Virtual space sound reproducing program and device

The present invention relates to a virtual space sound reproduction program and a virtual space sound reproduction device for reproducing sound emitted from a virtual sound source located in a virtual space displayed on a display device as surround sound by a speaker.

Generally, a method of arranging two speakers on the front left and right of the listening position (listener's position) to reproduce (reproduce) three-dimensional sound is called a stereo method, and further, the surroundings other than the front left and right of the listening position. The surround method is a method of arranging a speaker at any of the above positions and surrounding the listening position to reproduce a three-dimensional sound. Conventionally, a surround sound reproduction device that reproduces surround sound by this surround method adjusts an input input signal, and arranges a plurality of speakers and the position (listening position) of a user (listener) of the device. Surround sound is reproduced by outputting it as an acoustic signal suitable for the acoustic space determined by (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In this surround sound reproduction device, the adjusting means 101 shown in FIG. 8 is used to adjust the input signal, and the adjusting means 101 includes an amplifier 103 for buffering and amplifying the input signal and buffering and amplifying the input signal. A delay circuit 105 that performs delay processing on the input signal (amplified signal), an equivalent circuit 107 that performs equivalent processing on the amplified signal (delay signal) that has undergone delay processing, and a delay signal (equivalent signal) that has undergone equivalent processing. A convolution device 109 that folds the And an adder / synthesizer 115 that synthesizes a buffer-amplified equivalent signal (amplified signal) and an input signal.

In this surround sound reproduction device, the transmission characteristics of the sound field to be reproduced for the output acoustic signal are measured in advance as impulse responses for each direction at the listening position of the acoustic signal, or the transmission characteristics are measured by acoustic simulation. By calculating and using it as the coefficient of the convolution device 109 of the adjusting means 101, the sound field can be reproduced more precisely.

Further, as an application technology of this surround sound reproduction device, there is a virtual reality system in which the device is combined with CG (computer graphics) technology. In this virtual reality system, the acoustic characteristics in the acoustic space corresponding to the virtual space expressed by CG are calculated by acoustic simulation. Then, from the result of this acoustic simulation, not only the acoustic characteristics but also the virtual space acoustic information which is the information about the reflected sound which changes according to the movement of the virtual sound source (voice etc.) in the virtual space can be obtained. By using this virtual space acoustic information, the sound field corresponding to the image in the virtual space can be dynamically reproduced.

An example of this virtual reality system is shown in Fig. 9. As shown in FIG. 9, the virtual reality system 117 includes a dry source supply server 119 that supplies a dry source (direct sound acquired in a space without acoustic reflection, a sound source signal), a CG scene (virtual space), and the corresponding. A virtual space data server 121 that supplies an impulse response that represents the acoustic characteristics in the virtual space, an acoustic signal generation server 123 that has a convolution means (not shown) that performs convolution processing and generates an acoustic signal from a dry source, and a CG. It is composed of a control server 125 that draws a scene (virtual space) and controls each server 117 to 121 by receiving an operation signal from a user interface (UI) operated by a user (listener).

In addition, the virtual reality system 117 includes a screen 127 that is placed in front of the user (listener) and displays the virtual space, and eight units that are placed around the user (listener) and output acoustic signals. The speaker 129 is connected.

Explaining the operation of the virtual reality system 117, first, the dry source is supplied from the dry source supply server 119 to the acoustic signal generation server 123. Subsequently, the user (listener) operates the user interface (UI) while watching the CG scene presented on the screen 127 arranged in front. Then, based on the control signal output from the control server 125 that received the operation signal from the user interface (UI) operated by the user (listener), the sound signal generation server 123 controls the appropriate sound source localization for the dry source. At the same time, the speaker 129 outputs an acoustic signal to which a sound (indirect sound) convolving the impulse response supplied from the virtual space data server 121 is added to the dry source. As a result, the user (listener) can experience the stereophonic sound as if he / she is in a CG scene (virtual space).

