US 10,652,398 B2 · Systems and methods to disrupt phase cancellation effects when using headset devices

Abstract

In applications where assisted listening headphones are worn inside of a theater, phase cancellation effects cause the headset wearer to perceive the audio as reduced in volume and distorted. These undesirable phase cancellation effects may be disrupted through preprocessing or real time processing of the headset audio track by summing acoustical noise with the original headset audio track and providing this altered audio track to the headset. The acoustical noise is modulated such that it is imperceptible to the headset wearer while at the same time disrupting undesirable phase cancellation effects, which would otherwise occur if the headset audio track was provided unaltered. Thus, the preprocessing of the headset audio preserves the integrity of the intended headset audio, as perceived by the headset wearer, in headsets worn in a theater environment.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A headset audio preprocessing method comprising:

storing an audio track in memory of a mobile computing device;
receiving in a microphone of the mobile computing device, contemporaneously played back audio;
synchronizing playback of the stored audio track with the contemporaneously played back audio;
acquiring acoustic noise by determining a volume unit (VU) level of the stored audio track, adjusting the VU level of the stored audio track to a volume unit level of the acquired acoustic noise by lowering the VU level of the acquired acoustic noise for quiet sections of the audio track and raising the VU level of the acquired acoustic noise for louder sections of the audio track;
and,
summing the acquired acoustic noise with the synchronized playback of the stored audio track in order reduce phase cancelation effects present in the synchronized playback of the stored audio track.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods to disrupt phase cancellation effects when using headset devices

Life of this patent

Systems and methods to disrupt phase cancellation effects when using headset devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10