Patent ID: 7720241

Claim:
A sound image localization apparatus for localizing a reproduced sound image at a position of a sound source by generating an audio signal on left and right channels that is based on impulse responses from the position of the sound source to left and right ears of a listener, said sound image localization apparatus comprising: first analog-to-digital conversion means for converting an analog front audio signal, localized to a position of the sound source that is in front of the listener, to a digital localized front audio signal; second analog-to-digital conversion means for converting an analog rear audio signal, localized to a position of the sound source that is behind the listener, to a digital localized rear audio signal; sampling rate change means for down sampling the digital localized rear audio signal to have a sampling rate that is 1/n a sampling rate of the digital localized front audio signal, wherein n is an integer having a value of 2 or greater, thereby removing higher frequency portions of impulse responses from the position of the sound source behind the listener to the left and right ears of the listener; first signal processing means for performing signal processing for the digital localized front audio signal based on impulse responses from the position of the sound source in front of the listener to the left and right ears of the listener; and second signal processing means for performing signal processing for the down sampled rear audio signal based on the impulse responses from the position of the sound source behind the listener to the left and right ears of the listener having the higher frequency portions removed.