Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6728664
-
Patent Number
6,728,664
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, December 22, 199924 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, April 27, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Teska; Kevin J.
- Craig; Dwin M.
Agents
- Patent & Trade Mark Services, Inc
- McGlynn; Joseph H.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 703 11
- 703 2
- 381 18
- 340 38472
- 340 3843
- 340 3845
- 340 38471
-
International Classifications
- G06F1710
- G06F760
- G06G748
- G06G758
-
Abstract
A SoundNet is a process for synthesizing sonic environments for use in Virtual Environment applications, computer games, Internet web pages, film and television productions. A sonic environment is a collection of spatially located sounds describing some scenario such as a city street for example. SoundNet provides a process for generating such an environment that has the following properties: a compact representation, stochastically correct behavior, dynamically varying behavior along application defined parameters, temporally unbounded and non-repeating, and facilitates automatic generation of the representation.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to computer sound. More specifically to a sonic environment. Still more particularly to a sonic environment having behavioral modification.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the past, the main focus in computer sound has been on computer music and sound synthesis. Both are interesting problems, but there is an unfulfilled need for tools to create whole sonic environments. A sonic environment is a collection of spatially located sounds describing some scenario. For example, while a sonic forest environment may include a bird, wind, water, animal and human sounds it is very difficult, using current tools, to create such an environment because there is no easy way to orchestrate the sounds.
There are two ways to create such a sonic environment, the first is to obtain an actual recording of a forest and play it back. Unfortunately this technique is very storage intensive, a two-minute digital recording at CD quality will require 20 Mbytes of storage. It is also very difficult to make any changes to the sounds once they are recorded and it is impossible to modify the behavior of the sounds dynamically during playback because the representation is not parameterized. Finally, a digital recording is temporally bounded while the application may not be. When an application is temporally bounded it lasts for a finite amount of time. For example, a walk through of the virtual environment will last as long as the user wishes and the application may run out of recorded material yielding no sound. The solution to this would be to loop the recording so that when it ends, playing back again from the beginning. However this solution is noticeable and the environment does not seem realistic.
The second way to create a sonic environment is to use a scripting technique such as a MIDI sequencer to initiate the playing of individual recordings of each of the sound elements comprising the environment, such as a bird call, wind blowing etc. This solves some of the problems mentioned earlier because such a representation is not storage intensive, and a MIDI script can be modified. Other problems, however, persist. While it may be possible to dynamically modify the playback behavior using MIDI control messages such as pitch bend and modulation, this mechanism is intended for musical performance and does not provide the capability to dynamically change the behavior of the environment in a meaningful way. A MIDI script is temporally bounded so that the script may run out before the application is done. Creating the script in the first place is a very tedious task.
Existing techniques include digital recordings and scripting techniques such as MIDI sequences. A digital recording of a sonic environment can be made and played back by the application. Such a representation only exhibits a compact representation. Scripting techniques may be used to orchestrate the playback of the sounds comprising a sonic environment. Scripting techniques do not however exhibit compact representations, stochastically correct behavior, nor dynamically varying behavior. Scripting techniques only provide a limited facility for generation of the representation.
The inherent draw back of current representations is that they are literal: the representation is a specification for a single behavior of the sonic environment over a limited period of time. For example we can model a city street by creating a MIDI script that lasts for two minutes and specifies that an ambulance sound should commence one minute into the script and play for thirty seconds.
There is an unfulfilled need for tools to create entire sonic environments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A sonic environment is a collection of spatially located sounds describing some scenario. A representation of a sonic environment should have a compact representation. A sonic environment should exhibit well-defined stochastic behavior, and should be temporally unbounded. The sonic environment behavior should be dynamically modifiable through intuitive, application defined parameters. Finally it should lend itself to automatic generation.
The present invention, deemed SoundNet, provides a mechanism for modeling sonic environments that exhibit characteristics that are not possible using current techniques. SoundNet provides a mechanism for expressing sound environments based on programmed behavior of sounds as well as stochastically varying behavior.
