An example method of operation may include identifying, in a particular room environment, a number of speakers and one or more microphones on a network controlled by a controller and amplifier, providing test signals to play sequentially from each amplifier channel of the amplifier and the speakers, monitoring the test signals from the one or more microphones simultaneously to detect operational speakers and amplifier channels, providing additional test signals to the speakers to determine tuning parameters, detecting the additional test signals at the one or more microphones controlled by the controller, and automatically establishing a background noise level and noise spectrum of the room environment based on the detected additional test signals.

Techniques are provided for audio-based detection and tracking of an acoustic source. A methodology implementing the techniques according to an embodiment includes generating acoustic signal spectra from signals provided by a microphone array, and performing beamforming on the acoustic signal spectra to generate beam signal spectra, using time-frequency masks to reduce noise. The method also includes detecting, by a deep neural network (DNN) classifier, an acoustic event, associated with the acoustic source, in the beam signal spectra. The DNN is trained on acoustic features associated with the acoustic event. The method further includes performing pattern extraction, in response to the detection, to identify time-frequency bins of the acoustic signal spectra that are associated with the acoustic event, and estimating a motion direction of the source relative to the array of microphones based on Doppler frequency shift of the acoustic event calculated from the time-frequency bins of the extracted pattern.

A switching device is adapted for a true diversity receiver and contains: a control switch defined between two microcontrollers of two antennas and configured to switch RF wireless microphone signals so that the two microcontrollers execute a single-receiving dual true diversity program or a dual-receiving single true diversity program. The RF wireless microphone signals are received by the two antennas and are decoded to sound signals by two digital decoders respectively, and the sound signals are sent to two audio signal processors by a multiplexer which corresponds to the two microcontrollers to switch the sound signals of a single-receiving dual true diversity or a dual-receiving single true diversity. Thereafter, the sound signals are output by a sound signal mixer.

An over-the-ear hearing assessment device and a method for evaluating the performance of over-the-ear hearing devices are described. An exemplary over-the-ear hearing assessment device includes an ear cup defining an interior volume and positionable at least partially over the ear of a user. The ear cup includes a shell, a cushion, and an acoustic port extending from an exterior to the interior volume of the ear cup. The acoustic port is sealably engagable with a microphone.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for a privacy blocking device configured to prevent receipt, by a listening device, of video and/or audio data until a trigger occurs. A blocker may be configured to prevent receipt of video and/or audio data by one or more microphones and/or one or more cameras of a listening device. The blocker may use the one or more microphones, the one or more cameras, and/or one or more second microphones and/or one or more second cameras to monitor for a trigger. The blocker may process the data. Upon detecting the trigger, the blocker may transmit data to the listening device. For example, the blocker may transmit all or a part of a spoken phrase to the listening device.

This document describes techniques and systems that enable a range extender device. The techniques and systems include a user device that includes a housing with an audio sensor, a heat sink assembly, a circuit board assembly, and a speaker assembly positioned within the housing. The housing includes a top housing member connected to a bottom housing member. The top housing member includes a concave-down top-end portion connected to a generally-cylindrical vertical wall via rounded corners. The heat sink assembly includes a heat sink and one or more antennas positioned proximate to an inner surface of the vertical wall. The circuit board assembly is positioned within the housing and proximate to the heat sink assembly, and the speaker assembly is positioned within the housing and connected to the circuit board assembly. Also, a light ring assembly is connected to a bottom exterior surface of the bottom housing member.

Described herein is a method for improving dialogue intelligibility during playback of audio data on a playback device, wherein the audio data comprise dialogue audio data, and at least one of music and effects audio data, the method including the steps of: determining a volume mixing ratio based on a volume value for playback; mixing the dialogue audio data and the at least one of music and effects audio data based on said volume mixing ratio; and outputting the mixed audio data for playback. Described are further a respective playback device and a respective computer program product.

An apparatus comprising a first part, the first part having: at least one camera configured to capture images, and at least two microphones configured to capture at least two audio signals; and a second part having at least one microphone configured to capture at least one audio signal, wherein one of the first part or the second part is configured to perform a move relative to the other part, wherein the apparatus is configured to: determine a parameter associated with the move; select at least one of: the at least two audio signals, or the at least one audio signal based, at least partially, on the determined parameter; and generate at least one output audio signal based on the parameter associated with the move and the selected at least one of: the at least two audio signals or, the at least one audio signal.

Provided is a target sound extraction technique based on a steering vector generation method enabling instability in a calculation to be prevented when a neural network is trained by using an error back propagation method to reduce an estimation error of a beamformer. A target sound signal generation apparatus generates a target sound signal y.sub.t,f corresponding to a target sound included in an observed sound from an observed signal vector x.sub.t,f corresponding to the observed sound collected by using a plurality of microphones. The target sound signal generation apparatus includes a mask generation unit, a steering vector generation unit, a beamformer vector generation unit, and a target sound signal generation unit. The mask generation unit is configured as a neural network trained by using an error back propagation method. The steering vector generation unit generates a steering vector h.sub.f by determining an eigenvector corresponding to a maximum eigenvalue of a predetermined matrix generated from the observed signal vector x.sub.t,f and a mask γ.sub.t,f by using a power method.

The present disclosure discloses an acoustic output apparatus including at least one acoustic driver, a controller, and a supporting structure. The at least one acoustic driver may be configured to output sounds through at least two sound guiding holes. The at least two sound guiding holes may include a first sound guiding hole and a second sound guiding hole. The controller may be configured to control a phase and an amplitude of the sounds generated by the at least one acoustic driver using a control signal such that the sounds output by the at least one acoustic driver through the first and second sound guiding holes have opposite phases. The supporting structure may be provided with a baffle and configured to support the at least one acoustic driver such that the first and second sound guiding holes are located on both sides of the baffle.