Targeted sound detection and generation for audio headset

• US 8,199,942 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mao, Xiadong
• Primary Examiner(s): San Martin, Edgardo
• Application Number:
  US12/099,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20090252355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• Field of Search: 381/309, 381/311, 381/74, 381/122, 381/370, 381/375, 381/376, 381/186
• US Class Current: 381/309
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

In an audio headset having one or more far-field microphones mounted to the headset; and one or more speakers mounted to the headset environmental sound may be recorded using the one or more far-field microphones and mixed with source media sound to produce a mixed sound. The mixed sound may then be played over the one or more speakers.

Claims

1. In an audio headset having two or more far-field microphones mounted to the headset;

and one or more speakers mounted to the headset, a method for sound detection and generation, the method comprising;

recording environmental sound using the two or more far-field microphones;

using coherence based sound-detection technology to calculate the direction-of-arrival of the environmental sound recorded by the two or more far-field microphones;

mixing the environmental sound with source media sound to produce a mixed sound that retains the direction-of-arrival of the environmental sound; and

playing the mixed sound over the one or more speakers.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the two or more far-field microphones include two or more far-field microphones and the one or more speakers include two or more speakers.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein mixing the environmental sound with source media sound includes generating a multi-channel sound that includes the ambient room sounds.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the multi-channel sound includes five sound channels.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the two or more speakers include five or more speakers.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the source media sound includes sound generated by a television system, home theater system, stereo system, digital video recorder, video cassette recorder, video game console, portable music or video player or handheld video game device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the two or more far-field microphones are configured to detect ambient noise originating outside the headset.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing noise reduction on the environmental sound after it has been recorded and before mixing it with the source media sound.

9. An audio system, comprising:

a headset, adapted to mount to a user'"'"'s head, having two or more far-field microphones mounted to the headset; and

one or more speakers mounted to the headset,

a processor coupled to the two or more far-field microphones and the one or more speakers;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a set of processor-executable instructions embodied in the memory, wherein the instructions are configured, when executed by the processor to implement a method for sound detection and generation, wherein the method comprises;

recording environmental sound using the two or more far-field microphones;

using coherence based sound-detection technology to calculate a direction-of-arrival of the environmental sound recorded by the two or more far-field microphones;

mixing the environmental sound with source media sound to produce a mixed sound that retains the direction-of-arrival of the environmental sound; and

playing the mixed sound over the one or more speakers.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the two or more far-field microphones include two or more far-field microphones and the one or more speakers include two or more speakers.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein mixing the environmental sound with source media sound include multi-channel sound that includes the ambient room sounds.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the multi-channel sound includes five sound channels.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the processor is located on a console device, the system further comprising a wireless transceiver on the console device coupled to the processor, a wireless transmitter mounted to the headset coupled to the two or more far-field microphones, and a wireless receiver mounted to the headset coupled to the one or more speakers.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the two or more far-field microphones are configured to detect environmental sounds originating outside the headset.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the two or more far-field microphones are configured to detect environmental sounds originating outside the headset while a user is wearing the headset.

16. An audio headset, comprising:

a headpiece adapted to mount to a user'"'"'s head;

two or more far-field microphones mounted to the headpiece; and

one or more speakers mounted to the headpiece;

wherein the headset is configured to record environmental sound using the two or more far-field microphones, use coherence based sound detection technology to calculate a direction-of-arrival of the environmental sound recorded by the two or more far-field microphones, mix the environmental sound with source media sound to produce a mixed sound that retains the direction-of-arrival of the environmental sound, and play the mixed sound over the one or more speakers.

17. The audio headset of claim 16 wherein the two or more far-field microphones are configured to detect environmental sounds originating outside the headset.

18. The audio headset of claim 16 wherein the two or more far-field microphones are configured to detect environmental sounds originating outside the headset while a user is wearing the headset.

19. The audio headset of claim 16, further comprising a wireless transmitter mounted to the headpiece and coupled to the two or more far-field microphones.

20. The audio headset of claim 18, further comprising a wireless receiver mounted to the headpiece and coupled to the one or more speakers.