Abstract: An audio device, such as a headphone, can create, maintain and use secure data. The secure data can include an amount of time that the user has used the audio device and/or an amount of time allocated to the user. When the amount of time the user has used the audio device exceeds the amount of time allocated to the user, the audio device can stop emitting the audio. The secure data can also include a hearing profile of the user, which can uniquely identify the user. The secure data associated with the headphone can be encrypted to prevent tampering.

Abstract: Introduced here is a wearable audio system including modular ear-cup and ear-bud that can be attached and detached to the user together, or independently of each other. Further, the modular ear-cup and ear-bud can operate together, or independently of each other. The wearable audio system can perform active noise cancellation by measuring noise inside the ear-cup and/or the ear-bud, computing the noise canceling sound, and forwarding the noise canceling sound to a speaker inside the ear-cup and/or the ear-bud. The wearable audio system can be wirelessly charged while operating, thus allowing the user to continuously listen to music more than previously possible. The wearable audio system can optimize power consumption by redistributing power intensive tasks to power sources with the highest amount of power. Further, the ambient sound outside the ear-cup can be measured and played by the speakers in the earbud allowing the user to hear the surrounding environment.

Abstract: Technology presented herein increases a user's enjoyment of sound by personalizing an audio signal so that the user perceives the audio signal as if the user had ideal hearing and/or desired hearing. In one embodiment, headphones on a user's head include a sensor and a speaker. While the speaker plays an audio signal to the user, the sensor records the user's response to the audio signal. The sensor can be a microphone, a brainwave sensor, an EEG sensor, etc. The user's response can be the audio response inside the user's ear, the brainwave response associated with the user, electrical skin response associated with the user, etc. Based on the measured response, and based on the knowledge of how other people perceive sound, the audio signal is modified to compensate for the difference between the user's hearing and the ideal hearing and/or desired hearing, therefore increasing the user's enjoyment of sound.

Abstract: Technology presented herein improves the comfort of over ear headphones by reducing over ear heat and therefore sweat via an active ventilation mechanism. Headphones include two or more one-way valves: one valve at the bottom of the cup allowing air to flow in, and another valve at the top of the earcup allowing air to flow out of the earcup. In the audible frequency range the valves have high acoustic impedance in both directions to prevent the sound from escaping from the earcup into the environment. In the inaudible frequency range the valves operate as an upward pump because the upward direction has low impedance and the downward direction has high impedance. The pumping action is further aided by the natural tendency of warm air to rise, and by the speaker creating positive and negative pressure within the earcup and therefore expelling or sucking in air, respectively.

Abstract: Presented here is an apparatus and method to increase a listener's enjoyment of sound by combining in-ear headphones with either over-ear headphones or on-ear headphones. One embodiment is headphones that include an ear-cup with an ear-bud protruding toward the listener's ear-canal. The ear-cup substantially surrounds the listener's ear and delivers sub sonic and low-frequency vibrations to the listener's skin stimulating a vibrotactile response. The ear-bud is disposed within the listener's ear canal and delivers a full range of audible frequencies. Additionally, the headphones, along with the ear-cup in the ear-bud, provide both passive and active noise cancellation.

Abstract: Technology presented herein increases a user's enjoyment of sound by personalizing an audio signal so that the user perceives the audio signal as if the user had ideal hearing and/or desired hearing. In one embodiment, headphones on a user's head include a sensor and a speaker. While the speaker plays an audio signal to the user, the sensor records the user's response to the audio signal. The sensor can be a microphone, a brainwave sensor, an EEG sensor, etc. The user's response can be the audio response inside the user's ear, the brainwave response associated with the user, electrical skin response associated with the user, etc. Based on the measured response, and based on the knowledge of how other people perceive sound, the audio signal is modified to compensate for the difference between the user's hearing and the ideal hearing and/or desired hearing, therefore increasing the user's enjoyment of sound.

Abstract: Technology presented herein increases a user's enjoyment of sound by personalizing an audio signal so that the user perceives the audio signal as if the user had ideal hearing and/or desired hearing. In one embodiment, headphones on a user's head include a sensor and a speaker. While the speaker plays an audio signal to the user, the sensor records the user's response to the audio signal. The sensor can be a microphone, a brainwave sensor, an EEG sensor, etc. The user's response can be the audio response inside the user's ear, the brainwave response associated with the user, electrical skin response associated with the user, etc. Based on the measured response, and based on the knowledge of how other people perceive sound, the audio signal is modified to compensate for the difference between the user's hearing and the ideal hearing and/or desired hearing, therefore increasing the user's enjoyment of sound.

Abstract: Technology presented herein increases a user's enjoyment of sound by personalizing an audio signal so that the user perceives the audio signal as if the user had ideal hearing and/or desired hearing. In one embodiment, headphones on a user's head include a sensor and a speaker. While the speaker plays an audio signal to the user, the sensor records the user's response to the audio signal. The sensor can be a microphone, a brainwave sensor, an EEG sensor, etc. The user's response can be the audio response inside the user's ear, the brainwave response associated with the user, electrical skin response associated with the user, etc. Based on the measured response, and based on the knowledge of how other people perceive sound, the audio signal is modified to compensate for the difference between the user's hearing and the ideal hearing and/or desired hearing, therefore increasing the user's enjoyment of sound.