Abstract: A method to adjust volume may include obtaining an audio signal during a communication session between a first device and a second device. The method may also include adjusting a volume level of the audio signal so that the volume level is a particular volume level above a noise floor of the audio signal and directing the adjusted audio signal to a remote transcription system.

Abstract: An easy-to-use, installation-free water leak warning device having a sturdy hollow body enclosing essential functioning elements including a power source, an amplifier, a speaker, and portions of two electrodes. The water leak warning device is preferably small in size and may be placed at potential water leak or flooding spots. The essential functioning elements are operatively connected with conductive material so that when leaked water flows to where the device is located, an audible signal can be emitted to remind the user of the device to prevent further leakage and mitigate any damage.

Abstract: A mechanical acoustic energy control system to be located in a room in which one or more audio speakers are also located so that the audio output of the speakers can be distributed throughout the room to enable a listener in the room to be surrounded by sound. A master acoustic resonator attached to the front wall of the room is adapted to vibrate and thereby produce acoustic waves corresponding to the acoustic energy generated by the speakers. A low frequency (e.g., bass) acoustic resonator sits on the floor of the room below the master acoustic resonator. The low frequency acoustic resonator is adapted to vibrate to reflect low frequency acoustic waves produced by the speakers and the master acoustic resonator. A satellite acoustic resonator is located on each of the back and opposing side walls of the room. The satellite acoustic resonators are adapted to vibrate in response to the acoustic waves reflected thereto by the speakers, the master acoustic resonator, and the low frequency acoustic resonator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of generating a sound field effect is provided. The sound field effect generating apparatus may generate a frequency coefficient that is frequency-transformed from a direct signal, may generate a reflection signal from the frequency coefficient, may generate an output signal using the frequency coefficient and the reflection signal, and may perform an inverse-frequency transform of the output signal.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the invention, a data structure may be created which may be used by both a ray tracing unit and by a rendering engine. The data structure may have an initial or upper portion representing bounding volumes which partition a three-dimensional scene and a second or lower portion representing objects within the three-dimensional scene. The integrated acceleration data structure may be used by a rendering engine to render a two-dimensional image from a three-dimensional scene, and by a ray tracing unit to perform intersection tests.

Abstract: A method of acoustically rendering a virtual environment is described. The method includes receiving a subset of polygons derived for an acoustic display from a set of polygons generated for a graphical display. Acoustic reflections are determined from a sound source that bounce off of polygons in the subset of polygons to a listener position in the virtual environment. It is determined whether a polygon in the subset of polygons causes an occlusion of the sound source at the listener position, and a play list of sounds is generated based on the reflections and occlusions.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the invention, a sound engine may determine a final sound at a listener location by emulating sound waves within a three-dimensional scene. The sound engine may emulate sound waves by issuing rays from a location of a sound event and tracing the rays through the three-dimensional scene. The rays may intersect objects within the three-dimensional scene which have sound modification factors. The sound modification factors and other factors (e.g., distance traveled by the ray, angle of intersection with the object, etc.) may be applied to the sound event to determine a final sound which is heard by the listener.

Abstract: A sound effect generation device for generating a sound effect corresponding to a physical interaction between objects in a virtual space in which a plurality of virtual objects coexists, includes interaction detection means for detecting an object on which the physical interaction occurs in the virtual space, mechanical quantity calculation means for calculating mechanical quantity acting on the object in accordance with the interaction using a mechanical model for determining, based on physics, behavior between the objects on which the physical interaction acts, and sound effect generation means for generating the sound effect caused in the object by the interaction using the calculated mechanical quantity.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for allowing a sound designer to design and implement interactive soundscapes based on existing waveform audio files, MIDI files, or audio streams. This is accomplished by using a set of tools consisting of an authoring tool for creating specifications of interactive soundscapes visually without having to write complex code, and a graph builder object that recreates the authored soundscape and interacts with it in real-time according to its specification.

Abstract: A waveguide system for radiating sound waves. The system includes a low loss waveguide for transmitting sound waves, having walls are tapered so that said crosssectional area of the exit end is less than the cross-sectional area of the inlet end. In a second aspect of the invention, a waveguide for radiating sound waves, has segments of length approximately equal to A ⁡ ( y ) = A inlet ⁡ [ 1 - 2 ⁢ Y B + ( Y B ) 2 ] where l is the effective length of said waveguide and n is a positive integer.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the dynamic volume control, an indication that a user desires to input oral data to a system through one or more microphones of the system is received. In response to receipt of the indication, a volume level for audible signals output by one or more speakers of the system is automatically adjusted. In accordance with another aspect of the dynamic volume control, an indication that a communications source is about to output data through one or more speakers of a system is received. In response to receipt of the indication, a volume level for audible signals output by the one or more speakers is automatically adjusted based at least in part on a current volume setting. The volume level for the audible signals can be determined based on one or more of a variety of different parameters.

