Abstract: An electro-acoustic transducer or a device into which an electro-acoustic transducer is incorporated has at least two audio signal conductors through which the electro-acoustic transducer or device may be coupled to another device to convey analog audio signals representing sounds at a time when the other device places a relatively low DC bias voltage across the at least two audio signal conductors, and to be operated as a digital serial bus to exchange pieces of digitally-encoded data concerning the electro-acoustic transducer at a time when the other device places a relatively high DC bias voltage across the at least two audio signal conductors.

Abstract: A device into which an electro-acoustic transducer is incorporated has at least two audio signal conductors through which the device may be coupled to another device to convey analog audio signals representing sounds at a time when the other device places a relatively low DC bias voltage across the at least two audio signal conductors, and to be operated as either a digital serial bus to exchange pieces of digitally-encoded data concerning the electro-acoustic transducer or as a trigger to cause the electro-acoustic transducer to be bypassed to enable another electro-acoustic transducer to be tested at a time when the other device places a relatively high DC bias voltage across the at least two audio signal conductors.

Abstract: A apparatus and method for enabling signals representing a first audio channel and a second audio channel to be conveyed to a first earpiece and a second earpiece, respectively, regardless of which of the first and second earpieces a cable providing both the signals representing the first and second audio channels is coupled to, wherein a first acoustic driver of the first earpiece acoustically outputs the first audio channel and a second acoustic driver of the second earpiece acoustically outputs the second audio channel.

Abstract: A headset having a talk-through microphones incorporates an audio circuit that compresses a signal representing sounds detected by the talk-through microphones in response to the audio circuit detecting the onset of a peak (positive and/or negative) in the signal that exceeds a predetermined voltage level (positive and/or negative voltage level, perhaps a predetermined magnitude of voltage from a zero voltage level), and that does so with a rate of change in voltage level that exceeds a predetermined rate of change in voltage level, the degree of compression possibly being a compression to or near a zero amplitude (perhaps to or near a zero voltage level) and the duration of the compression possibly being controlled by a timing circuit set to a predetermined period of time that may be retriggerable while amidst the predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A gain of a signal representing sounds detected by a talk-through and/or feedforward ANR microphone of a talk-through function provided by a communications headset is reduced in response to a user of the communications headset speaking.

Abstract: Through a cable coupling two portions of a communications headset, conductors of the cable providing electric power from one of the portions to another are caused to do so with one of a selection of different predetermined voltage levels used to control aspects of one or more functions performed by the communications headset, including enabling or disabling functions, perhaps at least partially by controlling the manner in which the provided electric power is used.

Abstract: A normally-open pushbutton switch is coupled to and cooperates with a pair of MOSFETs to provide a power on switch function for a personal audio device that does not require power to be drawn from a power source to monitor the pushbutton switch while awaiting operation of the pushbutton switch to cause the personal audio device to be powered on.

Abstract: A controller of a personal audio device, on multiple occasions, monitors a conductor by which it is able to be coupled to another device for the end to an instance of signal activity, and following the end of signal activity, injects a current into the conductor and measures the resulting voltage to calculate an adaptive threshold voltage and to compare the measured voltage to the adaptive threshold to determine at least whether or not the conductor of the personal audio device is coupled to another device.

Abstract: Electric power is provided to a two-way communications headset by creating a differential DC voltage potential between a ground conductor associated with a microphone of that headset and a ground conductor associated with an acoustic driver of that headset, thereby enabling that headset to refrain from drawing electric power from a more limited local power source.

Abstract: Electric power is provided to a two-way communications headset by creating a differential DC voltage potential between a ground conductor associated with a microphone of that headset and a ground conductor associated with an acoustic driver of that headset, thereby enabling that headset to refrain from drawing electric power from a more limited local power source.

Abstract: Apparatus and method to mix audio provided by a radio with audio provided by an ICS in which the audio of the radio being mixed with audio provided by the ICS and presented to one ear of a user, and in which audio provided by the ICS is presented to the other ear of the user without being mixed with audio provided by the radio.

Abstract: Displacement of a moving diaphragm in an electroacoustic transducer is measured by modulating an electrical signal based on changes in capacitance between the voice coil assembly and the magnetic structure resulting from relative motion between the voice coil and the magnetic structure. The modulated electrical signal is demodulated to produce an output signal having a value proportional to the displacement.