By the way, among the computer languages that describe CG scenes (virtual space), VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language), which is a three-dimensional virtual environment description language, is widely used on the Internet. This VRML has a grammar that assigns a sound source to an object in the virtual space in addition to the description of the CG scene (virtual space). According to this grammar, the object to which the sound source is assigned can describe the directivity, the audible area, etc. as the attributes of the object. To presenting a virtual space including the object to which this attribute is described in the user (listener) more, the system using the VRML, by direct sound emitted from the object, approximately realize surround sound reproduction are doing.<patcit num="1"><text>Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-322069 (paragraphs 0024 to 0028, FIG. 1)</text></patcit>

<p> However, in the conventional surround sound reproduction device, the adjusting means 101 uses arithmetic circuits such as amplifier 103, 113, delay circuit 105, equivalent circuit 107, 111, convolution device 109, adder synthesizer 115, etc. It is configured by combining one or more devices and hardware such as DSP. For this reason, the conventional surround sound reproduction device has a problem that most of the hardware configurations are composed of commercial devices except for a simple device portion, which is costly.</p><p> Further, in the conventional virtual reality system 117 combined with CG technology, the acoustic signal generation server 123 and the control server 125 are configured as separate devices. The acoustic signal generation server 123 and the control server 125 of the virtual reality system 117 perform synchronous control by performing mutual communication using protocols such as MIDI and TCP / IP. Similar to the surround sound reproduction device 101, this virtual reality system 115 also has a cost because most of the system 115 is composed of a plurality of hardware (dry source supply server 117, virtual space data server 119, etc.). There is a problem that it is necessary to secure the installation space for each hardware. Furthermore, in this virtual reality system 115, it is difficult to associate and centrally manage data (contents) such as dry sources and CG scenes between each hardware, and it is a burden on the content creator who creates the data (contents). It has become. Furthermore, the virtual reality system 115 has a more complicated configuration than the surround sound reproduction device 101.</p><p> In addition, a system using VRML has a surround sound reproduction function and can be regarded as software that can display CG scenes, but the expressive ability of the acoustic space by VRML is an attribute of the object to which the sound source is assigned. The description is limited to the oval audible region, and there is a problem that it is not sufficient for constructing a virtual reality space (environment), reproducing a precise sound field, and reproducing surround sound.</p><p> In addition, in the past, for security reasons on the Internet (network), it has been prohibited to control communication between the downloaded device and other devices by describing the content downloaded via the network. There was a request to clear this prohibition and use the content.</p><p> Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to solve the above-mentioned problems, suppress costs, secure an installation space, construct a virtual reality space (environment), reproduce a precise sound field, and reproduce surround sound. It is an object of the present invention to provide a virtual space sound reproduction program and a virtual space sound reproduction device that can clear the prohibitions in the network and use the downloaded software.</p>

