WO2011045813A2

WO2011045813A2 - A method and product to transparently deliver audio through fusion of fixed loudspeakers and headphones to deliver the sweet spot experience

Info

Publication number: WO2011045813A2
Application number: PCT/IN2010/000672
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tony Joy
Original assignee: Tony Joy
Priority date: 2009-10-15
Filing date: 2010-10-08
Publication date: 2011-04-21
Also published as: WO2011045813A3

Abstract

A method, manner, process, system and product to transparently deliver audio through fusion of fixed loudspeakers and headphones without disconnecting the user from external sonic atmosphere to simultaneously create a sonic space around and inside the spectators head to deliver the sweet spot experience intended by the composer/director/artist to every spectator irrespective of their location within the arena/cinema/hall while giving the audio content more dimensional perspectives otherwise impossible.

Description

1. Introducing Omnisonus

Audio Technology has witnessed immense growth in the It is well known that all sound delivery techniques that use last few decades. Starting from Mono, its growth to Stereo loudspeakers work strictly within Zone 1, while systems and then to Multi-Channel sound formats has continued at relying on headphones do their best within the limits of a steady pace. Various delivery techniques have surfaced Zone 2. (Fig. 1)

since the introduction of multi-channel sound. These

Current multi-channel sound formats rely on loudspeakers include Stereo, 5.1 Surround Sound, 7.1 Surround Sound

positioned around the spectators as per the standards and similar formats.

defined by popular formats like Dolby Digital, DTS and

Researchers have always tried to increase the resolution SDDS. The experience delivered by such a system within and directionality of delivered audio by adding more and Zone 1 is quite close to realistic, especially for those who more discrete audio channels to the sound are seated in and around the sonic sweet spot of the recording/reproduction systems. However it should be Cinema. It is quite interesting to note that the dimensional noted that none of the existing sound delivery systems and directional quality of sound is skewed for members of can successfully recreate a fully personal and immersive the audience who are not within the sweet spot. The multi-dimensional soundscape to every single member of farther away one is from the sonic sweet spot, the more the audience. skewed the experience becomes.

For sake of simplicity the available sonic space will be in Fig, 2 the best experience is reserved for Spectator 2, dealt with as two zones. Space around each spectator will Considering a Cinema packed with hundreds less than a be considered Zone 1 and the virtual space within each dozen get the true sonic experience.

spectator's ears, Zone 2. (Fig. 1)

1

On A pair of headphones on the other hand creates the The Introduced system works with the support of a soundscape in Zone 2, a space impermeable by any speaker system (mono, stereo or multi-channel) and a existing multi-channel speaker system. (Fig. 3) specially designed wireless headset.

Omnisonus will put each and every Cinema audience at the sweet spot for the first time in history. The result will be an unparalleled Cinema experience whereby every member of the audience will get to experience exactly what the director and crew envisioned at the mix stage". A bullet fired towards the screen will leave the screen through Zone 1, enter the head of every spectator through Zone 2, and then escape to the far end of the Cinema through Zone 1.

For a live concert the engineers will have the tool to place a specific instrument / vocal inside each spectator's head

S

for aesthetic/special effects while rest of the music remains 'on stage'. This can easily be achieved using the very basic configuration of the system, 1.1.1 [one full

range, one LFE and one SSE channels]

Omnisonus wi use two kinds of headsets for the delivery of fuMy dimensional, personalized audio content to the ₅ masses. The headsets are classified as Passive and Active. The technology requires the headset to be acoustically transparent for the successful delivery of 3D audio content. For the same reason both Passive and Active headsets will be tuned to perform as acoustically transparent devices,

^;The passive headset will be transparent by its physical design. The headset will be fully open in design and will have the driver(s) positioned partially or fully away from the ear cana! to minimize acoustic shadows.

The active headset will either be an in-ear device or a fully closed headset. The headset will have omni directional condenser microphones embedded onto each earpiece. The tiny electronics/electrical box on these headsets will mainly comprise of an amplifier, equalizer and a summing circuit custom built for each headset model. The amplifier will boost the signals picked up by the microphones, which will. then be decolorized by the equalizer. The processed signals will be summed with the SSE signals received over ..Bluetooth, Kleer or similar technologies* which will then be delivered to the earpieces. The aim is to render the

use.

headset as acoustically transparent as possible. Analog 5.1.X circuits are preferred over digital to prevent latency issues.

Eg. 5.1.2 [five Full Range Surround Channels,. One Low

Frequency Effects Channel and Two Sweet Spot Effects

Channels] 3. Working Principle Introduction of new discrete

channels to the audio delivery formaf depending on the number of SSE

3A. Content Authoring channels required (E.g. 5.1.1 or Omnisonus Enabled Digital Audio 5.1.2). It should be possible to Workstations will have two additional mix encode SSE streams onto existing buses introduced to the matrix as shown file formats without the introduction in Fig. 5. The figure is a hypothetical of brand new file formats through Omnisonus enabled multi-channel mix collaborative research with matrix found in industry standard DAW's. companies that pioneer existing surround formats.

