Patents by Inventor Stephen E. Pinto
Stephen E. Pinto 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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Patent number: 11924317Abstract: A method performed by a first electronic device. The method generates, at the first electronic device that is sharing a global clock with a second electronic device, a first timebase information that includes a first timebase that defines a relationship between the shared clock and an internal clock of the first electronic device, the first timebase information for synchronizing playback of a first piece of media content associated with a first application between the first and second electronic devices. The method receives, from a second application, a second timebase information that includes a second timebase that defines a relationship between the first timebase and a second piece of media content, generates a third timebase information that includes the first timebase and the second timebase, and transmits the third timebase information to the second electronic device.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2021Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Stephen E. Pinto, Yasser Rihan
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Patent number: 11832086Abstract: Channels of audio data in a spatial audio object are associated with any one or more of a direction and a location of one or more recorded sounds, which channels are to be reproduced as spatial sound. A visualized spatial sound object represents a snapshot/thumbnail of the spatial sound. To preview the spatial sound (by experiencing its snapshot or thumbnail), a user manipulates the orientation of the visualized spatial sound object, and a weighted downmix of the channels is rendered for output as a spatial preview sound, e.g., a single output audio signal is provided to a spatial audio renderer; one or more of the channels that are oriented toward the user are emphasized in the preview sound, more than channels that are oriented away from the user. Other aspects are also described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2022Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Christopher T. Eubank, Matthew S. Connolly, Stephen E. Pinto
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Patent number: 11805381Abstract: A device can receive an audio signal and determine a measure of correlation between the audio signal and a microphone signal. The audio signal can be attenuated based on the measure of correlation. The audio signal can be used to drive one or more speakers of the device. Other aspects are described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2021Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Stephen E. Pinto, Chad Himeda
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Publication number: 20230332914Abstract: Methods and apparatus for spatial audio navigation that may, for example, be implemented by mobile multipurpose devices. A spatial audio navigation system provides navigational information in audio form to direct users to target locations. The system uses directionality of audio played through a binaural audio device to provide navigational cues to the user. A current location, target location, and map information may be input to pathfinding algorithms to determine a real world path between the user’s current location and the target location. The system may then use directional audio played through a headset to guide the user on the path from the current location to the target location. The system may implement one or more of several different spatial audio navigation methods to direct a user when following a path using spatial audio-based cues.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2023Publication date: October 19, 2023Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Bruno M. Sommer, Avi Bar-Zeev, Frank Angermann, Stephen E. Pinto, Lilli Ing-Marie Jonsson, Rahul Nair
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Publication number: 20230274756Abstract: An object can represent computer applications that play audio. Audio parameters associated with the audio can be determined based on size of the object so that when the object is large, the audio sounds like it originates from a large sound source or sources. When the object is small, the audio parameters are determined so that the audio sounds like it originates from a small sound source. Other aspects are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2023Publication date: August 31, 2023Inventors: Shai MESSINGHER LANG, Christopher T. EUBANK, Stephen E. PINTO, Kacper KOSIKOWSKI, James BEAN, Matthew S. CONNOLLY, David E. ROMBLOM
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Patent number: 11709068Abstract: Methods and apparatus for spatial audio navigation that may, for example, be implemented by mobile multipurpose devices. A spatial audio navigation system provides navigational information in audio form to direct users to target locations. The system uses directionality of audio played through a binaural audio device to provide navigational cues to the user. A current location, target location, and map information may be input to pathfinding algorithms to determine a real world path between the user's current location and the target location. The system may then use directional audio played through a headset to guide the user on the path from the current location to the target location. The system may implement one or more of several different spatial audio navigation methods to direct a user when following a path using spatial audio-based cues.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2018Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Bruno M. Sommer, Avi Bar-Zeev, Frank Angermann, Stephen E. Pinto, Lilli Ing-Marie Jonsson, Rahul Nair
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Publication number: 20230144903Abstract: Channels of audio data in a spatial audio object are associated with any one or more of a direction and a location of one or more recorded sounds, which channels are to be reproduced as spatial sound. A visualized spatial sound object represents a snapshot/thumbnail of the spatial sound. To preview the spatial sound (by experiencing its snapshot or thumbnail), a user manipulates the orientation of the visualized spatial sound object, and a weighted downmix of the channels is rendered for output as a spatial preview sound, e.g., a single output audio signal is provided to a spatial audio renderer; one or more of the channels that are oriented toward the user are emphasized in the preview sound, more than channels that are oriented away from the user. Other aspects are also described and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2022Publication date: May 11, 2023Inventors: Christopher T. Eubank, Matthew S. Connolly, Stephen E. Pinto
