Patent Publication Number: US-11659330-B2

Title: Adaptive structured rendering of audio channels

Description:
The present disclosure generally relates to adaptive structured rendering of audio channels. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many environments are augmented with audio systems. For example, hospitality locations including restaurants, sports bars, and hotels often include audio systems. Additionally, locations including small to large venues, retail, temporary event locations may also include audio systems. The audio systems may play audio in the environment to create or add to an ambiance. 
     The subject matter claimed in the present disclosure is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one example technology area where some embodiments described in the present disclosure may be practiced. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to some embodiments, a method may include obtaining audio to be projected in an environment in which the audio includes a plurality of audio channels. The method may include mapping a first audio channel of the plurality of audio channels to a first channel object, the first channel object including first audio of the first audio channel. The method may include obtaining environmental parameters associated with a speaker system including a plurality of speakers, the environmental parameters including one or more of: speaker locations, sensor information, speaker acoustic properties, environmental acoustic properties, environment geometry, or listener location. The method may include obtaining a first target sound effect associated with the first audio channel. The method may include directing projection of the first channel object by a speaker of the plurality of speakers according to the first target sound effect and based on the environmental parameters to simulate the first target sound effect 
     The object and advantages of the embodiments will be realized and achieved at least by the elements, features, and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Example embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG.  1    is a block diagram of an example audio signal generator configured to adaptively structure audio channels as channel objects in an environment; 
         FIG.  2    illustrates an example scenario including an audio signal generator configured to generate channel objects to obtain a target sound effect within an environment; 
         FIG.  3    is a flow diagram that illustrates a method of determining and rendering channel objects; and 
         FIG.  4    is an example computing system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Audio to be projected in an environment including a given speaker system arrangement may include audio channels. The channels may each include different portions of the audio that may be designated for being projected from a certain location within the environment. 
     For example, the audio of the different audio channels may be designated and structured such that specific sound effects may be presented when the respective channels are played by speakers located in designated locations in the environment. However, many times, a given speaker system in an environment may not be arranged according to the arrangement for which the channels may be configured. For example, the speakers of the speaker system may not be located with respect to each other in the manner for which the channels may be configured. Additionally or alternatively, the environment may differ from the environment for which the channels may be configured. As another example, the number of speakers may differ from the number for which the channels may be configured. Consequently, using channels as structures, perception of some sound effects associated with the channels may differ from the targeted effect due to differences between the given speaker arrangement and the speaker arrangements for which the audio channels are configured. 
     In the present disclosure, the term “audio” may be used generically to include audio in any format, such as a digital format, an analog format, or a propagating wave format. Furthermore, in the digital format, the audio may be compressed using different types of compression schemes. 
     According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, operations may include mapping one or more audio channels to corresponding channel objects that may include the audio of the corresponding audio channels. Further, multiple versions of the same underlying channel object may be designated for projection by multiple speakers. The different versions may include variations in volume, position, shape, spread, timing, size, and/or other properties of the audio. As disclosed in detail below, the different versions may be configured and designated such that the audio associated with a particular channel may be perceived as being projected from a location within the environment for which the particular channel may be configured even in instances in which the speaker arrangement differs from that for which the channels are configured. 
     Therefore, mapping the channels to channel objects and configuring and designating the different versions of the channel objects for projection by certain speakers of the speaker system may adaptively structure the corresponding channels to improve the overall perception of the corresponding audio. Additionally or alternatively, adaptively structuring the channels as channel objects may allow for simulation of one or more speaker arrangements for which particular channel groupings may be configured without physically modifying the given speaker arrangement. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are explained with reference to the following figures. 
       FIG.  1    is a block diagram of an example audio signal generator  100  (“signal generator  100 ”) configured to adaptively structure audio channels  104  as channel objects  135  in an environment. The signal generator  100  may include code and routines configured to enable a computing system to perform one or more operations. Additionally or alternatively, the signal generator  100  may be implemented using hardware including a processor, a microprocessor (e.g., to perform or control performance of one or more operations), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In some other instances, the signal generator  100  may be implemented using a combination of hardware and software. In the present disclosure, operations described as being performed by the signal generator  100  may include operations that the signal generator  100  may direct a corresponding system to perform. 
     In general, the signal generator  100  may be configured to obtain audio  102  structured as audio channels  104  (“channel(s)  104 ”) that may be restructured into channel objects  135 . The audio  102  may include any suitable signal or audio file with audio encoded therein. 
     The channels  104  may each include sub-audio of the audio  102  in which the corresponding sub-audio of a respective channel  104  may be selected and configured according to a target sound effect. For example, particular sub-audio of a particular channel  104  may be selected and configured for playback by a particular speaker located at a particular location within an environment to obtain a particular sound effect. For instance, the particular sub-audio may include audio  102  that is intended to sound as if it is behind a listener and may be designated for playback by a speaker located behind a particular seating location for listeners. Examples of audio structured in this manner may include a DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1-channel arrangement, a 7.1-channel arrangement, a 9.2-channel arrangement, or any other suitable channel arrangement. In some embodiments, the audio  102  may include indications related to which sub-audio portions correspond to which channel  104 . 
