Based on Apple's earlier patent to provide virtual vocal localization for AR (augmented reality), the new patent changed from allowing users to hear the actual position of people in the room through special earphone technology to using the built-in Apple notebook speaker to realize sound field localization.
For gamers, especially FPS players, "listening to the sound and distinguishing the position" can be described as a basic skill. Many e-sports players in the market use this as a selling point. According to 9 to 5Mac, this patent is a virtual acoustic system. By eliminating crosstalk, users feel that the sound comes from all directions, not from the speakers in front of them. (PS: Crosstalk here refers to the overlapping sound waves received by the ear from the speaker's left and right channels)
In the case of using headphones, specially processed audio signals are sent to the listener's left and right ears respectively, and there will be no crosstalk caused by simultaneous reception of both ears when listening to stereo with speakers.
For users who use loudspeakers, as reported by Patently Apple, Apple's new patent obviously allows audio signals to contain "spatial information" so that sounds can be actually located in space: by using a crosstalk canceller in a virtual acoustic system, sounds from multiple loudspeakers can be directionally eliminated, so that "left" audio signals can only be heard in the listener's left ear and "right" audio signals can only be heard in the listener's right ear.
Although in the patent description, the patent is mainly used in telephone conferences and other scenes, this does not prevent the technology from being used to enhance the user's presence when listening to sports events or live concerts.