Abstract: A system and method for performing sound quality testing of audio equipment in a conference room, the method comprising: determining, at a time t1, in a conference room with a set of audio video equipment, the set of audio equipment comprising one or more loudspeakers, one or more microphones, and audio signal processing equipment that includes at least an acoustic echo cancellation function, an initial audio performance level (IAPL) with the acoustic echo cancellation function turned off, and storing the same; determining, at a second time t2, following the first point in time t1, a current audio performance level (CAPL) with the acoustic echo cancellation function turned off, and storing the same; comparing the CAPL to the IAPL; and determining if the audio equipment in the conference room passes or fails the sound quality test based on the comparison of the CAPL to the IAPL.

Abstract: Described herein is a data communication system using power over Ethernet (PoE) for power distribution, comprising a first and second powered device (PD), each of which is adapted to communicate with each other through an Ethernet data path (EDP) and is further adapted to receive direct current (DC) power using a PoE protocol, and a mid-span power injection device (MSPID) adapted to provide a communications interface such that data communications passes through the MSPID to and from each of the PDs, and wherein the MSPID is further adapted to provide a first DC power to only the first PD using the EDP, and to provide a second DC power to only the second PD using the EDP.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for performing testing of audio equipment in a conference room, the method executed by one or more processors, comprising: (a) commissioning the conference room with a set of audio video equipment, the set of audio equipment comprising one or more loudspeakers, one or more microphones, and audio signal processing equipment that includes at least an acoustic echo cancellation function; (b) determining an initial audio performance level in the conference room, and storing the initial audio performance level (IAPL); (c) determining that sound quality testing of the audio equipment in the conference room should be performed; (d) disabling the acoustic echo cancellation function in the audio equipment of the conference room such that an output from each of the one or more loudspeakers is not removed from a respective microphone output signal; (e) generating an electrical stimulus test signal and transmitting it to the one or more loudspeakers in the audio equipment of the c

Abstract: A system and method are described herein, for determining operational status of one or more power-over-Ethernet powered loudspeakers, the system and method comprising: receiving audio data at an audio receiver; transmitting the received audio data from the audio receiver to one or more audio data interface devices using an audio-over-Internet Protocol (AoIP) encoding scheme using an Ethernet cable; receiving the transmitted AoIP encoded audio data at audio data interface device, converting the encoded audio data to an analog audio data signal, transmitting the analog audio data signal to at least one loudspeaker, and broadcasting the same as an acoustic audio signal; substantially continuously receiving and storing status information by a status monitor located in the audio data interface device; and transmitting the received and stored status information to the audio receiver.

Abstract: A Power over Ethernet (PoE) Powered Device (60) is described herein that includes an auxiliary processor (62) that negotiates a power level with a PoE Power Sourcing Equipment using a first link layer (650), means for holding the PoE Powered Device in a low power state, and a second link layer (50) that allows the main processor to communicate over the Ethernet.

Abstract: Described herein is a data communication system using power over Ethernet (PoE) for power distribution, comprising a first and second powered device (PD), each of which is adapted to communicate with each other through an Ethernet data path (EDP) and is further adapted to receive direct current (DC) power using a PoE protocol, and a mid-span power injection device (MSPID) adapted to provide a communications interface such that data communications passes through the MSPID to and from each of the PDs, and wherein the MSPID is further adapted to provide a first DC power to only the first PD using the EDP, and to provide a second DC power to only the second PD using the EDP.

Abstract: Described herein is a data communication system using power over Ethernet (PoE) for power distribution, comprising a first and second powered device (PD), each of which is adapted to communicate with each other through an Ethernet data path (EDP) and is further adapted to receive direct current (DC) power using a PoE protocol, and a mid-span power injection device (MSPID) adapted to provide a communications interface such that data communications passes through the MSPID to and from each of the PDs, and wherein the MSPID is further adapted to provide a first DC power to only the first PD using the EDP, and to provide a second DC power to only the second PD using the EDP.

