Patents Examined by Davetta W. Goins
  • Patent number: 11017785
    Abstract: The application relates to audio encoder and decoder systems. An embodiment of the encoder system comprises a downmix stage for generating a downmix signal and a residual signal based on a stereo signal. In addition, the encoder system comprises a parameter determining stage for determining parametric stereo parameters such as an inter-channel intensity difference and an inter-channel cross-correlation. Preferably, the parametric stereo parameters are time- and frequency-variant. Moreover, the encoder system comprises a transform stage. The transform stage generates a pseudo left/right stereo signal by performing a transform based on the downmix signal and the residual signal. The pseudo stereo signal is processed by a perceptual stereo encoder. For stereo encoding, left/right encoding or mid/side encoding is selectable. Preferably, the selection between left/right stereo encoding and mid/side stereo encoding is time- and frequency-variant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Heiko Purnhagen, Pontus Carlsson, Kristofer Kjoerling
  • Patent number: 11019418
    Abstract: An electronic device with a display is paired with a set of wireless audio output devices, including a first wireless audio output device for outputting audio to a right ear of a user and a second wireless audio output device for outputting audio to a left ear of the user. In response to a request to display status information about the set of wireless audio output devices, the electronic device displays a status user interface, including concurrently displaying a first battery status indicator for the first wireless audio output device with an indication that battery status indicator relates to the device for outputting audio to the right ear of the user and a second battery status indicator for the second wireless audio output device with an indication that battery status indicator relates to the device for outputting audio to the left ear of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Brian Fleizach, Edwin W. Foo, Ian M. Fisch, Eric Taylor Seymour
  • Patent number: 11012776
    Abstract: Controlling the volume of a Virtual Personal Assistant (VPA) by receiving radio frequency (RF) data associated with a user, identifying a location of a user relative to the VPA, creating a volume adjustment model using the data and VPA data, tracking movement of the user based on the data, and adjusting a volume of the VPA according to the volume adjustment model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vijai Kalathur, Gregory Ecock, Megan B. Capobianco, Christopher Potter, Daniela Regier
  • Patent number: 11012736
    Abstract: To enable multichannel audio data to be transmitted favorably. Multichannel audio data of a predetermined number of channels is acquired. The multichannel audio data has a sampling frequency corresponding to the predetermined number of channels. Audio data of the respective channels configuring the multichannel audio data are sequentially transmitted to a reception side via a predetermined transmission channel for each unit audio data. Information indicating the sampling frequency is added to the transmission audio data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Gen Ichimura
  • Patent number: 10993015
    Abstract: The invention relates to a piece of ear jewelry having at least one ear part to be worn on each ear of a user, wherein each ear part has a jewelry body, to be worn in a predetermined wearing position on an outside of the ear, and a retaining device for retaining the jewelry body in the wearing position on the ear, wherein the auditory canal of the ear remains free. The piece of ear jewelry incorporates all of the following electrical components completely and so as to be invisible from the outside: a microphone device, a loudspeaker device and a communication unit for providing a bidirectional, wireless communication link to a portable terminal of the user, in order to use the communication link to transmit a microphone signal from the microphone device to the terminal and to receive a loudspeaker signal for the loudspeaker device from the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: NOVA PRODUCTS GMBH
    Inventor: Judith Gampe
  • Patent number: 10993018
    Abstract: Generation of a secondary sound source is inhibited, and a sound quality is improved. Included are a support fixed to a mount base, a speaker unit including a portion to be fixed, and a base casing holding the speaker unit, and the speaker unit is fixed to the support and the base casing with the portion to be fixed being sandwiched between the support and the base casing. With this configuration, the speaker unit will be held stably, a great oscillation from a diaphragm of the speaker unit is less transmitted to the parts other than the diaphragm of the speaker unit, to the member holding the speaker unit, or the like. Generation of a secondary sound source is inhibited, and a sound quality can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohei Kikuchi, Yohei Fukuma, Nobukazu Suzuki, Kazuhiro Matsutani, Yoshio Ohashi, Yasuo Kawabata
  • Patent number: 10981516
    Abstract: To a hinge pillar including a hinge pillar inner and a hinge pillar outer that form a closed cross-section extending vertically, a speaker box configured to hold and house a speaker therein is joined and fixed. As necessary, the speaker box includes a box part formed of a sheet metal member including a bottom and side walls that form a housing space housing the speaker, together with the bottom. The box part is arranged in the opening, with the bottom located in the closed cross-section and with the housing space open inside a vehicle cabin, and is joined to an edge of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Kataoka, Hidenori Matsuoka, Takeshi Nakamura, Kiyoshi Mutsura, Akihiro Fujiwara, Yoshihiro Teshima, Koji Wakamatsu, Hiroshi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 10986458
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: an action recognition unit; an audio data selection unit; and an audio information generation unit, in which the action recognition unit is configured to recognize an action pattern of a user on the basis of sensor information. The audio data selection unit is configured to select audio data corresponding to the action pattern of the user recognized by the action recognition unit. The audio information generation unit generates, on the basis of the audio data selected by the audio data selection unit, multichannel audio information for localizing a sound image of a sound source in real space around the user. The information processing apparatus makes it possible to achieve augmented reality that follows a qualitative change in the action of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 10986456
    Abstract: In general, techniques are described by which to perform spatial relation coding using virtual higher order ambisonic coefficients. A device comprising a memory and a processor may perform the techniques. The memory may be configured to store audio data, the audio data representative of zero-ordered higher order ambisonic (HOA) coefficient, and one or more greater-than-zero-ordered HOA coefficients. The processor may be configured to obtain, based on the one or more greater-than-zero-ordered HOA coefficients, a virtual zero-ordered HOA coefficient. The processor may also be configured to obtain, based on the virtual HOA coefficient, one or more parameters from which to synthesize the one or more greater-than-zero-ordered HOA coefficients. The processor may further be configured to generate a bitstream that includes a first indication representative of the zero-ordered HOA coefficients, and a second indication representative of the one or more parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeongook Song, Dipanjan Sen
  • Patent number: 10979843
    Abstract: In a particular aspect, an audio processing device includes a position predictor configured to determine predicted position data based on position data. The audio processing device further includes a processor configured to generate an output spatialized audio signal based on the predicted position data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Shankar Thagadur Shivappa
  • Patent number: 10972851
    Abstract: In general, techniques are described by which to perform spatial relation coding of higher order ambisonic coefficients using expanded parameters. A device comprising a memory and a processor may perform the techniques. The memory may be configured to store at least a portion of a bitstream, the bitstream including a first indication representative of an HOA coefficient associated with the spherical basis function having an order of zero, and a second indication representative of one or more parameters. The processor may be configured to perform parameter expansion with respect to the one or more parameters to obtain one or more expanded parameters, and synthesize, based on the one or more expanded parameters and the HOA coefficient associated with the spherical basis function having the order of zero, one or more HOA coefficients associated with one or more spherical basis functions having an order greater than zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeongook Song, Dipanjan Sen
  • Patent number: 10966014
    Abstract: From a first microphone, first microphone signals are received that represent first sound waves. From a second microphone, second microphone signals are received that represent second sound waves. In response to the first microphone signals, analog processing is performed to estimate noise in the first sound waves, and first analog signals are generated for cancelling at least some of the estimated noise in the first sound waves. In response to the second microphone signals, digital processing is performed to estimate noise in the second sound waves, and digital information is generated for cancelling at least some of the estimated noise in the second sound waves. The digital information is converted into second analog signals that represent the digital information. The first and second analog signals are combined into third analog signals for cancelling at least some of the estimated noise in the first and second sound waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Nitish K. Murthy, Edwin Randolph Cole
  • Patent number: 10959018
    Abstract: A system that performs wall detection, range estimation, and/or corner detection to determine a position of a device relative to acoustically reflective surfaces. The device generates output audio using a loudspeaker, generates microphone audio data using a microphone array, performs beamforming to generate directional audio data and then generates impulse response data for each of a plurality of directions. The device may detect a peak in the impulse response data and determine a distance and/or direction to a reflective surface based on the peak. Based on a number of reflected surfaces and/or direction(s) of the reflected surfaces detected by the device, the device may classify the different directions and estimate where it is in the room, such as whether the device is in a corner, along one wall, or in an open area. By knowing its position relative to the room surfaces, the device may improve sound equalization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Guangji Shi, Jan Aage Abildgaard Pedersen, Trausti Thor Kristjansson, Philip Ryan Hilmes
