With Beam Steering, Scanning, Or Focussing Patents (Class 367/119)
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Patent number: 11624800Abstract: The systems, devices, and processes described herein may identify a beam of a voice-controlled device that is directed toward a reflective surface, such as a wall. The beams may be created by a beamformer. An acoustic echo canceller (AEC) may create filter coefficients for a reference sound. The filter coefficients may be analyzed to identify beams that include multiple peaks. The multiple peaks may indicate presence of one or more reflective surfaces. Using the amplitude and the time delay between the peaks, the device may determine that it is close to a reflective surface in a direction of the beam.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2021Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: William Folwell Barton, Kenneth Edgar Hild, II, Ramya Gopalan, Kavitha Velusamy, Amit Singh Chhetri
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Patent number: 11316501Abstract: A resampling method based on window function for flexible sampling rate conversion in broadband frequency measurement devices is described. The resampling algorithm can satisfy the requirements of different sampling rates. The frequency responses of the filter in the resampling model based on the Farrow structure are analyzed, and the design criterion of the filter in resampling model is considered. A fractional delay filter design model based on window function method is described. A fractional delay filter matrix, which is expressed by polynomial form, is constructed. Then the expression related to subfilter coefficients is obtained and subfilter coefficients are solved for by the least square method.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2021Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: North China Electric Power UniversityInventors: Hao Liu, Tianshu Bi, Jie Lin, Sudi Xu, Yongzhao Lao
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Patent number: 11262234Abstract: A directional acoustic sensor may include a plurality of resonators arranged in different directions; and a processor configured to calculate a time difference between a first signal that is received by the plurality of resonators directly from a sound source (e.g., a speaker) and a second signal that is received by the plurality of resonators from the sound source after being reflected on a wall surface around the sound source, and determine a distance between the sound source and the directional acoustic sensor based on the time difference.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2019Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Sungchan Kang, Hyunwook Kang, Yongseop Yoon, Jaehyung Jang
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Patent number: 11209322Abstract: An integrated temperature sensor comprises a chip package enclosing an integrated circuit and an ultrasonic transceiver which is integrated on top of the integrated circuit. The ultrasonic transceiver comprises a transmitting element which is arranged for emitting ultrasound waves, and a receiving element which is arranged for receiving ultrasound waves. The chip package comprises at least one barrier arranged at a defined position in the chip package. The barrier is designed to at least partly reflect ultrasound waves emitted by the transmitting element towards the receiving element. The integrated circuit comprises an actuator element to actuate the transmitting element to emit ultrasound waves according to a first signal s(t), and a converter element to convert an ultrasound wave, received by the receiving element, into a second signal y(t).Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2017Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AGInventors: Zoran Zivkovic, Casper Van Der Avoort, Willem Frederik Adrianus Besling
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Patent number: 11204977Abstract: Described herein is an accelerator device including a host interface, a fabric interconnect coupled with the host interface, and one or more hardware tiles coupled with the fabric interconnect, the one or more hardware tiles including sparse matrix multiply acceleration hardware including a systolic array with feedback inputs.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2020Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Subramaniam Maiyuran, Jorge Parra, Supratim Pal, Ashutosh Garg, Shubra Marwaha, Chandra Gurram, Darin Starkey, Durgesh Borkar, Varghese George
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Patent number: 11076242Abstract: Ultrasonic transducers that are capable of generating increased levels of ultrasound, as well as receiving ultrasonic waves with increased sensitivity. The ultrasonic transducers include a back cover, a protective front cover, a backplate, and a vibrator film layer disposed between the backplate and the protective front cover. The backplate includes a plurality of grooves formed on a surface thereof facing the vibrator film layer. Each groove includes upper edges having cross-sectional contours that gradually tend toward the deepest part of the groove to allow a larger area of the backplate to be closer to the vibrator film layer, thereby increasing the resulting electric field, and, consequently, increasing the output power and sensitivity of the ultrasonic transducer.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2020Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Inventor: Frank Joseph Pompei
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Patent number: 11018720Abstract: A sensor in a building HVAC system includes a transducer configured to measure a variable in the building HVAC system and to generate a sensor reading indicating a value of the measured variable. The sensor includes a communications interface configured to provide the sensor reading to a control device in the building HVAC system and a near field communication (NFC) circuit separate from the communications interface. The NFC circuit is configured to facilitate bidirectional NFC data communications between the sensor and a mobile device. The sensor includes a processing circuit having a processor and memory. The processing circuit is configured to wirelessly transmit data stored in the memory of the sensor to the mobile device via the NFC circuit, wirelessly receive data from the mobile device via the NFC circuit, and store the data received from the mobile device in the memory of the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2019Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Daniel R. Rumler, Steven L. Whitsitt, Robert K. Alexander, Christopher Merkl, Gary A. Romanowich, Bernard Clement, Kevin A. Weiss
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Patent number: 10656317Abstract: A laminated printed circuit board with over-molded light guide includes a printed circuit board having electronic components mounted on a first face of the printed circuit board, and a bore extending through the printed circuit board. A light emitting diode is mounted on the first face proximate to the bore. An opaque film is fixed onto a second face of the printed circuit board, the opaque film creating an end wall of the bore. A light transmissive polymeric material is applied over each of the electronic components, the light emitting diode and a portion of the first face of the printed circuit board. A portion of the polymeric material extends into the bore and contacts the opaque film defining the end wall of the bore to create a light guide for transmitting light from the light emitting diode through the bore.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2017Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: DURA OPERATING, LLCInventors: Ron G. Gipson, Bhanumurthy Veeragandham
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Patent number: 10605907Abstract: In a general aspect, motion is detected using wireless signals. In one example, a wireless signal transmitted through a space from a first wireless communication device is received at a second wireless communication device. Dynamic beamforming information is based on the wireless signal. The second wireless communication device uses the dynamic beamforming information to detect motion in the space, or transmits the dynamic beamforming information to the first wireless communication device for use in detecting motion in the space.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2018Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: Cognitive Systems Corp.Inventors: Oleksiy Kravets, Mohammad Omer, Stanley Ituah, Karanvir Chattha, Tajinder Manku
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Patent number: 10567874Abstract: A signal processing device includes an acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) circuit, a blocking matrix circuit, a controller, a subtractor, and a filter. The AEC circuit performs an AEC operation based on a far-end signal and a first input signal to generate a processed signal. The blocking matrix circuit suppresses a target signal component of the first input signal and a second input signal, to generate a reference signal. The controller generates a control coefficient based on the processed signal and the second input signal. The subtractor generates an output signal based on the filtered signal and the processed signal. The filter generates the filtered signal in response to the control coefficient, the reference signal, and the output signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2017Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Chieh-Min Tsai
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Patent number: 10402984Abstract: A method comprising: processing received image data and/or received depth data to track an object moving in a monitored scene space; determining a bearing of the tracked moving object in the monitored scene space; and adaptively filtering outputs from a plurality of spatially diverse microphones in dependence upon the bearing of the tracked moving object in the monitored scene space to produce a combined audio signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2016Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: Nokia Technologies OyInventors: Arto Lehtiniemi, Jussi Leppänen, Antti Eronen
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Patent number: 10306389Abstract: Systems and methods are described to extract desired audio from an apparatus that is worn on a user's head. The apparatus includes a head wearable device. A first microphone is positioned on the head wearable device to receive a voice signal from the user A first signal from the first microphone is input as a main channel to a noise cancellation unit. A second microphone is coupled to the head wearable device. A first acoustic distance between the first microphone and the user's mouth is less than a second acoustic distance between the second microphone and the user's mouth when the head wearable device is on the user's head. A second signal from the second microphone is input as a reference channel to the noise cancellation unit. A first signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal is larger than a second signal-to-noise ratio of the second signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2015Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: KOPIN CORPORATIONInventors: Dashen Fan, Xi Chen, Hua Bao, Eric Frederic Davis
