# US 11,910,179 B2 · Generating acoustic representations of virtual objects

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,910,179 B2
- Document ID: US11910179B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/480,680
- Filed: 2021-09-21
- Published: 2023-03-23
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2021-09-21
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Mark Sobierajski
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910179B2

## CPC

- H04S 7/303: {Tracking of listener position or orientation}
- G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)}
- G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user}
- G06T 17/00: Three-dimensional [3D] modelling for computer graphics
- H04S 7/302: {Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation (H04S7/301 takes precedence)}
- H04S 2400/11: Positioning of individual sound objects, e.g. moving airplane, within a sound field (H04S2420/13 takes precedence)
- H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

Examples described herein provide a computer-implemented method that includes receiving virtual object data about a virtual object in a virtual reality environment. The method further includes determining a shape of the virtual object. The method further includes determining a pose of the virtual object in the virtual reality environment. The method further includes creating, based at least in part on the shape of the virtual object and the pose of the virtual object, an acoustic representation of the virtual object within a real-world environment using at least one electroacoustic transducer to generate acoustic signals.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving virtual object data about a virtual object in a virtual reality environment;
determining a shape of the virtual object;
determining a pose of the virtual object in the virtual reality environment;
creating, based at least in part on the shape of the virtual object and the pose of the virtual object, an acoustic representation of the virtual object within a real-world environment using at least one electroacoustic transducer to generate acoustic signals, wherein the acoustic representation includes quasi-solid surfaces formed using sound waves from the at least one electroacoustic transducer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
detecting a change of at least one of the shape of the virtual object or the pose of the virtual object; and
adjusting the acoustic representation of the virtual object within the real-world environment based at least in part on the change of at least one of the shape of the virtual object or the pose of the virtual object.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a pose of a user interacting with the virtual reality environment.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:
detecting a change of the pose of the user; and
adjusting the acoustic representation of the virtual object within the real-world environment based at least in part on the change of the pose of the user.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one electroacoustic transducer comprises a first electroacoustic transducer and a second electroacoustic transducer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the first electroacoustic transducer is disposed within the real-world environment in a known relationship to the second electroacoustic transducer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the pose of the virtual object comprises an orientation of the virtual object in the virtual reality environment and a location of the virtual object in the virtual reality environment.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the virtual object data is three-dimensional (3D) model data.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the virtual object data is computer aided design (CAD) data received from a CAD source.

### Claim 10

A system comprising:
a memory comprising computer readable instructions; and
a processing device for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the processing device to perform operations comprising:
receiving virtual object data about a virtual object in a virtual reality environment;
determining a shape of the virtual object;
determining a pose of the virtual object in the virtual reality environment;
creating, based at least in part on the shape of the virtual object and the pose of the virtual object, an acoustic representation of the virtual object within a real-world environment using at least one electroacoustic transducer to generate acoustic signals, wherein the acoustic representation includes quasi-solid surfaces formed using sound waves from the at least one electroacoustic transducer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:
detecting a change of at least one of the shape of the virtual object or the pose of the virtual object; and
adjusting the acoustic representation of the virtual object within the real-world environment based at least in part on the change of at least one of the shape of the virtual object or the pose of the virtual object.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:
determining a pose of a user interacting with the virtual reality environment.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, the operations further comprising:
detecting a change of the pose of the user; and
adjusting the acoustic representation of the virtual object within the real-world environment based at least in part on the change of the pose of the user.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one electroacoustic transducer comprises a first electroacoustic transducer and a second electroacoustic transducer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the first electroacoustic transducer is disposed within the real-world environment in a known relationship to the second electroacoustic transducer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the pose of the virtual object comprises an orientation of the virtual object in the virtual reality environment and a location of the virtual object in the virtual reality environment.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the virtual object data is three-dimensional (3D) model data.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the virtual object data is computer aided design (CAD) data received from a CAD source.

### Claim 19

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving virtual object data about a virtual object in a virtual reality environment;
determining a shape of the virtual object;
determining a pose of the virtual object in the virtual reality environment;
creating, based at least in part on the shape of the virtual object and the pose of the virtual object, an acoustic representation of the virtual object within a real-world environment using at least one electroacoustic transducer to generate acoustic signals, wherein the acoustic representation includes quasi-solid surfaces formed using sound waves from the at least one electroacoustic transducer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The computer program product of claim 19, the operations further comprising:
detecting a change of at least one of the shape of the virtual object or the pose of the virtual object; and
adjusting the acoustic representation of the virtual object within the real-world environment based at least in part on the change of at least one of the shape of the virtual object or the pose of the virtual object.