Volume control in open audio device

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for automatically adjusting an SPL of its audio output by an audio device. As described herein, the SPL is adjusted based on the detected ambient noise. According to aspects, an audio device iteratively adjusts an SPL based on ambient noise. According to aspects, the SPL is adjusted to be greater than ambient noise by a threshold SPL amount. According to aspects, the audio device outputs sound substantially in a first direction, and a microphone detects sound substantially outside of the first direction. The adjusted sound is output by the audio device.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with international application number PCT / US2019 / 059512, international application date November 1, 2019, entering the Chinese national stage on May 21, 2021, Chinese national application number 201980076894.3, and invention name “Volume Control in Open Audio Devices”. Technical Field

[0002] Aspects of the present disclosure are generally directed to controlling the sound pressure level (SPL) output by an audio device based on ambient noise without user input. Background Art

[0003] Headphones transmit sound to the ear. Some headphones include earplugs that are placed in the opening of the ear canal. The earplugs can form a gentle seal between the earplugs and the user's ear canal. Some headphones cover the outer portion of the user's ear and can form a gentle seal between the headset and the outer surface of the user's body. Earplugs and over-ear headphones can suppress the user from hearing sounds in the user's surrounding environment and can send social cues that the user cannot interact with others. An audio device that allows the user to more easily hear noises near the user and provides an indication that the user can interact is desirable. Summary of the invention

[0004] All examples and features mentioned herein can be combined in any technically possible way.

[0005] Aspects provide methods and apparatus for automatically controlling the sound pressure level of an audio output by an audio device based on ambient noise.According to aspects, the audio device is an open audio device.

[0006] Certain aspects provide a method performed by a wearable audio device. The method includes: outputting an audio signal; detecting ambient noise; comparing a sound pressure level of the audio signal with a sound pressure level of the ambient noise; automatically adjusting the sound pressure level of the audio signal based at least in part on the comparison to generate an adjusted audio signal; and outputting the adjusted audio signal.

[0007] In one aspect, the method further includes: after outputting the adjusted audio signal, redetecting the ambient noise; comparing the sound pressure level of the adjusted audio signal with the sound pressure level of the redetected ambient noise; further automatically adjusting the sound pressure level of the adjusted audio signal based at least in part on the comparison of the sound pressure level of the adjusted audio signal with the sound pressure level of the redetected ambient noise to generate a further adjusted audio signal; and outputting the further adjusted audio signal.

[0008] In one aspect, adjusting the sound pressure level of the audio signal based at least in part on the comparison to generate an adjusted audio signal includes adjusting the sound pressure level of the audio signal to be greater than the detected sound pressure level of the ambient noise by at least a sound pressure threshold amount. In one aspect, adjusting the sound pressure level of the audio signal to be greater than the detected sound pressure level of the ambient noise by more than the sound pressure threshold amount includes increasing the sound pressure level more for lower frequencies of the audio signal than for higher frequencies of the audio signal.

[0009] In one aspect, comparing the sound pressure level of the audio signal to the sound pressure level of the ambient noise includes determining that an absolute value of a difference between the sound pressure level of the audio signal and the detected sound pressure level of the ambient noise is greater than a first sound pressure threshold amount, and in response to the determination, adjusting the sound pressure level of the audio signal. In one aspect, adjusting the sound pressure level of the audio signal includes adjusting the sound pressure level of the audio signal until the adjusted sound pressure level of the audio signal exceeds the detected sound pressure level of the ambient noise by more than a second sound pressure threshold amount, wherein the first sound pressure threshold amount and the second sound pressure threshold amount are different.

[0010] In one aspect, a microphone on the wearable audio device is configured to detect ambient noise, and wherein the microphone is further configured to detect the voice of a user wearing the wearable audio device. In one aspect, the microphone is located in an acoustic null position of a speaker configured to output a conditioned audio signal.

[0011] In one aspect, the wearable audio device comprises over-the-ear headphones or audio glasses.

