Systems and methods of providing spatial audio associated with a simulated environment

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing spatial audio are disclosed herein. In one example, the method includes receiving a first position of a first playback device relative to a user in a listening environment; receiving a second position of a second playback device relative to the user in the listening environment; transmitting, to a media content provider, location data corresponding to the first and second positions; receiving, from the media content provider, virtual media audio content associated with a virtual environment, the virtual media audio content comprising first and second audio signals generated based on the transmitted location data, wherein the generated first and second audio signals include one or more audio cues configured to enable the user to spatially perceive a location of a virtual object within the listening environment; and playing back the first audio signal via the first playback device in synchrony with playing back the second audio signal via the second playback device.

1 . A media playback system, comprising:
 first and second playback devices; and   a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors to cause the media playback system to perform operations comprising:
 determining, via the first playback device, a first position of the first playback device relative to a user in a listening environment; 
 determining, via the second playback device, a second position of the second playback device relative to the user in the listening environment; 
 receiving, from a media content provider, virtual media audio content associated with a virtual environment; 
 generating a first audio signal based on the determined first position and the virtual media audio content; 
 generating a second audio signal based on the determined second position and the virtual media audio content, wherein the generated first and second audio signals include one or more audio cues configured to enable the user to spatially perceive a location of a virtual object within the listening environment; and 
 synchronously playing back the first audio signal via the first playback device and playing back the second audio signal via the second playback device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The media playback system of  claim 1 , wherein the second playback device is portable and comprises a battery. 
     
     
         3 . The media playback system of  claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise playing back, in response to movement of the second playback device from the second position to a third, different position, an adjusted second audio signal of the virtual media audio content via the second playback device. 
     
     
         4 . The media playback system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the second audio signal from the first playback device to the first playback device. 
     
     
         5 . The media playback system of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual media audio content is played back while a visual representation of the virtual object within the virtual environment is overlaid on a real-world space in the listening environment. 
     
     
         6 . The media playback system of  claim 1 , wherein the audio cues include at least one of interaural time difference, interaural level difference, spectral cues, or time domain cues. 
     
     
         7 . The media playback system of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual media audio content includes a trajectory of the virtual object relative to the virtual environment. 
     
     
         8 . A method performed by a media playback system comprising a first playback device and a second playback device, the method comprising:
 determining, via the first playback device, a first position of the first playback device relative to a user in a listening environment;   determining, via the second playback device, a second position of the second playback device relative to the user in the listening environment;   receiving, from a media content provider, virtual media audio content associated with a virtual environment;   generating first audio signals generated based on the first position and the virtual media audio content;   generating second audio signals based on the second position and the virtual media audio content, wherein the generated first and second audio signals include one or more audio cues configured to enable the user to spatially perceive a location of a virtual object within the listening environment; and   synchronously playing back the first audio signal via the first playback device and playing back the second audio signal via the second playback device.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second playback device is portable and comprises a battery. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising playing back, in response to movement of the second playback device from the second position to a third, different position, an adjusted second audio signal of the virtual media audio content via the second playback device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising transmitting the second audio signal from the first playback device to the first playback device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the virtual media audio content is played back while a visual representation of the virtual object within the virtual environment is overlaid on a real-world space in the listening environment. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the audio cues include at least one of interaural time difference, interaural level difference, spectral cues, or time domain cues. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the virtual media audio content includes a trajectory of the virtual object relative to the virtual environment. 
     
     
         15 . One or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a media playback system comprising a first playback device and a second playback device to perform operations comprising:
 determining, via the first playback device, a first position of the first playback device relative to a user in a listening environment;   determining, via the second playback device, a second position of the second playback device relative to the user in the listening environment;   receiving, from a media content provider, virtual media audio content associated with a virtual environment;   generating a first audio signal based on the determined first position and the virtual media audio content;   generating a second audio signal based on the determined second position and the virtual media audio content, wherein the generated first and second audio signals include one or more audio cues configured to enable the user to spatially perceive a location of a virtual object within the listening environment; and   synchronously playing back the first audio signal via the first playback device and playing back the second audio signal via the second playback device.   
     
     
         16 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the second playback device is portable and comprises a battery, wherein the operations further comprise playing back, in response to movement of the second playback device from the second position to a third, different position, an adjusted second audio signal of the virtual media audio content via the second playback device. 
     
     
         17 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the second audio signal from the first playback device to the first playback device. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the virtual media audio content is played back while a visual representation of the virtual object within the virtual environment is overlaid on a real-world space in the listening environment. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the audio cues include at least one of interaural time difference, interaural level difference, spectral cues, or time domain cues. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the virtual media audio content includes a trajectory of the virtual object relative to the virtual environment.