Abstract: A method of orientation-sensitive recording control includes indicating, within a portable device and at a first time, that the portable device has a first orientation relative to a gravitational axis and, based on the indication, selecting a first pair among at least three microphone channels of the portable device. This method also includes indicating, within the portable device and at a second time that is different than the first time, that the portable device has a second orientation relative to the gravitational axis that is different than the first orientation and, based on the indication, selecting a second pair among the at least three microphone channels that is different than the first pair. In this method, each the at least three microphone channels is based on a signal produced by a corresponding one of at least three microphones of the portable device.

Abstract: A navigational system generates audio cues that are perceived in a three-dimensional space, allowing users to aurally perceive the locations of mapped objects such as landmarks. The audio cues can be produced alone, or in some applications, produced in conjunction with a visual navigational map display to improve the overall efficacy of the system. The audio navigation system includes a positioning system to determine the location of a user, a memory to store hierarchically-organized information about one or more objects, and a processor to render an audio signal based on the hierarchically-organized information. The audio signal is rendered into an audio space corresponding to the user, so as to allow user perception of the location of at least one of the objects relative to the location of the user. The objects may be landmarks in the vicinity of the user.

Abstract: An electronic device for generating a masking signal is described. The electronic device includes a plurality of microphones and a speaker. The electronic device also includes a processor and executable instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The electronic device obtains a plurality of audio signals from the plurality of microphones. The electronic device also obtains an ambience signal based on the plurality of audio signals. The electronic device further determines an ambience feature based on the ambience signal. Additionally, the electronic device obtains a voice signal based on the plurality of audio signals. The electronic device also determines a voice feature based on the voice signal. The electronic device additionally generates a masking signal based on the voice feature and the ambience feature. The electronic device further outputs the masking signal using the speaker.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for using a psychoacoustic-bass-enhanced signal to drive an array of loudspeakers are disclosed.

Abstract: A device comprising one or more processors is configured to apply adaptively determined weights to a plurality of channels of the audio signal to generate a plurality of adaptively weighted channels of the audio signal. The processors are further configured to combine at least two of the plurality of adaptively weighted channels of the audio signal to generate a combined signal. The processors are further configured to apply a binaural room impulse response filter to the combined signal to generate a binaural audio signal.

Abstract: A device comprising one or more processors is configured to determine a plurality of segments for each of a plurality of binaural room impulse response filters, wherein each of the plurality of binaural room impulse response filters comprises a residual room response segment and at least one direction-dependent segment for which a filter response depends on a location within a sound field; transform each of at least one direction-dependent segment of the plurality of binaural room impulse response filters to a domain corresponding to a domain of a plurality of hierarchical elements to generate a plurality of transformed binaural room impulse response filters, wherein the plurality of hierarchical elements describe a sound field; and perform a fast convolution of the plurality of transformed binaural room impulse response filters and the plurality of hierarchical elements to render the sound field.

Abstract: Psychoacoustic Bass Enhancement (PBE) is integrated with one or more other audio processing techniques, such as active noise cancellation (ANC), and/or receive voice enhancement (RVE), leveraging each technique to achieve improved audio output. This approach can be advantageous for improving the performance of headset speakers, which often lack adequate low-frequency response to effectively support ANC.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus, and machine-readable media for detecting head movement based on recorded sound signals are described.

