1447results about "Public address systems" patented technology

A method for synchronizing audio reproduction in collocated end devices is presented. Each of the devices auto-correlates using noise to determine a threshold prior to the antenna receiving an audio signal. When the devices receive a common audio signal, they provide audio outputs. Each device cross-correlates its audio output with the audio outputs of the other devices. The timing of the audio output of each device is then adjusted such that the audio outputs of all of the devices align temporally with the lagging or leading device.

This disclosure describes an invention that that mutes specific talkers using at least one beamforming microphone array 102 that is configured to generate N audio signals 108 where each audio signal is associated with a spatial pickup pattern 130, the microphone array(s) 102 are located in a room 200; a processor 104 and memory 105 operably coupled to the microphone array 102, the processor 104 configured to execute the following steps: (a) selectively mute or unmute an individual talker the room with a mute function 106 that controls whether to mute or unmute the individual talker T1-T7 that is picked up by one or more of the individual audio signals, the mute function 106 includes speech learning that learns to identify different talkers in real time to allow the mute function 106 to identify transitions from one talker to another talker in the room 200, (b) output an audio signal 110 based on the selective muting of the talkers T1-T7 in the room 200.

Examples described herein relate to transitioning a playback session between portable playback devices such as “smart” headphones, earbuds, and handheld speakers with playback devices of a zone-based media playback system. Exemplary techniques facilitate continuity of playback when transitioning between locations (e.g., from at home to on-the-go or vice versa) or between listening paradigms (e.g., personal or out-loud playback of audio content). An example implementation includes detecting a swap trigger, determining the source playback device(s) and target playback device(s), and performing a playback session swap between the source playback device(s) and target playback device(s).

Examples described herein relate to transitioning a playback session between portable playback devices such as “smart” headphones, earbuds, and handheld speakers with playback devices of a zone-based media playback system. Exemplary techniques facilitate continuity of playback when transitioning between locations (e.g., from at home to on-the-go or vice versa) or between listening paradigms (e.g., personal or out-loud playback of audio content). An example implementation includes detecting a swap trigger, determining the source playback device(s) and target playback device(s), and performing a playback session swap between the source playback device(s) and target playback device(s).

Turntable control systems are disclosed. A playback device can include an analog audio source component such as a turntable. The playback device is configured to cause playback of first audio based on analog audio signals generated by the analog audio source component. Based on an indication that analog audio signals are no longer being generated, the playback device requests, via a network interface, audio content from one or more remote computing devices. The request can include identifying related content based on the first audio. The playback device receives, via the network interface, second audio content from, and causes playback of second audio based on the second audio content.

Systems and methods for controlling a speaker. In one example, a method includes determining, based on a request to operate a speaker, a type of sound to be produced by the speaker, the request being indicative of whether operation of the speaker is for a communication session or to produce a system sound, and adjusting one or more parameters of the speaker to output (i) speech, based on the request indicating that operation of the speaker is to be for the communication session, or (ii) the system sound, based on the request indicating that the operation of the speaker is to produce the system sound. An example of the method further includes initiating operation of the speaker using the one or more parameters to produce the type of sound.

An audio session management method for an audio environment having multiple audio devices may involve receiving, from a first device implementing a first application and by a device implementing an audio session manager, a first route initiation request to initiate a first route for a first audio session. The first route initiation request may indicate a first audio source and a first audio environment destination. The first audio environment destination may correspond with at least a first person in the audio environment, but in some instances will not indicate an audio device. The method may involve establishing a first route corresponding to the first route initiation request. Establishing the first route may involve determining a first location of at least the first person in the audio environment, determining at least one audio device for a first stage of the first audio session and initiating or scheduling the first audio session.

Turntable control systems are disclosed. A playback device can include an analog audio source component such as a turntable. The playback device is configured to cause playback of first audio based on analog audio signals generated by the analog audio source component. Based on an indication that analog audio signals are no longer being generated, the playback device requests, via a network interface, audio content from one or more remote computing devices. The request can include identifying related content based on the first audio. The playback device receives, via the network interface, second audio content from, and causes playback of second audio based on the second audio content.

