Patents by Inventor Lawrence C. Ng

Lawrence C. Ng 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).

  • Patent number: 8447585
    Abstract: A system and method for characterizing, synthesizing, and/or canceling out acoustic signals from inanimate sound sources is disclosed. Propagating wave electromagnetic sensors monitor excitation sources in sound producing systems, such as machines, musical instruments, and various other structures. Acoustical output from these sound producing systems is also monitored. From such information, a transfer function characterizing the sound producing system is generated. From the transfer function, acoustical output from the sound producing system may be synthesized or canceled. The methods disclosed enable accurate calculation of matched transfer functions relating specific excitations to specific acoustical outputs. Knowledge of such signals and functions can be used to effect various sound replication, sound source identification, and sound cancellation applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC.
    Inventors: John F. Holzrichter, Greg C. Burnett, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Patent number: 7283948
    Abstract: A system and method for characterizing, synthesizing, and/or canceling out acoustic signals from inanimate sound sources is disclosed. Propagating wave electromagnetic sensors monitor excitation sources in sound producing systems, such as machines, musical instruments, and various other structures. Acoustical output from these sound producing systems is also monitored. From such information, a transfer function characterizing the sound producing system is generated. From the transfer function, acoustical output from the sound producing system may be synthesized or canceled. The methods disclosed enable accurate calculation of matched transfer functions relating specific excitations to specific acoustical outputs. Knowledge of such signals and functions can be used to effect various sound replication, sound source identification, and sound cancellation applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John F. Holzrichter, Greg C. Burnett, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Patent number: 7231350
    Abstract: A method and system for speech characterization. One embodiment includes a method for speaker verification which includes collecting data from a speaker, wherein the data comprises acoustic data and non-acoustic data. The data is used to generate a template that includes a first set of “template” parameters. The method further includes receiving a real-time identity claim from a claimant, and using acoustic data and non-acoustic data from the identity claim to generate a second set of parameters. The method further includes comparing the first set of parameters to the set of parameters to determine whether the claimant is the speaker. The first set of parameters and the second set of parameters include at least one purely non-acoustic parameter, including a non-acoustic glottal shape parameter derived from averaging multiple glottal cycle waveforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Todd J. Gable, Lawrence C. Ng, John F. Holzrichter, Greg C. Burnett
  • Patent number: 7191105
    Abstract: A system for characterizing, synthesizing, and/or canceling out acoustic signals from inanimate and animate sound sources. Electromagnetic sensors monitor excitation sources in sound producing systems, such as animate sound sources such as the human voice, or from machines, musical instruments, and various other structures. Acoustical output from these sound producing systems is also monitored. From such information, a transfer function characterizing the sound producing system is generated. From the transfer function, acoustical output from the sound producing system may be synthesized or canceled. The systems disclosed enable accurate calculation of transfer functions relating specific excitations to specific acoustical outputs. Knowledge of such signals and functions can be used to effect various sound replication, sound source identification, and sound cancellation applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John F. Holzrichter, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Patent number: 7162415
    Abstract: A system of removing excess information from a human speech signal and coding the remaining signal information, transmitting the coded signal, and reconstructing the coded signal. The system uses one or more EM wave sensors and one or more acoustic microphones to determine at least one characteristic of the human speech signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John F. Holzrichter, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Patent number: 7089177
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for characterizing human (or animate) speech voiced excitation functions and acoustic signals, for removing unwanted acoustic noise which often occurs when a speaker uses a microphone in common environments, and for synthesizing personalized or modified human (or other animate) speech upon command from a controller. A low power EM sensor is used to detect the motions of windpipe tissues in the glottal region of the human speech system before, during, and after voiced speech is produced by a user. From these tissue motion measurements, a voiced excitation function can be derived. Further, the excitation function provides speech production information to enhance noise removal from human speech and it enables accurate transfer functions of speech to be obtained. Previously stored excitation and transfer functions can be used for synthesizing personalized or modified human speech.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Greg C. Burnett, John F. Holzrichter, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Patent number: 7035795
