Patents Examined by Vivian Chin
  • Patent number: 10074399
    Abstract: A control device is provided which mixes and records two types of audio signals processed under standards different from each other; in particular an audio signal of ASIO standard and an audio signal of WDM standard. An audio interface is connected to a computer, and an audio signal is input to the computer. A mixer module of the computer mixes an audio signal effect-processed by an ASIO application and an audio signal reproduced by a WDM application, outputs the mixed audio signal to the audio interface, and to the WDM application, and records the sound. The mixer module automatically switches between presence/absence of the effect process and between presence/absence of mixing according to a mode which is set in an operation panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: TEAC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kaname Hayasaka
  • Patent number: 10070224
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to crosstalk cancellation to reduce crosstalk vibrations during use of multiple bone conduction transducers. A system, for example, a head-mounted display (HMD) for providing audio to a user, uses vibration sensors to detect vibrations caused by the bone conduction transducers. In particular, a vibration sensor may generate an error signal representing residual vibrations due to crosstalk at a given ear region of the user. The system uses estimated transfer functions for noise propagation paths through the user's head to generate an anti-crosstalk signal. In response to the anti-crosstalk signal, a bone conduction transducer transmits anti-crosstalk vibrations that reduce the error signal at the given ear region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventor: Antonio John Miller
  • Patent number: 10063975
    Abstract: A mobile terminal including a first body; a first audio output unit provided in the first body and configured to output sound; an audio conversion unit provided in the first body and configured to convert a sound source signal into an audio signal; a second body detachably coupled to the first body; and a second audio output unit provided in the second body and configured to output sound, wherein the audio conversion unit converts the sound source signal into a default audio signal and transmits the converted signal to the first audio output unit, in a state where the second body is detached from the first body, and the audio conversion unit converts the sound source signal into a first audio signal and transmits the converted first audio signal to the first audio output unit, when the second body is coupled to the first body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Taehwan Jeon, Donghan Kang, Janghwan Shim, Byungkil Choi, Joontae Kim, Jungmin Song
  • Patent number: 10062372
    Abstract: An audio device may be configured to produce output audio and to capture input audio for speech recognition. In some cases, a second device may also be used to capture input audio to improve isolation of input audio with respect to the output audio. In addition, acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) may be used to remove components of output audio from input signals of the first and second devices. AEC may be implemented by an adaptive filter based on dynamically optimized filter coefficients. The filter coefficients may be analyzed to detect situations in which the first and second devices are too close to each other, and the user may then be prompted to increase the distance between the two devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William Folwell Barton, Philip Ryan Hilmes, Kavitha Velusamy
  • Patent number: 10063968
    Abstract: A method for operating a distributed wireless audio system including several loudspeaker cabinets all of which can communicate with each other as part of a computer network. The method receives temperature data that is indicative of temperature of a first loudspeaker cabinet, which has a network master responsibility of obtaining an audio signal from an audio source and wirelessly transmitting some of the audio signal to a second loudspeaker cabinet of several loudspeaker cabinets, for playback by the second loudspeaker cabinet, while playing back some of the audio signal by the first loudspeaker cabinet. The method determines whether a thermal threshold of the first loudspeaker cabinet has been reached, based on the temperature data. The method, in response to the thermal threshold being reached, gives up the network master responsibility from the first loudspeaker cabinet to the second loudspeaker cabinet, where doing so reduces temperature in the first loudspeaker cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Afrooz Family, Daniel R. Borges, Daniel S. Naito, James M. Hollabaugh, Jay S. Nigen
  • Patent number: 10063964
    Abstract: An electronic device may include wireless circuitry that is configured to transmit wireless signals during operation. A maximum transmit power level may be established that serves as a cap on how much power is transmitted from the electronic device. Adjustments may be made to the maximum transmit power level in real time based on sensor signals and other information on the operating state of the electronic device. The sensor signals may include motion signals from an accelerometer. The sensor signals may also include ultrasonic sound detected by a microphone. Device orientation data may be used by the device to select whether to measure the ultrasonic sound using a front facing or rear facing microphone. Maximum transmit power level may also be adjusted based on whether or not sound is playing through an ear speaker in the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ruben Caballero, Michael DiVincent, Indranil S. Sen, Robert W. Schlub, Mohit Narang, Ricardo R. Velasco, Christopher B. Crowe, Scott Vernon
  • Patent number: 10057706
    Abstract: An information processing device includes: a reflecting surface determining section configured to determine a reflecting surface as an object for reflecting a sound; a reflecting surface information obtaining section configured to obtain reflecting surface information indicating a reflection characteristic of the determined reflecting surface; and an output control portion configured to output a directional sound according to the obtained reflecting surface information to the determined reflecting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventor: Masaomi Nishidate
  • Patent number: 10057669
    Abstract: Described herein are devices that combine aspects of storage containers and audio housing devices. These devices can be installed into a vehicle and function as a speaker box for the vehicle's sound system as well as a vehicle's glove box. In some embodiments, devices incorporating features of the present invention include a body that is configured to define a first internal space configured to house one or more audio devices. The body is further configured to define a second internal space configured as a storage container. In some embodiments, the first and second internal spaces are separated by at least one common wall. In some embodiments, the second internal space is at least partially surrounded by the first internal space. In some embodiments, the devices can further comprise one or more speaker driver openings to facilitate sound emission from the devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: SSV WORKS, INC.
