Abstract: Various aspects include wearable audio devices enabling modular component attachment and detachment. In certain implementations, a wearable audio device includes: a headband for contacting a head of a user; an earpiece coupled with the headband for positioning proximate an ear of the user, the earpiece having an electro-acoustic transducer configured to output audio signals; and a slot configured to engage an electronic component, where the slot includes one or more snap-fit and/or friction-fit connectors for selectively engaging the electronic component.

Abstract: A beam generator, a beam generating method, and a chip are provided. The beam generator comprises a first channel, a second channel, and a signal merging module; the first channel comprises a first-channel filter, the first-channel filter is used to filter an input signal to obtain a first filtered signal; the first filtered signal comprises a desired signal; the second channel comprises: a second-channel blocking module, used to block the desired signal in the input signal to obtain a blocked signal; a compensation filter, connected to the second-channel blocking module for compensating for the blocked signal to obtain a second filtered signal; and an adaptive filter connected to the compensation filter for adaptively filtering the second filtered signal to obtain a third filtered signal; the signal merging module is for merging the first filtered signal and the third filtered signal to obtain an output signal.

Abstract: A method for determining social interaction of a user wearing a hearing device which comprises at least one microphone and at least one classifier. The method comprises: receiving an audio signal from the at least one microphone and/or a sensor signal from the at least one further sensor; identifying, by the at least one classifier, one or more predetermined user activity values by evaluating the audio signal from the at least one microphone and/or the sensor signal from the at least one further sensor; and calculating a user social interaction metric indicative of the social interaction of the user from the identified user activity values, wherein the user activity values are assigned to predefined social interaction levels, and wherein the user social interaction metric is a function of the user activity values weighted with their respective contribution to each of the social interaction levels.

Abstract: An articulated vehicle speaker system includes a vehicle mount adapted to be mounted on a vehicle and a speaker assembly including front and back injection molded panels which, when joined together, define a speaker compartment at first and second ends of the panels to house a speaker unit and a central compartment which separates the speaker compartments. A pair of spaced, powered hinge assemblies are disposed within the central compartment and hingedly connect the speaker assembly to the vehicle mount to allow limited swinging movement of the speaker assembly between different positions on the vehicle. Each hinge assembly includes a bidirectional, electrically-powered actuator and transmission subassembly. Each subassembly including a rotary output shaft and a set of interconnected transmission elements coupled to the output shaft and to the speaker assembly to automatically swing the speaker assembly based on a command signal.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer-readable media, devices, and apparatuses for synchronized mode transitions are presented. A first device configured to be worn at an ear includes a processor configured to, in a first contextual mode, produce an audio signal based on audio data. The processor is also configured to, in the first contextual mode, exchange a time indication of a first time with a second device. The processor is further configured to, at the first time, transition from the first contextual mode to a second contextual mode based on the time indication.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for audio equalization. Example instructions disclosed herein cause one or more processors to at least: detect an irregularity in a frequency representation of an audio signal in response to a change in volume between a set of frequency values exceeding a threshold; and adjust a volume at a first frequency value of the set of frequency values to reduce the irregularity.

Abstract: A noise-reduction microphone, a noise-reduction safe earphone and a noise-reduction safe Bluetooth headset, comprising an acoustic wave concentrator which has a sound signal capturing unit at its big end used to capture sound wave signal and amplify the external sound wave signal, and then transmitted to the small end of the acoustic wave concentrator connected to the air tube, and the air tube is connected to the receiver device which receives the acoustic signal from the air tube and converts it into electrical sound signals transmitted to a voice terminal from the receiver device by a connector. The sound information is transmitted by the air tube, so the length of the air to be could be setted pretty long so that people can keep at a distance from electrical equipments with radiation, the remote air tube microphone can be separately used as microphone or mike.

Abstract: A binaural hearing system for assisting a hearing of a user includes two hearing instruments each to be worn in or on an ear of the user. An audio signal is modified in each of the two hearing instruments by way of a programmable signal processor of the respective hearing instrument by executing a plurality of software modules of firmware of the hearing system and is output by an output transducer of the respective hearing instrument. The executed software modules of the firmware are distributed asymmetrically on the two hearing instruments, so that at least one of the software modules of the firmware is selectively executed in one of the two hearing instruments.

Abstract: A loudspeaker is provided that includes an outer tubular section, an inner tubular section at least partially disposed within the outer tubular section, a driver disposed in the inner tubular section at an angle offset from a cross-sectional plane of the inner tubular section, a sound deflector disposed at a first end of the outer tubular section, and a void defined collectively by a space between a first end of the inner tubular section within the outer tubular section and the sound deflector, and a space between an outer portion of the inner tubular section and an inner portion of the outer tubular section. The sound produced by the driver passes through the void via the space between the first end of the inner tubular section within the outer tubular section and the sound deflector, and then via the space between the outer portion of the inner tubular section and the inner portion of the outer tubular section.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a ceiling tile microphone system that includes a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array and used for beamforming processing, one or more separate processing devices that couple to the microphone array, where one or more separate processing devices further include beamforming, acoustic echo cancellation, and adaptive acoustic processing; a single ceiling tile with an outer surface on the front side of the ceiling tile where the outer surface is acoustically transparent, the microphone array combines with the ceiling tile as a single unit, the ceiling tile being mountable in a drop ceiling in place of a ceiling tile included in the drop ceiling; where the system is used in a drop ceiling mounting configuration; where the microphone array couples to the back side of the ceiling tile and all or part of the system is in the drop space of the drop ceiling.

