Abstract: A media enhancement module (13) can be used in conjunction with a media delivery system such as an in-flight entertainment system to enhance media delivered to a user depending on the user's preferences. The module (13) can be provided between a media transmission network and a media player device (15) to receive a media signal from the transmission network and process the media signal to provide the user selected enhancement.

Abstract: An active noise reduction (ANR) component for provision in an earphone housing is disclosed. The device includes a driver and a sensing microphone, the driver and sensing microphone being housed in a component housing. The earphone housing has an outlet passageway from the ANR component to an auditory canal. The ANR component is adapted for use with a controller to provide active noise reduction to the auditory canal over a predetermined range of physical dimensions or acoustic parameters of the housing outlet passageway. The ANR component can thus be used with different housings which simplifies the design process for producing ANR earphone products.

Abstract: A noise cancellation system includes a headphone having a sound transducer and a headphone speaker. Noise cancellation circuitry is provided remote from the headphone and supplies the headphone speaker and is supplied from the sound transducer. A filter normalizes the output from the sound transducer of the headphone to the noise cancellation circuitry.

Abstract: An ear bud earphone for use with a feedback noise cancellation system has a speaker and a microphone positioned anteriorly of the speaker. A cushion is provided exteriorly of a housing of the earphone. The cushion has a first region having a first acoustic transmission property, and a second region having a second acoustic transmission property comprising a greater impedance to transmission of audible sound than the first acoustic property. In one embodiment the first region is provided for contact with an inner ear surface, and the second region is provided between the first region and the housing. The cushion can be provided as a separate article.

Abstract: A jack (90) typically mounted in an aircraft seat is adapted for use with a variety of headset types. A jack has sockets (92, 93, 94) accepting any of several different types of plugs associated with different types of noise cancellation headsets or aviation industry headsets including one, two, or three pin types. The jack includes sensing components to correctly detect from the number of pins inserted, and the impedance and/or voltages sensed on those pins, the type of headset being used. With this identification, appropriate connections to the audio source as well as to noise cancellation circuitry may be made to enable the headset to function correctly.

Abstract: A jack (90) typically mounted in an aircraft seat is adapted for use with a variety of headset types. A jack has sockets (92, 93, 94) accepting any of several different types of plugs associated with different types of noise cancellation headsets or aviation industry headsets including one, two, or three pin types. The jack includes sensing components to correctly detect from the number of pins inserted, and the impedance and/or voltages sensed on those pins, the type of headset being used. With this identification, appropriate connections to the audio source as well as to noise cancellation circuitry may be made to enable the headset to function correctly.

Abstract: A jack (90) typically mounted in an aircraft seat is adapted for use with a variety of headset types. A jack has sockets (92, 93, 94) accepting any of several different types of plugs associated with different types of noise cancellation headsets or aviation industry headsets including one, two, or three pin types. The jack includes sensing components to correctly detect from the number of pins inserted, and the impedance and/or voltages sensed on those pins, the type of headset being used.

Abstract: A noise cancellation system includes a headphone having a sound transducer and a headphone speaker. Noise cancellation circuitry is provided remote from the headphone and supplies the headphone speaker and is supplied from the sound transducer. A filter normalizes the output from the sound transducer of the headphone to the noise cancellation circuitry.

Abstract: An elongate sleeve tie is used with casting form ties in the manufacture of composite wall structures. The casting form ties and sleeve ties act to secure one or more casting forms in a rigid position relative to an insulating layer positioned between the casting forms during the manufacture of composite wall structures. The casting form tie is received in a central recess of the elongate sleeve tie. Once the composite wall has been formed, the casting form ties may be pulled out of the wall, leaving the elongate sleeve ties in place. Removal of the casting form ties eliminates the thermal bridges that metal casting form ties would otherwise create. At least a portion of the sleeve tie is formed of a material having a high thermal resistance.

Abstract: An elongate sleeve tie is used with casting form ties in the manufacture of composite wall structures. The casting form ties and sleeve ties act to secure one or more casting forms in a rigid position relative to an insulating layer positioned between the casting forms during the manufacture of composite wall structures. The casting form tie is received in a central recess of the elongate sleeve tie. Once the composite wall has been formed, the casting form ties may be pulled out of the wall, leaving the elongate sleeve ties in place. Removal of the casting form ties eliminates the thermal bridges that metal casting form ties would otherwise create. At least a portion of the sleeve tie is formed of a material having a high thermal resistance.

Abstract: A jack typically for aircraft headphones has sockets (802) accepting any of several different types of headsets (804), and attached sensing components (801) to correctly detect from the number of pins inserted and the impedances and/or voltages sensed on those pins the type of headset inserted. Connection is then appropriately made to the audio while the stereo or noise cancellation properties of the headsets are correctly used.

Abstract: An active noise reduction system is provided having a novel configuration that uses a fixed point digital filter to estimate an inverted replica of the acoustic noise from the measurement of the control error at some predefined position. The inverted replica of the measured acoustic noise is used to generate an accurate acoustic control response that is processed by a fixed point digital filter in order to compensate for the undesirable dynamic effect of the physical components comprising the system. The system in effect yields a configuration that is open loop and which can provide an acoustic control response with an ability to generate a close match of the inverted replica of the acoustic noise. The system is not constrained by closed loop stability concerns which occur when employing an analogue feedback compensation approach. Nor is the configuration of the present invention hindered by poor parameter convergence as in the case of an adaptive feedforward implementation.

Abstract: A loudspeaker system is disclosed for active noise reduction. The loudspeaker has a substantially flat or planar diaphragm which is vibrated by an appropriate driver to generate a cancelling signal to cancel noise in the vicinity of the loudspeaker. The loudspeaker includes an input transducer such as a microphone which detects the ambient noise. The microphone is preferably incorporated in the panel structure of the loudspeaker in such a way that the ambient noise information can be captured and presented to active noise cancelling circuitry. The circuitry then provides an appropriate signal to the loudspeaker driver so that the cancelling sound source is provided by the loudspeaker. The use of flat panel loudspeaker technology has been found to provide effective noise reduction and is very appropriate for circumstances in which noise reduction is desirable, for example in aircraft, bus or vehicle seats or telephone kiosks.