     The signal generator  100  may be configured to determine channel objects  135  that may correspond to the channels  104 . For example, the signal generator  100  may be configured to map the sub-audio of each respective channel  104  to a corresponding channel object  135 . For instance, the audio of a particular channel  104  may be mapped to a particular channel object  135  in which the particular channel object  135  may include the audio of the particular channel  104 . 
     In some embodiments, one or more versions of the channel objects  135  may be determined. Each of the channel objects  135  may include a particular version of the audio corresponding to the channels  104 . In these and other embodiments, the audio of each version of the channel objects  135  may be configured based on one or more parameters such that a target sound effect, such as a target sound effect  116 , may be achieved when the version of the channel objects  135  is sent to a particular speaker. The target sound effect  116  may include simulating audio projection in particular locations in the environment irrespective of speaker locations (e.g., a speaker placement recommendation associated the first audio channel), simulating a moving audio source in the environment, adjusting properties of the audio, etc. 
     The channel objects  135  may be communicated as analog or digital audio signals in some embodiments. In at least some embodiments, the audio signal generator  100  may include a balanced and/or an unbalanced analog connection to an external amplifier (e.g.,  150 ), such as in embodiments where one or more speakers  144  do not include an embedded or integrated processor. In these and other embodiments, audio signals to which the channel objects  135  correspond may include insufficient voltage to be properly output by the speakers  144 , and the amplifier  150  may increase the voltage of the audio signals. The external amplifier  150  may provide amplified audio signals to a normalizer  140 . The normalizer  140  and/or the amplifier  150  may be part of the audio signal generator  100 , as shown by the dashed line box, individual components, or grouped together as a single component. 
     In some embodiments, the audio signal generator  100  may include a configuration manager  110  which may include code and routines configured to perform one or more operations related to the generation and distribution of audio. Additionally or alternatively, the configuration manager  110  may be implemented using hardware including a processor, a microprocessor (e.g., to perform or control performance of one or more operations), an FPGA, or an ASIC. In some other instances, the configuration manager  110  may be implemented using a combination of hardware and software. In the present disclosure, operations described as being performed by the configuration manager  110  may include operations that the configuration manager  110  may direct a system to perform. 
     In general, the configuration manager  110  may be configured to determine one or more operational parameters  120  based on environmental information. The environmental information may include information about one or more parameters within the environment (“environmental parameters”) where the audio  102  may be projected. The operational parameters  120  may include one or more of the environmental parameters of the environmental information and/or one or more other parameters that may be obtained from the environmental information. The operational parameters  120  may include factors that may affect how projected audio  146  may propagate through the environment and/or be perceived by listeners within the environment. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the environmental factors may also affect the configuration of the channel objects  135  and/or the distribution of the channel objects to speakers  144 . 
     In these or other embodiments, example environmental parameters that may be used to determine the operational parameters may include speaker locations  111 , sensor information  112 , speaker acoustic properties  113 , environmental acoustic properties  114 , environment geometry  115 , the target sound effect  116 , the listener location  117 , and/or other information, or any combination thereof. 
     The speaker locations  111  may include location information of one or more speakers  144  in an audio system. In some embodiments, the speakers  144  may include any audio playback device and/or apparatus, such as loudspeakers, headphones (which may be considered two speakers in some embodiments), earphones, radios, televisions, portable audio players, etc. The speaker locations  111  may include relative location data, such as, for example, location information that relates the position/orientation of speakers  144  to other speakers  144 , walls, or other features in the environment. Additionally or alternatively, the speaker locations  111  may include location information relating the location of the speakers  144  to another point of reference, such as, for example, the earth, using, for example, latitude and longitude. The speaker locations  111  may also include orientation data of the speakers  144 . The speakers  144  may be located anywhere in an environment. In at least some embodiments, the speakers  144  may be arranged in a space with the intent to create particular kinds of audio immersion. Example configurations for different kinds of audio immersion may include ceiling-mounted speakers  144  to create an overhead sound experience, wall-mounted speakers  144  for a wall of sound, a speaker distribution around the wall/ceiling area of a space to create a complete volume of sound. If there is a subfloor under the floor where people may walk, speakers  144  may also be mounted to or within the subfloor. 
     In some embodiments, the configuration manager  110  may determine the speaker locations  111  that have been placed in the environment or have the data input therein. For example, each of the speakers  144  may include GPS, Bluetooth, and/or other tracking devices communicatively coupled to the configuration manager  110  such that the configuration manager  110  may determine the speaker locations  111 . Additionally or alternatively, the speaker locations  111  may be provided to the configuration manager  110  in some embodiments. 
