# US 12,015,909 B2 · Method and system for head-related transfer function adaptation

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- Number: US 12,015,909 B2
- Document ID: US12015909B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/637,674
- Filed: 2020-09-04
- Published: 2022-09-01
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-05
- Assignees: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
- Applicants: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
- Inventors: Xiaonan Han; Shao-Fu Shih; Jianwen Zheng; Ming Zhou
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015909B2

## CPC

- H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type}
- H04S 7/304: {For headphones}
- G10K 11/17817: {between the output signals and the error signals, i.e. secondary path}
- G10K 11/17823: {Reference signals, e.g. ambient acoustic environment}
- G10K 11/17825: {Error signals}
- G10K 11/17833: {by using a self-diagnostic function or a malfunction prevention function, e.g. detecting abnormal output levels}
- G10K 11/17854: {the filter being an adaptive filter}
- G10K 11/17881: {the reference signal being an acoustic signal, e.g. recorded with a microphone}
- 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)}
- G10K 2210/1081: Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets
- G10K 2210/3012: Algorithms
- G10K 2210/3022: Error paths
- G10K 2210/3026: Feedback
- G10K 2210/3027: Feedforward
- H04R 2460/01: Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
- H04S 2420/01: Enhancing the perception of the sound image or of the spatial distribution using head related transfer functions [HRTF's] or equivalents thereof, e.g. interaural time difference [ITD] or interaural level difference [ILD]
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)
- H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS
- G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

The disclosure provides a method and a system for head-related transfer function (HRTF) adaptation. The method includes performing a system identification. The system identification includes a pinna identification and a shadowing identification.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for head-related transfer function (HRTF) adaptation, comprising:
performing a system identification, the system identification comprising a pinna identification and a shadowing identification; and
performing a system compensation based on an adapted HRTF obtained from the system identification;
wherein the system compensation comprises generating an HRTF rendering matrix based on an output of the pinna identification and the shadowing identification.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the pinna identification comprises:
obtaining an adapted HRTF from an ear reference point (ERP) to an ear entrance point (EEP);
performing curve fitting to obtain a compensation curve of the HRTF, based on the adapted HRTF; and
multiplying an audio signal in a frequency domain (FD) by the compensation curve of the HRTF.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the compensation curve is an inversed function of the HRTF.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the pinna identification is implemented by a feedback loop of an active noise canceller (ANC) including an adapted controller.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the shadowing identification is implemented by a feedforward loop of an active noise canceller (ANC) including an adapted controller.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the shadowing identification comprises:
inputting a first audio signal received from a reference microphone and a second audio signal received from an error microphone into an adapted controller, and obtaining an adapted HRTF.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising: performing a system compensation by a hybrid output of the adapted HRTF obtained from the pinna identification and the adapted HRTF obtained from the shadowing identification.

### Claim 8

A system for head-related transfer function (HRTF) adaptation, comprising:
a memory configured to store computer-readable instructions; and
a processor configured to perform a system identification when executing the computer-readable instructions, the system identification comprising a pinna identification and a shadowing identification,
wherein the processor is further configured to perform a system compensation based on an adapted HRTF obtained from the system identification, and
wherein the processor is further configured to generate an HRTF rendering matrix based on an output of the pinna identification and the shadowing identification.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to perform the pinna identification by:
obtaining an adapted HRTF from an ear reference point (ERP) to an ear entrance point (EEP);
performing curve fitting to obtain a compensation curve of the HRTF based on the adapted HRTF; and
multiplying an audio signal in a frequency domain (FD) by the compensation curve.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the compensation curve is an inversed function of the HRTF.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to implement the pinna identification by a feedback loop of an active noise canceller (ANC) including an adapted controller.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to implement the shadowing identification by a feedforward loop of an active noise canceller (ANC) including an adapted controller.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to perform the shadowing identification by:
inputting a first audio signal received from a reference microphone and a second audio signal received from an error microphone into an adapted controller, and
obtaining an adapted HRTF.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to perform a system compensation based on a hybrid output of the adapted HRTF obtained from the pinna identification and the adapted HRTF obtained from the shadowing identification.

### Claim 15

A computer-program product embodied in a non-transitory computer read-able medium that is programmed for providing for head-related transfer function (HRTF) adaptation speech separation and being executed by a processor, the computer-program product comprising instructions for:
performing a system identification, the system identification comprising a pinna identification and a shadowing identification, and
performing a system compensation based on an adapted HRTF obtained from the system identification;
wherein the system compensation comprises generating an HRTF rendering matrix based on an output of the pinna identification and the shadowing identification.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computer-program product of claim 15, wherein the pinna identification comprises:
obtaining an adapted HRTF from an ear reference point (ERP) to an ear entrance point (EEP);
performing curve fitting to obtain a compensation curve of the HRTF, based on the adapted HRTF; and
multiplying an audio signal in a frequency domain (FD) by the compensation curve of the HRTF.