The present disclosure relates to an audio device and an operation method thereof. The audio device may include a speaker; a plurality of microphones spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other; and controller. The controller controls the plurality of microphones to receive audio output from an external audio device, determines a location of the external audio device on the basis of signals received from the plurality of microphones and adjusts a setting for an audio output from at least one of the external audio device and the speaker, based on the location of the external audio device.

Acoustic activity detection is provided herein. Operations of a method can include receiving an acoustic signal at a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) microphone. Based on portions of the acoustic signal being determined to exceed a threshold signal level, output pulses are generated. Further, the method can include extracting information representative of a frequency of the acoustic signal based on respective spacing between rising edges of the output pulses.

This application relates an activity detector (100) for detecting signal activity in an input audio signal (S.sub.IN), such as may be used for always-on speech detection. The activity detector has a first time-encoding modulator (TEM) 101 including a first hysteretic comparator (201) for generating a PWM (pulse-width modulation) signal based on the input audio signal. A second TEM (103) having a second hysteretic comparator (401) is arranged to receive a reference voltage (V.sub.MID) and generate a clock signal (S.sub.CLK). A time-decoding converter (102) receives the clock signal and generates count values of a number of cycles of the clock signal in periods defined by the PWM signal. An activity monitor (104) is responsive to a count signal (S.sub.CT) from the TDC 102 to determine whether the input audio signal comprises signal activity above a defined threshold.

In accordance with an embodiment, a system includes a digital calibration filter device configured to receive a digital input signal based on a sensor output signal from a sensor, receive a sensor-specific control signal, and perform digital filter processing of the digital input signal to produce a calibrated output signal, wherein the digital filter processing is based on the sensor-specific control signal; and a control device configured to select the sensor-specific control signal from a plurality of sensor-specific control signals based on an ascertained influencing parameter, and provide the sensor-specific control signal to the digital calibration filter device.

A microphone-speaker device includes a speaker, a microphone configured to capture sound and output an audio data signal and a housing configured to contain the microphone and the speaker. The device also includes an electronic circuit having audio electronics coupled to the speaker, an Ethernet interface configured to connect the electronic circuit for communication with a security system through an Ethernet connection, a power extractor for extracting power from the Ethernet connection for powering the electronic circuit and the microphone, and processing electronics configured to process the audio data signal from the microphone.

Systems and methods for generating training data are described herein. Pieces of metadata captured by a plurality of networked sensor systems can be captured, where each piece of metadata is associated with a specific set of sensor data captured by one of the plurality of networked sensor systems and includes a set of characteristics for the specific set of captured sensor data. A probabilistic model can be generated based on the received metadata and simulations can be performed based upon a training corpus by generating multiple scenarios, and, for each scenario, a scenario specific version of a particular annotated sample is generated by performing a simulation using the particular annotated sample. The scenario specific versions of annotated samples from the training corpus can be stored as a training data set on the at least one network device.

A method, system, and apparatus for troubleshooting one or more multimedia devices of an audio system have been disclosed herein. An audio loopback device transmits a test signal to a first multimedia device. The first multimedia device, after receiving the test signal, generates a response signal. The audio loopback device triggers a priority controller based on an unsuccessful detection of the response signal. The priority controller troubleshoots a communicative coupling by at least changing a mode of operation of at least one of a first multimedia device or a second multimedia device from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation. The first mode of operation or the second mode of operation may be utilized by the first multimedia device to establish the communicative coupling with the second multimedia device for delivering an audio signal of the second multimedia device on an audio device.

An automatic robot control system and methods relating thereto are described. These systems include components such as a touch screen panel (“TSP”) robot controller for controlling a TSP robot, a camera robot controller for controlling a camera robot and an audio robot controller for controlling an audio robot. The TSP robot operates inside a TSP testing subsystem, the camera robot operates inside a camera testing subsystem, and the audio robot operates inside an audio testing subsystem. Inside the audio testing subsystem, an audio signals measurement system, using a bi-directional coupling, controls the operation of the audio robot controller. In this control scheme, a test application controller is designed to control the different types of subsystem robots. Methods relating to TSP, camera, and audio robots, and their controllers, taken individually or in combination, for automatic testing of device functionalities are also described.

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.

Various implementations include portable speakers with dynamic display characteristics. In some particular aspects, a portable speaker includes an enclosure housing: at least one electro-acoustic transducer for providing an audio output; a processor coupled with the at least one transducer; an audio input module coupled with the processor for receiving audio input signals; and a battery configured to power the at least one transducer, the processor, and the audio input module; an input channel for receiving a hard-wired audio input connection; at least one wireless input channel for receiving an audio input from a source device via a wireless connection; and a display on the enclosure coupled with the processor, wherein the processor adjusts an orientation of the display between a first orientation and a second orientation in response to detecting a change in orientation of the portable speaker.