Method and apparatus for time-domain crosstalk cancellation in spatial audio

1. A system to output a cross-talk cancelled spatial audio signal to two speakers, comprising:

a user tracking module to provide a location and orientation of a head of a user; and

a time-domain dynamic crosstalk cancellation module comprising two synchronized channels: a left channel destined for the left ear of the user and a right channel destined for the right ear of the user, the time-domain dynamic crosstalk cancellation module to:

receive a spatial audio signal;

receive the location and orientation of the head of the user from the user tracking module;

receive a location for each of the two speakers;

calculate a distance between each speaker and each ear of the user based on the location and orientation of the head of the user, and the locations of the speakers;

calculate a spatial audio attenuation value and time delay value for the left channel and the right channel of the spatial audio signal based on the calculated distance between each speaker and each ear of the user and the speed of sound;

apply the respective attenuation value and time delay value to the left channel and the right channel of the spatial audio signal, thereby creating a modified left channel and a modified right channel of the spatial audio signal; and

transmit the modified left channel to a first of the two speakers (“the first speaker”) and the modified right channel to a second of the two speakers (“the second speaker”);

capture and invert the transmitted modified left channel of the spatial audio signal thereby creating an inverted modified left channel of the spatial audio signal;

transmit the inverted modified left channel of the spatial audio signal to the second speaker;

capture and invert the transmitted modified right channel of the spatial audio signal thereby creating an inverted modified right channel of the spatial audio signal;

transmit the inverted modified right channel of the spatial audio signal to the first speaker;

the first speaker to transmit the modified left channel and the inverted modified right channel of the spatial audio signal;

the second speaker to transmit the modified right channel and the inverted modified left channel of the spatial audio signal;

wherein the inverted modified right channel of the spatial audio signal transmitted by the first speaker and the modified right channel of the spatial audio signal transmitted from the second speaker cancel each other out so that the left ear of the user hears just the first modified channel; and

wherein the inverted modified left channel of the spatial audio signal transmitted by the second speaker and the modified left channel of the spatial audio signal transmitted from the first speaker cancel each other out so that the left ear of the user hears just the second modified channel.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a virtual audio source to provide a virtual audio signal; and

a spatial audio synthesis module to receive the virtual audio signal from the virtual audio source, and to receive the location and orientation of the head of the user from the user tracking module, and generate the spatial audio signal based thereon.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user tracking module to provide a location and orientation of a head of a user is selected from one of a virtual reality tracking module, a video camera tracking module, and an infrared radiation tracking module.

4. A method for providing a cross-talk cancelled spatial audio signal, comprising two synchronized channels: a left channel destined for the left ear of the user and a right channel destined for the right ear of the user, to two speakers, comprising:

receiving input regarding a location and orientation of a head of a user;

receiving input regarding the location of each of two speakers; and

receiving a spatial audio signal; and

calculating a distance between each speaker and each ear of the user based on the location and orientation of the head of the user, and the locations of the speakers;

calculating a spatial audio attenuation value and time delay value for the left channel and the right channel of the spatial audio signal based on the calculated distance between each speaker and each ear of the user and the speed of sound;

applying the respective attenuation value and time delay value to the left channel and the right channel of the spatial audio signal, thereby creating a modified left channel and a modified right channel of the spatial audio signal; and

transmit the modified left channel to a first of the two speakers (“the first speaker”) and the modified right channel to a second of the two speakers (“the second speaker”);

capture and invert the transmitted modified left channel of the spatial audio signal thereby creating an inverted modified left channel of the spatial audio signal;

transmit the inverted modified left channel of the spatial audio signal to the second speaker;

capture and invert the transmitted modified right channel of the spatial audio signal thereby creating an inverted modified right channel of the spatial audio signal;

transmit the inverted modified right channel of the spatial audio signal to the first speaker;

transmitting via the first speaker the modified left channel and the inverted modified right channel of the spatial audio signal;

transmitting via the second speaker the modified right channel and the inverted modified left channel of the spatial audio signal;

wherein the inverted modified right channel of the spatial audio signal transmitted by the first speaker and the modified right channel of the spatial audio signal transmitted from the second speaker cancel each other out so that the left ear of the user hears just the first modified channel; and

wherein the inverted modified left channel of the spatial audio signal transmitted by the second speaker and the modified left channel of the spatial audio signal transmitted from the first speaker cancel each other out so that the right ear of the user hears just the second modified channel.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

receiving a virtual audio signal; and

generating the spatial audio signal based on the virtual audio signal and the location and orientation of the head of the user.