Audio user interface with selective audio field expansion
First Claim
1. An audio user-interfacing method in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining, for each said sound source, an associated rendering position at which the sound source is normally to be synthesized to sound in the audio field;
(b) modifying said rendering positions of the sound sources to angularly dilating dilate a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference by modifying and to adjust said rendering positions of some of the sound sources outside said region to accommodate that region; and
(c) generating, using audio output devices, an audio field in which said sound sources, including those outside said region as well as inside, are synthesized at their associated modified rendering positions after any modification effected by step (b).
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Accused Products
Abstract
An audio user interface is provided in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate. The interface is generated by apparatus that includes functionality for determining for each sound source, a rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field. To facilitate discrimination between the synthesized sound sources, the sound-source rendering positions are adjusted such that the audio field is dilated in a region of the audio field about a focus reference; this focus reference is, for example, the current direction of facing of the user or the position of an audio cursor in the audio field.
63 Citations
49 Claims
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1. An audio user-interfacing method in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining, for each said sound source, an associated rendering position at which the sound source is normally to be synthesized to sound in the audio field; (b) modifying said rendering positions of the sound sources to angularly dilating dilate a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference by modifying and to adjust said rendering positions of some of the sound sources outside said region to accommodate that region; and (c) generating, using audio output devices, an audio field in which said sound sources, including those outside said region as well as inside, are synthesized at their associated modified rendering positions after any modification effected by step (b). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An audio user-interfacing method in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining for each sound source a rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field, these positions being such that the audio field is angularly dilated in a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference; (b) generating an audio field in which said sound sources, including those outside said region as well as inside, are synthesized at their associated rendering positions; (c) moving the focus reference relative to the audio field thereby changing which sound sources are present in the region of the audio field subject to angular dilation. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. Apparatus for providing an audio user interface in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the apparatus comprising:
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rendering-position determining means for determining, for each said sound source, an associated rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field; position-modifying means for modifying said rendering positions of at least some of the sound sources to angularly dilate a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference and to adjust the rendering positions of sound sources outside said region to accommodate that region; and rendering means, including audio output devices, for generating an audio field in which said sound sources, including those outside said region as well as inside, are synthesized at their associated rendering positions, as modified, after any modification by the position-modifying means, to provide sounds related to the items concerned. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. Apparatus for providing an audio user interface in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the apparatus comprising:
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a rendering-position determining arrangement arranged to determine, for each said sound source, an associated rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field; a position-modifying arrangement arranged to modify said rendering positions of some of the sound sources to angularly dilate a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference and to adjust the rendering positions of sound sources outside said region to accommodate that region; and a rendering subsystem, including audio output devices, arranged to generate an audio field in which said sound sources, including those outside said region as well as inside, are synthesized at their associated rendering positions, after any modification as modified, by the position-modifying arrangement, to provide sounds related to the items concerned. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. Apparatus for providing an audio user interface in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the apparatus comprising:
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a rendering-position determination arrangement arranged to determine for each sound source a rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field, these positions being such that the audio field is angularly dilated in a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference; a rendering subsystem, including audio output devices, arranged to generate an audio field in which said sound sources, including those outside said region as well as inside, are synthesized at their associated rendering positions; and input functionality for moving the focus reference relative to the audio field thereby changing which sound sources are present in the region of the audio field subject to angular dilation.
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46. An audio user-interfacing method in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining, for each said sound source, an associated rendering position at which the sound source is normally to be synthesized to sound in the audio field; (b) angularly dilating a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference by modifying said rendering positions of at least some of the sound sources; (c) generating, using audio output devices, an audio field in which said sound sources are synthesized at their associated rendering positions after any modification effected by step(b); and (d) compensating for the angular dilation of said region by subjecting, during step (b), at least a portion of the audio field outside of said region to angular compression.
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47. An audio user-interfacing method in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining for each sound source a rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field, these positions being such that the audio field is angular dilated in a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference; (b) compensating for the angular dilation of said region by generating an audio field outside of said region in which said sound sources are synthesized at their associated rendering positions; and (c) moving the focus reference relative to the audio field thereby changing which sound sources are present in the region of the audio field subject to angular dilation.
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48. Apparatus for providing an audio user interface in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the apparatus comprising:
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rendering-position determining means for determining, for each said sound source, an associated rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field; position-modifying means for modifying said rendering positions of at least some of the sound sources to angularly dilate a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference, the position-modifying means being arranged to modify the rendering positions of at least some of the sound sources outside of said region such that at least a portion of the audio field outside of said region is subject to angular compression; and rendering means, including audio output devices, for generating an audio field in which said sound sources are synthesized at their associated rendering positions, after any modification by the position-modifying means, to provide sounds related to the items concerned.
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49. Apparatus for providing an audio user interface in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate, the apparatus comprising:
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a rendering-position determining arrangement arranged to determine, for each said sound source, an associated rendering position at which the sound source is to be synthesized to sound in the audio field; a position-modifying arrangement arranged to modify said rendering positions of at least some of the sound sources to angularly dilate a region of the audio field set relative to a focus reference, the position-modifying arrangement being arranged to modify the rendering positions of at least some of the sound sources outside of said region such that at least a portion of the audio field outside of said region is subject to angular compression; and a rendering subsystem, including audio output devices, arranged to generate an audio field in which said sound sources are synthesized at their associated rendering positions, after any modification by the position-modifying arrangement, to provide sounds related to the items concerned.
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Specification