Abstract: An MEMS microphone, including a base having a back cavity, and a capacitor system fixedly supported on the base, the capacitor system including a diaphragm and a back-plate spaced from the diaphragm. The diaphragm is provided with a venting portion passing through an edge thereof, and the base includes an inner side surface surrounding the back cavity and at least one venting groove formed by recessing from an inner side surface in a direction away from the back cavity direction. The at least one venting groove is disposed corresponding to the venting portion and is in communication with the venting portion and the back cavity, respectively. The base is provided with a venting groove, so that the back cavity has larger space for venting, and the airflow can easily pass through, thereby reducing the probability of breaking the diaphragm. Thus, the MEMS microphone can have a higher reliability.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is the structure of a microspeaker. The structure of the microspeaker includes: a frame configured to have an internal space, a magnetic field part disposed inside the frame and configured to form an air gap along with the frame, and a diaphragm configured to vibrate vertically in response to the operation of a voice coil located inside the air gap. A duct configured to guide an air flow is formed in the circumferential direction of the frame. At least one frame hole is formed such that air enters the duct from the internal chamber of the frame. At least one duct sound outlet is formed such that air having entered the duct is discharged to the outside through the guide path of the duct.

Abstract: A microphone system comprises a multitude of microphones; a signal processor connected to said number of microphones, and being configured to estimate a direction- to and/or a position of the target sound source relative to the microphone system based on a maximum likelihood methodology; and a database ? comprising a dictionary of relative transfer functions representing direction-dependent acoustic transfer functions from said target signal source to each of said microphones relative to a reference microphone among said microphones, wherein individual dictionary elements of said database ? of relative transfer functions comprises relative transfer functions for a number of different directions and/or positions relative to the microphone system; and wherein the signal processor is configured to determine one or more of the most likely directions to or locations of said target sound source. The invention may e.g. be used for the hearing aids or other portable audio communication devices.

Abstract: A hearing device comprises a) an input unit for providing at least one electric input signal representing sound in a frequency sub-band representation, b) an SNR estimation unit for estimating a signal to noise ratio and/or a level estimation unit for estimating a level of said at least one electric input signal, and c) a configurable frequency transposition unit for transposing content of a source frequency sub-band FBS into a destination frequency sub-band FBD.

Abstract: The application relates to MEMS transducers comprising at least one support structure for connecting a backplate structure of the transducer with an underlying substrate. A strengthening portion is provided in the region of the support structure.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a tactile transducer including a housing, a first voice coil and a magnetic assembly is provided. The first voice coil includes an electrically conductive wire being orientated in a first winding direction to generate a first magnetic field. The magnetic assembly is positioned within the housing. The magnetic assembly is configured to move within the housing to generate a tactile output and to repel against the first voice coil based on a polarity of the first magnetic field as the magnetic assembly moves toward the first voice coil to prevent contact of a first portion of the magnetic assembly with a first side of the housing.

Abstract: A speaker includes a diaphragm and a MEMS actuator. The MEMS actuator includes a coupling member attached to the diaphragm and at least one closed cantilever ring that is surrounded around and connected to the coupling member by plural first bridge members, wherein the closed cantilever ring is configured to be electrically-biased to cause an axial movement of the coupling member and the diaphragm.

Abstract: An integrated microphone device is provided. The integrated microphone device includes a substrate, a plate, and a membrane. The substrate includes an aperture allowing acoustic pressure to pass through. The plate is disposed on a side of the substrate. The membrane is disposed between the substrate and the plate and movable relative to the plate as acoustic pressure strikes the membrane. The membrane includes a vent valve having an open area that is variable in response to a change in acoustic pressure.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a cartilage conduction audio device is disclosed. A manufacturing system receives data describing a three-dimensional shape of an ear (e.g., the outer ear, behind the ear, the concha bowel, etc.) of a user. The system identifies one or more locations for one or more transducers along a back of an auricle of the ear for the user that vibrate the auricle over a frequency range causing the auricle to create an acoustic pressure wave at an entrance of the ear canal. The system then generates a design for a cartilage conduction audio device for the user based on the one or more identified locations of the transducers at which acoustic pressure waves generated by the one or more transducers satisfy a threshold performance metric for the user. The design may then be used to fabricate the cartilage conduction audio device.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an acoustic device, including a frame, a vibration system fixed to the frame, a magnetic circuit system configured to drive the vibration system to vibrate and produce a sound, and a magnetic frame sealing cap configured to fix the magnetic circuit system to the frame, where the magnetic circuit system includes a magnetic yoke and a magnet fixed to the magnetic yoke, the magnetic frame sealing cap includes a bottom wall and a side wall that is in a ring shape and is bent and extends from a periphery of the bottom wall, the magnetic yoke is fixed to the bottom wall, and the side wall is fixed to the frame. Compared with the related art, the acoustic performance of the acoustic device of the present disclosure is optimal.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a MEMS microphone includes a sound detection unit having a first membrane, a second membrane arranged at a distance from the first membrane, a low-pressure region arranged between the first membrane and the second membrane, a gas pressure that is reduced in relation to normal pressure being present in said low-pressure region, a counter electrode arranged in the low-pressure region, and a sound through-hole, which extends through the sound detection unit in a thickness direction of the sound detection unit; and a valve provided at the sound through-hole, said valve being configured to adopt a plurality of valve states, wherein a predetermined degree of transmission of the sound through-hole to sound is assigned to each valve state.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for configuring an electronic communication device are disclosed. The methods include determining that the device is operating in a loud speaker mode and a front side of the device is in proximity to a surface, thus determining that the device is in a position associated with acoustic coupling between the loud speaker and the front microphone. The methods include initiating emission of a beacon signal from the loud speaker, determining, dependent on a measured property of the beacon signal received by the front microphone, that the acoustic coupling exceeds a predetermined threshold for high acoustic coupling and, in response, configuring a rear microphone as the primary microphone for capturing audio input. The beacon signal may be an ultrasonic signal. Once the device is no longer in the position associated with acoustic coupling nor experiencing high acoustic coupling, the front microphone may be configured as the primary microphone.

