Directed audio system for audio privacy and audio stream customization

1. A workspace comprising:

multiple defined operator locations within the workspace;

multiple audio transducers configured to generate audio outputs directed at the multiple defined operator locations;

multiple audio input channels configured to obtain captured audio from sources directed at the multiple defined operator locations;

proximity sensor circuitry configured to determine occupancy of individual ones of the multiple defined operator locations; and

audio control circuitry in communication with the multiple audio transducers, the multiple audio input channels, and the proximity sensor circuitry, the audio control circuitry configured to:

responsive to the occupancy, access an audio profile to assign for each of the individual ones of the multiple defined operator locations;

mix the captured audio from the audio input channels in accord with the audio profile for each of the defined operator locations to generate a conference audio stream; and

cause the audio transducers to generate the audio outputs in accord with the conference audio stream.

2. The workspace of claim 1 , where the multiple defined operator locations include an operator location with a We-space, an operator location within an I-space or both.

3. The workspace of claim 1 , where the sources directed at the multiple defined operator locations include a transducer array configured to record received output of transducers of the array at periodic intervals phase-shifted with respect to one another so as to generate a virtual directed microphone.

4. The workspace of claim 1 , where the at least one of the individual audio profiles includes an instruction to perform normalization among the captured audio from the audio input channels.

5. A system comprising:

a first audio transducer configured to generate a first audio output directed at an operator location;

a microphone directed at the operator location; and

audio control circuitry coupled to the first audio transducer and the microphone, the audio control circuitry configured to:

receive an indication of an identity of an operator within the operator location;

responsive to the identity:

select an audio profile for the operator;

determine an audio source on which to base the first audio output; and

select a second audio transducer to generate a second audio output based on captured audio from the microphone;

based on the audio profile and a first audio stream from the audio source, generate a second audio stream; and

send the second audio stream to the first audio transducer to cause the first audio transducer to generate the first audio output.

6. The system of claim 5 , where the second audio transducer is selected based on participation in a conference by a user associated with the audio profile.

7. The system of claim 6 , where the second audio transducer is governed by another audio profile associated with another user participating in the conference.

8. The system of claim 6 , where the audio profile includes instructions for normalization of audio from participants in the conference for the first audio output.

9. A method comprising:

determining an identity of an operator within a pre-defined operator location;

responsive to the identity of the operator:

access an audio profile for the operator;

determining an audio source on which to base audio output from an audio transducer directed at the pre-defined operator location; and

determining an audio destination to which to send an outgoing audio stream generated based on captured audio from a microphone directed at the pre-defined operator location;

receiving an incoming audio stream from the audio source;

generating the audio output based on the incoming audio stream and audio preferences stored within the audio profile; and

sending the outgoing audio stream to the audio destination.

10. The method of claim 9 , where:

the microphone comprises a transducer array; and

the method further comprises recording the received output of transducers of the array at periodic intervals phase-shifted with respect to one another so as to generate a virtual directed microphone.

11. The method of claim 9 , where the audio profile includes audio filtering preferences.

12. The method of claim 11 , where the audio filtering preferences include a preference to filter ambient sounds.

13. The method of claim 9 , where the audio profile includes audio equalization parameters.

14. The method of claim 13 , where the audio equalization parameters include a specific set of parameters for speech and another specific set of parameters for music.

15. The method of claim 9 , where the audio profile includes instructions for custom audio output overlays.

16. The method of claim 15 , where the instructions for custom audio output overlays include an instruction to overlay noise of a selected color.

17. The method of claim 15 , where the instructions for custom audio output overlays include an instruction to overlay calendar reminders.

18. The method of claim 9 , where the audio destination is selected based on participation in a conference by a user associated with the audio profile.

19. The method of claim 18 , where the audio destination is governed by another audio profile associated with another user participating in the conference.

20. The method of claim 18 , where the audio profile includes instructions for normalization of audio from participants in the conference.