Abstract: A system for adjusting volume and ambient sounds in an earphone device with Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) functionality, implemented using a microphone and a signal processor, wherein a signal mixer is configured to, in response to detecting a rotation of a first dial connected to the earphone device, adjust the proportions between a group of signals in a mixed signal generated for the speaker of the earphone device, and thereby enabling precise and intuitive control of both playback volume and ambient sound processing.

Abstract: The specification and drawings present a new method, apparatus and software product for listening assistance to a user of a phone terminal with a headset or a hearing aid for selective listening of a local acoustic source in a noisy environment by said user utilizing a combination of said phone terminal and said headset. The method for the listening assistance comprises of placing the phone terminal near a desired local acoustic source, switching a mode of the phone terminal to a listening mode, providing to the headset or to the hearing aid a signal (e.g., a wireless signal) generated by the phone terminal in response to an acoustic signal from the local acoustic source, and providing to the user an output acoustic signal generated by the headset or by the hearing aid in response to that signal thus providing said listening assistance to the user.