Virtual sound field

• US 10,382,879 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2018
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2018
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Akama, Shinichi, Seko, Shigeyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Paul
• Application Number:
  US16/177,961
• Time in Patent Office: 285 Days
• Field of Search: 381300
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/027 Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/11 Positioning of individual sound objects, e.g. moving airplane, within a sound field H04S2420/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2420/01 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 Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/305 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

Producing a virtual sound field may include receiving an audio signal associated with a remote sound source within a remote environment. The audio signal may be defined or recorded as a binaural recording and recorded from a remote set of binaural microphones. The audio signal may be indicative of a position of the remote sound source relative to the remote set of binaural microphones within the remote environment. Producing the virtual sound field may include determining a virtual position relative to the position of the remote sound source within the remote environment, generating a virtual sound field audio signal which simulates audio representing the remote sound source perceived from the virtual position within the remote environment relative to the position of the remote sound source within the remote environment, and playing back the virtual sound field to simulate the remote sound source as perceived from the virtual position.

Claims

1. A system for producing a virtual sound field, comprising:

a communication interface receiving an audio signal associated with a remote sound source within a remote environment, wherein the audio signal associated with the remote sound source is defined as a binaural recording and recorded from a remote set of binaural microphones and wherein the audio signal associated with the remote sound source is indicative of a position of the remote sound source relative to the remote set of binaural microphones within the remote environment;

a processor determining a virtual position relative to the position of the remote sound source within the remote environment and generating a virtual sound field audio signal which simulates audio representing the remote sound source perceived from the virtual position within the remote environment relative to the position of the remote sound source within the remote environment; and

a local set of binaural speakers playing the virtual sound field audio signal to simulate the remote sound source as perceived from the virtual position relative to the position of the remote sound source within a local environment associated with the system for producing the virtual sound field.

2. The system for producing the virtual sound field of claim 1, comprising a local set of binaural microphones receiving an audio signal associated with a local sound source within the local environment.

3. The system for producing the virtual sound field of claim 2,

wherein the audio signal associated with the local sound source is defined as a binaural recording and recorded from the local set of binaural microphones;

and

wherein the audio signal associated with the local sound source is indicative of the local sound source being positioned at the virtual position relative to the remote sound source.

4. The system for producing the virtual sound field of claim 1, wherein the remote set of binaural microphones include 360 degree microphones.

5. The system for producing the virtual sound field of claim 1, wherein the local environment is within a first vehicle.

6. The system for producing the virtual sound field of claim 5, wherein the remote environment is within a room or within a second vehicle.

7. The system for producing the virtual sound field of claim 1, wherein the local environment is within a helmet.

8. The system for producing the virtual sound field of claim 1, wherein the processor determines the virtual position based on a user input or a user selection.

9. The system for producing the virtual sound field of claim 1, wherein the local set of binaural speakers plays the virtual sound field audio signal based on a head related transfer function.

10. The system for producing the virtual sound field of claim 1, wherein the local set of binaural speakers plays the virtual sound field audio signal based on reflections of sound waves within the local environment.

11. A method for producing a virtual sound field, comprising:

receiving an audio signal associated with a remote sound source within a remote environment, wherein the audio signal associated with the remote sound source is defined as a binaural recording and recorded from a remote set of binaural microphones and wherein the audio signal associated with the remote sound source is indicative of a position of the remote sound source relative to the remote set of binaural microphones within the remote environment;

determining a virtual position relative to the position of the remote sound source within the remote environment;

generating a virtual sound field audio signal which simulates audio representing the remote sound source perceived from the virtual position within the remote environment relative to the position of the remote sound source within the remote environment; and

playing back the virtual sound field audio signal to simulate the remote sound source as perceived from the virtual position relative to the position of the remote sound source within a local environment.

12. The method for producing the virtual sound field of claim 11, comprising receiving an audio signal associated with a local sound source within the local environment.

13. The method for producing the virtual sound field of claim 12,

wherein the audio signal associated with the local sound source is defined as a binaural recording and recorded from a local set of binaural microphones;

and

wherein the audio signal associated with the local sound source is indicative of the local sound source being positioned at the virtual position relative to the remote sound source.

14. The method for producing the virtual sound field of claim 11, wherein the local environment is within a first vehicle.

15. The method for producing the virtual sound field of claim 14, wherein the remote environment is within a room or within a second vehicle.

16. The method for producing the virtual sound field of claim 11, wherein the local environment is within a helmet.

17. A system for producing a virtual sound field, comprising:

a communication interface receiving an audio signal associated with a remote sound source within a remote environment, wherein the remote sound source is a virtual sound source and the remote environment is a virtual environment, wherein the audio signal associated with the remote sound source is defined as a binaural recording and wherein the audio signal associated with the remote sound source is indicative of a position of the remote sound source relative to the remote environment;

a processor determining a virtual position relative to the position of the remote sound source within the remote environment and generating a virtual sound field audio signal which simulates audio representing the remote sound source perceived from the virtual position within the remote environment relative to the position of the remote sound source within the remote environment; and

a local set of binaural speakers playing the virtual sound field audio signal to simulate the remote sound source as perceived from the virtual position relative to the position of the remote sound source within a local environment associated with the system for producing the virtual sound field.

18. The system for producing the virtual sound field of claim 17, wherein the local environment is within a vehicle.

19. The system for producing the virtual sound field of claim 17, wherein the local environment is within a helmet.

20. The system for producing the virtual sound field of claim 17, wherein the processor determines the virtual position based on a user input or a user selection.