A feedforward ambient noise reduction arrangement includes, within a housing, a loudspeaker device for directing sound energy into an ear of a listener. Disposed externally of the housing, and positioned to sense ambient noise on its way to the listener's ear, are plural microphone devices capable of converting the sensed ambient noise into electrical signals for application to the loudspeaker to generate an acoustic signal opposing the ambient noise. Importantly, the overall arrangement is such that the acoustic signal is generated by said loudspeaker means in substantial time alignment with the arrival of said ambient noise at the listener's ear.

A headset having a talk-through microphones incorporates an audio circuit that disconnects or compresses a signal representing sounds detected by the talk-through microphones in response to the audio circuit detecting the onset of a peak in the signal that exceeds a predetermined voltage level, and that does so with a rate of change in voltage level that exceeds a predetermined rate of change in voltage level. The duration of the disconnection or compression may be controlled by a timing circuit set to a predetermined period of time that may be retriggerable while amidst the predetermined period of time.

An ear-and-eye mask (10) is provided comprising a noise-attenuation-and-generation assembly (46) having a digital domain, the noise-attenuation-and-generation assembly comprising, in the digital domain, a noise cancelling-circuit (48) and a noise masking circuit (64), wherein the noise-cancelling circuit (48) receives an input from an audio capture device (56) thereof which communicates with the noise masking circuit (64). An adaptive spectral noise analyser and generator is provided which determines an unwanted remnant signal comprising the leftover unwanted frequency and/or volume after noise cancellation, and wherein the noise attenuation-and-generation assembly (46) then determines and generates a compensation frequency and/or volume for countering this unwanted remnant signal following noise attenuation for output by a speaker (36) through a stem (40) direct to the user's ears.

This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that include earpad assemblies that improve acoustic isolation are discussed. User convenience features that include automatically detecting the orientation of the headphones on a user's head are also discussed. Various power-saving features, design features, sensor configurations and user comfort features are also discussed.

A quiet toilet apparatus disclosed. Microphones and circuitry are used to receive and detect one or more virtual point source locations and propagation directions of unwanted toilet noise. Speakers are used to create one or more synthesized wave fronts resulting in cancelation and reduction of unwanted toilet noise. The speakers, microphones and circuitry may be located within a toilet seat of a toilet or at a remote location. A user device or remote device may be connected to the noise reduction toilet apparatus for data recording, collection, reporting, and electronic noise filtering.

A system and method for adaptive active noise reduction measure the acoustic response for each user to adaptively adjust and customize the ANR operation using adaptive filters to correct for any differences between the measured response and a targeted response. The system and method of various embodiments incorporate a closed loop control system with a feedforward input. The acoustic measurement and adaptation procedure is performed to adapt or tune at least one of the closed loop and feedforward control loops to provide adaptive ANR customized for each user and current ambient environment.

A sound control device in a vehicle and control method thereof may include obtaining energy per unit time of an audio signal corresponding to a preset low frequency band, calculating an allowable reference value based on a difference between a magnitude of energy per unit time of the audio signal and a magnitude of a preset maximum allowable input of a speaker, monitoring whether a magnitude of energy per unit time of a noise control signal for eliminating noise in the vehicle exceeds the allowable reference value, and adjusting a magnitude of the noise control signal when the magnitude of energy per unit time of the noise control signal exceeds the allowable reference value.

A slip-type active noise control muffler reducing exhaust noise of a vehicle may include at least two guides connected to an inner wall of a housing accommodating exhaust gas in the muffler and formed in a pipe shape in a longitudinal direction of the muffler, and a baffle positioned in a plane shape partitioning the interior of the housing and including an electromagnet on the plane shape to control an interval of the baffles through a movement signal by current applied to the electromagnet according to frequency calculated from the exhaust gas, in which the interval of the baffles may be controlled and the exhaust noise may be reduced by controlling the number of wavelengths depending on the frequency.

A motorsports helmet having an isolation mount defining a receptacle is provided. An adjustment plate is selectively disposed within the receptacle at different depths and includes an ear-cup. The ear-cup is secured relative to the adjustment plate and includes at least two degrees of freedom of movement.

A feedforward ambient noise reduction arrangement includes, within a housing, a loudspeaker device for directing sound energy into an ear of a listener. Disposed externally of the housing, and positioned to sense ambient noise on its way to the listener's ear, are plural microphone devices capable of converting the sensed ambient noise into electrical signals for application to the loudspeaker to generate an acoustic signal opposing the ambient noise. Importantly, the overall arrangement is such that the acoustic signal is generated by said loudspeaker means in substantial time alignment with the arrival of said ambient noise at the listener's ear.