Abstract: An audio entertainment system includes an audio infotainment system adapted to provide sound to an environment, a plurality of speakers positioned within the environment and in communication with the infotainment system, and a controller adapted to automatically adjust output characteristics of each of the plurality of speakers based on a location of occupants within the environment.

Abstract: A sound-enabled detection system responds to a wakeup sound, and notifies a central server. Based on which wakeup sound is detected; the system's configuration is modified accordingly. More particularly, at least one sensor in the system has its wakeup sound reconfigured to “wake up” upon detection of a second wakeup sound when the first wakeup sound is detected.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for re-routing a call a when utilizing a collaborative mode of operation is provided herein. During operation, when a radio is operating in a collaborative mode, a battery level of the smart device will be monitored by the radio. If the associated smart device's battery is below a predefined threshold, the radio will be connected to a new talk-group via a standard narrowband network. As a consequence, each outgoing (or incoming) call from the radio over the new talkgroup on the narrowband network will be re-routed to the broadband network via the narrowband network (without utilizing the smart phone).

Abstract: Methods for detecting faults in a siren-based alert system include receiving, by a siren device from a central siren controller, an activation command. The activation command identifies a neighbor siren device that is to be activated. Audible alerts output by the neighbor siren device include a unique identifying characteristic associated with the neighbor siren device. The method includes determining that the unique identifying characteristic is not detectable by the siren device and, in response, taking corrective action. The corrective action includes the siren device sending a siren fault notification to the central siren controller indicating a failure to detect the unique identifying characteristic and may also include modifying the audible alert output by the siren device to compensate for the faulty siren device. The siren device may send a siren fault notification to the central siren controller if an unexpected audible alert, such as a potential false alarm, is detected.

Abstract: Methods for detecting faults in a siren-based alert system include receiving, by a siren device from a central siren controller, an activation command. The activation command identifies a neighbor siren device that is to be activated. Audible alerts output by the neighbor siren device include a unique identifying characteristic associated with the neighbor siren device. The method includes determining that the unique identifying characteristic is not detectable by the siren device and, in response, taking corrective action. The corrective action includes the siren device sending a siren fault notification to the central siren controller indicating a failure to detect the unique identifying characteristic and may also include modifying the audible alert output by the siren device to compensate for the faulty siren device. The siren device may send a siren fault notification to the central siren controller if an unexpected audible alert, such as a potential false alarm, is detected.

Abstract: A device, system and method for emergency audio transmission is provided. A server receives, over a broadband network, a request to make an emergency audio transmission to a talk group. The request is received from a first push-to-talk (PTT) device communicatively connected with the talk group over a narrow band network at which a second PTT device of the talk group has floor control. In response to granting the request, the server receives, from the first PTT device, an audio transmission over the broadband network, and transmits the audio transmission to the talk group via the broadband network.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for configuring a portable communication device are disclosed. The methods include receiving an incoming audio signal, adjusting the incoming signal audio level based on a volume control setting, generating an ultrasonic audio signal having an audio level independent of the volume control setting, mixing the incoming signal with the ultrasonic signal to generate a mixed audio signal, outputting the mixed signal to a remote audio device, receiving a remote audio signal from the remote device, and comparing the remote signal audio level to one or more thresholds to determine whether to output a compensated audio signal to a speaker. The remote signal may be detected by the remote device in response to sound output from the remote device based on the mixed signal, and the compensated signal audio signal may be adjusted based on an estimated loss in loudness associated with the remote signal audio level.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for configuring an electronic communication device are disclosed. The methods include determining that the device is operating in a loud speaker mode and a front side of the device is in proximity to a surface, thus determining that the device is in a position associated with acoustic coupling between the loud speaker and the front microphone. The methods include initiating emission of a beacon signal from the loud speaker, determining, dependent on a measured property of the beacon signal received by the front microphone, that the acoustic coupling exceeds a predetermined threshold for high acoustic coupling and, in response, configuring a rear microphone as the primary microphone for capturing audio input. The beacon signal may be an ultrasonic signal. Once the device is no longer in the position associated with acoustic coupling nor experiencing high acoustic coupling, the front microphone may be configured as the primary microphone.

