Binaural Audio Navigation Using Short Range Wireless Transmission from Bilateral Earpieces to Receptor Device System and Method

• US 20180073886A1
• Filed: 09/12/2017
• Published: 03/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Ilse, Maximilian, Boesen, Peter Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 10,598,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/32 for obtaining desired directional characteristic only specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/11 Positioning of individual sound objects, e.g. moving airplane, within a sound field H04S2420/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/304 For headphones

Abstract

A method for providing binaural audio navigation with a set of earpieces including a left earpiece and a right earpiece is provided. The method includes obtaining a generalized position of a user of the set of the earpieces, obtaining a destination for the user of the set of the earpieces, sensing head orientation and movement with inertial sensors of the set of earpieces, applying a binaural synthesis algorithm using the generalized position, a destination, head orientation and movement to create a plurality of virtual sound sources, and transducing binaural audio based on the virtual sound sources at speakers within the set of the earpieces in order to provide binaural audio navigation to the user. The plurality of virtual sound sources may include a main virtual sound source providing a continuous audio cue. The plurality of virtual sources may include auditory landmark cues.

Claims

1. A method for providing binaural audio navigation with a set of earpieces including a left earpiece and a right earpiece, the method comprising:

obtaining a generalized position of a user of the set of the earpieces;

obtaining a destination for the user of the set of the earpieces;

sensing head orientation and movement with inertial sensors of the set of earpieces;

applying a binaural synthesis algorithm using the generalized position, a destination, head orientation and movement to create a plurality of virtual sound sources;

transducing binaural audio based on the virtual sound sources at speakers within the set of the earpieces in order to provide binaural audio navigation to the user;

wherein the plurality of virtual sound sources includes a main virtual sound source providing a continuous audio cue;

wherein the plurality of virtual sources includes auditory landmark cues.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the generalized position of the user of the set of the earpieces is a global positioning system (GPS) location.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the applying the binaural synthesis algorithm is performed using a processor of at least one of the left earpiece and the right earpiece.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of virtual sound sources further includes a continuous virtual source indicative of a compass direction.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the compass direction is a magnetic north pole direction.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising changing the destination to a subsequent destination and repeating steps of claim 1.

6. A method for providing binaural audio navigation with a set of earpieces including a left earpiece and a right earpiece, the method comprising steps of:

obtaining a generalized position of a user of the set of the earpieces;

obtaining a destination for the user of the set of the earpieces;

sensing head orientation and movement with inertial sensors of the set of earpieces;

applying a binaural synthesis algorithm using the generalized position, a destination, head orientation and movement to create a plurality of virtual sound sources;

transducing binaural audio based on the virtual sound sources at speakers within the set of the earpieces in order to provide binaural audio navigation to the user, wherein the plurality of virtual sound sources include a main virtual sound source providing a continuous audio cue; and

determining that the user has arrived at the destination and turning off the main virtual sound source providing the continuous audio cue.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of virtual sources includes auditory landmark cues.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing a voice prompt indicative of the user arriving at the destination when the user has arrived at the destination.