Abstract: Hands-free electronic devices and electronic functions that can be worn on the surface of the body in a biologically fit manner are described. The embodiments provide a convergence between electronic products, and biological, anatomical, and biomechanical aspects of the human body while providing hands-free and interchangeable wearable electronic apparatuses that can interact with human senses and physiology of a human body in a practical manner.

Abstract: An earpiece designed to fit a substantial majority (over 90%) of people without customization to the outer ears, i.e., without the need to make customized measurements or a mold of the actual ear of an individual. The device is generally C-shaped and contacts the outer ear in four locations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for retrieving all voicemail messages at the same time on packet networks such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) networks are disclosed. For example, the customer subscribes to a voicemail service where a plurality of voicemails can be retrieved and listened to at the same time. Specifically, when the customer accesses the voicemail service, the application server engages the media server to play the audio files from each of the voicemail messages at the same time, i.e., in a continuous or consecutive manner via a single input. Namely, the audio files are played consecutively without requiring another input from the customer, unless the customer wishes to execute a voicemail function.

Abstract: A digital audio server may be used to automatically download music from a collection of audio media, such as CDs or DVDs. The server also may automatically identify the media using track offset information.

Abstract: A capacitor microphone is constituted by a plate having a fixed electrode, a diaphragm including a center portion and at least one near-end portion that is fixed to the outer periphery, in which the center portion having a vibrating electrode, which is positioned relative to the fixed electrode and which vibrates in response to sound waves, is increased in rigidity in comparison with the near-end portion; and a spacer that is fixed to the plate and the near-end portion of the diaphragm and that has an air gap formed between the plate and the diaphragm. Alternatively, a diaphragm electrode is horizontally supported by extension arms extended from a circular plate thereof and is vertically held in a hanging state being apart from a fixed electrode with a controlled distance therebetween.

Abstract: A software program of a flash memory loaded into an IC recorder is read and executed by a PC connected to the IC recorder via an external interface and an input-and-output end, so that an information signal, such as audio data held by the PC, is transferred from the PC to the flash memory. Management information about the information signal that is transferred and stored in the flash memory is, generated by the software program executed by the PC and stored in the flash memory, so that the IC recorder can use the management information.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a speaker apparatus includes: a voice coil bobbin; and a diaphragm that is vibrated by the voice coil bobbin, the diaphragm including an edge portion at an outer circumference of the diaphragm, the edge portion including at least two ridge portions protruding forward.

Abstract: An audio reproducing apparatus includes: a decoding module configured to perform a decoding process on a digital broadcast signal demodulated by a demodulating module and generate an audio signal; a generating module configured to generate suspension audio data based on the audio signal of a first given time period, the audio signal being output from the decoding module; a switching module configured to switch a source of the audio signal to be output from the audio output module between the decoding module and a storage module; and a control module configured to control the switching module to switch the source to the storage module for causing an audio output module to output selected suspension audio data to be faded-out when a suspension of the decoding by the decoding module is occurred, the selected suspension audio data being the suspension audio data stored immediately before the suspension.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes: a pair of fixed electrodes including a conductive member; a vibrating film having a conductive layer; and a member which holds the pair of fixed electrodes and the vibrating film. The vibrating film is formed of nonconductive bodies and has an electrode layer formed of a conductive material. The electrode layer is applied with a DC bias voltage of a single polarity by a DC bias supply, and is also applied with an AC signal output from a signal source superimposed on the DC bias voltage. The pair of fixed electrodes have a plurality of holes of the same number at positions facing each other via the vibrating film, and an AC signal is applied between the conductive members of the pair of fixed electrodes by the signal source.

Abstract: The invention relates to an energy saving headset 100. The headset 100 comprises a power management unit 150 that is operable to reduce the power consumption of the headset 100 when a user 110 is not present. The power management unit 150 uses capacitive sensing to detect the presence of the user 110. Capacitive sensing is advantageous since it provides a flexible and reliable sensor that can accurately detect the presence or absence of a user 110 either by detecting user proximity or user contact. Moreover, in various embodiments, the sensitivity of a capacitive sensor may be adjusted to account for user movement or changes in environmental conditions, such as, for example, the presence of water, or sweat, on the headset 100 to further improve sensing reliability. The invention further relates to headsets using user presence signals based on capacitive sensing to control other functions of the headset or to control external devices to which the headset is connected, either wirelessly or by wires.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to use a simplified structure to improve a strength of a neck portion of a conical diaphragm in the vicinity of a voice coil fixing section, thereby inhibiting an undesired dividing vibration in a speaker device. The speaker device of the present invention comprises: a generally conical diaphragm having an opening formed in a generally central position thereof; a voice coil bobbin fixed in the inner circumferential portion of the foregoing opening of the diaphragm; and a diaphragm reinforcing annular member disposed near a fixing section fixing together the diaphragm and the voice coil bobbin.