    Inventor: Trevor Kaplan
  • Patent number: 10056086
    Abstract: The present disclosure enables applications of a computing system to coordinate object-based audio resources by the use of a minimum resource working set. The minimum resource working set encourages an application to be fair in its requirements since specifying a large number will most likely result in the application receiving zero resources, or losing all of its resources to another application. A working set, which can include a minimum and a maximum working set, also provides a useful metric for the spatial audio resource manager to use when balancing demand. In addition, a minimum working set provides a performance metric for resource balancing since it exposes what the minimum functional requirement is from the maxim requested resource claim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Norman Heitkamp, Ziyad Ibrahim, Paul J. Radek, Steven Marcel Elza Wilssens, Philip Andrew Edry
  • Patent number: 10057683
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for automatic fitting of all audio signals according to the ear in which a user is using to receive audio signals from a host device. The host device incorporates an audio signal fitting device, which may comprise an inquirer configured to query the host device for an in-use audio producing transducer; an electronic mechanism configured to identify an ear which a user is using to receive audio signals from a host device, based on the in-use audio producing transducer; and a notifier configured to instruct the host device, based on the identified ear, to output a channel of audio signals to the in-use audio producing transducer. The ear in use may be deduced from inertial data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: ACE Communications Limited
    Inventors: Pui Tong Paul Lee, Ka Kui Cheng
  • Patent number: 10057699
    Abstract: An audio identification device is provided. The audio identification device comprises: at least one sensing device configured to capture an audio signal present in a working space of a processing setup including at least one processing device; and a processor configured to: receive information related to the at least one processing device; retrieve audio data stored in a database using the received information related to the at least one processing device; identify a state of the at least one processing device by analyzing the audio signal captured by the at least one sensing device based on the retrieved audio data; and output a response, the response being determined based on the identified state of the at least one processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Maggiore, Paul Priebe
  • Patent number: 10051363
    Abstract: A camera system with image and audio capture capabilities is configured to protect the internal audio components from the external environment. The camera system includes an internal audio assembly with a microphone and an audio circuit board. The audio circuit board is structured such that a gap exists within the board that allows transmission of sound waves from external the environment to the microphone. The audio assembly also includes a compressible annulus, a support annulus, and a waterproof membrane coupled buy a support structure. The waterproof membrane protects the internal components from moisture while still allowing transmission of sound waves. The support structure, compressible annulus, support annulus, and audio circuit board are structured such that a gap exists above the microphone and underneath the waterproof membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventor: Joshua Randall Clyne
  • Patent number: 10050594
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided for satellite volume control. An example method includes receiving an input at a playback device to adjust a volume for a plurality of playback devices that are grouped for synchronous playback of audio content, wherein the plurality of playback devices includes the playback device. The method also includes sending a first message over a network from the playback device to a device associated with the plurality of playback devices, the first message including information based on the input, wherein the information is used to adjust the volume of the plurality of playback devices. The method also includes receiving a second message at the playback device over the network, the second message including information for the volume of the playback device, wherein the volume is based on the adjusted volume of the plurality of playback devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Bob Dizon, Neil Griffiths, Luis R. Vega Zayas
  • Patent number: 10046602
    Abstract: In a general aspect, a system includes circuitry for providing an engine harmonic scaling module and a summer. The engine harmonic scaling module is configured to receive a torque signal and a throttle signal, process the torque signal to generate a calibrated torque value, process the throttle signal to generate a throttle percentage value, determine a control parameter based on an examination of the calibrated torque value and the throttle percentage value, determine, based on the control parameter, a harmonic-specific scaling factor for each of one or more engine harmonic signals of a plurality of engine harmonic signals, and apply the corresponding harmonic-specific scaling factor to each of the one or more engine harmonic signals to generate corresponding scaled engine harmonic signals. The summer is configured to generate, from the scaled engine harmonic signals, a combined engine harmonic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Cristian Marius Hera