[0012] Certain aspects provide a wearable audio device that includes a speaker, a microphone, and a processor or controller. The speaker is configured to output an audio signal; the microphone is configured to detect ambient noise; and the processor is configured to automatically adjust the sound pressure level of the audio signal based at least in part on the detected ambient noise to generate an adjusted audio signal, wherein the difference between the sound pressure level of the adjusted audio signal and the sound pressure level of the ambient noise is greater than or equal to a threshold sound pressure amount. The speaker is further configured to output the adjusted audio signal.

[0013] In one aspect, the microphone is further configured to detect speech of a user wearing the wearable audio device.

[0014] In one aspect, the wearable audio device comprises audio glasses, and the microphone is housed in a frame configured to rest on a user.

[0015] In one aspect, the microphone is housed near the temple area above the user's ear.

[0016] In one aspect, the microphone is located in an acoustic null position of the speaker such that the microphone detects substantially only ambient noise and substantially no audio signals and conditioned audio signals. In one aspect, the speaker outputs the audio signals and conditioned audio signals in a first direction, and the microphone is oriented to detect sounds substantially outside of the first direction.

[0017] Certain aspects provide a method for controlling leakage through an open audio device. The method includes: outputting an audio signal; detecting ambient noise; determining that an absolute value of a difference between a sound pressure level of the audio signal and a sound pressure level of the detected ambient noise is greater than a first sound pressure threshold amount; in response to the determination, automatically increasing or decreasing the sound pressure level of the audio signal to generate an adjusted audio signal, wherein the sound pressure level of the adjusted audio signal exceeds the sound pressure level of the detected ambient noise by an amount exceeding a second sound pressure threshold amount; and outputting the adjusted audio signal.

[0018] In one aspect, the first sound pressure threshold amount and the second sound pressure threshold amount are different.

[0019] In one aspect, after outputting the adjusted audio signal, the method includes: redetecting the ambient noise; comparing the sound pressure level of the adjusted audio signal with the sound pressure level of the redetected ambient noise; further adjusting the sound pressure level of the adjusted audio signal based at least in part on the comparison of the sound pressure level of the adjusted audio signal with the sound pressure level of the redetected ambient noise to generate a further adjusted audio signal; and outputting the further adjusted audio signal.

[0020] In one aspect, increasing or decreasing the sound pressure level of the audio signal to generate an adjusted audio signal includes adjusting the sound pressure level more for lower frequencies of the audio signal than for higher frequencies of the audio signal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 An example of an open audio device in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure is shown.

[0022] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2B An example of a wearable open audio device according to certain aspects of the present disclosure is shown.

[0023] Figure 3 Example operations performed by a wearable audio device in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] An open-type audio device is an audio device that is not configured to physically block the path between the user's ear canal and the outside world. A wearable open-type audio device (also called an over-the-ear headphone) is a wearable audio device that is configured to be worn on or adjacent to a user's ear, on a user's head, over a user's shoulder, or otherwise on a user's body.

[0025] In-ear earbuds and over-ear headphones perform passive noise reduction by at least partially blocking or obstructing the path between the user's ear canal and the outside world. In contrast to earbuds or over-ear headphones, wearable open-back audio devices are not configured to perform this type of passive noise reduction because they do not block or obstruct the user's ear canal. This configuration allows the user to hear sounds from near the user in addition to the audio output from the audio device. In some examples, the speakers that output the sound may be positioned very close to or against the user's skin; however, leakage into the environment may disturb others. As the level of ambient noise changes, the user can manually adjust the volume to comfortably hear the audio output from the device. Various aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and devices for automatically adjusting the sound pressure level of an audio device based on ambient noise to minimize leakage and provide a seamless listening experience when the ambient noise level changes.