  • Patent number: 10952000
    Abstract: Systems and processes are provided to detect an balanced audio signal and generation of an unbalanced audio signal including a first audio input for receiving a first audio signal, a second audio input for receiving a second audio signal, a processor for determining a first root mean square value for the first audio signal, a second root mean square value for the second audio signal and a combined root mean square value for a sum of the first audio signal and the second audio signal, the processor being further operative to generate an unbalanced audio signal in response to the first root mean square value exceeding a first threshold value, the second root mean square value exceeding the first threshold value and the combined root mean square value being less than a second threshold value, and an audio decoder operative to decode the unbalanced audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: SLING MEDIA PVT LTD
    Inventors: Nishit Dabi, Abhiroop Boggavarapu, Deepak Poongundran, Narayana Rao
  • Patent number: 10938363
    Abstract: A D/A converter coverts a digital audio signal into an analog audio signal. An analog volume circuit receives an output of the D/A converter. A controller controls the analog volume circuit. The controller shortens transition time at each step in the analog volume circuit further as gain is lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuteru Sakai
  • Patent number: 10939203
    Abstract: An audio forecasting algorithm that is adjusted (or trained), by machine learning, prior to a sports contest that will be broadcast. The audio forecasting algorithm is then used to position a set of mobile microphones on an ongoing basis during the sports contest. In some embodiments, a band forecasting algorithm is used in the audio forecasting algorithm. In some embodiments, a swarm based correlation algorithm is used in the audio forecasting algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron K. Baughman, Gary William Reiss, Eduardo Morales, Nancy Anne Greco, David Alvra Wood, III
  • Patent number: 10939199
    Abstract: The present invention is invented for reproducing the sound more faithfully by newly adding elements related to resistance and friction when calculating a power change signal for driving a speaker. In the signal generated by a signal generator, a rise of the signal is sharp when moving from the static state. Consequently, a diaphragm of the speaker can start to move in accordance with the original sound reproduction method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Inventor: Kota Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10932063
    Abstract: A vibration transducer for sensing vibrations includes a first flexible triboelectric member, a second flexible triboelectric member, a plurality of attachment points, a first electrode and a second electrode. The first flexible triboelectric member includes a first triboelectric layer and a material being on a first position on a triboelectric series. A conductive layer is deposited on the second side thereof. The second flexible triboelectric member includes a second triboelectric layer and a material being on a second position on the triboelectric series that is different from the first position on the triboelectric series. The second triboelectric member is adjacent to the first flexible triboelectric member. When the first triboelectric member comes into and out of contact with the second triboelectric member as a result of the vibrations, a triboelectric potential difference having a variable intensity corresponding to the vibrations can be sensed between the first and second triboelectric members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Nivedita Arora, Gregory D. Abowd, Mohit Gupta, Diego Osorio, Seyedeh Fereshteh Shahmiri, Thad Eugene Starner, Yi-Cheng Wang, Zhengjun Wang, Zhong Lin Wang, Steven L Zhang, Peter McAughan, Qiuyue Xue, Dhruva Bansal, Ryan Bahr, Emmanouil Tentzeris
  • Patent number: 10932079
    Abstract: A smart speaker device for acoustical listening area mapping and frequency correction includes a non-transitory storage configured to maintain a listening area response map indicating filter settings corresponding to each of a plurality of locations within a listening area, a microphone array, a loudspeaker; and a controller. The controller is programmed to execute a frequency correcting application to identify a current location of a mobile device in the listening area based on ultrasonic audio received to the microphone array from the mobile device, access the listening area response map to retrieve filter settings corresponding to the current location, and apply the filter settings to an audio stream to be output to the loudspeaker to correct for frequency response of the loudspeaker at the current location of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Todd S. Welti
  • Patent number: 10924846
    Abstract: A system and method for generating a self-steering beamformer is provided. Embodiments may include receiving, at one or more microphones, a first audio signal and adapting one or more blocking filters based upon, at least in part, the first audio signal. Embodiments may also include generating, using the one or more blocking filters, one or more noise reference signals. Embodiments may further include providing the one or more noise reference signals to an adaptive interference canceller to reduce a beamformer output power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobias Wolff, Markus Buck