The invention provides a control method and device of a vehicle-mounted external loudspeaker and a vehicle-mounted external loudspeaker system. The control method comprises the following steps that in response to starting of a vehicle-mounted loudspeaker box mode, the relative position relation between a user and a vehicle is obtained at a preset time interval, and the vehicle is provided with a plurality of vehicle-mounted external loudspeakers making sounds outwards; determining a target loudspeaker and a corresponding sound channel from the plurality of vehicle-mounted external loudspeakers at least based on the relative position relationship; and controlling each target loudspeaker to play the audio data of the corresponding sound channel. The invention provides a mode of taking the vehicle as a large mobile sound box capable of providing a surround sound field, and the provided surround sound field can be adjusted according to the relative position relationship between the user and the vehicle, so that the hearing effect of the user when using the vehicle-mounted sound box is improved, the application scene of the vehicle is expanded, and the user experience is improved.

A conference system (400) comprises a central server (401), a plurality of conference units (411, 412, 413; 511), each having a microphone (421, 422, 423) and a loudspeaker (431, 432, 433), and a network (103) coupling the conference units (411, 412, 413; 511) to the central server (401). The central server (401) generates a mix signal (450) comprising contributions of speaker signals (441, 443) from a subset of conference units (411, 413) with open microphones (421, 423), and downstream transmits the mix signal (450) to the conference units (411, 412, 413). At least one conference unit (411, 413) is configured to subtract from the received mix signal (451, 453) an estimated contribution of its own speaker signal (441, 443) to thereby generate a loudspeaker signal (471, 473) comprising contributions of speaker signals (441, 443; 541) from the subset of conference units (411, 413) minus itself for output by its loudspeaker (431, 433).

Example techniques relate to primary-ambient playback of surround audio by audio playback devices. Example playback devices described herein may include multiple speakers, such as a forward-firing audio transducer and side-firing audio transducers. Using example techniques, such playback devices may perform primary-ambient decomposition to separate surround channels into primary′ and ambient channels. The playback devices play back the ambient channel(s) via the side-firing transducers and the primary channel via the forward-firing transducer.

To provide a compact voice-activated electronic device with speakers, electronic components and a dual-purpose waveguide / heatsink structure that directs sound from the speakers to an outside of the device and to dissipate heat from the electronic components to the outside of the device.SOLUTION: A compact voice-activated electronic device 404 comprises: a speaker assembly 436; a bottom housing 408 on which the speaker assembly is mounted; an upper housing 406 serving as a speaker grill; a printed circuit board 432 on which electronic components are mounted; and an acoustic waveguide / heatsink 434 configured to direct sound from the speaker assembly to an outside of the voice-activated electronic device and to dissipate heat generated in the electronic components to the outside of the device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4E

Example techniques may involve a playback device modifying its playback configuration when the playback device is placed onto a device base. In an example implementation, the playback device may receive, via an 802.15-compatible radio of one or more network interfaces, one or more packets comprising data representing an identifier of the first device base. After receipt of the one or more packets, the playback device queries a database for state information corresponding to the identifier of the first device base and modifies a playback configuration of the playback device from a first configuration to a second configuration based on the queried state information corresponding to the identifier of the first device base.

A system and method for delivering full-bandwidth sound to an audience in an audience space located in front of an acoustically reflective image screen such as a plasma, LCD, LED, or OLED screen. The sound delivery system provides for two separate and spatially displaced sound sources, namely, a high frequency loudspeaker for reproducing high frequency components of the sound associated with images displayed on the acoustically reflective image screen, and a separate low frequency loudspeaker for reproducing low frequency components of the image-associated sound. The high frequency loudspeaker or loudspeakers are positioned in front of the image screen to direct the high frequency components of the sound at the image screen where it is reflected back into the audience space, whereas the low frequency loudspeaker or loudspeakers are positioned at or about the acoustically reflective image screen and direct the low frequency components of the sound toward the audience space which are time-aligned with the high frequency components.

