# US 12,604,153 B2 · Virtual content > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,604,153 B2 - Document ID: US12604153B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/729,452 - Filed: 2023-01-13 - Published: 2025-03-27 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2022-02-03 - Assignees: Nokia Technologies Oy - Applicants: Nokia Technologies Oy - Inventors: Sujeet Shyamsundar Mate; Arto Juhani Lehtiniemi; Jussi Artturi Leppänen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12604153B2 ## CPC - H04S 7/304: {For headphones} - G06F 3/04815: Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object - H04S 7/305: {Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space (H04S7/301 takes precedence)} - A63F 13/54: involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall - H04R 2499/15: Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops - 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) - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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) ## Abstract An apparatus, method and computer program is disclosed relating to processing of virtual content. In an example embodiment, the method may comprise providing data representing one or more acoustic properties of a virtual scene, the virtual scene being for output to a user device associated with a user and comprising one or more audio sources at respective locations and identifying, based on a position of the user with respect to the one or more audio sources and the one or more acoustic properties of the virtual scene, one or more audio sources not meeting a predetermined criterion. The method may also comprise providing, via a user interface associated with the user device, one or more indicators respectively corresponding to the one or more identified audio sources. Responsive to selection of one of the one or more indicators, the method may also comprise changing the user position in the virtual scene so that the user is closer to the corresponding audio source. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: provide data representing one or more acoustic properties of a virtual scene, the virtual scene being for output to a user device associated with a user and comprising one or more audio sources at respective locations; identify, based on a position of the user with respect to the one or more audio sources and the one or more acoustic properties of the virtual scene, one or more audio sources not meeting a predetermined criterion; provide, via a user interface associated with the user device, one or more indicators respectively corresponding to the one or more identified audio sources; and responsive to selection of one of the one or more indicators, change the user position in the virtual scene so that the user is closer to the corresponding audio source. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein identifying an audio source of the one or more audio sources not meeting the predetermined criterion comprises: estimating or measuring one or more acoustic effects at the user position from sounds emitted from the audio source; and identifying one or more adverse acoustic effects that are greater than, or are above a predetermined threshold with respect to, sounds received directly at the user position from the audio source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more adverse acoustic effects comprise one or more of reverberation, reflection, diffusion or attenuation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data representing the one or more acoustic properties of the virtual scene comprises data representing one or more geometric elements in the virtual scene and, associated with the one or more geometric elements, a respective set of one or more acoustic parameters. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the one or more geometric elements comprise one or more of: size of the virtual scene, shape of the virtual scene, boundaries of the virtual scene or objects within the virtual scene. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the set of one or more acoustic parameters comprise one or more of: reverberation parameters, dry and wet ratio parameters or material parameters. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to receive data indicating a subset of the one or more audio sources in the virtual scene to prioritize, and wherein the identifying one or more audio sources comprises identifying one or more audio sources not meeting the predetermined criterion from the subset of the one or more audio sources in the virtual scene to prioritize. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to provide data representing one or more acoustic properties of a real-world space in which the user consumes or will consume the virtual scene, and wherein identifying one or more audio sources further comprises to identifying the one or more audio sources not meeting the predetermined criterion based also on the one or more acoustic properties of the real-world space. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data representing the one or more acoustic properties of the real-world space comprises a listener space description format, LSDF, file. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data representing the one or more acoustic properties of the virtual scene comprises an encoder input format, EIP, file. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface displaying the one or more indicators on a display screen of the user device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more indicators comprise at least one of a graphical representation of the corresponding audio source or a direction of the corresponding audio source with respect to the user position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the graphical user interface displays a plurality of indicators on the display screen of the user device and respective directions of the corresponding audio sources with respect to the user position, wherein responsive to selection of one of the plurality of indicators, the graphical user interface updates to display at least one of: other indicators and their updated respective positions or an option to return to a previous position in the virtual scene. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein changing the position of the user comprises moving the user to be adjacent the corresponding audio source. ### Claim 15 A method, comprising: providing data representing one or more acoustic properties of a virtual scene, the virtual scene being for output to a user device associated with a user and comprising one or more audio sources at respective locations; identifying, based on a position of the user with respect to the one or more audio sources and the one or more acoustic properties of the virtual scene, one or more audio sources not meeting a predetermined criterion; providing, via a user interface associated with the user device, one or more indicators respectively corresponding to the one or more identified audio sources; and responsive to selection of one of the one or more indicators, changing the user position in the virtual scene so that the user is closer to the corresponding audio source. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the identifying one or more audio sources further comprises identifying an audio source of the one or more audio sources not meeting the predetermined criterion by: estimating or measuring one or more acoustic effects at the user position from sounds emitted from the audio source; and identifying one or more adverse acoustic effects that are greater than, or are above a predetermined threshold with respect to, sounds received directly at the user position from the audio source. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more adverse acoustic effects comprise one or more of reverberation, reflection, diffusion or attenuation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the data representing the one or more acoustic properties of the virtual scene comprises data representing one or more geometric elements in the virtual scene and, associated with the one or more geometric elements, a respective set of one or more acoustic parameters. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more geometric elements comprise one or more of: size of the virtual scene, shape of the virtual scene, boundaries of the virtual scene or objects within the virtual scene. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon for performing at least the following: providing data representing one or more acoustic properties of a virtual scene, the virtual scene being for output to a user device associated with a user and comprising one or more audio sources at respective locations; identifying, based on a position of the user with respect to the one or more audio sources and the one or more acoustic properties of the virtual scene, one or more audio sources not meeting a predetermined criterion; providing, via a user interface associated with the user device, one or more indicators respectively corresponding to the one or more identified audio sources; and responsive to selection of one of the one or more indicators, changing the user position in the virtual scene so that the user is closer to the corresponding audio source.