<p> In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the virtual space sound reproduction program according to claim 1 has virtual space image information for drawing an image of the virtual space and sound that is a direct sound of a virtual sound source that is a sound source in the virtual space. Indirect of a virtual sound source obtained by receiving a signal, acoustic characteristics in the virtual space, and virtual space acoustic information related to the virtual sound source, and processing the image of the virtual space, the direct sound, and the virtual space acoustic information. The device that associates the sound with the direct sound and outputs the sound to the display device and the speaker is configured to function as a virtual space video information processing means, a virtual space acoustic information processing means, and a mixed output means.</p><p> According to such a configuration, the virtual space sound reproduction program is connected to a network to acquire virtual space video information, sound signals, and virtual space sound information, and is converted into the virtual space video information by the virtual space video information processing means. Based on this, the image in the virtual space is drawn and output to the display device. That is, this virtual space video information processing means corresponds to a browser in a normal personal computer.</p><p> Subsequently, the virtual space sound reproduction program processes the direct sound and the virtual space sound information by the virtual space sound information processing means, moves the virtual sound source, and operates the user of the device to perform virtual listening in the virtual space. The indirect sound is calculated based on at least one of the movement of the virtual listening point, which is a point. The processing by the virtual space acoustic information processing means is to directly convolve the sound based on the virtual space acoustic information.</p><p> Then, the virtual space sound reproduction program uses the mixed output means to obtain the direct sound obtained from the sound signal with a coefficient calculated in advance based on the position of the virtual sound source, the position of the virtual listening point, the position of the speaker, and the listening position. The amplitude-controlled direct sound whose amplitude is controlled based on the above and the indirect sound calculated by the virtual space acoustic information processing means are mixed and output to the speaker. Surround sound reproduction is realized by a synthetic sound that is a mixture of these direct sounds and indirect sounds.</p><p> The virtual space sound reproduction program according to claim 2 is a VRML file in which the virtual space video information is described as a file and a filter in which the virtual space sound information is described as a file in the virtual space sound reproduction program according to claim 1. It is characterized in that the video and sound of the virtual space are described by an HTML file regarding the interrelationship between the file and the sound file in which the direct sound of the virtual sound source is filed.</p><p> According to such a configuration, the virtual space sound reproduction program describes the virtual space video information as a VRML file and the virtual space sound information as a filter file, and uses the direct sound of the virtual sound source as a filed sound file, and these files The mutual relationship is described by an HTML file. That is, this virtual space sound reproduction program is designed so that each file required for surround sound reproduction and all of the various parameter arguments included in the file can be described in a unified manner.</p><p> The virtual space sound reproduction device according to claim 3 includes virtual space image information for drawing an image of the virtual space, an acoustic signal which is a direct sound of a virtual sound source as a sound source in the virtual space, and the inside of the virtual space. The sound characteristics of the above and the virtual space acoustic information about the virtual sound source are received, the image of the virtual space, the direct sound, the indirect sound of the virtual sound source obtained by processing the virtual space acoustic information, and the direct sound. Is a virtual space sound reproduction device that outputs to a display device and a speaker in association with each other, and has a configuration including a virtual space video information processing means, a virtual space sound information processing means, and a mixed output means.</p><p> According to such a configuration, the virtual space sound reproduction device is connected to a network to acquire virtual space image information, an acoustic signal, and virtual space acoustic information, and is converted into the virtual space image information by a virtual space image information processing means. Based on this, the image in the virtual space is drawn and output to the display device. Subsequently, the virtual space sound reproduction device processes the direct sound and the virtual space sound information by the virtual space sound information processing means, moves the virtual sound source, and operates the user of the device to perform virtual listening in the virtual space. The indirect sound is calculated based on at least one of the movement of the virtual listening point, which is a point. Then, the virtual space acoustic reproduction device obtains the direct sound obtained from the acoustic signal by the mixed output means with a coefficient calculated in advance based on the position of the virtual sound source, the position of the virtual listening point, the position of the speaker, and the listening position. The amplitude-controlled direct sound whose amplitude is controlled based on the above and the indirect sound calculated by the virtual space acoustic information processing means are mixed and output to the speaker.</p>

<p> According to the inventions of claims 1 and 3, a virtual space image information, an acoustic signal and a virtual space acoustic information are acquired by connecting to a network, and a virtual space is drawn based on the virtual space image information. It is output to the display device, and the indirect sound is calculated based on at least one of the movement of the virtual sound source and the movement of the virtual listening point, which is a virtual listening point in the virtual space, by the operation of the user of the device. Amplitude-controlled direct sound and indirect sound whose amplitude is controlled based on the position of the virtual sound source, the position of the virtual listening point, and the coefficient calculated in advance based on the position of the speaker and the listening position of the direct sound obtained from the acoustic signal. And are mixed and output to the speaker. Therefore, it is possible to realize surround sound reproduction without relying on the existing commercial equipment as in the conventional case, suppressing the cost, and securing the installation space. Further, according to the present invention, the acoustic characteristics in the virtual space can be accurately expressed depending on the amount of information of the virtual space acoustic information, the construction of the virtual reality space (environment), the precise sound field reproduction, and the surround sound. Playback can be performed. In addition, by describing the contents (virtual space video information, audio signal, and virtual space acoustic information) acquired from the network, it is possible to process in one device without controlling communication with other devices. You can use the downloaded software by clearing the prohibited items.</p><p> According to the invention described in claim 2, the virtual space video information is described as a VRML file, and the virtual space sound information is described as a filter file. The direct sound of the virtual sound source is used as a filed sound file, and the mutual relationship between these files is defined. It is described by an HTML file. That is, this virtual space sound reproduction program is designed so that each file required for surround sound reproduction and all of the various parameter arguments included in the file can be described in a unified manner. In addition, the data handled by the virtual space sound reproduction program is composed of VRML files, filter files, sound files, and HTML files, and can be obtained from the same site (web server) on the network. As a result, the content creator can easily perform the centralized management of the content, and the burden of the management cost of the content creator can be reduced.</p>

