The subject matter herein field is for multiple and complimentary systems in the structure of a cellular device case so as to provide sound jamming and/or sound insulation, and/or powered noise cancellation as means of restriction the entry of useful sound into the microphone(s) of cellular smartphone devices, as a means of citizen counter-action of the “constant surveillance” characteristics inherent in the “always on,” microphone systems as described under Background of the Subject matter, above.

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.

A system and method for converting a passive protector earmuff to a communication and/or active noise reduction (ANR) headset include mounting active components to a frame subassembly configured for insertion into the passive earcup to divide the earcup volume into a front cavity without additional passive leak paths and a back cavity having a volume that improves speaker/driver power efficiency with a resistive vent to atmosphere. An earcup having an external shell includes a frame configured for positioning within the external shell and having a first support adapted to contact an interior of the shell and a second circumferential support cooperating with a seal to contact an ear seal plate of the earcup to form the front and back cavities. The frame may support a speaker between the front and back cavity, and secure circuitry within the back cavity.

A quiet headspace for the passenger in a vehicle (car/train/bus/aircraft etc.) which comprises a canopy to provide some passive attenuation of the noise coming from the surroundings and within the canopy a noise reduction system comprising, in combination one or more loudspeakers and one or more microphones located close to the passenger's head, and one or more microphones located around the periphery of the canopy.

A hearing protection system comprising a hearing protection device and a communication device is disclosed, the hearing protection device comprising a first connector; a first ear protector comprising a first sound attenuation body, a first primary microphone, and a first receiver, wherein the first primary microphone and the first receiver are electrically connected to a first primary terminal and a first receiver terminal of the first connector, respectively, and wherein the first sound attenuation body is configured to cover an outer ear of a user; and a second ear protector comprising a second sound attenuation body, a second primary microphone, and a second receiver, wherein the second primary microphone and the second receiver are electrically connected to a second primary terminal and a second receiver terminal of the first connector, respectively, and wherein the second sound attenuation body is configured to cover an outer ear of a user.

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 kit for attenuation of noise includes a noise source audio transducer, two ear pieces, and a control unit. The two ear pieces have respective resilient bodies that engage outer portions of ear canals of respective ears of a user while respective in-ear transducers of the two ear pieces are respectively positioned in inner portions of the ear canals. The respective in-ear transducers detect discrepancies (e.g., incomplete superpositioning) between the noise and the anti-noise. The respective in-ear transducers optionally detect respective secondary path effects in the ear canals. The noise source audio transducer detects noise generated by a noise source (e.g., snoring noise). The control unit configures an adaptive filter based at least in part on an error signal, and optionally based in part on secondary path effects. The control unit generates signals representative of anti-noise. The two ear pieces produce the anti-noise responsive to the signals. The two ear pieces produce masking noise with sound level that varies in direct correlation with sound level of the noise generated by the noise source.

A system includes a first earpiece having an earpiece housing configured to isolate an ambient environment from a tympanic membrane by physically blocking ambient sound, a microphone disposed within the housing and configured to receive a first ambient audio signal from the ambient environment, a processor operatively connected to the microphone wherein the processor is configured to receive the first ambient audio signal from the microphone and determine if the first ambient signal exceeds a threshold sound level, and a speaker operatively connected to the processor. In a first mode of operation the processor determines that the first ambient audio signal exceeds the threshold sound level and processes the first ambient audio signal to modify the first ambient audio signal. In a second mode of operation the processor determines that the first ambient audio signal does not exceed the threshold sound level and reproduces the first ambient audio signal at the speaker.

Certain example embodiments relate to an acoustic wall assembly that uses active and/or passive sound reverberation to achieve noise-disruptive functionality, and/or a method of making and/or using the same. With the active approach, sound waves in a given frequency range are detected by a sound masking circuit. Responsive to detection of such sound waves, an air pump (e.g., speaker) is used to pump air in the wall assembly to actively mask the detected sound waves via reverberation and/or the like. The wall assembly may include one, two, or more walls, and the walls may be partial or full walls. With the passive approach, sound waves in a given frequency range are disrupted via features (e.g., holes, slits, etc.) formed in and/or on a wall itself. These techniques may be used together or separately, in different example embodiments.

Certain example embodiments relate to an acoustic wall assembly that uses active and/or passive sound reverberation to achieve noise-disruptive functionality, and/or a method of making and/or using the same. With the active approach, sound waves in a given frequency range are detected by a sound masking circuit. Responsive to detection of such sound waves, an air pump (e.g., speaker) is used to pump air in the wall assembly to actively mask the detected sound waves via reverberation and/or the like. The wall assembly may include one, two, or more walls, and the walls may be partial or full walls. With the passive approach, sound waves in a given frequency range are disrupted via features (e.g., holes, slits, etc.) formed in and/or on a wall itself. These techniques may be used together or separately, in different example embodiments.