Abstract: A liquid-resistant microphone assembly includes a substrate defining a sound-entry region and a microphone transducer coupled with the substrate. The transducer has a sound-responsive region acoustically coupled with the sound-entry opening defined by the substrate. A liquid-resistant port membrane spans across the sound-entry opening defined by the substrate. The membrane is gas-permeable. An adhesive layer is positioned between the substrate and the liquid-resistant port membrane, coupling the liquid-resistant port membrane with the substrate and spacing the liquid-resistant port membrane from the substrate to form a gap between the membrane and the substrate. The adhesive layer defines an aperture having a periphery extending around and positioned outward of the sound-entry region. Modules and electronic devices incorporating such a microphone transducer also are disclosed.

Abstract: A system includes a laser microphone or laser-based microphone or optical microphone. The laser microphone includes a laser transmitter to transmit an outgoing laser beam towards a human speaker. The laser transmitter acts also as a self-mix interferometry unit that receives the optical feedback signal reflected from the human speaker, and generates an optical self-mix signal by self-mixing interferometry of the laser beam and the received optical feedback signal. Instead of utilizing a single laser beam, multiple laser beams are used, by operating an array of laser transmitters, or by utilizing a laser beam splitter or a crystal to split laser beams or to diffract or scatter laser beams. Optionally, one or more laser beams may temporally scan a target area.

Abstract: Systems and methods for speaker assemblies with wide dispersion patterns are disclosed. In one embodiment, a speaker assembly includes at least two speaker drivers and a diffraction baffle affixed to each speaker driver, where each diffraction baffle includes a baffle face having a diffraction slot positioned over the driver and each diffraction baffle is affixed to and sealed to the driver, the area across each diffraction slot is less than the surface area of the driver, each diffraction slot provides a path for substantially all of the acoustic pressure waves produced by the speaker driver to propagate away from the driver and the acoustic pressure waves are within a frequency range determined by the characteristics of the driver, and the width of each diffraction slot in the horizontal direction is equal to the wavelength of a predetermined target frequency.

Abstract: A system, method and wireless earpieces for managing power utilized by a pair of wireless earpieces. A signal strength is determined between the pair of wireless earpieces. Signal activity is determined for the pair of wireless earpieces. A low power mode is activated in response to determining the signal activity is below an activity threshold. The low power mode is activated for the one or more of the pair of wireless earpieces in response to the signal strength exceeding one or more signals thresholds.

Abstract: A hearing device that can be produced particularly efficiently has a housing, which can be inserted into an auditory canal of a person wearing the hearing device, and also a flexible retainer dome releasably fastened to the housing. The retainer dome serves to support the housing in the auditory canal. The housing has a one-piece housing shell and a face place. A structural unit with a receiver is disposed on the housing shell. The housing shell has a first, front-side opening, which is closed with the face plate, and a second, rear-side opening opposite the first opening. The structural unit protrudes from the rear-side opening with a retainer stub. The structural unit is fixed on the housing shell by a securing ring that is mounted externally onto the retainer stub.

Abstract: An ear tip for an earphone includes an interior mating surface for attaching the ear tip to the earphone, the interior mating surface at least partially surrounding a cavity where the earphone will be located when the ear tip may be so attached, an outer surface including features corresponding to human ear anatomy, a nozzle extension providing a passageway from the interior cavity to space outside the ear tip, a wax guard in the nozzle extension, the wax guard blocking the passageway, and a plurality of holes through the wax guard, the holes sized and arranged to allow sound to pass along the passageway, while inhibiting ear wax from passing along the passageway.

Abstract: A hearing aid comprises a sensor configured for detecting a focus of an end user on a real sound source, a microphone assembly configured for converting sounds into electrical signals, a speaker configured for converting the electrical signals into sounds, and a control subsystem configured for modifying the direction and/or distance of a greatest sensitivity of the microphone assembly based on detected focus. A virtual image generation system comprises memory storing a three-dimensional scene, a sensor configured for detecting a focus of the end user on a sound source, a speaker configured for conveying sounds to the end user, and a control subsystem configured for causing the speaker to preferentially convey a sound originating from the sound source in response to detection of the focus, and for rendering image frames of the scene, and a display subsystem configured for sequentially displaying the image frames to the end user.

Abstract: An infotainment system for a vehicle may include a controllable audio reproduction arrangement that is configured to be fixed in the vehicle and to acoustically reproduce an audio signal under the control of a control signal. It may further include a portable device that is freely movable in the vehicle and that is configured to provide the audio and control signals for the audio reproduction arrangement, as well as a wireless connection between the portable device and the audio reproduction arrangement configured to transmit the audio and control signals from the portable device to the audio reproduction arrangement. The audio reproduction arrangement has amplification, quiescent power consumption and a maximum output power, of which at least one is controllable by the portable device via the control signal.