An apparatus receives a background audio signal from an earpiece microphone. The earpiece microphone is configured to convert sound from a surrounding environment into the background audio signal. The apparatus outputs, to at least one speaker, a primary audio signal with an altered version of the background audio signal. The altered version is selectable, responsive to control by a user of a user interface, between an amount of active noise cancelation of the sound and an amount of reproduction of the sound. One example embodiment is a headset with microphones and speakers for the respective inputs and outputs.

A headset device with active noise reduction includes a housing configured to be mounted near or in a human ear, a speaker unit equipped within the housing and configured to emit a sound signal, one or more microphone units configured to collect ambient sound and a signal processor electrically connected to the one or more microphone units. The signal processor is configured to selectively operate either in a hearing aid mode in which ambient sound coming in from the outside through the one or more microphone units is emitted, or in a noise reduction mode in which ambient sound coming in from the outside is inverted and the inverted ambient sound is emitted through the speaker unit to reduce the ambient sound. A corresponding method of operating the headset device is also provided.

The technology disclosed herein enables ambient noise level determination at an endpoint using a secondary audio capture system for the endpoint. In a particular embodiment, a method includes during a communication session, receiving an audio signal representing sound captured by a secondary audio capture system for an endpoint on the communication session. A primary audio capture system for the endpoint captures voice communications from a user of the endpoint for the communication session. The method further determining an ambient noise level for the endpoint from the audio signal and, in response to determining that the ambient noise level satisfies a loudness criterion, presenting a notification to the user about the ambient noise level.

A speaker and a microphone are provided to a helmet main body. A phase of a sound signal passing through a high pass filter is controlled by a first phase control section, and is amplified by a first amplification section. A phase of a sound signal passing through the low pass filter is controlled by a second phase control section, and is amplified by a second amplification section. These sound signals are synthesized by a synthesis section. A drive section drives the speaker according to a synthesized sound signal. A control section switches phase inversion processing/non-inversion processing of the phase control sections and controls an amplification factor of the amplification sections based on sound power of the sound signal.

In one example, a headset comprises a microphone; an earpiece that is configured to output audio based on one or more of the following: a first audio signal from a connected host device and associated with an application type and a second audio signal from the microphone, when present; a noise reduction module that is configured to reduce ambient noise; a speech detection module that is configured to detect whether a headset user is talking; a voice pass-through module that is configured to pass external voices captured with the microphone as the second audio signal to the earpiece, when activated; and a controller that is configured to activate the voice pass-through module in response to the speech detection module detecting the headset user talking, when uplink audio is off.

Real-time gunshot detection and reporting. A computing device detects, in an audio signal received by an audio receiver that includes a plurality of audio receiving elements, at least one gunshot. The computing device determines, based on the plurality of audio receiving elements, an audio location of the at least one gunshot. The computing device sends control signals to at least two cameras to cause the at least two cameras to capture at least two corresponding images of the audio location. The computing device, based on the at least two corresponding images, identifies a gunshot location and transmits a gunshot location identifier that identifies the gunshot location to a destination.

Various implementations include systems for providing enhanced aware mode capabilities in an ANR audio device. In particular implementations, a method includes receiving an ambient noise signal from a microphone associated with a wearable audio device; determining a gain value based on a sound pressure level (SPL) of the ambient noise signal; generating a gain adjusted ambient noise signal by applying the gain value to the ambient noise signal; generating a total external microphone signal by adding the gain adjusted ambient noise signal to a noise reducing ambient signal; generating an expanded audio signal by selectively adjusting a source audio signal based on the gain adjusted ambient noise signal; and combining and outputting the expanded audio signal with the total external microphone signal to an acoustic transducer.

The inventive EAL may generally enhance a driver's spatial awareness by providing the driver with intuitive/familiar audible warnings with directionality which can be enhanced with visual warnings as well as other technologies such as ANC and Zoned audio. Thus, the driver can understand the meaning of the warning and where it is coming from so he can react to it faster. In a specific embodiment, a motor vehicle includes a plurality of outside microphones mounted in association with an outer surface of the vehicle. A plurality of loudspeakers are disposed within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. A processing device identifies a sound of interest in microphone signals received from the outside microphones. It is determined from the microphone signals a direction in which the sound of interest is traveling. This may also be done with sensors, GPS, V2X, etc. In response to the identification of the sound of interest, playing at least one of the microphone signals on the loudspeakers is begun such that the sound of interest in the microphone signal and heard by the driver on the loudspeakers is perceived by a driver of the vehicle to be traveling in the determined direction.

A system has a sound generator (20) that generates superimposed sound to a sound to be manipulated. An error sensor (50) measures sound and outputs a corresponding feedback signal (e′(n)). A signal generator (91) generates a sound signal (y(n)). A controller (92) generates a control signals (λ.sub.1(n)) and (λ.sub.2(n)). The adder (94) subtracts one control signal (λ.sub.2(n)) from the feedback signal (e′(n)) and outputs a modified feedback signal (en(n)) to the signal generator (91). A weighter (95) weights the sound signal (y(n)) with the control signal (λ.sub.1(n)) and outputs the weighted sound signal (y′(n)). The generated sound signal (y(n)) is a function of the modified feedback signal (e(n)). The controller (92) generates the control signals (λ.sub.1(n), λ.sub.2(n)) such that a value of the amplitudes of the feedback signal (∥e′(n)∥) corresponds to a predefinable value (Δ).

A method for providing elected sounds to a user—isolated from sounds of the environment—of a mobile device to increase his awareness regarding entities or events in his vicinity. The user wears sound isolating headphones connected to his mobile device. A mobile application is installed on the mobile device, and is automatically activated when the headphones are connected to his mobile device. The application is adapted to automatically activate the device's microphone when the isolating headphones are plugged into the device and periodically compare in real-time, sounds received from the environment, to a predefined collection of reference sounds. Sounds of the environment, which match one or more reference sounds from the collection are selectively filtered out and as long as the sounds received from the environment match the one or more reference sounds from the collection, the filtered sounds are continuously passed to the isolating headphones.