Qualcomm Patent | Mixed-Order Ambisonics (Moa) Audio Data for Computer-Mediated Reality Systems

Patent: Mixed-Order Ambisonics (Moa) Audio Data for Computer-Mediated Reality Systems

Publication Number: 20190007781

Publication Date: 2019-01-03

Applicants: Qualcomm

Abstract

An example device includes a memory device, and a processor coupled to the memory device. The memory is configured to store a plurality of representations of a soundfield. The processor is configured to track a steering angle provided by one or more angles associated with the device, and to select, based on the steering angle, a representation of the soundfield from the plurality of representations stored to the memory device.

Background

A higher-order ambisonics (HOA) signal (often represented by a plurality of spherical harmonic coefficients (SHC) or other hierarchical elements) is a three-dimensional representation of a soundfield. The HOA or SHC representation may represent the soundfield in a manner that is independent of the local speaker geometry used to playback a multi-channel audio signal rendered from the SHC signal. The SHC signal may also facilitate backwards compatibility as the SHC signal may be rendered to well-known and highly adopted multi-channel formats, such as a 5.1 audio channel format or a 7.1 audio channel format. The SHC representation may therefore enable a better representation of a soundfield that also accommodates backward compatibility.

Summary

This disclosure relates generally to auditory aspects of the user experience of computer-mediated reality systems, including virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), augmented reality (AR), computer vision, and graphics systems. In some particular examples, aspects of this disclosure are directed to the selection, streaming, and playback, of audio content that accompanies the corresponding video content of the computer-mediated sensory input data of the computer-mediated reality system.

In one example, a device includes a memory device configured to store a plurality of representations of a soundfield. In this example, the device also includes a processor coupled to the memory device. The processor is configured to track a steering angle provided by one or more angles associated with the device, and to select, based on the steering angle, a representation of the soundfield from the plurality of representations stored to the memory device.

In another example, a method includes tracking, by a processor, a steering angle provided by one or more angles associated with a device. The method further includes selecting, by the processor and based on the steering angle, a representation of a soundfield from a plurality of representations of a soundfield that are stored to a memory device that is coupled to the processor.

In another example, an apparatus includes means for storing a plurality of representations of a soundfield, means for tracking a steering angle provided by one or more angles associated with the apparatus, and means for selecting, based on the steering angle, a representation of the soundfield from the stored plurality of representations.

In another example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is encoded with instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a device to track a steering angle provided by one or more angles associated with the device, and to select, based on the steering angle, a representation of a soundfield from a plurality of representations of a soundfield that are stored to the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.