This month's audio and sound category includes 4 filed patent applications from 3 companies.
Sony leads with 2 filings, while NetEase and Nvidia each contribute 1. Sony's applications cover acoustic indoor positioning using spread-spectrum sound signals for tracking devices in gaming environments and obstruction detection technology that adjusts speaker output when hands block audio on handheld consoles. Nvidia filed for an AI-driven spatial audio system using camera-based head pose tracking, while NetEase's application describes adaptive game audio that modifies sound parameters based on player skill level and in-game context.
Sony received 2 patents this month, both addressing real-world audio challenges in gaming hardware. The first describes a positioning system that uses spread-spectrum sound signals to track headsets and smartphones indoors, separating direct sound waves from reflected ones through unique spreading codes assigned to each device. The second tackles a common problem with handheld gaming: when players grip their devices, their hands often cover the speakers. Sony's approach uses sensors embedded near speaker grilles to detect obstructions and intelligently reroute priority audio components to unblocked speakers in real time, rather than simply adjusting volume.
Nvidia filed 1 patent for a spatial audio system that generates 3D sound based on head position detected through camera input. The application describes a method for linking visual head-pose estimation directly to audio synthesis with reduced computational overhead compared to typical head-tracking audio systems, enabling immersive sound across VR and gaming applications without the resource demands of existing approaches.
NetEase received 1 patent for adaptive game audio that responds to player performance and context. The system ties sound playback parameters to skill state data derived from gameplay, creating a layered audio control structure that combines player preferences with real-time adjustments based on what's happening in the game. This means audio behavior changes dynamically according to both the player's chosen settings and their current skill activation state, rather than following fixed audio rules.
All data sourced from USPTO patent filings. Google Patents may take several weeks to index recent publications. If a link is unavailable, search for the patent number at USPTO Patent Public Search.