SoundNet is made up of SoundNets, which are not temporally bounded so that an environment can be generated indefinitely without the need to resort to looping behavior. SoundNets are a compact representation, which is an important feature for network-based applications like the Internet. SoundNets can be dynamically controlled to modify their behavior at runtime based on application-defined criteria. Finally SoundNets can be automatically generated. This creates a slew of new possibilities in sound research.
A SoundNet is a process for synthesizing sonic environments for use in Virtual Environment applications, computer games, Internet web pages, film and television productions. A sonic environment is a collection of spatially located sounds describing some scenario such as a city street for example. SoundNet provides a process for generating such an environment that has the following properties: a compact representation, stochastically correct behavior, dynamically varying behavior along application defined parameters, temporally unbounded and non-repeating, and facilitates automatic generation of the representation.
SoundNets, on the other hand, are behavioral representations. The representation is a model of how sounds generally act in a given environment. A similar example in SoundNet would model a city street by specifying that an ambulance sound occurs on average once a day, usually in the evening. This is a much more powerful representation because it is not time limited, it is non-repeating, it is parameterized and is encapsulates the stochastic properties of the sounds in the environment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will become better understood when referring to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1
is an example of the present invention.
FIG. 2
is a refinement of the present invention in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 3
is a further refinement of the present invention in FIG.
1
and FIG.
2
.
FIG. 4
is a flowchart of the present invention Counter node.
FIG. 5
is a flowchart of the present invention Delay node.
FIG. 6
is a flowchart of the present invention Probability node.
FIG. 7
is a flowchart of the present invention Signal node.
FIG. 8
is a flowchart of the present invention Broadcast node.
FIG. 9
is a flowchart of the present invention Gate node.
FIG. 10
is a flowchart of the present invention PlaySound node.
FIG. 11
is a flowchart of the present invention PlayScript node.
FIG. 12
is a flowchart of the present invention ModifySound node.
FIG. 13
is a flowchart of the present invention MoveSound node.
FIG. 14
is a flowchart of the present invention Network node.
FIG. 15
is a flowchart of the present invention Generator node.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
SoundNet represents a sonic environment as a network of interconnected nodes. Sonic environments may be created by using synthetic sounds. The behavior of the sonic environment is driven by tokens that propagate through the network. A network node becomes active once it is visited by a token. Once active, a node performs a certain function and may or may not propagate the token forward. The preferred network is a high level petri network, a technique used for modeling complex concurrent systems.
SoundNet defines a set of standard nodes required for generating sonic environments. Nodes are parameterized so that their behavior can exhibit variations based on a random distribution or external parameters such as time of day, time of year, listener location or anything the designer of the environment may want.
FIG. 1
is illustrates the present invention creating a birdcall of a Crow chirping. Generator node
100
produces tokens. Value node
103
specifies the rate at which generator node
100
produces tokens. In this example, value node
103
specifies a rate of 10 to 30 seconds. The actual value returned from value node
103
is based on a random distribution and will be between 10 to 30 seconds.
After generator node
100
receives a value from node
103
, generator node
100
then creates a token after the time vale created from value node
103
has elapsed. Generator node
100
then passes a token on to play sound node
101
.
The token passed from generator node
100
will cause play sound node
101
to play the birdcall of a Crow and then forward the token to counter node
102
.
Value node
104
will create a value between 2 and 4 and pass it to counter node
102
. Counter node
102
receives the token from play sound
101
. Counter node
102
will decrement the value received from value node
104
and if the value is non-zero then counter node
102
will pass the token through edge
105
to play sound node
101
to repeat the process. When counter
102
becomes zero, the token will follow edge
106
and the token will expire.
The process will continue with the value of counter node
102
being reset to a value between 2 and 4 based on the random distribution returned by value node
104
. This simple soundnet will produce a succession of 2 to 4 Crow's birdcalls every 10 to 30 seconds.
