System and method for audio telepresence
First Claim
1. A system for recreating an aural ambience of a first location for a user at a second location, comprising:
- a directional microphone for capturing sounds at the first location;
a first computer system coupled to the directional microphone for generating a stream of data representative of the sounds;
a second computer system located at the second location, the second computer remotely coupled to the first computer via a communications medium for receiving the stream of data;
a plurality of speakers coupled to be driven by the second computer system, the plurality of speakers and the second computer for recreating the sounds from the stream of data; and
a substantially echo-free chamber located at the second location and accommodating the plurality of speakers, wherein the substantially echo-free chamber substantially reduces reflection of the recreated sounds such that the aural ambience of the first location is recreated within the substantially echo-free chamber.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for audio telepresence. The system includes a user station and a telepresence unit. The telepresence unit includes a directional microphone for capturing sounds at the remote location, and means for converting the captured sounds into a stream of data to be communicated to the user station. The user station includes means for receiving the stream of data and a plurality of speakers for recreating the sounds of the remote location. The user station and the speakers are located within an anechoic chamber where sound reflections are substantially absorbed by anechoic linings of the chamber walls. Because of the substantial lack of sound reflection within the anechoic chamber, a user within the anechoic chamber will be able to experience an aural ambience that closely resembles the sounds captured at the remote location. The user station may include microphones for capturing the user'"'"'s voice, and the telepresence unit may include speakers for projecting the user'"'"'s voice at the remote location. Feedback suppression, audio direction steering, and head-coding techniques may also be used to enhance the user'"'"'s sense of remote presence.
182 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for recreating an aural ambience of a first location for a user at a second location, comprising:
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a directional microphone for capturing sounds at the first location;
a first computer system coupled to the directional microphone for generating a stream of data representative of the sounds;
a second computer system located at the second location, the second computer remotely coupled to the first computer via a communications medium for receiving the stream of data;
a plurality of speakers coupled to be driven by the second computer system, the plurality of speakers and the second computer for recreating the sounds from the stream of data; and
a substantially echo-free chamber located at the second location and accommodating the plurality of speakers, wherein the substantially echo-free chamber substantially reduces reflection of the recreated sounds such that the aural ambience of the first location is recreated within the substantially echo-free chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A audio telepresence system, comprising:
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a telepresence unit at a first location, the telepresence unit having a directional microphone for capturing sounds at the first location, the telepresence unit further having a first computer system for generating a stream of data representative of the sounds;
a substantially echo-free chamber at a second location; and
a user station positioned within the substantially echo-free chamber and remotely coupled to the telepresence unit via a communications medium, the user station being responsive to the stream of data, the user station further comprising a plurality of speakers for recreating the sounds from the stream of data. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20)
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17. A method for recreating an aural ambience of a first location for a user at a second location, comprising:
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capturing first sounds at the first location with a directional microphone;
recreating the first sounds within a substantially echo-free chamber at the second location;
capturing second sounds within the substantially echo-free chamber with a plurality of microphones; and
recreating the second sounds at the first location.
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21. A audio telepresence system, comprising:
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a user station at a first location, the user station having a plurality of microphones including a lapel microphone for capturing a user'"'"'s voice, the user station comprising a computer system for determining a directional information of the user'"'"'s voice and for generating a stream of data representative of the user'"'"'s voice captured by the lapel microphone; and
a telepresence unit at a second location, the telepresence unit being remotely coupled to the user station to receive stream of data and the directional information, the telepresence unit providing a three dimensional representation of the user, the telepresence unit comprising a plurality of speakers for projecting the user'"'"'s voice at a direction corresponding to the direction information, the telepresence unit further comprising means for capturing audio stimuli at the second location and means for communicating the audio stimuli to the user station. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification