Earphone device

Abstract

An earphone device comprises a plurality of earphones, each earphone comprising one or more speakers, each speaker radiating sound to at least one of two listening positions associated with a user of the respective earphone; one or more second microphones, each configured to pick up noise radiated by the at least one noise source to at least one of the two listening positions via the primary path; and a first microphone configured to capture speech originating from a user associated with the respective headset, where the headset device is configured to capture speech of a first user associated with the first headset through the first microphone of the first headset; transmitting the captured voice to one or more other earphones; reproducing, by one or more speakers of one or more other earphones, the transmitted voice at respective listening positions associated with a user of the respective one or more other earphones; and cancelling speech originating from the first user and transmitted to a listening location associated with the user of the respective one or more other headphones.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an earphone device, and in particular to an earphone device comprising two or more earphones located in a listening environment. Background Art

[0002] In a device including two or more earphones located in a listening environment, the voice of a first user associated with a first earphone of the two or more earphones is directly transmitted to one or more other users associated with the second and any other earphones of the two or more earphones. In addition, the voice originating from the first user is captured by the microphone of the first earphone, transmitted to the second earphone and any other earphones of the two or more earphones, and output by one or more speakers of the corresponding second earphone or other earphones. In other words, the other users will receive the voice originating from the first user twice. Compared with the directly transmitted voice, the voice provided to other users via the earphone may be delayed. This is because it may take a certain amount of time to process and transmit the voice, while the speed of the directly transmitted voice propagating in the air is relatively fast. However, it is also possible that the voice transmitted via the earphone reaches another user before the directly transmitted voice (for example, if the users are far apart from each other). Both may cause an unnecessary "echo" effect, in which the voice received at a later time point is considered to be an echo of the voice received at an earlier time point.

[0003] There is a need for a headset device and method that reduces or even avoids the echo effect, thereby enabling interference-free communication between different users of the headset device. Summary of the invention

[0004] An earphone device comprises a plurality of earphones located in a listening environment, each earphone of the plurality of earphones comprising one or more speakers, each of the one or more speakers being configured to radiate sound corresponding to a sound signal to at least one of two listening positions associated with a user of the corresponding earphone, each of the two listening positions being located at an entrance of an ear canal of the corresponding user; one or more second microphones, each of the one or more second microphones being configured to pick up noise radiated by at least one noise source via a primary path to at least one of the two listening positions; and a first microphone, the first microphone being configured to capture speech originating from the user associated with the corresponding earphone, wherein the earphone device is configured to capture speech originating from a first user associated with a first earphone of the plurality of earphones through the first microphone of the first earphone; transmit the captured speech from the first earphone to one or more other earphones of the plurality of earphones; reproduce the transmitted speech at the corresponding listening position associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other earphones through the one or more speakers of the one or more other earphones; and cancel the speech originating from the first user and transmitted via the primary path to the listening position associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other earphones through a passive noise cancellation and / or an active noise cancellation method.

[0005] A method for operating an earphone device is disclosed herein. The earphone device includes a plurality of earphones located in a listening environment, each earphone of the plurality of earphones includes one or more speakers, each of the one or more speakers is configured to radiate sound corresponding to a sound signal to at least one of two listening positions associated with a user of the corresponding earphone, each of the two listening positions is located at the entrance of an ear canal of the corresponding user; one or more second microphones, each of the one or more second microphones is configured to pick up noise radiated by at least one noise source to at least one of the two listening positions via a main path; and a first microphone, the first microphone is configured to capture speech originating from the user associated with the corresponding earphone. The method includes: capturing speech originating from a first user associated with the first earphone through a first microphone of a first earphone of the plurality of earphones; transmitting the captured speech from the first earphone to one or more other earphones of the plurality of earphones; reproducing the transmitted speech at a corresponding listening position associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other earphones through the one or more speakers of the one or more other earphones; and canceling speech originating from the first user and transmitted to the listening position associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other earphones via the main path through a passive noise cancellation and / or an active noise cancellation method.

[0006] Other systems, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be or will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon studying the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages are included in this description, are within the scope of the present invention, and are protected by the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The apparatus and method may be better understood with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings. The components in the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but rather emphasize illustrating the principles of the present invention. In addition, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in all different views.

[0008] Figure 1 A headphone arrangement comprising a plurality of headphones arranged in a listening environment is schematically shown.

[0009] Figure 2 Speech transmitted between users of an earphone arrangement is schematically illustrated.

[0010] Figure 3 Speech transmitted between users of an earphone arrangement via a secondary path is schematically illustrated.

[0011] Figure 4A and Figure 4B The different steps of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are schematically shown.

[0012] Figure 5A and Figure 5B Different steps of another method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are schematically shown.

[0013] Figure 6 A method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The earphone devices and related methods according to various embodiments described herein can help users of the earphone devices communicate with each other without being disturbed unnecessarily by the echo effect. Figure 1 Schematically shows an earphone device including a plurality of earphones 100. Figure 1In the example shown, the earphone device includes three earphones 100a, 100b, 100c. However, in general, the earphone device may include only two, three or even more than three individual earphones 100. Each earphone 100 of the plurality of earphones 100 includes one or more speakers 200, each of the one or more speakers 200 being configured to radiate a sound corresponding to a sound signal to at least one of two listening positions associated with a user of the corresponding earphone 100, each of the two listening positions being located at the entrance of the ear canal of the corresponding user. According to one example, the earphone 100 includes a single speaker 200 that radiates sound to both ears of the corresponding user. However, the earphone 100 may also include separate speakers 200 for different listening positions. That is, one or more speakers 200 may be configured to radiate sound to a first ear of the corresponding user, and one or more speakers 200 may be configured to radiate sound to a second ear of the corresponding user. Each earphone 100 of the plurality of earphones 100 further includes one or more second microphones 202, each of the one or more second microphones 202 being configured to pick up noise radiated by at least one noise source via a primary path to at least one of the two listening positions, and a first microphone 204 being configured to capture speech originating from a user associated with the corresponding earphone 100. For example, each earphone 100 of the plurality of earphones 100 may include a microphone boom, and the first microphone 204 of the earphone 100 may be arranged in the microphone boom. However, the first microphone 204 may be attached to the corresponding earphone 100 in any other suitable manner. According to another example, the first microphone 204 is arranged in or attached to a cable or wire attached to the corresponding earphone 100. However, the first microphone 204 may also not be directly or indirectly attached to the corresponding earphone 100 at all. According to other examples, the first microphone 204 may be attached to clothing or a device worn by the corresponding user (e.g., a device worn on the head, neck, or shoulders).

[0015] The earphone 100 can generally be implemented in a variety of different ways. Some earphones include ear cups that are arranged to cover or surround the ears of the respective users. In this case, one or more speakers 200 and one or more second microphones 202 can be arranged in the respective ear cups. Other earphones 100 include earplugs that can be at least partially inserted into the ear canal of the user. In this case, one or more speakers 200 and one or more second microphones 202 can be arranged in the earplugs. Other earphones are known that include different support structures that can be used to position the one or more speakers 200 and one or more second microphones 202 relative to the ears of the user (e.g., headbands or neckbands). It is even possible that the one or more speakers 200 and one or more second microphones 202 are arranged in, for example, a headrest of a vehicle. Different earphones in the plurality of earphones can be the same, or can be different from each other. That is, it is generally possible that one earphone includes an ear cup, while another earphone includes an earplug. Generally speaking, any other combination of different earphones is possible.

[0016] Multiple headphones 100 are arranged in the same listening environment 30. The listening environment 30 can be, for example, a passenger compartment of a vehicle, a room, or a hall. According to one example, the headphone device disclosed herein can be used for a multiplayer game event, where multiple players of a video game are located in the same room and wish to communicate with each other. However, this is just an example.

