Managed audio distribution in a virtual environment

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

for each object in a virtual environment, wherein: (i) the virtual environment comprises an avatar and a set of objects and (ii) each object comprises an audio data stream:

determining a closest oscillator;

subscribing to receive, from the object, an audio data stream with an embedded data structure inserted at a rate determined by the closest oscillator, by a first user, wherein the first user is associated with a device and the avatar;

determining a first distance from the object to the avatar;

creating the embedded data structure based on the first distance, the embedded data structure comprising a set of audio parameters comprising bit resolution;

streaming an audio data stream with the embedded data structure to the device; and

processing the audio data stream at the device according to the embedded data structure to determine a processed audio data stream;

mixing a set of processed audio data streams from each of the set of objects to determine a resulting audio data stream; and

playing the resulting audio data stream at the device.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the set of audio parameters further comprise a selection from the group consisting of: sample rate and filter setting.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the filter setting comprises a cutoff frequency (CF), set to no more than a Nyquist frequency of the audio data stream, wherein the CF is a non-linear function of the distance.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to determining a second distance from the object to the avatar, determining a further closest oscillator;

updating the embedded data structure based on the second distance; and

inserting the updated embedded data structure at a rate determined by the further closest oscillator.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the virtual environment is selected from the group consisting of: virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the audio parameters are dynamic, dependent on the distance.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising sending a request to receive an audio data stream from each object within a threshold range from the avatar.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the avatar is at a first location and an object of the set of objects is at a second location, further comprising:

responsive to determining that the first location is different from a second location, unsubscribing from the object.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein each of the first location and the second location define volumes of the virtual environment.

10 . A computer system comprising:

a processor set;

one or more computer readable storage media; and

program instructions stored on by the one or more computer readable storage media to cause the processor set to perform operations comprising:

for each object in a virtual environment, wherein: (i) the virtual environment comprises an avatar and a set of objects and (ii) each object comprises an audio data stream:

determining a closest oscillator;

subscribing to receive, from the object, an audio data stream with an embedded data structure inserted at a rate determined by the closest oscillator, by a first user, wherein the first user is associated with a device and the avatar;

determining a first distance from the object to the avatar;

creating the embedded data structure based on the first distance, the embedded data structure comprising a set of audio parameters comprising bit resolution;

streaming an audio data stream with the embedded data structure to the device; and

processing the audio data stream at the device according to the embedded data structure to determine a processed audio data stream;

mixing a set of processed audio data streams from each of the set of objects to determine a resulting audio data stream; and

playing the resulting audio data stream at the device.

11 . The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the set of audio parameters further comprise a selection from the group consisting of: sample rate and filter setting.

12 . The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the filter setting comprises a cutoff frequency (CF), set to no more than a Nyquist frequency of the audio data stream, wherein the CF is a non-linear function of the distance.

13 . The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to determining a second distance from the object to the avatar, determining a further closest oscillator;

updating the embedded data structure based on the second distance; and

inserting the updated embedded data structure at a rate determined by the further closest oscillator.

14 . The computer system of claim 10 wherein the virtual environment is selected from the group consisting of: virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality.

15 . The computer system of claim 10 wherein the audio parameters are dynamic, dependent on the distance.

16 . The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:

sending a request to receive an audio data stream from each object within a threshold range from the avatar.

17 . The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the avatar is at a first location and an object of the set of objects is at a second location and wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to determining that the first location is different from a second location, unsubscribing from the object.

18 . The computer system of claim 17 , wherein each of the first location and the second location define volumes of the virtual environment.

19 . A computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media; and

program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media to perform operations comprising:

for each object in a virtual environment, wherein: (i) the virtual environment comprises an avatar and a set of objects and (ii) each object comprises an audio data stream:

determining a closest oscillator;

subscribing to receive, from the object, an audio data stream with an embedded data structure inserted at a rate determined by the closest oscillator, by a first user, wherein the first user is associated with a device and the avatar;

determining a first distance from the object to the avatar;

creating the embedded data structure based on the first distance, the embedded data structure comprising a set of audio parameters comprising bit resolution;

streaming an audio data stream with the embedded data structure to the device; and

processing the audio data stream at the device according to the embedded data structure to determine a processed audio data stream;

mixing a set of processed audio data streams from each of the set of objects to determine a resulting audio data stream; and

playing the resulting audio data stream at the device.

20 . The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the set of audio parameters further comprise a selection from the group consisting of: sample rate and filter setting.