     The sensor information  112  may include location information of one or more sensors in an audio system. The location information of the sensor information  112  may be the same as or similar to the location information of the speaker locations  111 . Further, the sensor information  112  may include information regarding the type of sensors, for example the sensor information  112  may include information indicating that the sensors of the audio system include a sound sensor (e.g., a microphone), and a light sensor. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor information  112  may include information regarding the sensitivity, range, and/or detection capabilities of the sensors of the audio system. The sensor information  112  may also include information about an environment or room where audio may be projected by the speakers  144 . For example, the sensor information  112  may include information pertaining to wall locations, ceiling locations, floor locations, and locations of various objects within the room (such as tables, chairs, plants, etc.). In some embodiments, a single sensor device may be capable of sensing any or all of the sensor information  112 . In these and other embodiments, the configuration manager  110  may obtain the sensor information  112  from one or more of the sensors positioned in the environment or have the sensor information  112  input therein. 
     The speaker acoustic properties  113  may include information about one or more speakers  144  of the audio system, such as, for example, a size, a wattage, and/or a frequency response of the speakers  144  as well as a frequency dispersion pattern therefrom. The speaker acoustic properties  113  may be input to and/or stored in the configuration manager  110 . In some embodiments, the configuration manager  110  may include speaker acoustic properties  113  related to a number of different types of speakers  144 , and the speaker acoustic properties  113  may be identified by a user selecting the types of speakers  144  included in the environment. Additionally or alternatively, the configuration manager  110  may automatically detect the types of speakers  144  included in the environment to identify the speaker acoustic properties  113 . 
     The environmental acoustic properties  114  may include information about sound or the way sound may propagate in the environment. The environmental acoustic properties  114  may include information about sources of sound from outside of the environment, such as, for example, a part of the environment that is open to the outside, a street, or a sidewalk. The environmental acoustic properties  114  may include information about sources of sound within the environment, such as, for example, a fountain, a fan, or a kitchen that frequently includes sounds of cooking. Additionally or alternatively environmental acoustic properties  114  may include information about the way sound propagates in the environment, such as, for example, information about areas of the environment including walls, tiles, carpet, marble, and/or high ceilings. The environmental acoustic properties  114  may include a map of the environment with different properties relating to different sections of the map, which map may be the audio heatmap or included in the audio heatmap. In these and other embodiments, the configuration manager  110  may be configured to determine the environmental acoustic properties  114  of the environment. For example, one or more speakers  144  included in a given environment may project one or more testing pings, which may be detected by one or more microphones coupled to the configuration manager  110 . The configuration manager  110  may determine the environmental acoustic properties  114  based on the manner in which the testing pings propagated through the given environment. In these or other embodiments, the environmental acoustic properties  114  may be provided to the configuration manager. 
     The environment geometry  115  may include information about the shape and/or size of the environment. For example, the environment geometry  115  may include information about the area of the environment, a number of walls included in the environment, and/or a number of openings included in the environment. As another example, the environment geometry  115  may include the thickness of walls, the height of the walls, the width of the openings, etc. The environment geometry  115  may be used in generating the audio heatmap. For example, the environment geometry  115  may affect the sound potential of one or more of the speakers  144 , such as by reflection via the walls of the environment and/or loss of sound via the openings in the environment. In some embodiments, the configuration manager  110  may be configured to determine the environment geometry  115  based on the manner in which the testing pings propagate through the environment. Additionally or alternatively, data relating to the environment geometry  115  may be input to the configuration manager  110 . In these and other embodiments, the configuration manager  110  may store data relating to one or more environment geometries  115  such that the environment geometries  115  may be selected as preset options. 
     The listener location  117  may include information about the positions of one or more listeners in the environment. The listener location  117  may include relative location data, such as, for example, location information that relates the position/orientation of the listener to the speakers  144 , walls, and/or other features in the environment. Additionally or alternatively, the listener location  117  may include location information relating the location of the listeners to another point of reference, such as, for example, the earth, using, for example, latitude and longitude. In some embodiments, the listeners may periodically move within the environment. In these and other embodiments, the listener location  117  may be updated based on movement of the listener. Additionally or alternatively, the environment may include a number of locations in which the listeners may be located (e.g., seats in a home theater). In some embodiments, the listener location  117  may be determined by the configuration manager  110 . For example, a smartphone co-located with the listener may include a GPS location that may be obtained by the configuration manager  110 . Additionally or alternatively, the listener location  117  may be specified based on a predetermined list of locations in which the listener may be situated in a particular environment. In these and other embodiments, the locations in which the listener may be situated may depend on the speaker locations  111  and/or the environment geometry  115 . 
     In some embodiments, an audio heatmap may be obtained based on the speaker locations  111 , the sensor information  112 , the speaker acoustic properties  113 , the environmental acoustic properties  114 , the environment geometry  115 , and/or the listener location  117 . The speaker locations  111  and/or the speaker acoustic properties  113  may be used for determining the audio heatmap, where each speaker acoustic property  113  may be correlated with the speaker locations  111  as represented by an audio heatmap index having higher sound density closer to the speaker locations  111 . The projection of sound from the speakers  144  at the speaker locations  111  may provide information for the audio potential of the audio system, which may then be used for generating the audio heatmap. 
