Patents Examined by Regina N. Holder
  • Patent number: 10109294
    Abstract: Systems and methods for disabling adaptive echo cancellation functionality for a temporal window are provided herein. In some embodiments, audio data may be received by a voice activated electronic device, where the audio data may include an utterance of a wakeword that may be subsequently followed by additional speech. A start time of when the wakeword began to be uttered may be determined by the voice activated electronic device, and the voice activated electronic device may also send the audio data to a backend system. Adaptive echo cancellation functionality may be disabled at the start time. The backend system may determine an end time of the speech, and may provide an indication to the voice activated electronic device of the end time, which in turn may cause the voice activated electronic device to enable the adaptive echo cancellation functionality at the end time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Ayrapetian, Philip Ryan Hilmes, Yuwen Su
  • Patent number: 10051358
    Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in a portable apparatus that includes three connection ports. The first connection port is for connecting the portable apparatus to one or more acoustic transducers, the second connection port is for receiving a connection to a microphone, and the third connection port is for receiving a conductor that connects the portable apparatus to a communication module of an aircraft. The portable apparatus also includes circuitry for interconnecting the first, second, and third connection ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Paul G. Yamkovoy
  • Patent number: 10015581
    Abstract: A microphone adaptor comprises a body having a first end, a second end, and an opening extending from the first end to the second end. The second end is in communication with an electro-acoustic driver. A coupling mechanism is at the first end of the body for receiving a sensing microphone and securing the microphone against the body at a predetermined fixed distance from the electro-acoustic driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lei Cheng, Andrew D. Munro, Benjamin G. K. Peterson, Ellen I. Searl
  • Patent number: 10009691
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present application provide a sound channel configuration method and apparatus and an earphone device. The method includes: obtaining heartbeat transmission signals at one earpiece and a reference position of a human body; and performing sound channel configuration on a signal of the earpiece at least according to the heartbeat transmission signals at the earpiece and the reference position. The embodiments of the present application provide sound channel configuration solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: BEIJING ZHIGU RUI TUO TECH CO., LTD
    Inventor: Ran Xu
  • Patent number: 10009687
    Abstract: An audio system, an audio outputting method, and a speaker apparatus are disclosed. The audio system includes a plurality of speaker modules connected to each other, a detection module configured to detect information of the plurality of speaker modules and user information, and a home control module configured to receive an audio signal, process the received audio signal based on the information of the plurality of speaker modules and the user information, and transmit the processed audio signal to the plurality of speaker modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gyeong-tae Lee, Jong-bae Kim, Jong-in Jo, Whan-oh Sung, Joo-yeon Lee, Hwan Shim
  • Patent number: 9992581
    Abstract: One embodiment includes an optical microphone system. The system includes a laser configured to emit an optical beam at a linear polarization and an optical cavity system comprising a membranous mirror that is configured to reflect the optical beam and to vibrate in response to an acoustic input signal. The optical cavity system includes at least one photodetector configured to receive at least a portion of the optical beam to generate a microphone signal that is indicative of the vibration of the membranous mirror resulting from the acoustic input signal based on the reflection of the optical beam. The system further includes an acoustic processor configured to process the microphone signal to calculate a frequency of the acoustic input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Michael D. Bulatowicz
  • Patent number: 9973855
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method for controlling output through an external output device are provided. The electronic device includes a housing, a receptacle formed so as to receive one of a first external connector and a second external connector, and a circuit electrically coupled to the receptacle. The first external connector includes first, second, third, and fourth terminals. The second external connector includes first, second, third, and fourth terminals. The circuit is configured to detect whether one of the first and second external connectors is inserted into the receptacle, and, based on results of detection, provide an audio output to the first external connector in a first manner if the first external connector is inserted, and provide the audio output to the second external connector in a second manner different from the first manner if the second external connector is inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Euichan Jung, Minwoo Song, Chulhyung Yang, Jiwoo Lee
