Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides an apparatus and method of providing a performer with a desired combined mix of one or more performer's voices, instruments and/or music tracks with minimal or no overall effect on the setup of the sound system in a venue, such as a concert venue, recording studio or other type of musical gathering in which the performer is performing. The disclosure provided herein generally includes the use of an audio signal intercepting device that is inserted within and/or coupled to a portion of a sound system at a venue to provide the performer with a desired custom monitor mix of one or more performer's voices, instruments and/or music tracks.

Abstract: An earpiece includes a feed-forward microphone coupled to the environment outside the headphones, a feedback microphone coupled to an ear canal of a user when the earpiece is in use, a speaker coupled to the ear canal of the user when the earpiece is in use, a digital signal processor implementing feed-forward and feedback noise compensation filters between the respective microphones and the speaker, and a memory storing an ordered sequence of sets of filters for use by the digital signal processor. Each of the sets of filters includes a feed-forward filter that provides a different frequency-dependent amount of sound pass-through or cancellation, which in combination with residual ambient sound reaching the ear results in a total insertion gain at the ear of a user.

Abstract: Examples described herein involve calibration of a playback device. In an example, a system maintains a database of representative acoustic characteristics. Each representative acoustic characteristic corresponds to a respective plurality of network devices and the network devices in each respective plurality of network devices shares characteristics. The system receives, from a particular network device, data indicating characteristics of the particular network device, an identification of a playback device, and data indicating audio detected by the particular network device while the playback device played a calibration tone. The system identifies, in the database, the representative acoustic characteristic corresponding to those characteristics. Based on the identified representative acoustic characteristic, the identification of the playback device, and the data indicating the detected audio, the system determines an audio processing algorithm to adjust audio output of the playback device.

Abstract: A system for identifying a periodicity-related attribute in a multi-frequency signal. The system is configured to produce phase and delay modulated signals from a complex input signal. The system is designed to combine these phase and delay modulated signals to identify a periodicity-related attribute associated with the multi-frequency signal. The system is configured to produce a physically perceptible output based on the identified periodicity-related attribute.

Abstract: A videoconferencing system has a plurality of displays arranged side-by-side. Top loudspeakers are arranged adjacent the tops of the displays, and bottom loudspeakers are arranged adjacent the bottoms of the displays. A control unit operatively coupled to the displays and the loudspeakers routes video to each of the displays and routes audio corresponding to each display to any of the top and bottom loudspeakers arranged adjacent the display. Thus, the top and bottom loudspeakers form a vertical pair of loudspeakers that output the corresponding audio for its respective display. In this way, the audio for the video of a given display is perceived by participants to originate from the center of the given display. If one of the loudspeakers is not provided, gain setting and mixing between adjacent sets of loudspeakers can produce a virtual loudspeaker for the one that is missing.

Abstract: A narrow-profile balanced subwoofer or similar speaker includes a number of drivers placed side by side in the same lateral plane, with a first set of drivers facing one direction and second set of drivers facing the opposite direction. Their orientation is such that the sum of the forces from the first set of drivers is equal and opposite the sum of the forces from the second set of drivers, thus cancelling, and the sum of the moments from all of the drivers about a center or pivot point substantially equals zero. The speaker may include three or more drivers, symmetrically or asymmetrically spaced. The drivers may be of the same or different sizes, and the audio signal amplitudes may be adjusted to help balance the speaker. Each set of drivers may output sound into separate sound ducts, which may output sound from one or more apertures.

Abstract: Several embodiments include a remote tracker for a videography drone. The remote tracker can include a spatial information sensor and a microphone configured to capture audio data surrounding the remote tracker. The remote tracker can also include a logic control component configured to decorate the audio data with location-based metadata or temporal metadata. A network interface of the remote tracker can communicate with the videography drone, including streaming the audio data captured by the microphone to the videography drone.

Abstract: A loudspeaker drive circuit uses a dynamic range compressor to implement a non-linear gain function between the input signal to the dynamic range compressor and an output signal from the dynamic range compressor. The output is used to drive a loudspeaker, and the operating parameters of the dynamic range compressor are varied in dependence on a criterion, such as the estimated voice coil temperature, the power consumption or the acoustical distortion.

Abstract: Examples described herein involve calibration of a microphone of a network device based on a first signal detected by the microphone of the network device and a second audio signal detected by a microphone of the playback device. While the network device is positioned within a predetermined physical range of a microphone of a playback device, a microphone of the network device may detect a first audio signal. The network device may also receive data indicating a second audio signal detected by the microphone of the playback device. Based on data indicating the first audio signal and the data indicating the second audio signal, the network device may identify a microphone calibration algorithm, and apply the microphone calibration algorithm when performing a calibration function associated with the playback device. Similar functions may also be performed by a computing device, such as a server to coordinate calibration of the microphone of the network device.

