RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to PCT Application No. PCT/EP2019/054080, filed on Feb. 19, 2019, which claims priority to European Application No. 18159619.8, filed on Mar. 2, 2018, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of presentation of audio content in telecommunications and, in particular, to the presentation of audio content using spatial audio during at least audio telecommunication between first and second users. The present disclosure also relates to associated apparatus, methods and computer programs.

BACKGROUND

Telecommunication or telephony systems are being developed that provide for more than monophonic capture and presentation of audio. The presentation of such audio may require careful consideration to ensure the telecommunication is clear and effective.

The listing or discussion of a prior-published document or any background in this specification should not necessarily be taken as an acknowledgement that the document or background is part of the state of the art or is common general knowledge. One or more aspects/examples of the present disclosure may or may not address one or more of the background issues.

SUMMARY

In an aspect of the disclosure there is provided an apparatus, the apparatus comprising means configured to;based at least in part on(i) first audio content from a first communication device of a first user, the first user in telecommunication with a second user via a second communication device; and(ii) first-user orientation information indicative of one or more of the orientation and location of the first user relative to a predetermined reference point;provide for presentation of the first audio content at the second communication device in a first presentation mode when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a first condition and in a second presentation mode, different to the first, when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a second condition different to the first condition, the first and second presentation modes providing for different presentation of the first audio content.

In one or more examples,the first condition comprises at least one of (i) the first user facing the predetermined reference point and (ii) the first user being within a predetermined distance of the predetermined reference point; andthe second condition comprises at least one of (ii) the first user facing away from the predetermined reference point and (ii) the first user being further than the predetermined distance from the predetermined reference point.

In one or more examples, the predetermined reference point comprises one of:(i) the first communication device;(ii) a display of the first communication device;(iii) an image indicative of the second user provided to the as part of the telecommunication between the first and second users;(iv) a live video image of the second user provided as part of the telecommunication between the first and second users; and(v) an initial orientation of the first user at a start of the telecommunication between the first and second users.

In one or more examples, the first audio content comprises first user audio comprising audio determined to be generated by the first user and ambient audio comprising audio other than that determined to be generated by the first user and the first and second presentation modes provide for different presentation of at least the ambient audio.

In one or more examples, the first and second presentation modes provide for different presentation of the ambient audio in terms of a first audio presentation characteristic; andthe first and second presentation modes provide for one of (i) different presentation of the first user audio, said different presentation in terms of a second audio presentation characteristic, different to the first audio presentation characteristic and (ii) no difference in presentation of the first user audio.

In one or more examples, the first audio content is presented as spatial audio such that it is perceived as originating from a particular direction or range of directions, and the ambient audio is presented as originating from a different particular direction or range of directions in each of the first and second presentation modes.

In one or more examples, the first presentation mode comprises at least one of:(i) providing for presentation of the first user audio at a volume greater than the ambient audio of the first audio content;(ii) providing for presentation of the ambient audio as spatial audio such that it will be perceived by the second user as originating from a smaller range of directions than in the second presentation mode;(iii) providing for presentation of the ambient audio as spatial audio solely from a direction in front of the second user;(iv) providing for presentation of the first user audio as spatial audio from a direction in front of the second user;(v) providing for presentation of the first user audio as spatial audio to be perceived as originating from a first location in front of the second user and providing for presentation of the ambient audio as spatial audio to be perceived as originating from a second location in front of the second user further from the second user than the first location.

In one or more examples, the second presentation mode comprises at least one of:(i) providing for presentation of the ambient audio at a greater volume than in the first presentation mode;(ii) providing for presentation of the ambient audio as spatial audio such that it will be perceived by the second user as originating from a greater range of directions than in the first presentation mode.

In one or more examples, one or more of:i) the first audio content comprises audio-type information which designates which audio of the first audio content comprises ambient audio and which audio comprises audio generated by the first user; andii) the presentation of the first audio content is based on audio analysis of the first audio content to identify which audio of the first audio content comprises ambient audio and which audio comprises first user audio generated by the first user.

In one or more examples, the first audio content comprises first spatial audio content, the first spatial audio content comprising the ambient audio and information indicative of at least the direction from which the ambient audio was captured, the apparatus configured to provide for presentation of the first spatial audio content at the second communication device as spatial audio at least in one of the first and second presentation modes.

In one or more examples, the provision of the presentation of the first audio content is further based on a determination that the volume of the first audio content is greater than a predetermined threshold level;wherein the apparatus is configured, if the volume of the first audio content is less than the predetermined threshold level, to provide for presentation of the first audio content independently of the first-user orientation information.

In one or more embodiments, the provision of the presentation of the first audio content is based on a determination that the volume of the ambient audio of the first audio content is greater than the predetermined threshold level. In one or more embodiments, the predetermined threshold level is based on the volume of ambient audio captured by the second communication device. In one or more examples, the apparatus provides for said presentation based on which of the first and second user has the ambient audio of the greatest volume.

In one or more examples, the first-user orientation information is based at least in part on camera imagery captured by the first user device of the first user during said telecommunication.

In one or more embodiments, the apparatus is provided at one of:(i) the second user device;(ii) a server in communication with the second user device;(iii) the first user device; and(iv) a combination of two or more of the above as a distributed apparatus.

In a further aspect there is provided an apparatus, the apparatus comprising means configured to:based at least in part on(i) second audio content from a second communication device of a second user, the second user in telecommunication with a first user via a first communication device; and(ii) first-user orientation information indicative of one or more of the orientation and location of the first user relative to a reference point;provide for presentation of the second audio content at the first communication device in a first presentation mode when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a first condition and in a second presentation mode, different to the first, when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a second condition different to the first condition, the first and second presentation modes providing for different presentation of the second audio content.

In one or more examples, the second audio content comprises second user audio comprising audio determined to be generated by the second user and second ambient audio comprising audio other than that generated by the second user that is captured by the second communication device; andin the first presentation mode, provide for presentation of the second ambient audio; andin the second presentation mode, one of (i) provide for presentation of the second ambient audio at a lower volume than in the first presentation mode and (ii) do not provide for presentation of the second ambient audio.

In a further aspect there is provided a method, the method comprising:based at least in part on(i) first audio content from a first communication device of a first user, the first user in telecommunication with a second user via a second communication device; and(ii) first-user orientation information indicative of one or more of the orientation and location of the first user relative to a predetermined reference point;providing for presentation of the first audio content at the second communication device in a first presentation mode when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a first condition and in a second presentation mode, different to the first, when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a second condition different to the first condition, the first and second presentation modes providing for different presentation of the first audio content.

In a further aspect there is provided a computer readable medium comprising computer program code stored thereon, the computer readable medium and computer program code being configured to, when run on at least one processor, perform the method of:based at least in part on(i) first audio content from a first communication device of a first user, the first user in telecommunication with a second user via a second communication device; and(ii) first-user orientation information indicative of one or more of the orientation and location of the first user relative to a predetermined reference point;providing for presentation of the first audio content at the second communication device in a first presentation mode when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a first condition and in a second presentation mode, different to the first, when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a second condition different to the first condition, the first and second presentation modes providing for different presentation of the first audio content.

In a further example aspect there is provided an apparatus comprising:at least one processor; andat least one memory including computer program code,the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:based at least in part on(i) first audio content from a first communication device of a first user, the first user in telecommunication with a second user via a second communication device; and(ii) first-user orientation information indicative of one or more of the orientation and location of the first user relative to a predetermined reference point;provide for presentation of the first audio content at the second communication device in a first presentation mode when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a first condition and in a second presentation mode, different to the first, when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a second condition different to the first condition, the first and second presentation modes providing for different presentation of the first audio content.

In a further aspect there is provided a method, the method comprising:based at least in part on(i) second audio content from a second communication device of a second user, the second user in telecommunication with a first user via a first communication device; and(ii) first-user orientation information indicative of one or more of the orientation and location of the first user relative to a reference point;providing for presentation of the second audio content at the first communication device in a first presentation mode when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a first condition and in a second presentation mode, different to the first, when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a second condition different to the first condition, the first and second presentation modes providing for different presentation of the second audio content.

In a further aspect there is provided a computer readable medium comprising computer program code stored thereon, the computer readable medium and computer program code being configured to, when run on at least one processor, perform the method of:based at least in part on(i) second audio content from a second communication device of a second user, the second user in telecommunication with a first user via a first communication device; and(ii) first-user orientation information indicative of one or more of the orientation and location of the first user relative to a reference point;providing for presentation of the second audio content at the first communication device in a first presentation mode when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a first condition and in a second presentation mode, different to the first, when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a second condition different to the first condition, the first and second presentation modes providing for different presentation of the second audio content.

In a further example aspect there is provided an apparatus comprising:at least one processor; andat least one memory including computer program code,the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:based at least in part on(i) second audio content from a second communication device of a second user, the second user in telecommunication with a first user via a first communication device; and(ii) first-user orientation information indicative of one or more of the orientation and location of the first user relative to a reference point;providing for presentation of the second audio content at the first communication device in a first presentation mode when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a first condition and in a second presentation mode, different to the first, when the first-user orientation information is indicative of a second condition different to the first condition, the first and second presentation modes providing for different presentation of the second audio content.

In a further aspect we provide an apparatus, the apparatus comprising means configured to:based at least in part on(i) audio content from a remote communication device of a remote user, the remote user in telecommunication with a local user via the remote communication device and a local communication device of the local user; and(ii) user orientation information indicative of one or more of the orientation and location of one of the remote user and the local user relative to a predetermined reference point;provide for presentation of the audio content at the local communication device in a first presentation mode when the user orientation information is indicative of a first condition and in a second presentation mode, different to the first, when the user orientation information is indicative of a second condition different to the first condition, the first and second presentation modes providing for different presentation of the first audio content.

In one or more examples, one of:(i) the remote communication device and the remote user comprise a first communication device and a first user respectively, and the local communication device and the local user comprise a second communication device and a second user respectively, and the user orientation information relates to said first user; and(ii) the remote communication device and the remote user comprise a second communication device and a second user respectively, and the local communication device and the local user comprise a first communication device and a first user, and the user orientation information relates to said first user.

The optional features of the above aspects and described herein apply equally to this further aspect.

The present disclosure includes one or more corresponding aspects, examples or features in isolation or in various combinations whether or not specifically stated (including claimed) in that combination or in isolation. Corresponding means and corresponding functional units (e.g., function enabler, AR/VR graphic renderer, display device) for performing one or more of the discussed functions are also within the present disclosure.

Corresponding computer programs for implementing one or more of the methods disclosed are also within the present disclosure and encompassed by one or more of the described examples.

The above summary is intended to be merely exemplary and non-limiting.

