Abstract: A system for providing augmented audio to users in a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of speakers disposed in a perimeter of a cabin of the vehicle; and a controller configured to receive a first audio signal and a second audio signal, to drive the plurality of speakers in accordance with a first array configuration such that a bass content of the first audio signal is produced in a first listening zone within the vehicle cabin, and to drive the plurality of speakers in accordance with a second array configuration such that a bass content of the second audio signal is produced in a first listening zone within the vehicle cabin, wherein in the first listening zone a magnitude of the first bass content is greater than a magnitude of the second bass content and in the second listening zone the magnitude of the second bass content is greater than the magnitude of the first bass content.

Abstract: Aspects include approaches for feedback instability control in wearable audio devices. In certain cases, a method of controlling feedback instability in a wearable audio device with an active noise reduction (ANR) system includes: determining a current feedback instability by combining outputs from multiple instability detectors, applying latch logic to the current feedback instability to determine a current mitigation value, and adjusting a driver command signal based on the current mitigation value to mitigate feedback instability.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for automatically adjusting, by an audio device, the SPL of its audio output. As described herein, the SPL is adjusted based on detected ambient noise. According to aspects, audio device iteratively adjusts the SPL based on the ambient noise. According to aspects, the SPL is adjusted to be greater than the ambient noise by a threshold SPL amount. According to aspects, the audio device outputs sound in substantially a first direction and the microphone detects sound substantially outside of the first direction. The adjusted sounds are output by the audio device.

Abstract: An audio system with a loudspeaker configured to create an audio output, a sensor configured to detect at least the presence of at least one person at a position relative to the loudspeaker, and a processor configured to cause the loudspeaker to alter the audio output based on the position of the at least one person relative to the loudspeaker. Altering of the audio output includes adjusting at least one of a volume, a time delay, an equalization, or a radiation pattern of the audio output.

Abstract: Various implementations include seats and related loudspeakers. In particular cases, a seat includes: a seat headrest portion; a seat backrest portion; and a loudspeaker assembly. The loudspeaker assembly includes at least one driver for generating an acoustic output; and an acoustic exit fixed in the seat backrest portion and angled to provide the acoustic output to a location below a nominal ear position of an occupant of the seat, wherein a firing angle of the at least one driver provides the acoustic output to achieve a consistent frequency response across a range of positions deviating from the nominal ear position.

Abstract: Methods and systems for dynamically adjusting a data rate in a wireless connection are provided. The systems include a source device and a sink device configured to establish a wireless connection. The quality of the wireless connection is monitored. Should the quality degrade so as to satisfy a triggering event, the source controller can adjust the data rate, e.g., the bit rate or sample rate, used to reduce the number of dropped, lost, or retransmitted packets. The reduction in bit rate and/or sample rate results in packets of decreased size and additional unused air-time. The unused air-time provided can be filled with at least a portion of a frame of data originally associated with another packet. This will result in at least one packet being free to include additional retransmission packets. Additionally, should the quality of the connection improve, the source controller can adjust increase the data rate accordingly.

Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in an apparatus that includes an amplifier that includes a first Zeta converter connected to a power supply and a load. The amplifier also includes a second Zeta converter connected to the power supply and the load. The second Zeta converter is driven by a complementary duty cycle relative to the first Zeta converter. The amplifier also includes a controller to provide an audio signal to the first Zeta converter and the second Zeta converter for delivery to the load.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented to allow coordination between media end devices such that a user interface on a first end device may be used to manage audio calls, media playback, navigation prompts, or the like, on a second end device. The first end device establishes a first communications channel to a source device and a second communications channel to a second end device. The second end device may also have a communications channel to the source device. The first end device communicates with the second end device on the second communications channel to exchange command-and-control information to influence operation between the second end device and the source device. The source device, however, may be unaware of the second communications channel between the first and second end devices.

Abstract: A method for adjusting an RF amplifier is provided. The method includes determining link statistics corresponding to wireless data received by a first device. The wireless data was transmitted by a second device, such as via a Bluetooth protocol. The method further includes adjusting an RF amplifier of the first device or the second device based on the one or more link statistics. The one or more link statistics may include RSSI, PER, buffer level, audio drop data, and acknowledgement packet data. The RF amplifier may be a low noise amplifier or a power amplifier. The adjusting may include increasing or decreasing a gain of the RF amplifier. Alternatively, the adjusting may include activating or deactivating the RF amplifier.