  • Patent number: 9942669
    Abstract: A binaural hearing device has first and second hearing aids and a control device. Each hearing aid has a communication unit, an audio receiver and an earphone. The communication units are configured for reciprocal data transmission by inductive coupling. The audio receivers receive and process stereophonic audio data. The control device switches one of the hearing aids to an inactive audio reception state and the other to an active audio reception state, swaps the audio reception states of the hearing aids within an operating period based on a signal strength of the audio signal of one hearing aid at a time, and drives the hearing aid with the active audio reception state to transmit audio data to the hearing aid with the inactive audio reception state via the communication units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter Nikles, Simon Huettinger, Johannes Kuhn
  • Patent number: 9936307
    Abstract: A hearing aid communication system and a hearing aid communication method thereof are disclosed. The hearing aid communication method includes the steps of: determining whether a sound-providing apparatus is providing a sound signal; when the sound-providing apparatus is providing a sound signal, establishing a connection with a hearing aid; receiving the sound signal from the sound-providing apparatus for transmission to the hearing aid; and when the sound-providing apparatus stops providing the sound signal, breaking the connection with the hearing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: UNLIMITER MFA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuan-Li Chao, Kuo-Ping Yang
  • Patent number: 9936321
    Abstract: Dynamic Range Control (DRC) cannot be simply applied to Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) based signals. A method for performing DRC on a HOA signal comprises transforming the HOA signal to the spatial domain, analyzing the transformed HOA signal, and obtaining, from results of said analyzing, gain factors that are usable for dynamic compression. The gain factors can be transmitted together with the HOA signal. When applying the DRC, the HOA signal is transformed to the spatial domain, the gain factors are extracted and multiplied with the transformed HOA signal in the spatial domain, wherein a gain compensated transformed HOA signal is obtained. The gain compensated transformed HOA signal is transformed back into the HOA domain, wherein a gain compensated HOA signal is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Boehm, Florian Keiler
  • Patent number: 9930464
    Abstract: A method for compressing a HOA signal being an input HOA representation with input time frames (C(k)) of HOA coefficient sequences comprises spatial HOA encoding of the input time frames and subsequent perceptual encoding and source encoding. Each input time frame is decomposed (802) into a frame of predominant sound signals (XPS(k?1)) and a frame of an ambient HOA component (CAMB (k?1)). The ambient HOA component (CAMB (k?1)) comprises, in a layered mode, first HOA coefficient sequences of the input HOA representation (cn(k?1)) in lower positions and second HOA coefficient sequences (CAMB,n(k?1)) in remaining higher positions. The second HOA coefficient sequences are part of an HOA representation of a residual between the input HOA representation and the HOA representation of the predominant sound signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Sven Kordon, Alexander Krueger, Oliver Wuebbolt
  • Patent number: 9918177
    Abstract: A sound enhancement system (SES) that can enhance reproduction of sound emitted by headphones and other sound systems is disclosed. The SES improves sound reproduction by simulating a desired sound system without including unwanted artifacts typically associated with simulations of sound systems. The SES facilitates such improvements by transforming sound system outputs through a set of one or more binaural rendering filters derived from direct and indirect head-related transfer functions (HRTFs). Parameters of the binaural rendering filters are updated based on the head tracking angle of user wearing the headphones to render a stable stereo sound image. The head tracking angle may be determined from sensor data obtained from a digital gyroscope mounted in a headphone assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Ulrich Horbach
  • Patent number: 9900690
    Abstract: A nonlinear control system and a loudspeaker protection system. In particular, a nonlinear control system including a controller, an audio system, and a model is disclosed. The controller is configured to accept one or more input signals, and one or more estimated states produced by the model to produce one or more control signals. The audio system includes one or more transducers configured to accept the control signals to produce a rendered audio stream therefrom. An active loudspeaker with an integrated amplifier is disclosed. A loudspeaker protection system and a quality control system are disclosed. More particularly, a system for clamping the input to a loudspeaker dependent upon a bank of representative models is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: CIRRUS LOGIC INTERNATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR LTD.
