particularly a speech signal, to estimate a frequency-dependent reverberation time in a lower frequency range based on the recorded acoustic signal, and to extend the frequency-dependent reverberation time to a higher frequency range based on a predetermined model to obtain an extended frequency-dependent reverberation time. Virtual 3D audio can thus be adapted to a real room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Liyun Pang, Fons Adriaensen, Song Li, Roman Schlieper
  • Patent number: 11665499
    Abstract: A method of incorporating environmental acoustic sources into a virtual environment by measuring real environment acoustic sources and locations and incorporating them into a virtual environment with virtual acoustic sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Staton Techiya LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Walker, John Usher, John P. Keady
  • Patent number: 11653170
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for emitting a sound from an in-ear speaker worn by a subject includes generating, by an audio source of the in-ear speaker, a source audio signal. One or more speakers of the in-ear speaker may emit a sound based on the audio signal and an audio-transport tube of the in-ear speaker may receive the sound. The one or more speakers may be comprised of a singular speaker or a speaker array coupled to a crossover network. The audio-transport tube has an input end coupled to the one or more speakers to receive the sound. An audio reflector of the in-ear speaker may reflect the sound. The audio reflector is coupled to an output end of the audio-transport tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Pourazima, Israel Dejene Gebru, Dejan Markovic, James White, Steven Krenn, Matthew Stewart
  • Patent number: 11638111
    Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include receiving a signal for each channel of an audio transducer array on a wearable device. The method may also include calculating a beamformed signal for each beam direction of a set of beamforming filters for the wearable device. Additionally, the method may include classifying a first beamformed signal from the calculated beamformed signals into a first class of sound and a second beamformed signal from the calculated beamformed signals into a second class of sound. The method may also include adjusting, based on the classifying, a gain of the first beamformed signal relative to the second beamformed signal. Furthermore, the method may include converting the beamformed signals into spatialized binaural audio based on a position of a user. Finally, the method may include transmitting the spatialized binaural audio to a playback device. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jacob Ryan Donley, Vladimir Tourbabin, Peter Dodds, Ravish Mehra
  • Patent number: 11632647
    Abstract: A new real-time spatial audio rendering system includes a real-time spatial audio rendering computer software application adapted to run on a communication device. The application renders stereo audio from mono audio sources in a virtual room of a listener. The listener can be mobile. The stereo audio is rendered for each listener within the room. The real-time spatial audio rendering system has two different modes, with and without reverberation. Reverberation can provide the sense of the dimensions of the room, First, the anechoic processing module produces the anechoic stereo audio that provides the sense of direction and distance of spatial audio. When reverberation is desired, the reverberation processing module is also performed to provide the sense of the room's dimensions by the spatial audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Agora Lab, Inc.
    Inventors: Jianyuan Feng, Ruixiang Hang
  • Patent number: 11611841
    Abstract: An audio processing method includes: M first audio signals are obtained by processing a to-be-processed audio signal by M first virtual speakers; N second audio signals are obtained by processing the to-be-processed audio signal by N second virtual speakers; M first head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) centered at a left ear position and N second HRTFs centered at a right ear position are obtained; a first target audio signal is obtained based on the M first audio signals and the M first HRTFs; and a second target audio signal is obtained based on the N second audio signals and the N second HRTFs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cal Armstrong, Gavin Kearney, Bin Wang, Zexin Liu
  • Patent number: 11594232
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products of audio processing based on Adaptive Intermediate Spatial Format (AISF) are described. The AISF is an extension to ISF that allows spatial resolution around an ISF ring to be adjusted dynamically with respect to content of incoming audio objects. An AISF encoder device adaptively warps each ISF ring during ISF encoding to adjust angular distance between objects, resulting in increase in uniformity of energy distribution around the ISF ring. At an AISF decoder device, matrices that decode sound positions to the output speaker take into account the warping that was performed at the AISF encoder device to reproduce the true positions of sound sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Juan Felix Torres, David S. McGrath, Michael William Mason
  • Patent number: 11595775
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to binaural spatialization of more than two sound sources on two audio channels of an audio system. Sound signals each emitted from a corresponding sound source are collected, and a respective virtual position within an angular range of a sound scene is assigned to each sound source. Multi-source audio signals are generated by panning each sound signal according to the respective virtual position. A first multi-source audio signal is spatialized to a first direction to generate a first left signal and a first right signal. A second multi-source audio signal is spatialized to a second direction to generate a second left signal and a second right signal. A binaural signal is generated using the first left signal, the second left signal, the first right signal, and the second right signal. The binaural signal is such that each sound source appears to originate from its respective virtual position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Philip Robinson, Sebastian Elliot Chafe
