Spatial audio system for playing location-aware dynamic content

1. A method of presenting a scene using a plurality of controllable media output devices, which controllable media output devices are in a distributed arrangement throughout an environment space, which environment space is a physical area or other space in which any portion or aspect of the scene can be sensed or experienced by a person, the method comprising:

accessing a digital representation of the scene to be presented in the environment space, the digital representation of the scene defining:

a plurality of scene elements to be presented in the environment space over time;

scene element location information defining a location or range of locations for each scene element to be presented; and

timing information defining a time or range of times for each scene element to be presented;

accessing spatial information for each of the plurality of controllable media output devices, which spatial information at least comprises a spatial map that indicates respective locations of the controllable media output devices distributed throughout the environment space;

for each scene element to be presented in the environment space over time:

correlating the scene element location information for the respective scene element with the spatial map for the plurality of controllable media output devices to identify one or more of the controllable media output devices affected by the respective scene element based on the locations of the controllable media output devices in the environment space; and

controlling the one or more controllable media output devices affected by the respective scene element to generate a human-perceptible output in the environment space.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the location information or timing information provides a random, pseudo-random, or non-repetitive presentation of scene elements over time.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scene comprises a soundscape.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital representation of the scene comprises a computer-readable spatial audio file.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scene elements comprise sound elements, and the controllable media output devices comprise a plurality of speakers arranged in the environment space.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controllable media output devices comprise lighting devices.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controllable media output devices comprise video playback devices.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controllable output devices comprise HVAC devices.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

calculating, for each of the one or more controllable media output devices identified to be affected by the respective scene element, different output parameters for different individual ones of the controllable media output devices; and

controlling the one or more controllable media output devices affected by the respective scene element based on the different output parameters for the different individual ones of the controllable media output devices.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including contents that are configured to cause a processing device to conduct the method of claim 1 .

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scene simulates aspects of nature in the environment space.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of correlating comprises position interpolation between the scene element location information and spatial positioning of multiple media output devices.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital representation of the scene is a computer-readable textual representation of the scene.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein in an initialization step, registration messages are received from the plurality of controllable media output devices, which registration messages comprise at least the location of the controllable media output device in the environment space.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the registration messages are used to maintain the spatial map of the controllable media output devices.

16. A method of presenting a soundscape in an environment space using a plurality of speakers, which speakers are in a distributed arrangement throughout the environment space, which environment space is a physical area or other space in which any portion or aspect of the soundscape can be sensed or experienced by a person, the method comprising:

accessing a computer-readable spatial audio file defining a digital representation of the soundscape to be presented in the environment space, the digital representation of the soundscape defining:

a plurality of sound elements to be output in the environment space over time;

location information defining a location or range of locations for each sound elements to be output; and

timing information defining a time or range of times for each sound element to be output;

accessing a spatial map indicating a spatial location of each speaker distributed throughout the environment space;

for each sound element to be output in the environment space over time:

correlating the location information for the respective sound element with the spatial map for the plurality of speakers to identify one or more of the speakers affected by the respective sound element based on the locations of the controllable media output devices in the environment space; and

controlling the one or more speakers affected by the respective sound element to output audio signals associated with the respective sound element.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the location information or timing information provides a random, pseudo-random, or non-repetitive presentation of sound elements over time.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

calculating, for each of the one or more speakers identified to be affected by the respective sound element, different output parameters for different individual speakers; and

controlling the one or more speakers affected by the respective sound element based on the different output parameters for the different individual speakers.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including contents that are configured to cause a processing device to conduct the method of claim 16 .

20. A system for presenting a scene in an environment space, the system comprising:

a plurality of controllable media output devices, which controllable media output devices are in a distributed arrangement throughout the environment space, which environment space is a physical area or other space in which any portion or aspect of the scene can be sensed or experienced by a person; and

a spatial scene engine including at least one processor configured to:

access a digital representation of a scene to be presented in the environment space, the digital representation of the scene defining:

a plurality of scene elements to be presented in the environment space by the plurality of controllable media output devices over time;

scene element location information defining a location or range of locations for each scene element to be presented; and

timing information defining a time or range of times for each scene element to be presented;

access spatial information for each of the plurality of controllable media output devices, which spatial information at least comprises a spatial map that indicates respective locations of the controllable media output devices distributed throughout the environment space; and

for each scene element to be presented in the environment space over time:

correlate the scene element location information for the respective scene element with the spatial map for the plurality of controllable media output devices to identify one or more of the controllable media output devices affected by the respective scene element, based on the locations of the controllable media output devices in the environment space; and

control the one or more controllable media output devices affected by the respective scene element to generate a human-perceptible output in the environment space.