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. (Configuration of virtual space sound reproduction device) Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the virtual space sound reproduction device. As shown in FIG. 1, the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 acquires contents (virtual space video information, sound signal, virtual space sound information) from a network such as the Internet, draws a virtual space, and draws the virtual space. It outputs sound (synthetic sound) in space, and includes virtual space video information processing means 3, virtual space acoustic information processing means 5, and mixed output means 7.

The virtual space sound reproduction device 1 has a display device 2 arranged in front of the user (listener) of the device 1 and displaying the virtual space by CG, and an operation signal operated by the user (listener). A user interface 4 such as a keyboard and a mouse for inputting (including an operation start signal and an operation end signal), and a speaker 6 arranged around the user (listener) and outputting the synthesized sound synthesized by the device 1. Is connected.

In addition, this virtual space sound reproduction device 1 can be used for content (virtual space video information, sound signal (direct sound), etc.) from a site established on a web server (not shown) via a network (Internet, etc.). Download (acquire) virtual space acoustic information). That is, a browser program (content acquisition means [not shown]) that connects to the Internet on a personal computer is installed in the virtual space sound reproduction device 1. The interrelationships of the contents (virtual space video information, sound signal, virtual space sound information) acquired by the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 are described as HTML files. The acoustic signal included in this content may be directly input without going through the network.

In addition, among the contents (virtual space video information, acoustic signal, virtual space acoustic information) acquired by this virtual space acoustic reproduction device 1, the acoustic signal (direct sound), virtual space acoustic information, and output control information are virtual space. Along with being output to the acoustic information processing means 5, the acoustic signal (direct sound) is output to the mixed output means 7.

The virtual space video information processing means 3 draws a virtual space video from a preset listener's viewpoint (virtual listening point) based on the virtual space video information, and outputs the video to the display device 2. The virtual space video information is for drawing a virtual space by CG, and is described by VRML. In other words, this virtual space video information can be said to be a VRML file described in VRML. This VRML is a computer language that describes a three-dimensional virtual environment (virtual space) that is popular on the Internet (on WWW), and provides file definitions for describing objects called "nodes" as well as " An object-based computer language that provides attribute descriptions called "fields". That is, the virtual space can be easily constructed on a computer by constructing a scene graph with VRML "nodes" and "fields".

Further, the virtual space drawn by the virtual space video information processing means 3 based on the virtual space video information may be divided into a plurality of small spaces (acoustic spaces) having different acoustic characteristics in advance. it can. However, the description that determines the acoustic characteristics of this acoustic space is not made in the virtual space video information described in VRML, but is made in the virtual space acoustic information (including the filter file).

In other words, this VRML is equipped with a "Sound node" as a sound reproduction function, but this "Sound node" makes it possible to describe the directivity and audible area for each virtual sound source (object assigned as a sound source). Therefore, the description of the acoustic characteristics of the space itself (acoustic space) is not provided as a grammar. Further, the function of sound reproduction by the "Sound node" only specifies the directivity and the audible area by the geometric shape of the object, and cannot reproduce the physical characteristics of the object. Therefore, in the virtual space video information, the virtual space acoustic information is used without describing the acoustic characteristics of the acoustic space.

