Patents Examined by Joseph Saunders, Jr.
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Patent number: 11494157Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for extending media playback. In an example implementation, during playback of one or more first media items populated in a queue, a control system extends playback time of the queue. Extending playback time of the queue may involve determining when the one or more first media items will be finished playing; and before the first media items are finished playing, determining one or more second media items that correspond in substantial likeness to the one or more first media items and sending an instruction that causes the first playback device to insert the determined one or more second media items into the queue such that play time of the queue is extended.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2020Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventor: Robert Reimann
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Patent number: 11487497Abstract: An audio output device according to an embodiment may include: a short-range communication module configured to perform short-range wireless communication; a memory configured to buffer audio data received from an external electronic device through the short-range communication module; an audio output unit configured to output the audio data; and a processor. The processor may be configured to: receive operation mode information related to a function being executed in the external electronic device from the external electronic device through the short-range communication module; configure a reference period corresponding to an amount of the audio data buffered in the memory based on the operation mode information; and determine a playback speed of the audio data to be output through the audio output unit by comparing the amount of the buffered audio data with the configured reference period. In addition, various other embodiments may be possible.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2021Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hyunwook Kim, Sangsoo Park, Hangil Moon, Hyunchul Yang, Sanghoon Lee, Kalicharan Gajula
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Patent number: 11487495Abstract: Systems and methods for essentially continuous audio flow for Internet of Things (IoT) devices during power mode transitions contemplate an audio bus, such as a SOUNDWIRE audio bus, to maintain an audio stream during a clock transition without having to tear down the audio stream as a new clock becomes active on the audio bus. By preserving the audio stream during such a transition, gaps in the audio are avoided resulting in better performance and end user experience.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2021Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Lior Amarilio, Nileena Pathalayi Alakandy, Syed Naseef
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Patent number: 11481182Abstract: Systems and methods for use in a media playback system comprising one or more playback devices are disclosed, where a playback device has a corresponding first set of device attributes used by a first controller application. The methods include: (i) identifying a second set of device attributes used by a second controller application to control the playback device, (ii) selecting a second device attribute for the playback device from the second set of device attributes based at least in part on a first device attribute; (iii) storing the selected second device attribute in the first set of device attributes; and (iv) controlling at least one function of the playback device using the selected second device attribute.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2020Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Dayn Wilberding, Chris Bierbower, Mish Fabok, Jake Szymanski, JD Hooge, Tristan Wood, Chip Truex, Christopher Butts, Paul Bates
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Patent number: 11467801Abstract: A terminal device includes: a first communicator that carries out short-distance radio communications with a terminal device; a second communicator that carries out long-distance radio communications with the terminal device; a detector that detects an identifier, for identifying the terminal device, from a reception signal received by the first communicator; a determiner that determines signal strength of the reception signal detected by the detector; a storage that stores information relating to the terminal device and the signal strength; a storage controller that exercises such control that the identifier and the signal strength are correlated with each other and stored in the storage as a proximity station list; a setter; and an output controller.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2021Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: JVCKENWOOD CorporationInventor: Koki Nishiguchi
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Patent number: 11468116Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods that provides users with information pertaining to the audio properties at one or more points of interest. A database associated the audio properties with the points of interest is built using audio input received from devices at the points of interest. The device may determine that audio properties associated with the received audio input. The audio properties may determine a type of background noise and/or a volume of the background noise. If the type of background noise is music, the audio properties may further include a music genre, a title of a song, whether the music is recorded or there is a live band, etc. The audio properties associated with the point of interest may be updated in a database real time.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2019Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Yongzhong Lee, Alastair Tse, Hsun Tang, Ken Kawamoto, Charles Su, Ricardo Escutia
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Patent number: 11461073Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided A controllable loudspeaker, the loudspeaker comprising a speaker element and a digital signal processor comprising at least one processing core and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to receive a multicasted control signal, alter the behavior of the loudspeaker in response to the said control signal, wherein the altering of the behavior comprises applying settings stored in the memory of the digital signal processor of the loudspeaker.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2020Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: Genelec OyInventors: Kimmo Raatikainen, Jussi Tikkanen, Marko Koponen, Juha Urhonen, Kari Pöyhönen
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Patent number: 11457302Abstract: An electronic device is provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2020Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seungnyun Kim, Hyeonggeun Kim, Daehui Kang, Doosuk Kang, Jeongmin Park, Chunho Park, Yongsang Yun
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Patent number: 11449543Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for vehicle localization via amplitude audio features. In this regard, an amplitude audio signature of audio data received from one or more audio sensors of a vehicle is determined. Location data associated with the vehicle is also determined. Based on the location data for the vehicle, at least a portion of an audio feature map is selected. The audio feature map stores amplitude audio signatures associated with road noise in relation to respective locations. Furthermore, the amplitude audio signature of the audio data is compared with the amplitude audio signatures of the audio feature map. Based on the comparison between the amplitude audio signature of the audio data and the amplitude audio signatures of the audio feature map, a location of the vehicle is refined to generate updated location data for the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: HERE Global B.V.Inventors: Jeremy Michael Young, Leon Stenneth
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Patent number: 11409495Abstract: An example playback device is a first playback device in a media system. The first playback device is configured to resolve audio conflicts with one or more other playback devices in the media system by: (i) capturing, via a microphone of the first playback device, audio content played back by a second playback device, (ii) identifying the second playback device as a source of the captured audio content; and (iii) responsive to identifying the second playback device as the source of the captured audio content, altering a playback characteristic of the second playback device or the first playback device to reduce an audio interference between the first and second playback devices.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2021Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventor: Dayn Wilberding
