US 9,959,344 B1 · Systems and methods for playing multiple sounds

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, methods and devices for improving audio processing and playing multiple sounds using fewer resources. Various implementations may create audio files, in some cases from a single sample of a type of sound, where the files represent specific quantities of that type of sound, such as 10 footsteps or 1000 claps. Given a desired target number of sounds to play, various implementations determine an appropriate combination of the employable audio files to represent the desired number of sounds, and play or render the combination as an approximation of the desired target number of sounds. By using single audio files that represent and sound like multiple instances of a specified type of sound, the various implementations use significantly fewer computing and audio resources than playing an equivalent number of audio files each of which contains a single instance of the specified type of sound.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for audio playback, the method comprising:

performing, by one or more hardware processors:
accessing a plurality of sound files of one or more sound types,
wherein, for a given sound type of one or more sound types, the plurality of sound files includes a corresponding range of sound files of the given sound type, and
wherein the corresponding range of sound files includes different sound files representing different quantities of instances of the given sound type;
determining a desired number of instances of the given sound type to be played approximately simultaneously;
selecting a group of sound files from among the corresponding range of sound files that include different sound files representing different quantities of instances of the given sound type,
wherein a sum of the quantities of sound type instances of the corresponding range of sound files in the group approximates the desired number of instances of the given sound type to be played approximately simultaneously;
and
rendering the group of sound files on audio hardware or transmitting the group of sound files to a computing system.

6 more elements

A system for audio playback, comprising:

a memory containing instructions;
and
a processor, operably connected to the memory, that executes the instructions to perform operations comprising:
determining, based at least on a number of sound processing channels available, a desired number of one or more sound types to be played approximately simultaneously;
accessing a plurality of sound files of one or more sound types,
wherein, for a given sound type of one or more sound types, the plurality of sound files includes a corresponding range of sound files of the given sound type, and
wherein the corresponding range of sound files includes different sound files representing different quantities of instances of the given sound type;
selecting a group of sound files from among the corresponding range of sound files that include different sound files representing different quantities of instances of the given sound type,
wherein a sum of the quantities of sound type instances of the corresponding range of sound files in the group of sound files approximates the desired number of instances of the given sound type;
and
rendering the group of sound files on audio hardware or transmitting the group of sound files to a computing system.

8 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processer, perform operations comprising:

determining, for an interactive program, a desired number of one or more sound types to be played approximately simultaneously;
accessing a plurality of sound files of one or more sound types,
wherein, for a given sound type of one or more sound types, the plurality of sound files includes a corresponding range of sound files of the given sound type, and
wherein the corresponding range of sound files includes different sound files representing different quantities of instances of the given sound type;
selecting a group of sound files from among the corresponding range of sound files that include different sound files representing different quantities of instances of the given sound type,
wherein a sum of the quantities of sound type instances of the corresponding range of sound files in the group of sound files approximates the desired number of instances of the given sound type;
and
rendering the group of sound files on audio hardware or transmitting the group of sound files to a computing system.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for playing multiple sounds

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for playing multiple sounds

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19