Methods and apparatuses for addressing open space noise are disclosed. In one example, a system and method for masking open space noise includes outputting a noise masking sound from a plurality of balanced mode radiator loudspeakers distributed in a down-fire direction above an open space.

A person support apparatus, such as a bed, cot, stretcher, or the like, includes an active noise cancellation device configured to generate a noise cancelling sound wave that is designed to cancel a noise sound wave. The active noise cancellation device may include speakers and a microphone. In other embodiments, the person support apparatus includes a sound emitting component and a transmitter adapted to send out a notification signal prior to activation of the sound emitting component. The notification signal provides information about a characteristic of the sound to be emitted by the sound emitting device. The recipient of the notification signal may then use the signal to cancel the sound that is to be emitted. In some embodiments, the person support apparatus acts as a conduit for notification signals of upcoming sounds, receiving and forwarding such notification signals from and to other devices.

Examples of creating a device identifier that are based upon hardware components of a client device are discussed. An inaudible or high frequency reference audio sample is played. Audio capture is initiated using the microphone system. A sensor-based device identifier can be generated from the captured audio due the manufacturing variances in the hardware components used for the speaker and microphone systems.

An electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus comprises a speaker; a microphone; a communicator configured to communicate with an external electronic apparatus; and a processor configured to: activate the microphone in response to receiving information indicating that the external electronic apparatus is in an initial setting state through the communicator, the information being broadcasted by the external electronic apparatus via a first wireless communication method, in response to receiving a sound output by the external electronic apparatus through the microphone, generate an inverted sound by inverting a phase of the received sound, output the inverted sound through the speaker such that the sound output by the external electronic apparatus is offset by the inverted sound, and obtain address information of the external electronic apparatus for wireless communication with the external electronic apparatus from the sound received through the microphone.

In one aspect, a first device includes at least one processor and storage accessible to the at least one processor. The storage includes instructions executable by the at least one processor to receive first input from a first microphone and to receive second input from a second, different microphone. The instructions are also executable to, based on one or more identified audio characteristics of the first and second inputs, select one of the first and second microphones as an operative microphone from which third input of a person speaking is provided to a second device as part of an audio conference. The instructions are then executable to provide the third input of the person speaking to the second device as part of the audio conference.

An always-listening-capable decoupled cap for a computing device having a communication module, comprising an electronic sensor and a gatekeeping module. All data received by the communications module based on data from the electronic sensor passes through the gatekeeping module while a gatekeeping function is disabled, no data based on data from the electronic sensor passes through the communications module while the gatekeeping function is enabled, all data input to the gatekeeping module is received via an exclusive input lead from the electronic sensor, and all data output from the gatekeeping module is transmitted via an exclusive output lead to a component other than the electronic sensor. The cap interferes with a function of the computing device and retrieves a response to the user input from a server different from a server that the computing device would have retrieved data from but for the interference.

An always-listening-capable decoupled cap for a computing device having a communication module is disclosed, comprising an electronic sensor and a gatekeeping module. All data received by the communications module based on data from the electronic sensor passes through the gatekeeping module while a gatekeeping function is disabled, no data based on data from the electronic sensor passes through the communications module while the gatekeeping function is enabled, all data input to the gatekeeping module is received via an exclusive input lead from the electronic sensor, and all data output from the gatekeeping module is transmitted via an exclusive output lead to a component other than the electronic sensor. The cap interferes with a function of the computing device, determines that user input recorded by the first electronic sensor comprises a first input content, and changes a nature of interference with the function of the computing device.

An apparatus comprising an audio detector configured to analyse a first audio signal to determine at least one audio source, wherein the first audio signal is generated from the sound-field in the environment of the apparatus; an audio generator configured to generate at least one further audio source; and a mixer configured to mix the at least one audio source and the at least one further audio source such that the at least one further audio source is associated with the at least one audio source.

The overall performance of an ANC system may be improved by configuring the ANC system to perform adaption in the frequency domain. The ANC systems may be configured to update an algorithm of an adaptive filter based, at least in part, on the first input signal, the second input signal, and a feedback signal that is based on an output of the adaptive filter. Updating may include changing parameters of the algorithm based on a SDR based, at least in part, on the first input signal. Updating may also include normalizing a step size and processing at least full band information for the input signal in a frequency domain to generate coefficient values for the algorithm. Updating may also include applying a frequency domain magnitude constraint on adaptive filter coefficients.

A hands-free intercom may include a user-tracking sensor, a directional microphone, a directional sound emitter, a display device, and/or a communication interface. The user-tracking sensor may determine a location of a user so the directional microphone can measure vocal emissions by the user and the directional sound emitter can deliver audio to the user. The hands-free intercom may provide privacy to the user. The hands-free intercom may prevent an eavesdropper from hearing the user's vocal emissions, for example, by canceling the vocal emissions at the eavesdropper's ear. The directional sound emitter may deliver out-of-phase sound to cancel the vocal emissions. The hands-free intercom may also, or instead, cancel ambient noise at the user's ear. The hands-free intercom may measure or predict a filtration of the sound to be canceled and compensate for the filtration when canceling the sound.