     The audio heatmap may represent how relative positions of the speakers  144 , with respect to each other as indicated by the speaker locations  111 , affect interactions between individual sound waves of the channel objects  135  projected by the individual speakers  144  in the environment. As such, in some embodiments, the environmental acoustic properties  114  may facilitate determining the audio heatmap. For example, the environmental acoustic properties  114  may impact the sound potential of a certain region, such as by sound reflection causing a change in the sound potential. The audio heatmap may represent the sound potential of a particular audio system and facilitate determining one or more versions of the channel objects  135  to be projected by speakers  144  included in the environment. In these and other embodiments, the audio heatmap may be used by the configuration manager  110  to determine the operational parameters  120 . 
     The operational parameters  120  may include factors that affect the way channel objects  135  determined by the audio system are propagated in the environment. Additionally or alternatively, the operational parameters  120  may include factors that may affect the way that the channel objects  135  determined by the audio system are perceived by a listener in the environment. As such, in some embodiments, the operational parameters  120  may be based on or include, the speaker locations  111 , the sensor information  112 , the speaker acoustic properties  113 , environmental acoustic properties  114 , the environment geometry  115 , the target sound effect  116 , and/or the listener location  117 . 
     Additionally or alternatively, the speaker acoustic properties  113  and the environmental acoustic properties  118  may also indicate how the individual sound waves of the channel objects  135  projected by the individual speakers  144  may interact with each other and propagate in the environment. Similarly, the sensor information  112  may indicate conditions within the environment (e.g. presence of people, objects, etc.) that may affect the way the sound waves may interact with each other and propagate throughout the environment. As such, in some embodiments, the operational parameters  120  may include the interactions of the sound waves that may be determined. In these or other embodiments, the interactions included in the operational parameters  120  may include timing information (e.g., the amount of time it takes for sound to propagate from a speaker  144  to a location in the environment such as to another speaker  144  in the environment), echoing or dampening information, constructive or destructive interference of sound waves, or the like. As a result, normalization may occur at the configuration manager  110  or provided to the configuration manager  110 . 
     Because the operational parameters  120  may include factors that affect the way the channel objects  135  projected by the speakers  144  are propagated in the environment, the audio signal generator  100  may be configured to determine and/or adjust the channel objects  135  based on the operational parameters  120 , with or without normalization. The audio signal generator  100  may be configured to adjust one or more properties related to generation or adjustment of the channel objects  135 ; for example, at least one of a volume level, a frequency content, dynamics, a playback speed, a playback duration, a distance and/or time delay between speakers  144  of the environment may be adjusted to structure the channel objects  135 . 
     In some embodiments, the audio signal generator  100  may include the normalizer  140  which may include code and routines configured to enable a computing system to perform one or more operations to normalize channel objects  135  for speakers  144  in the environment based on operational parameters  120  and the audio heatmap. In these and other embodiments, normalization of the channel objects  135  may result in more consistent and smoother projection of audio to which the channel objects correspond. For example, the operations to normalize channel objects  135  may include tuning the audio corresponding to the channel objects  135  such that the audio may be projected without volume spiking or dropping out. Additionally or alternatively, the normalizer  140  may be implemented using hardware including a processor, a microprocessor (e.g., to perform or control performance of one or more operations), an FPGA, or an ASIC. In some other instances, the normalizer  140  may be implemented using a combination of hardware and software. In the present disclosure, operations described as being performed by normalizer  140  may include operations that the normalizer  140  may direct a system to perform. 
     In some embodiments, the normalizer  140  may be part of the configuration manager  110  so that the normalization may be performed to normalize the operational parameters  120 . As such, the protocols for normalizing the channel objects  135  may instead be applied to the data at the configuration manager  110  so that the operational parameters  120  may provide data for the normalized audio. For example, the foregoing environmental parameters that allow for determination of the operational parameters  120  may also be used for normalizing so that the operational parameters  120  already include the normalized channel objects  142 . This allows for a high-level normalization based on the environmental parameters that are provided to the configuration manager  110 . The configuration manager  110 , thereby may be useful for performing the normalization procedure and may be considered to be a normalizer  140 . When the configuration manager  110  is also a normalizer, the illustrated normalizer downstream from the playback manager  130  may be omitted, and thereby the channel objects  135  provided by the playback manager  130  may indeed already be mapped as the normalized channel objects  142 . 
     In some embodiments, the audio signal generator  100  may include a playback manager  130  which may include code and routines configured to enable a computing system to perform one or more operations to determine channel objects  135  and normalized channel objects  142  for projection by the speakers  144  in the environment based on operational parameters  120 . Additionally or alternatively, the playback manager  130  may be implemented using hardware including a processor, a microprocessor (e.g., to perform or control performance of one or more operations), an FPGA, or an ASIC. In some other instances, the playback manager  130  may be implemented using a combination of hardware and software. In the present disclosure, operations described as being performed by playback manager  130  may include operations that the playback manager  130  may direct a system to perform. 