Abstract: A system for voice-activated dialing including means for initiating a call through a first connection between a user's phone and a switch at a central office; responsive to the first connection, means for initiating a second connection over the implicit trunk between the switch and a voice over internet protocol gateway; responsive to the second connection, means for initiating a third connection between the voice over internet protocol gateway and a voice-activated dialing platform; responsive to a keyword sent from the user's phone to the voice-activated dialing platform, means for disconnecting the implicit trunk and signaling the switch to connect to the voice-activated dialing platform over the explicit trunk; and responsive to a dialed number sent from the user's phone to the voice-activated dialing platform, means for handing the call off from the internet protocol gateway to the switch at the central office to process through call the implicit trunk.

Abstract: A personal sound system is described that includes a wireless network supporting an ear-level module, a companion module and a phone. Other audio sources are supported as well. A configuration processor configures the ear-level module and the companion module for private communications, and configures the ear-level module for a plurality of signal processing modes, including a hearing aid mode, for a corresponding plurality of sources of audio data. The ear module is configured to handle variant audio sources, and control switching among them.

Abstract: A composite hearing aid system comprises two hearing aids (11, 31) with respective microphones (12, 32) and electronic receivers (17, 37), a microphone (42) and a transmitter (41) adapted to transmit the signal from the microphone (42) to the electronic receivers. At least one of the hearing aids (11, 31) comprises means for inverting the phase of the signal received by the electronic receivers (17, 37). When the phase of the received signal is inverted in one of the hearing aids (11, 31), a release from masking is obtained, and the perceived signal-to-noise ratio is improved. The invention provides a composite hearing aid system, a hearing aid and a method for processing audio signals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of qualitatively evaluating a digital audio signal. It calculates a quality indicator consisting of a vector associated with each time window in real time, in continuous time, and in successive time windows. For example, the generation of a quality indicator vector calculates, for a reference audio signal and for an audio signal to be evaluated, the spectral power density of the audio signal, the coefficients of a prediction filter, using an autoregressive method, a temporal activity of the signal or the minimum value of the spectrum in successive blocks of the signal. To evaluate the deterioration of the audio signal, the method may calculate a distance between the vectors of the reference audio signal and the audio signal to be evaluated associated with each time window.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extracting and changing the reverberant content of an input signal is provided. The method of estimating an impulse response for a reverberant system includes sampling a signal from a reverberant system, having an impulse response, into a sequence of blocks, for each block of the sequence, determining a magnitude in dependence upon a magnitude of a previous block, forming an estimate of the impulse response using determined magnitudes as parameters for a finite impulse response filter.

Abstract: In operation of an electronics device, audio based on asynchronous events, such as game playing, is intelligently combined with audio output nominally generated in a predictive manner, such as resulting from media playback. For example, an overall audio output signal for the electronic device may be generated such that, for at least one of audio channels corresponding to predictive manner processing, the generated audio output for that channel included into the overall audio output signal is based at least in part on configuration information associated with a processed audio output signal for at least one of the audio channels corresponding to asynchronous events based processing. Thus, for example, the game audio processing may control how audio effects from the game are combined with audio effects from media playback.

Abstract: A communications system is disclosed that allows users to effectively communicate.

Abstract: A communication processing unit includes communication processing units which use different communication manners. A user interface unit receives input of information indicating a calling destination from a user. An information storage unit stores a person to contact and plural phone numbers of that person in association. When a person to contact is input to the user interface unit, a control unit acquires a phone number associated with the input person, and information indicating a communication manner to be used from the information storage unit, and controls the communication processing unit to make a call to the acquired phone number in the acquired communication manner. If the person to contact has plural phone numbers, the control unit controls the communication processing unit to make calls to these phone numbers in parallel.

Abstract: An embodiment provides a continuous wear hearing device to be worn entirely within the ear canal, comprising a receiver assembly sized to be positioned in the bony portion of the canal, a battery assembly and a microphone assembly. The receiver assembly includes a receiver for supplying acoustic signals to the tympanic membrane. The battery assembly is coupled to the receiver assembly and includes a metal-air battery and a battery vent. The microphone assembly is coupled to the battery assembly and includes a microphone and a microphone sound port. The sound port faces a medial direction with respect to the canal. The orientation and position of the microphone in the canal are configured to reduce fouling of the port by cerumen. The positioning of the microphone assembly defines an air cavity disposed between the microphone assembly and the battery assembly with the port and the vent fluidically coupled to the cavity.