IP Library Granted Patent US 12707225
Granted Patent B2
US 12707225 · App. 18/450,557 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Spatial audio generation

Inventor: Rashed Mohammed (Hyderabad, IN)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04S7/304H04R3/005H04R5/027H04R5/033H04S2400/11H04S2400/15H04S2420/11
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12707225
App. No.
18/450,557
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device includes memory configured to store audio data and one or more processors configured to obtain the audio data captured by a microphone of a wearable device. The instructions further cause the one or more processors to determine, based on one or more signals exchanged between the wearable device and a reference device, directionality information indicative of a direction of the microphone relative to the reference device. The instructions also cause the one or more processors to process the audio data based on the directionality information to generate spatial audio data.

Claims (55)

1 . A device comprising:

memory configured to store audio data; and

one or more processors configured to:

obtain the audio data captured by a microphone of a wearable device;

determine, based on one or more wireless communication signals exchanged between the wearable device and a reference device, directionality information indicative of a direction of the microphone relative to the reference device;

process the audio data based on the directionality information to generate spatial audio data that corresponds to the audio data coming from the direction of the microphone relative to the reference device; and

transmit the audio data to an output device distinct from the wearable device and the reference device.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the microphone captures the audio data at a fixed location relative to a source of sound, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to update the spatial audio data over time to represent movement of the wearable device relative to the reference device as movement of the source of the sound.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wireless communication signals include encoded data, wherein the one or more processors are configured to receive the one or more wireless communication signals and decode the encoded data to generate the audio data.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to obtain the audio data from one or more data packets of the one or more wireless communication signals.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the directionality information based on an angle of arrival of the one or more wireless communication signals.

6 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more antennas configured to transmit a signal of the one or more wireless communication signals, to receive a signal of the one or more wireless communication signals, or both.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine, based on a received signal strength of the one or more wireless communication signals, range information associated with a distance between the microphone and the reference device, wherein the audio data is processed further based on the range information to generate the spatial audio data.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the spatial audio data includes ambisonics data.

9 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a camera coupled to the one or more processors and configured to capture video data, wherein the one or more processors are configured to process the video data in conjunction with the spatial audio data and to encode the video data and the spatial audio data for communication to another device.

10 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a second microphone coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to modify the audio data based on sound captured at the second microphone.

11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to modify the audio data to de-emphasize, in the spatial audio data, audio components that are present in both the audio data and in the sound captured at the second microphone.

12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors and the memory are integrated within the reference device.

13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors and the memory are integrated within the wearable device.

14 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors and the memory are integrated into at least one of a smart speaker, a speaker bar, a smart phone, a cellular phone, a laptop computer, a computer, a tablet, a personal digital assistant, a display device, a television, a gaming console, a music player, a radio, a digital video player, a tuner, a camera, a navigation device, a headset, an augmented reality headset, a mixed reality headset, a virtual reality headset, a home automation system, a voice-activated device, a wireless speaker and voice activated device, a portable electronic device, a communication device, an internet-of-things (IoT) device, an extended reality (XR) device, a base station, or a mobile device.

15 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the wearable device corresponds to or includes a headset device or one or more earbuds.

16 . A method comprising:

obtaining, at one or more processors, audio data captured by a microphone of a wearable device;

determining, by the one or more processors, directionality information indicative of a direction between the microphone and a reference device based on one or more wireless communication signals exchanged between the wearable device and the reference device; and

generating, at the one or more processors, spatial audio data based on the audio data and the directionality information that corresponds to the audio data coming from the direction of the microphone relative to the reference device; and

transmitting the audio data to an output device distinct from the wearable device and the reference device.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the microphone captures the audio data at a fixed location relative to a source of sound, and further comprising:

after determining the directionality information, determining updated directionality information; and

generating updated spatial audio data, wherein the updated spatial audio data represents movement over time of the wearable device relative to the reference device as movement of the source of the sound.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more wireless communication signals include encoded data, and further comprising receiving the one or more wireless communication signals and decoding the encoded data to generate the audio data.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the directionality information is based on an angle of arrival of the one or more wireless communication signals.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising determining, based on a received signal strength of the one or more wireless communication signals, range information associated with a distance between the microphone and the reference device, wherein the audio data is processed further based on the range information to generate the spatial audio data.

21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the spatial audio data includes ambisonics data.

22 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

obtaining video data associated with the audio data;

processing the video data in conjunction with the spatial audio data; and

encoding the video data and the spatial audio data for transmission or storage.

23 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising modifying the audio data based on sound captured at a second microphone.

24 . A non-transitory computer-readable device storing instructions that are executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to:

obtain audio data captured by a microphone of a wearable device;

determine directionality information indicative of a direction between the microphone and a reference device based on one or more wireless communication signals exchanged between the wearable device and the reference device;

generate spatial audio data based on the audio data and the directionality information that corresponds to the audio data coming from the direction of the microphone relative to the reference device; and

transmit the audio data to an output device distinct from the wearable device and the reference device.

25 . The non-transitory computer-readable device of claim 24 , wherein the microphone captures the audio data at a fixed location relative to a source of sound, and wherein the instructions are further executable to:

after determining the directionality information, determine updated directionality information; and

generate updated spatial audio data based on the updated directionality information, wherein the updated spatial audio data represents movement over time of the wearable device relative to the reference device as movement of the source of the sound.

26 . The non-transitory computer-readable device of claim 24 , wherein the one or more wireless communication signals include encoded data, wherein the instructions are further executable to decode the encoded data to generate the audio data.

27 . The non-transitory computer-readable device of claim 24 , wherein the directionality information is based on an angle of arrival of the one or more wireless communication signals.

28 . The non-transitory computer-readable device of claim 24 , wherein the instructions are further executable to determine, based on a received signal strength of the one or more wireless communication signals, range information associated with a distance between the microphone and the reference device, wherein the audio data is processed further based on the range information to generate the spatial audio data.

29 . The non-transitory computer-readable device of claim 24 , wherein the spatial audio data includes ambisonics data.

30 . An apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining audio data captured by a microphone of a wearable device;

means for determining directionality information indicative of a direction between the microphone and a reference device based on one or more wireless communication signals exchanged between the wearable device and the reference device;

means for generating spatial audio data based on the audio data and the directionality information that corresponds to the audio data coming from the direction of the microphone relative to the reference device; and

means for transmitting the audio data to an output device distinct from the wearable device and the reference device.