SEMI-PRIVATE COMMUNICATION IN OPEN ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20120120218A1
• Filed: 11/15/2010
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Flaks, Jason S., Bar-Zeev, Avi
• Granted Patent: US 10,726,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/77
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/02166 Microphone arrays; Beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/028 using properties of sound source
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1066 Game playing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/65 related to applications where calls are combined with other types of communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2203/12 Beamforming aspects for stereophonic sound reproduction with loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation

Abstract

A system and method providing semi-private conversation using an area microphone between one local user in a group of local users and a remote user. The local and remote users may be in different physical environments, using devices coupled by a network. A conversational relationship is defined between a local user and a remote user. The local user'"'"'s voice is isolated from other voices in the environment, and transmitted to the remote user. Directional output technology may be used to direct the local user'"'"'s utterances to the remote user in the remote environment.

Claims

1. A method of providing a semi-private conversation between a local user and a remote user, comprising:

receiving voice input from at least a first user of at least two users in a first physical environment via an area microphone;

localizing a voice in the first physical environment;

associating a voice with the first user;

isolating utterances of the first user in the first environment; and

directing the isolated utterances of the first user in the first environment to a second user in a second physical environment.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of tracking user locations in the physical environment and focusing the area microphone on the user location.

3. The method of claim 2 further including tracking user location by detecting user location in a field of view of a depth camera.

4. The method of claim 3 further including the step of recording a voice print of the user and associating the voice print with a skeletal model of the user.

5. The method of claim 1 further including the step of determining a conversational relationship between the first user and a user in the second physical environment.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the conversational relationship comprises the first user and a second user acting as teammates in a game.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further includes receiving isolated utterances from the second user in the second physical environment and routing the utterances to the first user in the first physical environment.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein routing comprises providing isolated utterances from the second user to a directional output aimed at the first user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of localization includes combining spatial filtering with regularization on the input to provide at least two outputs.

10. A system including at least a motion capture system and an audio input, comprising:

a motion capture device including at least one area microphone;

a processing device including instructions causing the processing device to;

localizing a voice received via the capture device from a first user of a plurality of users in a first physical environment;

associating the voice with the first user;

isolating utterances of the first user in the first environment; and

directing the isolated utterances of the first user in the first environment to a second user in a second environment; and

a directional audio output device coupled to the processing device directing audio output from a remote user.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the instructions further include tracking at least a first local user and a second local user in a first physical environment, each local user having a conversational relationship with a remote user in a second physical environment

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the instructions further include receiving isolated utterances from the second user in the second physical environment and routing the utterances to the first user in the first physical environment.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the directional output comprises an array of ultrasonic speakers.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the directional output comprises at least a first movable speaker and a second movable speaker.

15. A method providing a semi-private communications between local users and remote users, the local users and remote users connected via a network, comprising:

tracking at least a first local user and a second local user in a first physical environment, each local user having a conversational relationship with a remote user in a second physical environment;

associating a voice source with the first local user and the second local user;

isolating utterances of the first local user;

routing isolated utterances of the first user in the first environment to a first remote user in the second environment;

isolating utterances of the second local user; and

routing the isolated utterances of the second user in the first environment to a second remote user in the second environment.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the steps of isolating includes combining spatial filtering with regularization on the input to provide an isolated output.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the method further includes the step of tracking user locations in the physical environment and focusing the area microphone on the user location.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein routing comprises providing the isolated utterances from the second user to a directional output aimed at the first user.

19. The method of claim 18 further including the step of receiving isolated utterances from the first remote user in the second physical environment and routing the utterances to the first local user in the first physical environment.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein at least one of the first remote user and the second remote user utilizes a headset.