Abstract: A playback device for automatically switching between audio content received from a plurality of media devices may include at least one speaker configured to emit first audio content corresponding to video content received from a first media device. The playback device may also include a wireless transceiver configured to receive data from a second media device and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive an indication of an event at the second media device based on the data, the event indicative of second audio content to be played from the second media device, and instruct the at least one speaker to mute playback of the first audio content and to initiate playback of the second audio content without discontinuing playback of the video content at the first media device.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide encoding and decoding methods, and associated encoders and decoders, for encoding and decoding of an audio scene which at least comprises one or more audio objects (106a). The encoder (108, 110) generates a bit stream (116) which comprises downmix signals (112) and side information which includes individual matrix elements (114) of a reconstruction matrix which enables reconstruction of the one or more audio objects (106a) in the decoder (120).

Abstract: Automatic noise-reduction (ANR) headsets include circuitry that cancels or suppress undesired noises. Recent years have seen the emergence of in-the-ear (ITE) earphones that incorporate ANR technology; however, designing them to function well usually entails many design tradeoffs, such as using larger ear nozzles that are uncomfortable to obtain desired noise reduction or that require added structures to hold the earphones to a user ear. To avoid these tradeoffs, the present inventors devised, among other things, an exemplary ITE ANR earphone that places its error measurement microphone in the ear nozzle that connects the driver front acoustic volume to a user ear canal. This placement allows use of a narrower more comfortable ear nozzle without compromising noise reduction and without requiring added holding structures. Moreover, the narrower ear nozzle also lowers the likelihood that the ANR circuitry will become unstable and produce undesirable noise.

Abstract: A portable auxiliary unit for coupling with a mobile audio player is disclosed. The auxiliary unit provides both auxiliary power input and auxiliary audio output for the player, as well as a protective casing in the form of a receiving cup open on a top side. The receiving cup provides access to inputs and outputs on the audio player accessible by cabling from the auxiliary unit installed when an access panel is opened. The auxiliary unit has an integral rechargeable battery pack and a speaker assembly connectable to the audio player via the cables.

Abstract: Attenuation covers are used to reduce the amplitude of input signals at a microphone or other sound-receiving component of an auditory prosthesis. The auditory prosthesis detects distortion present in the output signal from sound processing components and notifies a recipient that an attenuation cover is recommended or desirable. Use of the cover can provide a clearer output signal to the recipient, so as to improve the recipient experience. Such covers can be particularly useful in environments where the input sound signals exceed the dynamic range of the auditory prosthesis.

Abstract: A portable electronic device is described and includes a device housing, an acoustic housing disposed within the device housing and defining an interior volume, a speaker diaphragm assembly disposed within the interior volume and in fluid communication with a first opening leading out of the housing, and a microphone disposed within the interior volume and in fluid communication with a second opening leading out of the acoustic housing. Placing both the speaker diaphragm assembly and microphone within the same acoustic housing allows both components to share common power and data transfer circuitry. Furthermore, the additional volume of the acoustic housing used to accommodate the microphone can improve the acoustic performance of the speaker diaphragm assembly by increasing the back volume associated with the speaker diaphragm assembly.

Abstract: A sound control apparatus includes a sound selector that selects a base sound corresponding to condition information of a vehicle, a filter generator that analyzes a sound of an object, generates one or more partial formant filters, and synthesizes the generated one or more partial formant filters to generate an integrated formant filter, and a sound controller that uses the generated integrated formant filter and the selected base sound to generate a driving sound.

Abstract: An electronic device comprising a display unit operable under different operating modes based on a structure of the display unit, and first and second sound acquisition units that acquire sound in a first or second operating mode based on a first or second structure of the display unit. Also provided is a method for controlling an electronic device comprising steps of determining whether a display unit is in a first or second mode, where the display unit is in the first mode when all parts on the display unit are on a same plane, and in the second mode when at least two parts on the display unit are not on the same plane; controlling a first sound acquisition unit to work when the display unit is in the first mode; and controlling a second sound acquisition unit to work when the display unit is in the second mode.

Abstract: In a method for operating a binaural hearing system having a first hearing aid and a second hearing, the first hearing aid generates a first reference signal from a sound signal by a first reference microphone and the second hearing aid generates a second reference signal from the sound signal by a second reference microphone. The first reference signal and the second reference signal are both used to derive a first binaural beamformer signal. For at least a number of frequency bands, the first reference signal is used to derive a first phase. For the number of frequency bands, a first output signal is derived from the first binaural beamformer signal and the first phase.

