System for rendering and playback of object based audio in various listening environments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11178503-B2
Application number	US-202016947928-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2020
Priority date	Aug 31, 2012
Publication date	Nov 16, 2021
Grant date	Nov 16, 2021

Abstract

Embodiments are described for a system of rendering object-based audio content through a system that includes individually addressable drivers, including at least one driver that is configured to project sound waves toward one or more surfaces within a listening environment for reflection to a listening area within the listening environment; a renderer configured to receive and process audio streams and one or more metadata sets associated with each of the audio streams and specifying a playback location of a respective audio stream; and a playback system coupled to the renderer and configured to render the audio streams to a plurality of audio feeds corresponding to the array of audio drivers in accordance with the one or more metadata sets.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling an audio system of an audio environment, the method comprising:
automatically determining loudspeaker location data, the loudspeaker location data indicating a loudspeaker location of each of a first plurality of loudspeakers in the audio environment, each loudspeaker including one or more drivers;
receiving, from each of the first plurality of loudspeakers, loudspeaker profile information including acoustic characteristics for each of the one or more drivers of each loudspeaker;
automatically determining a listener position of a listener in the audio environment;
receiving audio data corresponding to spatial audio-based sound;
receiving audio signals from one or more microphones in the audio environment, wherein at least one of the one or more microphones is integrated with a loudspeaker;
determining audio environment characteristic data based, at least in part, on the audio signals;
rendering the audio data based, at least in part, on the loudspeaker location data, the loudspeaker profile information and the listener position, to produce rendered audio data;
calibrating the rendering based, at least in part, on the audio environment characteristic data; and
providing the rendered audio data to two or more loudspeakers of the first plurality of loudspeakers.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving control signals from the loudspeaker.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending control signals to or more loudspeakers of the first plurality of loudspeakers.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each loudspeaker of a second plurality of loudspeakers of the audio environment includes at least one integrated microphone.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising grouping the loudspeakers into clusters based, at least in part, on audio signals received from integrated microphones of the second plurality of loudspeakers.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the calibrating is performed, at least in part, by one or more loudspeakers of the audio environment.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rendering is performed, at least in part, by one or more loudspeakers of the audio environment.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rendering comprises dynamic virtualization.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that an additional loudspeaker has been added to the audio environment, the additional loudspeaker including one or more drivers;
automatically determining additional loudspeaker location data indicating a location of the additional loudspeaker; and
receiving, from the additional loudspeaker, additional loudspeaker profile information including acoustic characteristics for each of the one or more drivers of the additional loudspeaker; and
adjusting the rendering of the audio data based, at least in part, on the additional loudspeaker location data and the additional loudspeaker profile information.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that a loudspeaker of the audio environment has been disconnected; and
adjusting the rendering of the audio data based, at least in part, on disconnection of the loudspeaker.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing an automatic room equalization process that involves one or more of automatic spectral equalization, automatic time-delay compensation, automatic level-setting, or bass redirection.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the drivers in the audio environment are individually addressable drivers and wherein providing the rendered audio data involves providing differently rendered audio data to each of the individually addressable drivers.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the individually addressable drivers is associated with a unique identifier and wherein the unique identifier is defined within a communication protocol of an audio environment network.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically determining the loudspeaker location data is based, at least in part, on microphone signals received from one or more microphones in the audio environment.

15. One or more non-transitory media having software stored thereon, the software including instructions for controlling one or more devices to perform a method for controlling an audio system of an audio environment, the method comprising:
automatically determining loudspeaker location data, the loudspeaker location data indicating a loudspeaker location of each of a first plurality of loudspeakers in the audio environment, each loudspeaker including one or more drivers;
receiving, from each of the first plurality of loudspeakers, loudspeaker profile information including acoustic characteristics for each of the one or more drivers of each loudspeaker;
automatically determining one or more listener positions in the audio environment;
receiving audio data corresponding to spatial audio-based sound;
receiving audio signals from one or more microphones in the audio environment, wherein at least one of the one or more microphones is integrated with a loudspeaker;
determining audio environment characteristic data based, at least in part, on the audio signals;
rendering the audio data based, at least in part, on the loudspeaker location data, the loudspeaker profile information and the one or more listener positions, to produce rendered audio data;
calibrating the rendering based, at least in part, on the audio environment characteristic data; and
providing the rendered audio data to two or more loudspeakers of the first plurality of loudspeakers.

16. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises receiving control signals from the loudspeaker.

17. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises sending control signals to or more loudspeakers of the first plurality of loudspeakers.

18. The one or more non-transitory media of claim 15 , wherein automatically determining the loudspeaker location data is based, at least in part, on microphone signals received from one or more microphones in the audio environment.

19. A method for controlling an audio system of an audio environment, the method comprising:
automatically determining loudspeaker location data, the loudspeaker location data indicating a loudspeaker location of each of a first plurality of loudspeakers in the audio environment, each loudspeaker including one or more drivers;
receiving, from each of the first plurality of loudspeakers, loudspeaker profile information including acoustic characteristics for each of the one or more drivers of each loudspeaker;
automatically determining a listener position of a listener in the audio environment;
receiving audio data corresponding to spatial audio-based sound;
rendering the audio data based, at least in part, on the loudspeaker location data, the loudspeaker profile information and the listener position, to produce rendered audio data;
providing the rendered audio data to two or more loudspeakers of the first plurality of loudspeakers;
determining that an additional loudspeaker has been added to the audio environment, the additional loudspeaker including one or more drivers;
automatically determining additional loudspeaker location data indicating a location of the additional loudspeaker; and
receiving, from the additional loudspeaker, additional loudspeaker profile information including acoustic characteristics for each of the one or more drivers of the additional loudsp

Assignees

• Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corp

Inventors

• Mehta Sripal S
• Crockett Brett G
• Hooks Spencer
• Seefeldt Alan
• Chabanne Christophe
• Brown C Phillip
• Lando Joshua B
• Basler Brad
• Murrie Stewart

Classifications

• H04S2420/01

  Enhancing the perception of the sound image or of the spatial distribution using head related transfer functions [HRTF's] or equivalents thereof, e.g. interaural time difference [ITD] or interaural level difference [ILD] · CPC title

• H04S2420/03

  Application of parametric coding in stereophonic audio systems · CPC title

• H04S7/30 Primary

  Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field · CPC title

• H04R5/02

  Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04S2400/11

  Positioning of individual sound objects, e.g. moving airplane, within a sound field (H04S2420/13 takes precedence) · CPC title