  • Patent number: 10051370
    Abstract: A method and an electronic device for outputting an audio signal in the electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a first speaker, a second speaker, and an audio processor that creates, from an audio signal, a first frequency audio signal corresponding to a first frequency band by using a low pass filter, synthesizes the created first frequency audio signal and the audio signal to create a synthetic audio signal, creates, from the synthetic audio signal, a second frequency audio signal corresponding to a second frequency band by using a high pass filter, outputs the created second frequency audio signal through the first speaker, and outputs the created synthetic audio signal through the second speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Taiyong Kim, Dongeon Kim, Seungsoo Nam, Juhee Jang, Jeok Lee, Jaehyun Kim, Hochul Hwang
  • Patent number: 10051359
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of adjusting ambient sounds for an earphone. The earphone collects ambient sounds using at least one microphone. The method includes: determining an adjustment type and an adjustment amount for the collected ambient sounds; and adjusting, according to the determined adjustment type, the collected ambient sounds by the determined adjustment amount. The present invention also provides an earphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaoniao Tingting Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Song Liu, Jian Zhao
  • Patent number: 10045111
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting donning and doffing of an electronic device includes a capacitive sensor configured to generate a capacitance signal based on a capacitance measured by the sensor. The method also includes generating an average capacitance signal by averaging the capacitance signal over a period of time, and generating an intermediate signal based on a difference between the capacitance signal and the average capacitance signal. The method also includes generating a don or doff signal and setting the average capacitance signal to be equal to the capacitance signal when the don or doff signal is generated. The don signal is generated subsequent to the electronic device changing state from a doffed state to a donned state. The doff signal is generated subsequent to the electronic device changing state from a donned state to a doffed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Jordan Bonner, Peter T. Liu
  • Patent number: 10045134
    Abstract: A sound pressure level (SPL) monitoring information system includes a database configured to store data including at least one of a list of earpiece devices and associated instrument response functions, an audiogram compensation information, or an earpiece frequency response function. The system further includes an SPL monitoring system comprising a microphone. The SPL monitoring system can be configured to receive a plurality of signals, each signal representing a respective SPL of sound pressure values over a time duration for a particular frequency band, the SPL monitoring system configured to determine at least one of: (a) an exposure time duration when at least one of the signals exceeds a SPL threshold value for the particular frequency band or (b) a recovery time duration when at least one of the signals is less than the SPL threshold value for the particular frequency band. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Staton Techiya, LLC
    Inventor: Steven Wayne Goldstein
  • Patent number: 10043509
    Abstract: A reverberator for reverberating an audio signal includes a feedback delay loop processor for delaying at least two different frequency subband signals representing the audio signal by different loop delays to obtain reverberated frequency subband signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandtem Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Bernhard Neugebauer, Jan Plogsties, Juha Vilkamo
  • Patent number: 10045135
    Abstract: Embodiments herein enable fast and easy interconnectivity among multimedia accessories including mobile devices and other devices. There is only limited space on mobile devices yet there are numerous input connectors. The standard TRRS audio jack is one such input that has and remains common, primarily because it is the accepted standard for audio input; namely, headphones and earpieces for listening purposes. Embodiments herein describe an intelligent switch to that audio jack that permits for additional backward and forward compatibility. It transparently allows a user to insert analog or digital audio devices, such as earphones, without the need to manually reconfigure device settings. The device herein automatically converts between input connector types using the same input convention present on their existing mobile devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Staton Techiya, LLC
    Inventors: Koen Weijand, Steven W. Goldstein