Processing audio signals with head related transfer function filters and a reverberator
First Claim
1. An apparatus to process a plurality of input audio signals comprising:
- a plurality of input terminals to accept a plurality of input signals;
a multi-input, multi-output reverberator accepting the plurality of input signals and arranged to generate a set of output signals, each reverberator output signal corresponding to a direction of sound arrival in a listening environment and including delayed echo components simulating the echoes a listener is likely to hear from the corresponding direction in the listening environment, such that each input to the multi-input, multi-output reverberator generates a plurality of outputs corresponding to a plurality of directions of sound arrival; and
a multi-input, two-output filter with inputs coupled to the outputs of the reverberator, the inputs further coupled to the plurality of input terminals, one filter output for the left ear and one filter output for the right ear, the filter arranged to implement a number of head related transfer function (HRTF) filter pairs, each HRTF filter pair corresponding to an HRTF direction of arrival of sound in a listening environment, the two outputs playable through headphones, each HRTF filter pair including a left ear HRTF filter and a right ear HRTF filter, the sum of the left ear HRTF filter outputs forming the left ear output, and the sum of the right ear HRTF filter outputs forming the right ear output of the multi-input, two-output filter,wherein the reverberator includes a plurality of feedback signal paths, one for each HRTF direction for the listener, such that the coupling of the reverberator outputs to the multi-input, two-output filter couples each of the feedback signal paths to both the left ear HRTF filter and the right ear HRTF filter of a corresponding pair of the HRTF filter pairs, and wherein the reverberator further includes a multi-input, multi-output mixer with inputs coupled to the input terminals and to the outputs of the feedback signal paths, the mixer arranged to mix the plurality of inputs, the mixer outputs coupled to the feedback signal paths, the mixing describable by a non-diagonal matrix, such that at least one mixer output is generated by combining a plurality of mixer inputs,such that each direct sound corresponding to an input and every separate echo generated by a corresponding reverberator output is processed by both HRTF filters of one pair of the HRTF filter pairs such that each reverberator output is associated with a corresponding binaurally rendered direction of sound arrival,such that the listener listening to the left and right output signals in the listening environment through headphones has the sensation of listening to the plurality of input audio signals as if they are emanating from a plurality of loudspeakers spatially located at the loudspeaker locations in the listening environment.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, an apparatus, and a software product to process a plurality of input audio signals. The apparatus accepts a plurality of input signals and includes a multi-input, multi-output reverberator arranged to generate a set of output signals including delayed reverberation components simulating the reverberations a listener is likely to hear in a listening environment. The apparatus further includes a multi-input, two-output filter accepting the outputs of the reverberator and the plurality of input terminals, providing outputs for the left and right ears, and configured to implement a set of head related transfer functions corresponding to a listening environment and a set of directions of a listener in the listening environment. The apparatus is such that a listener listening to the outputs through headphones has the sensation of listening to the plurality of input audio signals as if they are emanating from a plurality of loudspeakers spatially located in the listening environment at a corresponding plurality of directions.
21 Citations
52 Claims
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1. An apparatus to process a plurality of input audio signals comprising:
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a plurality of input terminals to accept a plurality of input signals; a multi-input, multi-output reverberator accepting the plurality of input signals and arranged to generate a set of output signals, each reverberator output signal corresponding to a direction of sound arrival in a listening environment and including delayed echo components simulating the echoes a listener is likely to hear from the corresponding direction in the listening environment, such that each input to the multi-input, multi-output reverberator generates a plurality of outputs corresponding to a plurality of directions of sound arrival; and a multi-input, two-output filter with inputs coupled to the outputs of the reverberator, the inputs further coupled to the plurality of input terminals, one filter output for the left ear and one filter output for the right ear, the filter arranged to implement a number of head related transfer function (HRTF) filter pairs, each HRTF filter pair corresponding to an HRTF direction of arrival of sound in a listening environment, the two outputs playable through headphones, each HRTF filter pair including a left ear HRTF filter and a right ear HRTF filter, the sum of the left ear HRTF filter outputs forming the left ear output, and the sum of the right ear HRTF filter outputs forming the right ear output of the multi-input, two-output filter, wherein the reverberator includes a plurality of feedback signal paths, one for each HRTF direction for the listener, such that the coupling of the reverberator outputs to the multi-input, two-output filter couples each of the feedback signal paths to both the left ear HRTF filter and the right ear HRTF filter of a corresponding pair of the HRTF filter pairs, and wherein the reverberator further includes a multi-input, multi-output mixer with inputs coupled to the input terminals and to the outputs of the feedback signal paths, the mixer arranged to mix the plurality of inputs, the mixer outputs coupled to the feedback signal paths, the mixing describable by a non-diagonal matrix, such that at least one mixer output is generated by combining a plurality of mixer inputs, such that each direct sound corresponding to an input and every separate echo generated by a corresponding reverberator output is processed by both HRTF filters of one pair of the HRTF filter pairs such that each reverberator output is associated with a corresponding binaurally rendered direction of sound arrival, such that the listener listening to the left and right output signals in the listening environment through headphones has the sensation of listening to the plurality of input audio signals as if they are emanating from a plurality of loudspeakers spatially located at the loudspeaker locations in the listening environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method to process a plurality of input audio signals comprising:
