Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for providing sound in a spatial environment

US6154549A · kind A · utility

122Cited by
19References
44Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 2, 1997
Grant dateNov 28, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 2, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04S2400/11
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing sound in a spatial environment is provided. Control is provided over the perceived position of sound sources, including perceived positions behind the listener or listeners. The invention is effective for multiple simultaneous listeners distributed throughout the spatial environment. The invention provides techniques for real-time interaction with graphic images, computer game controls, or other computer-based events. The invention provides control over the relative amplitude of signals provided to each of a plurality of spatially diverse transducers. By controlling the relative amplitudes of signals applied to each of the transducers, the present invention provides control over the perceived position of sound sources in a spatial environment with respect to one or more listeners. Attenuation parameters may be stored in a table, indexed by the spatial region to which they apply, and used to adjust the relative amplitude of each of the transducers used to produce a sound.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.