  • Patent number: 11570569
    Abstract: An apparatus including at least one processor and at least one memory including computer code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: generate content lock information for a content lock, wherein the content lock information enables control of audio signal processing associated with audio signals related to one or more audio sources based on a position and/or orientation input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Sujeet Shyamsundar Mate, Adriana Vasilache, Lasse Laaksonen, Kari Jarvinen, Antti Eronen, Jussi Leppanen
  • Patent number: 11570568
    Abstract: An illustrative audio processing system identifies an experience location with which an augmented reality presentation device is associated. The experience location is included within a multizone augmented reality space that is presented by the augmented reality presentation device. The audio processing system determines that the experience location is within both a first sound zone and a second sound zone of the multizone augmented reality space, and, based on the determining that the experience location is within both the first and second sound zones, generates a binaural audio stream for presentation by the augmented reality presentation device. The binaural audio stream includes an environmental audio component implemented by a mix of a first environmental audio stream associated with the first sound zone and a second environmental audio stream associated with the second sound zone. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel Charles Mindlin, Kunal Jathal, Shan Anis
  • Patent number: 11570536
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an acoustic output apparatus. The acoustic output apparatus may include an acoustic output component and a supporting structure forming an acoustically open structure that allows the acoustic output component to acoustically communicate with the surroundings. The acoustic output component may include a plurality of acoustic drivers, each of which may be configured to output a sound with a frequency range. At least one of the acoustic drivers may include a magnetic system for generating a first magnetic field. The magnetic system may include a first magnetic component for generating a second magnetic field and at least one second magnetic component. A magnetic gap may be formed between the first magnetic component and the at least one second magnetic component. A magnetic field intensity of the first magnetic field in the magnetic gap may be greater than that of the second magnetic field in the magnetic gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Junjiang Fu, Bingyan Yan, Fengyun Liao, Xin Qi
  • Patent number: 11553296
    Abstract: A system and method of modifying a binaural signal using headtracking information. The system calculates a delay, a first filter response, and a second filter response, and applies these to the left and right components of the binaural signal according to the headtracking information. The system may also apply headtracking to parametric binaural signals. In this manner, headtracking may be applied to pre-rendered binaural audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: C. Phillip Brown, Joshua Brandon Lando, Mark F. Davis, Alan J. Seefeldt, David Matthew Cooper, Dirk Jeroen Breebaart, Rhonda Wilson
  • Patent number: 11546715
    Abstract: Audiovisual presentations, such as film recordings, may have been originally created having an audio soundtrack with multiple audio tracks mixed for a surround sound system that includes a set of speakers physically surrounding a user. The present disclosure presents systems and methods to remix these soundtracks into 3D audio that when presented to the ears of a user can be perceived as a virtual surround sound system that mimics the physical system. What is more, the disclosed systems and methods can enhance the virtual surround sound system by adjusting virtual speakers of the virtual surround sound system according to video content of the audiovisual presentation. Further enhancement may be possible by adjusting the virtual speakers of the virtual surround sound system according to a sensed position of a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Alexander James Faaborg, Lucas Ochoa
  • Patent number: 11540037
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a waterproof open earphone. The waterproof open earphone may include a housing, at least one button, at least one elastic pad, and at least one pair of speaker units. The housing may be placed on a head or at least one ear of a user while not blocking an ear canal of the user. The at least one button may be set on the housing, wherein each of the at least one button corresponds to a button hole. The at least one elastic pad may correspond to the at least one button, respectively, wherein each elastic pad prevents the corresponding button from moving relative to the button hole. Each pair of the at least one pair of speaker units may generate sound within a frequency range from two sound guiding holes through two sound guiding tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Junjiang Fu, Bingyan Yan, Fengyun Liao, Xin Qi
  • Patent number: 11520479
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure provide a plurality of audio reactions from a plurality of client devices. The audio reactions are captured by microphones on the client devices and are time-stamped. The method also includes mixing the audio reactions by a mixer server to form a mixed audio reaction, and sending the mixed audio reaction to at least one of the client devices. The client device is adapted to play the mixed audio reaction and a mass media presentation. The mixed audio reaction and the mass media presentation are synchronized to create an audience effect for the mass media presentation. The present technology also provides echo removal, volume balancing, compression, and time stamping of an audio stream by the client device. Reactions from at least one of buttons and gestures to activate synthesized sounds, for example clapping, booing, and cheering, which are mixed into the mixed audio reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: PIQPIQ, INC.
