Abstract: Technology for performing services based on power consumption is disclosed. A plurality of power consumption levels can be identified at a service area. The plurality of power consumption levels can be characterized into current power consumption behavior. The current power consumption behavior can be compared to at least one power consumption behavioral model, the power consumption behavioral model including historical power consumption behaviors for the service area. A service can be performed when the current power consumption behavior diverges from the power consumption behavioral model outside of a predefined threshold.

Abstract: An example implementation may involve a computing device detecting a trigger condition that initiates concurrent calibration of multiple playback devices. The implementation may further involve the computing device sending, to at least one of the multiple playback devices, one or more commands that instruct each playback device of the multiple playback devices to repeatedly output a calibration sound according to a sequence. The sequence involves the calibration sound cycling through frequencies of a calibration frequency range and the one or more commands instruct the multiple playback devices to stagger emission of the calibration sounds such that each successive calibration sound is outputted at a delay relative to output of a preceding calibration sound. During the output of the calibration sounds, the implementation may also involve the computing device detecting, via at least one microphone, an audio signal comprising the outputted calibration sounds.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an amplifier for vehicle, vehicle including the amplifier, and method for controlling the amplifier for vehicle, which uses a 48 volt (V) battery voltage and adjusts speaker output according to variable audio signals, thereby minimizing the size of the amplifier, reducing conversion loss of a Direct Current (DC)-to-DC converter, and increasing output efficiency. In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, An amplifier for vehicle includes a first input port for receiving a first voltage; a second input port for receiving a second voltage lower than the first voltage; at least one power Integrated Chip (power IC) connected to a speaker for using a voltage received from the first input port; and a controller for controlling the power IC using a voltage received from the second input port.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for using an apparatus are provided, which apparatus can be used in particular in an industrial automation process. The apparatus comprises a machine part for performing a process to be performed by an automation system or for processing a workpiece, and an authentication and access part for authenticating a user of the apparatus and for permitting the user access to at least some of the functions of the machine part if the user has been authenticated, and for blocking the user access to the functions of the machine part if the user has not been authenticated.

Abstract: A method and a device are provided for modifying audio signals in accordance with hearing capabilities of an individual who is listening to audio signals played by a music player. The method comprises the steps of: providing a music player operative to play audio signals, wherein the music player comprises a processor configured to modify audio signals that are about to be played, by taking into account the hearing capabilities of the individual; providing information that relates to the hearing capabilities of the individual; forwarding the information that relates to the hearing capabilities of the individual, from an electronic device to the music player; and using the music player processor to modify audio signals when the individual is listening to audio signals being played by the music player, wherein the audio signals are modified before they are played by taking into account the individual's hearing capabilities.

Abstract: The invention is related to a system and method for preventing a loss of an electronic cigarette case. The system comprises a first receiving and transmitting module, a first alarm module, a first control module, a second receiving and transmitting module and a second control module. The second receiving and transmitting module and the second control module are connected and are arranged together on an electronic cigarette. The first receiving and transmitting module and the first alarm module are respectively connected to the first control module, and are arranged together on the electronic cigarette case used for accommodating an electronic cigarette. The first receiving and transmitting module and the second receiving and transmitting module are in a wireless communication connection within a preset range. The system and method for preventing the loss of the electronic cigarette case has a beneficial effect of preventing the loss of the electronic cigarette case.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a microphone assembly comprising a multibit analog-to-digital converter configured to receive, sample, and quantize a microphone signal to generate N-bit digital microphone samples representative of the microphone signal at a first sampling frequency. The microphone assembly also comprises a first digital-to-digital converter configured to receive, quantize, and noise-shape the N-bit digital microphone samples to generate a corresponding M-bit Pulse Density Modulated (PDM) signal, wherein N and M are positive integers, and N>M. The microphone assembly may comprise a SoundWire compliant data interface configured to repeatedly receive samples of the M-bit PDM signal and write bits of the M-bit PDM signal to a SoundWire data frame.

Abstract: Microphone systems and methods of determining absolute sensitivities of a MEMS microphone. The microphone system includes a speaker, a MEMS microphone, and a controller. The speaker is configured to generate an acoustic pressure. The MEMS microphone includes a capacitive electrode, a piezoelectric electrode, and a backplate. The capacitive electrode is configured to generate a first capacitive response based on the acoustic pressure and generate a first mechanical pressure based on a capacitive control signal. The piezoelectric electrode is coupled to the capacitive electrode. The piezoelectric electrode is configured to generate a first piezoelectric response signal based on the acoustic pressure and generate a second piezoelectric response signal based on the first mechanical pressure.

Abstract: A device includes an audio unit to provide a left audio channel, a right audio channel and a microphone channel to a headset plug. The device also includes a headset jack to form an electrical connection with the headset plug, and a swap switch configurable to swap connections of a ground terminal and a microphone terminal of the headset plug to the audio unit. The audio unit further includes: a first crosstalk cancellation circuit to subtract an estimated right-to-left crosstalk from a left digital path of the left audio channel, and to subtract an estimated left-to-right crosstalk from a right digital path of the right audio channel; and a second crosstalk cancellation circuit to subtract an estimated left-to-microphone crosstalk and an estimated right-to-microphone crosstalk from a microphone digital path of the microphone channel.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for RFID communications in a process control system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a radio-frequency identification tag operatively coupled to a field device of a process control system. The radio-frequency identification tag has a processor, an onboard memory, and an antenna. The onboard memory stores data received from the field device to be communicated to a radio frequency identification reader. Power for the processor and the onboard memory is to be drawn from control system power provided to the field device.

