Patent Publication Number: US-2020293273-A1

Title: Application of geometric acoustics for immersive virtual reality (vr)

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/183,396, titled “APPLICATION OF GEOMETRIC ACOUSTICS FOR IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL REALITY (VR),” filed Nov. 7, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention are related to audio data processing, and more specifically, to geometrical acoustic data processing for computer applications, such as virtual reality applications. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     While virtual reality (VR) opens up exciting opportunities in several areas including content creation, and sports, entertainment and game broadcasting, VR applications also bring new challenges when attempting to deliver immersive experiences to a broad base of users. 
     Geometrical Acoustic (GA) processing is the simulation of sound ray propagation in a particular spatial model (e.g., a virtual scene setting in a VR game), which can be executed by a GA processing pipeline for example. Based on geometrical information about the setting, GA processing can automatically determine how the sound waves travel and bounce around the environment and reach a character or another type of object in the setting (e.g., which is subject to control by a player in real-time), thus producing 3D spatialized audio data. 
     Typically, a GA processing pipeline processes the geometry of a virtual scene along with knowledge of sound sources and receiver location by using a ray tracing algorithm and an audio rendering algorithm. The ray tracing algorithm is used to compute a spatial acoustic model and generate impulse responses (IRs) that encode the delays and attenuation of sound waves traveling from a sound source object to a sound receiver object through different propagation paths representing transmission, reflection, and diffraction. Rays (or sound waves) are traced to generate an impulse response which represents the decay of audio energy in time at the place of the sound receiver. Whenever the sound source, the receiver, or another object in the scene moves, these propagation paths need to be recomputed—sometimes periodically. The audio rendering algorithm is used to generate audio signals by convolving the input audio signals with the IRs. In a virtual environment such as in a game, where the acoustic geometry of the scene is known along with the positions of a sound source and a sound receiver, GA processing is applied to generate spatialized audio data. 
     There are multiple on-going efforts to have GA audio in computation intensive games to provide an immersive VR experience. But these efforts are restricted to application of GA to only in-game audio, e.g., audio generated by the application program. In existing systems, verbal interaction among multi-players as captured by microphones can be rendered concurrently with the game play. However, the microphone-captured audio can only be rendered in a plain and unprocessed manner and not immersed in, but rather detached from, the virtual scenes. Multiplayer VR applications can be performed by making the interactions of the players and the application more immersive. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention provides a mechanism for incorporating real-life audio captured at users&#39; microphones into in-application audio by applying an in-application Geometrical Acoustic (GA) model to the microphone-captured audio. 
     The novel solution presents a way to increase the VR immersiveness of players in a multiplayer gaming environment by extending the application of GA processing to microphone data. In one or more embodiments, GA processing includes modeling a simulation of sound ray propagation in a particular setting. GA determines how the sound waves bounce around the environment and reach the user with information about the geometry of the space, thus providing a 3D audio spatialization. 
     In one or more embodiments, when a user/player of a multi-player content streaming application speaks through a microphone, the voice is processed by simulating the GA properties configured for a virtual scene, and thereby added with spatialized audio effects specific to the scene. When the GA-processed voice is played through a speaker for example, another user can hear it as if the sound traveled according to objects in the scenery and the geometry in the virtual scene. This mechanism can advantageously place the users&#39; conversation in the same virtual world, just like rendered game audio, thereby advantageously providing enhanced immersive VR experience to users. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure include convolving microphone-captured audio data with an impulse response (IR) characteristic of a sound channel in a virtual scene to produce audio frames for rendering. More specifically, the IR is generated by using sound propagation simulation and head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) based on positions (including orientations and locations) of the sound source and receiver objects in a particular scene. In some embodiments, a multiplayer gaming system operates in a client/server model, in which multiple game consoles (e.g., one for each player) act as clients with a common server. Each client computer updates GA processing-related information periodically to the server, such as the player&#39;s inputs, the player&#39;s new head position or motion as sensed by a head mounted display (HMD) as well as the player&#39;s voice captured by a microphone. Having received the information, the server performs GA processing to determine the updated positions of all the players, which may translate to new positions of the objects in the virtual scene for example. The server then sends an authoritative version of these positions to all the clients. Also, the microphone-captured audio data is transmitted from the client of the sound&#39;s source through the network to all other players. In this manner, each client computer can receive information of the locations as well as audio of all other players in real time. 