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Patent number: 11540081Abstract: Channels of audio data in a spatial audio object are associated with any one or more of a direction and a location of one or more recorded sounds, which channels are to be reproduced as spatial sound. A visualized spatial sound object represents a snapshot/thumbnail of the spatial sound. To preview the spatial sound (by experiencing its snapshot or thumbnail), a user manipulates the orientation of the visualized spatial sound object, and a weighted downmix of the channels is rendered for output as a spatial preview sound, e.g., a single output audio signal is provided to a spatial audio renderer; one or more of the channels that are oriented toward the user are emphasized in the preview sound, more than channels that are oriented away from the user. Other aspects are also described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2021Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Christopher T. Eubank, Matthew S. Connolly, Stephen E. Pinto
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Publication number: 20220167107Abstract: An audio asset library containing audio assets formatted in accordance with a file format for spatial audio includes asset metadata that enables simulated reality (SR) application developers to compose sounds for use in SR applications. The audio assets are formatted to include audio data encoding a sound capable of being composed into a SR application along with asset metadata describing not only how the sound was encoded, but also how a listener in SR environment experiences the sound. A SR developer platform is configured so that developers can compose sound for SR objects using audio assets stored in the audio library, including editing the asset metadata to include transformation parameters that support dynamic transformation of the asset metadata in the SR environment to alter how the SR listener experiences the composed sound. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2022Publication date: May 26, 2022Inventors: Matthew S. Connolly, Christopher T. Eubank, Stephen E. Pinto, Tomlinson Holman
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Patent number: 11272308Abstract: An audio asset library containing audio assets formatted in accordance with a file format for spatial audio includes asset metadata that enables simulated reality (SR) application developers to compose sounds for use in SR applications. The audio assets are formatted to include audio data encoding a sound capable of being composed into a SR application along with asset metadata describing not only how the sound was encoded, but also how a listener in SR environment experiences the sound. A SR developer platform is configured so that developers can compose sound for SR objects using audio assets stored in the audio library, including editing the asset metadata to include transformation parameters that support dynamic transformation of the asset metadata in the SR environment to alter how the SR listener experiences the composed sound. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2018Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Matthew S. Connolly, Christopher T. Eubank, Stephen E. Pinto, Tomlinson Holman
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Publication number: 20220038841Abstract: Channels of audio data in a spatial audio object are associated with any one or more of a direction and a location of one or more recorded sounds, which channels are to be reproduced as spatial sound. A visualized spatial sound object represents a snapshot/thumbnail of the spatial sound. To preview the spatial sound (by experiencing its snapshot or thumbnail), a user manipulates the orientation of the visualized spatial sound object, and a weighted downmix of the channels is rendered for output as a spatial preview sound, e.g., a single output audio signal is provided to a spatial audio renderer; one or more of the channels that are oriented toward the user are emphasized in the preview sound, more than channels that are oriented away from the user. Other aspects are also described and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2021Publication date: February 3, 2022Inventors: Christopher T. Eubank, Matthew S. Connolly, Stephen E. Pinto
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Publication number: 20220022001Abstract: A device can receive an audio signal and determine a measure of correlation between the audio signal and a microphone signal. The audio signal can be attenuated based on the measure of correlation. The audio signal can be used to drive one or more speakers of the device. Other aspects are described and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2021Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Stephen E. Pinto, Chad Himeda
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Patent number: 11157739Abstract: The present disclosure relates to providing a multi-user computer generated reality (“CGR”) session. In some embodiments, a first electronic device displays a CGR environment, wherein the CGR environment is responsive to input from the first electronic device and a second electronic device, wherein the second device is external to the first device. While displaying the CGR environment, the device obtains a first scene graph from a process executing on the first device, wherein the first scene graph includes information for rendering a first entity, and obtains a second scene graph from a process executing on the second device, wherein the second scene graph includes information for rendering a second entity. The first electronic device updates the displayed CGR environment based on the first scene graph and the second scene graph, wherein the displayed CGR environment includes a visual representation of the first and a visual representation of the second entity.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2019Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Edwin Iskandar, Igor L. Gorelik, Charles Magahern, Stephen E. Pinto
