Method and apparatus for audio processing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for introducing a time-varying time delay or phase shift randomly into the individual reproduction channels of a sound recording, two in the case of binaural presentation. This emulates the temporal aspect of microphone and/or listener motion. The present invention may be applied as a unidirectional process. No preparation of the source material is required. It can be applied to any multichannel audio signal set. It can process analog or digital signals. The process may be used with headphones, loudspeakers, hearing aids or similar assistive hearing devices.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for modifying an audio signal, comprising the steps of:
 introducing a time delay into an audio signal input to produce a modified audio signal, wherein said modified audio signal emulates the temporal aspect of relative motion by a source.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the audio signal input is analog or digital. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein there are multiple audio signals, and a separate time delay is introduced into each signal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of outputting the modified audio signal through a sound reproduction device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the sound reproduction device comprises one or more of headphones, an in-ear receiver, earbud, or a hearing aid, or combinations thereof 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modified audio signals are output to at least one loudspeaker.