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accepting a plurality of input signals; generating a set of reverberator output signals from the plurality of input signals, each reverberator output signal corresponding to a direction of sound arrival in a listening environment, the generating including forming delayed echo components that simulate the echoes a listener is likely to hear from the corresponding direction in the listening environment, such that each input generates a plurality of reverberator output signals corresponding to a plurality of directions of sound arrival; and filtering combinations of the input signals and reverberator output signals to produce two outputs, one filter output for the left ear and one filter output for the right ear, the filter implementing a number of head related transfer function (HRTF) filter pairs, each HRTF filter pair corresponding to an HRTF direction of arrival of sound in a listening environment, the two outputs playable through headphones, each HRTF filter pair including a left ear HRTF filter and a right ear HRTF filter, the sum of the left ear HRTF filter outputs forming the left ear output, and the sum of the right ear HRTF filter outputs forming the right ear output of the multi-input, two-output filter, wherein the generating of the set of reverberator output signals includes mixing the plurality of input signals, the mixing describable by a non-diagonal matrix, such that at least one mixing output is generated by combining a plurality of mixing inputs, and wherein the generating of the set of reverberator output signals includes combining the plurality of input signals with delayed filtered versions of the mixer outputs, such that the generating of the set of reverberator output signals includes providing a plurality of feedback signal paths, with at least one feedback signal path including delaying and filtering such that each direct sound corresponding to an input and every separate echo in a corresponding reverberator output signal is processed by both HRTF filters of one pair of the HRTF filter pairs, such that each reverberator output signal is associated with a corresponding binaurally rendered direction of sound arrival, such that the listener listening to the left and right output signals in the listening environment through headphones has the sensation of listening to the plurality of input audio signals as if they are emanating from a plurality of loudspeakers spatially located at the loudspeaker locations in the listening environment. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored at least one code segment that when executed by at least one processor of a processing system causes carrying out a method, the method to process a plurality of input audio signals, the method comprising:
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accepting a plurality of input signals; generating a set of reverberator output signals from a plurality of input signals, each reverberator output signal corresponding to a direction of sound arrival in a listening environment, the generating including forming delayed echo components simulating the echoes a listener is likely to hear from the corresponding direction in the listening environment, such that each input to the multi-input, multi-output reverberator generates a plurality of outputs corresponding to a plurality of directions of sound arrival; and filtering combinations of the input signals and reverberator output signals to produce two outputs, one filter output for the left ear and one filter output for the right ear, the filter implementing a number of head related transfer function (HRTF) filter pairs, each HRTF filter pair corresponding to an HRTF direction of arrival of sound in a listening environment, the two outputs playable through headphones, each HRTF filter pair including a left ear HRTF filter and a right ear HRTF filter, the sum of the left ear HRTF filter outputs forming the left ear output, and the sum of the right ear HRTF filter outputs forming the right ear output of the multi-input, two-output filter, wherein the generating of the set of reverberator output signals includes mixing the plurality of input signals, the mixing describable by a non-diagonal matrix, such that at least one mixing output is generated by combining a plurality of mixing inputs, and wherein the generating of the set of reverberator output signals includes combining the accepted inputs with delayed filtered versions of the mixer outputs, such that the generating of the set of reverberator output signals includes providing a plurality of feedback signal paths, with at least one feedback signal path including delaying and filtering, such that each direct sound corresponding to an input and every separate echo in a corresponding reverberator output signal is processed by both HRTF filters of one pair of the HRTF filter pairs such that each reverberator output signal is associated with a corresponding binaurally rendered direction of sound arrival, such that the listener listening to the left and right output signals in the listening environment through headphones has the sensation of listening to the plurality of input audio signals as if they are emanating from a plurality of loudspeakers spatially located at the loudspeaker locations in the listening environment. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An apparatus to process a plurality of input audio signals comprising:
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means for accepting a plurality of input signals; means for generating a set of reverberator output signals from a plurality of input signals, each reverberator output signal corresponding to a direction of sound arrival in a listening environment, including forming delayed echo components simulating the echoes a listener is likely to hear from the corresponding direction in the listening environment, such that each input generates a plurality of reverberator output signals corresponding to a plurality of directions of sound arrival; and means for filtering combinations of the input signals and reverberator output signals to produce two outputs, one filter output for the left ear and one filter output for the right ear, the filter implementing a number of head related transfer (HRTF) filter pairs, each HRTF filter pair corresponding to an HRTF direction of arrival of sound in a listening environment, the two outputs playable through headphones, each HRTF filter pair including a left ear HRTF filter and a right ear HRTF filter, the sum of the left ear HRTF filter outputs forming the left ear output, and the sum of the right ear HRTF filter outputs forming the right ear output of the multi-input, two-output filter, wherein the means for generating of the set of reverberator output signals is configured to mix the plurality of input signals, the mixing describable by a non-diagonal matrix, such that at least one mixing output is generated by combining a plurality of mixing inputs, and wherein the means for generating the set of reverberator output signals is configured to combine the plurality of input signals with delayed filtered versions of the mixer outputs, such that the means for generating of the set of reverberator output signals includes providing a plurality of feedback signal paths, with at least one feedback signal path including delaying and filtering, such that each direct sound corresponding to an input and every separate echo in a corresponding reverberator output signal is processed by one of the HRTF filter pairs, such that each reverberator output signal is associated with a corresponding binaurally rendered direction of sound arrival, such that the listener listening to the left and right output signals in the listening environment through headphones has the sensation of listening to the plurality of input audio signals as if they are emanating from a plurality of loudspeakers spatially located at the loudspeaker locations in the listening environment. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification