Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Andrei Stefan Ermilov

Jarnail Chudge

Matthew Robin Farmer

Bradley Neville Cotier

Michael James Belfield Parker

Robert John Wilcox

Hani Nabil Chaaban

Oscar James Francis Salandin

William A S Buxton

Catalin Nicolae Doroftei

Amos Miller

A headset is described herein for presenting audio information to the user as the user interacts with a space, e.g., as when a user navigates over a route within a space. The headset may include a set of input mechanisms for receiving commands from the user. The commands, in turn, invoke respective space-interaction-related functions to be performed by a space interaction (SI) module. The headset may operate with or without a separate user computing device.

Facilitating interaction between users and their environments using a headset having input mechanisms

Space interaction (SI) functionality is described herein for assisting a user in interacting with a space. The SI functionality includes a sound generation module that generates three-dimensional sounds in various circumstances. A three-dimensional sound is perceived by a user as emanating from particular location within the space. Different modules may leverage the three-dimensional sounds for different purposes. In one implementation, a path guidance module uses a three-dimensional beat sound to direct the user in a particular direction. An exploration module uses three-dimensional sounds to identify the locations of items of interest that lie within (or are otherwise associated with) a subspace to which an attention of the user is currently directed. An orientation module uses three-dimensional sounds to identify the locations of items of interest that are associated with an entire space around the user.

Facilitating interaction between users and their environments using sounds

Growing community of inventors

Reading, United Kingdom

Andrei Stefan Ermilov