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Patent number: 11393486Abstract: Signal to noise ratio, SNR, is determined in an acoustic ambient environment of an against-the-ear audio device worn by a user, wherein the acoustic ambient environment contains speech by a talker. When the SNR is above a threshold, dynamic range control is applied, as positive gain versus input level, to an audio signal from one or more microphones of the audio device. When the SNR is below the threshold, the dynamic range control applies as zero gain or negative gain to the audio signal. Other aspects are also described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2020Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: John Woodruff, Yang Lu, Tom-Davy W. Saux
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Patent number: 11347473Abstract: A detachable display device includes a main box including a microphone and a main processor, and a display including an amplifier configured to amplify an audio signal received from the main processor and a speaker configured to convert the amplified audio signal into a sound and output the sound. The main processor is configured to perform acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) on the audio signal based on the audio signal output by the main processor, equalization information, and volume information.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Sunho Hwang, Kyoungryul Lim, Ingyu Lee
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Patent number: 11340860Abstract: A device comprising: at least two interfaces for interconnecting between at least one audio source and at least one audio sink device; and unidirectional circuitry configured to allow transmission of an audio signal only from said at least one audio source to said at least one audio sink device.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2020Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: FIBERNET LTD.Inventor: Ilan Rahmany
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Patent number: 11335378Abstract: An audio processing system includes a server complex in communication with a network. The server complex receives a digital audio file and one or more analog domain control settings from a client device across the network. A digital-to-analog converter converts the digital audio file to an analog signal. One or more analog signal processors apply at least one analog modification to the analog signal in accordance with the one or more analog domain control settings. An analog-to-digital converter converts the modified analog signal to a modified digital audio file. The server complex can then deliver the modified digital audio file to the client device across the network.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2019Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Inventor: Colin Leonard
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Patent number: 11336979Abstract: A voice assistance device (1) for motor vehicles, which can be arranged in the interior of the motor vehicle, has a display (2), which is configured on the front of the voice assistance device (1), at least one microphone (3), which is disposed in or on the display (2), and a loudspeaker, by means of which audio signals of the voice assistance device (1) can be output into the interior of the motor vehicle. In order to achieve the best possible sound in the interior of the motor vehicle, the invention proposes that the loudspeaker has a sound outlet opening (4) which is arranged on the front side of the voice assistance device (1) comprising the display (2) and the microphone (3).Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2019Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: paragon GmbH & CO KGAAInventor: Klaus Dieter Frers
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Patent number: 11314477Abstract: An audio processing apparatus includes a first input port, a second input port, a first processor that processes an audio signal input to the first input port and that includes a first adjuster which adjusts acoustic characteristics of the audio signal, a second processor that processes an audio signal input to the second input port, and output ports having a first particular output port. In a first operation mode, the first adjuster is set in an effective state and each of an audio signal as processed by the first processor and an audio signal as processed by the second processor is output from one or more of the output ports. In a second operation mode, the first adjuster is set in an ineffective state and an audio signal as processed by the first processor is output from the first particular output port.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2020Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: Yamaha CorporationInventors: Hideki Hagiwara, Toru Kitayama, Takashi Ito
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Patent number: 11303999Abstract: Disclosed herein is a wireless transmitter system which provides a small, frequency agile wireless microphone transmitter allowing active performers to have a wireless transmitter system without the inconvenience of a large transmitter. The wireless receiver of the wireless transmitter system comprises a large backlit display, simple operation with auto-scan channel selection, and infrared set for syncing the wireless microphone transceiver and wireless receiver. The wireless transmitter system is simple and easy to set up and operate. The wireless transmitter system further ensures clear, interruption-free performance by utilizing a True RF Diversity design with a pilot tone-key and auto-mute function. This provides maximum operating distance along with eliminating any background noise when the wireless microphone transceiver is out of range or powered off.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2018Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: SAMSON TECHNOLOGIES CORP.Inventor: Douglas Bryant
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Patent number: 11301204Abstract: An example technique includes a computing system storing media item identifiers of curated media items associated with one or more service providers. A media curating service aggregates the media item identifiers of curated media items. The example technique further involves receiving, from a media playback system, a first message comprising a service provider access identifier. The service provider access identifier is based on a user account of the media playback system registered to at least one service provider. Based on receiving the first message, the computing system determines media item identifiers of curated media items that are associated with the at least one service provider with which the user account of the media playback system is registered and causes the media playback system to play back the curated media items based on the determined media item identifiers of the curated media items.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2020Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventor: Ron Kuper
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Patent number: 11288032Abstract: A music-synchronized control platform to synchronize music playback or music-synchronized performance or both with music in a plurality of devices. A master control section of at least one music-synchronized control master controls a master music playback player or master music-synchronized performer by converting a timing in the reference clock time corresponding to an in-content playback timing, which is obtained from the status of a virtual music playback player, to a timing in the individual clock time corresponding to the in-content playback timing. The slave control section of each of the plurality of music-synchronized control slaves control a slave music playback player or a slave music-synchronized performer and by converting a timing in the reference clock time corresponding to the in-content playback timing, which is obtained from the status of the virtual music playback player, to a timing in the individual clock time corresponding to the in-content playback timing.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2018Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYInventors: Masataka Goto, Takahiro Inoue
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Patent number: 11290836Abstract: A electronic device displays an image that has sound. One or more processors process the sound for the image into binaural sound for a user. The binaural sound has a sound localization point (SLP) with a coordinate location that occurs behind the image while the image is located a near-field distance from a head of the user.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2020Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Inventors: Glen A. Norris, Philip Scott Lyren