Multiuser, Geofixed Acoustic Simulations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016205488-A1
Application number	US-201514592158-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 8, 2015
Priority date	Jan 8, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for multiuser, geofixed acoustic simulations using a shared soundscape built and stored on a central server, via interfaces that also allow for live and competitive modification. A central server disseminates sound events from the soundscape to individual devices carried by users, which integrate geolocation information, head orientation information, and head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) to generate user-specific audio feeds. The audio feeds may be played through headsets so that users perceive the shared, geofixed sound events.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device for geofixed acoustic simulations comprising:
a head orientation module configured to provide information about the orientation of a user's head; and a sound event processor operatively coupled to the head orientation module and configured to:
receive a waveform and location/timing information associated with a sound event;
level-adjust the waveform based upon a distance between a geographic location associated with the device and a geographic location associated with the sound event;
apply a left-ear head-related transfer function (HRTF) to the waveform using the head orientation information to generate a left audio feed; and
apply a right-ear HRTF to the waveform using the head orientation information to generate a right audio feed.

2 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of speakers operatively coupled to receive audio feeds from the sound event processor.

3 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a location module operatively coupled to the sound event processor and configured to provide a geographic location associated with the device.

4 . The device of claim 1 wherein the sound event processor is further configured to time-adjust a waveform associated with a sound event based upon a distance between a geographic location associated with the device and a geographic location associated with the sound event.

5 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a memory, wherein the sound event processor is further configured to record a geographic location associated with the device and/or head orientation information to the memory.

6 . The device of claim 1 wherein the location/timing information comprises a geographic location and a corresponding time value.

7 . The device of claim 1 wherein the location/timing information comprises one or more vectors of geographic locations and corresponding time values.

8 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a memory configured to store feature maps, wherein the sound event processor is further configured to adjust the waveform based upon information within the feature maps.

9 . A system for multiuser, geofixed acoustic simulations, the system comprising:
a central server including:
a memory configured to store a soundscape profile defining a plurality of sound events, each of the plurality of sound events having an associated waveform, location/timing information, and trigger criteria;
a soundscape controller operatively coupled to the soundscape profile and configured to select ones of the plurality of sound events based upon the trigger criteria; and
a wireless transmitter operatively coupled to the soundscape controller to transmit information about selected sound events; and
a plurality of user devices, each of the user devices including:
a head orientation module configured to provide information about the orientation of a user's head;
a wireless receiver configured to receive information about sound events transmitted from the central server; and
a sound event processor operatively coupled to the head orientation module and configured to:
receive, using the wireless receiver, a waveform and a geographic location associated with a sound event;
level-adjust the waveform based upon a distance between a geographic location associated with the device and the geographic location associated with the sound event;
apply a left-ear head-related transfer function (HRTF) to the received waveform to generate a left audio feed; and
apply a right-ear HRTF to the received waveform to generate a right audio feed.

10 . The system of claim 9 wherein at least one of the user devices further includes a plurality of speakers operatively coupled to receive audio feeds from the sound event processor.

11 . The system of claim 9 wherein at least one of the user devices further includes a location module operatively coupled to the sound event processor and configured to provide a geographic location associated with the at least one user device.

12 . The system of claim 9 wherein the sound event processor of at least one of the user devices is further configured to time-adjust a waveform associated with a sound event based upon a distance between a geographic location associated with the at least one user device and a geographic location associated with the sound event.

13 . The system of claim 9 wherein at least one of the user devices further includes a memory, wherein the sound event processor of the at least one user device is further configured to record a geographic location associated with the at least one user device and/or head orientation information.

14 . The system of claim 9 wherein the central server further comprises an interface to enable an operator to build a soundscape profile.

15 . The system of claim 14 wherein the interface comprises a digital map tool to enable the operator to associate ones of a plurality of sound events with corresponding geographic locations.

16 . The system of claim 14 wherein the central server memory is further configured to store sound libraries, wherein the interface comprises a browser to enable the operator to select waveforms from the sound libraries to associate with ones of a plurality of sound events.

17 . The system of claim 14 wherein the interface enables the operator to associate timing information to ones of a plurality of sound events.

18 . The system of claim 14 wherein the interface enables the operator to associate trigger criteria to ones of a plurality of sound events.

19 . The system of claim 9 wherein central server comprises a wireless receiver and a user tracking module, wherein the user tracking module is configured to receive geographic locations associated with ones of the plurality of user devices using the wireless receiver.

20 . The system of claim 9 wherein at least one of the user devices further includes a memory configured to store feature maps, wherein the sound event processor of the at least one user device is further configured to adjust the waveform based upon information within the feature maps.

21 . A method comprising:
providing a soundscape profile defining a plurality of sound events, each of the sound events having an associated waveform and geographic location; receiving a waveform and a geographic location associated with a sound event; obtaining information about the orientation of a user's head; obtaining a geographic location associated with the user; level-adjusting and time-delaying the waveform based upon a distance between the geographic location associated with the user and the geographic location associated with the sound event; applying a left-ear heard-related transfer function (HRTF) to the waveform to generate a left audio feed; and applying a right HRTF to the waveform to generate a right-ear audio feeds.

Assignees

• Raytheon Bbn Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Gomez Teresa M

Classifications

• G06F3/165

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

• H04S5/00 Primary

  Pseudo-stereo systems, e.g. in which additional channel signals are derived from monophonic signals by means of phase shifting, time delay or reverberation · CPC title

• 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

• H04S1/007

  in which the audio signals are in digital form (data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02) · CPC title

• H04S7/304 Primary

  For headphones · CPC title