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Patent number: 11146909Abstract: A device can receive an audio signal and determine a measure of correlation between the audio signal and a microphone signal. The audio signal can be attenuated based on the measure of correlation. The audio signal can be used to drive one or more speakers of the device. Other aspects are described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2020Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Stephen E. Pinto, Chad Himeda
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Patent number: 11128977Abstract: Channels of audio data in a spatial audio object are associated with any one or more of a direction and a location of one or more recorded sounds, which channels are to be reproduced as spatial sound. A visualized spatial sound object represents a snapshot/thumbnail of the spatial sound. To preview the spatial sound (by experiencing its snapshot or thumbnail), a user manipulates the orientation of the visualized spatial sound object, and a weighted downmix of the channels is rendered for output as a spatial preview sound, e.g., a single output audio signal is provided to a spatial audio renderer; one or more of the channels that are oriented toward the user are emphasized in the preview sound, more than channels that are oriented away from the user. Other aspects are also described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2018Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Christopher T. Eubank, Matthew S. Connolly, Stephen E. Pinto
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Patent number: 11102601Abstract: Spatial audio upmixing enables mixing spatial sound on a more granular per-channel level than is possible using conventional upmixing. A spatial bed is a multi-channel audio content that represents a complete sound field description, e.g., a virtual sphere of sound, for example surrounding a simulated reality listener in a simulated reality environment. A new spatial bed is generated by combining sections of at least two of such spatial beds. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2018Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Stephen E. Pinto, Christopher T. Eubank, Matthew S. Connolly
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Publication number: 20200288258Abstract: An audio asset library containing audio assets formatted in accordance with a file format for spatial audio includes asset metadata that enables simulated reality (SR) application developers to compose sounds for use in SR applications. The audio assets are formatted to include audio data encoding a sound capable of being composed into a SR application along with asset metadata describing not only how the sound was encoded, but also how a listener in SR environment experiences the sound. A SR developer platform is configured so that developers can compose sound for SR objects using audio assets stored in the audio library, including editing the asset metadata to include transformation parameters that support dynamic transformation of the asset metadata in the SR environment to alter how the SR listener experiences the composed sound. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2018Publication date: September 10, 2020Inventors: Matthew S. Connolly, Christopher T. Eubank, Stephen E. Pinto, Tomlinson Holman
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Publication number: 20200288259Abstract: Spatial audio upmixing enables mixing spatial sound on a more granular per-channel level than is possible using conventional upmixing. A spatial bed is a multi-channel audio content that represents a complete sound field description, e.g., a virtual sphere of sound, for example surrounding a simulated reality listener in a simulated reality environment. A new spatial bed is generated by combining sections of at least two of such spatial beds. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2018Publication date: September 10, 2020Inventors: Stephen E. Pinto, Christopher T. Eubank, Matthew S. Connolly
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Publication number: 20200264006Abstract: Methods and apparatus for spatial audio navigation that may, for example, be implemented by mobile multipurpose devices. A spatial audio navigation system provides navigational information in audio form to direct users to target locations. The system uses directionality of audio played through a binaural audio device to provide navigational cues to the user. A current location, target location, and map information may be input to pathfinding algorithms to determine a real world path between the user's current location and the target location. The system may then use directional audio played through a headset to guide the user on the path from the current location to the target location. The system may implement one or more of several different spatial audio navigation methods to direct a user when following a path using spatial audio-based cues.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2018Publication date: August 20, 2020Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Bruno M. Sommer, Avi Bar-Zeev, Frank Angermann, Stephen E. Pinto, Lilli Ing-Marie Jonsson, Rahul Nair
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Publication number: 20200221248Abstract: Channels of audio data in a spatial audio object are associated with any one or more of a direction and a location of one or more recorded sounds, which channels are to be reproduced as spatial sound. A visualized spatial sound object represents a snapshot/thumbnail of the spatial sound. To preview the spatial sound (by experiencing its snapshot or thumbnail), a user manipulates the orientation of the visualized spatial sound object, and a weighted downmix of the channels is rendered for output as a spatial preview sound, e.g., a single output audio signal is provided to a spatial audio renderer; one or more of the channels that are oriented toward the user are emphasized in the preview sound, more than channels that are oriented away from the user. Other aspects are also described and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2018Publication date: July 9, 2020Inventors: Christopher T. Eubank, Matthew S. Connolly, Stephen E. Pinto