A method performed by an audio system comprising a headset. The method sends a playback signal containing user-desired audio content to drive a speaker of the headset that is being worn by a user, receives a microphone signal from a microphone that is arranged to capture sounds within an ambient environment in which the user is located, performs a speech detection algorithm upon the microphone signal to detect speech contained therein, in response to a detection of speech, determines that the user intends to engage in a conversation with a person who is located within the ambient environment, and, in response to determining that the user intends to engage in the conversation, adjusts the playback signal based on the user-desired audio content.

An extraction unit extracts sound pressure information from a spectrogram. A binarization unit carries out binarization on the extracted sound pressure information in order to generate an event mask indicating a time period in which an audio event exists.

A vehicle that efficiently prevents a driver from eavesdropping a voice of a passenger may include: a driver's seat having a headrest speaker in a headrest thereof; the headrest speaker configured to output a sound, a front passenger seat, at least one rear passenger seat; a microphone configured to detect a voice of the passenger seated on the at least one rear passenger seat; and a controller configured to generate a masking curve based on the voice of the passenger and output a masking sound corresponding to the masking curve by controlling the headrest speaker.

The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method as well as a program that make it possible to control, by a partition provided on a boundary between two spaces, a visual shielding property and an auditory shielding property of a first space to a person in a second space in an interlocking relationship with each other in response to a distance between the person in the second space and the partition. A distance between the partition, which partitions the first space and the second space, and a person in the second space is measured, and transmittance of the partition and magnitude of output of audio in the first space to the second space are controlled in response to the measured distance. The present disclosure can be applied to a control apparatus for a partition section.

Devices for preventing unintended conversation from being recorded by a voice activated assistant device/application (VAD) are disclosed. The device is contoured to fit over a functional surface of a VAD that typically includes a plurality of microphones and control buttons. The device covers the microphones and uses its own microphones to monitor for an authorization input signal. In an embodiment, the devices uses speakers aligned with and opposing each VAD microphone. The device emits interfering audible signals during this mode of operation. Once the device senses an authorization input, the device decouples its speakers from the interfering audible signal and instead allows the device microphones to pass through to the VAD. During this mode, the VAD is in normal operation.

In one aspect, a device may include at least one processor and storage accessible to the at least one processor. The storage may include instructions executable by the at least one processor to receive input from at least one microphone accessible to the at least one processor and, based at least in part on the input, identify at least a first parameter related to sound indicated in the input. The instructions may also be executable to, based on the first parameter, output first babble noise via at least one speaker accessible to the at least one processor.

In one aspect, a device may include at least one processor and storage accessible to the at least one processor. The storage may include instructions executable by the at least one processor to receive input from at least one microphone accessible to the at least one processor and, based at least in part on the input, identify at least a first parameter related to sound indicated in the input. The instructions may also be executable to, based on the first parameter, output first babble noise via at least one speaker accessible to the at least one processor.

In accordance with some embodiments, an apparatus that seals the audio path of an enclosed device is provided. The apparatus includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion, when mated, are arranged to enclose a device, where a surface of the second housing portion is arranged to impart pressure on the device toward the first housing portion. The apparatus further includes a first supporting portion disposed along one side of the first housing portion and arranged to support the device. The apparatus also includes a first liner disposed in the first housing portion and arranged to form a first cavity, where the first cavity is adjacent to the first supporting portion. The apparatus further includes a noise generator operable to provide noise signal stream and a first audio output device coupled to the noise generator operable to output first masking signals to the first cavity.

A signal processing method and a wearable electronic device such as a headphone or an earphone comprising a microphone arranged to pick up an acoustic signal and convert the acoustic signal to a microphone signal (x); a loudspeaker arranged in an earpiece; and a processor configured to control the volume of a masking signal (m); and supply the masking signal (m) to the loudspeaker. Further, the processor is further configured to detect voice activity and generate a voice activity signal (y) which is, concurrently with the microphone signal, sequentially indicative of one or more of: voice activity and voice in-activity; and control the volume of the masking signal (m) in response to the voice activity signal (y) in accordance with supplying the masking signal (m) to the loudspeaker at a first volume at times when the voice activity signal (y) is indicative of voice activity and at a second volume at times when the voice activity signal (y) is indicative of voice in-activity.

Methods and apparatuses for addressing open space noise are disclosed. In one example, a method for masking open space noise includes optimizing a recorded naturally occurring sound signal. The method also includes outputting the optimized recorded naturally occurring sound signal from a plurality of speakers distributed in the open space. Further, the method includes displaying a natural system complementing the optimized recorded naturally occurring sound signal.