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Patent number: 10295509Abstract: An ultrasonic apparatus is provided with an adaptive signal processing block (007) and a fixed signal processing block (006). The adaptive signal processing block generates a first intermediate signal by calculating a correlation matrix of a plurality of received electrical signals, extracting a plurality of sub-matrices from the correlation matrix, calculating a sub-correlation matrix by averaging the plurality of sub-matrices, determining a weighting coefficient from the sub-correlation matrix, and synthesizing the plurality of received electrical signals by using the weighting coefficient. The fixed signal processing block generates a second intermediate signal by synthesizing the plurality of received electrical signals with the use of a predetermined weighting coefficient. Then, a comparison and synthesis processing block (008) generate an output signal by comparing and synthesizing the first and second intermediate signals with each other.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2015Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kenichi Nagae
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Patent number: 10262396Abstract: An apparatus for generating precision maps of an area is disclosed. The apparatus receives sensor data, where the sensor data includes sensor readings each indicating a level of a parameter in one of a plurality of first portions of an area, and video data representing an aerial view of the area. The sensor data may be received from sensors that are each deployed in one of the first portions of the area. The video data may be received from an aerial vehicle. An orthomosaic may be generated from the video data, and the orthomosaic and the sensor data used to generate a predication model. The prediction model may then be used to extrapolate the sensor data to determine a level of the parameter in each of a plurality of second portions of the area. A precision map of the area may be generated using the extrapolated sensor readings.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2018Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Ranveer Chandra, Ashish Kapoor, Sudipta Sinha, Deepak Vasisht
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Patent number: 10229667Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure generally include a method and apparatus for receiving and separating unwanted external noise from an audible input received from an audible source using an audible signal processing system that contains a plurality of audible signal sensing devices that are arranged and configured to detect an audible signal that is received from any position or angle within three dimensional space. The audible signal processing system is configured to analyze the received audible signals using a first signal processing technique that is able to separate unwanted low frequency range noise from the received audible signal and a second signal processing technique that is able to separate unwanted higher frequency range noise from the received audible signal. The audible signal processing system can then combine the signals processed by the first and second signal processing techniques to form a desired audible signal that has a high signal-to-noise ratio throughout the full speech range.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2017Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: LOGITECH EUROPE S.A.Inventors: Daniel Ryan Marquez, Douglas George Morton, Matthew James Green
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Patent number: 10148131Abstract: A signal generator generates an electrical signal that is sent to an amplifier, which increases the power of the signal using power from a power source. The amplified signal is fed to a sender transducer to generate ultrasonic waves that can be focused and sent to a receiver. The receiver transducer converts the ultrasonic waves back into electrical energy and stores it in an energy storage device, such as a battery, or uses the electrical energy to power a device. In this way, a device can be remotely charged or powered without having to be tethered to an electrical outlet.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2015Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: uBeam Inc.Inventors: Meredith Perry, Paul Reynolds, Sean Taffler, Andrew Joyce
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Patent number: 10042038Abstract: Acoustic vector data is sensed via acoustic vector sensor configurations in mobile devices and used to generate sound fields. From these sound fields, positioning and orientation of the mobile device is derived. The sound fields and features derived from them are classified to provide mobile device position and other information about the environment from which the sound fields are captured. Additionally, sound fields are analyzed to detect gestural input and trigger associated programmatic actions.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2016Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Digimarc CorporationInventor: John D. Lord
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Patent number: 10034098Abstract: A MEMS speaker that includes a control unit and multiple MEMS elements that include a membrane positioned in a first plane, a blind that is positioned in a second plane and a shutter that is positioned in a third plane. The control unit is configured to control the multiple MEMS elements to operate in an audio output mode or an ultrasonic output mode. The MEMS speaker is configured, when operating in the ultrasonic output mode, to oscillate at least one of the membrane, blind and shutter thereby generating an ultrasonic signal without audio-modulating the ultrasonic signal. The MEMS speaker is configured, when operating in the audio output mode, to oscillate the membrane thereby generating the ultrasonic signal and oscillate at least one of the shutter and the blind thereby modulating the ultrasonic acoustic signal to generate an audio signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: DSP GROUP LTD.Inventors: Haim Kupershmidt, Lior Blanka