     In some embodiments, the playback manager  130  may adaptively structure the channel objects  135  by changing one or more properties of the data in the audio signal. Accordingly, adaptively structuring the channel objects  135  may affect one or more properties of the channel objects  135  when the audio associated with the channel objects  135  is rendered by the speakers  144  in which the properties may include, for example, loudness, position, size, shape, spread, motion, frequency, pitch, playback speed, playback duration, reverberation, replication, count, and/or distribution of the channel objects  135 . These and other adjustments to the properties of the channel objects  135  may affect representation of an overall sound and/or the target sound effects  116  in the environment. Additionally or alternatively, these and other adjustments to the channel objects  135  may be performed via a normalization protocol. For example, the playback manager  130  may adjust the volume level of the channel objects  135  based on the normalization protocol so as to provide the normalized channel objects  142 . 
     In some embodiments, the playback manager  130  may adaptively structure the channel objects  135  based on the operational parameters  120 , and the playback manager  130  may change properties of the channel objects  135  to achieve a particular target sound effect in a particular environment. In some embodiments, the playback manager  130  may change the frequency content of one or more channel objects  135  to accommodate operational parameters  120  including particular speaker locations  111  such that the audio projected by each of the speakers  144  constructively interfere at specific locations in the environment. Additionally or alternatively, the playback manager  130  may increase the volume level of one or more of the channel objects  135  responsive to the operational parameters  120  indicating that one or more speakers  144  have low maximum volumes based on the speaker acoustic properties  113 . Additionally or alternatively, the playback manager  130  may change the playback speed and/or playback duration of one or more of the channel objects  135  to account for operational parameters  120  relating to the environmental acoustic properties  114  and/or the environment geometry  115  (e.g., a relatively spacious ballroom versus a cluttered office room). 
     In these and other embodiments, the playback manager  130  may determine more than one version of a channel object  135  may be projected in the environment based on the operational parameters  120  and the target sound effect  116 . For example, the playback manager  130  may determine projecting audio corresponding to a first version of a particular channel object and a second version of the particular channel object may produce a particular target sound effect based on the operational parameters of the particular environment. The playback manager  130  may designate audio corresponding to the first version of the particular channel object to be projected by a first speaker  144  and audio corresponding to the second version of the particular channel to be projected by a second speaker  144 . The first version and the second version of the particular channel object may include different audio properties such as volume levels, frequency contents, dynamics, playback speeds, and/or playback durations of the data in the audio signal to produce the particular target sound effect. 
     As another example, a particular channel object may include particular operational parameters indicating that the environment in which the particular channel object will be projected includes a region having high levels of ambient noise, a first speaker  144  inside the region having high levels of ambient noise, and a second speaker  144  outside of the region. The playback manager  130  may increase the volume level of a first version of the particular channel object  135  that is designated for projection by the first speaker  144  based on the first speaker  144  being within the region and based on the particular operational parameters indicating that the region has high levels of ambient noise. Additionally or alternatively, the playback manager  130  may adjust the frequency of a second version of the particular channel object that may be sent to the second speaker  144  such that the second version of the particular channel object constructively interferes with the particular channel object projected by the first speaker  144  to improve the perception of the audio within the ambient noise. In the present disclosure, reference to a speaker projecting a channel object refers to the speaker projecting the corresponding audio of that channel object. 
     Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the audio signal generator  100  without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the audio signal generator  100  may include only the configuration manager  110  or only the playback manager  130  in some instances. In these or other embodiments, the audio signal generator  100  may perform more or fewer operations than those described. In addition. The different input parameters that may be used by the audio signal generator  100  may vary. In some embodiments, the normalizer  140  is part of the audio signal generator  100 , such as part of the configuration manager  110  or the playback manager  130 . 
       FIG.  2    illustrates an example scenario in which an audio signal generator  210  (“signal generator  200 ”)—which may be an implementation of the audio signal generator  100  of  FIG.  1   —may generate and configure channel objects to obtain a target sound effect within an environment  200 . The example given is only one of many different ways that channel objects may be used and generated and is not meant to be limiting. The environment  200  may include a first speaker  212   a , a second speaker  212   b , and a third speaker  212   c , which may be implementations of the speakers  144  of  FIG.  1   . 
     The signal generator  210  may obtain audio  220  for projection within the environment  200  by the speakers  212 . Further, the audio  220  may include a first audio channel, a second audio channel, and a third audio channel. 
     The first audio channel may include first sub-audio of the audio  220  that is designated for projection by a speaker positioned at a location  202  within the environment  200  to obtain a first target sound effect with respect to a listener  230  positioned at a location  208  within the environment  200 . For example, the first target sound effect may be that the first sub-audio be perceived as coming from the left of the listener  230 . 
