Abstract: A hearing aid includes a microphone, and a processing unit. The microphone is configured to receive sound incident on the hearing aid and deliver a corresponding microphone output to the processing unit. The processing unit is configured to process the microphone output to determine whether the incident sound comprises potentially harmful sound, and to generate a processor output including a processed version of the microphone output. A method of protecting a hearing aid wearer from sudden loud sounds uses a microphone in the hearing aid to receive incident sound and deliver a corresponding microphone output to a processing unit in the hearing aid. The processing unit processes the microphone output to generate a first processor output, determined by whether the incident sound includes potentially harmful impulsive sound, and a second processor output including a processed version of the microphone output.

Abstract: A control circuit for an electrostatic transducer including: an audio signal input, a detector configured to detect a current or charge signal from the electrostatic transducer. The detector is configured to produce an audio output signal varying at audio frequencies. A transform circuit is configured to transform the audio output signal to produce a feedback signal. A comparator is configured to compare an input audio signal at the audio signal input to the feedback signal to produce an error signal. A controller is configured to input a control signal to the electrostatic transducer, the control signal responsive to the error signal. The control signal is configured to control acoustic transparency of the electrostatic transducer, from outside space through through-holes of the first electrode, across the membrane and through through-holes of the second electrode.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a speed detecting device provided to detect a driving speed, a pressure detecting device provided to detect a pressure applied to a brake pedal, a power information obtaining device provided to obtain power information of a power device, and a sound reproducing apparatus provided to determine whether the vehicle is in a start state or a driving state according to driving speed information detected by the speed detecting device, pressure information detected by the pressure detecting device, and the power information, control reproduction of post-combustion noise when the processor concludes that the vehicle is in the start state, control reproduction of a slip sound in response to an acceleration command or a deceleration command when the vehicle is in the driving state, and control reproduction of an acceleration sound corresponding to an acceleration force when the vehicle is accelerating in the driving state.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for independent audio volume control. User input may be received in an audio setup configured for combined-audio, with the user input including one or both of a selection of a desired volume of a first type audio component of the combined-audio signal, and a selection of a desired volume of a second type audio component of the combined-audio signal. Based on the user input, a corresponding mix setting may be determined, with the mix setting including one or more control parameters for adaptively controlling mixing of the first type audio component and the second type audio component to generate the combined-audio signal. The mix setting may be determined based on a data set characterizing an audio device where at least portion of the mixing is performed. The data set may be pre-programmed and/or determined based on testing of the audio device.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a microphone chip, a microphone, and a terminal device. The microphone chip includes a substrate and a diaphragm that are disposed oppositely, a reflector located on a side that is of the diaphragm and that is close to the substrate, a grating group located between the substrate and the diaphragm, and an optical emitter and an optical detector that are located between the substrate and the grating group. The grating group includes a plurality of gratings, and distances between at least two gratings in the plurality of gratings and the reflector are different.

Abstract: An audio signal processing method detects a position, in a sound space, of a sound source that generates an audio signal, the sound space being divisible into a plurality of areas, and generates an initial reflected sound control signal by convolving (i) an impulse response of an initial reflected sound linked to a first area of the sound space, among the plurality of areas of the sound space, corresponding to the detected position of the sound source to (ii) the audio signal of the sound source without convolving (iii) an impulse response of an initial reflected sound linked to any of the plurality of areas of the sound space other than the first area of the sound space corresponding to the detected position of the sound source to (ii) the audio signal of the sound source.

Abstract: A controlling method of a wearable electronic apparatus includes: receiving, by an IMU sensor, a bone conduction signal corresponding to vibration in the user's face, while the wearable electronic apparatus is operated in an ANC mode; identifying a presence or an absence of the user's voice based on the bone conduction signal; based on the identifying the presence of the user's voice, controlling an operation mode of the wearable electronic apparatus to be a different operation mode from the ANC mode; while the wearable electronic apparatus is operated in the different operation mode, identifying presence or absence of the user's voice based on the bone conduction signal; and based on the absence of the user's voice being identified for a predetermined time while the wearable electronic apparatus is operated in the different operation mode, controlling the different operation mode to return to the ANC mode.

Abstract: A method operates a hearing aid system having a hearing instrument. An electro-acoustic input transducer of the hearing instrument generates an input signal from an acoustic signal from the environment, and an output signal is generated from the input signal by a signal processor. An output acoustic signal is generated from the output signal by an electro-acoustic output transducer of the hearing instrument. For at least one sub-process of the signal processing an artificial neural network is used which is implemented in the hearing instrument. A topology of the artificial neural network is defined and/or weights between individual neurons of the artificial neural network are selected according to an operation to be performed in the sub-process and/or according to an ambient situation and/or according to a user input by a user of the hearing aid system.

Abstract: Hearing instruments, such as hearing aids, may improve a quality of presented audio through the use of a binaural application, such as beamforming. The binaural application may require communication between the hearing instruments so that audio from a left hearing instrument may be combined with audio from a right hearing instrument. The combining at a hearing instrument can require synchronizing audio sampled locally with sampled audio received from wireless communication. This synchronization may cause a noticeable delay of an output of the binaural application if the latency of the wireless communication is not low (e.g., a few samples of delay). Presented herein is a low-latency communication protocol that communicates packets on a sample-by-sample basis and that compensates for delays caused by overhead protocol data transmitted with the audio data.

Abstract: A noise control system detects, identifies, and cancels specific, preselected sounds that an operator does not want to hear during operation of a machine. One or more of a microphone or another sensor detects sound vibrations or other operational parameters that result in the generation of sound vibrations during operation of the machine. A controller identifies, and selectively cancels only the specific, preselected sounds the operator does not want to hear while operating the machine by generating an anti-noise signal to interfere with the specific, preselected sounds.

