11951results about "Loudspeakers" patented technology

An wearable communications garment that includes one or more user-selectable inputs integrated into the garment. A sartorial communications apparatus may include a flexible material that is worn (e.g., as an undergarment) by the user and includes one or more interactive sensors that may be manually activated by a user, even through one or more intervening layers of clothing. The apparatus may also include one or more additional body sensors configured to sense a user's position, movement, and / or physiological status. The sensor(s) may be connected via a conductive trace on the garment to a sensor module for analysis and / or transmission. Methods of manufacturing the garments as well as methods of using the garments are also described.

Apparatus and method that improves speech recognition accuracy, by monitoring the position of a user's headset-mounted speech microphone, and prompting the user to reconfigure the speech microphone's orientation if required. A microprocessor or other application specific integrated circuit provides a mechanism for comparing the relative transit times between a user's voice, a primary speech microphone, and a secondary compliance microphone. The difference in transit times may be used to determine if the speech microphone is placed in an appropriate proximity to the user's mouth. If required, the user is automatically prompted to reposition the speech microphone.

A power delivery method and system for powering a headset. A power signal is combined with an audio signal to form a composite signal that is communicated over a shared channel to the headset. The power signal is generated by modulating a carrier signal with a modulation signal. The modulation signal is derived from the amplitude of the audio signal so that the peak levels of the composite signal do not exceed the maximum allowable output of an audio I / O circuit driving the headset.

A communication component modifies production of an audio waveform at determined modification segments to thereby mitigate the effects of a delay in processing and / or receiving a subsequent audio waveform. The audio waveform and / or data associated with the audio waveform are analyzed to identify the modification segments based on characteristics of the audio waveform and / or data associated therewith. The modification segments show where the production of the audio waveform may be modified without substantially affecting the clarity of the sound or audio. In one embodiment, the invention modifies the sound production at the identified modification segments to extend production time and thereby mitigate the effects of delay in receiving and / or processing a subsequent audio waveform for production.

Sound processing methods and apparatus are provided. A sound capture unit is configured to identify one or more sound sources. The sound capture unit generates data capable of being analyzed to determine a listening zone at which to process sound to the substantial exclusion of sounds outside the listening zone. Sound captured and processed for the listening zone may be used for interactivity with the computer program. The listening zone may be adjusted based on the location of a sound source. One or more listening zones may be pre-calibrated. The apparatus may optionally include an image capture unit configured to capture one or more image frames. The listening zone may be adjusted based on the image. A video game unit may be controlled by generating inertial, optical and / or acoustic signals with a controller and tracking a position and / or orientation of the controller using the inertial, acoustic and / or optical signal.

A protective enclosure for an electronic device such as a laptop computer or tablet computer that comprises a shell that is capable of enclosing and substantially surrounding the electronic device. The shell is substantially watertight, substantially rigid and substantially crush-resistant. The inside of the shell has a hook and loop liner with shock absorbing corner bumpers having hook and loop type bases so that the bumpers may attach at any point on the liner inside the shell to accommodate electronic devices of various sizes and to secure the device inside the enclosure in a shock absorbent suspended manner. The shell may further comprise a USB connector hub for connection to the USB port of a laptop computer or PC tablet enclosed in the protective shell.

Described herein are systems and methods for providing media playback in a networked environment. In one embodiment, a networked media playback device is configured to provide a web server for delivering data indicative of a browser-renderable control interface for the networked media playback device, or for a related networked media playback system. In overview, the user of a networked device, such as a wireless web enabled device, is able to render the control interface in a web browser, and in this manner control playback of digital media via the networked media playback device or networked media playback system.

A wireless headset system for use with, e.g. mobile phones, and which incorporates a wireless headset which communicates with a base station via magnetic inductive coupling or radio frequency signals to dial and send or receive calls via a conventional phone, e.g. a mobile phone, attached to the base station. In one embodiment, the mobile phone is carried in the base station which is worn by the user.

A detector located on or near an ear piece may automatically detect whether a left or right ear or neither ear is wearing the ear piece. A signal mixer may automatically apply a correct configuration to signals transmitted to or from the ear piece according to whether the left or right ear or neither ear is determined to be wearing the ear piece. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

The invention relates to an automated estimation of the position (co-ordinates) of a set of loudspeakers in a ioom Based on measured impulse responses the distances between each pair of loudspeakers are estimated, thereby forming a distance matrix, and the resultant distance matrix is used by a multidimensional scaling (MDS) algorithm to estimate the co-ordinates of each individual loudspeaker An improved co-ordinate estimation can, if desired, be derived by utilizing the stress values provided by the MDS algorithm.

A silicon condenser microphone package is disclosed. The silicon condenser microphone package comprises a transducer unit, substrate, and a cover. The substrate includes an upper surface having a recess formed therein. The transducer unit is attached to the upper surface of the substrate and overlaps at least a portion of the recess wherein a back volume of the transducer unit is formed between the transducer unit and the substrate. The cover is placed over the transducer unit and includes an aperture.

