Patent ID: 7936885

Claim:
An audio reproducing system comprising: an audio electronics system that is configured to produce audio electrical signals from an audio program source; an ambient sound sensor that is configured to detect ambient sound; a signal processor that is configured to identify specific ambient sounds selected from a predefined set of specific ambient sounds in response to the ambient sound detected by the ambient sound sensor; and a controller that is configured to control the audio electronics system to modify the audio electrical signals that are produced from the audio program source in response to the specific ambient sounds that are identified by the signal processor; wherein the specific ambient sounds comprise a baby crying and specific home appliance sounds; and wherein the controller is configured to control the audio electronics system to decrease the audio electrical signals in response to the baby crying that is identified by the signal processor, and to increase the audio electrical signals in response to the specific home appliance sounds that are identified by the signal processor to mask the specific home appliance sounds.