[0026] Figure 1 Exemplary components of an open audio device according to certain aspects of the present disclosure are shown. According to one example, the audio device 100 is a wireless wearable open audio device. The audio device includes a memory and processor 102, a communication unit 104, a transceiver 106, and an audio output transducer or speaker 108. The memory may include a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and / or a flash ROM. The memory stores program code for controlling the memory and processor 102. The memory and processor 102 control the operation of the wireless device 100. Figure 1 Any or all of the components may be combined into a multi-functional component.

[0027] Processor 102 controls the general operation of wireless device 100. For example, processor 102 processes and controls audio and / or data communications. As described herein, in addition to general operation, processor 102 is configured to automatically control the volume or SPL output by audio device 100 based on ambient noise. By adjusting the volume based on ambient noise, leakage that can be heard by others in the audio output by the audio device is reduced or minimized. In addition, automatic SPL adjustment provides the user with a desired listening experience because the SPL of the audio output is automatically adjusted to be at least one threshold amount greater than the SPL of the detected ambient noise. Therefore, in the absence of user interaction, the user can comfortably hear the audio output when the ambient noise level changes.

[0028] The communication unit 104 facilitates wireless connection with one or more other wireless devices. For example, the communication unit 104 may include one or more wireless protocol engines, such as a Bluetooth engine. Although Bluetooth is used as an exemplary protocol, other communication protocols may also be used. Some examples include Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Near Field Communication (NFC), IEEE 802.11 or other local area network (LAN) or personal area network (PAN) protocols.

[0029] The transceiver 106 transmits and receives information via one or more antennas to exchange information with one or more other wireless devices. According to various aspects, one or more microphones 110 are configured to detect ambient noise near the audio device, detect the voice of a user wearing or near the audio device, and convert the detected noise and / or voice into electrical signals. The transceiver 106 is not necessarily a distinct component.

[0030] The audio output transducer 108 may also be referred to as a driver or speaker. In some examples, more than one output transducer is used. The transducer converts electrical signals into sound and converts sound into electrical signals. The transducer is configured to output an audio signal with an automatically adjusted SPL.

[0031] Figure 1 Communication between certain modules of an exemplary open audio device is shown; however, aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to the specifically shown examples. According to various aspects, any module 102-110 is configured to communicate with any other module in the open audio device. In one example, all modules are connected to each other and communicate.

[0032] Figure 2A and Figure 2B An exemplary form factor of a wearable open audio device according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2A In the case of the iPod, the ear hook holds the audio transducer near the wearer's ear, while the Figure 2B In the case of the Spectacles, the audio transducer is included in the eyeglass form factor. Figure 2A and Figure 2B The exemplary form factors in are non-limiting; other form factors for wearable open audio devices are contemplated, including an acoustic device worn on the head, shoulders, or body that includes one or more acoustic drivers to produce sound without physically blocking a path between a user's ear canal and the outside world. Figure 2A and Figure 2B Wearable audio devices include Figure 1 One or more components shown in . Figure 2A and Figure 2B The two audio devices in are configured to remain in place as the user moves his or her head. Figure 2AIn the embodiment of the present invention, the wearable audio device 200A is formed in part from a compliant material so that the audio device gently clamps onto the user's ear. Figure 2B In the embodiment of the present invention, the wearable audio device 200B includes an electronic device 202B (such as a wearable audio device 200B) at least partially contained within the frame of the audio glasses 200B. Figure 1 In one example, one or more speakers and microphones are located in or around region 202B, near the temple area and above the user's ear.

[0033] In some examples, the microphone is placed so that it is in the acoustic null of the speaker output, which enhances the acoustic isolation of the speaker output from the microphone. This helps ensure that the microphone is measuring the sound of the surrounding environment rather than the audio output by the audio device. Therefore, the microphone is able to determine the amount of ambient noise when the speaker outputs audio without an echo canceller.

