Patent Publication Number: US-2021178268-A1

Title: Systems for generating unique non-looping sound streams from audio clips and audio tracks

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.: 62/946,619, of same title filed Dec. 11, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application is related to systems for generating sound streams from audio clips and tracks. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     For relaxation and meditation, people often listen to recordings of ambient sounds. These recordings are typically of nature sounds such as sounds from a forest, a beach, a jungle, or a thunderstorm. A problem with listening to these recordings is that the listener becomes used to the order of the sounds (especially after playing the recordings over again and again). 
     What is instead desired is a system for generating an audio experience that does not rely on sounds that simply repeat over and over in the same order. Instead, a system for generating a unique stream of non-repeating sounds would be much more lifelike, and therefore much more desirable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present audio system is capable of generating an infinite stream of non-repeating sounds. The stream generated by the present audio system is itself preferably composed of audio segments of various lengths that are continuously arranged and re-arranged in different sequences for playback. These audio segments are cross-faded with one another to make the overall playback sound more seamless. Although the segments are chosen from the same finite source audio clips and therefore the sounds from the finite source audio clips will be repeated over time, the specific selections of segments in both timing and duration is continually varied, presenting the sensation that the sounds are not repeating and are more natural. In addition, the segments need not correspond directly to the static source clips, but rather are preferably dynamically selected (sub-segments) from the source clips, thereby further increasing the variety and realism of the output audio. 
     As a result, a user listening (for example) to a sound of a forest will hear the sounds of birds, but the birdcalls will appear at different (e.g.: random or non-regularly repeating) times. Similarly, for the sound of a thunderstorm, the individual rolls of thunder can be made to occur at different times. As a result, the thunderstorm&#39;s behavior is not predictable to the user (in spite of the fact that all of the individual sounds that make up the thunderstorm audio track may have been listened to before by the user). To the listener, there is no discernible repeating sound pattern over time. Instead, a continuous stream of non-repeating sounds is generated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of a first arrangement of a sound sequence generated by the present audio system using a source clip selection system and a timeline renderer system. 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of a second arrangement of a sound sequence generated by the present audio system using a source clip scheduling system and an audio track rendering system. 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of a third arrangement of a sound sequence generated by the present audio system using a source clip mixing system and an audio track mixing system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an illustration of a first arrangement of a sound sequence generated by the present audio system using a source clip selection system and a timeline renderer system, as follows: 
     A number of different audio source clips  10 A,  10 B,  10 C . . .  10 N are first inputted into an audio master system  20 . Next, a transfer function  35  is applied to the plurality of audio source clips  10 A,  10 B,  10 C . . .  10 N to select audio segments of the plurality of audio source clips  10 A,  10 B,  10 C . . .  10 N. For example, first segment  10 A 1  may be selected from audio source clip  10 A and a second segment  10 N 1  may be selected from audio source clip  10 N. Both of these selected segments ( 10 A 1  and  10 N 1 ) can be operated on by transfer function  35 . 
     Next, the timeline renderer system  45  applies a timeline rendering function to arrange the order of the selected audio segments  10 A 1 ,  10 N 1 , etc. At this time, the selected audio segments are cross-faded as seen in Audio Timeline output  50  such that the transition from one selected segment to another (e.g.: segment A to segment B or segment B to segment C) is seamless and cannot be heard by the listener. The end result is that the present method of mixing audio segments from audio clips generates a unique stream of non-repeating sound which is then played back for the listener. (As illustrated, Segment A may correspond to audio source clip  10 N 1 , Segment B may correspond to audio source clip  10 A 1 , etc.) 
     As can be appreciated, from a finite set of audio clips of finite length (i.e.:  10 A,  10 B, etc.), an infinite stream of non-repeating sound can be created (in Audio Timeline Output  50 ). Although individual sounds can appear multiple times in the output, there will be no discernible repeating pattern over time in Audio Timeline Output  50 . 
     As can be seen, the individual sound segments ( 10 A 1 ,  10 N 1 , a.k.a. Segment A, Segment B, Segment C, etc.) are taken from selected audio clips ( 10 A to  10 N), and specifically from selected locations within the audio clips. In addition, the duration of the selected audio clips is preferably also selected by transfer function  35 . In various examples, the transfer function  35  selects audio segments of unequal lengths. In various examples, the transfer function system  35  randomly selects the audio segments, and/or randomly selects the lengths of the audio segments. 