Abstract: A method for adjusting the clarity of an audio output in a changing environment, including: receiving a content signal; applying a customized gain to the content signal; and outputting the content signal with the customized gain to at least one speaker for transduction to an acoustic signal, wherein the customized gain is applied on a per frequency bin basis such that frequencies of a lesser magnitude are enhanced with respect to frequencies of a greater magnitude and an intelligibility of the acoustic signal is set approximately at a desired level, wherein the customized gain is determined according to at least one of a gain applied to the content signal, a bandwidth of the content signal, and a content type encoded by the content signal.

Abstract: Various implementations include approaches for establishing a Bluetooth (BT) connection between devices. One example approach includes: in response to a BT trigger at a first BT device, attempting to determine a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) from a set of additional BT devices paired to the first BT device; if an RSSI from a first additional BT device is a highest RSSI from the set and exceeds an RSSI from a second additional BT device with a second-highest RSSI by a threshold, selecting the first additional BT device for connection with the first BT device; and if a difference between the RSSI from the first additional BT device and the RSSI from the second additional BT devices does not exceed the threshold, selecting either the first additional BT device or the second additional BT device for connection based on a BT connection hierarchy.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a noise reduction headphone comprising one or more microphones and an acoustic transducer, the one or more microphones configured to generate an input signal; and a controller comprising one or more processing devices, the controller configured to: process the input signal through one or more noise reduction filters to generate a noise-reduction signal, compare the input signal to an estimate of ambient noise to determine if the energy of the input signal is greater than the estimate of ambient noise, wherein if the energy of the input signal is greater than the estimate of ambient noise by a predetermined amount, a change in the noise reduction signal is suppressed; and generate an output signal, the output signal comprising, at least in part, the noise-reduction signal, wherein the acoustic transducer is configured to produce an acoustic output in accordance with the output signal.

Abstract: Various implementations include in-ear wearable audio devices. In certain implementations, the in-ear audio devices include an eartip with a body having first and second ends, an inner wall extending between the first and second ends defining a hollow passage to conduct acoustic energy, and a deformable outer wall connected to the inner wall of the body at the first end and tapering away from the inner wall toward the second end, where the deformable outer wall is functionally graded from the first end to the second end to comply with an entrance of an ear canal of a user. In additional implementations, the eartip includes a retaining structure, and at least one of the inner wall or the outer wall of the body, or the retaining structure, has an integral electronic component and/or an electronic component signal trace.

Abstract: A wind noise reduction system including a beamformer, a comparator, and a voice mixer is provided. The beamformer may be an MVDR beamformer, and generates a beamformed signal based on a first microphone signal and a second microphone signal. The comparator generates a comparison signal based on the beamformed signal and a wind microphone signal. The comparison signal may be further based on a beamformed energy level of the beamformed signal and a wind energy level of the wind microphone signal. The voice mixer generates an output voice signal based on the beamformed signal, the wind microphone signal, and the comparison signal. The wind noise reduction system may further include a wind microphone corresponding to the wind microphone signal. The wind microphone may be arranged on a portion of a wearable audio device configured to be seated in a concha of a wearer.

Abstract: An audio device with a body configured to be worn on or abutting an outer ear of a user, wherein the body is configured to contact at least one of the outer ear and the portion of the head that abuts the outer ear, at two separate spaced contact locations, and wherein the body is compliant at a body portion that defines one of the contact locations. The device also has an acoustic module carried by the body and configured to locate a sound-emitting opening anteriorly of and proximate the user's ear canal opening when the body is worn on or abutting the ear of the user.

Abstract: A system and method for managing simultaneous data streams from multiple sources is provided. At least one paired audio device within the system, is a managing device and coordinates the audio playback presented in each paired audio device. In this way, each device can produce an audio playback associated with different streams simultaneously. In some examples, the managing device is one of the two devices or a peripheral device, e.g., a smartphone. In some examples, each data stream contains data used to generate a priority level for each data stream. The managing device can allow a data stream having a higher priority level or the data stream with a detected change to “barge-in” causing the playbacks of each device to be associated with a different data stream. Additionally, each device is capable of assuming the role of “stream scanner” to prevent uneven power consumption between the devices within the system.

Abstract: An active noise reduction earbud includes a housing and a first feedforward microphone disposed in the housing. A first sound inlet opening extends through the housing and is configured to conduct external sound to the first feedforward microphone. The first sound inlet opening is configured to sit within a concha cavum of a user's ear and faces toward an auricle of the user's ear when the earbud is worn.