A listener attending to the sound produced by the SoundNet in
FIG. 1
will observe a Crow's birdcall occurring at random times and with random durations. The birdcall will not appear to be repeating as would be the case with a digital recording of the sound because of the randomness of the occurrence rate and duration of the call. A soundnet birdcall will sound natural because the randomness introduced will exhibit correct statistical behavior of a Crow's birdcall heard in nature.
The SoundNet in
FIG. 1
may easily be modified to better simulate bird sounds in nature by providing the listener with the impression of a number of birds in varying locations, as shown in FIG.
2
.
FIG. 2
is a refinement of the present invention in FIG.
1
. The SoundNet in
FIG. 1
was modified by adding move sound node
207
, value node
208
, and modifying value node
203
.
The operation of the SoundNet in
FIG. 2
is as follows. Generator node
200
produces tokens at a rate of one every 5 to 10 seconds based on a random distribution returned by value node
203
. A generated token will activate move sound node
207
. Move sound node
207
will modify the location of the sound played by play sound node
201
. The location of the sound played by play sound node
201
will be determined by value node
208
.
Value node
208
provides a three-component vector of random values based on the distribution in value node
208
. Move sound node
207
will forward the token to play sound node
201
. Play sound node
201
will play the sound of a birdcall at the specified location and then forward the token to counter node
202
.
Counter node
202
receives a counter value from value node
204
which will be between 2 and 4 in this example. Counter node
202
will then decrement the counter and, if non-zero, will output the token through edge
205
returning it to play sound node
201
. When counter node
202
becomes zero, the token will follow edge
206
and expire.
Once the token expires, counter node
202
will then be reset with a value between 2 and 4 based on the random distribution returned by value node
204
. This soundnet, with variables used in this example, will produce a succession of 2 to 4 bird calls every 5 to 10 seconds at a location within a space which is bounded in x, y and z by −100 and 100 created by value node
208
.
A listener attending to the sound produced by the SoundNet in
FIG. 2
will observe birdcalls in a more rapid succession than that exhibited by the SoundNet in FIG.
1
. In
FIG. 2
the bird calls will occur in varying locations so that the listener will perceive the calls as coming from different birds at varying locations inside the sound field. In a natural environment, the listener would normally hear a variety of birdcalls corresponding to the different species of birds present in the environment.
The soundnet in
FIG. 2
may be modified to create multiple birdcalls.
FIG. 3
is a further refinement of the present invention shown in FIG.
1
and
FIG. 2
, and the SoundNet in
FIG. 3
includes three separate paths in the process, each path in the process activates a different birdcall.
Generator node
300
starts the process by generating a token at a rate of one every 5 to 10 seconds depending on the value returned by value node
301
. A token is generated by generator node
300
and the token is propagated to probability node
302
.
Probability node
302
receives the token from node generator
300
and passes the token to either move sound node
303
, move sound node
305
, or move sound node
310
, depending on the probability assigned to each of the nodes.
In this example move sound node
303
has an associated probability value of 0.6 shown by edge
306
. Move sound node
205
has a probability of 0.3 shown by edge
307
, and move sound node
310
has a probability of 0.1 as shown by edge
309
. Therefore, on average 6 out of every 10 incoming tokens will be propagated by probability node
302
to move sound node
303
. Three out of each 10 tokens will be propagated to move sound node
305
, and 1 out of every 10 tokens will be propagated to move sound node
310
.
The process of the soundnet past probability node
302
is similar to the process in FIG.
2
. Play sound nodes
313
,
315
and
317
play the birdcalls of a Crow, a Robin and a Blue Jay, respectively. Value nodes
319
,
321
and
323
return different value ranges based on the expected behavior of the birdcall of the three bird species, Crow, Robin, and Blue Jay, being played.
Value node
319
will return a distribution value between 2 and 4 for counter node
318
. Value node
321
will return a distribution value between 1 and 3 for counter node
320
. Value node
323
will return a distribution value between 1 and 5 for counter node
322
.
