Patent US5771041A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5771041A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System for producing directional sound in computer based virtual environment
Assignee: Apple Inc
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Filing: 1996-12-03
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Granted: 1998-06-23
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Expires: 2016-12-03
Abstract
Abstract In a system for describing directional sounds in virtual environments, a user creates a sound projection map that constitutes a two-dimensional array of sound intensities for each sound source associated with the virtual environment. At run-time, when a user selects a particular view for a scene in the environment, a hearing area corresponding to that view is calculated. The average intensity for each sound represented within the hearing area is determined from the array, to establish a level at which the sound is to be played. The sound associated with the sound source is then reproduced from a sound track at the determined level, to produce an output sound that creates a sense of place within the environment.
Inventors
- 👤 Ian S. Small
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 11:50
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04S; H04S3/00; G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/16; G06F3/167; H04S1/00; H04S1/007; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/978
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for producing sounds corresponding to different views in a computer-generated environment, comprising the steps of: establishing a visual scene for the environment; establishing a viewing area which encompasses at least a portion of said visual scene; generating an array of sound intensities corresponding to a sound source associated with said visual scene; defining a hearing area from said viewing area which encompasses at least a portion of said array; processing the sound intensities contained within the portion of said array that is encompassed by said hearing area to determine an average sound level; and reproducing a predetermined sound at said sound level.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for producing sounds corresponding to different views in a computer-generated environment, comprising the steps of: establishing a visual scene for the environment; establishing a viewing area which encompasses at least a portion of said visual scene; generating an array of sound intensities corresponding to a sound source associated with said visual scene; defining a hearing area from said viewing area which encompasses at least a portion of said array; processing the sound intensities contained within the portion of said array that is encompassed by said hearing area to determine an average sound level; and reproducing a predetermined sound at said sound level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said hearing area comprises multiple areas each of which has a size and location that is determined in accordance with said viewing area.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said predetermined sound is stereo sound, and said hearing area comprises first and second areas that respectively correspond to left and right channels of the stereo sound.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said predetermined sound comprises surround sound, and one of said multiple hearing areas is located approximately 180° out of phase relative to said viewing area.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said processing step includes the step of integrating the sound intensities within the portion of the array encompassed by said hearing area, and dividing the integrated intensities by the area of said hearing area.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for producing sounds corresponding to different views in a computer-generated environment, comprising the steps of: establishing a visual scene for the environment; establishing a viewing area which encompasses at least a portion of said visual scene; establishing a plurality of sound sources associated with the environment; for each established sound source, generating an array of sound intensities; defining a hearing area from said viewing area within the environment; processing the sound intensities of each sound source within said hearing area to determine an average sound level for each sound source; reproducing sound from a sound track associated with each sound source at the sound level determined for that sound source; and mixing the reproduced sounds to produce an output sound for the defined hearing area.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for producing sounds corresponding to different views in a computer-generated environment, comprising the steps of: establishing a visual scene for the environment; establishing a viewing area which encompasses at least a portion of said visual scene; establishing a plurality of sound sources associated with the environment; for each established sound source, generating an array of sound intensities; defining a hearing area from said viewing area within the environment; processing the sound intensities of each sound source within said hearing area to determine an average sound level for each sound source; reproducing sound from a sound track associated with each sound source at the sound level determined for that sound source; and mixing the reproduced sounds to produce an output sound for the defined hearing area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 6 wherein at least one of said sound sources has plural sound tracks associated with it, and further including the step of selecting one of said plural sound tracks in dependence upon the determined sound level for the sound source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said processing step includes the step of integrating the sound intensities within the portion of the array encompassed by said hearing area, and dividing the integrated intensities by the area of said hearing area.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the step of generating an array comprises placing patterns on a projected image of the environment to indicate propagation paths for the respective sounds.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said patterns comprise colors, and each sound source has a different color associated with it.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 10 wherein different color intensities within a pattern represent different respective intensities of sound from the associated sound source.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
125 words
A system for producing sounds in a computer-generated virtual environment, comprising: means for storing a visual scene for the environment; a display which displays a viewing area that encompasses at least a portion of said visual scene; means for generating an array of values which describe the intensity of sounds from a sound source for different viewing areas in said environment; means for establishing a hearing area which is determined from a viewing area in said environment and designates a portion of said array; means for processing the intensity values in said designated portion of the array to determine a representative intensity value; and means for reproducing sounds from a stored soundtrack associated with said sound at a volume corresponding to said representative intensity level.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
125 words
A system for producing sounds in a computer-generated virtual environment, comprising: means for storing a visual scene for the environment; a display which displays a viewing area that encompasses at least a portion of said visual scene; means for generating an array of values which describe the intensity of sounds from a sound source for different viewing areas in said environment; means for establishing a hearing area which is determined from a viewing area in said environment and designates a portion of said array; means for processing the intensity values in said designated portion of the array to determine a representative intensity value; and means for reproducing sounds from a stored soundtrack associated with said sound at a volume corresponding to said representative intensity level.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 12 wherein plural sound sources are associated with said environment, and wherein said generating means generates an intensity value array for each sound source.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said processing means processes the intensity values in each array separately to determine a representative intensity value for each sound source, and said reproducing means reproduces the sounds from plural soundtracks at respective volumes corresponding to the representative intensity levels.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 12 wherein said sound source has plural soundtracks associated with it, and further including means for selecting one of said soundtracks.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said selecting means selects a soundtrack in dependence upon representative intensity value.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 12 wherein said means for establishing a hearing area comprises means for designating a viewpoint for the environment, and means for calculating the location and size of said hearing area from said viewpoint.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 17 wherein said calculating means calculates multiple hearing areas for a viewpoint, and said processing means separately processes the intensity values in each of said multiple hearing areas to determine a representative intensity value for each hearing area.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 12 wherein said representative intensity value comprises the average value of the intensity values encompassed by said hearing area.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-22 | 2001-12-22 | 2002-06-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-22 | 2005-12-22 | 2006-06-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-22 | 2009-12-22 | 2010-06-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |