Abstract: Examples described herein involve configuring a playback device based on distortion, such as that caused by a barrier. One implementation may involve causing the playback device to play audio content according to an existing playback configuration, determining an existing frequency response of the playback device in a given system, and determining whether a difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device in the given system and a predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than a predetermined distortion threshold. If it is determined that the difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device and the predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than the predetermined distortion threshold, then the existing playback configuration of the playback device is changed to an updated playback configuration of the playback device and the playback device plays audio content according to the updated playback configuration.

Abstract: An ear-plug assembly presents audio content to an ear canal of a user. The audio content may be based in part on sound in a local area surrounding the user. The ear-plug assembly detects, via one or more acoustic sensors, sound in the area around the user. The sound waves travel through an aperture in a body of the ear-plug assembly and are propagated to a waveguide to the one or more acoustic sensors. The ear-plug assembly processes the detected sound data in a controller, which instructs a speaker assembly to present audio content based in part on the detected sound data. The detected sounds may be amplified, attenuated, filtered, and/or augmented when presented by the speaker assembly.

Abstract: A speaker assembly presents audio content to an ear canal of a user. A speaker of the speaker assembly generates positive and negative acoustic pressure waves. A first vent assembly of the speaker assembly ports the positive acoustic pressure waves to an entrance of the ear canal of the user, whereas a second vent assembly ports the negative acoustic pressure waves to an area behind a pinna of the user. The first and second vent assembly are configured to provide improved audio content playback to the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for three-dimensional beamforming disclosed herein include, among other features (i) generating a set of received-sound beams by applying a plurality of sets of beamforming coefficients stored in a tangible memory of the network device to sound received via a microphone array of the network device, wherein each received-sound beam corresponds to a separate direction relative to the microphone array, (ii) identifying a subset of the received-sound beams comprising speech content, (iii) for each received-sound beam in the subset of the received-sound beams comprising speech content, determining whether the speech content comprises a wake word, (iv) selecting one final received-sound beam from the received-sound beams in the subset of the received-sound beams determined to comprise a wake word; and (v) causing the selected one final received-sound beam to be processed to identify a voice command.

Abstract: An audio system includes a speaker configured to emit sound. The speaker is contained in an enclosure, the enclosure forming a front cavity and a rear cavity that are on opposite sides of the speaker. The enclosure includes: at least one output port configured to output a first portion of the sound from the front cavity and at least one rear port configured to output a second portion of the sound from the rear cavity. The second portion of the sound is substantially out of phase with the first portion. The audio system has an equivalent acoustic volume (Vas) greater than ten times a volume of the front cavity and greater than ten times a volume of the rear cavity.

Abstract: Examples described herein involve configuring a playback device based on distortion, such as that caused by a barrier. One implementation may involve causing the playback device to play audio content according to an existing playback configuration, determining an existing frequency response of the playback device in a given system, and determining whether a difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device in the given system and a predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than a predetermined distortion threshold. If it is determined that the difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device and the predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than the predetermined distortion threshold, then the existing playback configuration of the playback device is changed to an updated playback configuration of the playback device and the playback device plays audio content according to the updated playback configuration.

Abstract: An audio system includes a speaker configured to emit sound. The speaker is contained in an enclosure, the enclosure forming a front cavity and a rear cavity that are on opposite sides of the speaker. The enclosure includes: at least one output port configured to output a first portion of the sound from the front cavity and at least one rear port configured to output a second portion of the sound from the rear cavity. The second portion of the sound is substantially out of phase with the first portion. The audio system has an equivalent acoustic volume (Vas) greater than ten times a volume of the front cavity and greater than ten times a volume of the rear cavity.

Abstract: An ear-plug assembly presents audio content to an ear canal of a user. The audio content may be based in part on sound in a local area surrounding the user. The ear-plug assembly detects, via one or more acoustic sensors, sound in the area around the user. The sound waves travel through an aperture in a body of the ear-plug assembly and are propagated to a waveguide to the one or more acoustic sensors. The ear-plug assembly processes the detected sound data in a controller, which instructs a speaker assembly to present audio content based in part on the detected sound data. The detected sounds may be amplified, attenuated, filtered, and/or augmented when presented by the speaker assembly.

Abstract: Examples described herein involve configuring a playback device based on distortion, such as that caused by a barrier. One implementation may involve causing the playback device to play audio content according to an existing playback configuration, determining an existing frequency response of the playback device in a given system, and determining whether a difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device in the given system and a predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than a predetermined distortion threshold. If it is determined that the difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device and the predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than the predetermined distortion threshold, then the existing playback configuration of the playback device is changed to an updated playback configuration of the playback device and the playback device plays audio content according to the updated playback configuration.

Abstract: Example techniques may involve reduction of turbulence noise from a sound transducer that is mounted within an interior housing of a playback device. An example playback device may include an enclosure comprising a first interior volume and a second interior volume. The playback device may further include a speaker mounted within an interior of the enclosure. The speaker includes a diaphragm dividing the first interior volume and the second interior volume and the speaker is moveable along an axis to generate sound. The playback device may also include a first speaker vent providing airflow between the first interior volume and an exterior of the enclosure and a second speaker vent providing airflow between the first interior volume and the exterior of the enclosure. The first speaker vent directs airflow in a first direction and second speaker vent directs airflow in a second direction.

