The disclosure includes an acoustic processing network comprising a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) operating at a first frequency and a Real-Time Acoustic Processor (RAP) operating at a second frequency higher than the first frequency. The DSP receives a noise signal from at least one microphone. The DSP then generates a noise filter based on the noise signal. The RAP receives the noise signal from the microphone and the noise filter from the DSP. The RAP then generates an anti-noise signal based on the noise signal and the noise filter for use in Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).

A sliding window to close off an open surface in a wall separating the inside from the outside. The window includes an opening panel, a frame and a passive acoustic silencer. The silencer includes two parallel and acoustically absorbent slides extending in a median plane normal to the open surface. One slide is attached to the opening panel and the other slide is attached to the frame. The movement of the opening panel relative to the frame creating, between the slides, a slit having a thickness equal to the window opening. Also, a system of windows to acoustically damp between the inside and outside of an open space in a wall.

In example implementations, a system is disclosed for suppressing ambient sounds. In one example, the system includes a camera, a plurality of microphones, a plurality of speakers and a processor. The camera captures an image of a target, the plurality of microphones receives ambient sounds and a plurality of speakers outputs an audio signal to suppress the ambient sounds. The processor is in communication with the camera, the plurality of microphones and the plurality of speakers. The processor can identify a location on the target based on the image that is captured, determine a direction and a frequency of the ambient sounds, and generate the audio signal based on the direction and the frequency of the ambient sounds, the audio signal is directed towards the location on the target.

An active noise control (ANC) headrest comprises a speaker configured to produce antinoise that destructively interferes with frequencies of ambient sound, and a microphone configured to receive feedback comprising a combination of the antinoise and the ambient sound. The headrest further comprises a position sensor configured to detect a position of a flange to which the speaker is mounted relative to a center section of the headrest. The headrest further comprises processing circuitry configured to control the speaker to produce the antinoise based on the feedback and the position detected by the position sensor.

A sound input/output device for a vehicle includes: microphones that are provided within a vehicle cabin; a plurality of directional speakers that are provided within the vehicle cabin, and that output sound to respective seats; an output position specifying section that specifies a seat that is an output destination from a voice collected by one or more of the microphones or from input from an utterer of a voice; and an output control section that outputs sound from one or more of the speakers to a seat specified by the output position specifying section.

The invention includes a system for classifying sounds using a microphone, microphone array and/or a camera. The system can classify sounds and respective levels at different zones in an area such as a room, hall or vehicle passenger compartment. The system can use Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) to reduce unwanted sound and Automatic Loudness Control (ALC) to adjust levels of audio output such as music. The system can maintain a loudness ratio in each zone to create an optimal environment for music listening and/or conversation. The system can also be used to optimize the sound levels of broadcasted messages such as service announcements and advertisements.

A sound state estimating unit detects surrounding sound at a timing at which a notification to a destination user occurs. A user state estimating unit detects a position of the destination user and positions of users other than the destination user at the timing at which the notification occurs. An output control unit controls output of the notification to the destination user at a timing at which it is determined that the surrounding sound detected by the sound state estimating unit is masking possible sound which can be used for masking in a case where the position of the destination user detected by the user state estimating unit is within a predetermined area.

A partial enclosure for inhibiting sound passing into and out of the partial enclosure includes an absorber-barrier or an absorber-barrier-absorber, each made from sound absorbing material and sound barrier material and arranged to form the partial enclosure. The enclosure also includes an adaptive frequency matched sound-masking system. The absorber-barrier or absorbed-barrier-absorber is positioned to block or inhibit unwanted sound from various positions of a source of the unwanted sound, or motion of the source of the unwanted sound. The adaptive frequency matched sound-masking system includes a sound generating device arranged on or in the partial enclosure to emit anti-noise signal to cancel or inhibit the unwanted sound.

The invention relates to a method for centralized control of multiple active noise cancellation devices. The method includes identifying a trigger event. Also, the method includes identifying at least one zone of a mapped area in response to identifying the trigger event. Further, the method includes identifying two or more devices based on the at least one zone of the mapped area, and transmitting a command to disable active noise cancellation on the two or more devices.

Methods and apparatuses for noise management are disclosed. In one example, a method includes receiving a plurality of noise level measurements. The method includes receiving a plurality of location data. In one example, the method further includes adjusting an environmental parameter utilizing the noise level measurements. In one example, the method further includes providing location services to a user directing the user to a geographical area having a lower noise level.