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SonyGranted patentAudio & voiceInterest 6/10

Sony patents method to make virtual audio sound more natural

Sony has been granted a patent for a computer method that improves simulated audio in virtual environments. The system creates filters to shape sound, checks if the filters are too similar to each other, and regenerates them if they are to prevent audio issues.

Why it mattersThis could make sound in virtual reality or gaming feel more realistic by reducing unnatural audio effects.

In the filing’s own words

A computer-implemented method for decorrelating a set of simulated audio signals in a virtual environment is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: obtaining a first set of decorrelation filters; evaluating the first set of decorrelation filters to determine a similarity metric representing the similarity between the first set of decorrelation filters; if the similarity metric is above a predetermined threshold, regenerating the set of decorrelation filters so as to reduce the similarity metric; and applying the regenerated set of decorrelation filters to the simulated audio signals.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising: generating a set of decorrelation filters based at least on one or more acoustic parameters of a virtual environment; for each pair of decorrelation filters in the set, generating a similarity metric that represents a similarity of the pair of decorrelation filters; for each pair of the decorrelation filters in the set, determining that the similarity metric for the pair of the decorrelation filters satisfies a predetermined threshold; and in response to determining, for each pair of the decorrelation filters in the set, that the similarity metric for each pair satisfies the predetermined threshold, applying the set of decorrelation filters to reduce phasing artifacts in simulated audio signals produced from the one or more acoustic parameters.

Facts

Company
Sony (Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited)
Official title
Method for decorrelating a set of simulated audio signals
Patent number
US12732772B2
Application number
18665771
Filed
May 16, 2024
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Inventors
5
Claims
20

Classified under

H04S 7/307 Electricity & electronicsH04S 3/008 Electricity & electronicsH04S 2400/01 Electricity & electronicsH04S 2400/09 Electricity & electronics

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.