     The second audio channel may include second sub-audio of the audio  220  that is designated for projection by a speaker positioned at a location  204  within the environment  200  to obtain a second target sound effect with respect to the listener  230  being positioned at the location  208 . For example, the second target sound effect may be that the second sub-audio be perceived as coming from directly in front of the listener  230 . 
     The third audio channel may include third sub-audio of the audio  220  that is designated for projection by a speaker positioned at a location  206  within the environment  200  to obtain a third target sound effect with respect to the listener  230  being positioned at the location  208 . For example, the third target sound effect may be that the third sub-audio be perceived as coming from the right of the listener  230 . 
     In the example of  FIG.  2   , the first speaker  212   a  may be positioned at the first location  202  and the third speaker  212   c  may be positioned at the third location  206 . As such, the first sound effect and the third sound effect may be respectively achieved through playback of the first audio channel via the first speaker  212   a  and playback of the third audio channel via the third speaker  212   c . However, as indicated in  FIG.  2   , the second speaker  212   b  may not be positioned at the second location  204 . As such, the second target sound effect may not be perceived as well as if the second speaker  212   b  were positioned at the location  204 . 
     The signal generator  210  may be configured to de-structure the audio  220  by generating channel objects that correspond to the channels of the audio  220 . For example, in some embodiments, the signal generator  210  may generate a first channel object  222  that may correspond to the first audio channel, a second channel object  224  that may correspond to the second audio channel, and a third channel object  226  that may correspond to the third audio channel. 
     Based on one or more environmental parameters of the environment  200 , the signal generator  210  may configure and distribute the channel objects  222 ,  224 , and  226  to generate the target sound effects of the audio  220 . For example, the signal generator  210  may directly send the first channel object  222  to the first speaker  212   a  to generate the first target sound effect. In some embodiments, the audio properties of the first channel object  222  sent to the first speaker  212   a  may be relatively unchanged with respect to the underlying audio properties in the first channel based on the first speaker  212   a  being located at the designated first location  202  for the first channel. 
     Similarly, the signal generator  210  may directly send the third channel object  226  to the third speaker  212   c  to generate the third target sound effect. In some embodiments, the audio properties of the third channel object  226  sent to the third speaker  212   c  may be relatively unchanged with respect to the underlying audio properties in the third channel based on the third speaker  212   c  being located at the designated third location  206  for the third channel. 
     Further, the signal generator  210  may be configured to generate a first version of the second channel object  224  (“second channel object  224   a ”) and a second version of the second channel object  224  (“second channel object  224   b ”). The signal generator may configure the second channel object  224   a  for projection by the second speaker  212   b  and may configure the second channel object  224   b  for projection by the third speaker  212   c . The audio properties of the second channel object  224   a  and the second channel object  224   b  may be such that when the corresponding second sub-audio is projected by the second speaker  212   b  and the third speaker  212   c , the second audio effect may be achieved. For example, the projection may be such that the second sub-audio is perceived as coming from a virtual speaker  214  positioned at the location  204 . 
     Therefore, as indicated in the example of  FIG.  2   , the generation and configuration of channel objects may allow for greater flexibility in the distribution of audio of different audio channels, which may improve the projection and perception of the corresponding audio. Further, the generation and configuration of channel objects may also provide for the improvement of audio projection in different types of spaces that may not be configured according to a particular channel arrangement and designation. 
     The description of  FIG.  2    is merely given as an example use case of the channel objects and is not meant to be limiting. Channel objects and corresponding versions may be generated according to any number of different factors and situations. For instance, different versions of the channel objects may facilitate various target sound effects, such as adjusting audio projection based on movement of the listener  230  in the environment, panning audio projection across the environment, simulating audio projection by a greater number of speakers than the number of speakers included in the environment, simulating audio projection by fewer speakers than the number of speakers included in the environment, etc. Additionally or alternatively, one or more simulated audio scenes, such as beach scenes, concert hall scenes, sporting event scenes, etc., may be projected simultaneously and/or in sequence based on the different versions of the channel objects. 
     In some embodiments, the channel objects may be adaptively structured by adjusting the volume, the position, the shape, the spread, the timing, the size, and/or other properties of the audio corresponding to each of the channel objects such that the projected audio includes one or more target sound effects, such as the target sound effects  116  described above in relation to  FIG.  1   , without physically modifying the speaker arrangement and/or the environment in which the audio is projected. 
     For example, a particular target sound effect may include simulating audio projection from a target location, such as the location  204 , in which no speaker is present. By adjusting properties of audio corresponding to one or more of the channel objects  222 - 226 , such as the volume and/or the timing of projection, the listener  230  may perceive the audio as coherent audio originating from the target location  204  in the environment even though no speakers are present in the target location  204 . 
