Abstract: The application describes systems for deriving haptic and audio drive signals from an input signal received via a single channel such as an audio channel.

Abstract: A method for use in a biometric process, comprising: for a first function and a second function, applying an acoustic stimulus to a user's ear; and for the second function: receiving a response signal of a user's ear to the acoustic stimulus; and extracting, from the response signal, one or more features for use in a biometric process, wherein the first function is a function other than to induce the response signal for use in the biometric process.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to methods, apparatus and systems for authentication of a user. The described embodiments relate to obtaining ear biometric data for a user to be authenticated. The ear biometric data comprises one or more features characteristic of the user's ear canal and an associated fit metric indicative of a positioning of a personal audio device relative to the user's ear canal, the personal audio device comprising a transducer for application of acoustic stimulus to the user's ear to obtain the ear biometric data. The user may be identified as a particular authorised user based on one or more features and the associated fit metric.

Abstract: A method for use in a biometric process, comprising: with a headset in a known acoustic environment, applying an acoustic stimulus at a first transducer of the headset; receiving a response signal at a second transducer of the headset, the response signal comprising a component of the acoustic stimulus reflected at an obstacle in the acoustic path of the first transducer; determining a condition of the headset based on the response signal; and performing the biometric process based on the determined condition.

Abstract: A method for use in a biometric process, comprising: for a first function and a second function, applying an acoustic stimulus to a user's ear; and for the second function: receiving a response signal of a user's ear to the acoustic stimulus; and extracting, from the response signal, one or more features for use in a biometric process, wherein the first function is a function other than to induce the response signal for use in the biometric process.

Abstract: A method for use in a biometric process, comprising: for a first function and a second function, applying an acoustic stimulus to a user's ear; and for the second function: receiving a response signal of a user's ear to the acoustic stimulus; and extracting, from the response signal, one or more features for use in a biometric process, wherein the first function is a function other than to induce the response signal for use in the biometric process.

Abstract: A method for masking an acoustic stimulus, comprising: detecting an event initiated by a user of a personal audio device, the event having an associated audio artefact; in response to detecting the event, applying the acoustic stimulus to the user's ear during a masking period in which the acoustic stimulus is masked in the user's hearing by the audio artefact; extracting, from a response signal of the user's ear to the acoustic stimulus, one or more features for use in a biometric process.

Abstract: A method and device for detecting whether a headset is on ear. A probe signal is generated for acoustic playback from a speaker. A microphone signal from a microphone is received, the microphone signal comprising at least a portion of the probe signal as received at the microphone. The microphone signal is passed to a state estimator, to produce an estimate of at least one parameter of the portion of the probe signal contained in the microphone signal. The estimate of the at least one parameter is processed to determine whether the headset is on ear.

Abstract: Described embodiments relate to a method operable in a biometric authentication system. The method comprises initiating generation of an acoustic stimulus for application to a user's ear; and determining a quality measure of a response signal to the acoustic stimulus. Responsive to determining that the quality measure is inadequate for performing a biometric process, the method comprises one or more of: (i) modifying one or more properties of the acoustic stimulus to improve a signal to noise ratio, SNR, of the response signal and (ii) cancelling the effect of noise from outside the ear on the response signal of the user's ear to the acoustic stimulus to improve the SNR of the response signal.

Abstract: The application describes systems for deriving haptic and audio drive signals from an input signal received via a single channel such as an audio channel.

Abstract: A method for use in a biometric process, comprising: with a headset in a known acoustic environment, applying an acoustic stimulus at a first transducer of the headset; receiving a response signal at a second transducer of the headset, the response signal comprising a component of the acoustic stimulus reflected at an obstacle in the acoustic path of the first transducer; determining a condition of the headset based on the response signal; and performing the biometric process based on the determined condition.

Abstract: The application describes systems for deriving haptic and audio drive signals from an input signal received via a single channel such as an audio channel.

Abstract: A method for use in a biometric process, comprising: with a headset in a known acoustic environment, applying an acoustic stimulus at a first transducer of the headset; receiving a response signal at a second transducer of the headset, the response signal comprising a component of the acoustic stimulus reflected at an obstacle in the acoustic path of the first transducer; determining a condition of the headset based on the response signal; and performing the biometric process based on the determined condition.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention determine a speech estimate using a bone conduction sensor or accelerometer, without employing voice activity detection gating of speech estimation. Speech estimation is based either exclusively on the bone conduction signal, or is performed in combination with a microphone signal. The speech estimate is then used to condition an output signal of the microphone. There are multiple use cases for speech processing in audio devices.

Abstract: Described embodiments relate to a method operable in a biometric authentication system. The method comprises initiating generation of an acoustic stimulus for application to a user's ear; and determining a quality measure of a response signal to the acoustic stimulus. Responsive to determining that the quality measure is inadequate for performing a biometric process, the method comprises one or more of: (i) modifying one or more properties of the acoustic stimulus to improve a signal to noise ratio, SNR, of the response signal and (ii) cancelling the effect of noise from outside the ear on the response signal of the user's ear to the acoustic stimulus to improve the SNR of the response signal.

Abstract: A method of equalising sound in a headset comprising an internal microphone configured to generate a first audio signal, an external microphone configured to generate a second audio signal, a speaker, and one or more processors coupled between the speaker, the external microphone, and the internal microphone, the method comprising: while the headset is worn by a user: determining a first audio transfer function between the first audio signal and the second audio signal in the presence of sound at the external microphone; and determining a second audio transfer function between a speaker input signal and the first audio signal with the speaker being driven by the speaker input signal; determining an electrical transfer function of the one or more processors; determining a closed-ear transfer function based on the first audio transfer function, the second audio transfer function and the electrical transfer function; and equalising the first audio signal based on a comparison between the closed-ear transfer func

Abstract: A method for use in a biometric process, comprising: with a headset in a known acoustic environment, applying an acoustic stimulus at a first transducer of the headset; receiving a response signal at a second transducer of the headset, the response signal comprising a component of the acoustic stimulus reflected at an obstacle in the acoustic path of the first transducer; determining a condition of the headset based on the response signal; and performing the biometric process based on the determined condition.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system for providing substantially synchronised haptic and audio outputs. The system includes a signal processor which is configured to receive an audio signal from a main processor of the system and to receive a haptic signal, which may be received from the main processor, or may be retrieved from memory, or else may be generated in real-time by the signal processor. The signal processor calculates a delay to be applied to the haptic signal or the audio signal and outputs a delayed version of the audio signal and the haptic signal, or a delayed version of the haptic signal and the audio signal, to appropriate output stages.

Abstract: Described embodiments relate to a method operable in a biometric authentication system. The method comprises initiating generation of an acoustic stimulus for application to a user's ear; and determining a quality measure of a response signal to the acoustic stimulus. Responsive to determining that the quality measure is inadequate for performing a biometric process, the method comprises one or more of: (i) modifying one or more properties of the acoustic stimulus to improve a signal to noise ratio, SNR, of the response signal and (ii) cancelling the effect of noise from outside the ear on the response signal of the user's ear to the acoustic stimulus to improve the SNR of the response signal.

Abstract: This application relates to transfer of microphone data from a microphone (101, 102, 102a, 201) to a processing module, such as voice biometric authentication module (111) in a secure manner, such that the receiving module can trust that the received audio is genuine. An authentication module (203) is configured to receive microphone data (DM) representative of an audio signal received at the microphone (201), and generate from the microphone data, authentication data (DA) for certifying that the microphone data did pass via the authentication module. The first authentication data (DA) comprises information relating to distinguishing characteristics of the audio content of the microphone data and may, for instance be an acoustic fingerprint of the audio content. The authentication data, may be cryptographically signed or encrypted and sent with the microphone audio to allow a receiver to verify that the audio is genuine and the content has not been substantially altered.