[0034] According to one example, one or more microphones are disposed near the temple area of ​​the audio glasses 200B, on the bridge of the nose of the audio glasses, and / or on the frame near the bottom of the lenses of the audio glasses. According to one example, the frame of the acoustic audio glasses 200B includes a plurality of sound-emitting openings. The housing and its openings are constructed and arranged to achieve the desired delivery of audio to a specific location (e.g., near the user's ears). This helps to minimize leakage to the external environment. The first front opening and the second rear opening radiate sound from the speaker to the environment outside the frame of the audio glasses 202B in a manner that can be similar to an acoustic dipole. The audio glasses 200B exhibit acoustic characteristics that approximate a dipole, wherein the effective dipole length is not fixed. Exemplary configurations of audio devices configured with variable dipoles are described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2018-0167710, entitled “Acoustic Transducer,” filed on December 11, 2016, and U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 884,924, entitled “Eyeglass Headphones,” filed on January 31, 2018, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0035] Examples of wearable audio devices are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 901,076, filed on Feb. 21, 2018, and entitled “Audio Device,” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16 / 050,682, filed on Jul. 31, 2018, and entitled “Audio Eyeglasses With Cable-Through Hinge And Associated Flexible Printed Circuit,” which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0036] Figure 3 An exemplary operation 300 for controlling the SPL output of an audio device based on ambient noise according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The audio device is an open audio device. Although examples are described with reference to a wearable open audio device, the techniques described herein may be performed by any type of open audio device (such as, for example, a non-wearable speaker).

[0037] At 302, an audio device outputs an audio signal via one or more speakers. At 304, the audio device detects ambient noise. In one example, a microphone in the audio device detects the ambient noise. At 306, the audio device compares the SPL of the audio signal to the SPL of the ambient noise. The ambient noise detected by the audio device is changed by one or more of moving the audio device or changing the ambient noise.

[0038] In order to adaptively adjust the audio output while minimizing leakage to other people near the audio device, at 308, the audio device automatically adjusts the SPL of the audio signal based at least in part on a comparison of the audio signal with the SPL of the ambient noise to generate an adjusted audio signal. In a loud environment, the user of the audio device requires the audio volume output by the audio device to be louder, and people near the audio device are less sensitive to leakage. When the ambient noise changes to a quieter environment, such as with a lower SPL, the user may not need the audio output to be as loud, and people near the audio device are more sensitive to leakage.

[0039] According to various aspects, the audio device is configured with a first SPL threshold amount. When the absolute value of the difference between the SPL of the audio signal and the SPL of the ambient noise is greater than the first SPL threshold amount, the audio device is configured to automatically adjust the SPL of the audio signal at 308 .

[0040] According to various aspects, the audio device is configured with a second SPL threshold amount. After reaching the first SPL threshold, the audio device is configured to adjust the SPL of the audio signal until the amount by which the SPL of the adjusted audio signal exceeds the SPL of the detected ambient noise reaches the second SPL threshold amount. In some examples, the first SPL threshold amount is greater than the second SPL threshold amount, but in other examples, the first SPL threshold amount and the second SPL threshold amount may be the same. Therefore, the audio device is configured to trigger automatic adjustment of the SPL of the audio output when the absolute value of the difference between the SPL of the audio signal and the SPL of the ambient noise is within the first SPL amount increment, and the audio device adjusts the SPL of the audio output until the SPL of the audio output is greater than the SPL of the surrounding environment by a second increment.

[0041] In one example, a user of a wearable audio device moves from a quieter environment (such as the user's home) to a loud environment (such as a busy street). When the user walks outside along the busy street, the audio device determines that the SPL difference between the ambient noise and the audio output is greater than a first SPL threshold amount, rather than manually increasing the volume to comfortably hear the audio output. In response, the audio device increases the volume of the audio output until the SPL of the adjusted audio output is greater than the SPL of the ambient noise by a second SPL threshold amount.

[0042] According to an example, different increases in SPL are applied to different frequency bands. In one example, the increase is applied to a bass band, a mid-band frequency band, and / or a treble band. In one example, a bass band refers to lower frequencies below 100 Hz, a mid-band frequency band refers to frequencies between 100 Hz and 4 kHz, and a treble band refers to higher frequencies above 4 kHz.

