Abstract: An audio apparatus includes a signal receiver configured to receive a left-channel signal and a right-channel signal of a stereo audio signal; at least one filter configured to block a signal in a band exceeding a predetermined frequency based on the frequency bands of each of the received left-channel signal and right-channel signal; and a controller configured to generate a center-channel signal of the stereo audio signal based on the left-channel signal and the right-channel signal passing through the filter, to calculate a signal level sensitivity between the left-channel signal and the right-channel signal passing through the filter, to determine a similarity between the left-channel signal and the right-channel signal based on the calculated signal level sensitivity, and to control the generated center-channel signal to be output in response to the determined similarity.

Abstract: Aspects include approaches for feedback instability control in wearable audio devices. In certain cases, a method of controlling feedback instability in a wearable audio device with an active noise reduction (ANR) system includes: determining a current feedback instability by combining outputs from multiple instability detectors, applying latch logic to the current feedback instability to determine a current mitigation value, and adjusting a driver command signal based on the current mitigation value to mitigate feedback instability.

Abstract: The invention relates to an adaptive active noise cancellation apparatus and an audio playback system using the same. The adaptive active noise cancellation apparatus shapes an error signal and a noise signal according to a shape of an ideal noise. After that, the shaped noise signal and the shaped error signal are sent into a parameter adjusting unit to perform an adaptive parameter adjustment. Thus, the adaptive noise filter unit is not only can adaptively suppress noise and minimize the error signal, but also can suppress specific frequencies that are sensitive to the human ear.

Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in an apparatus that includes an amplifier that includes a first Zeta converter connected to a power supply and a load. The amplifier also includes a second Zeta converter connected to the power supply and the load. The second Zeta converter is driven by a complementary duty cycle relative to the first Zeta converter. The amplifier also includes a controller to provide an audio signal to the first Zeta converter and the second Zeta converter for delivery to the load.

Abstract: A speaker comprises a housing, a transducer residing inside the housing, and at least one sound guiding hole located on the housing. The transducer generates vibrations. The vibrations produce a sound wave inside the housing and cause a leaked sound wave spreading outside the housing from a portion of the housing. The at least one sound guiding hole guides the sound wave inside the housing through the at least one sound guiding hole to an outside of the housing. The guided sound wave interferes with the leaked sound wave in a target region. The interference at a specific frequency relates to a distance between the at least one sound guiding hole and the portion of the housing.

Abstract: A system for reducing unwanted audible effects can include any or all of: a tactile stimulation device; a set of audio input devices; a set of filters and/or barriers; a set of audio output devices; a computing and/or processing subsystem; a set of algorithms and/or models; an extended reality subsystem; and/or any other components. A method for reducing unwanted audible effects includes any or all of: collecting information from each user of a set of users at a set of audio input devices; processing the audio information; and transmitting the processed audio information to any or all of the set of users.

Abstract: A system for rotating sound or selective listening to sound provides for the ability of the apparent direction of sound sources in a listening environment to remain in consistent orientations in space despite rotations of the microphones used to capture the sound and despite rotations of the head of the listener, even when wearing headphones. Modules are provided in the system to distinguish the sound sources and their apparent directions, as well as to optionally rotate the sound sources in response to detected rotations of the listener's head and/or detected rotations of the microphones.

Abstract: A hearing protection and situational awareness system includes a wearable device, speakers, one or more beamformers, a microphone array, and a computation unit. The system generates a three-dimensional (3D) binaural sound for enhanced situational awareness; provides hearing protection by active noise cancelation; provides hearing enhancement by automatic gain control; and performs background noise reduction and cancelation. The system performs automated sound detection, identification, and localization, with automated voice assistance, and facilitates clear two-way communications. Each beamformer(s) outputs a sound track associated with a sound captured by the microphone array in a direction(s) of an acoustic beam pattern(s).

Abstract: Example techniques may provide volume enhancements to a media playback system. An example implementation involves a first playback device in a first playback configuration playing audio at a first volume level and storing the first volume level in association with the first playback configuration. The first playback device receives instructions to change to a second playback configuration. Based on receiving the instructions, the first playback device joins a synchrony group with a second zone and adjusts the first playback device to play audio at a second volume level which is based on a volume level of a second playback device in the second zone. While in the second playback configuration, the first playback device receives instructions to change to the first playback configuration and, based on the instructions, leaves the synchrony group and adjusts the first playback device to play audio content at the stored first volume level.

Abstract: A protective headgear including an on-ear headset attachable to an inside portion of the protective headgear; a magnetization exhibited that reduces a gap between the compressible foam material of the protective headgear and the on-ear headset; and a method of adjusting the force of the magnetization by a switch adapted to the outer casing of the protective head gear, wherein the switch adjusts the distance between the protective headgear magnet and the on-ear headset magnet.