Abstract: Systems and methods for selectively providing audio alerts via a speaker device are disclosed herein. A system plays first audio content through a speaker. A microphone captures second audio content comprising an alert. Output of the second audio content through the speaker is suppressed by using noise cancellation. The system identifies the alert within the second audio content and determines a priority level of the alert. The system determines, based on the priority level, that the alert should be reproduced, and audibly reproduces the alert via the speaker, with the first audio content or instead of the first audio content.

Abstract: A head-mounted audio output apparatus comprising: a hybrid audio system comprising multiple transducers, wherein the hybrid audio system is configured to render sound for a user of the apparatus into different audio output channels using different associated transducers; means for automatically changing a cut-off frequency of a first one of the audio output channels in dependence upon the transducer associated with the first one of the audio output channels.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer-readable media, devices, and apparatuses for synchronized mode transitions are presented. A first device configured to be worn at an ear includes a processor configured to, in a first contextual mode, produce an audio signal based on audio data. The processor is also configured to, in the first contextual mode, exchange a time indication of a first time with a second device. The time indication is exchanged based on detection of a first condition of a microphone signal. The processor is further configured to, at the first time, transition from the first contextual mode to a second contextual mode based on the time indication.

Abstract: The scale of an apparatus that reproduces a sound field is reduced. A speaker array 1 includes a plurality of speakers arranged at intersections of a first plurality of virtual lines arranged parallel to each other at equal intervals and a second plurality of virtual lines that are perpendicular to the first plurality of virtual lines and are arranged parallel to each other at equal intervals, wherein multipoles of a given order are superimposed using the plurality of speakers to realize wave field synthesis.

Abstract: In a case where a virtual microphone has moved to an extent greater than a predetermined reference in a virtual space, during a predetermined period from the movement of the virtual microphone, first interpolation for changing from a relative distance before the movement to a relative distance after the movement over the predetermined period, and second interpolation for changing from a relative direction before the movement to a relative direction after the movement over the predetermined period, are each performed. Then, the volume and the balance of sounds to be outputted are set on the basis of the relative distance by the first interpolation and the relative direction by the second interpolation.

Abstract: A multifunctional earphone system for sports activities is described which comprises the following: a first apparatus configured to be carried in one of a user's ears, the first apparatus comprising a first data communication unit and a first loudspeaker, and a second apparatus configured to be carried in the user's other ear, the second apparatus comprising a second data communication unit and a second loudspeaker, wherein at least one of the first apparatus and the second apparatus comprises a sensor unit and a data processing unit, wherein the data processing unit is configured to generate performance data based on measurement data acquired by the sensor unit, wherein the first apparatus further comprises a signal processing unit configured to generate a binaural audio signal based on the performance data, the binaural audio signal comprising a first signal part to be output by the first loudspeaker and a second signal part to be output by the second loudspeaker, and wherein the first data communication un

Abstract: A signal processing device 1 includes an expansion coefficient calculation unit 11 that, from an outward sound field to be reproduced, calculates a spherical harmonics expansion coefficient for reproducing the sound field; an expansion coefficient conversion unit 12 that converts the calculated spherical harmonics expansion coefficient into a weight factor for superposition of multipole sources; a filter coefficient calculation unit 13 that, from the weight factor, calculates a filter coefficient corresponding to each speaker included in a multipole speaker array, the speaker providing output outwardly; and a convolution operation unit 14 that convolves the filter coefficient corresponding to each speaker into an input acoustic signal to calculate an output acoustic signal for each speaker.

Abstract: A headphone system includes a calibration microphone for performing a calibration routine with a user. The calibration microphone receives a stimulus signal emitted by the headphone system and generates a response signal indicating variations in the stimulus signal that arise due to physiological attributes of the user. Based on the stimulus signal and the response signal, the calibration engine generates response data. The calibration engine processes the response data based on a headphone transfer function (HPTF) associated with the headphone system in order to create an inverse filter that can reduce or remove acoustic variations caused by the headphone system. The calibration engine generates a personalized HRTF for the user based on the response data and the inverse filter. The personalized HRTF can be used to implement highly accurate 3D audio and is thereby well-suited for applications to immersive audio and audio-visual entertainment.

Abstract: A vehicle-implemented, adaptive noise-cancellation system responsive to entertainment audio is provided. The noise-cancellation system uses reference signal from a reference sensor, such as an accelerometer, to generate a noise-cancellation signal to destructively interfere with road noise in the vehicle cabin. A first set of entertainment audio thresholds triggers the system to enable or disable adaptation of an adaptive filter of the noise-cancellation system. A second set of entertainment audio thresholds triggers the system to enable, attenuate, or disable the noise-cancellation signal. As the entertainment audio increases, the system first disables the adaptation of the adaptive filter, then attenuates the noise-cancellation signal, then completely disables the noise-cancellation signal.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a microphone assembly including a substrate, a printed circuit board (PCB), a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) transducer, a first lid, and a second lid is provided. The substrate defines a first port that extends completely therethrough. The PCB defines a sound opening that extends completely therethrough. The MEMS transducer is positioned on a first side of the substrate. The first lid defines a second port and covers the MEMS transducer and the first port. The first lid and the substrate define a front volume of air that surrounds the MEMS transducer. The second lid is positioned on the second side of the PCB. A cavity of the second lid, the sound opening of the PCB, the sound opening of the PCB, and the first port of the substrate define a back volume of air that is greater than the front volume of air.