Abstract: A method for operating a beamforming microphone array for use in a predetermined area is provided herein, the method comprising: receiving acoustic audio signals at each of a plurality of microphones, converting the same to an electrical mic audio signal, and outputting each of the plurality of electrical mic audio signals; generating a user location data signal by a wave sensor system, and outputting the user location data signal, wherein the user location data signal includes location information of one or more people within the predetermined area; receiving both the user location data signal and plurality of echo-corrected mic audio signals at an adaptive beamforming device; and adapting one or more beams by the adaptive beamforming device based on the user location data signal and plurality of mic audio signals wherein each of the one or more beams acquires sound from one or more specific locations in the predetermined area.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for performing testing of audio equipment in a conference room, the method executed by one or more processors, comprising: (a) commissioning the conference room with a set of audio video equipment, the set of audio equipment comprising one or more loudspeakers, one or more microphones, and audio signal processing equipment that includes at least an acoustic echo cancellation function; (b) determining an initial audio performance level in the conference room, and storing the initial audio performance level (IAPL); (c) determining that sound quality testing of the audio equipment in the conference room should be performed; (d) disabling the acoustic echo cancellation function in the audio equipment of the conference room such that an output from each of the one or more loudspeakers is not removed from a respective microphone output signal; (e) generating an electrical stimulus test signal and transmitting it to the one or more loudspeakers in the audio equipment of the c

Abstract: A system is provided herein comprising: a host audio testing device (HATD) adapted to generate one or more uniquely addressed audio test signals and transmit each generated audio test signal, and which is further adapted to receive audio test data from a bi-directional audio transceiver device (soundbar) device under test (DUT) that can be used in two or more remotely located conference rooms to perform teleconferencing between the remotely located conference rooms; and one or more remote audio generating devices (RATD), each of which is adapted to receive a generated uniquely addressed one or more audio test signals and broadcast the same to the soundbar, wherein each of the RATDs can be located at the same or different distances from the soundbar, the same or different heights with respect to the soundbar, and at the same or different angular placements with respect to the soundbar, and wherein, the HATD is further adapted to store and process the received audio test data from the DUT and generate audio tes

Abstract: A method for operating a beamforming microphone array for use in a predetermined area comprising: receiving acoustic audio signals at each of a plurality of microphones, converting the same to an electrical mic audio signal, and outputting each of the plurality of electrical mic audio signals; generating a user location data signal by a wave sensor system, and outputting the user location data signal, wherein the user location data signal includes location information of one or more people within the predetermined area; receiving both the user location data signal and plurality of mic audio signals at an adaptive beamforming device; adapting one or more beams by the adaptive beamforming device based on the user location data signal and plurality of output electrical mic audio signals wherein each of the one or more beams acquires sound from one or more specific locations in the predetermined area; and performing acoustic echo cancellation on each of the one or more beams output from the adaptive beamforming d

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for delaying audio from a received signal prior to processing in an acoustic echo cancellation device, comprising: receiving an audio signal at an audio extraction and delay device; determining a first amount of delay to apply to the received audio signal such that acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) processing can occur; applying the first amount of delay to the received audio signal; transmitting the un-delayed audio signal to an AEC circuit; and transmitting the delayed audio signal to one or more speakers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a microphone system, comprising: one or more microphones each of which is adapted to receive acoustic audio signals and convert the same from acoustical energy signals into electrical audio signals and output the same as microphone output audio signals; and an acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) device adapted to receive the microphone output audio signals, and wherein the AEC device also receives as a second input a reference audio signal from a network, and wherein the AEC device is further adapted to cancel substantially all of the reference audio signal from the microphone output audio signals and output the same as a corrected audio signal, and wherein the reference audio signal comprises an audio signal generated by an external audio system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining one or more spoken words, comprising: receiving acoustic audio signals at one or more microphones within a microphone system, and converting the same from acoustical energy signals into electrical audio signals and outputting them as microphone output audio signals; receiving the microphone output audio signals from the microphone device at a first input of an acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) device, and receiving a reference input signal at a second input of the AEC device; cancelling substantially all of the reference audio signal from the microphone output audio signal; and outputting the same as a corrected audio signal, and wherein the reference audio signal comprises an audio signal generated by an external audio system.

