/Patent Tracker
ApplePatent applicationAudio & voiceInterest 7/10

Apple patents audio system that places virtual speakers around visual objects

Apple describes a system that calculates the size of an image shown on a screen to decide where to place virtual speakers in 3D space. It then uses binaural audio, which tricks the brain into hearing sound from specific directions, to play these sounds through headphones.

Why it mattersThis could make movies or games feel more immersive by syncing the position of sounds with the size of objects on your screen.

In the filing’s own words

An audio processing system may obtain a size of a visual object to present to a display. The audio processing system may determine a virtual placement for each of a plurality of virtual speakers at least based on the size of the visual object. Each of the plurality of virtual speakers may be spatially rendered at each virtual placement through binaural audio, for playback through head-worn speakers. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1.- 20. (canceled)

Facts

Company
Apple (Apple Inc.)
Official title
Spatial Blending of Audio
Publication number
US20260292430A1
Application number
19667320
Filed
May 4, 2026
Published
Sep 24, 2026
Inventors
4
Claims
21

Classified under

H04S 7/302 Electricity & electronicsH04S 2400/11 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

More from Apple in Audio & voice

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.