     In optional embodiments, the transfer function  35  may use a weighted function to select the audio segments. Alternatively, the transfer function  35  may use a heuristic function to select the audio segments. In preferred aspects, the transfer function  35  chooses the segments to achieve a desired level of uniqueness and consistency in sound playback. 
     In optional embodiments, the duration of the cross-fades  51  and  52  between the audio clips is unequal. The duration of the cross-fades  51  and  52  between the audio clips can even be random. 
     In various preferred aspects, the audio source clips are audio files or Internet URLs. 
     In preferred aspects, the transfer function system  35  continues to select audio segments and the timeline renderer  45  continues to arrange the order of the selected audio segments as the audio playback clip is played. Stated another way, a unique audio stream  50  can be continuously generated at the same time that it is played back for the listener. As a result, the unique audio stream  50  need not “end”. Rather, new audio segments can be continuously added in new combinations to the playback sequence audio stream  50  while the user listens. As such, the playback length can be infinite. 
     The present system has specific benefits in relaxation and meditation since the human brain is very adept at recognizing repeating sound patterns. When a static audio loop is played repetitiously, it becomes familiar and is recognized by the conscious mind. This disrupts relaxing, meditation or even playing a game. In contrast, the audio of the present system can be play endlessly without repeating patterns which allows the mind to relax and become immersed in the sound. 
     Therefore, an advantage of the present system is that these large sound experiences can be produced from a much smaller number of audio clips and segments, thereby saving huge amounts of data storage space. With existing systems, very long sequences of audio must be captured without interruption. In contrast, with the present system, multiple, shorter audio clips can be used instead as input. This makes it much easier to capture sounds under non-ideal conditions. 
     Since the present audio playback stream is formed from endless combinations of shorter audio segments played over randomly or in various sequences, the present unique audio stream will have a length greater than the duration of the audio source clips. In fact, the present unique audio playback clip may well have infinite length. 
       FIG. 2  is an illustration of a second arrangement of a sound sequence generated by the present audio system using a source clip scheduling system and an audio track rendering system. In this embodiment, a plurality of audio master streams  50 A,  50 B,  50 C . . .  50 N, is again inputted into a sound experience system  25  (i.e.: “sound experience (input)”). Next, a scheduling function  65  is applied to the plurality of audio master streams to select playback times for the plurality of audio master streams  50 A,  50 B,  50 C . . .  50 N. Next, a track renderer  75  is applied to generate a plurality of audio playback clip tracks  80 A,  80 B,  80 C,  80 D, etc. Together, tracks  80 A to  80 N contain various combinations of scheduled discrete, semi-continuous, and continuous sounds that make up a “sonic experience” such as forest sounds (in this example two hawks, wind that comes and goes, and a continuously flowing creek). As such, audio master streams  50 A to  50 N are scheduled into a more layered experience of multiple sounds that occur over time, sometimes discretely (hawk cry) or continuously (creek), or a combination of both (wind that comes and goes). Scheduling function system  65  and track renderer  75  selectively fade tracks  80 A to  80 N in and out at different times. Accordingly, the listener hears a unique sound stream. In addition, experience parameters  30  determine various aspects of the scheduled output, including how many tracks  80  are outputted, and which tracks are outputted. In addition, experience parameters  30  determine how often discrete sounds are scheduled to play (for example, how often the Hawks cry from the example in  FIG. 2, 80A and 80B ), the relative volume of each sound, and other aspects. The experience parameter system  25  determine how often discrete sounds play, how often semi-discrete sounds fade out and for how long they are faded out and for how long they play. 
     In many ways, the system of  FIG. 2  builds upon the previously discussed system of  FIG. 1 . For example, the sound segments (variously labelled A,B, C, D) that make up the individual tracks  80 A,  80 B,  80 C and  80 D are composed of the selections made by the Transfer Function  35  and Timeline Renderer  45  from the system of  FIG. 1 . 