Abstract: A hybrid input networked subwoofer includes a traditional line-in analog audio input for receiving analog audio content from non-networked audio source devices together with wired and/or wireless network interfaces for receiving digital audio content from one or more networked audio devices.

Abstract: An audio system and method of using the audio system to augment spatial audio rendition is described. The audio system can include a device to receive user inputs designating positions on an augmented reality view of a listening environment. Sound source icons can be presented in the augmented reality view at the designated positions. The sound source icons can visually represent sound sources at locations in the listening environment that correspond to, but are different than, the positions. One or more processors of the audio system can apply head-related transfer functions, which correspond to the locations in the listening environment, to audio input signals to generate binaural audio signals. The audio system can include a headset that uses the binaural audio signals to render spatialized audio localizing sounds to the locations in the listening environment. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Abstract: An earphone includes a feedforward microphone located outside ear and a feedback microphone located inside ear.

Abstract: An apparatus for hearing protection comprises a pair of earpads, a band, microphones, speakers, vibration generators, and a processing unit. Each of the earpads is placed over an ear of the user. The band extends between the pair of earpads. The microphones convert acoustic signals into electrical signals. The speakers are located on each of the pair of earpads and direct sound towards the ear. The vibration generators are located on at least one of the pair of earpads and generate vibratory feedback to the user. The processing unit is connected to the microphones, the speakers, and the vibration generators, and compares first parameters of the electrical signals from the microphones with second parameters of predetermined warning sounds to determine whether the electrical signals comprise one or more of the predetermined warning sounds.

Abstract: An improved audio amplifier system can both reduce power consumption by supporting a standby mode and shorten wake time when resuming from the standby mode. The audio amplifier system may reduce power by entering a sleep or standby state in response to a command and/or detecting that an audio input signal is not received. Further, the audio amplifier system may use a burst generator to periodically or intermittently activate the power supply during standby mode. By periodically or intermittently activating the power supply, one or more of the capacitors may be charged. By charging the capacitors during standby mode, the time to wake from standby mode may be significantly reduced. In some cases, the wake time may be reduced by several order of magnitudes (e.g., from seconds to milliseconds).

Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to a device including a microphone, a filter and a processor. The filter receives an audio signal including ambient noise and a voice of a user of the device from the microphone. At least a portion of ambient noise is filtered from the audio signal. The processor determines a level of the ambient noise in the received audio signal and dynamically adjusts a gain applied to the filtered audio signal based on the level of the ambient noise.

Abstract: An audio content playback method for a portable terminal. The audio content playback method includes checking a channel that is supportable by audio content that is currently engaged in group's simultaneous playback, in group's simultaneous playback of the audio content. The method includes allocating a channel to each of devices included in a group based on position information of each device included in the group or based on an input state in a user interface environment that is preset for channel allocation for each device included in the group, and transmitting the allocated channel information to each device included in the group to allow the device to select its allocated channel and play the audio content.

Abstract: An apparatus for amplifying an audio source includes a speaker and a chip. The chip includes a processor configured to generate a signal and an amplifier element configured to amplify the signal into an amplified signal. The chip further includes a current monitor configured to monitor the current of the amplified signal prior to the amplified signal being output from the chip to the speaker and a voltage monitor configured to monitor the voltage of the amplified signal prior to the amplified signal being output from the chip to the speaker. The processor of the chip is configured to control a power of the amplified signal output from the chip to the speaker based at least on the current and the voltage.

Abstract: A headphone device comprising active noise cancellation means (ANC) having a feedback (FB) signal path, a feed forward (FF) signal path and a sidetone signal path, where the headphone is provided with a control member (1, 11) that can be displaced or rotated between opposite positions, where the control member (1, 11) is configured such that the gain of the FF signal path and the gain of the sidetone signal path are controllable by the control member (1, 11) in such manner that when the control member (1, 11) is at one extreme position, the gain of the FF signal path is maximum and the gain of the sidetone signal path is minimum and when the control member (1,11) is at the opposite extreme position, the gain of the FF signal path is minimum and the gain of the sidetone signal path is maximum.

Abstract: Techniques for dynamically adjusting received audio are described. In an example, a computer system receives audio data representing noise and utterance received by a device during a first time interval that has a start and an end. The start corresponds to a beginning of the utterance. The end corresponds to at a selection by the device of an audio beam associated with a direction towards an utterance source. The computer system determines a value associated with an audio adjustment factor. The audio adjustment factor is represented by values that vary during the time interval. The value is one of the values associated with a time point of the first time interval. The computer system generates, based at least in part on the audio data and the value, first data that indicates a measurement of at least one of the noise or the utterance.