Example methods and systems provide automatic audio equalization for online conferences. A target, ideal, audio frequency response for use in online conferencing audio can be designed and preset for reference, and the equalizer can operate in real time to reach the target frequency response for any input. The equalizer can selectively apply per-band equalization to the audio signal as needed to adjust an energy value for each of multiple frequency bands to produce an output audio signal that that can be, as an example, routed through meeting servers or other infrastructure to other conference participants. The equalization can compensate for conditions local to a speaker that would otherwise adversely affect audio quality.

The invention provides an intelligent loudspeaker based on a positioning beacon, and relates to the field of sound amplification systems, and the intelligent loudspeaker comprises a following positioning module which comprises a positioning beacon arranged on a followed object, a master base station and a plurality of slave base stations which are arranged on the loudspeaker, and a positioning analysis unit; the information acquisition module is used for acquiring real-time environment information; the sound amplification following module is used for determining a following path and following parameters according to the real-time relative position relationship between the positioning beacon and the main base station, the real-time environment information and the historical relative position relationship between the positioning beacon and the main base station, and controlling the walking assembly to drive the loudspeaker to move; and the sound amplification adjustment module is used for determining a real-time sound amplification parameter, controlling the pose adjustment assembly to adjust the pose of the loudspeaker and adjust the output volume of the loudspeaker according to the real-time relative position relationship between the positioning beacon and the main base station, the real-time environment information and the following path, and the intelligent follow-up system has the advantages of realizing intelligent follow-up of the loudspeaker based on the positioning beacon and improving the user experience.

A playback device comprising a first spectrum radio for communication via a first wireless spectrum and a second spectrum radio for communication via a second wireless spectrum operates in a first mode in which the first spectrum radio is enabled and the second spectrum radio is disabled. While operating in the first mode, the playback device receives a command to join a synchrony group with a display device. Based on the command, the playback device begins to operate in a second mode in which the second spectrum radio is enabled. The playback device receives audio content for playback, wherein the audio content corresponds to video content being displayed at a display device. Using the second spectrum radio, the playback device coordinates with the display device for playing back the audio content in synchrony with the video content.

Provided herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for providing an interactive visual representation of loudspeaker sound coverage in a venue. An embodiment enables temporal, spectral, and spatial audio metering from digital audio to venue acoustics. This technology can visualize audio capabilities of one or more loudspeaker arrays using light to provide visualization grouping of large audio channel outputs. This can allow spatial information to be visually represented by mapping directional sound to light beams.

A system, method, and computer-readable medium for performing a smart audio operation. The smart audio operation includes detecting a plurality of audio devices available for use by an information handling system; monitoring information handling system audio related information; analyzing the information handling system audio related information using a trained smart audio artificial intelligence model; and, automatically connecting the information handling system to a particular audio device of the plurality of audio devices based upon the information handling system audio related information.

Images of an actual rendering environment are acquired through image sensors operating in conjunction with a media consumption system. The acquired images of the actual rendering environment are used to predict audio characteristics of objects present in the actual rendering environment. Spatial audio rendered, to a user in the actual rendering environment, by audio speakers operating in conjunction with the media consumption system is adjusted or modified based at least in part on the audio characteristics of the objects present in the actual rendering environment.

A system and method to adjust power levels between interconnected loudspeaker assemblies is described herein, the system comprising: a primary loudspeaker assembly, and at least one secondary loudspeaker assembly interconnected with the primary loudspeaker assembly and adapted to receive an audio signal from the primary loudspeaker assembly; an interconnection verification circuit located in the primary loudspeaker assembly; and a controller located in the primary loudspeaker assembly adapted to receive the status signal from the interconnection verification circuit, wherein the controller comprises—at least one processor communicatively coupled to the interconnection verification circuit; a memory operatively connected to the at least one processor, wherein the memory stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to execute a method that comprises: generating an interconnection test signal by the interconnection verification circuit, wherein the interconnection test signal determines if the primary loudspeaker assembly is properly connected to the at least one secondary loudspeaker assembly; generating a connected status signal if the interconnection test signal determines that the primary loudspeaker assembly is properly connected to the at least one secondary loudspeaker assembly; receiving the connected status signal by the controller located in the primary loudspeaker assembly; and generating a first set of command signals by the controller to split power between the primary loudspeaker assembly and the at least one secondary loudspeaker assembly.

