Abstract: A transport and/or storage container with integrated charging function for rechargeable wireless earphones comprising a container housing, at least one receiving unit for at least partially receiving a rechargeable wireless earphone, and an electrical container charging contact for connecting the transport and/or storage container to an electrical energy source, wherein the receiving unit has an electrical coupling contact cooperating with an electrical earphone charging contact of a rechargeable wireless earphone when it is placed in the receiving unit for recharging and wherein the electrical container charging contact and the electrical coupling contact are in the form of mutually complementary electrical contacts.

Abstract: An audio system comprising a control circuit, at least one loudspeaker and at least one subwoofer for reproducing audio signals at low frequencies. The control circuit comprises an input connector and a bass management circuit that comprises a first filter with a low-pass for pre-filtering audio signals for the subwoofer and a second filter for pre-filtering audio signals for the loudspeaker. The loudspeaker comprises a high-pass filter, wherein in a transition frequency range of the amplitude responses of the first filter and the high-pass filter both filters raise or attenuate the audio signals such that the audio system overall, without considering the second filter, has a wavy amplitude response in the transition frequency range. The second filter however comprises at least one parametric filter that is adapted for flattening the amplitude response in the transition frequency range.

Abstract: Power supply units e.g. in network operated loudspeakers are tailored to peak values that are reached only relatively rarely and then in pulses. With an intermediate storage of electrical energy in an intermediate circuit energy storage element it is possible to provide a significantly higher amount of power at least for a short period of time. The intermediate circuit energy storage element may be a capacitor or accumulator, for example, which is connected to an intermediate circuit voltage that is higher than the input voltage, and that is generated by an upconverter. A downconverter generates the output voltage of the power supply unit from the energy stored in the intermediate circuit storage element. The output voltage of the power supply unit is used as power supply for an audio amplifier. The power supply unit may provide for a short period of time a higher current or more energy respectively than the actual energy source, for example the network node.

Abstract: A multi-channel microphone receiver (MCR) for two or more wireless microphones (M1, . . . , MN) comprises a network interface and at least one mixer (MX) adapted for mixing audio signals (D1, . . . , DN) of the microphones. The mixer may be configured without any reconfiguration of the actual network being required. In addition to the single audio channels, the audio signal mixed according to the configuration may be output via a separate audio output channel (DOMx, AOMx), which may be analog or digital.

Abstract: A method and a system with which a primary user, in particular a mobile radio operator, can make a part of the radio spectrum range which is reserved exclusively for the mobile radio operator available in localized and/or time-restricted fashion to a local end user who requested the restricted usage authorization of the radio spectrum range using registered credentials at the mobile radio operator. By way of the credentials the mobile radio operator can allow the local end user limited usage of that radio spectrum range in fee-bearing fashion and can bill same. The local user can then use the assigned frequency band in accordance with his own needs. In particular the user can wirelessly transmit signals in the assigned frequency range between end devices to which no credentials are allocated and in that situation use a transmission protocol which is not defined for the mobile radio network.

Abstract: A microphone array system or microphone array unit for a conference system is provided that includes a front board, side walls and a plurality of microphone capsules arranged in or on the front board mountable on or in a ceiling of a conference room. The microphone array system or unit is adapted for generating a steerable beam within a maximum detection angle range. The microphone array system or microphone array unit includes a processing unit which is configured to receive the output signals of the microphone capsules and to steer the beam based on the received output signal of the microphone array. The processing unit is configured to control the microphone array to limit the detection angle range to exclude at least one predetermined exclusion sector in which a noise source is located.

Abstract: For certain application cases, such as e.g., in a sports stadium, a microphone array having a particularly high directivity in the vertical direction and a high, yet in wide limits adjustable directivity in horizontal direction is provided. The microphone array has a plurality of microphones whose output signals are combined into at least one common output signal. The microphones are directional microphones with a preferred direction of high sensitivity and arranged substantially in one plane on a circle or segment of a circle, such that each microphone has a different direction of high directivity. For each of the microphones, the preferred direction of high sensitivity is substantially orthogonal to the circle or segment of the circle. A common output signal of the microphone array is obtained by beamforming. The microphone array has an adjustable preferred direction of high sensitivity, wherein the common output signal comprises the sound recorded from this adjustable direction.

Abstract: A microphone array system or microphone array unit for a conference system is provided that includes a front board, side walls and a plurality of microphone capsules arranged in or on the front board mountable on or in a ceiling of a conference room. The microphone array system or unit is adapted for generating a steerable beam within a maximum detection angle range. The microphone array system or microphone array unit includes a processing unit which is configured to receive the output signals of the microphone capsules and to steer the beam based on the received output signal of the microphone array. The processing unit is configured to control the microphone array to limit the detection angle range to exclude at least one predetermined exclusion sector in which a noise source is located.

Abstract: A rechargeable charger that includes a rechargeable battery and charging control circuitry for controlling a charging of at least one portable rechargeable device. The charging control circuitry is configured such that charging is automatically and periodically interrupted after reaching a charged state. During a charging phase energy is transferred from the rechargeable battery to the portable rechargeable device via interface circuitry until gauging circuitry indicates that a threshold value has been reached upon which a pause phase is entered where charging of the portable rechargeable device from the rechargeable battery is suspended. In the pause phase a timer is started, and when the timer has elapsed, the charging phase is started again. As a result, phases of charging the portable rechargeable device and phases of switching off the charging alternate.