     In these and other embodiments, adaptive structuring of the channel objects  135  may be performed on a continuous, non-fixed basis such that mapping of audio to channel objects and/or modification of properties associated with the channel objects may be concurrently performed while audio content is already playing. As such, representation of the overall sound and/or particular target sound effects in the environment may be adjusted without interrupting playback of audio. For example, the listener  230  at the location  208  may perceive audio as being projected from the target location  204  based on projection of audio corresponding to the channel objects  222 - 226 . During playback of the audio simulated at the target location  204 , the listener may want the audio to be perceived as originating further to the right of the listener  230 . Properties of the channel objects  222 - 226  may be adjusted such that the audio is perceived by the listener  230  at the location  208  as originating to the right of the target location  204  without movement of the listener  230  and/or disruption to the audio playback. 
     In some embodiments, the shape, the spread, the size, etc. of the audio associated with the channel objects  222 - 226  may be adjusted by modifying properties of the sound wave corresponding to the audio. For example, adjusting signal levels associated with one or more frequencies included in the audio, changing the amplitude of sound waves via phase shifting, and/or changing the waveforms associated with sound waves may affect facilitate determining one or more versions of a particular channel object. In these and other embodiments, the audio corresponding to the channel objects  222 - 226  may be expanded, contracted, and/or rotated by adjusting the number of speakers projecting audio corresponding to the channel objects  222 - 226 , the timing with which the audio corresponding to the channel objects  222 - 226  are projected, and/or properties of the sound waves corresponding to the channel objects  222 - 226 . 
       FIG.  3    is a flow diagram that illustrates a method  300  of generating and rendering channel objects. The method  300  may be performed with an audio system, such as an embodiment of an audio system described herein. The system may include the plurality of speakers positioned in a speaker arrangement in an environment and the audio generator operably coupled with each speaker of the plurality of speakers. The audio signal generator is configured to provide a specific audio signal to each speaker of a set of speakers to cause a coordinated audio emission from each speaker in the set of speakers to render a channel object in a defined channel object location in the environment. The audio signal generator is configured to process audio data that is obtained from a memory device for each specific audio signal. 
     At block  310 , audio to be projected in an environment may be obtained. The audio may be structured as one or more audio channels in which sub-audio of a respective channel may be selected and configured according to a target sound effect. The audio  102  may include any suitable signal or audio file with audio encoded therein. 
     At block  320 , the audio channels may be mapped to corresponding channel objects. In some embodiments, mapping the audio channels to the corresponding channel objects may include identifying one or more of the audio properties associated with the audio channels, such as loudness, position, size, shape, spread, motion, frequency, pitch, playback speed, playback duration, reverberation, replication, count, and/or distribution of the audio channels. In these and other embodiments, sub-audio of each respective audio channel may be mapped to corresponding channel objects by adjusting one or more properties associated with the sub-audio. 
     At block  330 , environmental parameters associated with the environment may be obtained. In some embodiments, the environmental parameters may include speaker locations, sensor information, speaker acoustic properties, environmental acoustic properties, environment geometry, and/or listener location as described above in relation to  FIG.  1   . 
     In some embodiments, the environmental parameters may be modified responsive to changes to the environment. Such changes to the environment may include malfunctioning of one or more speakers, repositioning of speakers in the environment, upgrading existing speakers, introduction of additional speakers to the environment, changes to speaker acoustic properties, introduction of new objects in the environment, introduction of new walls in the environment, movement of listeners within the environment, etc. The changes to the environment may be detected by sensors positioned in the environment that capture information about the environment, such as the sensor information  112  as described above in relation to  FIG.  1   . In some embodiments, a second set of environmental parameters may be obtained responsive to such changes to the environmental parameters. In these and other embodiments. the second set of environmental parameters may be used for the rest of the method  300 . 
     At block  340 , one or more target sound effects may be obtained. In some embodiments, a target sound effect may include simulating audio projection in a particular location in the environment irrespective of speaker locations, simulating a moving audio source in the environment, adjusting properties of the audio (e.g., pitch and/or volume of the audio), etc. Obtaining the target sound effects may be based on adjusting one or more of the identified properties of the audio channels as described above in relation to mapping the audio channels to corresponding channel objects at block  320 . 
     At block  350 , projection of the audio corresponding to the channel objects may be directed to one or more of the speakers included in the environment. In some embodiments, one or more versions of a particular channel object may be determined based on the environmental parameters and the target sound effects. The audio of each version of the particular channel object may be configured based on one or more of the environmental parameters such that a target sound effect may be achieved when the version of the particular channel object is sent to a particular speaker. In these and other embodiments, the different versions of the channel objects may include variations in volume, position, shape, spread, timing, size, and/or other properties of the audio. 
     Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the method  300  without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, the designations of different elements in the manner described is meant to help explain concepts described herein and is not limiting. Further, the method  300  may include any number of other elements or may be implemented within other systems or contexts than those described. For example, the method  300  may be performed on a continuous, non-fixed basis such that audio channels may be mapped to corresponding channel objects, environmental parameters may be obtained, target sound effects may be obtained, and/or audio corresponding to the channel objects may be projected while audio is already playing. 
