Patent ID: 8085958

Claim:
A virtualizer, comprising: (a) input for left and right audio signals corresponding to a source; (b) output for processed audio signals to right and left speakers, and (c) a processor coupled to said input and said output, said processor operable to convert said left and right audio signals into said processed audio signals which virtualize said source in a listening region related to said right and left speakers; (d) wherein said listening region is determined from evaluations of a corrected interaural difference computed from an interaural intensity difference (IID) and an interaural time difference (ITD) for frequencies up to about 1 kHz; and (e) wherein said evaluations include determinations of a ratio for said signals to right and left speakers for each frequency in a search set and each candidate listening region in a search set by: (i) for a first location in said candidate listening region computing an interaural intensity difference (IID) and an interaural time difference (ITD) at said frequency and with a first ratio for signals to right and left speakers; (ii) computing a first corrected interaural difference (CID) for said first ratio from said first IID and first ITD for said first ratio; (iii) computing a first CID error for said first ratio using a desired CID; (iv) repeating steps (i)-(iii) for second, third, . . . , Nth locations in said candidate listening region where N is an integer equal to or greater than 10; (v) evaluating the results of steps (i)-(iv) for said first ratio; (vi) repeating steps (i)-(v) for second, third, . . . , Mth ratios where M is an integer equal to or greater than 10; and (vii) selecting one of said M ratios according to said evaluations.