Abstract: In an example embodiment, method, apparatus and computer program product are provided. The method includes capturing an acoustic signal by a microphone of an apparatus to generate an electrical output signal. The acoustic signal is rendered in response to a source audio signal by a speaker through at least one speaker interface element of the apparatus. The electrical output signal is compared to the source audio signal in order to determine whether the electrical output signal is being affected by mechanical vibrations caused at least partially by the speaker interface element being at least partially interfered by a user. A predetermined action is further performed in the apparatus whenever it is determined that the electrical output signal is affected by the mechanical vibrations caused at least partially by the speaker interface element being at least partially interfered by the user.

Abstract: An audio system receives an input signal and, if the input signal has a sparse representation in the frequency domain, comprising components at at least one frequency of interest, the input signal is filtered in at least one band pass filter, such that only components at the or each frequency of interest are passed to an output. The operation is able in some case to analyze the input signal to determine whether the input signal has a sparse representation in the frequency domain.

Abstract: A method and a system for achieving a self-adaptive surround sound.

Abstract: A method and device for determining the location-dependent pulse responses in signal transmission from a transmitter in a transmission volume to a receiver in a reception volume, wherein either the transmitter or the receiver is a device fixed in a predetermined location and the other is a movable device includes: continuously emitting a band-limited signal by the transmitter; continuously capturing the signal and recording the signal with time indexing by the receiver; moving the movable device during the emission and capturing of the signal along a trajectory within the transmission or reception volume while continuously capturing the location coordinates of the movable device and recording the location coordinates with time indexing; and numerically solving a linear system of equations, the unknowns of which system of equations represent the pulse responses at discrete sampling points in the transmission or reception volume associated with the movable device.

Abstract: A voice enhancement method for distributed system is disclosed. In the method of the present invention, a plurality of picking devices are disposed in a space for picking voice signal. The picking devices communicate with each other and have an enhancement operation on the voice information from each picking device to generate an enhanced voice signal.

Abstract: A method of encoding channel or object based input audio for playback, the method including the steps of: (a) initially rendering the channel or object based input audio into an initial output presentation; (b) determining an estimate of the dominant audio component from the channel or object based input audio and determining a series of dominant audio component weighting factors for mapping the initial output presentation into the dominant audio component; (c) determining an estimate of the dominant audio component direction or position; and (d) encoding the initial output presentation, the dominant audio component weighting factors, the dominant audio component direction or position as the encoded signal for playback.

Abstract: Spatial exploration systems and methods of spatial exploration utilizing spatial sound in accordance with various embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a spatial exploration system acquires sensor data and constructs a 3D spatial model of a surrounding real world environment. The system can instantiate a 3D object at a location within the 3D spatial model corresponding to the location of a real world feature, determine a location and orientation of a user within the 3D spatial model, and generate an audio clip containing vocalized information describing the feature. The spatial exploration system can then output a spatial sound describing the identified feature by modifying an audio clip based upon the position of the 3D object relative to the location and orientation of the user within the 3D spatial model to encode audio cues as to the location of the feature in the surrounding real world environment.

Abstract: A filter generation device includes left and right speakers, left and right microphones, and a processor that generates filters in accordance with transfer characteristics from the left and right speakers to the left and right microphones based on sound pickup signals. The processor includes a direct sound arrival time search unit that searches for a direct sound arrival time by using a time at which an absolute value of an amplitude reaches its maximum, a left and right direct sound determination unit that determines whether signs of amplitudes at the direct sound arrival time match, an error correction unit that, when the signs do not match, corrects cutout timing so that the direct sound arrival times coincide, and a waveform cutout unit that cuts out the transfer characteristics.

Abstract: An acoustic array system includes a sound field controller and an acoustic transducer array. The sound field controller provides first and second processed signals. The first processed signal is associated with a first acoustic radiation pattern and the second processed signal is associated with a second acoustic radiation pattern. The transducer array receives the first and second processed signals from the sound field controller and produces first and second driver signals for each of the transducers. The first driver signals are based upon the first processed signal and the second driver signals are based upon the second processed signal. The transducer array combines the first and second driver signals for each of the transducers to produce a plurality of combined driver signals, one for each of the transducers, and provides the combined driver signals to the transducers.

Abstract: According to the invention, a method for providing audio to a user is disclosed. The method may include determining, with an eye tracking device, a gaze point of a user on a display. The method may also include causing, with a computer system, an audio device to produce audio to the user, where content of the audio may be based at least in part on the gaze point of the user on the display.

Abstract: A set of signal measures is sent, wherein each signal measure in the set of signal measures corresponds to a respective audio signal received by a playback device in a media playback system and is processed based on a first set of audio processing algorithms. A plurality of signal measures is identified in the set of signal measures. Audio signals corresponding to the identified plurality of signal measures are processed by one or more devices in the media playback system to improve a signal measure of each of the audio signals. The audio signals are processed based on a second set of audio processing algorithms. The processed audio signals are combined into a combined audio signal.