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for characterizing human (or animate) speech voiced excitation functions and acoustic signals, for removing unwanted acoustic noise which often occurs when a speaker uses a microphone in common environments, and for synthesizing personalized or modified human (or other animate) speech upon command from a controller. A low power EM sensor is used to detect the motions of windpipe tissues in the glottal region of the human speech system before, during, and after voiced speech is produced by a user. From these tissue motion measurements, a voiced excitation function can be derived. Further, the excitation function provides speech production information to enhance noise removal from human speech and it enables accurate transfer functions of speech to be obtained. Previously stored excitation and transfer functions can be used for synthesizing personalized or modified human speech.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Greg C. Burnett, John F. Holzrichter, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Patent number: 7016833
    Abstract: A method and system for speech characterization. One embodiment includes a method for speaker verification which includes collecting data from a speaker, wherein the data comprises acoustic data and non-acoustic data. The data is used to generate a template that includes a first set of “template” parameters. The method further includes receiving a real-time identity claim from a claimant, and using acoustic data and non-acoustic data from the identity claim to generate a second set of parameters. The method further includes comparing the first set of parameters to the set of parameters to determine whether the claimant is the speaker. The first set of parameters and the second set of parameters include at least one purely non-acoustic parameter, including a non-acoustic glottal shape parameter derived from averaging multiple glottal cycle waveforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Todd J. Gable, Lawrence C. Ng, John F. Holzrichter, Greg C. Burnett
  • Patent number: 6999924
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for characterizing human (or animate) speech voiced excitation functions and acoustic signals, for removing unwanted acoustic noise which often occurs when a speaker uses a microphone in common environments, and for synthesizing personalized or modified human (or other animate) speech upon command from a controller. A low power EM sensor is used to detect the motions of windpipe tissues in the glottal region of the human speech system before, during, and after voiced speech is produced by a user. From these tissue motion measurements, a voiced excitation function can be derived. Further, the excitation function provides speech production information to enhance noise removal from human speech and it enables accurate transfer functions of speech to be obtained. Previously stored excitation and transfer functions can be used for synthesizing personalized or modified human speech.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Greg C. Burnett, John F. Holzrichter, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Publication number: 20040083100
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for characterizing human (or animate) speech voiced excitation functions and acoustic signals, for removing unwanted acoustic noise which often occurs when a speaker uses a microphone in common environments, and for synthesizing personalized or modified human (or other animate) speech upon command from a controller. A low power EM sensor is used to detect the motions of windpipe tissues in the glottal region of the human speech system before, during, and after voiced speech is produced by a user. From these tissue motion measurements, a voiced excitation function can be derived. Further, the excitation function provides speech production information to enhance noise removal from human speech and it enables accurate transfer functions of speech to be obtained. Previously stored excitation and transfer functions can be used for synthesizing personalized or modified human speech.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Greg C. Burnett, John F. Holzrichter, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Patent number: 6711539
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for characterizing human (or animate) speech voiced excitation functions and acoustic signals, for removing unwanted acoustic noise which often occurs when a speaker uses a microphone in common environments, and for synthesizing personalized or modified human (or other animate) speech upon command from a controller. A low power EM sensor is used to detect the motions of windpipe tissues in the glottal region of the human speech system before, during, and after voiced speech is produced by a user. From these tissue motion measurements, a voiced excitation function can be derived. Further, the excitation function provides speech production information to enhance noise removal from human speech and it enables accurate transfer functions of speech to be obtained. Previously stored excitation and transfer functions can be used for synthesizing personalized or modified human speech.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Greg C. Burnett, John F. Holzrichter, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Publication number: 20030097254
    Abstract: A system of removing excess information from a human speech signal and coding the remaining signal information, transmitting the coded signal, and reconstructing the coded signal. The system uses one or more EM wave sensors and one or more acoustic microphones to determine at least one characteristic of the human speech signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John F. Holzrichter, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Patent number: 6542857