Abstract: An original loudness level of an audio signal is maintained for a mobile device while maintaining sound quality as good as possible and protecting the loudspeaker used in the mobile device. The loudness of an audio (e.g., speech) signal may be maximized while controlling the excursion of the diaphragm of the loudspeaker (in a mobile device) to stay within the allowed range. In an implementation, the peak excursion is predicted (e.g., estimated) using the input signal and an excursion transfer function. The signal may then be modified to limit the excursion and to maximize loudness.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for locating a user using an ultrasound mesh. The techniques may be performed by an interactive system comprising one or more processors. The processors may be configured to determine an amplitude of a first ultrasound signal emitted by one or more transducers and received by a microphone. This first ultrasound signal may be of a first frequency. The processors may then determine an amplitude of a second ultrasound signal emitted by the one or more transducers and received by the microphone. The second ultrasound signal may be of a second frequency different from the first frequency. The processors may be further configured to determine a location of the microphone relative to the one or more transducers based at least on the determined amplitude of the first ultrasound signal and the determined amplitude of the second ultrasound signal.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for capturing multi-channel audio data. A device comprising one or more processors may be configured to implement the techniques. The processors may analyze captured audio data to identify audio objects, and analyze video data captured concurrent to the capture of the audio data to identify video objects. The processors may then associate at least one of the audio objects with at least one of the video objects, and generate multi-channel audio data from the audio data based on the association of the at least one of audio objects with the at least one of the video objects.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for image generation for a collaborative sound system. A headend device comprising a processor may perform these techniques. The processor may be configured to determine a location of a mobile device participating in a collaborative surround sound system as a speaker of a plurality of speakers of the collaborative surround sound system. The processor may further be configured to generate an image that depicts the location of the mobile device that is participating in the collaborative surround sound system relative to the plurality of other speakers of the collaborative surround sound system.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for performing constrained dynamic amplitude panning in collaborative sound systems. A headend device comprising one or more processors may perform the techniques. The processors may be configured to identify, for a mobile device participating in a collaborative surround sound system, a specified location of a virtual speaker of the collaborative surround sound system and determine a constraint that impacts playback of audio signals rendered from an audio source by the mobile device. The processors may be further configure to perform dynamic spatial rendering of the audio source with the determined constraint to render audio signals that reduces the impact of the determined constraint during playback of the audio signals by the mobile device.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for forming a collaborative sound system. A headend device comprising one or more processors may perform the techniques. The processors may be configured to identify mobile devices that each includes a speaker and that are available to participate in a collaborative surround sound system. The processors may configure the collaborative surround sound system to utilize the speaker of each of the mobile devices as one or more virtual speakers of this system and then render audio signals from an audio source such that when the audio signals are played by the speakers of the mobile devices the audio playback of the audio signals appears to originate from the one or more virtual speakers of the collaborative surround sound system. The processors may then transmit the processed audio signals rendered to the mobile device participating in the collaborative surround sound system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for providing tangible control of sound are provided and described as embodied in a system that includes a sound transducer array along with a touch surface-enabled display table. The array may include a group of transducers (multiple speakers and/or microphones) configured to perform spatial processing of signals for the group of transducers so that sound rendering (in configurations where the array includes multiple speakers), or sound pick-up (in configurations where the array includes multiple microphones), have spatial patterns (or sound projection patterns) that are focused in certain directions while reducing disturbances from other directions. Users may directly adjust parameters related to sound projection patterns by interacting with the touch surface while receiving visual feedback by exercising one or more commands on the touch surface. The commands may be adjusted according to visual feedback received from the change of the display on the touch surface.

Abstract: Some implementations provide a method for identifying a speaker. The method determines position and orientation of a second device based on data from a first device that is for capturing the position and orientation of the second device. The second device includes several microphones for capturing sound. The second device has movable position and movable orientation. The method assigns an object as a representation of a known user. The object has a moveable position. The method receives a position of the object. The position of the object corresponds to a position of the known user. The method processes the captured sound to identify a sound originating from the direction of the object. The direction of the object is relative to the position and the orientation of the second device. The method identifies the sound originating from the direction of the object as belonging to the known user.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for representing a sound field in a physical space are provided and described as embodied in a system that includes a sound transducer array along with a touch surface-enabled display table. The array may include a group of transducers (multiple speakers and/or microphones). The array may be configured to perform spatial processing of signals for the group of transducers so that sound rendering (in configurations where the array includes multiple speakers), or sound pick-up (in configurations where the array includes multiple microphones), may have spatial patterns (or sound projection patterns) that are focused in certain directions while reducing disturbances from other directions.

Abstract: In accordance with a method for providing a distinct perceptual location for an audio source within an audio mixture, a foreground signal may be processed to provide a foreground perceptual angle for the foreground signal. The foreground signal may also be processed to provide a desired attenuation level for the foreground signal. A background signal may be processed to provide a background perceptual angle for the background signal. The background signal may also be processed to provide a desired attenuation level for the background signal. The foreground signal and the background signal may be combined into an output audio source.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for grouping audio objects into clusters. In some examples, a device for audio signal processing comprises a cluster analysis module configured to group, based on spatial information for each of N audio objects, a plurality of audio objects that includes the N audio objects into L clusters, where L is less than N, wherein the cluster analysis module is configured to receive information from at least one of a transmission channel, a decoder, and a renderer, and wherein a maximum value for L is based on the information received. The device also comprises a downmix module configured to mix the plurality of audio objects into L audio streams, and a metadata downmix module configured to produce, based on the spatial information and the grouping, metadata that indicates spatial information for each of the L audio streams.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for grouping audio objects into clusters. In some examples, a device for audio signal processing comprises a cluster analysis module configured to, based on a plurality of audio objects, produce a first grouping of the plurality of audio objects into L clusters, wherein the first grouping is based on spatial information from at least N among the plurality of audio objects and L is less than N. The device also includes an error calculator configured to calculate an error of the first grouping relative to the plurality of audio objects, wherein the error calculator is further configured to, based on the calculated error, produce a plurality L of audio streams according to a second grouping of the plurality of audio objects into L clusters that is different from the first grouping.