The present technology relates to a signal processing apparatus and method, an acoustic reproduction apparatus, and a program that can achieve more realistic acoustic presentation.

The signal processing apparatus includes an acoustic transfer characteristic convolution processing unit that convolves an acoustic transfer characteristic according to a current position of a presentation destination of a virtual sound source among the acoustic transfer characteristic associated with each position in a space and virtual sound source data of the virtual sound source. The present technology can be applied to an acoustic reproduction system.

A hearing aid system is provided that facilitates adjustment of signal processing parameters θ of the hearing aid system with minimum user intervention, wherein the hearing aid system is capable of calculating signal processing parameters θ for evaluation of the user when the user has entered an input, e.g. using a smartwatch, to this effect. The evaluation takes place for a certain time period and in the event that the user has entered a consent input indicating that he or she is pleased with the set θ of signal processing parameters under evaluation, the hearing aid system continues processing with those signal processing parameters; and if the user is not pleased with the signal processing parameters θ under evaluation, the hearing aid system calculates another set {circumflex over (θ)} of signal processing parameters for evaluation of the user.

A headset includes a wearable body, first and second earphones extending from the wearable body, controls for controlling an external communication/multimedia device wirelessly, a microphone for picking up vocal data from a user of the headset system and a signal processing unit. The signal processing unit includes circuitry for processing the vocal data into a distinctly audible vocal feedback signal, circuitry for enhancing the vocal feedback signal thereby producing an enhanced vocal feedback signal and circuitry for mixing the enhanced vocal feedback signal with audio signals originating from the external communication/multimedia device, thereby producing a mixed output signal and then sending the mixed output signal to the user via the earphones. The external communication/multimedia device comprises a vocal command application and the headset further comprises a vocal command control for sending vocal commands to the external communication/multimedia device and to the vocal command application.

An audio system for a headset includes a plurality of speakers and an audio controller. The plurality of speakers may be in a dipole configuration that cancel sound leakage into a local area of the headset. The controller filters audio content presented by the plurality of speakers to further mitigate leakage of audio content into the local area. The audio determines sound filters based on environmental conditions, such as ambient noise levels, as well as based on the audio content being presented.

A wireless earphone system (1) comprising a first earphone (2) and a second earphone (3). The first earphone (2) comprises a first earphone transceiver (6) of a first type and a second earphone transceiver (7) of a second type, and the second earphone (3) comprises a third earphone transceiver (7) of the first type. A first wireless link (5) can be established between the first earphone transceiver (6) and the third earphone transceiver (8), and a second wireless link (9) can be established between the second earphone transceiver (7) and an audio rendering transceiver (25) of the second type of an audio rendering device (4). The first earphone device (2) is adapted to send a link status signal (12) via the second wireless link (9) to the audio rendering device (4).

A method of utilizing wireless earpieces for hub communications in embodiments of the present invention may have one or more of the following steps: (a) activating the wireless earpieces, (b) connecting one or more devices to the wireless earpieces, (c) performing first biometric measurements of the user utilizing the wireless earpieces, (d) receiving second biometric measurements from the one or more devices, (e) determining if the one or more devices is located on the same user as the wireless earpieces by comparing the second biometric measurements to the first biometric measurements, (f) receiving a communication to be sent through the wireless earpieces from the one or more devices, and (g) sending the communication to reach a receiving party in response to the determination the second biometric measurements are similar to the first biometric measurements.

A system and method for implementing interactive media content is provided. Interactive media content is received for communication to a user through at least wireless earpieces. User biometrics are measured utilizing the wireless earpieces. A user condition associated with the user biometrics is determined. Branching patterns of the interactive media content are modified in response to the user condition. The interactive content may be a game or story.

A method of incorporating environmental acoustic sources into a virtual environment by measuring real environment acoustic sources and locations and incorporating them into a virtual environment with virtual acoustic sources.

A method for adapting signal processing parameters of a hearing instrument of a hearing system. A number of acoustic indicators (IndA) for a temporary environmental situation of a user of the hearing instrument is ascertained from an input signal generated by a transducer. A first sensor ascertains a number of peripheral indicators (IndP) for the existing temporary environmental situation. Based on the acoustic and peripheral indicators (IndA, IndP) the system determines whether the existing temporary environmental situation falls into a known class of temporary environmental situations. If it does not, a new class is defined with the respective ascertained acoustic and peripheral indicator(s) (IndA, IndP), and the plurality of signal processing parameters are assigned a corresponding plurality of parameter values, according to which the first input signal is to be processed to form the output signal upon the future existence of a temporary environmental situation from the new class.

An information processing apparatus, a control method, and a control program capable of providing an experience close to one experienced in a real space to a user are provided. An information processing apparatus includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire terminal position information of a communication terminal; a holding unit configured to hold a predetermined area and acoustic-image localization position information of an audio content to be output to the communication terminal while associating them with each other; a generation unit configured to generate acoustic-image localization information based on the acoustic-image localization position information and the terminal position information when the terminal position information is included in the predetermined area; and an output unit configured to output the acoustic-image localization information.