An energy harvesting device includes a MEMS composite transducer. The MEMS composite transducer includes a substrate. Portions of the substrate define an outer boundary of a cavity. A MEMS transducing member includes a beam having a first end and a second end. The first end is anchored to the substrate and the second end cantilevers over the cavity. A compliant membrane is positioned in contact with the MEMS transducing member. A first portion of the compliant membrane covers the MEMS transducing member. A second portion of the compliant membrane is anchored to the substrate. The compliant member is configured to be set into oscillation by excitations produced externally relative to the energy harvesting device.

Detachable wearable electronic eyeglasses and head mounted gear with a plurality of electronic functions and interchangeable electronic function, and a wearable computer with optimal weight distribution and stretchable arms.

A protective enclosure for an electronic device such as a laptop computer or tablet computer that comprises a shell that is capable of enclosing and substantially surrounding the electronic device. The shell is substantially watertight, substantially rigid and substantially crush-resistant. The inside of the shell has a hook and loop liner with shock absorbing corner bumpers having hook and loop type bases so that the bumpers may attach at any point on the liner inside the shell to accommodate electronic devices of various sizes and to secure the device inside the enclosure in a shock absorbent suspended manner. The shell may further comprise a USB connector hub for connection to the USB port of a laptop computer or PC tablet enclosed in the protective shell.

Techniques for personalizing audio levels, in accordance with embodiments of the present technology, provide different audio volumes to different locations in a room allowing for two or more users to enjoy the same audio content at different volumes. Differential level and delay compensation filtering based on a position of each of a plurality of speakers, the location of each user and the preferred relative audio volume of each user are utilized to produce different effective audio levels in localized regions of a room.

Targeted sound detection methods and apparatus are disclosed. A microphone array has two or more microphones M0 . . . MM. Each microphone is coupled to a plurality of filters. The filters are configured to filter input signals corresponding to sounds detected by the microphones thereby generating a filtered output. One or more sets of filter parameters for the plurality of filters are pre-calibrated to determine one or more corresponding pre-calibrated listening zones. Each set of filter parameters is selected to detect portions of the input signals corresponding to sounds originating within a given listening zone and filter out sounds originating outside the given listening zone. A particular pre-calibrated listening zone is selected at a runtime by applying to the plurality of filters a set of filter coefficients corresponding to the particular pre-calibrated listening zone. As a result, the microphone array may detect sounds originating within the particular listening sector and filter out sounds originating outside the particular listening zone. Sounds are detected with the microphone array. A particular listening zone containing a source of the sound is identified. The sound or the source of the sound is characterized and the sound is emphasized or filtered out depending on how the sound is characterized.

A voice communication device such as an earpiece that provides for ultra short range transmission of voice sound information using ultra wide band (UWB) radio communications is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a voice communication device includes a speaker, a bone conduction sensor for sensing voice sound vibrations, and an UWB transceiver operatively connected to the speaker and the bone conduction sensor. According to another embodiment of the present invention, a voice communication device is disclosed that includes an earpiece housing, a speaker operatively connected to the earpiece housing for transducing audio, an air conduction sensor operatively connected to the housing for sensing voice sound information, a processor electrically connected to the speaker and the bone conduction sensor and disposed within the earpiece housing, and an UWB transceiver operatively connected to the processor.

A microelectromechanical-acoustic-transducer assembly has: a first die integrating a MEMS sensing structure having a membrane, which has a first surface in fluid communication with a front chamber and a second surface, opposite to the first surface, in fluid communication with a back chamber of the microelectromechanical acoustic transducer, is able to undergo deformation as a function of incident acoustic-pressure waves, and faces a rigid electrode so as to form a variable-capacitance capacitor; a second die, integrating an electronic reading circuit operatively coupled to the MEMS sensing structure and supplying an electrical output signal as a function of the capacitive variation; and a package, housing the first die and the second die and having a base substrate with external electrical contacts. The first and second dice are stacked in the package and directly connected together mechanically and electrically; the package delimits at least one of the front and back chambers.

Embodiments include methods and apparatuses for sensing acoustic waves for a conferencing application. A conferencing apparatus includes a plurality of directional microphones oriented to cover a corresponding plurality of direction vectors and disposed in a housing. An orientation sensor is configured to generate an orientation signal indicative of an orientation of the housing. A processor is operably coupled to the plurality of directional microphones and the orientation sensor. The processor is configured to automatically adjust a signal processing characteristic of one or more directional microphones of the plurality of directional microphones responsive to the orientation signal.

A semiconductor processing system including a semiconductor processing apparatus and a gas supply apparatus for supplying a process gas into the semiconductor processing apparatus includes a control section configured to control an operation of a pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting the pressure inside a vaporizing chamber. The control section is preset to cause the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber to fall within a predetermined pressure range with reference to a pressure detection value obtained by a pressure detector. The predetermined pressure range is defined by an upper limit lower than a first limit value, at which vaporization of the liquid material starts being inhibited due to an increase in the pressure, and a lower limit higher than a second limit value, at which vaporization of the liquid material starts being unstable and the pressure inside the vaporizing chamber starts pulsating movement due to a decrease in the pressure.

