Audio user interface with multiple audio sub-fields

摘要

An audio user interface is provided in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate. The location of each sound source is specified relative to an associated one of multiple audio-field references. The offset of each of these audio-field references relative to a presentation reference is independently controllable whereby to adjust the rendering position of the associated sound sources in the audio field. The offset of each audio-field reference is controlled in response to user input and/or to achieve a particular stabilisation of the associated sound source; this stabilisation may be different for different ones of the audio-field references. One audio-field reference can be dedicated to an audio-cursor sound source. Another audio-field reference can be dedicated to world-stabilised sound sources through which compass direction can be announced.