Abstract: A context-aware voice guidance method is provided that interacts with other voice services of a user device. The voice guidance does not provide audible guidance while the user is making a verbal request to any of the voice-activated services. Instead, the voice guidance transcribes its output on the screen while the verbal requests from the user are received. In some embodiments, the voice guidance only provides a short warning sound to get the user's attention while the user is speaking on a phone call or another voice-activated service is providing audible response to the user's inquires. The voice guidance in some embodiments distinguishes between music that can be ducked and spoken words, for example from an audiobook, that the user wants to pause instead of being skipped. The voice guidance ducks music but pauses spoken words of an audio book in order to provide voice guidance to the user.

Abstract: A hearing aid system and method of operating the hearing aid system, wherein the impedance of a hearing aid receiver is measured, the measured impedance is used to determine non-linearity characteristics of the receiver, and upon detecting that the non-linearity exceeds a threshold, the user is alerted and/or the receiver non-linearity is compensated.

Abstract: The present document relates to the technical field of audio coding, decoding and processing. It specifically relates to methods of recovering high frequency content of an audio signal from low frequency content of the same audio signal in an efficient manner. A method for determining a first banded tonality value for a first frequency subband of an audio signal is described. The first banded tonality value is used for approximating a high frequency component of the audio signal based on a low frequency component of the audio signal.

Abstract: In a method of influencing the exhaust noise of a motor vehicle, a control unit generates noise package signals, the control unit transmits the noise package signals individually or so as to superimpose a basic signal to a loudspeaker associated with an exhaust branch of the motor vehicle, and the loudspeaker converts the individual noise package signals or the basic signal superimposed with the noise package signals into sound waves, with individual noise package signals being emitted by the loudspeaker as time-limited sound wave packages, so-called noise packages. Furthermore, an exhaust system is shown.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide for an acoustically configurable microphone device that can adjust various parameters affecting sensitivity, acoustic overload point, signal to noise ratio, sample rate, and other parametric choices that affect the performance and function of the acoustic sensor based on commands received via acoustic communications. An acoustic analysis engine can analyze acoustic communications received to determine whether or not the acoustic communication contains a command associated with configuring the microphone. If the acoustic communication is determined to contain a configuration command, a controller on the microphone can implement the configuration command. The acoustic communications can be at ultrasonic frequencies in some embodiments so that the acoustic communications are outside the range of human hearing.

Abstract: An acoustic interference cancellation system that performs beamforming using a subset of microphones from a microphone array. For example, a first group of microphones from an array can be used to generate target signals that focus on the direction of the desired speech in the audio and a second group of microphones from the array can be used to generate reference signals that include the environmental noise, audio from a loudspeaker, etc. The reference signals of the second group of microphones can then be used to isolate the actual speech from the target signals of the first group of microphones. The microphone array can be three dimensional, allowing a device to simplify beamforming calculations by selecting subsets of microphones along different planes. In addition, directional microphones and remote microphones may be used to improve a quality of the reference signals.

Abstract: Systems and methods for loudspeaker protection against excessive excursion are described. In an illustrative, non limiting embodiment, a method may include splitting an input signal into two or more signals, each of the two or more signals within a given frequency band; independently selecting between a power attenuation or an excursion attenuation for each of the two or more signals; independently applying the selected power attenuation or excursion attenuation to each of the two or more signals; combining the attenuated two or more signals into an output signal; and providing the output signal to a loudspeaker.

Abstract: Display device ON/OFF detection methods and apparatus are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein include measuring, with a first sensor, a first temperature value associated with the media device. Example methods disclosed herein also include measuring, with a second sensor, a second temperature value corresponding to an ambient temperature in an environment including the media device. Example methods disclosed herein further include comparing the first temperature value to the second temperature value to make a first determination indicating whether the media device is ON or OFF.

Abstract: A display panel and manufacturing method thereof, and a display device and health monitoring method thereof. The display panel includes a base substrate and a sonic sensor disposed on the base substrate. The sonic sensor is configured to monitor a sonic wave.

Abstract: The invention discloses rendering sound field signals, such as Higher-Order Ambisonics (HOA), for arbitrary loudspeaker setups, where the rendering results in highly improved localization properties and is energy preserving. This is obtained by a new type of decode matrix for sound field data, and a new way to obtain the decode matrix.

Abstract: Howling or oscillation in an in-vehicle communications system is prevented when the speaker gain or microphone gain is detected as giving rise to a loop gain equal to or greater than one for a particular frequency or band of frequencies or when the rate of gain of a frequency or band of frequencies increases at a rate that indicating howling will occur. Howling is prevented and not just stopped or suppressed, by adjusting the gain of all frequencies prior to the howling actually starting.