Counter node
318
will decrement the distribution value and continue to pass the token to play sound node
313
as long as the distribution value is non-zero. Once the distribution value is zero, counter node
318
will pass the token on to expire
324
.
Counter node
320
will decrement the distribution value and continue to pass the token to play sound node
315
as long as the distribution value is non-zero. Once the distribution value is zero, counter node
320
will pass the token on to expire
325
.
Counter node
322
will decrement the distribution value and continue to pass the token to play sound node
317
as long as the distribution value is non-zero. Once the distribution value is zero, counter node
322
will pass the token on to expire
326
.
A listener attending to the sound produced by the SoundNet in
FIG. 3
will observe three different birdcalls at varying intervals, locations, and rates of occurrence. The listener will hear a predominance of Crows, some Robins, and less frequently, Blue Jays, based on the probabilities associated with probability node
302
. The pattern of birdcalls will sound natural and will not appear to be repeating. Furthermore the sound produced by this SoundNet may be played indefinitely without repetition so that the environment will sound natural for as long as deemed necessary by the application.
Producing a similar sonic environment utilizing a digital recording or sequencing scheme would not be possible since at some point, looping would be necessary because the representations are temporally bounded.
The previous example can be further refined to include other animal calls found in the forest as well as natural sounds such as wind. The time of day and year could be taken into account so that a selection of sound is played which is appropriate for that time of day and year.
The following are explanations of the present invention nodes comprising components of the soundnet network. The novelty of the SoundNet technique is its use of High Level Petri nets to represent sonic environments, and its definition of appropriate nodes. The following is a description of the constituent elements comprising a SoundNet network.
Value Nodes
The prototype node in SoundNet encompasses a behavior and a set of portals that can receive values one for each parameter of the node. These values, in turn, affect the behavior of the node. The concept of a generic value node
1
is a powerful construct allowing SoundNet to exhibit interesting behavior.
A Value node can be of any type, which may be a constant numeric value, one of many random distributions, a boolean value, an ordered sequence, a date and time, an interpolated value, or an external parameter. Upon evaluation a value node returns a value based on its type.
A constant numeric value node simply returns it's numeric value. A random distribution node returns a numeric value between a user specified minimum and maximum value based on a random distribution. A boolean value node returns true or false based on a logical expression. A date and time node returns the current date and time. An external parameter node returns a numeric value set by the application program. An ordered sequence node returns the next value of a sequence of specified values, upon reaching the last value of the sequence, the sequence is started from the beginning. An interpolated value node returns an interpolated value which can be specified as a linear interpolation, a straight line between two values, or a higher-level interpolation, a spline.
Routing Nodes
Routing nodes control the propagation of a token through the SoundNet network. Routing nodes are essentially the control mechanism used in implementing a behavior for the soundnet. Routing nodes consist of the following nodes: a counter node, a delay node, a probability node, a signal node, a broadcast node, and a gate node.
FIG. 4
is a flowchart of the present invention Counter node. A Counter node decrements an internal counter and propagates a token to one of its two outputs based on the value of the counter.
The process starts at step
400
, which receives the incoming token. Decision step
402
then determines if a token has been received. If a token is not present then step
404
end the process for this node. If a token is present then step
406
decrements the counter value. Decision step
408
then determines if the counter value is zero or non-zero. Step
410
receives the token if the counter value is non-zero and passes the token to the node connected to the “true” edge of the node. Step
412
receives the token if the counter value is zero and passes the token to the “false” edge of the node.
FIG. 5
is a flowchart of the present invention delay node. A delay node holds an incoming token for a specified amount of time before propagating it to its output. Step
500
reads a token that was previously stored in this node. Decision step
502
determines if a token is present and if so passes the process to step
504
, if a token has not been received from step
500
then the process passes to step
512
.
Step
504
obtains the current time and determines the elapsed time. The elapsed time is determined by subtracting the recorded time of the arrival of the token from the current time. Step
504
then passes the process on to decision step
506
.
