Electronic communication system that mimics natural range and orientation dependence

Abstract

A method of facilitating communications between a group of people, first by equipping each one of the group of people a microphone, positioned to receive voice sounds from the users, and a right earphone and a left earphone. An estimate is formed of the relative position between each two people in the group and sound received by the microphones of others in the group is reproduced in the earphones of the group, with characteristics of the sound being related to the relative positions.

1 . A method of facilitating communications between a group of people, comprising:
 (a) providing each one of said group of people with a microphone, positioned to receive voice sounds from said users, and a right earphone and a left earphone;   (b) estimating the relative position between each two people in said group, including relative orientation between the heads of said two people; and   (c) creating, in said earphones, reproduced sound, reproduced from sound received in said microphones of others of said group, with characteristics of said sound being related to said relative positions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said group comprises two persons only. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said relative position includes range between group members and wherein said reproduced sound has a volume related to range. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said distance is compared with a threshold and if said distance is greater than said threshold for two people, of said group of people, the step of creating, in said earphones, reproduced sound, is not performed for said two people. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein range is estimated by measuring sound signal travel time between two transceivers. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein range is estimated by estimating the location of each unit in an absolute coordinate system, and taking the difference. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said estimate of relative position includes an estimate of relative orientation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sound volume reproduced between two units is louder if said two unit wearers are facing each other compared to sound volume when said two unit wearers are facing away from each. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein relative orientation is determined by measuring the orientation of each of the heads of said two people, thereby creating measured orientations relative to a fixed coordinate system, and deriving relative orientation between the heads of said two people from said measured orientations relative to said fixed coordinate system. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said fixed coordinate system is earth coordinates of latitude and longitude and wherein said orientation relative to said fixed coordinate system is measured by a global positioning system (GPS) receiving and computing device, affixed to the head of each person of the group of people. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein accelerometers are affixed to the head of each person of the group of people, and orientation relative to said fixed coordinate system is updated by said accelerometers. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said units are equipped with three orthogonal inductors and orientation relative to a fixed coordinate system is determined by measuring the current in said three orthogonal conductors.