Teleconferencing method and apparatus with three-dimensional sound positioning
First Claim
1. A process for teleconferencing over a computer network, the network having at least first and second audio sources and at least a first audio reproduction station with at least first and second speakers, each of said first and second audio sources outputting, over said computer network, audio information coupled to source identification information, the process comprising:
- receiving, at said first audio reproduction station, first audio information and first source identification information from said first audio source, wherein said first source identification information is coupled to said first audio information such that said first audio information, when received at said first audio reproduction station, can be identified as coming from said first source, and reproducing first audio output at said first audio reproduction station, using said speakers, controlled, using said first source information in said first audio reproduction station, to simulate a location for said first audio information in a first three-dimensional location, using three-dimensional spatialization control; and
receiving, at said first audio reproduction station, second audio information and second source identification information from said second audio source, wherein said second source identification information is coupled to said second audio information such that said second audio information, when received at said first audio reproduction station, can be identified as coming from said second source, and reproducing second audio output at said first audio reproduction station, using said speakers, controlled, using said second source information, to simulate a location for said second audio information in a second three-dimensional location, different from said first location, using three-dimensional spatialization control, wherein a listener at said first audio reproduction station can identify the source of reproduced audio by its simulated location;
wherein at least one of said first and second three-dimensional locations is a location which is not along a line between said first and second speakers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer network teleconferencing system is provided in which audio signals are coupled to or associated with source indicators, such as source addresses in TCP protocol packets. Three-dimensional spatialization transforms are applied to audio data according to the source of such data so that, upon reproduction, a listener perceives different participants as being located in different spaced-apart locations within a 3-D spatialization region. Preferably, the user may select or modify the apparent location of the teleconference participants.
135 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A process for teleconferencing over a computer network, the network having at least first and second audio sources and at least a first audio reproduction station with at least first and second speakers, each of said first and second audio sources outputting, over said computer network, audio information coupled to source identification information, the process comprising:
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receiving, at said first audio reproduction station, first audio information and first source identification information from said first audio source, wherein said first source identification information is coupled to said first audio information such that said first audio information, when received at said first audio reproduction station, can be identified as coming from said first source, and reproducing first audio output at said first audio reproduction station, using said speakers, controlled, using said first source information in said first audio reproduction station, to simulate a location for said first audio information in a first three-dimensional location, using three-dimensional spatialization control; and receiving, at said first audio reproduction station, second audio information and second source identification information from said second audio source, wherein said second source identification information is coupled to said second audio information such that said second audio information, when received at said first audio reproduction station, can be identified as coming from said second source, and reproducing second audio output at said first audio reproduction station, using said speakers, controlled, using said second source information, to simulate a location for said second audio information in a second three-dimensional location, different from said first location, using three-dimensional spatialization control, wherein a listener at said first audio reproduction station can identify the source of reproduced audio by its simulated location; wherein at least one of said first and second three-dimensional locations is a location which is not along a line between said first and second speakers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A process for teleconferencing over a computer network, the network having at least first and second audio sources and at least one audio reproduction station with at least first and second speakers, the process comprising:
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outputting, from said first audio source, over said computer network, a first plurality of packets, each of said first plurality of packets containing first audio information and first source identification information, outputting, from said second audio source over said computer network, a second plurality of packets, each of said second plurality of packets containing second audio information and second source identification information; receiving, at said audio reproduction station, at least said first and second plurality of packets; using said first source information in each of said first plurality of packets, in said audio reproduction station to reproduce said first audio information to simulate a first location for said reproduced first audio information in a first three-dimensional location, using three-dimensional spatialization control; and using said second source information in each of said second plurality of packets, in said audio reproduction station, to reproduce said second audio information to simulate a second location for said reproduced second audio information in a second three-dimensional location, different from said first three-dimensional location, using three-dimensional spatialization control wherein a listener at said audio reproduction station can identify the source of reproduced audio by its simulated location; wherein at least one of said first and second three-dimensional locations is a location which is not along a line between said first and second speakers. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Apparatus for teleconferencing over a computer network, the network having at least first and second audio sources and at least one audio reproduction station with at least first and second speakers, said first audio source outputting, over said computer network, a first plurality of packets, each of said first plurality of packets containing first audio information and first source identification information, said second audio source outputting, over said computer network, a second plurality of packets, each of said second plurality of packets containing second audio information and second source identification information, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving, at said audio reproduction station, at least said first and second plurality of packets; means in said audio reproduction station, using said first source information in each of said first plurality of packets, for reproducing said first audio information to simulate a first location for said reproduced first audio information in a first three-dimensional location, using three-dimensional spatialization control; and means, using said second source information in each of said second plurality of packets for reproducing said second audio information to simulate a second location for said reproduced second audio information in a second three-dimensional location, different from said first three-dimensional location, using three-dimensional spatialization control wherein a listener at said audio reproduction station can identify the source of reproduced audio by its simulated location; wherein at least one of said first and second three-dimensional locations is a location which is not along a line between said first and second speakers.
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14. Apparatus for teleconferencing over a computer network, the network having at least first and second audio sources and at least one audio reproduction station with at least first and second speakers, said first audio source outputting, over said computer network, a first plurality of packets, each of said first plurality of packets containing first audio information and first source identification information, said second audio source outputting over said computer network, a second plurality of packets, each of said second plurality of packets containing second audio information and second source identification information, the apparatus comprising:
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a computer, at said audio reproduction station, coupled to said network to receive at least said first and second plurality of packets; said computer being programmed to; use said first source information in each of said first plurality of packets to control reproduction of said first audio information to simulate a first location for said reproduced first audio information in a first three-dimensional location, using three-dimensional spatialization control; and
touse said second source information in each of said second plurality of packets to reproduce said second audio information to simulate a second location for said reproduced second audio information in a second three-dimensional location, different from said first three-dimensional location, using three-dimensional spatialization control; wherein a listener at said audio reproduction station can identify the source of reproduced audio by its simulated location; wherein at least one of said first and second three-dimensional locations is a location which is not along a line between said first and second speakers.
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15. A software product, embodied in a computer-readable medium, for teleconferencing over a computer network, the network having at least first and second audio sources and at least one audio reproduction station with at least first and second speakers, said first audio source outputting, over said computer network, a first plurality of packets, each of said first plurality of packets containing first audio information and first source identification information, said second audio source outputting over said computer network, a second plurality of packets, each of said second plurality of packets containing second audio information and second source identification information, the software configured to control a computer at said audio reproduction station to:
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receive at least said first and second plurality of packets; use said first source information in each of said first plurality of packets to control reproduction at said first audio information to simulate a first location for said reproduced first audio information in a first three-dimensional location, using three-dimensional spatialization control; and use said second source information in each of said second plurality of packets to reproduce said second audio information to simulate a second location for said reproduced second audio information in a second three-dimensional location, different from said first three-dimensional location, using three-dimensional spatialization control; wherein a listener at said audio reproduction station can identify the source of reproduced audio by its simulated location; wherein at least one of said first and second three-dimensional locations is a location which is not along a line between said first and second speakers.
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Specification