Decision step
506
determines if the elapsed time is greater then or equal to the delay time, which is the amount of time that the token must be held by this node. If the time elapsed is equal to or greater than the delay time then process step
510
sends the token on to the next node and the process continues to step
512
. If the time elapsed is less than the delay time then process step
508
holds the token and the process continues to step
512
.
Step
512
receives a token. Decision step
514
receives the token and determines if the a token is present, if a token is present then the process passes on to step
516
. If a token is not stored in this node then the process ends for this node in step
518
. Step
516
stores the token and records the date the token was received.
FIG. 6
is a flowchart of the present invention probability node. A probability node propagates an input token to one of its outputs based on the probabilities assigned to each output connected to the node.
Step
600
receives a token. Decision step
602
determines if a token is present. If a token is present in decision step
602
then the process is passed on to step
604
. If a token is not present in decision step
602
then the process ends for this node in step
606
.
Step
604
then generates a random number between zero and one and passes the process onto step
608
. For each output the process passes on to step
610
to determine if the probability assigned to the output being evaluated is greater then or equal to the random number, if true then the process passes on to step
612
to send the token to the node associated with the output. If false, then the process passes back to step
608
to evaluate the next output.
FIG. 7
is a flowchart of the present invention Signal node. A Signal node holds an input token until it has received a signal to release the token. The process starts with step
700
, which receives a token, stores it in the node and passes the process on to step
702
. Decision step
702
determines if a token is stored in this node. If a token is stored in this node then decision step
702
passes the process on to decision step
706
. If a token is not stored in this node then decision step
702
passes the process on to step
704
which ends processing for this node.
Decision step
706
passes the process on to step
708
if a signal is raised to release the token. A signal is raised by a process external to the SoundNet such as a user application. Step
708
then passes the token to an output. Decision step
706
passes the process on to step
710
if a signal is not raised to release the token. Step
710
ends processing for this node.
FIG. 8
is a flowchart of the present invention broadcast node. A broadcast node generates one token for each output connected to the broadcast node upon receiving a token. The process starts at step
800
. Step
800
then passes the process on to decision step
810
. Decision step
810
then passes the process on to step
812
if a token is present. Decision step
810
passes the process on to step
814
if a token is not present.
Step
812
passes the token to each output of the broadcast node. Step
814
ends the process for this node.
FIG. 9
is a flowchart of the present invention gate node. A Gate node propagates a token while its boolean input evaluates to true. The process starts at step
900
to receive a token. Step
900
then passes the process to step
904
if a token is stored in this node. Step
902
passes the process on to step
906
if a token is not stored in this node. Step
906
ends the process for this node.
Process step
904
then evaluates input boolean expression B and decision step
908
passes the process on to step
910
if boolean expression B is true, or passes the process on to step
912
if boolean expression B is false. Step
910
passes the token to the output. Step
912
holds the token in this node.
Sound Control Nodes
Sound control nodes control the behavior of sound by starting, stopping and modifying sounds. They utilize a
3
D audio subsystem for playing, modifying, and positioning sounds. Sound control nodes consist of the following: a PlaySound node, a PlayScript node, a ModifySound node, and a MoveSound node.
FIG. 10
is a flowchart of the present invention PlaySound node. A PlaySound node commences the playback of a sound upon receiving a token. The token can be released immediately or after the playback has been completed depending on the characteristics of the node. Step
1000
begins the process of the PlaySound node by reading the token previously stored in the node. Step
1000
then passes the process to step
1002
. Step
1002
determines if a token is present and if so passes the process to step
1004
, otherwise it passes the process to step
1008
. Step
1004
determines if a sound is currently playing and if so passes the process to step
1006
otherwise it passes the process to step
1008
. Step
1006
holds the token at this node. Step
1008
receives a token and passes the process on to step
1010
. Step
1010
then passes the process on to step
1014
if a token is present or passes the process on to step
1012
if a token is not present. Step
1012
ends the process for this node.