3S, Content Delivery & Reception

Omnisonus devices are classified as Class

SO 1 and Class 2 depending on the size of

area to be covered. Class 1 devices are recommended for home theatres and for venues with an area of 50 m² or less.

"SSE L ogo embodies a Class 2 systems are designed to^' cater to Sigma sign to denote larger spaces like Cinemas, Concert

Arenas, places of worship and similar the summation of spaces. Class 1 Omnisonus devices will loudspeakers and rely on Bluetooth power class 1

transceivers and Class 2 SSE devices on headphones: The one or more Bluetooth Power class 2 caption 'Sound transceivers. For larger spaces, multiple transceivers will be installed maintaining Perfectus ' reinforces a distance as defined by current the purpose ofSSE - to Omnisonus standards. The system will have inbuilt delay units to induce delays deliver perfect,

onto these transceivers. Apart from transparent, complete

saving power at the client device, this will also eradicate the need for complex sound " Apart from this,, the introduction of

electronic circuits/algorithms on the Omnisonus will either require:

device to ensure best possible audio -

* The use of an existing discrete experience without !atency/sync issues. * channel for authoring and delivering

Multiple transmitters are used in Class 2 3D audio content. For example the

Omnisonus systems to provide the Right channel of any existing stereo

audience with a much precise, immersive file format can be used as a SSE

& personalized audio experience. Each channel under the configuration

transmitter will tend to a specific area of 1.0.1. The fact that only panoramic

the arena/cinema as shown in Fig. 6. information between the channels is

The delays induced onto the transceivers affected means the signal is .

will assure that the signal remains in broadcast ready for all existing

nt Logos sync with the sound from Front/Rear transmission media and will- be cent

there will be overlapping regions where the content engineered in SSE will

two transceivers will have their signals require no additional

present at a given area.

encoding/decoding prior to delivery.

In this case the client software will lock itself onto the richer, deeper, aesthetically interactive experience. Film strongest signal available. space will have a new dimension, a brand new space to play with - the very inside of every spectators head.

4B. Live Sound

Although- multi-channel, surround sound boasting live concerts are getting more popular by the day, 90% of them are still delivered in mono/stereo domain due to the so cailed "practical limitation'. The limitation has ⁹ aiways been the tiny size of the sweet spot where the experience is delivered to the fullest. Considering concerts featuring multi-channel sound we can see that only 5% or less of the audience seated in and around the FOH is promised the best concert experience. The rest of the audience - 95% of them are always served with a compromised version of the concert. The farther away you are from the FOH, the more skewed your experience becomes.

With the introduction of Omnisonus this limitation is not valid anymore. Apart from removing this limitation Omnisonus will also add dimensional/directional qualities to Live Sound. Even at the very basic 1.0.1 configuration the technology can serve the concert audience with a 3 Dimensional experience they have never experienced.

Engineers and Artists will have the ability to place a specific instrument or vocal inside each spectator's persona! sonic space, or move one or all of these elements back n forth between the stage and every single spectator.

Welcome to the era of personalized, 3D concerts! irrespective of their position within the cinema.

To Filmmakers the technology will open the gates to a

never explored, yet the most influential sonic space 4C New Media

discovered till date. Filmmakers will now have the too! With the advent of Omnisonus every computer will be to place a specific dialogue, music or sound effect able to deliver multi-dimensional, personalized 3D audio inside or just outside each spectator's head for to multiple users simultaneously. The fact that aesthetic purposes or for creating a special effect. Omnisonus does not require any specific hardware will make the experience more pleasant and technically

Aesthetically Omnisonus will make the cinema_

hassle free to even an entry-level computer user. experience more personal and intimate to the

Omnisonus can work with any soundcard irrespective of audience. The technology reserves the calibre to

its make or configuration - let it be an onboard sound render the silver screen more thinner from an artistic

card, or a professional sound card. The elevated _s sense. Film space will have the ability to sonica!ly

experience will stand true for all multi-media move out of the screen, fuiiy envelop and blend itself

applications, web applications and gaming.

around spectators, and enter the very private sonic

space of every single spectator. Sound will now have Mobile phones will revolutionize sound delivery for the ^' much heightened dimensional and directional qualities, future generation by doubling as an Omnisonus

transceiver unit. With the standards established, all that

This will not only elevate the whole experience, but

will also uplift cinema into a much one needs would be a mobile phone with Bluetooth .

