A system (202) for binaural signal processing. A first speaker (210) and a second speaker (220) are respectively mounted proximal to, and deliver respective first and second acoustic signals to, the left and right ears of a user. A first microphone (212) and a second microphone (222) are respectively mounted proximal to the left and right ears. A binaural processing device receives signals from the microphones and, based on the microphone signals, determines the first and second acoustic signals. The binaural processing device operates at a distance from both the left and right ears of the user. The speakers, microphones and the binaural processing device are connected by a signal network.

A method (100) for calibrating a sound delivery system (1) having a processing assembly, a data communications assembly (9) coupled to the processing assembly, and at least one audio transducer (21a, 21b) mounted with at least one processor (11) of the processing assembly and responsive thereto for delivering sound to a user (3), the method including the steps of: transmitting from a remote user interface device (6) for the sound delivery system, a sequence of command codes for specifying predetermined characteristics of test sounds; receiving the command code sequence at the communications assembly of the sound delivery system; providing the command code sequence to the processing assembly of the sound delivery system; reproducing by a selected at least one audio transducer, the predetermined test sounds under control of said at least one processor according to the command code sequence; measuring with a reference SPL meter (70) proximate to the audio transducer, characteristics of test sounds reproduced by the sound delivery system; comparing the measured characteristics of the reproduced sounds with the predetermined characteristics of the test sounds; producing a mapping of specified test sounds to sounds reproduced by said at least one audio transducer; and storing the mapping in an electronic memory (12, 82) associated with the processing assembly or remote interface device (6).

To enable a person to quickly and easily establish an audio profile for a TV, speaker, or other audio device, an audio profile is downloaded to the TV or speaker (and stored, if desired). The profile in the recipient device can be one of many that can be interchanged quickly on-the-fly. A voice assistant may enable the person to pick an audio profile from a list of audio profiles or user interface, either on the TV or the device the profile was created on. Using either method, voice assistant or UI, the profile can be downloaded from a mobile or PC device where the profile was created, or from the cloud where a previously created profile was uploaded and stored. A dual UI using voice and visual on-screen options makes the profiles accessible to most people.

A media system and a method of using the media system to accommodate hearing loss of a user, are described. The method includes selecting a personal level-and-frequency dependent audio filter that corresponds to a hearing loss profile of the user. The personal level-and-frequency dependent audio filter can be one of several level-and-frequency-dependent audio filters having respective average gain levels and respective gain contours. An accommodative audio output signal can be generated by applying the personal level-and-frequency dependent audio filter to an audio input signal to enhance the audio input signal based on an input level and an input frequency of the audio input signal. The audio output signal can be played by an audio output device to deliver speech or music that the user perceives clearly, despite the hearing loss of the user. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying first and second users and identifying first and second locations of the first and second users in a presentation area, determining first and second media content associated with the first and second users where the first media content includes first audio content and first video content and where the second media content includes second audio content, presenting the first video content at a display device during a particular time period, adjusting the first audio content resulting in adjusted first audio content, presenting the adjusted first audio content directed to the first location during the particular time period, and presenting the second audio content directed to the second location during the particular time period. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Technology presented herein increases a user's enjoyment of sound by personalizing an audio signal so that the user perceives the audio signal as if the user had ideal hearing and/or desired hearing. In one embodiment, headphones on a user's head include a sensor and a speaker. While the speaker plays an audio signal to the user, the sensor records the user's response to the audio signal. The sensor can be a microphone, a brainwave sensor, an EEG sensor, etc. The user's response can be the audio response inside the user's ear, the brainwave response associated with the user, electrical skin response associated with the user, etc. Based on the measured response, and based on the knowledge of how other people perceive sound, the audio signal is modified to compensate for the difference between the user's hearing and the ideal hearing and/or desired hearing, therefore increasing the user's enjoyment of sound.

A notification service provision method for a hearing-impaired person executed on a notification service provision device for a hearing-impaired person, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: checking whether the sensitivity of a sound received from a surrounding area through each of sound detection modules is equivalent to or greater than a preset vibration generation reference sensitivity; if, as a result of the checking, the sensitivity of the sound received through each of the sound detection modules is equivalent to or greater than the preset vibration generation reference sensitivity, calculating the sensitivity gap of the sound received through each of the sound detection modules; and according to the sound sensitivity gap, notifying a hearing-impaired person of the fact that a sound has occurred by operating at least one of vibration generation modules. Thus, the present invention has a merit of providing help to a hearing-impaired person by notifying the hearing-impaired person about a direction by means of vibration if the sensitivity of a sound collected from a surrounding area is greater than a sound sensitivity preset by the hearing-impaired person.

A hearing aid (21) includes a signal processor producing signals that have been processed to compensate for a hearing impairment, a first output converter (26), a second output converter (27), a first acoustic output transducer (34) and at least a second output transducer (35). The first output converter (26) and the first output transducer (34) are configured to reproduce the high frequencies of the processed signals, and the second output converter (27) and the second output transducer (35) are configured to reproduce the low frequencies of the processed signals. The output converters (26, 27) may preferably be embodied as direct digital drive output converters. The processed signals are split between the first and second output converters according to a cross-over frequency tunable by programming.

[Problem]

Provided is a high-performance and high-quality curved diaphragm speaker system that is capable of reproducing sounds in a plurality of bands and achieves performance sufficient for hard-of-hearing people and hearing people.

[Solution]

A speaker unit 10 of the present invention includes a first diaphragm 1 in a corn form, a second diaphragm 2 in a curved sheet form, and a driver unit 4 that drives both of the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm. A small diameter side 1a of the first diaphragm and one end side 2a of the second diaphragm are both connected to the driver unit. The second diaphragm has a plurality of regions having different resonance characteristics due to a change in the curvature of a diaphragm surface in the middle from the one end side to the other end side in a length direction. This speaker unit is attached to a housing 50 to form a speaker 100.

Audio device apparatuses for hearing impaired users comprise a wearable housing connected, wired or wirelessly, to earphones or a headset. The audio device receives incoming sound, processes the incoming sound to form processed sound, and delivers the processed sound to the earphones or headset of the user.