IP Library Granted Patent US 12,245,018
Granted Patent B2
US 12,245,018 · App. 18/405,983 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Sharing locations where binaural sound externally localizes

Inventor: Philip Scott Lyren (Rincon, PR)
H04S7/304H04R3/12H04R5/033H04R5/04H04R2420/07H04S7/305H04S2400/11H04S2420/01
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,245,018
App. No.
18/405,983
Granted
Mar 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method processes binaural sound to externally localize to a first user at a first location. This location is shared such that an electronic device processes the binaural sound to externally localize to a second user at a second location. The first and second locations occur at a same or similar location such that the first and second users hear the binaural sound as originating from the same or similar location.

Claims (45)

1. A method that improves a telephone call between a first user, a second user, and a person, the method comprising:

scanning, with a first wearable electronic device (WED) worn on a head of the first user, a physical environment where the first user and the second user are located to generate a three-dimensional (3D) image of the physical environment;

displaying, in the physical environment with the first WED, a virtual image of the person with a voice of the person in binaural sound that externally localizes to the first user at a location in the physical environment where the first user sees the virtual image of the person;

improving the telephone call by sharing, with a second WED worn on a head of the second user located in the physical environment with the first user, a location from the scanning of the physical environment where the first user sees the virtual image of the person; and

displaying, in the physical environment with the second WED worn on the head of the second user, the virtual image of the person with the voice of the person in the binaural sound that externally localizes to the second user at the location in the physical environment so the first user and the second user see the virtual image of the person and hear the voice of the person in the binaural sound from a common location in the physical environment during the telephone call between the first user, the second user, and the person.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting, from the first WED to the second WED during the telephone call, the location as a coordinate location of a physical object in the physical environment where the first user sees the virtual image of the person without transmitting head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) from the first WED to the second WED.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, from the scanning, locations of physical objects in the physical environment where the first user and the second user are located, wherein the sharing the location includes sharing a location at one of the physical objects where the first WED displays the virtual image of the person during the telephone call.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting, by the second WED and to the first WED, a request to join the telephone call; and

receiving, by the second WED, the location in the physical environment in response to transmitting the request to join the telephone call.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the common location in the physical environment occurs on a physical object in the physical environment where both the first WED and the second WED display the virtual image of the person during the telephone call between the first user, the second user, and the person.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting, from the first WED and to the second WED, the location where the first user sees the virtual image of the person during the telephone call in response to the first WED receiving a request to join the telephone call from the second WED.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sharing the location in the physical environment includes sharing location data that includes a coordinate location of an object in the physical environment where the first user and the second user are located.

8. A method that improves a communication between a first user, a second user, and a person, the method comprising:

scanning, with a first wearable electronic device (WED) worn on a head of the first user, a physical environment to generate a three-dimensional (3D) image of the physical environment;

displaying, with the first WED, a virtual image of the person with a voice in binaural sound that externally localizes to a location in a physical environment where the first WED displays the virtual image of the person;

improving the communication by sharing, with a second WED worn on a head of the second user and from data obtained from the scanning, the location in the physical environment where the first WED displays the virtual image of the person; and

displaying, with the second WED worn on the head of the second user, the virtual image of the person with the voice in the binaural sound that externally localizes to the location in the physical environment where both the first WED displays the virtual image of the person and the second WED displays the virtual image of the person during the communication.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

verifying that the binaural sound of the voice of the person localizes to the location in the physical environment where both the first user and the second user see the virtual image of the person during the communication.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sharing includes transmitting to the second WED a location, from the scanning, of a physical object in the physical environment where the first WED displays the virtual image of the person during the communication.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

verifying that the first WED and the second WED display the virtual image of the person at the location in the physical environment by comparing coordinates where the first WED displays the virtual image of the person with coordinates where the second WED displays the virtual image of the person.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sharing includes providing the second WED with coordinates of a physical object, obtained from the scanning, where the first WED displays the virtual image of the person.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sharing includes providing a location in augmented reality (AR) where the first WED displays the VR image.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

verifying the first WED and the second WED display the virtual image of the person during the communication at a same location obtained from the scanning of the physical environment.

15. An electronic system that improves a communication between a first user, a second user, and a person, the electronic system comprising:

a first wearable electronic device (WED) worn on a head of the first user and includes one or more cameras or sensors that scan a physical environment of the first user to generate a three-dimensional (3D) image of the physical environment, a first display that displays, during the communication, an augmented reality (AR) image of the person at a location in the physical environment where the first and the second users are located; and

a second WED worn on a head of the second user and includes a second display that displays, during the communication, the AR image of the person at the location in the physical environment,

wherein the electronic system improves the communication by sharing, with the second WED and from the scan of the physical environment, the location in the physical environment so the AR image of the person and a voice of the person in binaural sound originate from a common location in the physical environment to both the first user and the second user during the communication between the first user, the second user, and the person.

16. The electronic system of claim 15 further comprising:

a transmitter in the second WED that transmits a request to the first WED to join the communication; and

a receiver in the second WED that receives, in response to transmitting the request, the location where the first WED displays the AR image of the person.

17. The electronic system of claim 15 further comprising:

a transmitter in the second WED that transmits a request for the location where the first WED displays the AR image of the person; and

a receiver in the second WED that receives, in response to transmitting the request, the location where the first WED displays the AR image of the person.

18. The electronic system of claim 15 further comprising:

a transmitter in the second WED that wirelessly transmits, to the first WED, a request to join the communication; and

a receiver in the second WED that receives, in response to wirelessly transmitting the request to the first WED, a location on a physical object in the physical environment obtained from the scan where the AR image of the person is displayed.

19. The electronic system of claim 15 , wherein the electronic system synchronizes the first and second WEDs so the binaural sound continues to externally localize to the first and second users to the common location during the communication that is a telephone call.

20. The electronic system of claim 15 , wherein the electronic system verifies the first and second WEDs display the AR image of the person at the common location during the communication.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 24, 2025
From: LYREN, PHILIP SCOTT
To: IP3 2025, SERIES 925 OF ALLIED SECURITY TRUST I
Reel/Frame 073012/0818 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 18139392 · Apr 26, 2023
Continuation 17727771 · Apr 24, 2022
Continuation 17096994 · Nov 13, 2020
Continuation 16252573 · Jan 19, 2019
Continuation 16168848 · Oct 24, 2018
Related Publication 20240147182A1 · May 2, 2024
References Cited (3)
US 9699583B1 · Lyren · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20150373477A1 · Norris · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160240009A1 · Lyren · 2016 [cited by examiner]