Methods and apparatus for configuring multiple microphones in an electronic communication device

    公开(公告)号:US10595129B1

    公开(公告)日:2020-03-17

    申请号:US16232629

    申请日:2018-12-26

    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for configuring an electronic communication device are disclosed. The methods include determining that the device is operating in a loud speaker mode and a front side of the device is in proximity to a surface, thus determining that the device is in a position associated with acoustic coupling between the loud speaker and the front microphone. The methods include initiating emission of a beacon signal from the loud speaker, determining, dependent on a measured property of the beacon signal received by the front microphone, that the acoustic coupling exceeds a predetermined threshold for high acoustic coupling and, in response, configuring a rear microphone as the primary microphone for capturing audio input. The beacon signal may be an ultrasonic signal. Once the device is no longer in the position associated with acoustic coupling nor experiencing high acoustic coupling, the front microphone may be configured as the primary microphone.

    Smart handcuffs as part of a personal-area network

    公开(公告)号:US10190340B2

    公开(公告)日:2019-01-29

    申请号:US15397761

    申请日:2017-01-04

    Abstract: Smart handcuffs are provided herein as part of a personal-area-network (PAN) along with a method for operating the smart handcuffs and the PAN. During operation smart handcuffs will pair with a first PAN master device. An alarm will sound when no system identification (SSID) is detected by the handcuffs, when no SSID is detected by the handcuffs that matches SSIDs within an internal database, when the handcuffs have broken the pairing with the first PAN master device, and the handcuffs have not paired or are not pairing with a second PAN, or when the handcuffs have broken the pairing with the first PAN master device, and no update from the handcuffs has been received by the first master device that the handcuffs have paired or will pair with the second PAN.

    Call re-routing in collaborative mode when battery is low

    公开(公告)号:US11057836B1

    公开(公告)日:2021-07-06

    申请号:US17092436

    申请日:2020-11-09

    Abstract: A method and apparatus for re-routing a call a when utilizing a collaborative mode of operation is provided herein. During operation, when a radio is operating in a collaborative mode, a battery level of the smart device will be monitored by the radio. If the associated smart device's battery is below a predefined threshold, the radio will be connected to a new talk-group via a standard narrowband network. As a consequence, each outgoing (or incoming) call from the radio over the new talkgroup on the narrowband network will be re-routed to the broadband network via the narrowband network (without utilizing the smart phone).

    Audio framework extension for acoustic feedback suppression

    公开(公告)号:US10154149B1

    公开(公告)日:2018-12-11

    申请号:US15922660

    申请日:2018-03-15

    Abstract: An audio framework for acoustic feedback suppression. One example portable communication device includes a microphone, a loudspeaker, and an electronic processor. The electronic processor receives an acoustic signal, including an audible component and an ultrasonic component, from the microphone. The electronic processor splits the acoustic signal into a first stream and a second stream identical to the first stream. The electronic processor is removes the ultrasonic component from the first stream to generate a filtered audio stream, and passes the filtered audio stream to a sound server. The electronic processor removes the audible component from the second stream to generate a received ultrasonic stream, and compares the received ultrasonic stream to a transmit ultrasonic stream to determine an acoustic distance. The electronic processor determines an attenuation level based on the acoustic distance, and adjusts an audio component of the portable communication device based on the attenuation level.

    Method, device, and system for identifying a howling source and suppressing howling

    公开(公告)号:US09667284B1

    公开(公告)日:2017-05-30

    申请号:US15064413

    申请日:2016-03-08

    CPC classification number: G01S11/14 G01S5/0257 G01S11/06 H04W4/023 H04W4/10

    Abstract: Method, device, and system for identifying a howling source and suppressing howling. One system includes a first communication device including a microphone, a first transceiver, and an electronic processor. The system also includes a second communication device including a second transceiver transmitting a radio signal and a speaker transmitting an acoustic signal. The electronic processor determines a first distance between the first communication device and the second communication device based on the radio signal received by the first transceiver. When the first distance is less than a first threshold, the electronic processor determines a second distance between the first communication device and the second communication device based on the acoustic signal received by the microphone. When the second distance is less than a second threshold, the electronic processor instructs at least one selected from the group consisting of the first communication device and the second communication device to suppress howling.

    METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING FAULTS IN A SIREN-BASED ALERT SYSTEM

    公开(公告)号:US20210074132A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-03-11

    申请号:US16567685

    申请日:2019-09-11

    Abstract: Methods for detecting faults in a siren-based alert system include receiving, by a siren device from a central siren controller, an activation command. The activation command identifies a neighbor siren device that is to be activated. Audible alerts output by the neighbor siren device include a unique identifying characteristic associated with the neighbor siren device. The method includes determining that the unique identifying characteristic is not detectable by the siren device and, in response, taking corrective action. The corrective action includes the siren device sending a siren fault notification to the central siren controller indicating a failure to detect the unique identifying characteristic and may also include modifying the audible alert output by the siren device to compensate for the faulty siren device. The siren device may send a siren fault notification to the central siren controller if an unexpected audible alert, such as a potential false alarm, is detected.

    Methods and apparatus for low audio fallback from remote devices using associated device speaker

    公开(公告)号:US10671341B1

    公开(公告)日:2020-06-02

    申请号:US16567823

    申请日:2019-09-11

    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for configuring a portable communication device are disclosed. The methods include receiving an incoming audio signal, adjusting the incoming signal audio level based on a volume control setting, generating an ultrasonic audio signal having an audio level independent of the volume control setting, mixing the incoming signal with the ultrasonic signal to generate a mixed audio signal, outputting the mixed signal to a remote audio device, receiving a remote audio signal from the remote device, and comparing the remote signal audio level to one or more thresholds to determine whether to output a compensated audio signal to a speaker. The remote signal may be detected by the remote device in response to sound output from the remote device based on the mixed signal, and the compensated signal audio signal may be adjusted based on an estimated loss in loudness associated with the remote signal audio level.

    Methods and apparatus for detecting faults in a siren-based alert system

    公开(公告)号:US10930122B1

    公开(公告)日:2021-02-23

    申请号:US16567685

    申请日:2019-09-11

    Abstract: Methods for detecting faults in a siren-based alert system include receiving, by a siren device from a central siren controller, an activation command. The activation command identifies a neighbor siren device that is to be activated. Audible alerts output by the neighbor siren device include a unique identifying characteristic associated with the neighbor siren device. The method includes determining that the unique identifying characteristic is not detectable by the siren device and, in response, taking corrective action. The corrective action includes the siren device sending a siren fault notification to the central siren controller indicating a failure to detect the unique identifying characteristic and may also include modifying the audible alert output by the siren device to compensate for the faulty siren device. The siren device may send a siren fault notification to the central siren controller if an unexpected audible alert, such as a potential false alarm, is detected.

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