# US 2019/0246209 A1 · Combined Near-Field and Far-Field Audio Rendering and Playback

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- Number: US 2019/0246209 A1
- Document ID: US20190246209A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/270,544
- Filed: 2019-02-07
- Published: 2019-08-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-08
- Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
- Applicants: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
- Inventors: Remi S. AUDFRAY; Nicolas R. TSINGOS; Pradeep Kumar GOVINDARAJU
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190246209A1

## CPC

- H04R 5/04: Circuit arrangements, {e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments (combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S)}
- H04R 3/12: for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)}
- H04R 5/033: Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)}
- H04S 7/304: {For headphones}
- H04R 2420/03: Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
- H04S 2400/11: Positioning of individual sound objects, e.g. moving airplane, within a sound field (H04S2420/13 takes precedence)
- 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

## Abstract

Some disclosed methods may involve receiving audio reproduction data and determining, based on the audio reproduction data, a sound source location at which a sound is to be rendered. A near-field gain and a far-field gain may be based, at least in part, on a sound source distance between the sound source location and a reproduction environment location. Room speaker feed signals may be based, at least in part, on room speaker positions, the sound source location and the far-field gain. Near-field speaker feed signals may be based, at least in part, on the near-field gain, the sound source location and a position of near-field speakers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An audio processing method, comprising:
receiving audio reproduction data;
determining, based on the audio reproduction data, a sound source location, relative to a reproduction environment location, at which a sound is to be rendered;
determining a sound source distance between the sound source location and the reproduction environment location;
determining a near-field gain and a far-field gain based, at least in part, on the sound source distance;
determining, if the far-field gain is non-zero, a room speaker feed signal for each of a plurality of room speakers within the reproduction environment, each speaker feed signal corresponding to at least one of the room speakers, each room speaker feed signal being based, at least in part, on a room speaker position, the sound source location and the far-field gain;
determining a first position corresponding to a first set of near-field speakers located within the reproduction environment;
determining, if the near-field gain is non-zero, first near-field speaker feed signals based at least in part on the near-field gain, the sound source location and the first position of the first set of near-field speakers; and
providing the near-field speaker feed signals to the first set of near-field speakers, providing the room speaker feed signals to the room speakers, or providing both the near-field speaker feed signals to the first set of near-field speakers and the room speaker feed signals to the room speakers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a first orientation of the first set of near-field speakers, wherein determining the near-field speaker feed signals is based, at least in part, on the orientation of the first set of near-field speakers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the first position corresponds to a first position of a user's head and wherein the first orientation corresponds to a first orientation of a user's head.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the audio reproduction data includes one or more audio objects and wherein the sound source location comprises an audio object location.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the reproduction environment location corresponds with a center of the reproduction environment.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the far-field gain is non-zero if the sound source location is at least a far-field threshold distance from the reproduction environment location.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of near-field speakers is disposed within first headphones, further comprising determining audio occlusion data for the first headphones.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising equalizing the room speaker feed signals based, at least in part, on the audio occlusion data.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
determining an average target equalization for the room speakers; and
equalizing the first near-field speaker feed signals based, at least in part, on the average target equalization.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a second position of a second set of near-field speakers located within the reproduction environment;
determining, if the near-field gain is non-zero, second near-field speaker feed signals based at least in part on the near-field gain and the second position of the second set of near-field speakers, the second near-field speaker feed signals being different from the first near-field speaker feed signals.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a second orientation of the second set of near-field speakers, wherein determining the second near-field speaker feed signals is based, at least in part, on the second orientation.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
receiving an indication of a user interaction;
generating interaction audio data corresponding with the user interaction, the interaction audio data including an interaction audio data position; and
generating near-field speaker feed signals based on the interaction audio data.

### Claim 13

The method of 12, further comprising transmitting the near-field speaker feed signals to the first set of near-field speakers via a wireless interface.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

One or more non-transitory media having software stored thereon, the software including instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

An apparatus configured for performing the method of claim 1.