Abstract: Binaurally reproduced audio signals are often perceived as unnatural. For example, speech intelligibility may be reduced. For improving the spatial reproduction of audio signals, the invention enables binaurally virtualizing a single-channel audio signal only partially by filtering. A degree of binaural virtualization for the audio signal based on one or more processing parameters (PC, PFC, PTC) may be freely chosen. A control allows a smooth transition between a completely binaural virtualization based on HRTF and a non-binaural virtualization corresponding to panning. A first range (B1) starts with a completely binaural virtualization and the HRTFs that are commonly used for this. In this range, the HRTFs are modified by scaling and by approaching them to the gain factors of the panning while decreasing a degree of binaural virtualization. In a subsequent second range (B2) that leads to a completely panning-like virtualization, the resulting phase is reduced, or adjusted to the panning phase of 0°.

Abstract: In order for a microphone array to capture sound emanating from a moving object whose exact position is unknown at the time of arrival of the sound signal, a method for controlling the microphone array comprises steps of receiving position information that includes a position (pTR) and a velocity of the moving object from a tracking system, receiving a plurality of microphone signals that comprise sound of a sound event emanating from the moving object from a plurality of microphone capsules, calculating a directional characteristic from the plurality of microphone signals, wherein the directional characteristic is based on beamforming according to the position information and wherein an audio output signal is generated that includes the sound from a preferred direction of high sensitivity, and providing the audio output signal at an output.

Abstract: In radio networks having a plurality of access points, for example WiFi, a wireless audio end device like for example a microphone or headphones is connected to an access point, to which it sends its audio data or from which it receives same. Audio transmission should occur as far as possible in interruption-free manner and with low latency. If the audio end device is moved the connection quality in relation to the previous access point can decrease and require scanning or roaming. In that respect first another base station is sought and then the radio connection is redirected there. In order in that case to avoid disruptive signal interruptions portions of the audio signal which can be particularly well predicted are detected or predicted by means of short-term statistical methods, like for example speech pauses. Scanning and roaming are then carried out during the predicted portions, whereby interruptions which are perceptible to a user are avoided.

Abstract: A method for operating at least one mobile radio device that includes a transmitter, a slot for receiving a power supply unit, and a control unit for controlling operation of the transmitter depending on the radio parameters and/or configuration data. Radio parameters and/or configuration data are transferred to a memory of the power supply unit. The power supply unit is inserted into the slot. Operation of the transmitter is controlled by the control unit based on the radio parameters and/or configuration data that are stored in the power supply unit.

Abstract: A method for receiving audio data streams with mobile devices in different rooms in which sound is emitted via loudspeakers. Each mobile device connects over a local wireless network to a server that controls the sound emitted in the rooms via loudspeakers. Each mobile device detects room information, emitted only in the corresponding room, that indicates the room the respective mobile device is in. The room information is transmitted from each mobile device to the server. The server associates each room information with an output audio data stream that corresponds to the sound emitted via loudspeaker in the respective room in which the mobile device has detected the room information. The server assigns to each of the mobile devices an output audio data stream corresponding to the respective room information, and transmits the output audio data stream over the local network to the mobile device, which receives and replays it.

Abstract: For converting analog audio signals captured by a microphone into digital audio data, the analog audio signals are first amplified in a pre-amplifier and then fed to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). For better utilizing the dynamic range of the ADC, a DC coupled dual amplifier circuit may be used herein that automatically switches between two amplifier branches with different gain factors. To avoid switching noise, both signals must have the same DC component before the analog-to-digital conversion. To achieve this, the amplifier arrangement comprises a first amplifier branch having a higher first gain factor (G1) and providing a first output voltage (VOUT1) and a second amplifier branch having a lower second gain factor (G2) and providing a second output voltage (VOUT2). Both amplifier branches are DC coupled and receive as a common input signal an audio signal with a predetermined DC component (Vk).

Abstract: An improved method for configuring an audio reproduction device for detecting sound and providing different output audio signals in a plurality of rooms where at least two wireless microphones connect via a local network to an audio streaming server. Each of the wireless microphones detects room information indicating the room in which it is located, and transmits it to the server, together with an input audio signal. The server compiles at least two different output audio signals according to the respective room information from the input audio signals, and assigns each to a room. The output audio signals are provided via the local network in the rooms such that each of the output audio signals may be received in all rooms, and may be replayed only in the room to which it has been assigned. Each wireless microphone may be used in each of the rooms.

Abstract: A method of low-latency audio transmission in a mobile communications network utilizing first data frames or subframes encoded according to a first format and shorter second data frames encoded in another second format for audio data. An audio transmission system includes a terminal, a base station, and an audio receiver. The terminal transmits via an uplink audio data that are encoded in the second format and other data that are encoded in the first format. The audio receiver directly receives the audio data transmitted via the uplink. The encoding/decoding of the audio data of one of the second data frames is influenced by other audio data of the same second data frame but not by audio data of another second data frame. Audio transmission from the terminal to the audio receiver is effected in the allocated time slots and frequencies in a waveform in conformity with the mobile communications network.

Abstract: A conference system with transmitting and receiving sides. The transmitting side has a microphone array unit with microphone capsules, and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to receive output signals of the microphone capsules and to execute audio beamforming based on the received output signals for acquiring sound coming from an audio source in a first direction. The processing unit has a direction-recognition unit that computes from the output signals of said microphone capsules a score for each of multiple search grid spatial positions and uses a search grid spatial position having a higher score to identify said first direction. The receiving side has an audio reproduction system that reproduces an audio signal detected by the microphone array with directional information of the first direction. The detected audio signal and the directional information regarding the first direction are transmitted from the transmitting side to the receiving side.