[0017] In an apparatus 100 including two or more earphones located in a listening environment 30, speech originating from a first user associated with a first earphone 100a of two or more earphones 100a, 100b, 100c is transmitted directly through free air (primary path) to one or more other users associated with a second and any additional earphones 100b, 100c of the two or more earphones 100. In addition, speech originating from the first user is captured by the first microphone 204a of the first earphone 100a, transmitted to the second earphone and any additional earphones 100b, 100c of the two or more earphones 100, and output by one or more speakers 200b, 200c of the corresponding second earphone or additional earphones 100b, 100c. That is, other users will generally receive the speech originating from the first user twice. Compared with the speech transmitted directly (primary path), the speech provided to other users via the earphone 100 (secondary path) may be delayed. This is because it may take a certain amount of time to process, transmit and reproduce the speech. In some cases, speech transmitted directly via the primary path may also be delayed compared to speech provided to other users via headset 100 (secondary path). This may be the case when the processing, transmission and reproduction of speech is performed relatively quickly and the users are relatively far away from each other, so that it takes some time for speech to be transmitted directly from one user to another. The difference in the time at which speech transmitted via the primary path arrives at the user and the time at which speech transmitted via headset 100 (secondary path) arrives at the user may result in an unwanted "echo" effect, where speech received at a later time point is perceived as an echo of speech received at an earlier time point. Figure 2 This is illustrated in schematic form, where speech originating from a first user reaching the ear of another user via a direct path (primary path) is indicated by a solid arrow, while speech originating from the first user and transmitted to the other user via an earphone device (secondary path) is indicated by a dashed arrow. In this example, speech transmitted directly via the primary path reaches the other user first.

[0018] The earphone device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of earphones 100 located in a listening environment 30, each earphone 100 of the plurality of earphones 100 includes one or more speakers 200, each of the one or more speakers 200 is configured to radiate a sound corresponding to a sound signal to at least one of two listening positions associated with a user of the corresponding earphone 100, each of the two listening positions being located at an entrance of an ear canal of the corresponding user. Each earphone 100 of the plurality of earphones 100 also includes one or more second microphones 202, each of the one or more second microphones 202 is configured to pick up noise radiated by at least one noise source to at least one of the two listening positions via a main path, and the first microphone 204 is configured to capture a voice originating from the user associated with the corresponding earphone 100. In order to reduce or even avoid the "echo" effect, the earphone device is configured to capture the voice n[n] originating from the first user associated with the first earphone 100a among the plurality of earphones 100 through the first microphone 204a of the first earphone 100a; transmit the captured voice n[n] from the first earphone 100a to one or more other earphones 100b, 100c among the plurality of earphones 100; reproduce the transmitted voice h[n] at the corresponding listening position associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other earphones 100b, 100c through one or more speakers 200b, 200c of the one or more other earphones 100b, 100c; and eliminate the voice originating from the first user and transmitted to the listening position associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other earphones 100b, 100c via the main path through passive noise cancellation and / or active noise cancellation methods. That is, the voice originating from the first user is received only once at each listening position associated with the user of the one or more other earphones 100b, 100c. Speech originating from the first user and transmitted via the primary path (directly through the air) will be suppressed at the listening position.

[0019] For example, if the earphone 100 in one or more other earphones 100b, 100c includes an ear cup or an ear plug, the speech originating from the first user and transmitted via the main path to the listening position associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other earphones 100b, 100c can usually be eliminated only by passive noise cancellation. That is, the ear cup or ear plug can be designed to prevent any speech transmitted via the main path from even reaching the corresponding listening position. For example, the ear cup or ear plug may contain an acoustic damping material. However, in many cases, it may be difficult or even impossible to completely prevent the speech transmitted via the main path from reaching the corresponding listening position. In many cases, the speech may only be partially attenuated, but may still reach the corresponding listening position. That is, in addition to passive noise cancellation, active noise cancellation methods can also be used to eliminate the attenuated speech reaching the corresponding listening position. In the case of a completely open system (e.g., headphones worn on the user's head, neck or shoulders, or arranged in a vehicle headrest), passive noise cancellation may not be achieved at all, and speech originating from the first user and transmitted via the primary path to the listening position associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other headphones 100b, 100c can only be cancelled by active noise cancellation methods.