Further, this virtual space video information includes a display parameter for changing the display direction (appearance) of the virtual space based on the operation signal input from the user interface 4. That is, as the display parameters change, the virtual space rotates or moves from the same viewpoint (virtual listening point). That is, every time this display parameter changes (every time an operation signal is input), the virtual space video information processing means 3 sequentially redraws the virtual space.

The virtual space acoustic information processing means 5 processes the downloaded (acquired) direct sound and virtual space acoustic information to calculate the indirect sound from the virtual sound source (object assigned as the sound source) located in the virtual space. It is provided with a filter file storage means 5a, a filter file setting means 5b, and a convolution processing means 5c. In this embodiment, the virtual space acoustic information processing means 5 is incorporated as a module form (signal processing module).

That is, in this virtual space acoustic information processing means 5, the movement of the virtual sound source (object assigned as the sound source) and the movement of the virtual listening point, which is a virtual listening point in the virtual space (operation input from the user interface 4). According to at least one of (based on the signal), the acoustic characteristics of the small space (acoustic space) in which the virtual space displayed on the display device 2 is divided so as to have separate acoustic characteristics are defined, and the indirect sound is generated. It is calculated.

The virtual space acoustic information is represented by an acoustic space obtained by dividing the virtual space into small spaces and a filter file representing the directional impulse response for each virtual sound source, and the processing method in the virtual space acoustic information processing means 5 is set. It includes processing setting information. The filter file has eight directional impulse responses for one virtual sound source: front, back, left, right, front left, front right, back left, and back right. In other words, it can be said that the filter file sets the reflection, resonance, etc. of sound in the acoustic space in which the virtual space is divided into small spaces. The processing setting information includes the number of input channels indicating the number of virtual sound sources, the sampling rate and bit rate for determining the output format (reproduced sound source format), and the filter name.

In this embodiment, the virtual space acoustic information is handled as including the filter file and the processing setting information, but the filter file and the processing setting information may be treated as separate information. That is, it is possible to handle the virtual space acoustic information as a filter file described as a file, and to separately include the processing setting information in the content.

The filter file storage means 5a stores the filter file included in the virtual space acoustic information. The filter file setting means 5b is a filter file for each acoustic space and virtual sound source in which the virtual space is divided into small spaces based on the filter name included in the processing setting information and the operation signal input from the user interface 4. Is to set.

The convolution processing means 5c uses the filter fill set by the filter file setting means 5b to perform convolution processing on the input direct sound to generate the indirect sound of the virtual sound source, and is determined by the sampling rate and the bit rate. The indirect sound is output to the mixed output means 7 according to the reproduced sound source format.

The mixed output means 7 is a sound in which the composite sound obtained by mixing the amplitude-controlled direct sound obtained by controlling the amplitude of the direct sound obtained from the acoustic signal and the indirect sound calculated by the virtual space acoustic information processing means 5 is not shown. It outputs to the speaker 6 via the board, and is provided with a sound pressure control means 7a that controls the amplitude of the direct sound so as to match the arrangement of the speaker 6. In this embodiment, the mixing output means 7 is incorporated as a module form (mixer module).

The sound pressure control means 7a includes the position of the virtual sound source in the virtual space, the position of the virtual listening point (viewpoint of the user (listener)), the position where the speaker 6 is arranged (speaker position), and the user (listener). The amplitude control of the direct sound, that is, the sound pressure of the direct sound is controlled based on the coefficient calculated in advance based on the actual listening position of the sound, and the amplitude control direct sound is obtained. For example, when the user (listener) faces the display device 2, this coefficient is centered on the listening position of the user (listener) and has a straight line connecting the user (listener) and the display device 2 as the basic axis. This is determined based on the angle between the basic axis and the directional axis when the straight line connecting the user and the speaker 6 arranged around the user (listener) is used as the directional axis.

