Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Hani Nabil Chaaban

Jarnail Chudge

Matthew Robin Farmer

Bradley Neville Cotier

Michael James Belfield Parker

Robert John Wilcox

Andrei Stefan Ermilov

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

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Bedford, United Kingdom

Hani Nabil Chaaban