An electronic apparatus, may include: a communication interface; at least one processor; and a memory configured to store instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic apparatus to: based on a user input for a sound play being received, identify a target device capable of performing the sound play; identify a power state of the target device; based on the power state of the target device being identified as an off state, transmit a first wakeup signal for changing a power state of a speaker in the target device to an on state, to the target device through the communication interface; and based on a first response signal corresponding to the first wakeup signal being received, transmit a first control command for the sound play to the target device through the communication interface.

The invention provides a howling / feedback suppression method and device in a sound reinforcement scene, a medium and a product. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring a microphone signal of a current frame; frequency domain self-adaptive filtering processing is carried out on the microphone to be processed, and a predicted target signal is output to the loudspeaker, and the frequency domain self-adaptive filtering processing comprises the following steps: multiplying the estimated acoustic transfer function of the previous frame by the loudspeaker signal of the previous frame in the frequency domain to obtain a feedback estimation signal, and then subtracting the feedback estimation signal from the microphone signal to obtain a predicted target signal; a residual signal is obtained; the residual signal is used as a prediction target signal to be output to a loudspeaker after being subjected to inverse transformation, meanwhile, iteration is carried out on an estimated acoustic transfer function of a previous frame, an estimated acoustic transfer function of a current frame is obtained, and the step length of iteration is controlled through a recurrent neural network model. According to the method, the accuracy of acoustic feedback estimation in various actual scenes can be improved, the distortion degree in a sound reinforcement scene is improved, and the maximum gain is improved.

Examples described herein involve edge data caching in a media playback system. A media play back system may include playback devices that controllable using a controller, such as a control application installed on a mobile device via network messaging (e.g., via a LAN). Yet further, cloud servers may provide platform services that support the playback devices and the controllers of the media playback system. In example systems, edge computing resources of the players are leveraged to offload storage and processing that would otherwise be performed in the cloud (i.e., by the platform servers). For instance, within a media playback system, one or more players may cache data hosted by the platform servers (e.g., state information), thereby allowing some requests from clients such as the controllers and other players to be handled locally rather than by the platform servers in the cloud.

An audio conference system for automatically forming a single combined physical microphone array aperture across associated and / or disassociated ad-hoc microphone elements in a shared 3D space is provided. The audio conference system includes a plurality of microphone / speaker units, each including at least one microphone and / or at least one speaker and a system processor communicating with the microphone / speaker units. The system processor instructs the microphone / speaker units to transmit unique calibration signals sequentially or simultaneously and to calculate time difference of arrival (TDOA) between the microphone / speaker units. A physical array structure of the microphone / speaker units is obtained based on TDOA between the microphone / speaker units, and a consolidated target coverage zone common to the microphone / speaker units is generated based on the physical array structure.

Embodiments herein relate to assistive listening devices and systems for providing audio streams to device wearers within sound fields. In an embodiment an assistive listening device is included having a control circuit, an electroacoustic transducer for generating sound in electrical communication with the control circuit, a power supply circuit in electrical communication with the control circuit, and a communications circuit in electrical communication with the control circuit. The control circuit can be configured to issue a communication to an audio communication device or audio provisioning device including at least one of a language preference, a set of hearing requirements, data regarding a presentation delay, and an authorization status identifier, digital code, digital token, or digital key specific to a wearer of the assistive listening device. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to generate spatial audio based on computer vision. An example apparatus includes at least one memory, instructions in the apparatus, and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to determine a position of an audio source based on an image generated via a camera, and apply an audio spatialization filter to an audio signal generated by a microphone based on the position of the audio source.