An audio processing system includes at least one first microphone, at least one adaptive filter, and a processor. The at least one first microphone acquires a first audio signal and outputs a first signal based on the first audio signal. The first audio signal includes at least one of a first audio component generated at a first position and a second audio component generated at a second position different from the first position. The first signal is input to the at least one adaptive filter. The at least one adaptive filter outputs a passing signal based on the first signal. The processor, when executing a program stored in a memory, performs: making a determination of which of the first audio component and the second audio component the first audio signal includes more; and controlling a filter coefficient of the adaptive filter based on a result of the determination.

A controller for an adaptive noise canceling (ANC) system simplifies the design of a stable control response by making the ANC gain of the system independent of a secondary path extending from a transducer of the ANC system to a sensor of the ANC system that measures the ambient noise. The controller includes a fixed filter having a predetermined fixed response, and a variable filter coupled together. The variable response filter compensates for variations of a transfer function of a secondary path that includes at least a path from a transducer of the ANC system to a sensor of the ANC system, so that the ANC gain is independent of the variations in the transfer function of the secondary path.

The Invention is the combination of a case that couples to a mobile device, digital-to-analog audio conversion and amplification circuitry and necessary control and communication functions to provide an enhanced listening experience using traditional analog headsets or speakers.

Method and system for active reduction of a predefined audio acoustic signal (AAAS), also referred to as noise, in a quiet zone, without interfering undefined acoustic noise signals within as well as outside the quiet zone, by generating accurate antiphase AAAS signal. The accuracy of the generated antiphase AAAS is obtained by employing a unique synchronization signal(s) (SYNC) which is generated and combined with the predefined AAAS. The combined signal is electrically transmitted (referred to as the electric channel) to a processing quieting component. Simultaneously, the generated SYNC signal is acoustically broadcasted near the predefined AAAS and merges with it. A microphone in the quiet zone receives the merged acoustic signals that arrive via the air (referred to as the acoustical channel) to the quiet zone and a receiver in the quieting component receives the combined electrical AAAS and SYNC signal that arrive wire or wireless to the quiet zone. In the quiet component the SYNC is detected from both electrical and acoustical channels, the detected SYNC signals with the electrically received AAAS signal are used to calculate the timing and momentary amplitude for generating an accurate acoustic antiphase AAAS signal to cancel the acoustic predefined AAAS. By continuously and periodically updating the SYNC signal enables to dynamically evaluate acoustical environmental distortions that might appear due to echo, reverberations, frequency non-linear response, or due to other distortions mechanisms.

An acoustic system includes: a first customer-side microphone; a first counselor-side microphone; a first sound changing unit; a first loudspeaker; a second customer-side microphone; a second counselor-side microphone; and a second loudspeaker. Between the second loudspeaker and the first customer-side microphone, a first sound transmission path is provided. Also, between the second loudspeaker and the first counselor-side microphone, a second sound transmission path is provided. These sound transmission paths have substantially the same length. The first sound signal generated by the first customer-side microphone is made to have a phase substantially opposite to that of the second sound signal generated by the first counselor-side microphone, and the sound signals are added together.

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.

An audio system includes a plurality of near-field speakers arranged in a listening area. A plurality of cross-talk cancellation filters are coupled to the speakers. The speakers and the filters are arranged to provide first and second listening zones in the listening area such that audio from the first listening zone is cancelled in the second listening zone and vice versa. The system also includes at least one audio source providing audio content. Volume-based equalization circuitry receives an audio signal representing audio content for the first listening zone from the audio source and controls a volume adjustment applied to the audio signal to control a volume of audio in the first listening zone. The circuitry limits attenuation or amplification of a first frequency portion of the audio signal when a volume setting differential corresponding to a difference between volume settings for the first and second zones exceeds a predetermined value.

A filtering device includes a low-pass filter (LPF), a noise estimation circuit and a first combining circuit. The LPF receives and filters a pre-filtering signal to generate an output signal of the filtering device. The noise estimation circuit estimates an estimated noise signal according to the output signal and the pre-filtering signal. The first combining circuit subtracts the estimated noise signal from an input signal of the filtering device to generate the pre-filtering signal.

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.

A method of controlling an audio system comprises: receiving an audio signal, and applying a first gain to the audio signal and outputting an amplified audio signal. On receiving a user input to increase the first gain applied to the audio signal, if the first gain is at a first threshold value, the method comprises: receiving an ambient noise signal, processing the ambient noise signal with a second gain value and outputting a noise cancellation signal, and changing the second gain value in response to the user input.