    Inventors: Pär Gunnars Risberg, Erik Lindahl, Marcus Arvidsson, Daniel Stahre, Landy Toth
  • Patent number: 9894451
    Abstract: A multi-zone media system and method for providing multi-zone media. As a non-limiting example, various aspects of this disclosure provide a system and method that flexibly presents media content (e.g., audio content) to a user as the user moves throughout a premises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: SOUND UNITED, LLC.
    Inventors: Bradley M. Starobin, Matthew Lyons, Stuart W. Lumsden, Michael DiTullo, Paul O'Connor
  • Patent number: 9886233
    Abstract: Media content systems and methods are operable to detect sound using one or more microphones during presentation of a media content event. The audio content output is changed by a remedial action that is performed if the audio content detected by the microphones does not correspond to the intended audio content of the presented media content event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventors: David Innes, Jeremy Mickelsen
  • Patent number: 9877119
    Abstract: A hearing aid includes: a microphone configured to receive sound; a processing unit configured to provide a processed audio signal for compensating a hearing loss of a user; a printed circuit board comprising a first layer; an antenna provided as an electrically conductive material on the first layer; a wireless communication unit for wireless communication; one or more flexible printed circuit board having a first flexible printed circuit board; and a polarization element configured for forming a polarization of the antenna, where the polarization element is on the first flexible printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: GN Hearing A/S
    Inventor: Sinasi Ozden
  • Patent number: 9866960
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vibration audio system for transmitting an audio signal outputted from a sound source to a listener in the form of vibration while reducing output level of the signal and power consumption. The system includes an envelope detection unit (204) for detecting an envelope signal of the audio signal outputted from a sound source, a vibration transmission member for allowing the listener to perceive vibration of a low-frequency sound outputted from a low-frequency output speaker that outputs audio signals, and a frequency conversion unit (205) for generating an audio signal frequency-converted on the basis of resonant frequencies by multiplying the envelope signal by sine waves having the same frequencies as resonance frequencies obtained from an impulse response of the low-frequency output speaker disposed in the vibration transmission member. The audio signal frequency-converted by the frequency conversion unit (205) is outputted from the low-frequency output speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Hashimoto, Tetsuo Watanabe, Yasuhiro Fujita, Kazutomo Fukue
  • Patent number: 9858035
    Abstract: In each category representing a signal type, a recommended minimum value and a recommended maximum value of a level of a signal are stored. The recommended minimum value and the recommended maximum value are determined based on a dynamic range of the signal of the type, for example. A function configured to set a gain used for adjusting a level of an input signal according to a user operation, and a function configured to set a category are provided. Further, a meter portion configured to display the level of the signal level-adjusted by the set gain is provided, and the recommended minimum value and the recommended maximum value of the set category are exhibited in a manner to correspond to the display by the meter portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Kotaro Terada, Shunichi Kamiya
  • Patent number: 9854371
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring a Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) may include determining position and orientation of an object relative to an audio signal generating device having a first known position and orientation, based on tracking information indicating position and orientation of the object. Movement data indicating direction of movement to position the object at a target position and orientation in relation to a predetermined position and orientation of the audio signal generating device may be generated, according to the relative position and orientation of the object. When the object is determined to be at the target position and orientation, the HRTF may be determined based on detection at the object of an audio signal from the audio signal generating device at the first known position and orientation while the object is at the target position and orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Small Signals, LLC
    Inventor: James Patrick Lester, III
  • Patent number: 9838820
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an acoustic control apparatus applied to a loudspeaker system including first to Mth loudspeakers. In one implementation, the apparatus includes first to Mth control filters. The first to Mth control filters convolve a first input sound signal with first to Mth control filter coefficients to generate first to Mth sound signals. The first to Mth loudspeakers produce sounds based on the first to Mth sound signals. The second to Mth control filter coefficients are calculated based on the first control filter coefficient and at least one first acoustic transfer function set from the first to Mth loudspeakers to at least one first one-ear position, such that a spatial average of at least one sound pressure of the sounds at the at least one first one-ear position comes close to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Keiichiro Someda, Akihiko Enamito