Abstract: In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method for managing plural micromodules over time, each micromodule comprising plural nodes corresponding to electronic interventions that follow logically from one another to form a narrative or story, the method comprising: receiving inputs from one or more input sources, the input sources monitoring user behavior and associated contexts; monitoring each of the plural micromodules, each of the plural micromodules beginning with an opportunity and ending with an assessment, each of the plural micromodules comprising a score; updating the scores based on the received inputs; selecting which of at least one of the plural micromodules to provide to a user at any given moment in time based on a comparison of the scores and historical data; and providing the selected micromodule to the user.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing a user's health habits. Various embodiments of the invention allow the user to register habits to a habit registry. Relevant sensor and other data is collected contemporaneously with the registration of the behavior and is stored in association with the registered habit. In normal use, a configured processor attempts to detect occurrences of a previously registered habit by comparing subsequently collected data to previously stored data. When collected and stored data match, a registered health habit is detected, the occurrence may be added to a health habit log, and the feedback may be provided to the user. The feedback assists the user to achieve his goals in health habit management.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a wearable device (12) is disclosed that automates the detection and determination of a type of activity, and both measures physiological and behavioral parameters and computes information corresponding to measured physiological parameters based on the determined type of activity. An embodiment of the wearable device provides these features by wirelessly receiving a signal with information coded therein that enables the wearable device to automatically detect and identify the type of activity in which a person (82) is engaged. The determination of the type of activity enables a more accurate computation of information that is specific to the activity in which the person is engaged, the computation of information based on the measured physiological and behavioral parameter.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a system is disclosed that receives a plurality of data structures that comprise contextually-related notifications, associates the data structures to starting, intermediate, and ending nodes, establishes plural possible pathways from the starting and intermediate nodes, each of the starting and intermediate nodes comprising a statement table with plural statements (and hence paths) to choose from based on measures, and based on continual input data and computation of the measures of each statement table, adding nodes to link to a selected starting node and then other nodes to ultimately provide a chain of notifications presented in non-overlapping time intervals and in narrative form that provide an indication of progress in advancing a user towards a goal.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for providing pain management using a wearable device determines a predictive model estimating an intensity level of pain as a function of at least one physiological parameter of a user of the wearable device and at least one activity of the user. The activity of the user includes one or combination of a type of the activity, a level of the activity, a location of the activity, and a duration of the activity. The method determines measurements of physiological and activity sensors of the wearable device to produce values of the physiological parameter and the activity of the user and predicts the intensity level of the pain based on the predictive model and the values of the physiological parameter and the activity of the user. The method executes actions based on the predicted intensity level of pain.

Abstract: A method for transmitting activity information from a wearable medical device (101) to a patient monitoring system (105), wherein the method comprises generating an activity data packet, wherein the activity data packet comprises at least a first activity field indicative of a recent activity and a second activity field indicative of a past activity, and transmitting the activity data packet from the wearable medical device (101) to the patient monitoring system (105).

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a receiver (203) receiving a multichannel signal comprising two channels for rendering by a first speaker (101) at a first position and a second speaker (103) at a second position respectively. A first signal generator (207) generates a correlated signal and a second signal generator (209) generates an uncorrelated signal from the multichannel signal, the signals comprising respectively correlated and uncorrelated signal components for the channels. A receiver (201) receives a microphone signal from the microphone (107). A first correlator (213) determines a first correlation signal from a correlation of the microphone signal and the correlated signal, and a second correlator (215) determines a second correlation signal from a correlation of the microphone signal and the uncorrelated signal. A position estimator (219) estimates a position of the microphone from the first and second correlation signals.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus (36) is presented that establishes a cost to the subject in performing physical activity during time segments of plural types of subject behavior for one or more days of his or her daily routine and simulates scenarios that are used to provide a health plan (110) that best changes a physiological parameter over a projected period of time while minimizing a total cost to the subject.

Abstract: A method of controlling a conversation in an ambient telephone environment having a plurality of spaces includes providing a plurality of devices distributed in the plurality of spaces used by one or more users, at least one of the plurality of devices is connected to a telecommunications network for enabling communication between the environment and one or more remote terminals; and obtaining signals communicating a conversation between at least one remote terminal and at least one of the plurality of devices and audio from the one or more users. The method further includes identifying a user of the at least one device used in the obtained conversation by detecting interaction of a type corresponding to conversational turn-taking; and tracking movements of the user in the environment to determine its presence in a first of the plurality of spaces.

Abstract: An audio signal processor receives a plurality of encoded multi-channel audio signals. A multi-channel decoder (105) decodes a first encoded multi-channel signal to generate a first decoded multi-channel signal. A generator (109) generates an encoded further audio signal by selecting audio encoding data from at least a second encoded multi-channel audio signal such that a number of channels of the encoded further audio signal comprising audio encoding data from the second encoded multi-channel audio signal is less than a number of channels in the second encoded multi-channel signal. Thus, a channel reduction is performed in the encoded data domain. A further decoder (111) generates a further decoded signal by decoding the further encoded audio signal. A combiner (107) combines the first decoded multi-channel signal and the further decoded signal to generate a multi-channel output signal. An exciting user experience can be provided while maintaining low complexity and resource usage.