Abstract: Techniques for using beam-formed acoustic notifications for pedestrian notification are described. Computing device(s) can receive sensor data associated with an object in an environment of a vehicle. The computing device(s) can determine first data for emitting a first beam of acoustic energy via speaker(s) of an acoustic array associated with the vehicle, and second data for emitting a second beam of acoustic energy via speakers of the acoustic array. The computing device(s) can cause the speaker(s) to emit the first beam in a direction of the object at a first time and the second beam in the direction of the object at a second time. Directions of propagation of the first beam and the second beam are offset so that the object can localize the source the acoustic notification, thereby localizing the vehicle in the environment.

Abstract: A device including an array of bidirectional microphones optimizes the echo rejection of the bidirectional microphones. The microphone array receives audio from an audio source and generates audio signals from each of the bidirectional microphones. The device forms audio beams from combinations of the audio signals generated from the microphone array. Each audio beam captures audio from either its positive polarity zone or its negative polarity zone. The device determines a direction of the audio source and selects a perpendicular audio beam pair based on the direction of the audio source. The perpendicular audio beam pair includes a primary audio beam aimed toward the direction of the audio source and a secondary beam perpendicular to the primary audio beam. The device generates an output signal by combining the primary audio beam with the secondary audio beam based on polarity zone the audio is captured for each audio beam.

Abstract: A method for estimating the acoustic reverberations in an environment comprising the following steps: a measurement step in which one acoustic signal emitted in the environment is captured; a step for determination of acoustic energy decay rate distribution during which an acoustic energy decay rate distribution is determined from the acoustic signal captured in step (a); an estimation step during which a reverberation time and a reverberation level of sound in the environment are estimated by regression from the characteristic function of the acoustic energy decay rate distribution determined in step (b).

Abstract: An earphone control circuit and method, an earphone, as well as an audio output device and method are provided. The earphone control circuit includes a detecting module for detecting whether an earphone is in a wearing state and outputting a detection signal indicating that the earphone is in a wearing state or in a non-wearing state. The earphone control circuit further includes a determining module for outputting a first control signal indicating that the earphone is in a wearing state or outputting a second control signal indicating that the earphone is in a non-wearing state according to the detection signal.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electronic device. In an embodiment, the electronic device may include a body, a display combined with the front of the body, and a speaker assembly embedded on at least one side of the body, wherein the speaker assembly may include a casing configured to form an external appearance and a speaker unit combined with the casing and configured to have at least part of an element of the speaker assembly exposed to an outside of the casing.

Abstract: Techniques for adaptive noise cancellation for multiple audio endpoints in a shared space are described. According to one example, a method includes detecting, by a first audio endpoint, one or more audio endpoints co-located with the first audio endpoint at a first location. A selected audio endpoint of the one or more audio endpoints is identified as a target noise source. The method includes obtaining, from the selected audio endpoint, a loudspeaker reference signal associated with a loudspeaker of the selected audio endpoint and removing the loudspeaker reference signal from a microphone signal associated with a microphone of the first audio endpoint. The method also includes providing the microphone signal from the first audio endpoint to at least one of a voice user interface (VUI) or a second audio endpoint, wherein the second audio endpoint is located remotely from the first location.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, method for generating an output signal of an amplifier having an increased signal to noise ratio includes receiving a first signal at an input terminal of the amplifier that is not part of a differential input. The input terminal of the amplifier is a sole input terminal of the amplifier. The first signal has an externally received portion and a feedback portion. A first amplified signal is generated at an output of the amplifier. High frequency components of the first amplified signal may be filtered. A feedback signal is generated at the sole input terminal of the amplifier in response to the first output signal.

Abstract: A hearing aid fitting system (400) adapted for providing sound samples illustrating the impact on sound quality from a hearing aid system defect and a method of providing such sound samples. The invention also relates to a hearing aid system and computer program code capable of carrying out such a method of providing sound samples illustrating the impact on sound quality from a hearing aid system defect and methods of operating and fitting hearing aid systems.

Abstract: According to an aspect, an active noise control device includes: a control frequency determinator that determines a frequency of the noise; a reference cosine-wave generator that generates a reference cosine-wave signal having the determined frequency; a reference sine-wave generator that generates a reference sine-wave signal having the frequency of a noise; a first one-tap adaptive filter to which the reference cosine-wave signal is input, the first one-tap adaptive filter having a first filter coefficient; a second one-tap adaptive filter to which the reference sine-wave signal is input, the second one-tap adaptive filter having a second filter coefficient; an adder that adds an output signal from the first one-tap adaptive filter and an output signal from the second one-tap adaptive filter to each other; a secondary noise generator that is driven by an output signal from the adder to generate a secondary noise; a residual sound detector that detects a residual sound generated by interference between the s