Apple Inc.

Narimene Lezzoum

Richard Michael Powell

Sylvain J Choisel

Ashrith Deshpande

Yacine Azmi

Tarun Pruthi

Jakub Mazur

Ameya Y Joshi

Ameya Joshi

Lars Rasmus Elofsson Bernstedt

An appliance can include a microphone transducer, a processor, and a memory storing instructions. The appliance is configured to receive an audio signal at the microphone transducer and to detect an utterance in the audio signal. The appliance is further configured to classify a speech mode based on the utterance. The appliance is further configured to determine conditions of an environment of the appliance. The appliance is further configured to select at least one of a playback volume or a speech output mode from a plurality of speech output modes based on the classification, and the conditions of the environment of the appliance. The appliance is further configured to adapt the playback volume and/or mode of played-back speech according to the speech output mode. The appliance may be configured to synthesize speech according to the speech output mode, or to modify synthesized speech according to the speech output mode.

Environment aware voice-assistant devices, and related systems and methods

A personal listening system and a method of using the personal listening system to enhance speech intelligibility of audio playback, are described. The method includes determining a speech intelligibility metric, such as a speech reception threshold, of a user. Based on the speech intelligibility metric, a tuning parameter is applied to an audio input signal. The speech reception threshold is compared to an environmental signal-to-noise ratio to determine whether enhancement of the audio input signal is warranted. Application of the tuning parameter to the audio input signal generates an audio output signal having reduced noise, making playback of the audio output signal more intelligible to the user. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

System and method of enhancing intelligibility of audio playback

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Narimene Lezzoum