Abstract: A system and methods for automatically commissioning electrical fixtures using sound are disclosed. Electrical fixtures (140-149) detect sounds produced by a sound generator moved along a path (300) through installed fixtures according to a building plan (100). Each electrical fixture may be associated with a mapped fixture location in the building plan by correlating the detected sound with the location of the sound generator along the path.

Abstract: An audio system comprises a receiver which receives an input audio signal. A decomposer (103) decomposes the audio signal into at least a transient component signal and a non-transient component signal. An output circuit (105, 107, 109) then generates a first output audio signal in response to a weighted combination of the transient component signal and the non-transient component signal. In the combination the weighting of the transient component signal is different than the weighting of the non-transient component signal. A new signal with different emphasis of specific sound characteristics can be achieved. The approach may be particularly suited to generation of new spatial audio channels from an existing spatial audio channel, such as in particular the generation of an elevated channel from audio signals of a lower channel.

Abstract: An audio processing apparatus comprises a receiver (705) which receives audio data including audio components and render configuration data including audio transducer position data for a set of audio transducers (703). A renderer (707) generating audio transducer signals for the set of audio transducers from the audio data. The renderer (7010) is capable of rendering audio components in accordance with a plurality of rendering modes. A render controller (709) selects the rendering modes for the renderer (707) from the plurality of rendering modes based on the audio transducer position data. The renderer (707) can employ different rendering modes for different subsets of the set of audio transducers the render controller (709) can independently select rendering modes for each of the different subsets of the set of audio transducers (703).

Abstract: An apparatus for spatial sound reproduction comprises a receiver (101) for receiving a multi-channel audio signal. An analyzer (107) determines a spatial property of the multi-channel audio signal, such as a spatial complexity or organization. A selection processor (109) then selects a reproduction mode from a plurality of sound reproduction modes where the multi-channel sound reproduction modes employ different spatial rendering techniques. A reproduction circuit (103) then drives a set of loudspeakers (105) to reproduce the multi-channel audio signal using the selected reproduction mode. The switching between the reproduction modes may be fast (e.g. in the order of 100 ms to 10 secs) thereby allowing a short term adaptation of the reproduction mode to the signal characteristics. The approach may in particular provide an improved spatial experience to a listener.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a receiver (203) receiving a multichannel signal comprising two channels for rendering by a first speaker (101) at a first position and a second speaker (103) at a second position respectively. A first signal generator (207) generates a correlated signal and a second signal generator (209) generates an uncorrelated signal from the multichannel signal, the signals comprising respectively correlated and uncorrelated signal components for the channels. A receiver (201) receives a microphone signal from the microphone (107). A first correlator (213) determines a first correlation signal from a correlation of the microphone signal and the correlated signal, and a second correlator (215) determines a second correlation signal from a correlation of the microphone signal and the uncorrelated signal. A position estimator (219) estimates a position of the microphone from the first and second correlation signals.

Abstract: An audio apparatus comprises a receiver (201) which receives an audio signal. A generator (203) generates a multi-channel signal including a primary signal and a secondary signal. For example, the multi-channel signal may include a center speech signal and an ambient signal. A driver (205) generates drive signals for a set of loudspeakers (109-15) which for a loudspeaker will include at least a first signal component from the primary 5 signal and a second signal component from the secondary signal. A position circuit (207) determines the position of the loudspeaker (109) and the driver (205) adjusts a level of the primary signal component relative to a level of the secondary signal component in response to the first position relative to a reference position. The approach may allow automated adaptation of the audio rendering to specific loudspeaker configurations and may in particular 10 support optimized rendering for a plurality of listening zones.

Abstract: The method of the invention enables selection of an item (21) from a plurality of items (21, 23, 25). The method comprises the steps of visually representing a selected item (21) and reproducing at least part of an audio segment representing the selected item (21). The method further comprises applying a visual spatial effect to the visual representation of the selected item (21) and applying a spatial audio effect corresponding to the visual spatial effect to the reproduction of the audio segment. The device of the invention comprises electronic circuitry which is operative to perform the method of the invention. The computer program product of the invention enables a programmable device to perform the method of the invention.

Abstract: A system and methods for automatically commissioning electrical fixtures using sound are disclosed. Electrical fixtures (140-149) detect sounds produced by a sound generator moved along a path (300) through installed fixtures according to a building plan (100). Each electrical fixture may be associated with a mapped fixture location in the building plan by correlating the detected sound with the location of the sound generator along the path.

Abstract: A surround sound system comprises a receiver (301) for receiving a multichannel spatial signal that comprises at least one surround channel. A directional ultrasound transducer (305) is used for emitting ultrasound towards a surface to reach a listening position (111) via a reflection of the surface. The ultrasound signal may specifically reach the listening position from the side, above or behind of a nominal listener. A first drive unit (303) generates a drive signal for the directional ultrasound transducer (301) from the surround channel. The use of an ultrasound transducer for providing the surround sound signal provides an improved spatial experience while allowing the speaker to be located e.g. to the front of the user. In particular, an ultrasound beam is much narrower and well defined than conventional audio beams and can accordingly better be directed to provide the desired reflections. In some scenarios, the ultrasound transducer (305) may be supplemented by an audio range loudspeaker (309).

Abstract: An ambient telecommunication system includes at least one transmitter and a corresponding receiver for transmitting and receiving an electronically or digitally encoded information signal between two or more conversing parties. The system further includes a movement member configured to perform a movement or assume a certain physical posture, based on the result of content analysis of the information signal.