In embodiments of the invention, the present invention is directed to a contact hearing system including: a transmit coil positioned in an ear tip wherein the transmit coil includes an electrical coil wound on a ferrite core; a receive coil positioned on a contact hearing device wherein the receive coil includes an electrical coil without a core; a load connected to the receive coil; and a demodulation circuit connected to the receive coil and the load wherein the demodulation circuit includes a voltage doubler and a peak detector.

In embodiments of the invention, the present invention is directed to a contact hearing system including: a transmit coil positioned in an ear tip wherein the transmit coil includes an electrical coil wound on a ferrite core; a receive coil positioned on a contact hearing device wherein the receive coil includes an electrical coil without a core; a load connected to the receive coil; and a demodulation circuit connected to the receive coil and the load wherein the demodulation circuit includes a voltage doubler and a peak detector.

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.

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.

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.

Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for processing an audio signal to add virtual bass. In one representative embodiment, an apparatus includes: (a) an input line that inputs an original audio signal; (b) a bass extraction filter that extracts a bass portion of such original audio signal; (c) an estimator that estimates a fundamental frequency of a bass sound within such bass portion; (d) a frequency translator that shifts the bass portion by a positive frequency increment that is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency estimated by the estimator, thereby providing a virtual bass signal; (f) an adder having (i) inputs coupled to the original audio signal and to the virtual bass signal and (ii) an output; and (g) an audio output device coupled to the output of the adder.

Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for processing an audio signal to add virtual bass. In one representative embodiment, an apparatus includes: (a) an input line that inputs an original audio signal; (b) a bass extraction filter that extracts a bass portion of such original audio signal; (c) an estimator that estimates a fundamental frequency of a bass sound within such bass portion; (d) a frequency translator that shifts the bass portion by a positive frequency increment that is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency estimated by the estimator, thereby providing a virtual bass signal; (f) an adder having (i) inputs coupled to the original audio signal and to the virtual bass signal and (ii) an output; and (g) an audio output device coupled to the output of the adder.

In some embodiments, a method for processing an audio signal in an audio processing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes receiving an audio signal and a parameter, the parameter indicating a location of an auditory event boundary. An audio portion between consecutive auditory event boundaries constitutes an auditory event. The method further includes applying a modification to the audio signal based in part on an occurrence of the auditory event. The parameter may be generated by monitoring a characteristic of the audio signal and identifying a change in the characteristic.

In some embodiments, a method for processing an audio signal in an audio processing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes receiving an audio signal and a parameter, the parameter indicating a location of an auditory event boundary. An audio portion between consecutive auditory event boundaries constitutes an auditory event. The method further includes applying a modification to the audio signal based in part on an occurrence of the auditory event. The parameter may be generated by monitoring a characteristic of the audio signal and identifying a change in the characteristic.