Abstract: Devices and methods for howling suppression. One method includes receiving, via a microphone, an acoustic signal from a communication device operating in an acoustic field with the microphone. The method includes determining a reflection pattern for the acoustic field based on the acoustic signal, and determining an acoustic characteristic for the acoustic field based on the reflection pattern. The method includes determining, based on the acoustic characteristic, a plurality of howling zones for the acoustic field, each zone defined by first and second proximity thresholds. The method includes, for each of the howling zones, determining an attenuation level for the zone based on the proximity thresholds and the acoustic characteristic. The method includes determining a distance between the microphone and the communication device, selecting one of the howling zones based on the distance, and adjusting a volume of a loudspeaker based on the attenuation level for the selected howling zone.

Abstract: Smart handcuffs are provided herein as part of a personal-area-network (PAN) along with a method for operating the smart handcuffs and the PAN. During operation smart handcuffs will pair with a first PAN master device. An alarm will sound when no system identification (SSID) is detected by the handcuffs, when no SSID is detected by the handcuffs that matches SSIDs within an internal database, when the handcuffs have broken the pairing with the first PAN master device, and the handcuffs have not paired or are not pairing with a second PAN, or when the handcuffs have broken the pairing with the first PAN master device, and no update from the handcuffs has been received by the first master device that the handcuffs have paired or will pair with the second PAN.

Abstract: An audio framework for acoustic feedback suppression. One example portable communication device includes a microphone, a loudspeaker, and an electronic processor. The electronic processor receives an acoustic signal, including an audible component and an ultrasonic component, from the microphone. The electronic processor splits the acoustic signal into a first stream and a second stream identical to the first stream. The electronic processor is removes the ultrasonic component from the first stream to generate a filtered audio stream, and passes the filtered audio stream to a sound server. The electronic processor removes the audible component from the second stream to generate a received ultrasonic stream, and compares the received ultrasonic stream to a transmit ultrasonic stream to determine an acoustic distance. The electronic processor determines an attenuation level based on the acoustic distance, and adjusts an audio component of the portable communication device based on the attenuation level.

Abstract: Smart handcuffs are provided herein as part of a personal-area-network (PAN) along with a method for operating the smart handcuffs and the PAN. During operation smart handcuffs will pair with a first PAN master device. An alarm will sound when no system identification (SSID) is detected by the handcuffs, when no SSID is detected by the handcuffs that matches SSIDs within an internal database, when the handcuffs have broken the pairing with the first PAN master device, and the handcuffs have not paired or are not pairing with a second PAN, or when the handcuffs have broken the pairing with the first PAN master device, and no update from the handcuffs has been received by the first master device that the handcuffs have paired or will pair with the second PAN.

Abstract: Method, device, and system for identifying a howling source and suppressing howling. One system includes a first communication device including a microphone, a first transceiver, and an electronic processor. The system also includes a second communication device including a second transceiver transmitting a radio signal and a speaker transmitting an acoustic signal. The electronic processor determines a first distance between the first communication device and the second communication device based on the radio signal received by the first transceiver. When the first distance is less than a first threshold, the electronic processor determines a second distance between the first communication device and the second communication device based on the acoustic signal received by the microphone.

Abstract: A method, a system, and a network include combining communications from a plurality of subscribers providing a full-duplex communication channel therebetween; detecting noise on the full-duplex communication channel above a predetermined threshold; and selectively enabling a special half-duplex mode on one or more of the plurality of subscribers responsive to the noise, wherein the special half-duplex mode comprises a push-to-talk mode whereby a subscriber has to enable communications via push-to-talk while communicating on the full-duplex communication channel. The method, system, and network define a special half-duplex mode whereby participants are allowed to communicate via push-to-talk, but have their associated lines suppressed to remove noise from the full-duplex communication channel.