In some embodiments, spatially realistic audio may be provided for a conference call. Voices from participants on the left side of a display, in a conference call, may be directed through audio on the left side of the display at the other conferencing system in the conference call (similarly for voices from the center and right side of the display). In some embodiments, two speakers may be used in the system to create synthesized stereo sound at a location specified by directional information received as side information along with the existing audio channel. The location may be determined by using beamforming with integrated microphones on a camera or speakerphone. In some embodiments, the audio signal and directional information may be sent in the form of a left audio channel and a right audio channel.

An apparatus for measuring a plurality of loudspeakers arranged at different positions includes a generator of a test signal for a loudspeaker; a microphone device configured for receiving a plurality of different sound signals in response to one or more loudspeaker signals emitted by one of the loudspeakers in response to the test signal; a controller for controlling emissions of the loudspeaker signals by the loudspeakers and for handling the different sound signals so that a set of sound signals recorded by the microphone device is associated with each loudspeaker in response to the test signal; and an evaluator for evaluating the set of sound signals for each loudspeaker to determine at least one loudspeaker characteristic for each loudspeaker and for indicating a loudspeaker state using the at least one loudspeaker characteristic. This scheme allows automatic, efficient and accurate measurement of loudspeakers arranged in a three-dimensional configuration.

Apparatuses and methods for delivering sound to ear canal are provided. The apparatus generally includes a compressible and resilient toroidal section having an inner side and an outer side. An aperture extends from the outer side to the inner side and the outer side has a well disposed within an inner side surface about the aperture. The apparatus further includes a compressible and resilient spout integrated with the toroidal section and extending away from the inner side. The spout includes a channel disposed within an inner spout surface and the channel is coupled to the well.

An apparatus comprises microphone receivers (101) which receive microphone signals from a plurality of microphones (103). A comparator (105) determines a speech similarity indication indicative of a similarity between the microphone signal and non-reverberant speech for each microphone signal. The determination is in response to a comparison of a property derived from the microphone signal to a reference property for non-reverberant speech. In some embodiments, the comparator (105) determines the similarity indication by comparing to reference properties for speech samples of a set of non-reverberant speech samples. A generator (107) generates a speech signal by combining the microphone signals in response to the similarity indications. In many embodiments, the apparatus may be distributed over a plurality of devices each containing a microphone, and the approach may determine the most suited microphone for generating the speech signal.

A detachable adjustable electronics module may be removably or permanently connected to eyewear. The module may include electronics for processing audio and / or video input and / or output signals. The module may be provided with an adjustable arm, for adjustably carrying a speaker. The module and / or the speaker may be adjusted relative to the wearer in any of the anterior-posterior direction, the inferior-superior direction and laterally. Rotation adjustments may also be accomplished. Eyewear may be provided with only a single module, on a single side, or with two modules, one on each side, such as to provide stereo audio or dual mono sound.

Methods of forming garments having one or more stretchable conductive ink patterns. Described herein are method of making garments (including compression garments) having one or more highly stretchable conductive ink pattern formed of a composite of an insulative adhesive, a conductive ink, and an intermediate gradient zone between the adhesive and conductive ink. The conductive ink typically includes between about 40-60% conductive particles, between about 30-50% binder; between about 3-7% solvent; and between about 3-7% thickener. The stretchable conductive ink patterns may be stretched more than twice their length without breaking or rupturing.

A method and system for enhancing a target sound signal from multiple sound signals is provided. An array of an arbitrary number of sound sensors positioned in an arbitrary configuration receives the sound signals from multiple disparate sources. The sound signals comprise the target sound signal from a target sound source, and ambient noise signals. A sound source localization unit, an adaptive beamforming unit, and a noise reduction unit are in operative communication with the array of sound sensors. The sound source localization unit estimates a spatial location of the target sound signal from the received sound signals. The adaptive beamforming unit performs adaptive beamforming by steering a directivity pattern of the array of sound sensors in a direction of the spatial location of the target sound signal, thereby enhancing the target sound signal and partially suppressing the ambient noise signals, which are further suppressed by the noise reduction unit.

A headset having game, chat and microphone audio signals is provided with a programmable signal processor for individually modifying the audio signals and a memory configured to store a plurality of user-selectable signal-processing parameter settings that determine the manner in which the audio signals will be altered by the signal processor. The parameter settings collectively form a preset, and one or more user-operable controls can select and activate a preset from the plurality of presets stored in memory. The parameters stored in the selected preset can be loaded into the signal processor such that the sound characteristics of the audio paths are modified in accordance with the parameter settings in the selected preset.

A neural network is provided for recognition and enhancement of multi-channel sound signals received by multiple microphones, which need not be aligned in a linear array in a given environment. Directions and distances of sound sources may also be detected by the neural network without the need for a beamformer connected to the microphones. The neural network may be trained by knowledge gained from free-field array impulse responses obtained in an anechoic chamber, array impulse responses that model simulated environments of different reverberation times, and array impulse responses obtained in actual environments.