Audio user interface with selective audio field expansion
First Claim
1. An audio user-interfacing method in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining, for each said sound source, an associated rendering position at which the sound source is normally to be synthesized to sound in the audio field;
(b) modifying said rendering positions of at least some of the sound sources to dilate a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference; and
(c) generating, using audio output devices, an audio field in which said sound sources are synthesized at their associated rendering positions after any modification effected by step (b).
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Accused Products
Abstract
An audio user interface is provided in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate. The interface is generated by apparatus that includes functionality for determining for each sound source, a rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field. To facilitate discrimination between the synthesized sound sources, the sound-source rendering positions are adjusted such that the audio field is dilated in a region of the audio field about a focus reference; this focus reference is, for example, the current direction of facing of the user or the position of an audio cursor in the audio field.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. An audio user-interfacing method in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining, for each said sound source, an associated rendering position at which the sound source is normally to be synthesized to sound in the audio field;
(b) modifying said rendering positions of at least some of the sound sources to dilate a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference; and
(c) generating, using audio output devices, an audio field in which said sound sources are synthesized at their associated rendering positions after any modification effected by step (b). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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15. An audio user-interfacing method in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a)—
determining for each sound source a rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field, these positions being such that the audio field is dilated in a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference;
(b)—
generating an audio field in which said sound sources are synthesized at their associated rendering positions;
(c)—
moving the focus reference relative to the audio field thereby changing which sound sources are present in the region of the audio field subject to dilation.
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21. Apparatus for providing an audio user interface in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the apparatus comprising:
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rendering-position determining means for determining, for each said sound source, an associated rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field;
position-modifying means for modifying said rendering positions of at least some of the sound sources to dilate a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference; and
rendering means, including audio output devices, for generating an audio field in which said sound sources are synthesized at their associated rendering positions, after any modification by the position-modifying means, to provide sounds related to the items concerned. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. Apparatus for providing an audio user interface in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the apparatus comprising:
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a rendering-position determining arrangement operative to determine, for each said sound source, an associated rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field;
a position-modifying arrangement operative to modify said rendering positions of at least some of the sound sources to dilate a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference; and
a rendering subsystem, including audio output devices, arranged to generate an audio field in which said sound sources are synthesized at their associated rendering positions, after any modification by the position-modifying arrangement, to provide sounds related to the items concerned. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. Apparatus for providing an audio user interface in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the apparatus comprising:
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a rendering-position determination arrangement operative to determine for each sound source a rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field, these positions being such that the audio field is dilated in a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference;
a rendering subsystem, including audio output devices, arranged to generate an audio field in which said sound sources are synthesized at their associated rendering positions; and
input functionality for moving the focus reference relative to the audio field thereby changing which sound sources are present in the region of the audio field subject to dilation.
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Specification