[0020] refer to Figure 3 , schematically illustrates the components required to transmit speech n[n] originating from a first user to another user via a secondary path (via an earphone device). The speech n[n] originating from a first user associated with a first earphone 100a among a plurality of earphones 100 is captured by a first microphone 204a of a first earphone 100a. The captured speech n[n] may then be processed by a suitable signal processing SP device and then transmitted from the first earphone 100a to one or more other earphones 100b, 100c among the plurality of earphones 100. Any signal may be transmitted between different earphones 100 by, for example, wireless transmission. That is, each earphone 100 among the plurality of earphones 100 may include one or more antennas 210 for sending and / or receiving signals. The transmitted speech h[n] may be processed by, for example, a suitable signal processing SP device before being reproduced at a corresponding listening position by one or more speakers 200b.

[0021] The listening position is generally the position at the entrance of the ear canal of the user's ear. Users usually have two ears, so that each user has two listening positions. When wearing headphones including ear cups or ear plugs, the listening positions are covered by (arranged in) the ear cups or ear plugs that cover the corresponding ears (arranged therein). The ear cups and ear plugs will also usually passively suppress ambient noise (including speech from the user of the headphone device) because they cover the corresponding ears and thus cover the listening position. However, it is usually impossible to completely prevent ambient noise from entering the ear cups or ear plugs and reaching the listening position. Any ambient noise that reaches the listening position (including speech from the headphone user) will be effectively suppressed by a suitable active noise cancellation method.

[0022] The active noise cancellation method may include: for each listening position associated with a user of the corresponding one or more other headphones 100b, 100c, capturing an error signal through one or more second microphones 202b, 202c of the one or more other headphones 100b, 100c, wherein the error signal represents an interference noise signal d[n] arriving at the listening position, the interference noise signal d[n] including noise and speech originating from the first user transmitted via a main path; generating a compensation signal y[n] based on the error signal; and suppressing the interference noise signal d[n] at the listening position by transmitting the compensation signal y[n] to the corresponding listening position with the aid of one or more speakers 200b, 200c. Figure 4A The interference noise signal d[n] and the compensation signal y[n] received at the listening position are schematically shown. Figure 4B The transmitted speech h[n] reproduced at the listening position is schematically shown.

[0023] ANC systems are generally intended to reduce or even eliminate interfering signals (such as noise) at the listening position by providing a noise reduction signal that ideally has the same amplitude over time but opposite phase compared to the noise signal. By superimposing the noise signal d[n] and the noise reduction signal y[n], the resulting signal ideally tends to zero.

[0024] Some earphones 100 also provide a so-called see-through function. A user may want to listen to the surrounding sounds when wearing one earphone 100 among multiple earphones 100 in order to understand what is happening around them. However, as described above, the ambient noise is eliminated together with the voice originating from the first user and transmitted via the main path by passive noise cancellation and / or active noise cancellation methods. In order for the user to understand what is happening around them, the ambient noise can be captured by a microphone, and the noise can be reproduced at the listening position by one or more speakers 200b, 200c. However, when the ambient noise is captured by the microphone, the voice originating from the first user and transmitted via the main path will also be captured. Typically, the voice can be identified in the captured noise signal and removed, and then the signal is reproduced at the listening position. However, these methods are generally complex and difficult to implement.

[0025] Therefore, the headphone device can also be configured to determine, for each of the listening positions associated with the user of one or more other headphones 100b, 100c, a time offset between the time when the speech originating from the first user transmitted via the primary path arrives at the listening position and the time when the same speech is reproduced at the listening position by one or more speakers 200b, 200c of the corresponding headphones 100b, 100c. The time offset can be determined in any suitable manner, such as manually or automatically.