     With the information of other players as well as the geometry, location and direction of the local player, a client computer computes impulse responses (IRs), e.g., using sound propagation simulation and dynamic head-related-transfer function (HRTF)-based listener directivity. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the IRs are convolved with the real-time microphone-captured data to advantageously produce audio frames for rendering through speakers or headphones associated with the client computer. The IRs can be later recomputed responsive to changes in listener and source locations. As perceived by the local player, another player&#39;s voice is advantageously placed accurately in the context of the virtual scene and thus immersed in the virtual reality. That is, players&#39; verbal interactions can be played out with a VR immersive effect as well as the audio data generated by the game or application. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary VR streaming system configured to render microphone-captured audio in an immersive VR setting in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the data flow in an exemplary VR system configured to apply GA simulation on microphone-captured audio to generate an immersive VR effect at a client according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the data flow in another exemplary VR system configured to apply GA simulation on microphone-captured audio to generate an immersive VR effect at a server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart depicting an exemplary computer implemented process of adding immersive VR effect to microphone-captured audio in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary computing device operable to generate VR immersive audio frames for rendering from microphone-captured audio data in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of embodiments of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments of the present invention. 
     Notation and Nomenclature 
     Some portions of the detailed descriptions, which follow, are presented in terms of procedures, steps, logic blocks, processing, and other symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. A procedure, computer executed step, logic block, process, etc., is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps or instructions leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated in a computer system. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. 
     It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the present invention, discussions utilizing terms such as “rendering” or “processing” or “accessing” or “performing” or “executing” or “transforming” or “determining” or the like, refer to the action and processes of an integrated circuit, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system&#39;s registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices. 
     Application of Geometrical Acoustics on Microphone Data in Multiplayer Games for Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) 
     In a virtual reality (VR) environment, positional audio cues are very important for producing a spatialized acoustic effect and therefore providing a realistic and immersive virtual reality (VR) experience for a user. Embodiments of the present disclosure include a process to spatialize microphone-captured real-world sound according to a VR setting. In a game, when multiple game characters are positioned in close vicinity of each other within a VR setting, geometric acoustics (GA) modeling is applied to advantageously convert the microphone-captured audio to audio data with an immersive VR effect. With positional cues and geometrical acoustics added to the microphone-captured audio, the players can enjoy enhanced immersive VR experiences during verbal communication from other players. 
     GA modeling is the simulation of sound ray propagation in a particular spatial setting (e.g., a virtual scene setting), which can be executed by a GA processing pipeline, for example. Based on geometrical information about the VR setting, GA processing determines how the sound waves travel and bounce around the environment to reach a character or an object (e.g., which is controlled by a player in real-time), thus providing 3D spatialized audio data. Head movements of a listener (e.g., a simulated listener object) within a VR setting can also change how audio should be perceived by the listener. One aspect of the invention described here is to generate an impulse response (IR) to dynamically characterize a sound channel for propagating (including transmitting, reflecting, and diffracting etc.) microphone-captured audio and generate audio frames by convolving the IR with the microphone-captured audio. As the sound channel may vary with positions of the sound&#39;s source and the sound&#39;s recipient, as well as the geometrical settings of the virtual scene, the impulse response can be generated by using sound propagation simulation and dynamic HRTF-based listener directivity. 
     More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure provide virtual reality (VR) audio rendering systems and methods, in a multiplayer game system, where multiple client devices periodically send updated positional information and microphone-captured real-world sound to the server. Accordingly, the server performs GA processing to determine the updated positions of the objects in the virtual scene and sends an authoritative version of these positions and microphone-captured audio to all the clients. So each client computer receives information related to the locations as well as audio of all other players in real time. At a particular client computer, based on positional information and audio of the other players, the geometry of the VR scene, and the location and orientation of the local player, the client computer can compute impulse responses (IRs) and convolve the IRs with the real-time microphone-captured data to produce audio frames for rendering. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, as perceived by the local player, another player&#39;s verbal communication is placed in the context of the virtual scene. For example, adding positional cues and geometrical acoustic effects to chat audio enhances the players&#39; experiences as a listener-player is able to infer the location of the speaker-player in the virtual scene based on what he or she hears during verbal interaction. Therefore, player interactions become VR immersive as well as the audio data generated by the game or application. 
