Abstract: A gaming unit and producing a game-audio output of a varying volume level and a chat-voice output is connected to headphones adapted to be worn by a player of the unit and connected to the gaming unit for making the chat-voice output and the game-audio output audible to the player. A circuit or software associated with the headphones can increase the chat-voice volume level generally proportionately to the game-audio volume level.

Abstract: An electronic device may comprise audio processing circuitry and a universal serial bus (USB) connector having a first contact and a second contact. In a first mode of operation, the audio processing circuitry is configured to output one or more audio signals carrying music and/or voice via the first contact and the second contact. In a second mode of operation, the audio processing circuitry is configured to output a signal for delivering supply current via the first contact and the second contact. While the electronic device is in the first mode of operation, a gain and/or volume limit of the audio processing circuitry may be set to a first level, and while the electronic device is in the second mode of operation, the gain and/or volume limit of the audio processing circuitry may be set to a second level that is higher than the first level.

Abstract: A method and system for daisy chaining tournament audio controllers, where the method comprises, in a headset coupled to a first audio controller, the first audio controller being in a daisy chain of audio controllers: receiving a chat signal from a second audio controller in the daisy chain of audio controllers, receiving a microphone signal from a microphone in the headset, summing the chat signal with the microphone signal, communicating the summed signal to a third audio controllers in the daisy chain, and communicating the chat signal to the headset. The microphone signal may be removed from the summed chat signal and microphone signal by adding a second microphone signal 180 degrees out of phase with the microphone signal. The chat signal may be summed with the microphone signal at an amplitude set by a user of the headset after the removal of the microphone signal.

Abstract: A method and system for a headset with major and minor adjustments, where the headset comprises a headband, a headband endcap at each end of the headband, a headband slide coupled to each headband endcap, and ear cups operatively coupled to the headband slides. A major adjustment of the headset may include actuating a headband slide in a vertical direction. The ear cups may be operatively coupled to the headband slides utilizing ball detents that may hold the position of the ear cups with respect to the headband slides. The ball detents may comprise a portion of a ball on the headband slide and holes in the ear cup or may comprise a portion of a ball in the ear cup and holes in the headband slide. Each headband slide may be coupled to a headband endcap via a headband pivot.

Abstract: A headset comprises an ear cup, at least one speaker, an adjustable ear cup shaper, and circuitry. The ear cup shaper is adjustable into at least two configurations, wherein a first of the configurations creates no depression or a first amount of depression in the ear cup and a second of the configurations creates a second amount of depression in the ear cup, where the second amount is greater than the first amount. The circuitry is operable to determine which one of the configurations the ear cup shaper is configured into, and set an audio setting applied to an audio signal output to the speaker based on the determined one of the configurations.

Abstract: A headset may comprise at least one ear cup and an ear cup shaper configurable into at least two configurations. When the ear cup shaper is configured in a first of the configurations, the ear cup is shaped to contact the temple of a wearer of the headset. When the adjustable ear cup shaper is configured in a second of the configurations, the ear cup is shaped to accommodate the temple piece of a pair of eyeglasses of a wearer of the headset. The ear cup may comprise a filler material such as foam, and the adjustable ear cup shaper when configured in the second of the configurations may create a depression in the foam. The adjustable ear cup shaper may comprise a strap and/or a plunger.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system (1) for generating moving light effects, having a display (2) comprising a plurality of lighting units (10a), which is designed to emit one or more temporally changing color patterns (4, 4*, 4**), a peripheral device (6) comprising a lighting arrangement (9) having one or more lighting units (10b), and a control module (11) formed for actuating the lighting units (10a) of the display (2) and the one or more lighting units (10b) of the peripheral device (6). Said control module is designed to operate the one or more lighting units (10b) of the peripheral device (6) and the lighting units (10a) of the display (2) generating the color pattern (4, 4*) in one-sided or mutual dependence on one another. The invention further relates to a method for generating moving light effects and to a salesroom having such a system (1).

Abstract: In an audio setup comprising at least one audio headset configurable to process audio for a user (e.g., when participating in an online multiplayer game), input audio and/or output audio in the audio headset may be monitored, and when the audio matches triggering criteria, one or more update messages may be triggered via a social networking service. The triggering criteria may comprise (or be set based on) identity of the speaker, content of the audio, and/or conditions association with the audio. Different triggering criteria may be associated with different applications (e.g., different video games). The update messages may be made available to one or more other users, who may be selected based on matching particular user selection criteria and/or based on successful user validation. The user selection criteria may comprise participation in the same online multiplayer game.

Abstract: A gaming headset receives a plurality of audio channels during play of a particular game, determines an identity and/or an age of a gamer that is wearing the gaming headset, and configures operation of the gaming headset based on the determined identity and/or age of the gamer. The gaming headset logs into the particular game using credentials associated with the determined identity and/or age, and selects settings based on the determined identity and/or age of the gamer that is wearing the gaming headset. One or more sensors communicatively coupled to the gaming headset may be activated and information received from the sensors is utilized to determine the identity and/or the age of the gamer that is wearing the gaming headset. The sensors determine, for example, the head size, ear size, voice characteristics and/or biometric information for the gamer that is wearing the gaming headset.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for a headset with force isolation, where the headset comprises a headband having two upper headband sections coupled by a center block and two ear cups, where each ear cup is coupled to one of the two upper headband sections. The two upper headband sections may include side support strips between which a movable strip may be placed, thereby increasing the rigidness of the headband when fully extended between the side support strips. The rigidness of the headband may decrease when the movable strips are retracted from between the side support strips and into the center block utilizing a slider knob. The side support strips may be plastic and the movable strip may be metal. The center block may be more rigid than the side support strips. The center block may be plastic. The headband may include headband endcaps at lower ends of the headband.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for audio output devices with user-based adjustable contact. Information, relating to a user of an audio output element having at least a portion in contact with the user, may be obtained, and conditions affecting outputting of audio signals via the audio output and/or the contact between the audio output element and the user may be assessed based on the obtained information. Adjustments applicable to the audio output element may be determined, based on the assessment of conditions, with at least one adjustment applying to positioning of the at least a portion of the audio output element relative to the user, and with the determining including configuring the at least one adjustment to account for and/or counteract effects of the conditions on one or both of the outputting of the audio signals and the contact between the audio output element and the user.

