Audio navigation using short range bilateral earpieces

1. A method for providing binaural audio navigation with a set of earpieces including a left earpiece and a right earpiece, the method comprising:

obtaining a generalized position of a user of the set of the earpieces;

obtaining a destination for the user of the set of the earpieces;

sensing head orientation and head movement with inertial sensors of the set of earpieces;

applying a binaural synthesis algorithm using the generalized position, the destination, the head orientation and the movement to create a plurality of virtual sound sources;

transducing binaural audio based on the virtual sound sources at speakers within the set of the earpieces in order to provide binaural audio navigation to the user;

wherein the plurality of virtual sound sources includes a main virtual sound source providing a continuous audio cue;

wherein the plurality of virtual sources includes auditory landmark cues.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the generalized position of the user of the set of the earpieces is a global positioning system (GPS) location.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the applying the binaural synthesis algorithm is performed using a processor of at least one of the left earpiece and the right earpiece.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of virtual sound sources further includes a continuous virtual source indicative of a compass direction.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the compass direction is a magnetic north pole direction.

6. A method for providing binaural audio navigation with a set of earpieces including a left earpiece and a right earpiece, the method comprising steps of:

obtaining a generalized position of a user of the set of the earpieces;

obtaining a destination for the user of the set of the earpieces;

sensing head orientation and head movement with inertial sensors of the set of earpieces;

applying a binaural synthesis algorithm using the generalized position, the destination, the head orientation and the movement to create a plurality of virtual sound sources;

transducing binaural audio based on the virtual sound sources at speakers within the set of the earpieces in order to provide binaural audio navigation to the user, wherein the plurality of virtual sound sources include a main virtual sound source providing a continuous audio cue; and

determining that the user has arrived at the destination and turning off the main virtual sound source providing the continuous audio cue.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of virtual sources includes auditory landmark cues.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing a voice prompt indicative of the user arriving at the destination when the user has arrived at the destination.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising changing the destination to a subsequent destination and repeating steps of claim 1 .

10. A method for providing binaural audio navigation with a set of earpieces including a left earpiece and a right earpiece, the method comprising:

obtaining a generalized position of a user of the set of the earpieces;

obtaining a destination for the user of the set of the earpieces;

sensing head orientation and head movement with inertial sensors of the set of earpieces;

creating a plurality of virtual sound sources using the generalized position, the destination, the head orientation and the head movement;

transducing binaural audio based on the virtual sound sources at speakers within the set of the earpieces in order to provide binaural audio navigation to the user;

wherein the plurality of virtual sound sources includes a main virtual sound source providing a continuous audio cue;

wherein the plurality of virtual sources includes auditory landmark cues.