Systems and methods for selectively providing audio alerts via a speaker device are disclosed herein. A system plays first audio content through a speaker. A microphone captures second audio content comprising an alert Output of the second audio content through the speaker is suppressed by using noise cancellation The system identifies the alert within the second audio content and determines a priority level of the alert. The system determines, based on the priority level, that the alert should be reproduced, and audibly reproduces the alert via the speaker, with the first audio content or instead of the first audio content.

A system for adjusting volume and ambient sounds in an earphone device with Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) functionality, implemented using a microphone and a signal processor, wherein a signal mixer is configured to, in response to detecting a rotation of a first dial connected to the earphone device, adjust the proportions between a group of signals in a mixed signal generated for the speaker of the earphone device, and thereby enabling precise and intuitive control of both playback volume and ambient sound processing.

According to one embodiment, a method, computer system, and computer program product for allowing selective sounds within a noise cancellation headset. The embodiment may include receiving a sound from a noise-filled environment. A source of the sound is a machine within the noise-filled environment. The embodiment may include determining that the sound is indicative of a problem within the noise-filled environment. The embodiment may include identifying a severity of the problem. The embodiment may include identifying a user within a boundary range of the problem. The boundary range is based, in part, on the severity of the problem. The user is wearing a noise cancellation headset which is actively cancelling sounds of the noise-filled environment. The embodiment may include allowing the sound to be heard within the noise cancellation headsets of the identified user.

A vehicle-implemented, adaptive noise-cancellation system responsive to entertainment audio is provided. The noise-cancellation system uses reference signal from a reference sensor, such as an accelerometer, to generate a noise-cancellation signal to destructively interfere with road noise in the vehicle cabin. A first set of entertainment audio thresholds triggers the system to enable or disable adaptation of an adaptive filter of the noise-cancellation system. A second set of entertainment audio thresholds triggers the system to enable, attenuate, or disable the noise-cancellation signal. As the entertainment audio increases, the system first disables the adaptation of the adaptive filter, then attenuates the noise-cancellation signal, then completely disables the noise-cancellation signal. Conversely, as the entertainment audio decreases, the system first enables the noise-cancellation signal, then reduces the attenuation (thereby increasing the amplitude) of the noise-cancellation signal, and then enables the adaptation of the adaptive filter.

A hearing device adapted for being located at or in an ear of a user, or for being fully or partially implanted in the head of a user comprises a) an input unit for providing at least one electric input signal representing sound in an environment of the user, said electric input signal comprising a target speech signal from a target sound source and additional signal components, termed noise signal components, from one or more other sound sources, b) a noise reduction system for providing an estimate of said target speech signal, wherein said noise signal components are at least partially attenuated, and c) an own voice detector for repeatedly estimating whether or not, or with what probability, said at least one electric input signal, or a signal derived therefrom, comprises speech originating from the voice of the user. The noise signal components are identified during time segments wherein the own voice detector indicates that the at least one electric input signal, or a signal derived therefrom, originates from the voice of the user, or originates from the voice of the user with a probability above an own voice presence probability (OVPP) threshold value. A method of operating a hearing device is further disclosed.

In an active noise reducing headphone, a signal processor applies filters and control gains of both the feed-forward and feedback active noise cancellation signal paths. The signal processor is configured to apply first feed-forward filters to the feed-forward signal path and apply first feedback filters to the feedback signal path during a first operating mode providing effective cancellation of ambient sound, and to apply second feed-forward filters to the feed-forward signal path during a second operating mode providing active hear-through of ambient sounds with ambient naturalness.

The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for noise reduction, and a headset. The method of noise reduction includes: acquiring a first reference noise signal; acquiring an initial direction of desired speech in response to a trigger signal; acquiring a real-time direction of desired speech based on a real-time orientation of the headset and the initial direction of desired speech, the real-time orientation being obtained by orientation tracking for the headset; filtering out a desired speech signal from the first reference noise signal to acquire an undesired noise signal, the desired speech signal being extracted in the real-time direction of desired speech; and filtering the undesired noise signal to output an inverse noise signal for speaker playback. Thus, using the method of noise reduction, not only the undesired noise in the ambient noise can be cancelled, but also the desired speech signal can be retained.

A user content audio signal is converted into sound that is delivered into an ear canal of a wearer of an in-ear speaker, while the in-ear speaker is sealing off the ear canal against ambient sound leakage. An acoustic or venting valve in the in-ear speaker is automatically signaled to open, so that sound inside the ear canal is allowed to travel out into an ambient environment through the valve, while activating conversion of an ambient content audio signal into sound for delivery into the ear canal. Both user content and ambient content are heard by the wearer. The ambient content audio signal is digitally processed so that certain frequency components have been gain adjusted, based on an equalization profile, so as to compensate for some of the insertion loss that is due to the in-ear speaker blocking the ear canal. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

According to certain embodiments, an electronic device comprises: at least one display module; at least one communication module; at least one microphone; at least one camera; and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: capture at least one image through the at least one camera, identify at least one object located around the electronic device, based at least in part on the at least one image, identify sound information attributable to the identified at least one object from first sound data input through the at least one microphone, control the at least one display module to display at least one virtual object corresponding to the identified at least one object at a position corresponding to the at least one object, wherein the position is determined based on the sound information, obtain a first user input associated with a first virtual object among the at least one virtual object, and determine a noise cancellation (NC) level of a first object corresponding to the first virtual object, based on the first user input.

An acoustic apparatus includes a sound-emitting unit that acoustically outputs a sound signal, at least one sensor that periodically detects accelerations of the user in three directions including a front-rear direction, a left-right direction, and an upper-lower direction, a vibration sound peak detection unit detecting a peak of a vibration sound based on a movement of the user when detection values of the accelerations in the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the upper-lower direction satisfy a predetermined condition, and a signal processing unit that determines whether a time difference at which the peak of the vibration sound is detected is periodic. When it is determined that the time difference is periodic, the signal processing unit sets a gain of a cancellation signal to be suppressed from the sound signal acoustically output from the sound-emitting unit based on the peak of the vibration sound.