     The present disclosure can be applied in a cloud content streaming system, a client-server content streaming system, an individual game console, system, or any other suitable system that exploits GA simulation to generate spatialized audio data.  FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary VR streaming system  100  configured to render microphone-captured audio in an immersive VR setting in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     In a simplified form, the VR streaming system  100  includes a server device  110  and a plurality of client devices coupled through one or more networks, e.g., Client  1  ( 120 ) and Client  2  ( 130 ). A VR game can be executed at the server  110  and video and audio frames are generated and streamed to the remote clients  120  and  130  for rendering. Each client device is coupled to a audio playback system (e.g., speakers  141  or  151 ), a head-mounted device (HMD, e.g.,  152  or  152 ) wearable on a user&#39;s head and capable of sensing the user&#39;s head position and motion, a microphone (e.g.,  143  or  153 ), and a controller or other user input device (e.g.,  144  or  154 ) for receiving user input. Each microphone can capture a player&#39;s voice and other real-world ambient sounds and send the audio signal to the associated client device and further to the server  110 . 
     Herein, unless otherwise specified, a position or positional information related to a player or a computing device refers to a position and orientation of an object in a VR setting that is subject to control by the player or the device, such as a sound source object, a sound receiver object or another type of object. The object&#39;s position in the VR setting may be controlled by a player-user through an input device (e.g., a game controller) and/or the head position of the player with reference to the associated sound system. A change in the position of the object causes a change in the geographic acoustic model. It will be appreciated that the present disclosure is not limited to any specific type of device that can detect and supply positional information and any of a number of well known devices can be used. For example, the positional information may originate from an HMD, a game controller, a keyboard, wearable sensors, etc. In this example, a user&#39;s head movements and input to the game controller may change the position of a virtual object and thereby change geometrical acoustic properties of the VR setting. 
     For example, during operation, each client device ( 120  or  130 ) can receive positional update information (including location and orientation information for example) from the associated HMD and the game controller and propagate the information to the server. The server  110  is configured to execute the game application, generate audio and video frames based on the updated position information and render audio on behalf of the clients. 
     More specifically, the server  110  includes a GA processing pipeline  150  including a ray tracing module  151  and an audio rendering module  152 . The ray tracing module  151  can compute a spatial acoustic model and generate IRs that encode the delays and attenuation of sound waves. Sound waves travelling from a sound source object to a sound receiver object travel along a multitude of propagation paths representing different sequences of transmission, reflections, diffractions and refractions at surfaces of the VR environments. Whenever an object in the virtual scene moves, these propagation paths may be recomputed to generate subsequent audio frames for rendering. 
     The audio rendering module  152  can generate audio frames by convolving the input audio data with the IRs. Rays of sound waves are traced to generate an IR which characterizes the delay of audio energy in the time and place of the sound receiver object. Given the geometry of the VR scene along with the positions of a sound source and a receiver, GA simulation is applied to generate spatialized VR audio frames. The audio processing performed by the GA processing pipeline  150  may use a frame number or timestamp to indicate the time when the processed audio needs to be played out and also to correlate the corresponding position. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, microphone-captured audio is processed by GA modeling of a virtual setting that is converted to audio data operable to provide a geometrical acoustic effect and positional cues. In the illustrated example, the server GA pipeline  150  is responsible to apply GA modeling to generate audio frames for built-in game audio, while a client audio engine is responsible to apply GA modeling to generate audio frames for microphone-captured real-world audio from the local player or another fellow player. However, in some other embodiments, the server GA pipeline  150  is configured to generate audio frames for microphone-captured audio and then to send the audio frames to a client device for playing. 
     As shown, the client device  120  has a local GA audio engine  121  capable of computing an impulse response (IR), based on, for example and without limitation, the positional information related to the players and by using sound propagation simulation and dynamic HRTF-based listener directivity. Multiple IRs may be generated for one VR scene, for example one IR can be generated for each combination of an object and its control player. The local GA audio engine  121  then convolves an IR with the corresponding microphone-captured audio to produce audio frames for rendering through a speaker or a headphone associated with the client device  120 . The IRs may be recomputed at interactive rates based on changes as detected by the microphones and HMDs. 
     In some embodiments, a listener-based ray tracing algorithm can be used to generate the IRs. With the listener-based approach, the rays of sound waves are treated as originating from a listener (or a sound receiver), rather than a sound source. Multiple IRs can be generated, one for each player, with a single ray trace run, and the IRs can then be advantageously convolved with respective players&#39; microphone audio. 