According to the virtual space sound reproduction device 1, the virtual space video information, the sound signal, and the virtual space sound information are acquired by connecting to the network, and the virtual space video information processing means 3 is used to obtain the virtual space video information. Based on this, the image of the virtual space is drawn and output to the display device 2. Subsequently, the virtual space acoustic information processing means 5 processes the direct sound and the virtual space acoustic information, and the virtual listening point in the virtual space is moved by moving the virtual sound source and operating the user (listener) of the device 1. The indirect sound is calculated based on at least one of the movement of the virtual listening point. Then, the direct sound is amplitude-controlled by the mixed output means 7 based on the position of the virtual sound source, the position of the virtual listening point, and the coefficient calculated in advance based on the position of the speaker and the listening position. And the synthetic sound obtained by mixing the indirect sound calculated by the virtual space acoustic information processing means 5 is output to the speaker 6. Therefore, it is possible to realize surround sound reproduction without relying on the existing commercial equipment as in the conventional case, suppressing the cost, and securing the installation space. Further, according to this virtual space acoustic reproduction device 1, it is possible to accurately express the acoustic characteristics in the virtual space depending on the amount of information of the virtual space acoustic information, and the construction of the virtual reality space (environment) and the precise sound. Field reproduction and surround sound reproduction can be performed. In addition, the virtual space video information processing means 3, the virtual space acoustic information processing means 5, and the mixed output means 7 are modularized, and the contents (virtual space video information, acoustic signal, and virtual space acoustic information) acquired from the network are used. According to the description of, it is possible to process in one device 1 without controlling communication with other devices (not shown), so that the prohibited items in the network can be cleared and the downloaded contents can be used.

Further, according to this virtual space sound reproduction device 1, the virtual space video information is described as a VRML file, and the virtual space sound information is described as a filter file, and the direct sound of the virtual sound source is regarded as a filed sound file. The interrelationships of are described by an HTML file (as a piece of content). Therefore, each file (VRML file, filter file, sound) is provided by each modularized means (virtual space video information processing means 3, virtual space sound information processing means 5 and mixed output means 7) of the virtual space sound reproduction device 1. File, HTML file) and all of the various parameter arguments contained in the file can be processed in a unified manner.

(Operation of Virtual Space Sound Reproduction Device) Next, the operation of the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 2 (see FIG. 1 as appropriate). The operation of the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 describes a case where the movement of the virtual sound source located in the virtual space is limited to the same sound space.

First, the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 accesses a site on the network by a content acquisition means (not shown) and downloads (acquires) the contents (virtual space video information, sound signal, virtual space sound information) ( S1). Subsequently, the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 draws a virtual space image by the virtual space image information processing means 3, outputs the image to the display device 2, and outputs an acoustic signal (direct sound) and virtual space acoustic information to the virtual space. The acoustic signal (direct sound) is output to the acoustic information processing means 5 and to the mixed output means 7. Then, the virtual space acoustic reproduction device 1 sets the filter file that is initially set by the filter file setting means 5b of the virtual space acoustic information processing means 5 (S2).

Then, the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 performs a direct sound convolution process by the convolution processing means 5c of the virtual space sound information processing means 5, calculates an indirect sound, and outputs the indirect sound to the mixed output means 7 (S3). Then, the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 controls the sound pressure of the direct sound by the sound pressure control means 7a of the mixing output means 7, and mixes the amplitude-controlled direct sound whose sound pressure is controlled and the indirect sound. It is output to speaker 6 as a synthetic sound (S4).

Here, the synthetic sound output from the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 to the speaker 6 is when the virtual sound source does not move in the virtual space and the operation signal is not input from the user interface 4 (user (listener)). ), That is, the default synthetic sound.

Then, the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 determines whether or not the virtual listening position, which is the position of the user (listener) in the virtual space, has moved based on the operation signal input via the user interface 4. (S5). When it is determined that the virtual listening position has moved (S5, Yes), it is determined whether or not the virtual listening position has moved from the acoustic space obtained by dividing the virtual space into small spaces to another acoustic space (S6).

When it is determined that the sound has been moved to another acoustic space (S6, Yes), the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 returns to S2 and sets a filter file suitable for the moved acoustic space as a filter of the virtual space acoustic information processing means 5. Reset by file setting means 5b. If it is not determined that the sound has moved to another acoustic space (S6, No), the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 obtains the amount of movement of the virtual listening position based on the operation signal, and the mixed output means 7 The sound pressure control means 7a adjusts the amplitude control direct sound based on the amount of movement, mixes it with the indirect sound, and outputs it as a synthetic sound.

