Making Real-World Sounds Fit into Mixed Reality Experiences
This patent describes how a wearable device can take sounds from the real world, change them to match the acoustics of a virtual environment, and then play them back to a user, making mixed reality feel more realistic.
Original patent title: “Voice processing for mixed reality”
This patent describes how a wearable device can take sounds from the real world, change them to match the acoustics of a virtual environment, and then play them back to a user, making mixed reality feel more realistic. Granted in 2026.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent focuses on processing audio for mixed reality. It describes a system where a wearable device receives an audio signal from a real-world sound source. The system then figures out the acoustic properties of the mixed reality environment, such as how sound would echo or be muffled in that virtual space. Based on these properties, it calculates a signal modification parameter. This parameter is then applied to the original real-world audio signal, creating a new, modified audio signal. Finally, this modified audio signal is presented to the user, making real-world sounds seem like they are naturally part of the mixed reality scene. For example, if you're wearing a mixed reality headset and talking to someone in a real room, but the virtual environment shows you in a large, empty hall, this system would add echo to the person's voice to match the virtual hall.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- It does not cover audio processing for purely virtual reality environments where all sounds originate from the virtual world.
- It does not cover augmented reality systems that simply overlay virtual objects without modifying real-world audio based on virtual acoustic properties.
- It does not cover systems that modify real-world audio without first determining acoustic properties of a mixed reality environment.
- It does not cover audio systems that do not use a wearable device to receive the input audio signal.
- It does not cover modifying virtual sounds based on real-world acoustic properties; it specifically focuses on real-world sounds modified by mixed reality properties.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in dynamically altering real-world audio based on the *acoustic characteristics of a virtual environment*. Instead of just playing real sounds, it makes them sound as if they are actually interacting with the virtual space, which significantly enhances the feeling of presence and immersion in mixed reality.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Meta Quest Pro
Apple Vision Pro
Microsoft HoloLens
Magic Leap headsets
Augmented reality glasses with spatial audio features
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Realistic audio is crucial for believable mixed reality experiences. If a virtual object sounds out of place in the real world, or a real sound doesn't match the virtual environment, it breaks the user's immersion. This technology helps blend the auditory experience between the physical and digital worlds, making interactions feel more natural. It's a foundational piece for creating compelling mixed reality applications that seamlessly integrate virtual elements with our physical surroundings.
Filed
October 13, 2022
Granted
September 15, 2026
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Major technology companies investing heavily in mixed reality are actively developing and refining similar audio processing techniques. Companies like Meta, Apple, and Microsoft are key players, integrating advanced spatial audio and environmental sound adaptation into their mixed reality headsets and platforms. These efforts aim to create more immersive and believable experiences for users, making virtual elements indistinguishable from the real world.
Market impact
This type of technology is essential for the advancement of mixed reality devices, enabling more convincing and immersive user experiences. It helps bridge the gap between real and virtual audio, which is critical for user comfort and engagement in extended mixed reality sessions. As mixed reality hardware becomes more sophisticated, patents like this lay the groundwork for features that could become standard, influencing how developers design audio for future applications and potentially sparking innovation in related acoustic modeling and processing fields.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent focuses on processing audio for mixed reality. It describes a system where a wearable device receives an audio signal from a real-world sound source. The system then figures out the acoustic properties of the mixed reality environment, such as how sound would echo or be muffled in that virtual space. Based on these properties, it calculates a signal modification parameter. This parameter is then applied to the original real-world audio signal, creating a new, modified audio signal. Finally, this modified audio signal is presented to the user, making real-world sounds seem like they are naturally part of the mixed reality scene. For example, if you're wearing a mixed reality headset and talking to someone in a real room, but the virtual environment shows you in a large, empty hall, this system would add echo to the person's voice to match the virtual hall.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in dynamically altering real-world audio based on the *acoustic characteristics of a virtual environment*. Instead of just playing real sounds, it makes them sound as if they are actually interacting with the virtual space, which significantly enhances the feeling of presence and immersion in mixed reality.
What it does not cover
- It does not cover audio processing for purely virtual reality environments where all sounds originate from the virtual world.
- It does not cover augmented reality systems that simply overlay virtual objects without modifying real-world audio based on virtual acoustic properties.
- It does not cover systems that modify real-world audio without first determining acoustic properties of a mixed reality environment.
- It does not cover audio systems that do not use a wearable device to receive the input audio signal.
- It does not cover modifying virtual sounds based on real-world acoustic properties; it specifically focuses on real-world sounds modified by mixed reality properties.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$18K – $58K
Midpoint $36K · 16.0 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Cite this patent
(2026). Making Real-World Sounds Fit into Mixed Reality Experiences (U.S. Patent No. 12,738,289). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12738289/voice-processing-for-mixed-reality
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Making Real-World Sounds Fit into Mixed Reality Experiences cover?
This patent describes how a wearable device can take sounds from the real world, change them to match the acoustics of a virtual environment, and then play them back to a user, making mixed reality feel more realistic.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 15, 2046, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
Realistic audio is crucial for believable mixed reality experiences. If a virtual object sounds out of place in the real world, or a real sound doesn't match the virtual environment, it breaks the user's immersion. This technology helps blend the auditory experience between the physical and digital worlds, making interactions feel more natural. It's a foundational piece for creating compelling mixed reality applications that seamlessly integrate virtual elements with our physical surroundings.
What does this patent NOT cover?
It does not cover audio processing for purely virtual reality environments where all sounds originate from the virtual world.
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