Conversation assistance audio device control

1. A computer-implemented method of controlling a conversation-assistance audio device worn by a user, the method comprising:

providing an interface connected with the conversation-assistance audio device, the interface comprising a visual representation of a spatial arrangement of the conversation-assistance audio device in an environment,

wherein the interface is located on a screen on a computing device that is connected with the conversation-assistance audio device;

receiving a user command at the interface to modify an audio output at the conversation-assistance audio device; and

adjusting a directionality of a microphone array located on the conversation-assistance audio device based upon the user command received at the interface, wherein adjusting the directionality of the microphone array comprises adjusting a main lobe angle of the microphone array,

wherein the user command comprises rotating or translating the computing device, and in response to rotation or translation of the computing device, the directionality of the microphone array on the conversation-assistance audio device is adjusted to correspond with a direction in which the computing device is pointing,

wherein the visual representation of the spatial arrangement of the conversation-assistance audio device in the environment comprises a visual representation of acoustic signal sources proximate the conversation-assistance audio device, wherein the acoustic signal sources exclude acoustic signals originating from the conversation-assistance audio device and the computing device, and

wherein the acoustic signal sources are detected by the microphone array and are visually represented on the screen in locations corresponding with a direction from which the acoustic signal sources are detected by the microphone array.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises a tactile interface, and wherein the user command received at the interface comprises a tactile command.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the interface is located on the conversation-assistance audio device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the user command comprises a focus command or a null command, and wherein adjusting the directionality of the microphone array comprises modifying a gain on the microphone array based upon the focus command or the null command.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving data indicating a direction in which the user is visually focused while wearing the conversation-assistance audio device; and

adjusting the directionality of the microphone array on the conversation-assistance audio device to enhance acoustic signals received from the direction in which the user is visually focused based upon the received data about the direction in which the user is visually focused and the user command received at the interface.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the data indicating the direction in which the user is visually focused comprises orientation data received from a motion detection system on the conversation-assistance audio device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the motion detection system comprises at least one of: an inertial measurement unit (IMU), an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the orientation data indicates at least one of: a number of sources of acoustic signals proximate the user, or a range of movement of the user while wearing the conversation-assistance audio device, and wherein the visual representation of the acoustic signal sources proximate the conversation-assistance audio device is updated based on a change in the direction in which the user is visually focused.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the data indicating the direction in which the user is visually focused comprises eye tracking data about movement of the eyes of the user received from a visual detection system on the conversation-assistance audio device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the data indicating the direction in which the user is visually focused comprises at least one of visual tracking data about detected movement in an area proximate the user or visual tracking data about a range of movement of the user while wearing the conversation-assistance audio device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

narrowing or widening a focus range of the microphone array in response to receiving a user command at the interface to modify the focus range of the microphone array.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the user command to modify the focus range of the microphone array comprises a touch-and-drag command or a grab-and-rotate command on the screen.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising modifying a gain on the microphone array to block acoustic signals from an area proximate the user in response to receiving a null command at the interface.

14. A computer-implemented method of controlling a conversation-assistance audio device worn by a user, the method comprising:

providing an interface connected with the conversation-assistance audio device, the interface comprising a visual representation of a spatial arrangement of the conversation-assistance audio device in an environment,

wherein the interface is located on a screen on a computing device that is connected with the conversation-assistance audio device;

receiving a user command to modify an audio output at the conversation-assistance audio device; and

adjusting a directionality of a microphone array located on the conversation-assistance audio device based upon the user command, wherein adjusting the directionality of the microphone array comprises adjusting a main lobe angle of the microphone array,

wherein the user command comprises rotating or translating the computing device, and in response to rotation or translation of the computing device, the directionality of the microphone array on the conversation-assistance audio device is adjusted to correspond with a direction in which the computing device is pointing,

wherein the visual representation of the spatial arrangement of the conversation-assistance audio device in the environment comprises a visual representation of acoustic signal sources proximate the conversation-assistance audio device, wherein the visual representation of the spatial arrangement of the conversation-assistance audio device in the environment comprises a visual representation of a space proximate the conversation-assistance audio device, wherein the acoustic signal sources exclude acoustic signals originating from the conversation-assistance audio device and the computing device, and

wherein the acoustic signal sources are detected by the microphone array and are visually represented on the screen in locations corresponding with a direction from which the acoustic signal sources are detected by the microphone array.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , further comprising:

narrowing or widening a focus range of the microphone array in response to receiving a user command at the interface to modify the focus range of the microphone array.

16. A computer-implemented method of controlling a conversation-assistance audio device worn by a user, the method comprising:

providing an interface connected with the conversation-assistance audio device, the interface comprising a visual representation of a spatial arrangement of the conversation-assistance audio device in an environment,

wherein the interface is located on a screen on a computing device that is connected with the conversation-assistance audio device;

receiving a user command at the interface to modify an audio output at the conversation-assistance audio device; and

adjusting a directionality of a microphone array located on the conversation-assistance audio device based upon the user command received at the interface, wherein adjusting the directionality of the microphone array comprises adjusting a main lobe angle of the microphone array,

wherein the user command comprises rotating or translating the computing device, and in response to rotation or translation of the computing device, the directionality of the microphone array on the conversation-assistance audio device is adjusted to correspond with a direction in which the computing device is pointing,

wherein the visual representation of the spatial arrangement of the conversation-assistance audio device in the environment comprises a visual representation of acoustic signal sources proximate the conversation-assistance audio device, wherein the acoustic signal sources exclude acoustic signals originating from the conversation-assistance audio device and the computing device,

wherein the acoustic signal sources are detected by the microphone array and are visually represented on the screen in locations corresponding with a direction from which the acoustic signal sources are detected by the microphone array, and

wherein the directionality of the microphone array on the conversation-assistance audio device is further adjusted in response to selection of at least one of the acoustic signal sources or selection of a direction of at least one of the acoustic signal sources relative to the conversation-assistance audio device on the interface.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , further comprising modifying a gain on the microphone array to block acoustic signals from an area proximate the user in response to receiving a null command at the interface.