    Inventors: Edward Adam Lerner, David Leroy Futscher, James C. Allen
  • Patent number: 11521636
    Abstract: A test audio pattern is sent to the speaker of the participant computer for outputting by the speaker. A computer receives a microphone input signal from the participant computer that includes the test audio pattern outputted by the speaker of the participant computer, and any ambient noise picked up by the speaker of the participant computer. Ambient noise suppression is performed to cancel out any ambient noise in the microphone input signal picked up by the speaker of the participant computer. The test audio pattern sent to the speaker of the participant computer is compared with the noise-suppressed microphone input signal which includes the test audio pattern outputted by the speaker of the participant computer. An audio signal transform is generated from the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Inventor: Benjamin Slotznick
  • Patent number: 11516643
    Abstract: Software and computer processor implemented system and method of providing customized automated responses to different types of incoming electronic messages from various contact sources, particularly useful for preventing distracted driving or distractions at a place of work or at a place of rest and relaxation. Here the invention's software, often in the form of an app, runs on a smartphone or other computerized device configured to automatically connect to various devices, such as automobile associated Bluetooth peripherals or WiFi access points/routers. When operating, the app causes active connections to automatically trigger auto response mode in response to incoming messages. Optionally, different automated responses to be assigned to different connected device identification codes or different incoming message originators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Inventors: Loralee Hajdu, Oliver Hajdu
  • Patent number: 11510022
    Abstract: A wearable electronic device (WED) includes one or more sensors and cameras that determine a location of a physical object in a zone where the user is located and that track movement of an electronic device that moves to define a boundary of the zone. The WED includes a processor that generates binaural sound and a display that displays a virtual image of the boundary of the zone and a visual warning that notifies the user of the physical object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventors: Philip Scott Lyren, Glen A. Norris
  • Patent number: 11483651
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program is described comprising: receiving a near-field audio source signal from a near-field microphone (22); receiving a far-field audio signal from an array comprising one or more far-field microphones (23); determining a filter length of a first portion of a room impulse response filter for the near-field microphone, wherein said filter length of said first portion is the same at each of a plurality of frequency bands of the filter and wherein said filter length of said first portion includes a direct acoustic propagation delay; and determining a filter length of a second portion of the room impulse response filter at each of the plurality of frequency bands, wherein the filter length of said second portion is frequency-dependent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Anssi Rämö, Arto Lehtiniemi, Antti Eronen, Lasse Laaksonen, Joonas Nikunen
  • Patent number: 11475904
    Abstract: There is disclosed inter alia an apparatus for spatial audio signal encoding which determines at least one spatial audio parameter comprising a direction parameter with an elevation component and an azimuth component. The elevation component and azimuth component of the direction parameter are then converted to an index value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventor: Adriana Vasilache
  • Patent number: 11445322
    Abstract: This patent includes a method to generate a six dimensional audio dataset. When listening to the six dimensional audio dataset with an advanced headset disclosed in this patent, a user will enable a user to have precision sound localization and maximize the listening experience. For example, when the audio file is registered to a living room, a user would be able to sit in the “middle of the band” and if desired, reposition the instruments to different locations within the living room to change the audio experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Edwin Douglas, Kathleen Mary Douglas, David Byron Douglas
  • Patent number: 11445281
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an acoustic output apparatus. The acoustic output apparatus comprising: at least one low-frequency acoustic driver that outputs sound from at least two first sound guiding holes; at least one high-frequency acoustic driver that outputs sound from at least two second sound guiding holes; and a controller configured to cause the low-frequency acoustic driver to output sound in a first frequency range, and cause the high-frequency acoustic driver to output sound in a second frequency range, wherein the second frequency range includes frequencies higher than the first frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Junjiang Fu, Bingyan Yan, Fengyun Liao, Xin Qi
