AUGMENTED REALITY ENHANCED AUDIO

• US 20090262946A1
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Dunko, Gregory A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

A device and method for providing augmented reality enhanced audio. The device is portable and may include a location processing module capable of receiving location information and determining a location of the device in an environment, an orientation processing module capable of determining an orientation of the device at the location, a processor capable of modifying audio content based on the location of the device in the environment and the orientation of the device at the location, and an audio output device capable of outputting the modified audio content. The orientation of the device includes an azimuth and an elevation of the device.

Claims

1. A method for augmented reality enhanced audio comprising:

obtaining audio content by a device;

modifying the audio content by the device, the audio content being modified based on a location of the device in an environment and an orientation of the device at the location; and

outputting the modified audio content by the device.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising moving the device from the location to a different location in the environment;

modifying the obtained audio content responsive to the moving the device to the different location and an orientation of the device at the different location; and

outputting the modified audio content by the device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising obtaining audio content from one of a source in the device or at least one external source.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising obtaining audio content from at least one external source located one of within the environment or outside the environment.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the orientation of the device further comprises at least one of an azimuth of the device, an elevation of the device, or a tilt of the device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the audio content comprising a sound, and a loudness of the sound.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the loudness of the sound varying based on the location of the device in the environment and the orientation of the device at the location.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the loudness of the sound being based on a location of a source of the sound within the environment relative to the location of the device in the environment.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving at the device the audio content, information on a source of at least one sound in the audio content, and a location of the source of the at least one sound within the environment.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein a user of the device determines at least one of a sound in the audio content, a source of a sound in the audio content or a location of a source of a sound within the environment.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising scaling audio content associated with a first environment to a second environment when the device is located in the second environment.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving the audio content at the device upon the device entering the environment.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a user of the device assigning a location in a new environment to a source of a sound in the audio content obtained by the device.

15. The device according to claim 13, further comprising an input interface, the input interface being capable of receiving the audio content.

16. The device according to claim 13, further comprising a storage device, the storage device being capable of storing the audio content.

17. The device according to claim 13, wherein the device comprises one of a mobile phone, a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an electronic game device, or an audio device.

18. The device according to claim 13, wherein the location information comprises at least one of GPS coordinates of the location of the device, a distance of the device from a sound source in the environment, position information of the device, or triangulation information of the device.

19. The device according to claim 13, wherein the determining the orientation of the device at the location comprises determining an azimuth, an elevation and a tilt of the device.

20. The device according to claim 13, wherein the audio output device comprises at least one of a headset, earplugs, or at least one speaker.

14. A device for augmented reality enhanced audio comprising:

a location processing module, the location processing module being capable of receiving location information and determining a location of the device in an environment;

an orientation processing module, the orientation processing module being capable of determining an orientation of the device at the location;

a processor, the processor being capable of modifying audio content based on the location of the device in the environment and the orientation of the device at the location; and

an audio output device, the audio output device being capable of outputting the modified audio content.