Directional sound modification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016165336-A1
Application number	US-201414563458-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2014
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sound modification system is disclosed that includes one or more audio sensors coupled with a processing device and arranged to detect sounds within an environment, and one or more audio output devices coupled with the processing device. The processing device operates to generate an audio signal based on sounds detected from within one or more selected directions for sound modification within the environment, and to output the generated audio signal using the one or more audio output devices. The output generated audio signal combines with the detected sounds to produce a desired sound modification.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sound modification system, comprising:
one or more audio sensors coupled with a processing device and arranged to detect sounds within an environment; one or more audio output devices coupled with the processing device, wherein the processing device operates to:
generate an audio signal based on sounds detected from within one or more selected directions for sound modification within the environment; and
output the generated audio signal using the one or more audio output devices,
wherein the output generated audio signal combines with the detected sounds to produce a desired sound modification.

2 . The sound modification system of claim 1 , wherein the desired sound modification is sound attenuation, and wherein the generated audio signal comprises a scaled, inverted copy of the sounds detected from within the one or more selected directions.

3 . The sound modification system of claim 1 , further comprising a first input device coupled with the processing device and arranged to receive selection input from a user of the sound modification system.

4 . The sound modification system of claim 3 , wherein the user specifies the one or more selected directions through an interface provided by the first input device.

5 . The sound modification system of claim 3 , wherein the first input device comprises a sensor device arranged to detect at least one of gestures and verbal commands provided by the user.

6 . The sound modification system of claim 1 , further comprising an orientation device coupled with the processing device and comprising a sensor device, wherein the orientation device operates to determine the orientation of at least one of:
the one or more audio sensors within the environment, and the one or more audio output devices within the environment, wherein the determined orientation is used to update the one or more selected directions for sound modification within the environment.

7 . The sound modification system of claim 1 , wherein the processing device further operates to generate a map of the environment that reflects the one or more selected directions for sound modification.

8 . The sound modification system of claim 7 , wherein the generated map of the environment includes one or more identified sound sources, and wherein the processing device is configured to update the map of the environment based on a relative motion of the one or more audio sensors and the one or more audio output devices, and the one or more identified sound sources.

9 . A method for directional sound modification, comprising:
receiving direction input data from an input device coupled with a processing device; selecting, using the processing device and based on the direction input, one or more directions within an environment to perform sound modification; detecting sounds from within the one or more selected directions using one or more audio sensors coupled with the processing device; generating, using the processing device, an audio signal based on the detected sounds; and outputting the generated audio signal using one or more audio output devices coupled with the processing device, wherein the output generated audio signal combines with the detected sounds to produce a desired sound modification.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the desired sound modification is sound attenuation, and wherein the generated audio signal comprises a scaled, inverted copy of the sounds detected from within the one or more selected directions.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving selection input from a user, wherein the selection input is used to determine the one or more selected directions.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving selection input from a user comprises detecting at least one of gestures and verbal commands provided by the user.

13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving orientation data from an orientation device coupled with the processing device; determining, using the processing device and based on the orientation data, the orientation of at least one of:
the one or more audio sensors within the environment, and
the one or more audio output devices within the environment; and
updating the one or more selected directions for sound modification within the environment based on the determined orientation.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising generating a map of the environment that reflects the one or more selected directions for sound modification.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising updating the map of the environment based on a motion of the one or more audio sensors or the one or more audio output devices, relative to one or more identified sound sources within the environment.

16 . A computer program product for providing directional sound modification, the computer program product comprising:
a computer-readable device having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code configured to:
select one or more directions within an environment to perform sound modification;
detect sounds from within the one or more selected directions using one or more audio sensors coupled with a processing device;
generate, using the processing device, an audio signal based on the detected sounds; and
output the generated audio signal using one or more audio output devices coupled with the processing device,
wherein the output generated audio signal combines with the detected sounds to produce a desired sound modification.

17 . The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the desired sound modification is sound attenuation, and wherein the generated audio signal comprises a scaled, inverted copy of the sounds detected from within the one or more selected directions.

18 . The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the computer-readable code is further configured to receive selection input from a user that includes at least one of gestures and verbal commands provided by the user, wherein the selection input is used to determine the one or more selected directions.

19 . The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the computer-readable code is further configured to:
determine the orientation of at least one of:
the one or more audio sensors within the environment, and
the one or more audio output devices within the environment; and
update the one or more selected directions for sound modification within the environment based on the determined orientation.

20 . The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the computer-readable code is further configured to:
generate a map of the environment that reflects the one or more selected directions for sound modification; and update the map of the environment based on a motion of the one or more audio sensors or the one or more audio output devices, relative to one or more identified sound sources within the environment.

Assignees

• Harman Int Ind

Inventors

• Di Censo Davide
• Marti Stefan

Classifications

• H04R3/12

  for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)} · CPC title

• H04R1/32 Primary

  for obtaining desired directional characteristic only {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/40)} · CPC title

• G06F3/165

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title

• H04R2203/12

  Beamforming aspects for stereophonic sound reproduction with loudspeaker arrays · CPC title

• H04S2400/11

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