Further, when the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 does not determine in S5 that the virtual listening position has moved (S5, No), it determines whether or not the virtual sound source has moved in the virtual space (S7). When it is determined that the sound has moved (S7, Yes), the movement amount of the virtual sound source is obtained, and the sound pressure control means 7a of the mixing output means 7 adjusts the amplitude control direct sound based on the movement amount and indirect sound. And output mixed with. After that, the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 is determined to be terminated (S8) depending on the presence or absence of other control signals (interrupt, etc.), and if it is determined to be terminated (S8, Yes), the operation is terminated. , If it is not determined to end (S8, No), it returns to S3 and the processing is continued. The virtual space sound reproduction device 1 continues drawing the virtual space and outputting the synthesized sound until another control signal (interrupt or the like) is detected.

(Example of drawing a virtual space) Next, an example of drawing a virtual space will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows an image of the virtual space drawn on the display device 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the virtual space drawn on the display device 2 is a rectangular parallelepiped space, and Sound Source A, which is a virtual sound source, is drawn in the rectangular parallelepiped space, and the virtual listening point is displayed. This is the position of the user (listener) located in front of the device 2.

Sound Source A, which is a virtual sound source, moves and stops in the rectangular space displayed on the display device 2 based on the virtual space video information, and directly emits from the current position of Sound Source A based on the virtual space acoustic information. A synthetic sound obtained by mixing (synthesizing) the sound and the indirect sound reflected on the wall surface of the space is output via the speaker 6.

The virtual listening point corresponds to the viewpoint of the user (listener), and the user (listener) moves by operating the user interface 4, that is, the appearance of the rectangular parallelepiped space is changed. ..

(Speaker Arrangement Example) Next, an arrangement example of the speaker 6 connected to the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the user (listener) and the speaker 6. As shown in FIG. 4, when two speakers 6α are arranged in front of the left front and the front right of the user (listener) centering on the user (listener), an example of stereo arrangement of two channels is shown. There is. In addition, when eight speakers 6β are arranged in front of the user (listener), left front, left side, left rear, rear, right rear, right side, and right front centering on the user (listener), , An example of surround arrangement of 8 channels is shown.

As shown in FIG. 4, speakers 6 (6α, 6β) are arranged around the user (listener), and the synthesized sound mixed (synthesized) by the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 is combined with the speaker 6 (listener). By outputting from 6α, 6β), various sound fields can be reproduced.

(Example of output control of synthetic sound) Next, referring to FIG. 5, an example of output control when the synthetic sound synthesized by the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 is output by two speakers 6 (6a, 6b). Will be described. FIG. 5 shows the virtual listening position of the user (listener) in the virtual space, the relative position (relative positional relationship) of the virtual sound source (Sound Source A) with respect to the user (listener), and the speaker close to the relative position. It shows 6 (6a, 6b). The relative positional relationship between the virtual listening position of the user (listener) and the virtual sound source (Sound Source A) with respect to the user (listener) is calculated by the virtual space video information processing means 3.

In addition, the speakers 6 (6a, 6b) are two speakers that are close to the virtual sound source (Sound Source A) in the actual arrangement of the speakers 6. Here, to describe the output control of the synthetic sound actually heard by the user, first, let r be the distance between the user (listener) and the virtual sound source (Sound Source A), and set the distance attenuation of the amplitude of the output direct sound as r. , Calculated by multiplying the amplitude by 1 / r. Next, let α be the angle between the virtual sound source (Sound Source A) and the speaker 6a, β be the angle between the speaker 6a and the speaker 6b, and the amplitude of the direct sound output from the two speakers 6a and 6b, respectively. It is calculated by multiplying cos (α / (α + β) × φ / 2) and sin (α / (α + β) × φ / 2) by the amplitude after the distance attenuation calculation.