    Abstract: A system and method for characterizing, synthesizing, and/or canceling out acoustic signals from inanimate sound sources is disclosed. Propagating wave electromagnetic sensors monitor excitation sources in sound producing systems, such as machines, musical instruments, and various other structures. Acoustical output from these sound producing systems is also monitored. From such information, a transfer function characterizing the sound producing system is generated. From the transfer function, acoustical output from the sound producing system may be synthesized or canceled. The methods disclosed enable accurate calculation of matched transfer functions relating specific excitations to specific acoustical outputs. Knowledge of such signals and functions can be used to effect various sound replication, sound source identification, and sound cancellation applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John F. Holzrichter, Greg C. Burnett, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Publication number: 20020198690
    Abstract: A system and method for characterizing, synthesizing, and/or canceling out acoustic signals from inanimate sound sources is disclosed. Propagating wave electromagnetic sensors monitor excitation sources in sound producing systems, such as machines, musical instruments, and various other structures. Acoustical output from these sound producing systems is also monitored. From such information, a transfer function characterizing the sound producing system is generated. From the transfer function, acoustical output from the sound producing system may be synthesized or canceled. The methods disclosed enable accurate calculation of matched transfer functions relating specific excitations to specific acoustical outputs. Knowledge of such signals and functions can be used to effect various sound replication, sound source identification, and sound cancellation applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2002
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John F. Holzrichter, Greg C. Burnett, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Publication number: 20020184012
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for characterizing human (or animate) speech voiced excitation functions and acoustic signals, for removing unwanted acoustic noise which often occurs when a speaker uses a microphone in common environments, and for synthesizing personalized or modified human (or other animate) speech upon command from a controller. A low power EM sensor is used to detect the motions of windpipe tissues in the glottal region of the human speech system before, during, and after voiced speech is produced by a user. From these tissue motion measurements, a voiced excitation function can be derived. Further, the excitation function provides speech production information to enhance noise removal from human speech and it enables accurate transfer functions of speech to be obtained. Previously stored excitation and transfer functions can be used for synthesizing personalized or modified human speech.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Greg C. Burnett, John F. Holzrichter, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Patent number: 6377919
    Abstract: Low power EM waves are used to detect motions of vocal tract tissues of the human speech system before, during, and after voiced speech. A voiced excitation function is derived. The excitation function provides speech production information to enhance speech characterization and to enable noise removal from human speech.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Greg C. Burnett, John F. Holzrichter, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Publication number: 20010021905
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for characterizing human (or animate) speech voiced excitation functions and acoustic signals, for removing unwanted acoustic noise which often occurs when a speaker uses a microphone in common environments, and for synthesizing personalized or modified human (or other animate) speech upon command from a controller. A low power EM sensor is used to detect the motions of windpipe tissues in the glottal region of the human speech system before, during, and after voiced speech is produced by a user. From these tissue motion measurements, a voiced excitation function can be derived. Further, the excitation function provides speech production information to enhance noise removal from human speech and it enables accurate transfer functions of speech to be obtained. Previously stored excitation and transfer functions can be used for synthesizing personalized or modified human speech.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Publication date: September 13, 2001
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Greg C. Burnett, John F. Holzrichter, Lawrence C. Ng
  • Patent number: 5729694
    Abstract: The use of EM radiation in conjunction with simultaneously recorded acoustic speech information enables a complete mathematical coding of acoustic speech. The methods include the forming of a feature vector for each pitch period of voiced speech and the forming of feature vectors for each time frame of unvoiced, as well as for combined voiced and unvoiced speech. The methods include how to deconvolve the speech excitation function from the acoustic speech output to describe the transfer function each time frame. The formation of feature vectors defining all acoustic speech units over well defined time frames can be used for purposes of speech coding, speech compression, speaker identification, language-of-speech identification, speech recognition, speech synthesis, speech translation, speech telephony, and speech teaching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John F. Holzrichter, Lawrence C. Ng