Abstract: A hearing system comprises a first hearing device, e.g. a hearing aid. The hearing system comprises at least three input transducers, one of which being selected as a reference input transducer providing a reference input signal, at least two adaptive 2-channel beamformers, each providing a spatially filtered signal based on first and second beamformer-input signals, wherein the adaptive 2-channel beamformers maintain unit amplitude and phase for a target component of said reference input signal. The at least two 2-channel beamformers are coupled in a layered structure at least comprising a primary layer and a secondary layer. The adaptive parameter of a given 2-channel beamformer is determined from the first and second beamformer-input signals for the 2-channel beamformer in question.

Abstract: The disclosure presents a method of operating a switched capacitor voltage converter and a switched capacitor voltage converter, where the switched capacitor voltage converter comprises a power source, a bucket capacitance, an output capacitance with output capacitance terminals to be connected to a load and switches. The power source provides an input voltage and the output capacitance provides an output voltage over the output capacitance terminals. The output voltage is different from the input voltage, i.e higher or lower or of opposite polarity. The switches are configured to provide at least two phases, a bucket capacitance charging phase and a bucket capacitance discharging phase. In case of a voltage up-converter in the bucket capacitance charging phase the bucket capacitance is connected to the power source for charging the bucket capacitance while the bucket capacitance is not connected to the output capacitance.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a loudspeaker for producing sounds, a controller for performing sound-volume setting for the loudspeaker, and a human-body detection unit for detecting a presence or absence of a human body. The human-body detection unit outputs a value corresponding to a distance between the image forming apparatus and a human body. Upon detecting a human body on a basis of an output value by the human-body detection unit, the controller recognizes, as a first object distance, a distance corresponding to the output value of the human-body detection unit, and performs sound-volume setting for the loudspeaker on a basis of the first object distance.

Abstract: Example techniques involve playback of curated playlists based on media preferences. In an example implementation, a playback device receives data representing one or more instructions to play back a particular curated playlist of a streaming audio service and, in response, plays back audio tracks of the particular curated playlist. During playback, when a preference database includes a negative preference for a given audio track, the playback device skips that audio track.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a speaker that is stored inside a housing and includes an attachment guide to which the speaker is attached on a housing front surface. The attachment guide has at least one angle deciding portion which inclines a front surface of the speaker relative to the housing front surface.

Abstract: A headband adjustment structure includes a rotary adjusting assembly, a wearing unit having an adjustable accommodation space, a cable management module located between the wearing unit and the rotary adjusting assembly for carrying a cable, an adjustment gear set linkably coupled to the cable management module, and a driving rotation shaft set passing through the wearing unit and the cable management module, and linkably coupled to the wearing unit and the adjustment gear set, and coaxially connected to the rotary adjusting assembly. When the rotary adjusting assembly rotates the driving rotation shaft set, the driving rotation shaft set synchronously moves the wearing unit to adjust the adjustable accommodation space, and moves the cable management module through the adjustment gear set. The amount of the movement of the cable management module is different from that of the wearing unit.

Abstract: An electronic device may comprise audio processing circuitry and a universal serial bus (USB) connector having a first contact and a second contact. In a first mode of operation, the audio processing circuitry is configured to output one or more audio signals carrying music and/or voice via the first contact and the second contact. In a second mode of operation, the audio processing circuitry is configured to output a signal for delivering supply current via the first contact and the second contact. While the electronic device is in the first mode of operation, a gain and/or volume limit of the audio processing circuitry may be set to a first level, and while the electronic device is in the second mode of operation, the gain and/or volume limit of the audio processing circuitry may be set to a second level that is higher than the first level.

Abstract: A hearing instrument comprises a wireless communication unit interconnected with an antenna for emission and reception of an electromagnetic field having an RF wavelength, a speaker interconnected with the wireless communication unit and being configured to provide an output audio signal. A battery is configured to supply power to the hearing instrument and a filter circuit interconnects the battery and a power management circuit of the hearing instrument. The antenna extends from a feed and at least a part of the antenna being is arranged adjacent the battery. A distance between the at least part of the antenna and the battery is below 1/40 of the wavelength. The filter circuit is configured to de-couple the battery and the power management circuit at frequencies above 3 MHz and configured to connect the battery to the power management circuit at frequencies below 300 kHz.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a speaker, including a vibration unit, a magnetic circuit unit for driving the vibration unit to vibrate and emit sound, and a holder for fixing the magnetic circuit unit. The magnetic circuit unit includes a magnetic frame fixed in the holder and a magnet received in the magnetic frame. the magnetic frame includes a bottom wall connected to the magnet, a sidewall extending from the bottom wall while being bent towards the vibration unit, a positioning boss that is formed by die molding from the sidewall, protrudes out of the sidewall and is close to the holder, and a recess formed by recessing from a surface of the sidewall facing the magnet in a direction facing away from the magnet. The recess corresponds to the positioning boss. A size of the recess gradually decreases along a direction facing away from the magnet.