(Operation example of virtual space sound reproduction device) Next, an operation example of virtual space sound reproduction device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation example of the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 (3 Client X and 1 Web Server Y). As shown in FIG. 6, each ClientX has a virtual space sound reproduction program in which the processing of each configuration of the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 is described in a computer language.

In addition, Web Server Y has virtual space video information described in VRML files, sound source files (direct sound) played in virtual space, and direction-specific impulses in virtual space calculated in advance by actual measurement and acoustic simulation. DataBese that stores the filter file (virtual space acoustic information) that is the response is provided. In addition, this Web Server Y DataBese includes a description of the appearance of the browser to be displayed on the display device 2, various parameters that determine the format of the virtual sound source, and a description of the files to be used (VRML file, sound source file, and filter file). HTML files are accumulated.

Each ClientX accesses this HTML file using a general Internet browser, and acquires various parameters described in this HTML file and the files to be used (VRML file, sound source file and filter file) as contents. ..

(Example of HTML file description) Next, a description example will be described when the content (virtual space video information, acoustic signal, virtual space acoustic information) is described as an HTML file with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows a description example when the content of the virtual space sound reproduction program is described as an HTML file.

As shown in Fig. 7, the virtual space sound reproduction program is specified by the HTML OBJECT tag, and the VRML file name of the virtual space (circus.wrl in Fig. 7) and the sound source file name of the direct sound. (PS in Fig. 7), the filter file name of virtual space acoustic information (2 in Fig. 7) is specified as an argument of the PARAM tag enclosed in the OBJECT tag and is associated with each other. In addition, various parameters that determine the appearance of the browser to be displayed on the display device 2 and the format of the virtual sound source are also specified as arguments of the PARAM tag enclosed in this OBJECT tag.

Then, Web Server Y delivers the HTML file in response to the access from ClientX, and the browser of ClientX that receives this HTML file expands the HTML file, and further, the files specified under the OBJECT tag. To Web Server Y and receive the requested files. After that, ClientX expands (draws) the virtual space and reproduces the voice (synthetic sound) according to the file group. When ClientX, which does not have the virtual space sound reproduction program installed, accesses Web Server Y, the virtual space sound reproduction program is automatically downloaded and installed.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in the present embodiment, the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 is mainly described, but each means of the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 is modularized and can be regarded as a virtual space sound reproduction program. This virtual space sound reproduction program can obtain the same effect as that of the virtual space sound reproduction device 1.

Further, in the description of this embodiment, an example of 2-channel stereo and 8-channel surround is shown for the arrangement of the speakers 6 connected to the virtual space sound reproduction device 1, but the number of the speakers 6 to be installed is arbitrary. is there.

Further, in this embodiment, the virtual space sound reproduction device 1 draws a video in the virtual space by the virtual space video information processing means 3 (browser module), because of the simplicity of describing the contents, a VRML file (virtual). Spatial video information) is used, but if it is possible to implement the virtual space video drawing ability and user interface functions collectively or as separate modules, replace them with other means. Is possible.

<figref num="1">It is a block diagram of the virtual space sound reproduction apparatus which concerns on embodiment.</figref><figref num="2">It is the flowchart explaining the operation of the virtual space sound reproduction apparatus shown in FIG.</figref><figref num="3">It is a figure which showed the drawing example of the virtual space.</figref><figref num="4">It is a figure explaining the arrangement example of a speaker.</figref><figref num="5">It is a figure explaining the output control example of a synthetic sound.</figref><figref num="6">It is a figure explaining the operation example of the virtual space sound reproduction apparatus.</figref><figref num="7">It is a figure explaining the description example of the HTML file.</figref><figref num="8">It is a block diagram of the adjustment means of the conventional surround sound reproduction apparatus.</figref><figref num="9">It is a block diagram of a conventional virtual reality system.</figref>

Code description

1 Virtual space sound reproduction device 2 Display device 3 Virtual space video information processing means 4 User interface 5 Virtual space sound information processing means 5a Filter file storage means 5b Filter file setting means 5c Folding processing means 6 Speaker 7 Mixed output means 7a Sound pressure control means