- Number
- 10970031
- Published
- 2021-04-06
- Filed
- 2018-09-25
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- McCoy; Maxwell, Baumbach; Elliott, Panec; Timothy M.
- CPC
- G06F3/165; G06F3/011; G06F3/013; G06F3/167
- Verdict
- Low Notable software
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Gaze-driven spatial audio for interactive experiences (granted).
Abstract
A system configured to provide gaze-based audio presentation for interactive experiences. The interactive experiences may take place in an interactive space. An interactive space may include one or both of augmented reality (AR) environment, a virtual reality (VR) environment, and/or other interactive spaces. The interactive space may include audio content and/or virtual content. A user's gaze may be tracked. Based on the user's gaze indicating they are looking at a given virtual object, the audio content may be modified. The modification may include one or more of increasing audio content specifically associated with given virtual object, decreasing a volume of other audio content, and/or other modifications.
Background
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE (1) The present disclosure relates to systems and methods configured to provide gazed-based audio in interactive experiences. BACKGROUND (2) Devices and systems are available to provide virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) experiences. In particular, handheld and/or wearable technology may be used. Wearable technology may include head-mounted displays (HMD). Handheld technology may include mobile computing platforms, such as smart phones and/or tablets. SUMMARY (3) One aspect of the disclosure relates to a system configured to provide gaze-based audio presentation for interactive experiences. An interactive experience may take place in an interactive environment. An interactive environment may include one or both of a virtual reality environment and/or an augmented reality environment. An augmented reality environment may include views of images of virtual content superimposed over views of a real-world environment. A virtual reality environment may include views of images of virtual content within a virtual environment. Virtual content may include one or more virtual objects and/or other virtual content. (4) In some implementations, an interactive environment may include audio content accompanying views of the virtual content. For example, audio content may be presented such that audio may be perceived as being emitted from a given virtual object. By way of non-limiting illustration, a virtual object may be character and audio content ma
Claims
1. An augmented reality system configured to provide gaze-based audio presentation for users, the users including a user, a second user, and one or more other users, the system comprising: non-transitory electronic storage storing virtual content information, audio information, and user audio information, the virtual content information defining virtual content, the virtual content including one or more virtual objects, the one or more virtual objects including a first virtual object, the audio information defining audio content associated with individual virtual objects, the audio content associated with the individual virtual objects including first audio content associated with the first virtual object, the user audio information defining user-specific audio content associated with individual users of the augmented reality system, the user-specific audio content including second audio content associated with the second user; a presentation device configured to be worn by the user, the presentation device being configured to generate images of the virtual content and present the images such that the virtual content is perceived by the user as being present in a real-world environment, the presentation device further being configured to present the audio content; and one or more physical computer processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: control the presentation device to generate a first image of the first virtual object such that the first virtual object is perceived to be present at a first location in the real-world environment; detect presence of the individual users in the real-world environment and identify the individual users, such that the presence of the second user is detected, and the second user is identified; obtain, from the non-transitory electronic storage, the user audio information defining the user-specific audio content associated with the individual users identified within the real-world environment, such that the user audio information defining the second audio content associated with the second user is obtained; control the presentation device to effectuate presentation of the first audio content and the second audio content, wherein the presentation of the first virtual object and the first audio content causes the user to perceive the first audio content as being emitted from the first virtual object, and the presentation of the second audio content causes the user to perceive the second audio content as being emitted from the second user; obtain gaze information, the gaze information specifying a gaze direction of the user; modify the presentation of the audio content based on the gaze direction of the user, gaze directions of the one or more other users, individual locations of the individual users in the real-world environment, and perceived individual locations of the individual virtual objects, such that: responsive to the gaze direction of the user being toward the first location, perform a first modification so that the first audio content is presented predominantly over the second audio content; and responsive to the gaze direction of the user and the gaze directions of the one or more other users being toward a second location of the second user in the real-world environment, perform a second modification so that the second audio content is presented predominantly over the first audio content; and wherein the gaze direction of the user and the gaze directions of the one or more other users being toward the second location of the second user in the real-world environment cause presentation devices of the one or more other users to also present the second audio content predominantly over other audio content. ||
11. A method to provide gaze-based audio presentation for users of an augmented reality system, the users including a user, a second user, and one or more other users, the method comprising: storing virtual content information, audio information, and user audio information, the virtual content information defining virtual content, the virtual content including one or more virtual objects, the one or more virtual objects including a first virtual object, the audio information defining audio content associated with individual virtual objects, the audio content associated with individual virtual objects including first audio content associated with the first virtual object, the user audio information defining user-specific audio content associated with individual users of the augmented reality system, the user-specific audio content including second audio content associated with the second user; controlling a presentation device to generate a first image of the first virtual object such that the first virtual object is perceived to be present at a first location in a real-world environment; detecting presence of the individual users in the real-world environment and identifying the individual users, including detecting presence of the second user and identifying the second user; obtaining the user audio information defining the user-specific audio content associated with the individual users identified within the real-world environment, including obtaining the user audio information defining the second audio content associated with the second user; controlling the presentation device to effectuate presentation of the first audio content and the second audio content, wherein the presentation of the first virtual object and the first audio content causes the user to perceive the first audio content as being emitted from the first virtual object, and the presentation of the second audio content causes the user to perceive the second audio content as being emitted from the second user; obtaining gaze information, the gaze information specifying a gaze direction of the user; modifying the presentation of the audio content based on the gaze direction of the user, gaze directions of one or more other users, individual locations of the individual users in the real-world environment, and perceived individual locations of the individual virtual objects, such that: responsive to the gaze direction of the user being toward the first location, performing a first modification so that the first audio content is presented predominantly over the second audio content; and responsive to the gaze direction of the user and the gaze directions of the one or more other users being toward a second location of the second user in the real-world environment, performing a second modification so that the second audio content is presented predominantly over the first audio content; and wherein the gaze direction of the user and the gaze directions of the one or more other users being toward the second location of the second user in the real-world environment cause presentation devices of the one or more other users to also present the second audio content predominantly over other audio content.