Abstract: A headphone includes an acoustic transducer having a sound-radiating surface that moves along a first axis, a housing enclosing the acoustic transducer, a first acoustic chamber defined by a first side of the acoustic transducer and a first portion of the housing, the first acoustic chamber including a first reactive port in a serial configuration with an acoustic resistance to couple the first acoustic chamber with space outside the headphone, a second acoustic chamber defined by a second side of the acoustic transducer and a second portion of the housing, the second acoustic chamber separated from the first acoustic chamber by the acoustic transducer, and an opening coupling the second acoustic chamber to the wearer's ear canal along a second axis that is not parallel to the first axis.

Abstract: In an active noise reducing headphone, a signal processor applies filters and control gains of both the feed-forward and feedback active noise cancellation signal paths. The signal processor is configured to apply first feed-forward filters to the feed-forward signal path and apply first feedback filters to the feedback signal path during a first operating mode providing effective cancellation of ambient sound, and to apply second feed-forward filters to the feed-forward signal path during a second operating mode providing active hear-through of ambient sounds with ambient naturalness.

Abstract: An earphone includes a first acoustic chamber having a reactive element and a resistive element in a parallel configuration, a second acoustic chamber separated from the first acoustic chamber by an acoustic transducer and including a unitary port to provide both pressure equalization of the second chamber and equalization of the earphone to a predetermined frequency response, and a housing to support the apparatus from the concha of a wearer's ear and to extend the second acoustic chamber into the ear canal of the wearer's ear.

Abstract: In an active noise reducing headphone, a signal processor applies filters and control gains of both the feed-forward and feedback active noise cancellation signal paths. The signal processor is configured to apply first feed-forward filters to the feed-forward signal path and apply first feedback filters to the feedback signal path during a first operating mode providing effective cancellation of ambient sound, and to apply second feed-forward filters to the feed-forward signal path during a second operating mode providing active hear-through of ambient sounds with ambient naturalness.

Abstract: An active noise reduction earphone. The earphone includes structure for positioning and retaining the earphone in the ear of a user without a headband, active noise reduction circuitry including an acoustic driver with a nominal diameter greater than 10 mm oriented so that a line parallel to, or coincident with, an axis of the acoustic driver and that intersects a centerline of the nozzle intersects the centerline of the nozzle at angle ?>±30 degrees. A microphone is positioned adjacent an edge of the acoustic driver. The earphone is configured so that a portion of the acoustic driver is within the concha of a user and another portion of the acoustic driver is outside the concha of the user when the earphone is in position. An opening coupling the nozzle to the environment includes impedance providing structure in the opening.

Abstract: An earphone includes a first acoustic chamber having a reactive element and a resistive element in a parallel configuration, a second acoustic chamber separated from the first acoustic chamber by an acoustic transducer and including a unitary port to provide both pressure equalization of the second chamber and equalization of the earphone to a predetermined frequency response, and a housing to support the apparatus from the concha of a wearer's ear and to extend the second acoustic chamber into the ear canal of the wearer's ear.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of an ANR circuit detecting instances of instability in at least the provision of feedback-based ANR, monitoring audio that includes feedback anti-noise sounds for acoustic output by an acoustic driver for a sound having characteristics indicative of instability including at least a frequency within a range of frequencies and an amplitude reaching at least a predetermined minimum amplitude, and perhaps also a sinusoidal waveform.

Abstract: An active noise reduction earphone. The earphone includes structure for positioning and retaining the earphone in the ear of a user without a headband, active noise reduction circuitry including an acoustic driver with a nominal diameter greater than 10 mm oriented so that a line parallel to, or coincident with, an axis of the acoustic driver and that intersects a centerline of the nozzle intersects the centerline of the nozzle at angle ?>±30 degrees. A microphone is positioned adjacent an edge of the acoustic driver. The earphone is configured so that a portion of the acoustic driver is within the concha of a user and another portion of the acoustic driver is outside the concha of the user when the earphone is in position. An opening coupling the nozzle to the environment includes impedance providing structure in the opening.

Abstract: An active noise reduction earphone. The earphone includes structure for positioning and retaining the earphone in the ear of a user without a headband, active noise reduction circuitry including an acoustic driver with a nominal diameter greater than 10 mm oriented so that a line parallel to, or coincident with, an axis of the acoustic driver and that intersects a centerline of the nozzle intersects the centerline of the nozzle at angle ?>±30 degrees. A microphone is positioned adjacent an edge of the acoustic driver. The earphone is configured so that a portion of the acoustic driver is within the concha of a user and another portion of the acoustic driver is outside the concha of the user when the earphone is in position. An opening coupling the nozzle to the environment includes impedance providing structure in the opening.

