Patents Examined by Brenda Bernardi
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Patent number: 9854372Abstract: A system and method for testing a wireless earpiece which provides improved efficiencies in manufacturing. Automated testing of one or more printed circuit boards of the wireless earpiece is initiated. The semi-assembled wireless earpiece is tested. End-of-line functional testing is performed. Final acoustic testing of the wireless earpiece is performed.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2016Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: BRAGI GmbHInventor: Lisa Kingscott
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Patent number: 9848266Abstract: A method for pre-processing a channelized music signal to improve perception and appreciation for a hearing prosthesis recipient. In one example, the channelized music signal is a stereo input signal. A device, such as a handheld device, hearing prosthesis, or audio cable, for example, applies a mask to a stereo input signal to extract a center-mixed component from the stereo signal and outputs an output signal comprised of a weighted combination of the extracted center-mixed component and a residual signal comprising a non-extracted part of the stereo input signal. The center-mixed component may contain components, such as leading vocals and/or drums, preferred by hearing prosthesis recipients relative to other components, such as backing vocals or other instruments.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2016Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Cochlear LimitedInventor: Wim Buyens
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Patent number: 9848273Abstract: A hearing system includes one or more hearing devices configured to be worn by a user. Each hearing device includes a signal source that provides an input electrical signal representing a sound of a virtual source. A filter implements a head related transfer function (HRTF) to add spatialization cues associated with a virtual location of the virtual source to the electrical signal and outputs a filtered electrical signal that includes the spatialization cues. A speaker of the hearing device converts the filtered electrical signal into an acoustic signal and plays the acoustic signal to the user. The system includes motion tracking circuitry that tracks motion of the user as the user moves in a direction of a perceived location that the user perceives to be the virtual location of the virtual source. Head related transfer function (HRTF) individualization circuitry determines a difference between the virtual location and the perceived location in response to the motion of the user.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2016Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: STARKEY LABORATORIES, INC.Inventors: Karim Helwani, Carlos Renato Nakagawa, Buye Xu, Yangjun Xing
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Patent number: 9843853Abstract: A system and method for managing wireless earpieces. Circuitry of the wireless earpieces are powered utilizing a high power mode in response to detecting a magnetic field is not applied to one or more of the wireless earpieces. The power sent to the circuitry of the wireless earpieces is altered to a low power mode in response to detecting the magnetic field is applied to one or more of the wireless earpieces.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: BRAGI GmbHInventors: Eric Christian Hirsch, Peter Vincent Boesen
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Patent number: 9843404Abstract: The present invention relates to a computer implemented system and method for generating an audio output file. The method including using one or more processors to perform steps of: receiving audio tracks, each audio track created according to audio parameters; separating each audio track into at least one selectable audio block, each audio block including audio content from a musical instrument involved in creating the audio track; assigning a unique identifier to each audio block; using the unique identifiers to select audio blocks, and generating the audio output by combining the audio blocks. The present invention prevents the use of the same combination of audio blocks in the generation of audio output to ensure that the audio output files generated a sufficiently unique. Also provided are audio file recording, editing and mixing modules enabling a user to have full creative control over mix and other parameters to modify as desired the audio file generated.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Score Music Interactive LimitedInventors: Michael John Kiely, Conor Tee
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Patent number: 9832560Abstract: Disclosed is a headset for playing audio and charging an external electronic device. The headset includes a first earpiece including a first inner speaker and a first outer speaker, a second earpiece including a second inner speaker and a second outer speaker, a selector operable to select play modes, the play modes including a first play mode and a second play mode, the first play mode being configured to play audio via the inner speakers, the second play mode being configured to play audio via the outer speakers, and a chargeable power bank being configured to provide power through a power output jack. One or more of the speakers may include a chargeable power bank for providing power to an external device and/or a wireless communicator for receiving audio signals. One or more of the speakers may be detachably securable to a headband.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2016Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Inventors: Ajay Bagga, Mehak Kapoor, Parve Bagga