capability and an Omnisonus certified headset. 4D. Television and Radio Broadcast

Ornnisonus will equip Television and The technology will make interactive

other contemporary broadcast platforms medium more transparent and organic.

with 3D, personalized sound. The Ornnisonus will become a part of the

existing format of Stereo broadcast could user, listening through his/her ears "All viewers wearing be used to broadcast a mono front without interrupting the human listening an Ornnisonus speaker channel and a mono SSE process.

channel. In effect all viewers wearing an headset will hear Ornnisonus headset will be able to hear their favourite their favourite characters walk out from

the television towards each one of them. 5. Conclusion characters walk out Those not wearing a headset can always from the television enjoy the standard mono experience. Ornnisonus aims at providing the world

The beauty of the technology is that all with 3D sonic experience which is cost towards each one of of this is possible without a single effective, user friendly, backward them. "

change to existing broadcast standards. compatible and expandable.

This wfll enable masses to enjoy a true

Expected retail price of an entry-level

multi-dimensional sound experience

Ornnisonus headset is ~10 USD or less.

without the need to invest in a multiMobile phones are targeted as future

channel surround sound system.

Ornnisonus client devices to cut cost and

Ornnisonus intends to bring multito prevent more plastic/electronic

dimensional sound to every household.

footprint on this planet. Considering the

Ornnisonus enabled Radio streams - fact that almost all mobile handsets

tradKonal FM and online - will place RJ's, feature Bluetooth technology today, a

songs and other material in a muiti custom built Ornnisonus client software

dimensional space to deliver a true, will easily double the phone as an

immersive listening experience. Ornnisonus transceiver.

Ornnisonus is a young technology, a

technology that will grow immensely in

the near future through research and

Introduction of Ornnisonus will bring adaptation.

forth a new level of immersive gaming

Ornnisonus can be considered as the

experience to the masses. The

planet's first interactive sound delivery

technology will keep the player(s)

format. Working over Bluetooth

completely connected to real life

transceivers the system will have the

soundscape while allowing the space to

ability to provide users with a feedback

move with the player. This will mean

option on the user interface of their

that the piayer(s) are free to move

client device.

around and does not require them to be

at the sonic sweet spot for the best Using the Ornnisonus transceiver to vote

gaming experience. Future gaming for a competition amidst a live concert,

technologies could use the real life sonic or for an audience poll is only the tip of

space sampled by SSE headset to deliver the iceberg. The days when stop,' lines of

a real time hybrid soundscape to the movies change based on the spectator

player(s). The result will be an feedback received over Ornnisonus, are

experience unimaginable by comparable not far away.

technologies, if any.

^' Applications of Ornnisonus are vast, and

Interactive installations and devices will one's imagination is the only limit.

find Ornnisonus as a tool that can add

more aesthetic appeal to current

standards.

Claims

CLAIMS I Claim:

1. A method, manner, process, system and product to transparently deliver audio through fusion of fixed loudspeakers and headphones without disconnecting the user from external sonic atmosphere to simultaneously create a sonic space around and inside the spectators head to deliver the sweet spot experience intended by the composer/director/artist to every spectator irrespective of their location within the arena/cinema/ha!i while giving the audio content more perspectives otherwise impossible.

2. A process and product to author Sweet Spot Effects based content using

DAW's and Audio mixing consoles, Digital Signal Processors and other equipments that will have specific circuits and ports to physically output SSE signals.

3. A method, manner, process, system and product pursuant to claim No.1 that uses and receive/transieve Bluetooth technology based data transfer to handle Sweet Spot Effects(SSE) Signals for multi-utilitarian purposes.

4. A process and system pursuant to claim No. 2 that uses a new or a discrete channel of an existing multi-channel sound format for delivering SSE data stream engineered and authored by one or group of devices as explained in Claim^' No. 2 to ensure that no further encoding/decoding is required on_. the client device ensuring extremely low power consumption and latency.

5. A method and process pursuant to Claim No. 4 whereby content authored with SSE devices are compatible ίό contemporary television, radio and new media broadcast standards.

6. A method, process and system pursuant to Claims 1 to 5 that is fully backward compatible to existing audio delivery formats.

7. A method, process and product capable of producing sonic phantom images around the user and inside the users head independently or simultaneously.

8. A method, process and product pursuant to claim 1 to 7 that will give birth to a new domain of discrete surround sound channels titled 'Sweet Spot Effects' or SSE denoted by X of the surround sound configuration/ Eg. 5.1 .X

9. A method, process and product that will seamlessly fuse^the sonic space around the user using loudspeakers and the space inside the user's head using specially designed transparent headphones.

10. A method, process and system to deliver authentic three dimensional and perspective qualities to audio using a pair of specially designed transparent headphones and loudspeakers.