     It will be appreciated that any other suitable geometrical audio processing algorithm or method can be applied to immerse the microphone-captured audio in a VR setting without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The positional information related to a player and microphone-captured audio can be collected from a client and transmitted to other peer clients via the server. For example, each client device can send a stream of packets periodically to the server, where each packet contains a simplified update of the player&#39;s inputs as received via the game controller, the player&#39;s new head position or motion as sensed by a head mounted display (HMD), and the player&#39;s voice captured by the microphones. Having received the input packets, the server performs GA simulation to determine the new positions of all relevant objects in the scene, and sends out packets containing an authoritative version of these positions to all the clients. In this manner, each client computer can receive positional information as well as audio data of all other players in real time. However, any other well-known mechanism may be used to communicate positional information and microphone-captured audio among the multiple players in a game without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the data flow in an exemplary VR system  200  configured to apply GA simulation at a client to add immersive VR effect to microphone-captured audio according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The VR system  200  includes a server  210  configured to stream audio and video frames of a VR application to Client  1  ( 220 ) and Client  2  ( 230 ) through networks in a multiplayer VR game. Client  1  ( 220 ) is associated with player  1  and Client  2  ( 230 ) is controlled by player  2 . According to embodiments of the present disclosure, when a player speaks, his or her voice is captured by a microphone and then processed by embodiments of the present disclosure to add a geometrical acoustic effect. When played by an audio rendering device, the processed verbal communication between players advantageously provide an enhanced immersive VR experience to the players as the listeners can perceive the voice being propagated through the virtual setting of the game. Thus, real-time verbal interactions among the players can advantageously be made more immersive. 
     For instance, during an instance or session of a game, Client  2  ( 230 ) receives positional information related to player  2  from a coupled HDM or a game controller, and receives an audio signal captured by a microphone as illustrated. The microphone-captured audio and positional information (or simplified update thereof) related to Client  2  ( 230 ) is transmitted to the server  210  by using a packet. Provided with the input packet, the GA processing pipeline  250  in the server  210  applies GA simulation to determine the new positions related to all the clients in the VR setting (e.g., the subjects or objects controlled by or representing respective clients) and sends out an authoritative version of these positions to all the clients. The microphone-captured data is also transmitted through the network to all other players. 
     As Client  1  ( 220 ) receives the authoritative version of the positional information and the microphone data originating from Client  2  ( 230 ), the audio engine  240  in Client  1  ( 220 ) generates an IR for a sound channel by using the IR generation module  241 . The module  241  utilizes sound propagation simulation and dynamic HRTF-based listener directivity and factors in the new positions of the relevant objects in the sound channel as provided from the server and any new positional information related to player  1  that is locally available at Client  1 . For example, the sound channel may encompass a sound source character that acts to voice the microphone-captured audio from player  2 , and a sound receiver character that is controlled by player  1 , and any other relevant objects that affect the sound propagation to the sound receiver according to the GA model. The locations of these objects in the virtual scene and the orientations of the sound receiver relative to the sound source are germane to sound propagation simulation and listener directivity and therefore are relevant to IR generation. 
     The IR convolution module  242  in the client audio engine  240  convolves the generated IR with the microphone-captured audio from player  2  to generate resultant audio frames, which can be rendered through the one or more speakers associated with Client  1 . As perceived by player  1 , geometrical acoustic effects are applied to the voice of player  2  and immersed in the VR setting. For example, by listening to the voice, player  1  may be able to determine if the sound source character controlled by player  2  is coming closer or going away, its (approximate) direction, distance, and whether it is in an open space or partially or wholly enclosed (e.g., in a tunnel), etc. In some embodiments, an audio engine in the Client  2  may apply a similar GA process, including IR generation and IR convolution, such that player  2 &#39;s audio is rendered with added geometrical acoustic effects and correct positional cues at an audio rendering device that is associated with Client  2 . In this way, player  2  can also hear his or her own voice with an enhanced VR experience. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the data flows in another exemplary VR system  300  configured to add immersive VR effects to microphone-captured audio by applying GA simulation at a server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The VR system  300  includes a server  310  configured to stream audio and video frames of a VR application to Client  1  ( 320 ) and Client  2  ( 330 ) through one or more networks in a multiplayer VR application. Client  1  ( 320 ) and Client  2  ( 330 ) are associated with player  1  and player  2 , respectively. 