Abstract: To produce a three dimensional sound, an original sound recording is duplicated and the original of its duplicate are then recorded with a time delay in the range of 25 ms to 990 ms, preferably 100 to 500 ms. The resulting first echo recording is duplicated to produce a second echo recording and these are recorded with another time delay, preferably less than the first but within the aforementioned range to yield a fifth tape which has a so-called third echo imparting to the sound a three-dimensionality which cannot be achieved by conventional reverberation and echo methods.

Abstract: Amplitude control circuitry 5000 includes a first register 5001 for storing received amplitude control data and a second register 5002 for storing amplitude control data transfered from first register 5001. Output circuitry 5005, 5006, 5007 controls the amplitude of a received signal in response to amplitude data transferred from second register. A sensor 5003 determines when data stored in first register 5001 and second register 5002 does not match and enables a comparator 5004 when data in first register 5001 and, second register 5002 does not match. Comparator 5004 compares a signal output from output circuitry 5005, 5006, 5007 with a reference signal and generates a signal for enabling the transfer of data from first register 5001 to second register 5002 when the signal output from output circuitry 5005, 5006, 5007 falls within a window defined by the reference voltage.

Abstract: An entertainment system (100, 100', 100") is provided which includes a plurality of remote stations (110, 110'). Each of the remote stations includes a microphone (118), a transmit section (112b), a receive section (112a) and at least one audio transducer (116) coupled to the output of the receive section. Signals output from each of the remote stations are received by a respective reception channel (134) of a signal distribution unit (130, 130', 130", 130'"). The received signals are combined and output to each of the remote stations. The audio signals received by the remote stations are altered, utilizing one or more sound effects processors (138) located in the signal distribution unit, or a respective sound effects processor (122) incorporated into each of the remote stations.

Abstract: A low-powered loud speaker is provided with one or more echo generators composed of an insulation tube, a first magnetic permeability element, a second magnetic permeability element, and an induction coil wound around the insulation tube. The first and the second magnetic permeability elements are engaged with the insulation tube such that the first magnetic permeability element is suspended, and that the second magnetic permeability element is induced to generate a magnetic attraction at such time when a sound frequency current passes the echo generator. The echo generator is thus capable of vibration twice the sound frequency, so as to simulate the echo effects.

Abstract: A mounting structure for an integral vibration element to which a wire having a hook, a magnet, a cushion rubber ring and a vibration spring stopper are fitted, wherein the integral vibration element is inserted to a U-shaped boss and then the inserted portion of the integral vibration element is simply close up tight with a corresponding cover plate so that the assembling process may be separated and furthermore, since the working time required for the first process is decreased, mass production may be possible with the less number of workers.

Abstract: A preamplifier device employing electron tubes wherein the preamplifier has tremolo/vibrato circuits independent from reverb circuits allowing continuously variable control of either tremolo or vibrato effects simultaneous with continuously variable control of the reverb effect. A mixer control for controlling the level of reverb and a tone control is provided. Connections are provided for external switches used to disable any one of the above effects.

Abstract: Monophonic sound is transformed into a stereo pattern by arranging two reflectors on a common axis at a predetermined distance from each other with both facing in the direction of the sound. One reflector has a larger diameter than the other and is provided with a central aperture into which a tone generator is mounted and spaced from the smaller reflector.

Abstract: A system for controlling the second field in auditorium having the feature that stage and audience seating areas are different acoustically, which includes a first assisted acoustics system whereby acoustical energy from the stage area is input, and then controlled acoustic energy is supplied to the audience seating area, and a second assisted acoustics which is provided independently of the first electronic acoustical augmentation system, whereby acoustical energy from the audience seating area is input, and then controlled acoustic energy is supplied to the stage area. Each assisted acoustics system includes acoustic energy input devices and acoustic energy output devices whereby a uniform rate of power decay coefficient can be effected throughout the hall, including spaces under balconies and the like. Significantly improved the degree of acoustic similarity between the stage area and audience seating area is achieved by controlling reverberation characteristics.

Abstract: An electro-mechanico-acoustic structure in which magnetic wave energy is converted directly into acoustic energy and partly stored and then converted into audiible acoustic energy in a gradual manner over a period of time.

Abstract: An audio reverberator system having a piezoelectric transducer filter circuit for outputting selected audio vibrational frequencies having selected amplitudes responsive to inputs from an amplifier. The audio reverberator system includes a piezoelectric transducer having an intrinsic capacitance coupled to an additional circuit element to form a low-pass type filter circuit for attenuating higher frequency inputs to the transducer to provide a desired flat frequency response for an audio vibrational output to vibrate a reverberation plate for production of a desired audio output.

Abstract: A loudspeaker driver has its front surface adjacent one end of a low loss acoustic waveguide and its rear surface adjacent to one end of a second acoustic waveguide that is one third the length of the first. The other openings of the waveguides face air and couple acoustical energy substantially uniformly over a relatively broad range of frequencies extenting into the bass frequency region. An equalizer includes a notch filter so that the frequency response of the equalizer below a bass cutoff frequency is sufficiently low to prevent audible distortion.