Step
1014
makes a function call to start the sound and passes the process on to decision step
1016
. Decision step
1016
passes the process on to step
1018
if the token is to be released immediately. Step
1018
then passes the token to the output.
Decision step
1016
passes the token to step
1006
if the token is not to be released immediately. Step
1006
holds the token at this node.
FIG. 11
is a flowchart of the present invention PlayScript node. A PlayScript node commences the playback of a sound script upon receiving a token. A script is a set of time-stamped events for starting, stopping and modifying sounds. The process starts at step
1100
which reads the token previously stored in the node. Step
1100
then passes the process to step
1102
. Step
1102
which determines if a token is present and if so passes the process to step
1104
, otherwise it passes the process to step
1108
. Step
1104
determines if a sound is currently playing and if so passes the process to step
1106
otherwise it passes the process to step
1108
. Step
1106
holds the token at this node. Step
1108
receives a token and passes the process on to decision step
1110
. Decision step
1110
passes the process on to step
1114
if a token is present, or onto step
1112
if a token is not present. Step
1112
ends the process for this node.
Step
1114
calls a function to start the script routine to play the sound and then passes the process on to decision step
1116
. Decision step
1116
then passes the process on to step
1118
which passes the token to the output, if the token is to be released immediately. If the token is not to be released immediately then decision step
1116
passes the process on to step
1106
which holds the token at this node.
Step
1112
passes the process on to step
1116
to hold the token if the script is playing. If the script is not playing then decision step
1112
passes the process on to step
1114
to pass the token to the output.
FIG. 12
is a flowchart of the present invention ModifySound node. A ModifySound node modifies a predetermined parameter value associated with a sound. Sound parameters control the sonic quality of a playing sound such as the volume, pitch, modulation etc. The ModifySound node is associated with a specific sound source and parameter value. The parameter value is determined by a Value node attached to the ModifySound node.
The process of the ModifySound node starts with step
1200
which receives a node and passes the process on to decision step
1202
to determine if a token is present. If a token is not present then decision step
1202
passes the process on to step
1204
which ends the processing for this node.
Decision step
1202
passes the token on to step
1206
if a token is present. Step
1206
queries value node attached to the ModifySound node for a parameter value and then passes the process on to step
1208
. Step
1208
then starts a audio routine, SetParameter, which supplies the parameter name and the new value. Step
1208
then passes to step
1210
. Step
1210
then passes the process to the output.
FIG. 13
is a flowchart of the present invention MoveSound node. A MoveSound node moves a sound to a location in three dimensional,
3
D, space based on the value of three input parameters to the node. The process starts with step
1300
receiving a token and passing the process on to decision step
1302
. Step
1302
then passes the process on to step
1306
if a token is present. If a token is not present then step
1302
passes the process on to step
1304
. Step
1304
ends processing for this node.
Step
1306
queries value attached to the MoveSound node for a three component vector specifying a new position and then passes the process on to step
1308
. Step
1308
invokes an audio routine, SetPosition, supplying the new position. Step
1308
then passes the process on to step
1310
which passes the token to the output.
The Network Node
The Network node is the top-level node in any SoundNet. A Network node provides access to the Soundnet network and controls its execution. The traversal of tokens in the SoundNet occurs synchronously at regular intervals. The Network node utilizes a clock signal to update the network at a specified rate. Upon each clock signal, the Network node traverses all the outputs in the SoundNet and calls each output's Update routine. This routine checks for tokens arriving at the input and upon arrival delivers the token to its output node. The Output node also checks the token for expiration. Users of the SoundNet network control the execution of the network through the Network node.
FIG. 14
is a flowchart of the present invention Network node. The process starts at step
1400
where an input clock signal is received. Step
1400
passes the process on to step
1402
which determines each output in the network and passes the process on to step
1404
for each output in the network. Step
1404
then invokes a routine to update each token, Update routine.