     Optionally, in the aspect of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a user input system  100  can also be included. The user input system  100  controls the scheduling function system  65  such that a user can vary or modify the selection frequency of any of the audio master streams  50 A,  50 B . . .  50 N. For example, Master Audio stream  50 B can be a “Hawk Cry”. Should the listener not wish to hear the sound of a hawk cry during the sound playback, the user can use the input control system to simply turn off or suspend the sound of the hawk cry (or make it occur less frequently), as desired. In this example, the user&#39;s control over the sound selection frequency forms part of the user&#39;s experience. The user is, in essence, building their own sound scape or listening environment. The very act of the user controlling the sounds can itself form part of a meditative or relaxation technique. As such, the user input system  100  optionally modifies or overrides the experience parameters system  30  that govern scheduling function  65  and track renderer  75 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the listener hears an audio track  80  that combines two Hawks ( 80 A and  80 B), the Wind ( 80 C) and the sound of a Creek ( 80 A). As can be seen, the sound of the Creek is continuous in audio track  80 D (with cross-fades  93 ,  94  and  95 ) between its various shorter sound segments A, B, C and D. The sound of the Wind (audio track  80 C) is semi-continuous (as it would be in nature). The sounds of the hawk(s) (audio track  80 B) are much more intermittent or discreet and may be sound segments that are faded in and out. In the semi-continuous or continuous mode, each potentially infinite audio master clip preferably plays continuously or semi-continuously. 
     In optional aspects, the scheduling function  65  randomly or heuristically selects playback times for the plurality of audio master streams  50 A,  50 B . . . etc. The tracks are assembled in time to produce the unique audio stream. 
     Similar to the system in  FIG. 1 , the scheduling function system  65  continues to select playback times for the plurality of audio master streams  50 A,  50 B . . .  50 N and the track renderer  75  continues to generate a plurality of audio playback clip tracks ( 80 A,  80 B,  80 C and  80 D) as the audio playback clip track  80  is played. As such, the audio playback clip track  80  has the unique audio stream that may be of infinite length. 
       FIG. 3  is a third embodiment of the present system, as follows: 
     In this embodiment, a plurality of audio playback tracks  80 A,  80 B,  80 C . . .  80 N are inputted into an audio experiences system  28  (i.e.: “sound experiences (input)”). Next, a mixing function  110  is applied to the plurality of audio tracks  80 A,  80 B,  80 C . . .  80 N to select playback conditions for the plurality of audio tracks. A mixing renderer  120  is then applied to generate an audio playback clip  130  corresponding to the selected playback conditions. 
     Similar to the systems in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the selected audio segments  130 A,  130 B and  130 C (up to  130 N) can be cross-faded. The final result is an audio playback clip track  130  having a unique sound stream that corresponds to the selected playback conditions which is then played back. A plurality of Experiences (tracks  80 A to  80 N) are used as the input to the Mixing Function  110  and Mixing Renderer  120  to create “atmospheric ambience” that changes randomly, heuristically, or by optional External Input control system  115 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 3 , the External Input  115  comes from the actions in a video game where the player is wandering through a Forest Experience, then into a Swamp Experience, and finally ends up at the Beach Experience. Specifically, when the player is initially in a forest, they will hear forest sounds. As the player moves out of the forest and through a swamp, they will hear less forest sounds and more swamp sounds. Finally, as the player leaves the swamp and emerges at a beach, the swamp sounds fade away and the sounds of the waves and wind at the beach become louder. In this example, the atmospheric ambience changes as the user wanders, matching the user&#39;s location within the game world and seamlessly blending between the experiences as the user wanders. In this example, the audio playback clip track comprises audio segments with sounds that correspond to the position of the game player in the virtual world. The optional external input  115  could just as easily be driven by the time of day, the user&#39;s own heartbeat, or other metrics that change the ambience in a way that is intended to induce an atmosphere, feeling, relaxation, excitement, etc. It is to be understood that the input into external input  115  is not limited to a game. 
     The present system can also be used to prepare and export foley tracks for use in games and films and the present system logic may also be incorporated into games and other software packages to generate unique sound atmospheres, or that respond to live dynamic input creating ambient effects that correspond to real or simulated events, or that create entirely artistic renditions.