Patents by Inventor Koji Nageno
Koji Nageno has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20230388703Abstract: The present technique relates to an earhole-wearable sound collection device, a signal processing device, and a sound collection method for realizing sound collection at a high S/N ratio, with noise influence being reduced not by a noise reduction process. In the earhole-wearable sound collection device, a microphone that collects emitted speech voice is provided in a space that is substantially sealed off from outside and connects to an ear canal of the wearer (the speaker). With the microphone being located in the space sealed off from outside, emitted speech voice that propagates through the ear canal of the wearer is collected. In a sound collection signal obtained through the ear canal, the emitted speech voice component is dominant over the noise component particularly at low frequencies. Therefore, the S/N ratio of an emitted speech voice collection signal can be improved by extracting the low-frequency component of the sound collection signal with the use of a LPF, for example.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventors: KOHEI ASADA, SHINPEI TSUCHIYA, DAIZEN KOBAYASHI, KOJI NAGENO
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Patent number: 11765497Abstract: Provided are an earhole-wearable sound collection device, a signal processing device, and a sound collection method for sound collection at a high S/N ratio, with noise influence being reduced not by a noise reduction process. In the earhole-wearable sound collection device, a microphone that collects emitted speech voice is provided in a space that is substantially sealed off from outside and connects to an ear canal of the wearer (the speaker). With the microphone being located in the space sealed off from outside, emitted speech voice that propagates through the ear canal of the wearer is collected. In a sound collection signal obtained through the ear canal, the emitted speech voice component is dominant over the noise component particularly at low frequencies.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2021Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATIONInventors: Kohei Asada, Shinpei Tsuchiya, Daizen Kobayashi, Koji Nageno
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Patent number: 11375307Abstract: An earphone device includes a housing having a driver unit, and a sound guide tube mounted on a front surface of the housing to protrude from the front surface, in which the sound guide tube is disposed at a position deviated from a center position of the housing.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2017Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Inventors: Tomohiro Matsuo, Takashi Ohta, Koji Nageno, Tomohiro Ito
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Patent number: 11363366Abstract: There is provided a headphone device including: an external magnet type magnet unit that is disposed outside a voice coil, and vibrates the voice coil; and a diaphragm that is vibrated by vibration of the voice coil, and formed of a material in which a dome section having an outward concave shape on an inner circumference of the voice coil is continuous with an edge section outside the voice coil.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2017Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Koji Nageno, Kenichi Oide, Shinsuke Kanayama, Pingwee Chia, Chinngiap Heng
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Publication number: 20220103936Abstract: The present technique relates to an earhole-wearable sound collection device, a signal processing device, and a sound collection method for realizing sound collection at a high S/N ratio, with noise influence being reduced not by a noise reduction process. In the earhole-wearable sound collection device, a microphone that collects emitted speech voice is provided in a space that is substantially sealed off from outside and connects to an ear canal of the wearer (the speaker). With the microphone being located in the space sealed off from outside, emitted speech voice that propagates through the ear canal of the wearer is collected. In a sound collection signal obtained through the ear canal, the emitted speech voice component is dominant over the noise component particularly at low frequencies. Therefore, the S/N ratio of an emitted speech voice collection signal can be improved by extracting the low-frequency component of the sound collection signal with the use of a LPF, for example.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Inventors: KOHEI ASADA, SHINPEI TSUCHIYA, DAIZEN KOBAYASHI, KOJI NAGENO
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Patent number: 11146877Abstract: A sound output device includes a sound generating portion that generates a sound, a sound guiding portion that takes in the sound generated in the sound generating portion from one end, and a holding portion that holds the sound guiding portion in the vicinity of the other end. The holding portion is engaged with an intertragic notch, and supports the sound guiding portion such that a sound output hole of the other end of the sound guiding portion to face a depth side of an ear canal. Even in a state where the listener wears the sound output device, the sound output device does not block an ear cavity of the listener, and the listener can listen to the ambient sound.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2020Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Go Igarashi, Satoshi Suzuki, Kohei Asada, Koji Nageno
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Publication number: 20210281944Abstract: There is provided a headphone device including: an external magnet type magnet unit that is disposed outside a voice coil, and vibrates the voice coil; and a diaphragm that is vibrated by vibration of the voice coil, and formed of a material in which a dome section having an outward concave shape on an inner circumference of the voice coil is continuous with an edge section outside the voice coil.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2017Publication date: September 9, 2021Inventors: KOJI NAGENO, KENICHI OIDE, SHINSUKE KANAYAMA, PINGWEE CHIA, CHINNGIAP HENG