Abstract: A headset is able to be coupled via a cable to an intercom system, is able to be wirelessly coupled to a wireless device via a wireless transceiver of the headset, and is able to be connected to a wired device via another cable. A controller of the headset separately monitors the microphone conductors and audio conductors by which the headset may be coupled to the intercom system to detect whether or not one or both of a communications microphone and an acoustic driver of the headset are coupled to the intercom system, and monitors the operating state of the wireless transceiver to detect whether or not the wireless transceiver is inactive, on standby or in use; and selectively couples a system ground conductor to one of the microphone conductors, and selectively provides a local microphone bias voltage in response to what is observed through such monitoring.

Abstract: A headset is able to be coupled via a cable to an intercom system, is able to be wirelessly coupled to a wireless device via a wireless transceiver of the headset, and is able to be connected to a wired device via another cable. A controller of the headset separately monitors the microphone conductors and audio conductors by which the headset may be coupled to the intercom system to detect whether or not one or both of a communications microphone and an acoustic driver of the headset are coupled to the intercom system, and monitors the operating state of the wireless transceiver to detect whether or not the wireless transceiver is inactive, on standby or in use; and selectively couples a system ground conductor to one of the microphone conductors, selectively provides a local sidetone, and/or selectively provides a local microphone bias voltage in response to what is observed through such monitoring.

Abstract: An electroacoustic transducer includes a housing and a moving portion adapted to move relative to the housing. The moving portion has a first surface and includes a first electrode. A second electrode on a first surface of the housing is located proximate to a first region of the first electrode, and a third electrode on the first surface of the housing is located proximate to a second region of the first electrode. A capacitance between the first and second electrodes and a capacitance between the first and third electrodes vary similarly with displacement of the moving portion relative to the housing. An impedance buffer is coupled to the second electrode and the third electrode.

Abstract: Apparatus and method to mix first and second audio channels provided to a headset in response to the quantity of audio devices coupled to its connectors, in response to whether any of those audio devices provides more than one audio channel, and in response to their being a complete lack of electric power provided by any audio device and from a power source of the apparatus, itself.

Abstract: A headset is able to be coupled via a cable to an intercom system, is able to be wirelessly coupled to a wireless device via a wireless transceiver of the headset, and is able to be connected to a wired device via another cable. A controller of the headset separately monitors the microphone conductors and audio conductors by which the headset may be coupled to the intercom system to detect whether or not one or both of a communications microphone and an acoustic driver of the headset are coupled to the intercom system, and monitors the operating state of the wireless transceiver to detect whether or not the wireless transceiver is inactive, on standby or in use; and selectively couples a system ground conductor to one of the microphone conductors, selectively provides a local sidetone, and/or selectively provides a local microphone bias voltage in response to what is observed through such monitoring.

Abstract: Apparatus and method to monitor the coupling of one or two audio devices and to augment the function of a PTT switch to causes the PTT function of one audio device to be engaged regardless of which of the two operated positions into which the switch is moved in response to there being only the one audio device coupled to the apparatus and in response to the one audio device being a radio, to cause the PTT function of either one of two audio devices to be selected to be engaged depending on which operated position to which the PTT switch is moved in response to there being only one audio device in the form of an intercom system (ICS) coupled to the apparatus with the other audio device in the form of a radio being coupled through the ICS, and to allow the PTT to be used to select the PTT function of either one of two audio devices to be engaged in response to there being two audio devices in the form of radios coupled to the apparatus.

Abstract: A push-to-talk (PTT) switch with biasing to a first center position in which in which the PTT function of neither one of up to two audio devices is engaged, also having a first operated position to which the switch may be moved by hand operation to cause the PTT function of the first one of the two audio devices to be engaged, and further having a second operated position to which the switch may be moved by hand operation to cause the PTT function of the second one of the two audio devices to be engaged.

Abstract: A device into which an electro-acoustic transducer is incorporated has at least two audio signal conductors through which the device may be coupled to another device to convey analog audio signals representing sounds at a time when the other device places a relatively low DC bias voltage across the at least two audio signal conductors, and to be operated as either a digital serial bus to exchange pieces of digitally-encoded data concerning the electro-acoustic transducer or as a trigger to cause the electro-acoustic transducer to be bypassed to enable another electro-acoustic transducer to be tested at a time when the other device places a relatively high DC bias voltage across the at least two audio signal conductors.