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Patent number: 9832558Abstract: An anti-shock self-powered microphone and monitor system for wind or brass instruments includes a mounting basket and mounting ring, a microphone and microphone mount disposed within the mounting ring, and a wired or wireless personal monitor connected to the microphone. One filament fastens the microphone within the mounting ring by engaging a mounting ring coupling attached to the mounting ring and the microphone mount. Another filament fastens the mounting ring coupling to a bell mounting coupling thereby providing for removeably attaching the system to a bell of a wind or brass instrument. The mounting basket is adaptable in size to accommodate the attachment of the mounting basket to the bell of a saxophone, trumpet, a plurality of brass instruments a wide array of instruments such as, for example the bell of a clarinet, a saxophone, a trumpet, a trombone, a tuba and a sousaphone.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2017Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Inventor: Robert Carroll Smith
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Patent number: 9830124Abstract: The present invention relates to a Peripheral Sensor Interface (PSI5) system. The PSI5 system includes a PSI5 controller and an audio converter. The audio converter is configured to receive signals from the PSI5 controller and to convert the received signals into audio signals.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2016Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventors: Franz Lorenz, Gerhard Pfaffinger
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Patent number: 9813810Abstract: A neural network is provided for recognition and enhancement of multi-channel sound signals received by multiple microphones, which need not be aligned in a linear array in a given environment. Directions and distances of sound sources may also be detected by the neural network without the need for a beamformer connected to the microphones. The neural network may be trained by knowledge gained from free-field array impulse responses obtained in an anechoic chamber, array impulse responses that model simulated environments of different reverberation times, and array impulse responses obtained in actual environments.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2016Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: GOOGLE INC.Inventor: Rajeev Conrad Nongpiur
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Patent number: 9813821Abstract: A miniature sound generator includes a vibration system including a diaphragm, a voice coil, a damping part supporting the coil elastically, and a fixing system. The voice coil is located below the diaphragm for driving the diaphragm to vibrate and includes a pair of long shaft sides and a pair of short shaft sides. The damping part includes a circuit board arranged on one short shaft side for electrically connecting with the voice coil, and an insulated symmetrical plate arranged on the other short shaft side. The damping part is only arranged at the short shaft sides symmetrically, with one end thereof being fixed with the fixing system, and the other end thereof being fixed with the voice coil. The insulated symmetrical plate has a damping coefficient same to that of the circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2016Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: AAC TECHNOLOGIES PTE. LTD.Inventors: Wei Song, Shuwen Wu, Yuxin Gu
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Patent number: 9807499Abstract: In one aspect, a first device includes a processor and storage accessible to the processor. The storage bears instructions executable by the processor to receive information pertaining to a location of a user and, based at least in part on the information, determine an apparatus to actuate from among plural apparatuses to participate in communication concerning audio data. The instructions are also executable to, based at least in part on the determination, participate in communication with the apparatus concerning audio data.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2016Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Aaron Michael Stewart, Jeffrey E. Skinner, Jonathan Jen-Wei Yu, Lincoln Penn Hancock
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Patent number: 9800966Abstract: A system, method, and smart case for managing wireless earpieces. The wireless earpieces are detected proximate the smart case. The power utilized by the wireless earpieces is lowered in response to detecting the wireless earpieces proximate the smart case. The wireless earpieces are charged utilizing a battery of the smart case in response to determining the wireless earpieces require charging.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2016Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Inventors: Eric Christian Hirsch, Marius Knothe, Peter Vincent Boesen
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Patent number: 9793867Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing output signal swings that are greater than the supply voltage in a class-D amplifier. The amplifier circuit boosts the voltage across the amplifier load, such as a loudspeaker, by using capacitors to “charge pump” the voltage across the load and thus increase the voltage temporarily. This is done by using two or more output bridges rather than one, and connecting the bridges through the capacitors. For signals of less than the supply voltage, only an inner bridge, similar to a full bridge of the prior art, operates. For signals above the supply voltage, an outer bridge charges capacitors, which are then used to ‘boost’ the voltage on the bridge output for the short period of the Class-D switching period. Thus, only relatively small value boosting capacitors are needed, as they do not need to supply charge for very long.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2016Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: ESS Technology, Inc.Inventors: Peter John Frith, Yongsheng Xu, A. Martin Mallinson, Robert Lynn Blair
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Patent number: 9794712Abstract: A method of decomposing a matrix of dimension L-by-N, where L is less than or equal to N, into a sequence of N-by-N unit primitive matrices and a permutation matrix comprising a sequence that is the product of the primitive matrices and the permutation matrix, containing L rows that are substantially close to the provided L-by-N matrix, where the choice of the permutation matrix and the indices of the non-trivial rows in the primitive matrices are chosen to limit the coefficient values in the primitive matrices.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2015Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Vinay Melkote, Malcolm James Law