Abstract: An example method involves monitoring, by a computing device, a communications feed for an indication of media and detecting, in the communications feed, the indication of the media. The method may further involve identifying at least one media item corresponding to the indication of the media and causing a playback queue of a media playback system to include one or more of the identified at least one media item.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to custom-fit in-ear audio devices, also referred to herein as in-ear audio devices, custom-fit earpieces, or simply earpieces. The following discloses embodiments of custom-fit earpieces that include features providing superior retention in a user's ear while also maintaining desirable comfort and sound quality. The superior retention is generally provided by a curable filler material disposed in a sleeve body that is deformed to conform to the shape of a user's ear as the curable filler material is cured. The comfort level of the custom-fit earpiece described herein is enhanced because the audio output member can move independently or relative to the portion of the earpiece that includes the curable filler material, thus allowing the audio output member to adjust to and comfortably fit within a given user's ear canal.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a MEMS microphone comprising a MEMS microphone unit and a modulator connected downstream the MEMS microphone unit. The modulator is configured to apply a defined phase shift to a signal to be modulated.

Abstract: A piezoelectric sounding element includes a diaphragm made of metal and a piezoelectric element provided on at least one surface of the diaphragm. A non-fixed portion of the diaphragm includes the pair of long sides facing each other, a pair of short sides, shorter than the long sides, that face each other, and a pair of recesses, provided in the pair of long sides, that protrude so as to approach each other. The piezoelectric element is provided in a region between the pair of recesses of the diaphragm and the contour shapes of the non-fixed portion of the diaphragm and the piezoelectric element are defined so as to be symmetric with respect to a first imaginary line that bisects the pair of short sides and symmetric with respect to a second imaginary line that bisects the pair of long sides.

Abstract: A microphone and its manufacturing method, relating to semiconductor techniques. The microphone comprises a substrate with a back through-hole going through the substrate; a first electrode layer on the substrate covering the back through-hole; a back plate on the substrate, wherein the back plate and the first electrode layer form a cavity, and the first electrode layer comprises a gap connecting the back through-hole and the cavity; and a second electrode layer in the cavity and on a bottom surface of the back plate. In this inventive concept, the gap in the first electrode layer increases the sensitivity of the first electrode layer and thus improves the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR).

Abstract: A system for exploiting visual information for enhancing audio signals via source separation and beamforming is disclosed. The system may obtain visual content associated with an environment of a user, and may extract, from the visual content, metadata associated with the environment. The system may determine a location of the user based on the extracted metadata. Additionally, the system may load, based on the location, an audio profile corresponding to the location of the user. The system may also load a user profile of the user that includes audio data associated with the user. Furthermore, the system may cancel, based on the audio profile and user profile, noise from the environment of the user. Moreover, the system may include adjusting, based on the audio profile and user profile, an audio signal generated by the user so as to enhance the audio signal during a communications session of the user.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a method, performed at a hearing device, for updating a hearing device configuration at the hearing device of a hearing system. The hearing system comprises the hearing device, a fitting device configured to be controlled by a dispenser and a server device. The method comprises receiving a configuration package and a configuration authentication package, the configuration authentication package comprising a dispenser certificate. The method comprises determining if an update criterion is fulfilled. The update criterion is based on verifying the configuration authentication package. The method comprises updating the hearing device configuration based on the configuration package if the update criterion is fulfilled.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator includes an inner magnet arranged relative to an axis, an outer magnet arranged a radial distance from the axis, an inner radial wall of the outer magnet facing an outer radial wall of the inner magnet, the inner and outer radial walls being separated by an air gap, a voice coil arranged in the air gap separating the inner and outer magnets, and an actuator coupling plate attached to the voice coil. During operation of the device electrical activation of the voice coil causes axial motion of the actuator coupling plate.

Abstract: A method of installing a ceiling speaker system includes inserting a top end portion of an enclosure of a speaker system into a hole in a ceiling such that a spring-loaded tab of the speaker system is caused to pivot about a pivot axis as the spring-loaded tab comes into contact with an edge of the hole. The top end portion of the enclosure is moved upward, through the hole until the spring-loaded tab is clear of the hole. A lead screw of the speaker system is rotated about its longitudinal axis to cause the spring-loaded tab to be displaced toward a flange arranged along a bottom end portion of the speaker system, and thereby clamping the ceiling between the flange and the spring-loaded tab. The longitudinal axis of the lead screw is coincident with the pivot axis of the spring-loaded tab.

Abstract: Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to orientation-aware surround sound playback. A method for processing audio on an electronic device that includes a plurality of loudspeakers is disclosed, the loudspeakers arranged in more than one dimension of the electronic device. The method includes, responsive to receipt of a plurality of received audio streams, generating a rendering component associated with the plurality of received audio streams, determining an orientation dependent component of the rendering component, processing the rendering component by updating the orientation dependent component according to an orientation of the loudspeakers and dispatching the received audio streams to the plurality of loudspeakers for playback based on the processed rendering component. Corresponding system and computer program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: Audio processing systems and methods are configured to receive audio program content and to reproduce the audio program content in accord with at least one audio parameter. The audio parameter is stored with a relation to an identifier associated with the audio program content. The audio parameter may be later retrieved for reproduction of associated audio program content.