Headphones execute voice command to move binaural sound
A digital signal processor (DSP) in headphones processes sound with head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) to produce binaural sound that externally localizes away from a head of a user wearing the headphones. The headphones include a microphone that receives a voice command that causes the headphones to move a location of the binaural sound.
1. A method comprising:
storing, in memory in headphones, head-related transfer functions (HRTFs);
processing, by a digital signal processor (DSP) in the headphones, sound with the HRTFs to produce binaural sound that externally localizes to a location in empty space at least one meter away from a head of a user wearing the headphones; and
receiving, at a microphone in the headphones and from the user, a voice command that causes the headphones to move the binaural sound playing to the user from the location in empty space at least one meter away from the head of the user to another location.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving, at the headphones and from the user, a default location for the binaural sound, wherein the default location is at a handheld portable electronic device in a hand of the user.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
detecting, at the headphones, a command that is a head gesture of the head of the user while the user is located in a room; and
moving, by the headphones and in response to detecting the head gesture of the head of the user, the location in empty space from where the user hears the binaural sound.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
sensing, with the headphones, a command that is a body gesture from the head of the user; and
moving, by the headphones and in response to sensing the body gesture from the head of the user, the location in empty space from where the user hears the binaural sound.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
executing, at the headphones, a command from the user to move the binaural sound playing to the user to a foreground that is closer to the head of the user.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
executing, at the headphones, a command from the user to move the binaural sound playing to the user to a background that is farther from the user.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving, at a wireless interface in the headphones and from a handheld portable electronic device (HPED) of the user, a wireless transmission that includes sound of video being displayed with the HPED; and
processing, by the DSP in the headphones and with the HRTFs, the sound of the video to originate as the binaural sound at a location of the HPED held in a hand of the user and at different locations in empty space at least one meter away from the head of the user.
8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that one or more electronic devices execute, the method comprising:
retrieving, from memory in headphones, head-related transfer functions (HRTFs);
processing, by a digital signal processor (DSP) in the headphones, sound with the HRTFs to produce binaural sound that emanates from a sound localization point (SLP) in empty space away from a head of a user wearing the headphones; and
receiving, at a microphone in the headphones and from the user, a voice command that causes the headphones to alter processing of the sound and to move the binaural sound from the SLP in empty space to another SLP from where the user hears the sound.
9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 in which the method further comprises:
receiving, at a wireless interface in the headphones and from a wearable electronic device (WED) of the user, a wireless transmission that includes sound of video playing with the WED; and
processing, by the DSP in the headphones, the sound of the video to originate as the binaural sound at locations of SLPs in empty space at least one meter away from the head of the user.
10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 in which the method further comprises:
altering, by the DSP and in response to a command from the user, processing of the sound to move the sound to a different location in empty space outside the head of the user, wherein the command is a head gesture of the user.
11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 in which the method further comprises:
altering, by the DSP and in response to a command from the user, processing of the sound to move the sound to a different location in empty space outside the head of the user, wherein the command is a body gesture from the user.
12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 in which the method further comprises:
providing, with the headphones, an alert to the user when another user changes a location of the SLP in empty space where the binaural sound externally localizes to the user.
13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 in which the method further comprises:
receiving, at the headphones and from the user, a designation to set a default location of a SLP in empty space that follows the user as the user moves; and
processing the sound to the default location that follows the user as the user moves, wherein the default location of the SLP is directly in front of a face of the user.
14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 in which the method further comprises:
changing a location of the SLP in empty space when the location of the SLP in empty space conflicts with a location of a physical object.
15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the sound is an alert of an incoming telephone call to the user.
16. Headphones comprising:
a memory that stores head-related transfer functions (HRTFs);
a digital signal processor (DSP) that processes sound with the HRTFs to produce binaural sound that originates from a sound localization point (SLP) in empty space away from a head of a user wearing the headphones; and
a microphone that receives a voice command from the user that causes the DSP to alter processing of the sound to move the SLP in empty space to another SLP.
17. The headphones of claim 16 further comprising:
a sensor that senses a head gesture, wherein the headphones move the SLP in empty space in response to sensing of the head gesture.
18. The headphones of claim 16 further comprising:
a wireless electromagnetic motion tracker that detects motion of a handheld portable electronic device in a hand of the user, wherein the headphones move the SLP in empty space in response to detecting the motion of the handheld portable electronic device in the hand of the user.
19. The headphones of claim 16 further comprising:
a motion sensor that senses a command that is a body gesture from the user, wherein sensing of the command that is the body gesture causes the headphones to move the SLP in empty space to another SLP in empty space.
20. The headphones of claim 16 further comprising:
a location tracker that determines a location of the user, wherein the headphones designate a location of the SLP in empty space based on the location of the user.