  • Patent number: 11432099
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, apparatus and systems for encoding an audio signal into a bitstream, in particular at an encoder, comprising: encoding or including audio signal data associated with 3DoF audio rendering into one or more first bitstream parts of the bitstream, and encoding or including metadata associated with 6DoF audio rendering into one or more second bitstream parts of the bitstream. The present disclosure further relates to methods, apparatus and systems for decoding an audio signal and audio rendering based on the bitstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Leon Terentiv, Christof Fersch, Daniel Fischer
  • Patent number: 11425481
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a waterproof open earphone. The waterproof open earphone may include a housing, at least one button, at least one elastic pad, and at least one pair of speaker units. The housing may be placed on a head or at least one ear of a user while not blocking an ear canal of the user. The at least one button may be set on the housing, wherein each of the at least one button corresponds to a button hole. The at least one elastic pad may correspond to the at least one button, respectively, wherein each elastic pad prevents the corresponding button from moving relative to the button hole. Each pair of the at least one pair of speaker units may generate sound within a frequency range from two sound guiding holes through two sound guiding tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Junjiang Fu, Bingyan Yan, Fengyun Liao, Xin Qi
  • Patent number: 11405738
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for processing a multichannel audio signal. A multichannel audio signal processing method may include: generating an N-channel audio signal of N channels by down-mixing an M-channel audio signal of M channels; and generating a stereo audio signal by performing binaural rendering of the N-channel audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Yong Ju Lee, Jeong Il Seo, Seung Kwon Beack, Kyeong Ok Kang, Jin Woong Kim, Jae Hyoun Yoo
  • Patent number: 11386913
    Abstract: Methods (700, 800, 900), systems (200, 300, 400, 500, 600) and computer program products are provided. Location metadata (620) associated with an audio object is received (801). The location metadata defines a position of the audio object in an audio scene. It is estimated (630, 802), based on the location metadata, whether the audio object includes dialog. A value representative of a result of the estimation is assigned (803) to an object type parameter (231). In some example embodiments, audio objects are selected (661, 662, 804) based on values of their respective of object type parameters. In some example embodiments, at least one of the selected audio objects is submitted to dialog enhancement (690, 807).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Mark William Gerrard
  • Patent number: 11337020
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising means for: obtaining an indication of a position of at least one user in real space; mapping the position of the user in real space to a position of the user in a sound space; and controlling an output audio signal, for rendering a sound scene via multiple audio channels, to provide rendering of a first sub-set of sound sources via at least a first sub-set of the multiple audio output channels and rendering a second sub-set of sound sources via at least a second sub-set of the multiple audio output channels, wherein an allocation of a plurality of sound sources to the first sub-set of sound sources or the second sub-set of sound sources is dependent upon at least a position of the user in the sound space; wherein an allocation of the multiple audio output channels to the first sub-set of the multiple audio output channels or the second sub-set of the multiple audio output channels is dependent upon available audio paths for the multiple audio output channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Jussi Leppänen, Lasse Laaksonen, Arto Lehtiniemi, Antti Eronen
  • Patent number: 11336998
    Abstract: Techniques for estimating a direction of arrival of sound in an environment are discussed. First and second audio data are received from a first pair of audio sensors associated with a vehicle. A first region of ambiguity associated with the first pair of audio sensors is determined based on the first and second audio data. Third and fourth audio data are received from a second pair of audio sensors. A second region of ambiguity associated with the second pair of audio sensors is determined based on the third and fourth audio data. The regions of ambiguity can be further based on confidence levels associated with sensor or audio data. An area of intersection of the first region of ambiguity and the second region of ambiguity can be determined. A direction of arrival of an audio event can be determined based on the area of intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkata Subrahmanyam Chandra Sekhar Chebiyyam, Nam Gook Cho, Nathan Duarte, Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha
  • Patent number: 11330372