Abstract: Various implementations include seats and related loudspeakers. In particular cases, a seat includes: a seat headrest portion; a seat backrest portion; and a loudspeaker assembly. The loudspeaker assembly includes at least one driver for generating an acoustic output; and an acoustic exit fixed in the seat backrest portion and angled to provide the acoustic output to a location below a nominal ear position of an occupant of the seat, wherein a firing angle of the at least one driver provides the acoustic output to achieve a consistent frequency response across a range of positions deviating from the nominal ear position.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed of a speaker capable of producing multi-frequency-range sound using bar magnets, multiple diaphragms, and a shared planar voice coil. The planar voice coil is located between the bar magnets and translates a received electric signal into the kinetic energy that vibrates the diaphragms, thus reproducing multi-frequency range sound. In some embodiments, the speaker generates bi-directional sound.

Abstract: The present invention is a signal processing circuit 12 for an electrostatic electroacoustic transducer configured to correct signals input to a single driven electrostatic electroacoustic transducer 15 including a diaphragm 151 and a fixed electrode 152 disposed to face the diaphragm. The signal processing circuit includes a correction value determiner 122 configured to determine a correction value v1 of a level based on a level of the input signals s1 from the sound source, and a level corrector 124 configured to correct the level of the input signals based on the correction value. The level corrector is configured to correct the level of an input signal among the input signals based on the correction value. The input signal corresponds to a signal for displacing the diaphragm to a first direction side on which a fixed electrode is not disposed with respect to a predetermined position.

Abstract: A noise estimation method including steps of generating gap confidence values in response to microphone output and playback signals, and using the gap confidence values to generate an estimate of background noise in a playback environment. Each gap confidence value is indicative of confidence of presence of a gap at a corresponding time in the playback signal, and may be a combination of candidate noise estimates weighted by the gap confidence values. Generation of the candidate noise estimates may but need not include performance of echo cancellation. Optionally, noise compensation is performed on an audio input signal using the generated background noise estimate. Other aspects are systems configured to perform any embodiment of the noise estimation method.

Abstract: A vehicle-implemented, adaptive noise-cancellation system responsive to entertainment audio is provided. The noise-cancellation system uses reference signal from a reference sensor, such as an accelerometer, to generate a noise-cancellation signal to destructively interfere with road noise in the vehicle cabin. A first set of entertainment audio thresholds triggers the system to enable or disable adaptation of an adaptive filter of the noise-cancellation system. A second set of entertainment audio thresholds triggers the system to enable, attenuate, or disable the noise-cancellation signal. As the entertainment audio increases, the system first disables the adaptation of the adaptive filter, then attenuates the noise-cancellation signal, then completely disables the noise-cancellation signal.

Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more pose sensors for detecting a pose of a user of the electronic device relative to a first physical environment and is in communication with one or more audio output devices. While a first pose of the user meets first presentation criteria, the electronic device provides audio content at a first simulated spatial location relative to the user. The electronic device detects a change in the pose of the user from the first pose to a second pose. In response to detecting the change in the pose of the user, and in accordance with a determination that the second pose of the user does not meet the first presentation criteria, the electronic device provides audio content at a second simulated spatial location relative to the user that is different from the first simulated spatial location.

Abstract: An audio normalization gain value is applied to an audio signal to produce a normalized signal. The normalized signal is processed to compute dynamic range control (DRC) gain values in accordance with a selected one of several pre-defined DRC characteristics. The audio signal is encoded, and the DRC gain values are provided as metadata associated with the encoded audio signal. Several other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: An information processing method includes: receiving first space information including a first coordinate system of one of a logical space or a physical space, and second space information including a second coordinate system of the other of the logical space or the physical space; receiving first sound localization information indicating a position where a sound image is to be localized in the first coordinate system; and transforming the first sound localization information into second sound localization information indicating a position where the sound image is to be localized in the second coordinate system.

Abstract: Spatial filters are generated that map response of an audio capture device to head related transfer functions (HRTFs) for different positions of the audio capture device relative to the HRTFs. A current set of spatial filters are determined based on the plurality of spatial filters and a head position of a user. The microphone signals are convolved with the current set of spatial filters, resulting in a left audio channel and right audio channel that form output binaural audio channels. The binaural audio channels can be used to drive speakers of a headphone set to generate sound that is perceived to have a spatial quality. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Abstract: An electronic hearing protection system includes an electronic hearing device having a housing that is disposed in a recessed cavity in an earplug. The housing of the electronic hearing device is configured to be rotatable between multiple positions, including a first position in which a speaker of the electronic hearing device aligns with a sound tube in the earplug to permit sound generated by the speaker to travel through the sound tube to the user's ear canal, and a second position in which the housing blocks the sound tube to at least partially prevent sound from reaching the user's ear canal.