Patent ID: 8204262
Filing Date: 2012-06-19
Classification: H04S

Abstract:
1. A sound image localization processor for, when given a source audio listening signal to be listened to by a listener and information about a virtual sound source position referenced to the listener's position, imprinting a sense of direction and a sense of distance on the audio listening signal such that it sounds to the listener as if sound based on the audio listening signal comes from the virtual sound source position, the sound image localization processor comprising: a standard head related transfer function storage means for storing standard head related transfer functions for a plurality of reference positions located in one or more directions from a virtual listener; a head related transfer function generation means for, when given the information about the virtual sound source position, forming a left ear head related transfer function for the virtual sound source position by selecting one of the stored standard head related transfer functions or selecting a plurality of the stored standard head related transfer functions and interpolating the plurality of the stored standard head related transfer functions, and for forming a right ear head related transfer function for the virtual sound source by selecting one of the stored standard head related transfer functions or selecting a plurality of the stored standard head related transfer functions and interpolating the plurality of the stored standard head related transfer functions; a sense-of-direction-and-distance imprinting means for imprinting a sense of direction and distance on the source audio listening signal by using the left ear and right ear head related transfer functions obtained by the head related transfer function generation means; and a sense-of-distance correction means for correcting the sense of distance of a left ear audio listening signal output from the sense-of-direction-and-distance imprinting means or the source audio listening signal input to the sense-of-direction-and-distance imprinting means, according to a first distance from a left ear position to a position corresponding to the left-ear head related transfer function obtained by the head related transfer function generation means and a second distance from the left ear position to the virtual sound source position, and for correcting the sense of distance of a right ear audio listening signal output from the sense-of-direction-and-distance imprinting means or the source audio listening signal input to the sense-of-direction-and-distance imprinting means, according to a third distance from the right ear position to a position corresponding to the right-ear head related transfer function obtained by the head related transfer function generation means and a fourth distance from the right ear position to the virtual sound source position, wherein the sense-of-distance correction means corrects the sense of distance by adjusting a gain of the source audio listening signal, or the left ear audio listening signal and the right ear audio listening signal, according to the first, second, third and fourth distances.