    Abstract: Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to orientation-aware surround sound playback. A method for processing audio on an electronic device that includes a plurality of loudspeakers is disclosed, the loudspeakers arranged in more than one dimension of the electronic device. The method includes, responsive to receipt of a plurality of received audio streams, generating a rendering component associated with the plurality of received audio streams, determining an orientation dependent component of the rendering component, processing the rendering component by updating the orientation dependent component according to an orientation of the loudspeakers and dispatching the received audio streams to the plurality of loudspeakers for playback based on the processed rendering component. Corresponding system and computer program products are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Xuejing Sun, Guilin Ma, Xiguang Zheng
  • Patent number: 11317236
    Abstract: An example device includes a memory configured to store at least one spatial component and at least one audio source within a plurality of audio streams. The device also includes one or more processors coupled to the memory. The one or more processors are configured to receive, from motion sensors, rotation information. The one or more processors are configured to rotate the at least one spatial component based on the rotation information to form at least one rotated spatial component. The one or more processors are also configured to reconstruct ambisonic signals from the at least one rotated spatial component and the at least one audio source, wherein the at least one spatial component describes spatial characteristics associated with the at least one audio source in a spherical harmonic domain representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Ferdinando Olivieri, Taher Shahbazi Mirzahasanloo, Nils Günther Peters
  • Patent number: 11308707
    Abstract: Provided is an automatic grading method including calculating a first strain ratio between a three-dimensional (3D) source avatar and a 3D target avatar, determining a mapping relationship between 3D source garment draped over the source avatar and a body portion of the source avatar, converting the source garment into 3D target garment draped over the target avatar, based on the first strain ratio and the mapping relationship, and outputting a two-dimensional (2D) target pattern constituting the target garment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: CLO VIRTUAL FASHION INC.
    Inventor: Seungwoo Oh
  • Patent number: 11310616
    Abstract: A method for decoding a bitstream by an apparatus, includes obtaining a decoded audio signal and metadata from the bitstream, the metadata comprising scene orientation information; and rendering the decoded audio signal based on the scene orientation information, wherein the scene orientation information is information for a direction of a video scene related to the decoded audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Tung Chin Lee, Sejin Oh
  • Patent number: 11302339
    Abstract: An apparatus for spatial audio signal decoding associated with a plurality of speaker nodes (201, 203, 205, 207, 209) placed within a three dimensional space, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to determine a non-overlapping virtual surface arrangement (400), the virtual surface arrangement (400) comprising a plurality of virtual surfaces (421, 423, 431, 433) with corners positioned at at least three speaker nodes of the plurality of speaker nodes (201, 203, 205, 207, 209) and sides connecting pairs of corners configured to be non-intersecting with at least one defined virtual plane within the three dimensional space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Mikko-Ville Laitinen, Juha Tapio Vilkamo, Tapani Pihlajakuja, Antti Johannes Eronen
  • Patent number: 11290836
    Abstract: A electronic device displays an image that has sound. One or more processors process the sound for the image into binaural sound for a user. The binaural sound has a sound localization point (SLP) with a coordinate location that occurs behind the image while the image is located a near-field distance from a head of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventors: Glen A. Norris, Philip Scott Lyren
  • Patent number: 11284213
    Abstract: An audio system processes a multi-channel input audio signal into a stereo signal for left and right speakers, while preserving the spatial sense of the sound field of the input audio signal. The multi-channel input audio signal includes a first left-right channel pair including a left input channel and a right input channel, and a second left-right channel pair including a left peripheral input channel and a right peripheral input channel. Subband spatial processing may be applied to the first and second left-right channel pairs. A first crosstalk processing is applied to the first left-right channel pair to generate first crosstalk processed channels. A second crosstalk processing is applied to the second left-right channel pair to generate second crosstalk processed channels. A left output channel and a right output channel are generated from the first and second crosstalk processed channels. The crosstalk processing may include crosstalk cancellation or crosstalk simulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Boomcloud 360 Inc.