[0043] According to various aspects, the SPL boost applied to the lower bass band frequencies is greater than the SPL boost applied to the mid-range frequencies, and the SPL boost applied to the mid-range frequencies is greater than the SPL boost applied to the treble frequencies.

[0044] Continuing with the example, a user walks into a quiet office space from a busy street. Rather than manually lowering the volume to comfortably hear the audio and minimize disturbances to others, the audio device determines that the SPL of the surrounding environment is greater than the SPL of the audio output by a first SPL threshold amount. In response, the audio device reduces the SPL of the audio output until the SPL of the regulated audio output is greater than the SPL of the surrounding environment by a second SPL threshold amount. According to various aspects, different adjustments of the SPL are applied to different frequency bands. In one example, the SPL adjustment is applied to a bass band, a mid-band frequency band, and / or a treble band. According to various aspects, the SPL reduction applied to lower bass band frequencies is greater than the SPL reduction applied to mid-band frequencies, and the SPL reduction applied to mid-band frequencies is greater than the SPL reduction applied to treble frequencies. In one example, a smaller SPL reduction is applied to the higher frequencies of the audio signal.

[0045] Table 1 provides exemplary SPL increase values ​​(in dB) applied to music audio based on frequency range. The music has a constant SPL of 70 dB estimated at the user's ear. The ambient noise increases from 50 dB to 65 dB in 5 dB increments. Because there is no or substantially no feedback path, the SPL increase applied by each frequency range does not result in an increase (or a significant increase) in the music's SPL estimated at the user's ear.

[0046] The increase or decrease of SPL is controlled independently for each frequency range. As shown in Table 1, the SPL of the bass band frequency is increased more than the SPL of the mid-band frequency, and the SPL of the mid-band frequency is increased more than the SPL of the treble frequency. Accordingly, when the ambient noise is reduced, for example, from 65 dB to 50 dB, the SPL of the bass band frequency is reduced more than the SPL of the mid-band frequency, and the SPL of the mid-band frequency is reduced more than the SPL of the treble frequency.

[0047] Music SPL (in dB) 70 70 70 70 Noise SPL (in dB) 50 55 60 65 Bass boost (in dB) 0 0.7 7.7 14.7 Mid-range boost (in dB) 0 0 4.4 9.9 Treble boost (in dB) 0 0 2.7 7.2

[0048] Table 1

[0049] At 310, the audio device outputs the adjusted audio signal. As described above, the SPL of the adjusted audio signal may be greater or less than the SPL of the audio signal output at 302.

[0050] As described above, the sound pressure of the audio signal is continuously adjusted to be greater than the SPL of the ambient noise by at least a second SPL threshold amount. According to various aspects, after 310, the method continues to 304 to re-detect the ambient noise. At 306, the audio device compares the SPL of the regulated audio signal with the SPL of the re-detected ambient noise. At 308, the audio device further automatically adjusts the SPL of the regulated audio signal based on the comparison of the SPL of the regulated audio signal with the SPL of the re-detected ambient noise to generate a further regulated audio signal. At 310, the audio device outputs the further regulated audio signal.

[0051] In some open ear audio devices, a microphone detects ambient noise as well as the audio output of the audio device. An echo canceller can be used to cancel the audio signal output from the open ear audio device from the signal detected by the microphone. According to various aspects, an echo canceller is not required in an audio device configured to perform automatic SPL adjustment based on ambient noise. Instead, one or more microphones are located within the audio device so that they are positioned in the acoustic null of the speaker, which makes it so that when detecting ambient noise, the one or more microphones do not substantially detect the audio signal output by the audio device and the adjusted audio signal.