Abstract: A beamforming microphone array is described herein, comprising: a plurality of microphones each of which is adapted to receive an acoustic audio signal and convert the same to a microphone (mic) audio signal; a wave sensor system adapted to determine locations of one or more people within a predetermined area about the beamforming microphone array and output the same as user location data signal; and an adaptive beamforming circuit adapted to receive the user location data signal and plurality of mic audio signals and perform adaptive beamforming on the plurality of mic audio signals that takes into account the received user location data signal to adapt a plurality of beam signals, one for each of the microphones, to acquire sound from one or more specific locations in the predetermined area; and a plurality of acoustic echo cancellation devices, one for each of the beam signal outputs from the adaptive beamforming circuit, wherein each of the plurality of acoustic echo cancellation devices is adapted to rec

Abstract: Disclosed is an audio extraction device for use in an audio signal processing system, comprising: an audio transceiver adapted to receive an audio signal; a delay circuit adapted to delay the received audio signal by a first delay period; a first audio transmitter adapted to transmit the delayed version of the received audio signal to a first destination; and a second audio transmitter adapted to transmit the un-delayed version of the received audio signal to a second destination.

Abstract: A beamforming microphone array is described herein, comprising: a plurality of microphones each of which is adapted to receive an acoustic audio signal and convert the same to a microphone (mic) audio signal; a wave sensor system adapted to determine locations of one or more people within a predetermined area about the beamforming microphone array and output the same as user location data signal; and an adaptive beamforming circuit adapted to receive the user location data signal and plurality of mic audio signals and perform adaptive beamforming on the plurality of mic audio signals that takes into account the received user location data signal to adapt one or more beams to acquire sound from one or more specific locations in the predetermined area.

Abstract: An audio processing device for use in a network connected audio conferencing system is provided, comprising: a network microphone array comprising two or more microphones (mics) and a beamforming circuit, wherein the network mic array is adapted to acquire acoustic audio signals, convert the same to electric audio signals, perform audio beamforming on the electric audio signals, and output a digital combined beamforming circuit output signal that comprises a first signal part and a second signal part, and wherein the first signal part comprises a first set of digital bits that comprises an active beam index, and wherein the active beam index encodes a selected beam position out of a possible N beam positions, and wherein the second signal part comprises a second set of digital bits that comprises a beamformed audio signal; a receiver adapted to receive the digital combined beamforming circuit output signal and split the same into the first signal part and the second signal part; a plurality of acoustic echo c

Abstract: An audio processing device for use in a network connected audio conferencing system is provided, comprising: a network microphone array comprising two or more microphones (mics) and a beamforming circuit, wherein the network mic array is adapted to acquire acoustic audio signals, convert the same to electric audio signals, perform audio beamforming on the electric audio signals, and output a digital combined beamforming circuit output signal that comprises a first signal part and a second signal part, and wherein the first signal part comprises a first set of digital bits that comprises an active beam index, and wherein the active beam index encodes a selected beam position out of a possible N beam positions, and wherein the second signal part comprises a second set of digital bits that comprises a beamformed audio signal; a receiver adapted to receive the digital combined beamforming circuit output signal and split the same into the first signal part and the second signal part; a plurality of acoustic echo c

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for determining which controllable device an audible command is directed towards, the method comprising: receiving at each of two or more controlling devices the audible command signal, the audible command being directed to control at least one of two or more controllable devices controlled by a respective one of the two or more controlling devices; digitizing each of the received audible command signals; attaching a unique identifier to each digitized audible command so as to uniquely correlate it to a respective controlling device; determining a magnitude of each of the digitized audible command; determining a digitized audible command with the greatest magnitude, and further determining to which controlling device the audible command is directed to on the basis of the unique identifier associated with the digitized audible command with the greatest magnitude; performing speech recognition on the digitized audible command with the greatest magnitude; and forwarding a com