    Inventor: Zachary Seldess
  • Patent number: 11284194
    Abstract: One or more embodiments include techniques for generating audio for a speaker system worn by a listener. The speaker system analyzes an audio input signal to determine that a sound component of the audio input signal has an apparent location that is at a vertical distance from a listener. The speaker system selects an externally facing speaker included in the speaker system that faces at least partially upward or at least partially downward based on the vertical distance from the listener. The speaker system transmits the sound component to the externally facing speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Stefan Marti, Joseph Verbeke
  • Patent number: 11240621
    Abstract: A specification of a mesh of filters may be defined on a grid in a three-dimensional space presented in a user interface. A plurality of sound tracks may be determined, wherein each of the sound tracks is associated with a corresponding sound source that may be represented in the three-dimensional space along with a listener. Responsive to user configuration of a position of the listener and/or positions of the sound sources in the three-dimensional space, a plurality of filters may be selected based on the mesh of filters and the positions of the sound sources and the listener in the three-dimensional space. Each of the filters may be applied to a corresponding one of the plurality of sound tracks to generate a plurality of filtered sound tracks and the three-dimensional sound may be generated based on the plurality of filtered sound tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: LI CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Qi Li, Yin Ding, Jorel Olan, Jason Thai
  • Patent number: 11240596
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for directing the audio output of a wearable device having a plurality of speakers. In one implementation, the system may include an image sensor configured to capture one or more images from an environment of the user of the wearable apparatus, a plurality of speakers, and at least one processing device. The at least one processing device may be configured to analyze the one or more images to determine at least one indicator of head orientation of the user of the wearable apparatus, select at least one of the plurality of speakers based on the at least one indicator of head orientation, and output the audio to the user of the wearable apparatus via the selected at least one of the plurality of speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: OrCam Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Yonatan Wexler, Amnon Shashua
  • Patent number: 11234095
    Abstract: An audio system (e.g., of an artificial reality headset) determines a position of the headset relative to a position of a head of a user wearing the headset. The determination is based in part on an image of a portion of the head from a tracking camera (e.g., eye tracking and/or face tracking) on the headset. The audio system adjusts an acoustic parameter based in part on the determined position of the headset. The audio system performs an action that uses the adjusted acoustic parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sang-Ik Cho, Pablo Francisco Faundez Hoffmann, Karol Constantine Hatzilias, Gregory Olegovic Andreev
  • Patent number: 11190897
    Abstract: An electronic device identifies a location of a physical object that is away from a listener. The electronic device convolves sound so the sound externally localizes as binaural sound to the physical object. The sound plays to the listener through earphones so the listener hears the sound as emanating from the physical object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Inventors: Glen A. Norris, Philip Scott Lyren
  • Patent number: 11134356
    Abstract: A speech providing device includes a memory that stores instructions, and a processor that executes the instructions. The instructions cause the processor to perform acquiring a position of a user and a direction that the user is facing, and providing a speech corresponding to an area existing in a direction that the user is facing on the basis of the position of the user, to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignees: Yamaha Corporation, Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Jun Usui, Yukio Tada, Takahiro Asano, Toru Kamiwada, Hiroki Uchida, Tomomi Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11115773
    Abstract: An audio system and a method of using the audio system to generate a head-related transfer function (HRTF) map, are described. The audio system can determine one or more HRTF and corresponding HRTF locations along an azimuthal path of an azimuth extending around a head of a user. The HRTFs or HRTF locations can be measured, and other HRTFs or HRTF locations can be interpolated or extrapolated. The HRTF map can include the HRTFs assigned to HRTF locations along the azimuth. HRTFs from the HRTF map are used to render spatial audio to the user. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Darius A. Satongar, Martin E. Johnson, Peter Victor Jupin, Jonathan D. Sheaffer
  • Patent number: 11109179
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a signal processing device, method, and program that can improve encoding efficiency. A signal processing device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires reverb information including at least one of space reverb information specific to a space around an audio object or object reverb information specific to the audio object and an audio object signal of the audio object; and a reverb processing unit that generates a signal of a reverb component of the audio object on the basis of the reverb information and the audio object signal. The present technology can be applied to a signal processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Honma, Minoru Tsuji, Toru Chinen
