Sound control apparatus, program, and control method

• US 9,055,157 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyazawa, Yusuke, Okumura, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kurr, Jason R
• Application Number:
  US13/487,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20120328137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 381/309, 381/310, 381/311, 381/74, 381/370, 381/306, 381/104, 381/107, 705/14.58, 705/14.64, 700/94, 463/35
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• 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 7/304 For headphones

Abstract

An apparatus may include a hardware processor and a storage medium. The storage medium may be coupled to the processor, and may store instructions. When executed by the processor, the instructions may cause the apparatus to receive a direction signal indicating a first direction in which a head of a user is facing with respect to a fixed direction. The instructions may also cause the apparatus to convert the first direction in which the head is facing with respect to the fixed direction into a second direction in which the head is facing with respect to a third direction, connecting the head and an object. Additionally, the instructions may cause the apparatus to generate an audio signal having characteristics such that a sound generated from the audio signal is perceived by the user as arriving from the third direction.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a hardware processor; and

a storage medium coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

receive a direction signal indicating a first direction in which a head of a user is facing with respect to a fixed direction;

convert the first direction in which the head is facing with respect to the fixed direction into a second direction in which the head is facing with respect to a third direction, connecting the head and an object; and

generate an audio signal having characteristics such that a sound generated from the audio signal is perceived by the user as arriving from the third direction,

wherein the storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to generate the audio signal such that the sound generated from the audio signal indicates first information about the object, and

wherein the storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

receive a movement signal indicating a movement of the head; and

selectively generate the audio signal such that the sound generated from the audio signal indicates second information about the object based on the movement signal, wherein content of the second information supplements the first information about the object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a direction sensor configured to generate the direction signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to generate the audio signal such that the sound generated from the audio signal indicates the second information when the movement signal indicates the head is nodded.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to generate the audio signal such that the sound generated from the audio signal indicates the second information when (i) the movement signal indicates the head is nodded and (ii) the direction signal indicates the head is facing the object.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a movement sensor configured to generate the movement signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising an antenna for receiving radio waves, wherein the storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to receive the first and second information from another apparatus via the antenna.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive a head position signal indicating a position of the head;

receive an object position signal indicating a position of the object; and

selectively generate the audio signal when a distance between the position of the head and the position of the object is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold distance.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to generate the audio signal such that a volume of the sound generated from the audio signal corresponds to the distance between the position of the head and the position of the of object.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, comprising an antenna for receiving radio waves, wherein the storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to receive the object position signal from another apparatus via the antenna.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to generate the audio signal such that the sound generated from the audio signal has a higher volume when the head faces the object than when the head does not face the object.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising one of headphones or earphones configured to receive the audio signal and generate the sound from the audio signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the object is a virtual object; and

the storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to position the virtual object in space.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving a direction signal indicating a first direction in which a head of a user is facing with respect to a fixed direction;

converting the first direction in which the head is facing with respect to the fixed direction into a second direction in which the head is facing with respect to a third direction, connecting the head and an object; and

generating an audio signal having characteristics such that a sound generated from the audio signal is perceived by the user as arriving from the third direction, wherein the generating the audio signal is such that the sound generated from the audio signal indicates first information about the object;

receiving a movement signal indicating a movement of the head; and

generating the audio signal such that the sound generated from the audio signal indicates second information about the object based on the movement signal, wherein content of the second information supplements the first information about the object.

14. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to:

receive a direction signal indicating a first direction in which a head of a user is facing with respect to a fixed direction;

convert the first direction in which the head is facing with respect to the fixed direction into a second direction in which the head is facing with respect to a third direction, connecting the head and an object; and

generate an audio signal having characteristics such that a sound generated from the audio signal is perceived by the user as arriving from the third direction,

wherein the storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, generate the audio signal such that the sound generated from the audio signal indicates first information about the object, and

wherein the storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, that cause;

reception of a movement signal indicating a movement of the head; and

selective generation of the audio signal such that the sound generated from the audio signal indicates second information about the object based on the movement signal, wherein content of the second information supplements the first information about the object.