Abstract: An active noise reduction earphone. The earphone includes structure for positioning and retaining the earphone in the ear of a user without a headband, active noise reduction circuitry including an acoustic driver with a nominal diameter greater than 10 mm oriented so that a line parallel to, or coincident with, an axis of the acoustic driver and that intersects a centerline of the nozzle intersects the centerline of the nozzle at angle ?>±30 degrees. A microphone is positioned adjacent an edge of the acoustic driver. The earphone is configured so that a portion of the acoustic driver is within the concha of a user and another portion of the acoustic driver is outside the concha of the user when the earphone is in position. An opening coupling the nozzle to the environment includes impedance providing structure in the opening.

Abstract: An earphone includes a first acoustic chamber having a reactive element and a resistive element in a parallel configuration, a second acoustic chamber separated from the first acoustic chamber by an acoustic transducer and including a unitary port to provide both pressure equalization of the second chamber and equalization of the earphone to a predetermined frequency response, and a housing to support the apparatus from the concha of a wearer's ear and to extend the second acoustic chamber into the ear canal of the wearer's ear.

Abstract: An earpiece of an ANR device incorporates one or more of feedforward-based ANR; feedback-based ANR; passive noise reduction (PNR) of environmental noise sounds in the environment external to the casing of the earpiece in higher audible frequencies; a controlled leak acoustically coupling the front cavity to the environment external to the casing of the ANR device where the coupling may be through another cavity that is closable to the environment external to the casing with a leaky cover; a combination of an acoustically resistive port and a mass port coupling a rear cavity to the environment external to the casing where the coupling may be through another cavity that is closable to the environment external to the casing with a leaky cover; a feedforward microphone given acoustic access to the environment external to the casing through an aperture that is overlain with a leaky cover or that is enclosed within a cavity that is acoustically coupled to the environment external to the casing with a leak.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of controlling provision of ANR, possibly of a personal ANR device, in which amplitudes of a piece of audio employed in the provision of ANR are monitored, and the compression of one or both of feedback and feedforward ANR reference sounds is made dependent on frequency such that a first sound of one frequency need only reach a lower amplitude to trigger compression, while a second sound of another frequency must reach a higher amplitude to trigger compression.

Abstract: A headset including an earcup having a front opening adapted to be adjacent to the ear of the user, a baffle disposed within the earcup to define front and rear cavities, a cushion extending around the periphery of the front opening of the earcup and constructed and arranged to accommodate the ear of the user, the cushion having a first density, an inner radial portion, and an outer radial portion opposite the inner radial portion, a cushion cover substantially surrounding the cushion to form a headphone cushion assembly, and a high impedance component having a second density and located near the outer radial portion to increase the transmission loss of the cushion along a radial direction.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of an ANR circuit detecting instances of instability in at least the provision of feedback-based ANR, monitoring audio that includes feedback anti-noise sounds for acoustic output by an acoustic driver for a sound having characteristics indicative of instability including at least a frequency within a range of frequencies and an amplitude reaching at least a predetermined minimum amplitude, and perhaps also a sinusoidal waveform.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of controlling provision of ANR, possibly of a personal ANR device, in which amplitudes of a piece of audio employed in the provision of ANR are monitored, and the compression of one or both of feedback and feedforward ANR reference sounds is made dependent on frequency such that a first sound of one frequency need only reach a lower amplitude to trigger compression, while a second sound of another frequency must reach a higher amplitude to trigger compression.

Abstract: An earphone includes a first acoustic chamber having a reactive element and a resistive element in a parallel configuration, a second acoustic chamber separated from the first acoustic chamber by an acoustic transducer and including a unitary port to provide both pressure equalization of the second chamber and equalization of the earphone to a predetermined frequency response, and a housing to support the apparatus from the concha of a wearer's ear and to extend the second acoustic chamber into the ear canal of the wearer's ear.

Abstract: An earpiece of an ANR device incorporates one or more of feedforward-based ANR; feedback-based ANR; passive noise reduction (PNR) of environmental noise sounds in the environment external to the casing of the earpiece in higher audible frequencies; a controlled leak acoustically coupling the front cavity to the environment external to the casing of the ANR device where the coupling may be through another cavity that is closable to the environment external to the casing with a leaky cover; a combination of an acoustically resistive port and a mass port coupling a rear cavity to the environment external to the casing where the coupling may be through another cavity that is closable to the environment external to the casing with a leaky cover; a feedforward microphone given acoustic access to the environment external to the casing through an aperture that is overlain with a leaky cover or that is enclosed within a cavity that is acoustically coupled to the environment external to the casing with a leak.

Abstract: A headset including an earcup having a front opening adapted to be adjacent to the ear of the user, a baffle disposed within the earcup to define front and rear cavities, a cushion extending around the periphery of the front opening of the earcup and constructed and arranged to accommodate the ear of the user, the cushion having a first density, an inner radial portion, and an outer radial portion opposite the inner radial portion, a cushion cover substantially surrounding the cushion to form a headphone cushion assembly, and a high impedance component having a second density and located near the outer radial portion to increase the transmission loss of the cushion along a radial direction.