Binaural audio systems and methods

1. A method for binaural audio presentation, the method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device, binaural audio information associated with an event; synchronizing, via an application operative on the mobile device, playback of the binaural audio information to the event; and

playing back, via headphones coupled to the mobile device, the binaural audio information in synchronization with the event based on an audio sync signal,

wherein the audio sync signal encodes a series of tones representing an audio offset value for synchronizing the binaural audio information, and wherein the series of tones utilize different frequencies to represent consecutive identical digits in the audio offset value and a standard repeat marker frequency representing a second repeat digit of any continuous sequence of three identical digits; and

wherein the synchronizing is accomplished via the audio sync signal emitted from loudspeakers in a venue for the event and received at a microphone of the mobile device, and wherein a rate of playback of the binaural audio information depends at least in part on a characteristic of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising re-synchronizing, responsive to the mobile device leaving the range of the audio sync signal and then returning to the range of the audio sync signal while the event is in progress, playback of the binaural audio information to the event.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the audio sync signal comprises binaural audio information having a frequency above 18 kHz.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the audio sync signal is received by multiple microphones incorporated into the headphones.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the event is a motion picture presented in a theater.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising activating, via the application, a vibration capability in the headphones at a specific time during the event.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising capturing, via a camera of the mobile device, an image of a user of the mobile device at a specific time during the event.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the binaural audio information is received at the mobile device prior to the beginning of the event.

9. A method for binaural audio presentation, the method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device and via a wireless data network, an audio track for a movie presented in a theater, the audio track encoded with binaural audio information;

receiving, at the mobile device, an audio sync signal and a high-frequency test or “heartbeat” tone emitted by a loudspeaker in the theater, the audio sync signal configured to synchronize playback of the audio track to the movie, wherein the audio sync signal comprises audio information having a frequency above 19000 Hz; and

playing back, via an application operative on the mobile device and responsive to the audio sync signal, the audio track synchronized to video content of the movie in the theater,

wherein the audio sync signal encodes a series of tones representing an audio offset value for synchronizing the binaural audio information, and wherein the series of tones utilize different frequencies to represent consecutive identical digits in the audio offset value; and

wherein the high-frequency test or “heartbeat” tone comprises a beacon or timestamp configured and arranged to facilitate adjustments to synchronization and/or playback

the synchronizing being accomplished via the audio sync signal emitted from the loudspeaker and received at a microphone of the mobile device where a rate of playback of the audio information depends at least in part on a characteristic of the mobile device.

10. A method for binaural audio presentation, the method comprising:

delivering, to a first mobile device, a first binaural audio file associated with an event, the first binaural audio file including spoken words in a first language;

delivering, to a second mobile device, a second binaural audio file associated with the event, the second binaural audio file including spoken words in a second language different from the first language; and

synchronizing, via an audio sync signal delivered to the first mobile device and the second mobile device, playback of the first binaural audio file and the second binaural audio file to the event wherein a rate of playback of the audio files depends at least in part on a characteristic of either of the first or second mobile device,

wherein the audio sync signal encodes a series of tones representing an audio offset value for synchronizing the binaural audio information, and wherein the series of tones utilize different frequencies to represent consecutive identical digits in the audio offset value and a standard repeat marker frequency representing a second repeat digit of any continuous sequence of three identical digits.

11. A method for synchronization of audio playback, the method comprising:

receiving, at an audio system of a theater, a synchronization file containing synchronization information for a movie;

playing, via a loudspeaker of the audio system, conventional audio information for the movie; and

playing, via the loudspeaker and simultaneous with playback of the conventional audio information, a high-frequency test or “heartbeat” tone and an audio sync signal derived from the synchronization file, the audio sync signal configured to synchronize playback of processed audio data stored on a smartphone of a theater patron with the movie, wherein the audio sync signal encodes a series of tones representing an audio offset value for synchronizing binaural audio information, and wherein the series of tones utilize different frequencies to represent consecutive identical digits in the audio offset value; and

wherein the high-frequency test or “heartbeat” tone comprises a beacon or timestamp configured and arranged to facilitate adjustments to synchronization and/or

playback.

12. A method for binaural audio presentation, the method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device, binaural audio information associated with an event; synchronizing, via an application operative on the mobile device, playback of the binaural audio information to the event; and

playing back, via headphones coupled to the mobile device, the binaural audio information in synchronization with the event based on an audio sync signal,

wherein the audio sync signal encodes a series of tones representing an audio offset value for synchronizing the binaural audio information, and wherein the series of tones utilize different frequencies to represent consecutive identical digits in the audio offset value and a standard repeat marker frequency representing a second repeat digit of any continuous sequence of three identical digits; and

wherein the synchronizing is accomplished via an audio sync signal emitted from loudspeakers in a venue for the event and received at a microphone of the mobile device, and wherein a rate of playback of the audio information depends at least in part on a characteristic of the mobile device; and

further comprising re-synchronizing, responsive to the mobile device leaving the range of the audio sync signal and then returning to the range of the audio sync signal while the event is in progress, playback of the binaural audio information to the event; and

wherein the audio sync signal comprises audio information having a frequency above 18 kHz; and

wherein the audio sync signal is received by multiple microphones incorporated into the headphones; and

wherein the event is a motion picture presented in a theater; and

further comprising activating, via the application, a vibration capability in the headphones at any specific time during the event; and

wherein the binaural audio information is received at the mobile device prior to the beginning of the event.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising capturing, via a camera of the mobile device, an image of a user of the mobile device at any specific time during the event.