[0052] In one example, due to the position and configuration of one or more microphones and speakers, the speaker outputs an audio signal substantially in a first direction, and the microphone detects signals outside the first direction. By substantially not detecting the audio signal output by the speaker, the microphone mainly detects only ambient noise. Therefore, the audio device may not need to use, for example, an echo canceller to perform resource-intensive calculations to eliminate the output of the audio device from the signal detected by the microphone. Example speakers that substantially output sound in a first direction are described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2018-0167710, entitled “Acoustic Transducer,” filed on December 11, 2016, and U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 884,924, entitled “Eyeglass Headphones,” filed on January 31, 2018, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0053] In the absence of the technology described herein, the user will need to adjust the volume of the audio output based on changes in the surrounding environment, and / or the device will require a resource-intensive echo canceller to enable the microphone to accurately detect the ambient noise level. Automatic SPL adjustment also provides a comfortable, more seamless listening experience despite changes in the user's surroundings. Therefore, the user can listen to the audio output that is automatically adjusted to adapt to the user's settings. In addition, the user may not find any changes in the SPL of the audio signal output by the audio device. In addition, the position of one or more microphones and the configuration of the speaker allow more accurate and more efficient automatic SPL adjustment, thereby reducing the overall usage of the required processing resources, and thus improving the battery life of the audio device.

[0054] In the foregoing, reference is made to various aspects presented in the present disclosure. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the specifically described aspects. Various aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of a fully hardware implementation, a fully software implementation (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or an implementation combining software and hardware aspects, which may be collectively referred to herein as "components," "circuits," "modules," or "systems." In addition, various aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable program code embodied thereon.

[0055] Any combination of one or more computer readable media may be utilized. A computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared or semiconductor system, device or apparatus, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of computer readable storage media include: an electrical connector having one or more wires, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the present context, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that may contain or store a program.

[0056] The flow charts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the possible specific implementation architecture, functions and operations of the systems, methods and computer program products according to various aspects. In this regard, each frame in the flow chart or block diagram may represent a module, a part of the code, which includes one or more executable instructions for implementing one or more specified logical functions. In some specific implementations, the functions described in the frame may not occur in the order described in the accompanying drawings. For example, depending on the functions involved, the two frames shown in succession may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or the frames may sometimes be executed in the opposite order. Each frame in the block diagram and / or flow chart illustration and the combination of frames in the block diagram and / or flow chart illustration may be implemented by a combination of a dedicated hardware-based system or dedicated hardware and computer instructions that performs a specified function or action.

Claims

1. A method performed by a wearable audio device, comprising: outputting an audio signal having an adjusted sound pressure level (SPL) based on ambient noise in the vicinity of the wearable audio device; The SPL of the audio signal is further adjusted by: applying a first SPL increase to the audio signal to increase the adjusted SPL of the audio signal based on an increase in the ambient noise in the vicinity; or applying a second SPL increase to the audio signal to reduce the adjusted SPL of the audio signal based on the ambient noise reduction in the vicinity, The first SPL increase and the second SPL increase are applied to both the lower frequency and the higher frequency of the audio signal, wherein the first SPL increase and the second SPL increase for both the lower frequency and the higher frequency of the audio signal depend on the ambient noise in the vicinity, wherein the degree of dependence varies between the lower frequency and the higher frequency; and outputting the audio signal having the adjusted SPL.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: applying a first SPL increase to the audio signal to increase the adjusted SPL of the audio signal to increase the adjusted SPL of the audio signal to be greater than the SPL of the ambient noise by at least a sound pressure threshold amount; as well as Applying a second SPL increase to the audio signal to reduce the adjusted SPL of the audio signal reduces the adjusted SPL of the audio signal to be less than the SPL of the ambient noise by at least the sound pressure threshold amount.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first SPL increase and the second SPL increase applied to both the lower frequencies and the higher frequencies of the audio signal increase the SPL more for the lower frequencies of the audio signal than for the higher frequencies of the audio signal.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Applying the first SPL increase to the audio signal to increase the adjusted SPL of the audio signal is further based on an absolute value of a difference between the adjusted SPL of the audio signal and the SPL of the ambient noise being greater than a first sound pressure threshold amount.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein applying the first SPL increase to the audio signal to increase the adjusted SPL of the audio signal comprises: The SPL of the audio signal is increased until the adjusted SPL of the audio signal exceeds the SPL of the ambient noise by an amount exceeding a second sound pressure threshold amount, wherein the first sound pressure threshold amount and the second sound pressure threshold amount are different.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The ambient noise is detected by a microphone on the wearable audio device, and wherein the microphone is further configured to detect speech of a user wearing the wearable audio device. 7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the microphone is located in an acoustic null position of a loudspeaker configured to output the audio signal having the adjusted SPL.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wearable audio device comprises over-the-ear headphones or audio glasses.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wearable audio device outputs the audio signal having the adjusted SPL without physically blocking a path between an ear canal of a user wearing the wearable audio device and the outside of the ear canal of the user.