Abstract: An apparatus including at least one sensor configured to sense location of at least one portion of a head of a user relative to the apparatus; at least one processor; and at least one memory having software. The processor and the software are configured to process audio signals based, at least partially, upon output from the sensor.

Abstract: A noise-canceling device includes a processing circuit configured to detect vibrational noise sound waves near a listener's ear using a vibration sensor, generate a vibrational noise-canceling signal, and control operation of a speaker to provide a desired sound signal and the vibrational noise-canceling signal to at least partially cancel the vibrational noise sound waves.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and methods for detecting corona using audio data are disclosed. A method of processing audio data to detect corona includes determining an indicator of energy at a substantially fundamental frequency in the audio data, determining an indicator of the energy at a plurality of harmonic frequencies in the audio data, determining an indicator of the noise energy in the audio data, determining a comparison indicator of the noise energy relative to the energy at the harmonic frequencies, determining a masking indicator having thresholds for each of the harmonics relative to the fundamental frequency, and determining a corona detection indicator. An apparatus for detecting corona includes a memory, an audio detector configured to obtain the audio data near an electrical conductor in an AC system, and a processor to process the audio data, fundamental and harmonic frequencies of the audio data and their corresponding thresholds to detect corona.

Abstract: A conference system including a microphone array unit having a plurality of microphone capsules arranged in or on a board mountable on or in a ceiling of a conference room. The microphone array unit has a steerable beam and a maximum detection angle range. The conference system further 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 unit. 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: Provided are methods and apparatus for enhancing a signal-to-noise ratio. In an example, provided is an apparatus configured to modify audio to better match the way the human brain processes audio by modifying the audio to a form which takes advantage of human echolocation capabilities. When humans listen to audio, they subconsciously listen for an echo and thus subconsciously focus on listening to, and for, meaningful information in audio. The focus causes humans to ignore noise in the audio, which results in enhancing a signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: A signal input module receives at least one of an entertainment audio signal and a telephony audio signal from vehicle sound circuitry. A level control module executes gain level control logic to balance the entertainment audio signal and a telephony audio signal according to a ratio. A gain control signal is applied to at least one of the entertainment audio signal and the telephony audio signal. A routing module mixes the entertainment audio signal and the telephony audio signal and routes the mixed signal to an output channel associated with a speaker.

Abstract: A wearable telecommunication device configured as an electronic necklace in a form of an open or closed neck loop comprising electronic components and connected to two in-ear earphones. The point of connection of the proximal end of the earphone cords to the neck loop is on the dorsal neck surface. An additional cord connection node positioned under the user's occiput, which allows the earphones and the cords to be secured when the earphones are operational, and reduces excursion of the loose portions of the cords, thus providing the device to be non-changing appearance of the user. Ferromagnetic inserts allow the earphones and the cords to be secured when non-operational, for the device to be hidden. The device may be embodied as a wireless headset for a mobile telecommunication device, a telecommunication device itself, an audio player, a CB radio station, a part of a personal health or security system, etc.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, computer program products embodied on non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums, and systems of sound generation for monitoring user interfaces include storing a mapping of visual elements of a user interface (UI) to respective coordinates in a virtual space, each of the respective coordinates having a corresponding distance within the virtual space from a virtual listener. For each mapped visual element in a first set of mapped visual elements, a respective sound component is generated based on a state of the mapped visual element within the UI, and the distance between the coordinates of the mapped visual element and the virtual listener. A plurality of the sound components is then transmitted to a remote device.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a conferencing apparatus for a conference between a local end and a far end that combines a beamforming microphone array with an acoustic echo canceller. The apparatus includes a beamforming microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones wherein each microphone is configured to sense acoustic waves and the plurality of microphones are oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals. The apparatus further includes a processor, memory, and storage where the processor is configured to execute program instructions. The processor performs a beamforming operation to create a plurality of combined signals. In addition, the processor performs an acoustic echo cancellation operation to generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a method to manufacture a conferencing apparatus for echo cancelation with beamforming microphone arrays. This method provides a beamforming microphone array for developing a plurality of microphone signals, where each microphone of the beamforming microphone array is configured to sense acoustic waves from a direction vector substantially different from other microphones in the beamforming microphone array. Additionally provided is a memory configured for storing computing instructions.

Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus for grounding contacts in an audio jack. One example may provide a driver, such as a charge pump, driving a first transistor or switch coupled between a first contact in an audio jack and ground, and a second transistor or switch coupled between a second contact in the audio jack and ground. The first transistor or switch and second transistor or switch may be p-channel transistors or n-channel transistors depletion or enhancement-mode transistors, floating-gate transistors, MEMs, relays, or other switching devices. The first and second transistors or switches may be on and conducting when power is removed from the driver.