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Patent number: 11070910Abstract: The present technique relates to a processing device and a processing method for realizing sound collection at a high S/N ratio, with noise influence being reduced not by a noise reduction process. In the processing device, a microphone that collects emitted speech voice is provided in a space that is substantially sealed off from outside and connects to an ear canal of the wearer (the speaker). With the microphone being located in the space sealed off from outside, emitted speech voice that propagates through the ear canal of the wearer is collected. In a sound collection signal obtained through the ear canal, the emitted speech voice component is dominant over the noise component particularly at low frequencies Further, an equalizing process for reducing muffled sound that is generated when sound is collected through the ear canal is performed on the sound collection signal.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2018Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Kohei Asada, Shinpei Tsuchiya, Daizen Kobayashi, Koji Nageno
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Patent number: 11037544Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a sound output device includes a sound acquisition part that acquires a sound signal generated from an ambient sound, a reverb process part that performs a reverb process on the sound signal, and a sound output part that outputs a sound generated from the sound signal subjected to the reverb process, to a vicinity of an ear of a listener. This configuration allows a listener to hear sound acquired in real time to which desired reverberation is added.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2020Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Kohei Asada, Go Igarashi, Koji Nageno
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Publication number: 20210006927Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a sound output device includes: a sound acquisition part configured to acquire sound to be output to the other end of a sound guide part, one end of which is arranged near an entrance of an ear canal of a listener, the sound guide part having a hollow structure; and a head-related transfer function adjustment part configured to adjust a head-related transfer function of sound captured by the sound guide part. Since the head-related transfer function adjustment part adjusts the head-related transfer function of sound captured by the sound guide part, it is possible to listen to both ambient sound and sound provided from a sound output device such that the listener does not feel strangeness even in the state in which the listener is wearing the sound output device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2020Publication date: January 7, 2021Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Kohei Asada, Go Igarashi, Koji Nageno, Haruo Oba, Homare Kon
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Patent number: 10812926Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a sound output device includes: a sound acquisition part configured to acquire sound to be output to the other end of a sound guide part, one end of which is arranged near an entrance of an ear canal of a listener, the sound guide part having a hollow structure; and a head-related transfer function adjustment part configured to adjust a head-related transfer function of sound captured by the sound guide part. Since the head-related transfer function adjustment part adjusts the head-related transfer function of sound captured by the sound guide part, it is possible to listen to both ambient sound and sound provided from a sound output device such that the listener does not feel strangeness even in the state in which the listener is wearing the sound output device.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2016Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Kohei Asada, Go Igarashi, Koji Nageno, Haruo Oba, Homare Kon
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Publication number: 20200260174Abstract: Provided is a sound output device worn on an ear of a listener and used, and having listening characteristics of an ambient sound in a wearing state. A sound output device 100 includes a sound generating portion 110 that generates a sound, a sound guiding portion 120 that takes in the sound generated in the sound generating portion 110 from one end 121, and a holding portion 130 that holds the sound guiding portion 120 in the vicinity of the other end 122. The holding portion 130 is engaged with an intertragic notch, and supports the sound guiding portion 120 such that a sound output hole of the other end 122 of the sound guiding portion 120 to face a depth side of an ear canal. Even in a state where the listener wears the sound output device 100, the sound output device 100 does not block an ear cavity of the listener, and the listener can listen to the ambient sound.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Inventors: GO IGARASHI, SATOSHI SUZUKI, KOHEI ASADA, KOJI NAGENO
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Patent number: 10735844Abstract: Provided is a wearable device that is worn on a human ear and mainly outputs or inputs sound. The outer casing 110 is formed into an elongated shape so as to fit the cymba conchae 306 formed between the antihelix inferior crus 302b and the crus helicis 309. The sound generating unit 120 includes a vibration element 121 and a weight 122. The vibration element 121 has an elongated shape along the longitudinal direction of the outer casing 110, and has one end fixed to the inner wall of the outer casing 110, and the other end to which a weight 122 is attached, the other hand being an open end. By applying an alternating electric field to the vibration element 121, vibration corresponding to audio is generated.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2019Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Go Igarashi, Kohei Asada, Koji Nageno
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Patent number: 10685641Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a sound output device includes a sound acquisition part that acquires a sound signal generated from an ambient sound, a reverb process part that performs a reverb process on the sound signal, and a sound output part that outputs a sound generated from the sound signal subjected to the reverb process, to a vicinity of an ear of a listener. This configuration allows a listener to hear sound acquired in real time to which desired reverberation is added.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2017Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Kohei Asada, Go Igarashi, Koji Nageno
