Abstract: A system used in a loudspeaker-room-microphone environment includes a microphone signal partitioner that divides a signal from a microphone into one or more divided portions. A reverberation energy estimator estimates reverberation energy in some of the divided portions of the microphone signal based on a loudspeaker signal. The estimated reverberation energy is processed to generate a dereverberated output signal.

Abstract: A device includes a magnetic field source that generates a rotationally asymmetric magnetic field, a magnetic field sensor that generates a signal that is indicative of a position of the magnetic field sensor in the rotationally asymmetric magnetic field, and a processor coupled to the magnetic field sensor. The processor is configured to process the signal from the magnetic field sensor to control one or more operational settings of the medical device.

Abstract: A signal processing device includes a noise analysis unit for analyzing a frequency component of a noise signal obtained by converting a collected sound into an electrical signal, a plurality of filtering units for carrying out predetermined filtering operations on the noise signal on the basis of an analysis result, and an output control unit for temporally varying a synthesis rate of outputs of the plurality of filtering units according to a change in the analysis result of the noise analysis unit. When the analysis result of the noise analysis unit changes, one filtering unit starts a predetermined filtering operation by characteristics different from those of other filtering units that carry out predetermined filtering operations on the noise signal according to the change in the analysis result of the noise analysis unit.

Abstract: An audio surround processing system receives an audio source signal having at least two audio channels and generates a number of additional surround sound signals in which an amount of artificially generated ambient energy is controlled in real-time at least in part by an estimate of ambient energy that is contained in the audio source signal. The system may divide the audio source signal into two sets of components; a first set of components and a second set of components. The first set of components may be in a range of frequency that is less than a range of frequency of the second set of components. An ambience estimate control coefficient may be generated using the transformed first set of components. An overall gain may be determined using the ambience estimate control coefficient. The overall gain may be used in generation of the additional surround sound signals.

Abstract: A method of estimating diaphragm excursion of an electrodynamic loudspeaker may be performed using audio signals. An audio output signal may be applied to a voice coil of the electrodynamic loudspeaker through an output amplifier to produce sound. A detected voice coil current and a determined voice coil voltage may be applied to a linear adaptive digital loudspeaker model that has a plurality of adaptive loudspeaker parameters. The parameter values of the adaptive loudspeaker parameters may be computed based on the linear adaptive digital loudspeaker model and applied to a non-linear state-space model of the electrodynamic loudspeaker. For the non-linear state-space model, a predetermined non-linear function may be applied to at least one of the plurality of received parameter values to compute at least one non-linearity compensated parameter value of the adaptive loudspeaker parameters, to determine an instantaneous excursion of the diaphragm.

Abstract: An acoustic system includes: a first customer-side microphone; a first counselor-side microphone; a first sound changing unit; a first loudspeaker; a second customer-side microphone; a second counselor-side microphone; and a second loudspeaker. Between the second loudspeaker and the first customer-side microphone, a first sound transmission path is provided. Also, between the second loudspeaker and the first counselor-side microphone, a second sound transmission path is provided. These sound transmission paths have substantially the same length. The first sound signal generated by the first customer-side microphone is made to have a phase substantially opposite to that of the second sound signal generated by the first counselor-side microphone, and the sound signals are added together.

Abstract: A speaker includes: an open-backed speaker unit, a housing, and a fin unit. The housing is disposed so as to cover a rear side of the speaker unit, and forms a back cavity with the speaker unit. The fin unit is disposed in the back cavity, and includes an annular or arc-like fin, which approaches a rear side of the housing as going from a center of the speaker unit toward an outer diameter side thereof, and expands in diameter as separating from the speaker unit.

Abstract: A piezoelectric speaker has a piezoelectric element and vibration plate. The piezoelectric element has a base body with a mounting surface, as well as first and second terminals that are formed on the mounting surface with a distance between them. The vibration plate has a conductive body joined to the piezoelectric element and having a principle surface facing the mounting surface, as well as a first hole with or without a bottom which is formed on the principle surface in a region facing the first terminal to form a space between the body and first terminal. The piezoelectric speaker is capable of preventing the external electrodes of the piezoelectric element from shorting to each other.

Abstract: A pre-distortion system for improved mobile device communications via cancellation of nonlinear distortion is disclosed. The pre-distortion system may transmit an acoustic signal from a network to a device, wherein the acoustic signal includes a linear signal and a nonlinear cancellation signal that cancels at least a portion of nonlinear distortions created once a loudspeaker in the device emits the linear signal. Thus, when a loudspeaker of a mobile device is operating and nonlinear distortions are generated by the loudspeaker or adjacent components of the mobile device in close proximity to the loudspeaker, the pre-distortion system may create one or more nonlinear cancellation signals in the network. The nonlinear cancellation signal may be combined with the linear signal sent to the loudspeaker to cancel the nonlinear distortion signal created by the loudspeaker emitting acoustic sounds from the linear signal. Thus, the nonlinear cancellation signal becomes a pre-distortion signal.