  • Patent number: 11096006
    Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include capturing, via a headset microphone of a speaker's artificial reality device, voice input of a speaker in communication with a listener in an artificial reality environment. The method may include detecting a pose of the speaker within the artificial reality environment and determining a position of the speaker relative to a position of the listener within the artificial reality environment. The method may further include processing, based on the pose and the relative position of the speaker within the artificial reality environment, the voice input to create a directivity-attuned voice signal for the listener, and delivering the directivity-attuned voice signal to an artificial reality device of the listener. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Philip Robinson
  • Patent number: 11089422
    Abstract: A sound signal processor includes a memory storing instructions and a processor configured to implement the stored instructions to execute a plurality of tasks, the tasks including a receiving task configured to receive audio information, a sound source position setting task configured to set position information of a sound source based on the received audio information, and a sound image localization processing task configured to calculate an output level of a sound signal of the sound source for a plurality of speakers to thereby perform sound image localization processing of the sound source to localize a sound image of the sound source in a sound image localization position based on the set position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiko Suyama, Ryotaro Aoki, Tatsuya Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 11062714
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an ambisonic encoder for a sound wave having a plurality of reflections. The ambisonic encoder according to the invention makes it possible to improve the sensation of immersion in a 3D audio scene. The complexity of encoding of the reflections of sound sources for an ambisonic encoder according to the invention is less than the complexity of encoding of the reflections of sound sources of an ambisonic encoder according to the prior art. The ambisonic encoder according to the invention makes it possible to encode a greater number of reflections of a sound source in real time. The ambisonic encoder according to the invention makes it possible to reduce the power consumption related to ambisonic encoding, and to increase the life of a battery of a mobile device used for said application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Mimi Hearing Technologies Gmbh
    Inventor: Pierre Berthet
  • Patent number: 11057729
    Abstract: A communication device includes a processor; a radio interface for connection to a radio unit; and an output interface; wherein the processor is configured to: obtain a first position signal indicative of first position of a first source; obtain a user position signal indicative of position of the user; obtain a direction signal indicative of a head direction of the user; determine a first angle between the head direction and a first direction from the user to the first source; determine a first filter function based on the first angle; apply the first filter function to a first audio signal for provision of a first left output signal and a first right output signal; and output a left signal and a right signal, wherein the left signal is based on the first left output signal, and wherein the right signal is based on the first right output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: GN Hearing A/S
    Inventors: Casper Silbo Raft, Søren Christian Voigt Pedersen
  • Patent number: 11044555
    Abstract: An apparatus, electronic device, method and computer program wherein the apparatus includes: processing circuitry; and memory circuitry including computer program code, the memory circuitry and the computer program code configured to, with the processing circuitry, enable the apparatus to perform: obtaining spatial information relating to a captured sound field from a first set of microphones; obtaining one or more signals from a second set of microphones where the one or more signals relate to the captured sound field; and using the obtained spatial information from the first set of microphones to process the one or more signals obtained from the second set of microphones; wherein the first set of microphones is provided within an electronic device and the second set of microphones is provided external to the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Juha Vilkamo, Jussi Virolainen
  • Patent number: 10984197
    Abstract: An information transmission device includes: a determining unit that determines a situation of an interlocutor who interacts with a user; and a transmission unit that transmits, to the user, information to be provided according to the situation of the interlocutor determined by the determining unit. In a further modification of the invention, the determining unit may determine a situation related to a body or conversation of the interlocutor as the situation of the interlocutor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Sato, Kengo Tokuchi