[0026] Each earphone 100 of the plurality of earphones 100 may also be configured to capture, for each listening position associated with a user of one or more other earphones 100b, 100c, an ambient noise signal m[n] through at least one microphone of the corresponding earphone 100b, 100c, the ambient noise signal m[n] comprising noise and speech originating from the first user transmitted via the primary path (see Figure 5A ); and reproducing the noise and the speech originating from the first user transmitted to the listening position via the main path by transmitting the ambient noise signal m[n] to the respective listening position by means of one or more loudspeakers 200b, 200c, wherein the time between capturing the ambient noise signal m[n] and transmitting the ambient noise signal m[n] to the respective listening position corresponds to the determined time offset (see Figure 5B ). According to one example, the one or more second microphones 202 of the headset 100 may be used to capture the ambient noise signal m[n]. However, the headset 100 may also include at least one third microphone configured to capture the ambient noise signal m[n]. That is, the ambient noise signal m[n] may be captured by the same or different microphone as the error signal.

[0027] Reference now Figure 6, schematically illustrating a method for operating an earphone device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The earphone device comprises a plurality of earphones 100 located in a listening environment 30, each earphone 100 of the plurality of earphones 100 comprising one or more speakers, each of the one or more speakers 200 being configured to radiate a sound corresponding to a sound signal to at least one of two listening positions associated with a user of the corresponding earphone 100, each of the two listening positions being located at an entrance of an ear canal of the corresponding user; one or more second microphones 202, each of the one or more second microphones 202 being configured to pick up noise radiated by at least one noise source via a main path to at least one of the two listening positions; and a first microphone 204, the first microphone being configured to capture a voice originating from a user associated with the corresponding earphone 100. The method comprises capturing a voice n[n] originating from a first user associated with a first earphone 100a of the plurality of earphones 100 by a first microphone 204a of the first earphone 100a (step 601). The method further includes transmitting the captured speech n[n] from the first earphone 100a to one or more other earphones 100b, 100c of the plurality of earphones 100 (step 602). The method further includes reproducing the transmitted speech h[n] at a corresponding listening position associated with a user of the corresponding one or more other earphones 100b, 100c through one or more speakers 200b, 200c of the one or more other earphones 100b, 100c (step 603), and cancelling the speech originating from the first user and transmitted via the primary path to the listening position associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other earphones 100b, 100c through a passive noise cancellation and / or active noise cancellation method (step 604).

[0028] According to one example, the active noise cancellation method includes: for each listening position associated with a user of the corresponding one or more other headphones 100b, 100c, capturing an error signal through one or more second microphones 202b, 202c of the one or more other headphones 100b, 100c, wherein the error signal represents an interference noise signal d[n] arriving at the listening position, the interference noise signal d[n] including noise and speech originating from the first user transmitted via a main path; generating a compensation signal y[n] based on the error signal; and suppressing the interference noise signal d[n] at the listening position by transmitting the compensation signal y[n] to the corresponding listening position with the help of one or more speakers 200b, 200c of a corresponding one of the one or more other headphones 100b, 100c.

[0029] The method may also include determining, for each of the listening positions associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other headphones 100b, 100c, a time offset between the time when speech originating from the first user transmitted via the primary path arrives at the listening position and the time when the same speech is reproduced at the listening position through one or more speakers 200b, 200c.

[0030] According to an example, the method further comprises: for each of the listening positions associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other earphones 100b, 100c, capturing an ambient noise signal m[n] through at least one microphone of the corresponding earphone 100b, 100c, the ambient noise signal m[n] comprising noise and speech originating from the first user transmitted via the main path; and reproducing the noise and the speech originating from the first user transmitted via the main path to the listening position by transmitting the ambient noise signal m[n] to the corresponding listening position by means of one or more loudspeakers 200b, 200c, wherein the time between capturing the ambient noise signal m[n] and transmitting the ambient noise signal m[n] to the corresponding listening position corresponds to the determined time offset between the time when the speech originating from the first user transmitted via the main path arrives at the listening position and the time when the same speech is reproduced at the listening position through the one or more loudspeakers 200b, 200c.