Abstract: In a method for operating a hearing aid, an input signal is generated by way of one or more microphones. The input signal is amplified in an amplifier with an adjustable gain factor and output as an amplified input signal by way of a receiver. Furthermore, an OVD (own-voice-detection) parameter is established by an OVD unit. The OVD parameter specifies whether or not the user themselves is speaking. The gain factor is adjusted in a manner dependent on the OVD parameter and additionally adjusted in a manner dependent on noise, in particular stationary noise.

Abstract: In order to obtain coded data which does not strike viewers and listeners as being incongruous, when plural audio data are to be coded, a coding program groups the respective audio data into one audio data, codes the grouped audio data in sequence with a predetermined number of samples being treated as units, and sets delimitations corresponding to the delimitations of the plural audio data in the coded data at coding units of the coded data.

Abstract: A mobile device-based stethoscope system that transmits, records, and analyzes sounds to generate a list of matching conditions and facilitates easy attachment across various electronic medical record platforms and other means of communication. The invention is configured to allow the use of either an integrated wireless stethoscope, or an in-line adapter for a conventional stethoscope. Patient sounds are sent from the selected stethoscope head to the mobile device having a software application that allows for the analysis, attachment, and further manipulation of the data.

Abstract: A noise suppression circuit for use in an audio signal processing circuit is provided. The noise suppression circuit includes a plurality of different types of noise activity detectors, which are each adapted for detecting the presence of a different type of noise in a received signal. The noise suppression circuit further includes a plurality of different types of noise reduction circuits, which are each adapted for removing a different type of detected noise, where each noise reduction circuit respectively corresponds to one of the plurality of noise activity detectors. The respective noise reduction circuit is then selectively activated to condition the received signal to reduce the amount of the detected types of noise, when each one of the plurality of noise activity detectors detects the presence of a corresponding type of noise in the received signal.

Abstract: A speaker comprises a permanent magnet (2) and a coil (8) positioned around the permanent magnet (2) and attached to a membrane (10), wherein the membrane comprises an elastomer of thickness less than 0.3 mm and with a Young's modulus below 100 MPa.

Abstract: A two-scale array for detecting wind noise signals and acoustic signals includes a plurality of subarrays each including a plurality of microphones. The subarrays are spaced apart from one another such that the subarrays are configured to detect acoustic signals, and the plurality of microphones in each subarray are located close enough to one another such that wind noise signals are substantially correlated between the microphones in each subarray.

Abstract: A headset worn by workers in retail stores and similar commercial settings is disclosed. The headset includes an ornamental bezel. The bezel may be attached to the headset body to provide distinguishing characteristics to the headset.

Abstract: A kit-of-parts includes: a hearing aid having a first attachment member; a first device comprising a second attachment member that is configured to mate with the first attachment member of the hearing aid; and a second device comprising a third attachment member that is configured to mate with the first attachment member of the hearing aid; wherein the second attachment member and the third attachment are alternatively attachable to the first attachment member of the hearing aid; and wherein the first device comprises a first electrical power source that is rechargeable, and the second device comprises an accessible compartment configured for holding a second electrical power source.

Abstract: A hearing protection system with talk-through having a pair of rigid earcups enclosing a microphone, amplifier and speaker. A concha simulator, having a volume simulating that of the concha of a human ear, is acoustically coupled to the microphone, and also to the outside through an opening in the earcup. By coupling the microphone to the concha simulator, instead of directly to the outside, the acoustic response of the talk-through more accurately represents the hearing of a user.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a radio and method for automatically adjusting, in response to ambient noise, the volume setting of a radio. The radio comprises a microphone for receiving ambient audio and generating a microphone signal; a codec for receiving the microphone signal and generating a processor signal representative of the ambient audio; and processor circuitry operable to receive the processor signal, determine an ambient audio level in response to the processor signal, and determine an adjusted radio volume to generate a radio volume control signal, wherein the adjusted radio volume is determined by calculating a difference between a baseline volume level and ambient audio level and adding a current volume level setting, wherein the codec is also operable to receive the radio volume control signal and generate an output signal to adjust the radio volume setting to maintain a net difference between the adjusted radio volume and ambient audio.

Abstract: A tactile vibration driver for use in a headphone includes a support structure, at least one suspension member suspending at least one rigid member relative to the support structure, and a plurality of magnetic members attached to the at least one rigid member and configured to drive oscillating movement of the at least one rigid member and the at least one suspension member so as to produce tactile vibrations during operation of the tactile vibration driver. An audio system includes the tactile vibration driver. A method of operating an audio system includes driving a plurality of magnetic members attached to a rigid member of the tactile vibration driver to cause oscillations of the plurality of magnetic members and the rigid member relative to a suspension member and producing tactile vibrations responsive to receipt of an electrical signal.