Abstract: A method and system for a headset with internal gimbal, where the headset comprises a headband, a headband, and ear cups coupled to the headband, wherein each ear cup may be coupled to the headband utilizing an internal gimbal. The internal gimbal may comprise a tip that is wider than its base. The tip may be rounded. The headband may comprise headband endcaps at each end of the headband. A headband slide may be coupled to each headband endcap. The headband ear cups may be coupled to the headband via the headband slides. Each headband slide may be coupled to a headband endcap via a headband pivot. The headband pivot may provide rotational motion of the ear cups with respect to the headband. The force on ears of a user of the headset may be spread evenly by the internal gimbals.

Abstract: A system comprises automatic noise cancellation circuitry and interface circuitry operable to provide an interface via which a user can configure which sounds said automatic noise cancelling circuitry attempts to cancel and which sounds said automatic noise cancelling circuitry does not attempt to cancel. The interface circuitry may be operable to provide an interface via which a user can select a sound to whitelist or blacklist. The interface circuitry may be operable to provide an interface via which a user can increase or decrease an amount of noise cancellation that is desired. The interface circuitry may be operable to provide an interface via which a user can select from among three or more levels of noise cancellation.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for audio devices with enhanced directional operations. An example audio device includes an orientation determination circuit configured to determine an orientation of at least a part of a user's body, a first audio output component, a second audio output component, and a controller configured to control the first audio output component and the second audio output component based on the determined orientation. The determined orientation may correspond to a positional nature of the user within a three-dimensional space around the user. The controller may be configured to provide a three-dimensional audio environment according to the user. The three-dimensional audio environment is aligned according to a visual input provided to the user.

Abstract: A method and system for a headset with programmable modes, where the headset comprises a beamforming microphone: sensing an ambient sound level near the headset, and configuring the headset in one of a plurality of modes by configuring a beam pattern of the beamforming microphone based on at least the sensed ambient noise level. A user of the headset may configure the headset in the one of the plurality of modes or it may be automatically configured. The beamforming microphone may comprise an array of sound sensing elements. The headset may be configured in a quiet mode when the sensed ambient sound level is below that of a desired sound source and may be configured with a wide beam pattern. The headset may be configured in a loud mode when the sensed ambient sound level is above that of a desired sound source.

Abstract: An electronic device receives audio from an audio source and outputs the audio via speakers of the device. While outputting the audio via the speakers, the device senses its surrounding environment, and adjusts its operation, based on the sensed environment, to alert a listener wearing the device. The adjustment may comprise generation of one or more audio, visual, and/or vibration notifications to the listener using the device. A volume of the audio output via the speakers may be adjusted based on the sensed surrounding environment. The device may detect whether a first condition is present in the surrounding environment, decrease the volume when the first condition is detected in the surrounding environment, and increase the volume when the first condition is not detected in the surrounding environment.

Abstract: A game headset receives a plurality of channels of game and/or chat audio during game play, monitors the plurality of channels, and detect one or more sounds on the channels during the monitoring. The game headset determines characteristics of the detected one or more sound and outputs one or more signals for generating a visual representation of the detected one or more sounds based on the determined characteristics. The game headset output the signals to a game console that provides the game play. The game console displays the visual representation during the game play based on the communicated visualization information. The one or more signals is a video stream of an in-game visualization. The game headset outputs the one or more signals to a second screen communication device that generates the visual representation during the game play based on the signals.

Abstract: An electronic device may comprise audio processing circuitry, pace tracking circuitry, and positioning circuitry. The pace tracking circuitry may be operable to selects a tempo of songs for playback, by the audio processing circuitry based on position data generated by the positioning circuitry, a desired tempo, and whether the songs are stored locally or network-accessible. The position data may indicate the pace of a runner during a preceding, determined time interval. The pace tracking circuitry may control the song selection and/or time stretching based on a runner profile data stored in memory of the music device. The profile data may include runner's distance-per-stride data. The electronic device may include sensors operable to function as a pedometer. The pace tracking circuitry may update the distance-per-stride data based on the position data and based on data output by the one or more sensors.

Abstract: A gaming headset receives a plurality of audio channels comprising game audio channels and a chat audio channel during play of a particular game. The gaming headset monitors the received audio channels for predefined words that are associated with particular sounds in a data structure, and in response to detecting predefined words, filters out at least a portion of the detected predefined words from the received plurality of audio channels. The monitoring compares sounds on the received audio channels with the particular sounds in the data structure and also performs signal analysis on the audio channels during game play to detect the occurrence of the predefined words. The filtering mutes one or more of the plurality of audio channels so that the detected occurrence of the one of the predefined words is not output via speakers of the gaming headset.

Abstract: A system comprising audio processing circuitry is provided. The audio processing circuitry is operable to receive audio signals. The audio processing circuitry is operable to process the audio signals to detect strength of a chat component of the audio signals and strength of a game component of the audio signals. The audio processing circuitry is operable to automatically control a volume setting based on one or both of: the detected strength of the chat component, and the detected strength of the game component. The combined-game-and-chat audio signals may comprise a left channel signal and a right channel signal. The processing of the combined-game-and-chat audio signals may comprise measuring strength of a vocal-band signal component that is common to the left channel signal and the right channel signal.