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Publication number: 20200184947Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a sound output device includes a sound acquisition part that acquires a sound signal generated from an ambient sound, a reverb process part that performs a reverb process on the sound signal, and a sound output part that outputs a sound generated from the sound signal subjected to the reverb process, to a vicinity of an ear of a listener. This configuration allows a listener to hear sound acquired in real time to which desired reverberation is added.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2020Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventors: KOHEI ASADA, GO IGARASHI, KOJI NAGENO
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Patent number: 10659863Abstract: Provided is a sound output device worn on an ear of a listener and used, and having listening characteristics of an ambient sound in a wearing state. A sound output device 100 includes a sound generating portion 110 that generates a sound, a sound guiding portion 120 that takes in the sound generated in the sound generating portion 110 from one end 121, and a holding portion 130 that holds the sound guiding portion 120 in the vicinity of the other end 122. The holding portion 130 is engaged with an intertragic notch, and supports the sound guiding portion 120 such that a sound output hole of the other end 122 of the sound guiding portion 120 to face a depth side of an ear canal. Even in a state where the listener wears the sound output device 100, the sound output device 100 does not block an ear cavity of the listener, and the listener can listen to the ambient sound.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2019Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Go Igarashi, Satoshi Suzuki, Kohei Asada, Koji Nageno
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Publication number: 20200068284Abstract: Provided is a wearable device that is worn on a human ear and mainly outputs or inputs sound. The outer casing 110 is formed into an elongated shape so as to fit the cymba conchae 306 formed between the antihelix inferior crus 302b and the crus helicis 309. The sound generating unit 120 includes a vibration element 121 and a weight 122. The vibration element 121 has an elongated shape along the longitudinal direction of the outer casing 110, and has one end fixed to the inner wall of the outer casing 110, and the other end to which a weight 122 is attached, the other hand being an open end. By applying an alternating electric field to the vibration element 121, vibration corresponding to audio is generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2019Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventors: GO IGARASHI, KOHEI ASADA, KOJI NAGENO
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Patent number: 10524036Abstract: Provided is a wearable device that is worn on a human ear and mainly outputs or inputs sound. The outer casing 110 is formed into an elongated shape so as to fit the cymba conchae 306 formed between the antihelix inferior crus 302b and the crus helicis 309. The sound generating unit 120 includes a vibration element 121 and a weight 122. The vibration element 121 has an elongated shape along the longitudinal direction of the outer casing 110, and has one end fixed to the inner wall of the outer casing 110, and the other end to which a weight 122 is attached, the other hand being an open end. By applying an alternating electric field to the vibration element 121, vibration corresponding to audio is generated.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2016Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Go Igarashi, Kohei Asada, Koji Nageno
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Publication number: 20190158945Abstract: Provided is a sound output device worn on an ear of a listener and used, and having listening characteristics of an ambient sound in a wearing state. A sound output device 100 includes a sound generating portion 110 that generates a sound, a sound guiding portion 120 that takes in the sound generated in the sound generating portion 110 from one end 121, and a holding portion 130 that holds the sound guiding portion 120 in the vicinity of the other end 122. The holding portion 130 is engaged with an intertragic notch, and supports the sound guiding portion 120 such that a sound output hole of the other end 122 of the sound guiding portion 120 to face a depth side of an ear canal. Even in a state where the listener wears the sound output device 100, the sound output device 100 does not block an ear cavity of the listener, and the listener can listen to the ambient sound.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2019Publication date: May 23, 2019Inventors: GO IGARASHI, SATOSHI SUZUKI, KOHEI ASADA, KOJI NAGENO
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Patent number: 10237641Abstract: Provided is a sound output device worn on an ear of a listener and used, and having listening characteristics of an ambient sound in a wearing state. A sound output device 100 includes a sound generating portion 110 that generates a sound, a sound guiding portion 120 that takes in the sound generated in the sound generating portion 110 from one end 121, and a holding portion 130 that holds the sound guiding portion 120 in the vicinity of the other end 122. The holding portion 130 is engaged with an intertragic notch, and supports the sound guiding portion 120 such that a sound output hole of the other end 122 of the sound guiding portion 120 to face a depth side of an ear canal. Even in a state where the listener wears the sound output device 100, the sound output device 100 does not block an ear cavity of the listener, and the listener can listen to the ambient sound.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2018Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Go Igarashi, Satoshi Suzuki, Kohei Asada, Koji Nageno