Abstract: An audio system is configured to present a modified audio experience that reduces the degradation of a target audio experience presented to a user by the audio system. The audio system includes an acoustic sensor array, a controller, and a playback device array. To generate the modified audio experience, the acoustic sensor array receives the sound waves from one or more non-target audio source(s) causing the degradation, identifies the audio source(s), determines the spatial location of the audio source(s), determines the type of the audio source(s) and generates audio instructions that, when executed by the playback device array, present the modified audio experience to the user. The modified audio experience may perform active noise cancelling, ambient sound masking, and/or neutral sound masking to compensate for the sound waves received from non-target audio sources. The audio system may be part of a headset that can produce an artificial reality environment.

Abstract: A grill cover that fits over or is positioned over high frequency acoustical regions and low frequency acoustical regions of a playback device. A portion of the grill cover that fits over or is positioned over a high frequency acoustical region has small area openings and a portion of the grill over a low frequency acoustical region has large area openings. In portions of the grill cover between the portions over high and low frequency acoustical regions, the openings may have an intermediate area to visually blur the differences between the portions of the grill covers. To further blur the differences, the differently sized openings may be interleaved.

Abstract: A door lock control system includes a first device including a first transmitter, a first receiver, and a first controller configured to measure first signal strengths of radio signals received from a plurality of surrounding devices by the first receiver, and control the first transmitter to transmit the measured first signal strengths to a second device. The system further includes the second device including a second receiver and a second controller configured to measure second signal strengths of radio signals received from a plurality of surrounding devices by the second receiver, control the second receiver to receive the first signal strengths from the first device, compare the first signal strengths with the second signal strengths, and control a door lock based on the comparison of the first and the second signal strengths.

Abstract: Examples described herein involve configuring a playback device based on distortion, such as that caused by a barrier. One implementation may involve causing the playback device to play audio content according to an existing playback configuration, determining an existing frequency response of the playback device in a given system, and determining whether a difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device in the given system and a predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than a predetermined distortion threshold. If it is determined that the difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device and the predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than the predetermined distortion threshold, then the existing playback configuration of the playback device is changed to an updated playback configuration of the playback device and the playback device plays audio content according to the updated playback configuration.

Abstract: Systems and methods for three-dimensional beamforming disclosed herein include, among other features (i) generating a set of received-sound beams by applying a plurality of sets of beamforming coefficients stored in a tangible memory of the network device to sound received via a microphone array of the network device, wherein each received-sound beam corresponds to a separate direction relative to the microphone array, (ii) identifying a subset of the received-sound beams comprising speech content, (iii) for each received-sound beam in the subset of the received-sound beams comprising speech content, determining whether the speech content comprises a wake word, (iv) selecting one final received-sound beam from the received-sound beams in the subset of the received-sound beams determined to comprise a wake word; and (v) causing the selected one final received-sound beam to be processed to identify a voice command.

Abstract: Examples described herein involve configuring a playback device based on distortion, such as that caused by a barrier. One implementation may involve causing the playback device to play audio content according to an existing playback configuration, determining an existing frequency response of the playback device in a given system, and determining whether a difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device in the given system and a predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than a predetermined distortion threshold. If it is determined that the difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device and the predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than the predetermined distortion threshold, then the existing playback configuration of the playback device is changed to an updated playback configuration of the playback device and the playback device plays audio content according to the updated playback configuration.

Abstract: A door lock control system includes a first device including a first transmitter, a first receiver, and a first controller configured to measure first signal strengths of radio signals received from a plurality of surrounding devices by the first receiver, and control the first transmitter to transmit the measured first signal strengths to a second device. The system further includes the second device including a second receiver and a second controller configured to measure second signal strengths of radio signals received from a plurality of surrounding devices by the second receiver, control the second receiver to receive the first signal strengths from the first device, compare the first signal strengths with the second signal strengths, and control a door lock based on the comparison of the first and the second signal strengths.

Abstract: A grill cover that fits over or is positioned over high frequency acoustical regions and low frequency acoustical regions of a playback device. A portion of the grill cover that fits over or is positioned over a high frequency acoustical region has small area openings and a portion of the grill over a low frequency acoustical region has large area openings. In portions of the grill cover between the portions over high and low frequency acoustical regions, the openings may have an intermediate area to visually blur the differences between the portions of the grill covers. To further blur the differences, the differently sized openings may be interleaved.

Abstract: The disclosure includes a system and method for sonically customizing an audio reproduction device. The system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the system to determine an application environment associated with an audio reproduction device associated with a user; determine one or more sound profiles based on the application environment; provide the one or more sound profiles to the user; receive a selection of a first sound profile from the one or more sound profiles; and generate tuning data based on the first sound profile, the tuning data configured to sonically customize the audio reproduction device.

Abstract: Examples described herein involve configuring a playback device based on distortion, such as that caused by a barrier. One implementation may involve causing the playback device to play audio content according to an existing playback configuration, determining an existing frequency response of the playback device in a given system, and determining whether a difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device in the given system and a predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than a predetermined distortion threshold. If it is determined that the difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device and the predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than the predetermined distortion threshold, then the existing playback configuration of the playback device is changed to an updated playback configuration of the playback device and the playback device plays audio content according to the updated playback configuration.