10. A wearable audio device comprising: a speaker configured to output an audio signal having an adjusted sound pressure level (SPL) based on ambient noise in the vicinity of the wearable audio device; as well as A processor configured to further adjust the SPL of the audio signal by: applying a first SPL increase to the audio signal to increase the adjusted SPL of the audio signal based on an increase in the ambient noise in the vicinity; or applying a second SPL increase to the audio signal to reduce the adjusted SPL of the audio signal based on the ambient noise reduction in the vicinity, the first SPL increase and the second SPL increase are applied to both lower frequencies and higher frequencies of the audio signal, wherein the first SPL increase and the second SPL increase for both the lower frequencies and the higher frequencies of the audio signal are dependent on the ambient noise in the vicinity, wherein the degree of dependence varies between the lower frequencies and the higher frequencies, Wherein the speaker is further configured to output the audio signal having the adjusted SPL.

11. The wearable audio device of claim 10, wherein the speaker is configured to output the audio signal having the adjusted SPL without physically blocking a path between an ear canal of a user wearing the wearable audio device and the outside of the ear canal of the user.

12. The wearable audio device of claim 10, wherein the wearable audio device further comprises: A microphone is further configured to detect the ambient noise and a voice of a user wearing the wearable audio device.

13. The wearable audio device of claim 12, wherein the wearable audio device comprises audio glasses, and wherein the microphone is housed in a frame configured to rest on a user.

14. The wearable audio device of claim 13, wherein the microphone is housed near a temple area above an ear of a user wearing the wearable audio device.

15. The wearable audio device of claim 12, wherein the microphone is located in an acoustic null of the speaker such that the microphone substantially detects only the ambient noise and substantially does not detect the audio signal having the adjusted SPL.

16. The wearable audio device of claim 14, wherein the speaker outputs the audio signal having the adjusted SPL in a first direction, and the microphone is oriented to detect sounds substantially outside of the first direction.

17. The wearable audio device of claim 10, wherein: The processor is configured to: apply the first SPL increase to the audio signal to increase the adjusted SPL of the audio signal to be greater than the SPL of the ambient noise by at least a sound pressure threshold amount; as well as The processor is configured to apply the second SPL increase to the audio signal to reduce the adjusted SPL of the audio signal to be less than the SPL of the ambient noise by at least the sound pressure threshold amount.

18. The wearable audio device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to apply the first SPL increase and the second SPL increase applied to both the lower frequencies and the higher frequencies of the audio signal by: The SPL is increased more for lower frequencies of the audio signal than for higher frequencies of the audio signal.

19. The wearable audio device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to apply the first SPL increase to the audio signal to increase the adjusted SPL of the audio signal further based on: an absolute value of a difference between the adjusted SPL of the audio signal and the SPL of the ambient noise being greater than a first sound pressure threshold amount.

20. The wearable audio device of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to apply the first SPL increase to the audio signal to increase the adjusted SPL of the audio signal until the adjusted SPL of the audio signal exceeds the SPL of the ambient noise by an amount exceeding a second sound pressure threshold amount, wherein the first sound pressure threshold amount and the second sound pressure threshold amount are different.

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