[0031] It will be appreciated that the systems shown are merely examples. Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that there may be more embodiments and implementations within the scope of the present invention. Specifically, the skilled person will recognize the interchangeability of various features from different embodiments. Although these techniques and systems have been disclosed in the context of certain embodiments and examples, it will be appreciated that these techniques and systems may extend beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other embodiments and / or their uses and obvious modifications. Therefore, the present invention is not limited except in accordance with the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0032] The description of the embodiment has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. Suitable modifications and variations of the embodiment may be performed according to the above description or may be obtained by the practice method. The arrangement is exemplary in nature and may include additional elements and / or omit elements. As used in this application, elements listed in singular form and preceded by the wording "one" or "a kind of" should be understood as not excluding multiple elements, unless such exclusion is indicated. In addition, reference to "one embodiment" or "an example" of the present disclosure is not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also contain the listed features. The terms "first", "second" and "third" etc. are used only as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements or specific positional order on their objects. The described system is exemplary in nature and may include additional elements and / or omit elements. The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various systems and configurations disclosed and other features, functions and / or properties. The attached claims specifically point out the subject matter that is considered to be novel and non-obvious from the above disclosure.

Claims

1. An earphone device, comprising a plurality of earphones (100) located in a listening environment (30), each earphone (100) of the plurality of earphones (100) comprising one or more speakers (200), each of the one or more speakers (200) being configured to radiate a sound corresponding to a sound signal to at least one of two listening positions associated with a user of the corresponding earphone (100), each of the two listening positions being located at an entrance to an ear canal of the corresponding user; and one or more second microphones (202), each of the one or more second microphones (202) being configured to pick up noise radiated by at least one noise source via a main path to at least one of the two listening positions; and a first microphone (204) configured to capture speech originating from the user associated with the corresponding earphone (100), wherein the earphone arrangement is configured to: capturing, via a first microphone (204a) of the first earphone (100a), speech (n[n]) originating from a first user associated with a first earphone (100a) of the plurality of earphones (100); Transmitting the captured speech (n[n]) from the first earphone (100a) to one or more other earphones (100b, 100c) of the plurality of earphones (100); reproducing the transmitted speech (h[n]) at a respective listening position associated with a user of the respective one or more other headphones (100b, 100c) through one or more loudspeakers (200b, 200c) of the one or more other headphones (100b, 100c); as well as Speech originating from the first user and transmitted via a primary path to the listening position associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other earphones (100b, 100c) is cancelled by passive noise cancellation and / or active noise cancellation methods.

2. The headphone device according to claim 1, wherein the active noise cancellation method comprises: for each of the listening positions associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other headphones (100b, 100c), capturing an error signal through one or more second microphones (202b, 202c) of the one or more other earphones (100b, 100c), the error signal representing an interfering noise signal (d[n]) arriving at the listening position, the interfering noise signal (d[n]) comprising noise and the speech originating from the first user transmitted via the primary path; generating a compensation signal (y[n]) based on the error signal; as well as The interfering noise signal (d[n]) at the listening position is suppressed by transmitting the compensation signal (y[n]) to the corresponding listening position by means of the one or more loudspeakers (200b, 200c).

3. The earphone device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the earphone device is further configured to, for each of the listening positions associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other earphones (100b, 100c), Determining a time offset between when speech originating from the first user transmitted via the primary path arrives at the listening position and when the same speech is reproduced at the listening position by the one or more speakers (200b, 200c) of a corresponding one of the one or more other headphones (100b, 100c).

4. The earphone arrangement according to claim 3, wherein each earphone (100) of the plurality of earphones (100) is further configured to, for each of the listening positions associated with the user of the one or more other earphones (100b, 100c): capturing an ambient noise signal (m[n]) through at least one microphone of a corresponding earphone (100b, 100c), the ambient noise signal (m[n]) comprising noise and the speech transmitted via the primary path originating from the first user; and The noise and the speech originating from the first user transmitted via the primary path are reproduced to the listening position by transmitting the ambient noise signal (m[n]) to the corresponding listening position by means of the one or more loudspeakers (200b, 200c), wherein The time between capturing the ambient noise signal (m[n]) and transmitting the ambient noise signal (m[n]) to the corresponding listening position corresponds to a determined time offset between the time when speech originating from the first user transmitted via the primary path arrives at the listening position and the time when the same speech is reproduced at the listening position by the one or more speakers (200b, 200c).