The Generator Node
The Generator node is an essential component of SoundNet because it is responsible for introducing tokens into the network. Tokens are generated by this node at a rate that is determined by an input Value node.
FIG. 15
is a flowchart of the present invention Generator node. The process begins with step
1500
which receives an input clock signal and passes the process on to decision step
1502
. Decision step
1502
passes the process on to step
1506
if the current time is greater then or equal to the next burst time which is the time for the next scheduled token generation. If the current time is not greater then or equal to the next burst time then step
1502
passes the process on to step
1508
. Step
1508
then ends processing for this node.
Step
1506
passes a token to each output and then passes the process on to step
1510
. Step
1510
then determines the next burst time by adding the current time and the burst periods. Step
1510
the processing ends.
Edges
Edges, outputs, connect SoundNet nodes to form a network. An Edge has a single property that is a probability value associated with the edge. The probability value is used by the Probability routing node in distributing a token to one of its outgoing edges.
Tokens
Tokens are the execution mechanism in SoundNet. Nodes are activated upon the receipt of a token. Tokens have a single property that is their lifetime. A token will propagate through the network until its lifetime has expired. This enables the application to specify a length of time for a behavior to occur.
Generating SoundNets
SoundNets may be generated manually by programmatically instantiating nodes and connecting them using edges. Interactive editing software can greatly expedite the process by allowing users to interactively create, modify and connect nodes to form a SoundNet while viewing a graphical representation of the network.
A natural extension that is possible given this representation of a sonic environment is the automatic generation of SoundNets. One possible technique is to use an existing recording of an environment and extract an equivalent SoundNet representation by performing stream segregation and statistical analysis on the component sounds in the recording. Another possible approach is to use Genetic Algorithms to “grow” SoundNets based on some fitness criteria provided by the user. Both techniques are currently under investigation.
As shown by the present invention, sound modifying nodes include but are not limited to play sound, play script, move sound, and modify sound.
As shown by the present invention, traversal nodes include but are not limited to counter , delay, probability, signal, broadcast, gate, generator, and network.
An intended use of SoundNet is to produce ambient sounds for augmenting architectural spaces. Possible spaces include but are not limited to: museums, public buildings, private offices, resturants, and private residences.
Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than specifically described herein.
Claims
- 1. A method for modeling sonic environments, said method comprising:producing at random, a plurality of tokens, determining a number of tokens which are included in said plurality of tokens, passing said plurality of tokens to a sound generator, producing a sound in said sound generator a specified number of times, and said specified number of times equals said number of tokens.
- 2. The method for modeling sonic environments, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises repeating said number of times said sound is produced depending on a value supplied by a value node.
- 3. The method for modeling sonic environments, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said value supplied by said value node is sent to a counter, andsaid counter determines whether the value is greater than zero, if said value is greater than zero, said counter instructs said sound generator to repeat said specified number of times, if said value is zero, said counter instructs said sound generator to stop repeating said sounds.
- 4. The method for modeling sonic environments, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises adding a move node to modify the location of said sounds.
- 5. The method for modeling sonic environments, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said move node is controlled by a vector distribution node,said vector distribution node provides three component vector values to said move node.
- 6. The method for modeling sonic environments, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said three component vector values are chosen at random.
- 7. The method for modeling sonic environments, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises making said sound generator produce a plurality of sounds, andeach of said plurality of sounds is different from one another.
- 8. The method for modeling sonic environments, as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of sounds is produced by a different sound generator.
- 9. The method for modeling sonic environments, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said method further comprises adding move nodes to modify the location of each of said plurality of sounds.
- 10. The method for modeling sonic environments, as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said move nodes is controlled by a vector distribution node,said vector distribution node provides three component vector values to each of said move nodes.
- 11. The method for modeling sonic environments, as claimed in claim 10, wherein said three component vector values are chosen at random.
- 12. The method for modeling sonic environments, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said method further comprises using a probability node,said probability node determines an order in which said move nodes are activated.
US Referenced Citations (9)