Abstract: A case for a portable listening device includes a lid and a lid sensor to detect if the lid is in an open or a closed position. The case further includes circuitry configured to turn on a wireless radio within the portable listening device when the lid sensor detects the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for playing a venue-specific object-based audio in a venue, the system comprising a memory, and a processor configured to receive an object-based audio including a plurality of audio components and create a venue-specific object-based audio based on a modification metadata by adjusting a level of at least one of the plurality of audio components of the object-based audio, the processor executing the object-based audio rendering software to render the venue-specific object-based audio in the venue.

Abstract: In general, techniques are directed to performing normalization with respect to ambient higher order ambisonic audio data. A device configured to decode higher order ambisonic audio data may perform the techniques. The device may include a memory and one or more processors. The memory may be configured to store an audio channel that provides a normalized ambient higher order ambisonic coefficient representative of at least a portion of an ambient component of a soundfield. The one or more processors may be configured to perform inverse normalization with respect to the audio channel.

Abstract: A digital volume control may be implemented in a digital-to-analog controller (DAC) when an output rate of the DAC is higher than the input rate. The upsampling conversion process from the digital input to analog output may be controlled to adjust a volume of an output signal produced from the digital signals. The frames produced by the upsampling conversion process may include a fraction of scheduling blocks filled with the input data bit, where the fraction is based on a desired volume. The generated frames are provided to a finite impulse response (FIR) filter that produces an analog signal with a magnitude proportional to the determined fraction of scheduling blocks.

Abstract: This application relates to an audio assembly that includes both a speaker assembly and a microphone. By mounting both the microphone and the speaker assembly to a unitary audio bracket, space savings can be achieved over a configuration that relies on separate brackets for each component. In some embodiments, an acoustic mesh can be embedded within the audio bracket and extending across an audio channel defined by the audio bracket. The microphone can be aligned with an opening in the audio bracket by an alignment clip that is coupled with the microphone. The alignment clip helps to achieve alignment of a sensor opening of the microphone with a channel defined by the audio bracket.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for storing archive images to a substrate, such as a rotatable optical disc. In some embodiments, an optical medium has a substrate which stores a plurality of archived images in a human detectable form on a surface of the substrate and control data associated with the archived images to facilitate optical recovery of said human detectable images from the surface. The archived images are arranged as a sequence of tiles on a recording layer of the optical medium each tile having an associated length and width. The control data are arranged as machine readable information that identifies an overall content of the plurality of archived images.

Abstract: Sound-producing devices such as headphone sets or loudspeakers are disclosed that can removably mate with an external interface. The external interface may plug into a port on an exterior of the sound-producing device. The external interface includes conversion circuitry that is powered by a power source in the sound-producing device. The external interface receives a first audio-encoded signal from a source device such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, or the like, and converts such signal to a conditioned signal which is compatible with the sound-producing device. Connection between the source device and the external interface may be a first type of wired or wireless connection. The sound-producing device may operate with other source devices that produce different audio-encoded signals by replacing the external interface with a different external interface whose conversion circuitry converts the different audio-encoded signal to the same conditioned signal.

Abstract: A microphone device comprises a base, a port formed in the base, a cover attached to the base that forms a housing interior with the base, an MEMS element disposed in the housing interior and on top of the port, and an integrated circuit stacked on top of the MEMS element. The MEMS element includes a diaphragm and a backplate opposing the diaphragm. The integrated circuit includes an active surface and a substrate supporting the active surface. Circuitry and/or connectors are formed on the active surface for processing signals produced by the MEMS element. The substrate faces the MEMS element.

Abstract: An audio system encodes and decodes audio captured by a microphone array system in the presence of wind noise. The encoder encodes the audio signal in a way that includes beamformed audio signal and a “hidden” representation of a non-beamformed audio signal. The hidden signal is produced by modulating the low frequency signal to a high frequency above the audible range. A decoder can then either output the beamformed audio signal or can use the hidden signal to generate a reduced wind noise audio signal that includes the non-beamformed audio in the low frequency range.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus relating to microphone devices and signal processing techniques are provided. In an example, a microphone device can detect sound, as well as enhance an ability to perceive at least a general direction from which the sound arrives at the microphone device. In an example, a case of the microphone device has an external surface which at least partially defines funnel-shaped surfaces. Each funnel-shaped surface is configured to direct the sound to a respective microphone diaphragm to produce an auralized multi-microphone output. The funnel-shaped surfaces are configured to cause direction-dependent variations in spectral notches and frequency response of the sound as received by the microphone diaphragms. A neural network can device-shape the auralized multi-microphone output to create a binaural output. The binaural output can be auralized with respect to a human listener.