       FIG.  4    illustrates an example computing system  400 , according to at least one embodiment described in the present disclosure. The computing system  400  may include a processor  410 , a memory  420 , a data storage  430 , and/or a communication unit  440 , which all may be communicatively coupled. Any or all of the audio signal generator  100  of  FIG.  1    may be implemented as a computing system consistent with the computing system  400 , including the configuration manager  110 , the playback manager  130 , the normalizer  140 , and/or the amplifier  150 . 
     Generally, the processor  410  may include any suitable special-purpose or general-purpose computer, computing entity, or processing device including various computer hardware or software modules and may be configured to execute instructions stored on any applicable computer-readable storage media. For example, the processor  410  may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or any other digital or analog circuitry configured to interpret and/or to execute program instructions and/or to process data. 
     Although illustrated as a single processor in  FIG.  4   , it is understood that the processor  410  may include any number of processors distributed across any number of network or physical locations that are configured to perform individually or collectively any number of operations described in the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the processor  410  may interpret and/or execute program instructions and/or process data stored in the memory  420 , the data storage  430 , or the memory  420  and the data storage  430 . In some embodiments, the processor  410  may fetch program instructions from the data storage  430  and load the program instructions into the memory  420 . 
     After the program instructions are loaded into the memory  420 , the processor  410  may execute the program instructions, such as instructions to perform the method  300  of  FIG.  3   . For example, the processor  410  may obtain instructions regarding obtaining audio to be projected in a particular environment, map audio channels included in the audio to channel objects, obtain environmental parameters and target sound effects, and/or direct projection of the channel objects based on the obtained environmental parameters and target sound effects. 
     The memory  420  and the data storage  430  may include computer-readable storage media or one or more computer-readable storage mediums for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such computer-readable storage media may be any available media that may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer, such as the processor  410 . For example, the memory  420  and/or the data storage  430  may store obtained operational parameters (such as the operational parameters  120  in  FIG.  1   ). In some embodiments, the computing system  400  may or may not include either of the memory  420  and the data storage  430 . 
     By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable storage media may include non-transitory computer-readable storage media including Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, flash memory devices (e.g., solid state memory devices), or any other storage medium which may be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. Combinations of the above may also be included within the scope of computer-readable storage media. Computer-executable instructions may include, for example, instructions and data configured to cause the processor  410  to perform a certain operation or group of operations. 
     The communication unit  440  may include any component, device, system, or combination thereof that is configured to transmit or receive information over a network. In some embodiments, the communication unit  440  may communicate with other devices at other locations, the same location, or even other components within the same system. For example, the communication unit  440  may include a modem, a network card (wireless or wired), an optical communication device, an infrared communication device, a wireless communication device (such as an antenna), and/or chipset (such as a Bluetooth device, an 802.6 device (e.g., Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)), a WiFi device, a WiMax device, cellular communication facilities, or others), and/or the like. The communication unit  440  may permit data to be exchanged with a network and/or any other devices or systems described in the present disclosure. For example, the communication unit  440  may allow the system  400  to communicate with other systems, such as computing devices and/or other networks. 
     One skilled in the art, after reviewing this disclosure, may recognize that modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the system  400  without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the system  400  may include more or fewer components than those explicitly illustrated and described. 
     The embodiments described in the present disclosure may include the use of a special purpose or general-purpose computer including various computer hardware or software modules. Further, embodiments described in the present disclosure may be implemented using computer-readable media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. 
     Terms used herein and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” may be interpreted as “including, but not limited to,” the term “having” may be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” may be interpreted as “includes, but is not limited to,” etc.). 
     Additionally, if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases may not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to embodiments containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” may be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. 
     In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation may be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Further, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” or “one or more of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended to include A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together, etc. For example, the use of the term “and/or” is intended to be construed in this manner. 
     Further, any disjunctive word or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, may be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” may be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.” 
     Embodiments described herein may be implemented using computer-readable media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such computer-readable media may be any available media that may be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media may include non-transitory computer-readable storage media including Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, flash memory devices (e.g., solid state memory devices), or any other storage medium which may be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which may be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. Combinations of the above may also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. 
     Computer-executable instructions may include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device (e.g., one or more processors) to perform a certain function or group of functions. Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims. 
     As used herein, the terms “module” or “component” may refer to specific hardware implementations configured to perform the operations of the module or component and/or software objects or software routines that may be stored on and/or executed by general purpose hardware (e.g., computer-readable media, processing devices, etc.) of the computing system. In some embodiments, the different components, modules, engines, and services described herein may be implemented as objects or processes that execute on the computing system (e.g., as separate threads). While some of the system and methods described herein are generally described as being implemented in software (stored on and/or executed by general purpose hardware), specific hardware implementations or a combination of software and specific hardware implementations are also possible and contemplated. In this description, a “computing entity” may be any computing system as previously defined herein, or any module or combination of modulates running on a computing system. 
     All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical objects to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, it may be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations may be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.