DETERMINING INDIVIDUALIZED HEAD-RELATED TRANSFER FUNCTIONS

• US 20120183161A1
• Filed: 09/03/2010
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Agevik, Markus, Nyström, Martin
• Application Number:
  US13/203,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20120183161A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/005 For headphones
• 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 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

A device may include capturing images of one or more body parts of a user via a camera, determining a three-dimensional model of the one or more body parts based on the captured images, obtaining a head-related transfer function that is generated based on the three-dimensional model, and storing the head-related transfer function in a memory.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing images of one or more body parts of a user via a camera;

determining a three-dimensional model of the one or more body parts based on the captured images;

obtaining a head-related transfer function that is generated based on the three-dimensional model; and

storing the head-related transfer function in a memory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the head-related transfer function and an audio signal to a remote device that applies the head-related transfer function to the audio signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the three dimensional model includes:

performing image recognition to identify, in the captured images, one or more body parts.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the three-dimensional model includes:

sending captured images or three-dimensional images to a remote device to select or generate the head-related transfer function at the remote device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input for selecting one of the one or more body parts of the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a key;

using the key to retrieve a corresponding head-related transfer function from the memory;

applying the retrieved head-related transfer function to an audio signal to produce an output signal; and

sending the output signal to two or more speakers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining a key includes:

obtaining information corresponding to an identity of the user.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the audio signal.

9. A device comprising:

transceiver to;

send information pertaining to a body part of a user to a remote device,

receive a head-related transfer function from the remote device, and

send an output signal to speakers;

a memory to;

store the head-related transfer function received via the transceiver; and

a processor to;

provide the information pertaining to the body part to the transceiver,

retrieve the head-related transfer function from the memory based on an identifier,

apply the head-related transfer function to an audio signal to generate the output signal, and

provide the output signal to the transceiver.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the information pertaining to the body part includes one of:

images of the body part, the images captured via a camera installed on the device;

or

a three-dimensional model of the body part, the model obtained from the captured images of the body part.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the remote device is configured to at least one of:

determine the three-dimensional model of the body part based on the images;

or

generate the head-related transfer function based on the three-dimensional model of the body part.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the remote device is configured to at least one of:

select one or more of head-related transfer functions based on a three-dimensional model obtained from the information;

obtain a head-related transfer function by generating the head-related transfer function or selecting the head-related transfer function based on the three-dimensional model;

or

tune an existing head-related transfer function by applying at least one of a finite element method, finite difference method, finite volume method, or boundary element method.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the speakers include a pair of headphones.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the body part includes at least one of:

ears;

a head;

a torso;

a shoulder;

a leg;

or a neck.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the device comprises:

a tablet computer;

mobile phone;

laptop computer;

or personal computer.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive user input that selects the audio signal.

17. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

a three-dimensional (3D) camera that receives images from which the information is obtained.

18. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

perform image recognition of the body part in the images.

19. A device comprising:

logic to;

capture images of a body part;

determine a three-dimensional model based on the images;

generate a head-related transfer function based on information pertaining to the three-dimensional model;

apply the head-related transfer function to an audio signal to generate an output signal; and

send the output signal to remote speakers.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising a database to store head-related transfer functions, wherein the logic is further configured to:

store the head-related transfer function in the database;

obtain a key; and

retrieve the head-related transfer function from the database using the key.