     For instance, during the game, Client  2  ( 330 ) receives positional information related to player  2  from a coupled HDM or a game controller, and receives an audio signal captured by a microphone, e.g., player  2 &#39;s verbal communication. The microphone-captured audio and positional information (or simplified update thereof) related to Client  2  ( 330 ) and the positional information related to player  1  are transmitted to the server  310 , e.g., in packets. 
     Receiving the input packet, the GA pipeline  350  in the server  310  performs GA simulation to determine the new positions related to all the clients in the VR setting, e.g., the new positions of the various subjects or objects controlled by or representing respective clients. The IR generation module  352  generates an IR of a sound channel for Client  1  ( 320 ) by utilizing sound propagation simulation and dynamic HRTF-based listener directivity and factors in the new positions of the relevant objects in the sound channel, or any other suitable processes. For example, the sound channel may encompass a sound source character that acts to voice the microphone-captured audio from player  2 , and a sound receiver character that is controlled by player  1 , and any other relevant object that affects the sound propagation to the sound receiver according to the GA model. 
     The IR convolution module  352  convolves the generated IR with the microphone-captured audio from player  2  to generate resultant audio frames for transmission to the clients, including Client  1  ( 320 ) and Client  2  ( 330 ). Client  1  ( 320 ) renders these frames through the one or more associated speakers  331  with Client  1  ( 320 ). As a result, the voice of player  2  is immersed in the VR setting as perceived by player  1 . 
     The server may also generate another IR for the character controlled by Client  2  which acts as both the sound source and the sound listener. The IR is then convolved with the microphone audio from Client  2  to produce audio frames for rendering at speakers associated with Client  2  ( 330 ) (not shown). In this way, player  2  can hear his or her own voice with an enhanced VR experience. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart depicting an exemplary computer implemented process  400  of adding immersive VR effect to microphone-captured audio in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Process  400  may be performed by a client (a first client device in this example) or a server (coupled to a first and a second client devices in this example) or by any other suitable device, as described in greater detail with reference to  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     At  401 , first audio data that represents microphone-captured audio is received, where the microphone is coupled to the second client device. At  402 , the location information of a first object in the virtual setting is received, where the first object is controlled by the second client device. At  403 , an IR is generated for a sound channel in the virtual setting. The sound channel includes the first object being a sound source and a second object as the sound receiver which is controlled by the first client device. At  404 , the IR is convolved with the first audio data to produce resultant audio frames. Steps  403  and  404  may be performed locally at the first client device as described in greater detail with reference to  FIG. 2 . Alternatively, steps  403  and  404  may be performed by the server, in which case the resultant audio frames are transmitted from the server to the first client device. In either case, at  405 , the resultant audio frames are rendered for playing through an audio rendering device that is coupled to the first client device. 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary computing device  500  operable to generate VR immersive audio frames for rendering from microphone-captured audio data in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The device  500  may be a general-purpose computing device configured as a server or a client in a VR game streaming system. The device  500  comprises a processor  501 , a system memory  502 , a GPU  503 , I/O interfaces  504  and network circuits  505 , an operating system  506  and application software  507  (including, for example, a VR application program  508  and a GA processing program  509  with an IR module  510  for IR generation and convolution) stored in the memory  502 . The device can be coupled to peripheral devices such as an HDM, a game controller, speakers and/or head phone. The device may also be coupled to one or more remote computing devices through a communication network, e.g., a server device and/or client devices. 
     When receiving the input including microphone-captured data and the related positional information (e.g., as provided from a remotely-coupled client or server) and executed by the CPU  501 , the GA processing program  509  can perform GA simulation to generate an IR and convolve the IR with the data to generate audio frames for rendering at an audio rendering device. The IR is characteristic of a sound channel in the VR setting, including a sound source object that voices the microphone-captured audio and a sound listener thereof. The VR application program  508  and the GA processing program  509  may perform various other functions that are well known in the art as well as those discussed in details with reference to  FIGS. 1-4 . 
     As will be appreciated by those with ordinary skill in the art, the GA processing program and the IR module  510  in  FIG. 5  can be implemented in any one or more suitable programming languages that are well known to those skilled in the art, such as C, C++, Java, Python, Perl, C#, SQL, etc. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.