5. An earphone device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each earphone (100) of the plurality of earphones (100) comprises a microphone boom, a cable or a wire, and wherein the first microphone (204) of the earphone (100) is arranged in or attached to the microphone boom, cable or wire.

6. The earphone device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each earphone (100) of the plurality of earphones (100) comprises two ear cups or earplugs, and one or more loudspeakers (200) and one or more second microphones (202) are arranged in each of the ear cups or earplugs.

7. The earphone device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the listening environment (30) is a passenger compartment of a vehicle, a room or a hall.

8. The earphone device according to claim 7, wherein the listening environment (30) is a passenger compartment of a vehicle, and wherein the one or more speakers (200) and the one or more second microphones (202) of the earphones (100) of the plurality of earphones (100) are arranged in a headrest of the vehicle.

9. A method of operating an earphone device, the earphone device comprising a plurality of earphones (100) located in a listening environment (30), each earphone (100) of the plurality of earphones (100) comprising one or more speakers, each of the one or more speakers (200) being configured to radiate a sound corresponding to a sound signal to at least one of two listening positions associated with a user of the corresponding earphone (100), each of the two listening positions being located at an entrance to an ear canal of the corresponding user; and one or more second microphones (202), each of the one or more second microphones (202) being configured to pick up noise radiated by at least one noise source via a primary path to at least one of the two listening positions; and a first microphone (204) configured to capture speech originating from the user associated with the corresponding earphone (100), wherein the method comprises: capturing, via a first microphone (204a) of a first earphone (100a) of the plurality of earphones (100), speech (n[n]) originating from a first user associated with the first earphone (100a); Transmitting the captured speech (n[n]) from the first earphone (100a) to one or more other earphones (100b, 100c) of the plurality of earphones (100); reproducing the transmitted speech (h[n]) at a respective listening position associated with a user of the respective one or more other headphones (100b, 100c) through one or more loudspeakers (200b, 200c) of the one or more other headphones (100b, 100c); as well as Speech originating from the first user and transmitted via a primary path to the listening position associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other earphones (100b, 100c) is cancelled by passive noise cancellation and / or active noise cancellation methods.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the active noise cancellation method comprises: for each of the listening positions associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other headphones (100b, 100c), capturing an error signal through one or more second microphones (202b, 202c) of the one or more other earphones (100b, 100c), the error signal representing an interfering noise signal (d[n]) arriving at the listening position, the interfering noise signal (d[n]) comprising noise and the speech originating from the first user transmitted via the primary path; generating a compensation signal (y[n]) based on the error signal; as well as The interfering noise signal (d[n]) at the listening position is suppressed by transmitting the compensation signal (y[n]) to the corresponding listening position by means of the one or more speakers (200b, 200c) of a corresponding one of the one or more other headphones (100b, 100c).

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising: for each of the listening positions associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other headphones (100b, 100c), A time offset is determined between the time speech originating from the first user transmitted via the primary path arrives at the listening location and the time the same speech is reproduced at the listening location by the one or more speakers (200b, 200c).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises, for each of the listening positions associated with the user of the corresponding one or more other headphones (100b, 100c): capturing an ambient noise signal (m[n]) through at least one microphone of a corresponding earphone (100b, 100c), the ambient noise signal (m[n]) comprising noise and the speech transmitted via the primary path originating from the first user; and The noise and the speech originating from the first user transmitted via the primary path are reproduced at the corresponding listening position by transmitting the ambient noise signal (m[n]) to the corresponding listening position by means of the one or more loudspeakers (200b, 200c), wherein the time between capturing the ambient noise signal (m[n]) and transmitting the ambient noise signal (m[n]) to the corresponding listening position corresponds to the determined time offset between the time when the speech originating from the first user transmitted via the primary path arrives at the listening position and the time when the same speech is reproduced at the listening position by the one or more loudspeakers (200b, 200c).

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