HYBRID NEAR/FAR-FIELD SPEAKER VIRTUALIZATION

• Main Authors: ESTEN, Ian Eric, DALY, Scott, DARCY, Daniel Paul, PUTHANVEED, Vimal, TSINGOS, Nicolas R, PANKEY, Satej Suresh, CRUM, Poppy Anne Carrie, BAKER, Jeffrey Ross
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 03.08.2022
• Subjects: DEAF-AID SETS; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKEACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS; STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS

Embodiments are disclosed for hybrid near/far-field speaker virtualization. In an embodiment, a method comprises: receiving a source signal including channel-based audio or audio objects; generating near-field gain(s) and far-field gain(s) based on the source signal and a blending mode; generating a far-field signal based, at least in part, on the source signal and the far-field gain(s); rendering, using a speaker virtualizer, the far-field signal for playback of far-field acoustic audio through far-field speakers into an audio reproduction environment; generating a near-field signal based at least in part on the source signal and the near-field gain(s); prior to providing the far-field signal to the far-field speakers, sending the near-field signal to a near-field playback device or an intermediate device coupled to the near-field playback device; providing the far-field signal to the far-field speakers; and providing the near-field signal to the near-field speakers to synchronously overlay the far-field acoustic audio.