Concept for Generating an Enhanced Sound-Field Description or a Modified Sound Field Description Using a Depth-Extended Dirac Technique or Other Techniques

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This patent discloses a system and method for creating an enhanced sound field description by combining traditional spatial audio information (such as Ambisonics or DirAC representations) with additional metadata that represents the distance (depth) of sound sources relative to a reference position. This enables advanced 3D audio experiences where a listener's position and orientation can be tracked and the audio scene dynamically modified, simulating how sound would arrive at different locations and directions. The system is particularly adapted for six-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) applications, such as virtual reality, where users can move freely in space and still perceive spatially accurate, distance-dependent audio.

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• Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications for immersive spatial audio experiences where listeners move freely in 3D space.
• 360-degree video and multimedia experiences requiring accurate spatial sound reproduction that changes with viewer movement.
• Advanced gaming applications aiming for highly realistic audio environments with position-dependent sound rendering.
• Professional audio production and post-production for films or experiences where realistic sound spatialization is needed.
• Telepresence systems that require accurate positioning and rendering of multiple sound sources.
• Architectural simulations and training systems where accurate audio cues enhance spatial awareness.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables true 6DoF (six-degrees-of-freedom) audio reproduction from recordings made at a single location, allowing both rotational and translational user movement with realistic sound.
• Adds distance (depth) metadata to traditional spatial audio, dramatically increasing realism and immersion by adjusting audio volume, directionality, and perception based on the user's position.
• Provides backward compatibility with existing Ambisonics/DirAC formats, allowing reuse of software and hardware while enabling future-ready immersive audio experiences.
• Improves listener immersion in VR/AR by dynamically adapting audio based on user tracking.
• Facilitates consistent and convincing sound field transformations in virtual environments, supporting applications like acoustic zoom or virtual microphones.
• Allows flexible adaptation of sound fields across various output formats (headphones, loudspeakers, binaural audio, etc.), supporting a wide range of consumer and professional devices.

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Patent Abstract

An apparatus for generating an enhanced sound field description comprises: a sound field generator (100) for generating at least one sound field description indicating a sound field with respect to at least one reference location; and a meta data generator (110) for generating meta data relating to spatial information of the sound field, wherein the at least one sound field description and the meta data constitute the enhanced sound field description. The meta data can be a depth map associating a distance information to a direction in a full band or a subband, i.e., a time frequency bin.