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Patent number: 9794719Abstract: Mobile devices may capture audio signals indicative of test audio received by an audio capture device of the mobile device; and send the captured audio and the zone designation to a sound processor to determine equalization settings for speakers of the zone of the venue. An audio filtering device may receive the captured audio signals from the mobile devices; compare each of the captured audio signals with the test signal to determine an associated reliability of each of the captured audio signals; combine the captured audio signals into zone audio data; and transmit the zone audio data and associated reliability to a sound processor configured to determine equalization settings for the zone based on the captured audio signals and the test signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2015Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Harman International Industries, Inc.Inventors: Sonith Chandran, Sohan Madhav Bangaru
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Patent number: 9786262Abstract: A noise cancelation device that programs, records, and saves sounds and noises and their respective sound waves, inverts them, and broadcasts the inverted sound waves, thereby reducing, deadening, canceling, or eliminating, the original sounds and noises, and their respective sound waves. Further, the noise cancelation device can save sounds and noises that have a constant, predictable, steady, and recognizable sound quality and their respective sound waves, and preprogram the respective inverted sound waves, which allows for the noise cancelation device to broadcast the preprogrammed inverted sound waves through speakers to reduce, deaden, or cancel the original sounds and noise when they are present. The noise cancelation device is portable and may be used in any location desired, or the noise cancelation device may be is fixed in its location.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2016Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Inventor: Edward Villaume
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Patent number: 9788094Abstract: A wireless earpiece may include a local memory for storing audio files that can be played back by the user. The wireless earpiece may fit entirely within the user's ear canal. Audio files, for example music files, may be loaded on the wireless earpiece by docking the wireless earpiece with a mobile device, which includes a larger memory storing the user's library of music files. The stored audio files may be received from a mobile device that were automatically selected from a library of music files by the mobile device without intervention from the user. To provide stereo sound, two wireless earpieces may be worn by the user and docked separately with the mobile device. Each of the two wireless earpieces may store a single channel of an audio file, which is separated by the mobile device during synchronization.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2016Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventor: Eric J. Swanson
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Patent number: 9781504Abstract: An earphone connected to a smart device is provided. The earphone connected to a smart device includes a voice signal input and output function that returns a sound generated by the smart device itself as well as a sound generated from the exterior into the smart device as a high-quality sound. The voice signal is extracted from a wire that connects the smart device and the ear receiver and inputs the extracted voice signal into the input terminal of the microphone of the smart device.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2016Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: RSUPPORT CO., LTD.Inventor: Hyungsu Seo
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Patent number: 9781497Abstract: An accessory device suitable for use with an electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device may include an audio assembly designed to generate acoustical energy. The audio assembly may use certain components of the accessory device to generate the acoustical energy. For example, the accessory device may include a shell, or rigid body, that provides structural support for the accessory device. The accessory device may also include a flexible layer, such as silicone, disposed over the shell. The audio assembly may use part of the shell and acoustically drive that part of the shell to generate the acoustical energy. Further, the audio assembly may use part of the flexible layer as a “surround” to allow part of the shell to move relative to other parts. The electronic device may electrically couple with the accessory device, thereby providing a means for providing an audio signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2016Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Timothy J. Rasmussen, Ian P. Colahan, Trevor M. Cardiff
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Patent number: 9775069Abstract: Described are techniques for configuring a group of audio devices in communication with one another to provide an audio output. Test data may be communicated between a selected audio device and each audio device in the group to determine data throughput values for each communication. A value indicative of the airtime that would be used to communicate data to each audio device, using the selected audio device, may be determined. This process may be repeated for each audio device within the group. The selected audio device associated with the lowest airtime value may be designated as a master audio device. A maximum airtime value associated with distribution of audio data from the master audio device to the other devices may be determined based on the data throughput values for each device. If the maximum airtime value is less than a threshold airtime value, the audio data may be distributed.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2016Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Milos Jorgovanovic, Jin Guo