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Patent number: 10020690Abstract: The invention consists of a system allowing remote wireless transfer of energy from a base station to a moving object, in particular a drone, moving in a given zone around the base station. The system includes means for tracking the moving object so as to determine the position of the moving object relative to the base station at any time, means for transmitting a synthetic acoustic wave focused in the direction of the moving object, these two means being located at the base station and powered by the base station, and acoustic reception means, located on the moving object, for receiving the acoustic wave transmitted by the base station and converting the received acoustic wave into an electrical signal and then into a power supply voltage for a battery.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2014Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: AIRBUS SASInventors: Nicolas Colin, Didier Simonet
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Patent number: 10013998Abstract: A device and a method for determining a speech segment with a high degree of accuracy from a sound signal in which different sounds coexist are provided. Directional points indicating the direction of arrival of the sound signal are connected in the temporal direction, and a speech segment is detected. In this configuration, pattern classification is performed in accordance with directional characteristics with respect to the direction of arrival, and a directionality pattern and a null beam pattern are generated from the classification results. Also, an average null beam pattern is also generated by calculating the average of the null beam patterns at a time when a non-speech-like signal is input.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2015Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventor: Atsuo Hiroe
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Patent number: 9983616Abstract: An array of ultrasonic transducers can be controlled to produce a steerable beam. Beam steering can be skewed by buffer delays in the distribution of a clock signal. The skew can be at least approximately linearized by distributing the clock signal in a diagonal fashion across an array of buffers corresponding to ultrasonic transducer controllers. Potential error in beam steering that can arise from clock skew can be corrected based on the linear tilt.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: uBeam Inc.Inventors: Matthew Angle, Marc Berte
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Patent number: 9939889Abstract: The present application provides an interaction method and system, and relates to the field of information interaction. The method comprises: sending a first wave signal; receiving a second wave signal that corresponds to the first wave signal after the first wave signal is transmitted by using a medium comprising at least a part of a user body; and judging whether the user body contacts an object according to a signal characteristic of the received second wave signal. The interaction method and system can help a user to naturally and efficiently complete an information interaction process, simplify an interaction process, and improve the interaction efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: BEIJING ZHIGU RUI TUO TECH CO., LTDInventors: Lin Du, Lei Pan
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Patent number: 9929603Abstract: A signal generator generates an electrical signal that is sent to an amplifier, which increases the power of the signal using power from a power source. The amplified signal is fed to a sender transducer to generate ultrasonic waves that can be focused and sent to a receiver. The receiver transducer converts the ultrasonic waves back into electrical energy and stores it in an energy storage device, such as a battery, or uses the electrical energy to power a device. In this way, a device can be remotely charged or powered without having to be tethered to an electrical outlet.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2015Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: uBeam Inc.Inventor: Meredith Perry
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Patent number: 9866952Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a conferencing apparatus for a conference between a local end and a far end that combines a beamforming microphone array with an acoustic echo canceller. The apparatus includes a beamforming microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones wherein each microphone is configured to sense acoustic waves and the plurality of microphones are oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals. The apparatus further includes a processor, memory, and storage where the processor is configured to execute program instructions. The processor performs a beamforming operation to create a plurality of combined signals. In addition, the processor performs an acoustic echo cancellation operation to generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2016Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.Inventors: Ashutosh Pandey, Darrin T. Thurston, David K. Lambert, Tracy A. Bathurst
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Patent number: 9854101Abstract: This disclosure describes a method to manufacture a conferencing apparatus for echo cancelation with beamforming microphone arrays. This method provides a beamforming microphone array for developing a plurality of microphone signals, where each microphone of the beamforming microphone array is configured to sense acoustic waves from a direction vector substantially different from other microphones in the beamforming microphone array. Additionally provided is a memory configured for storing computing instructions.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2016Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: ClearOne Inc.Inventors: Ashutosh Pandey, Darrin T. Thurston, David K. Lambert, Tracy A. Bathurst
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Patent number: 9812905Abstract: An ultrasound power transmitter comprising a transmit ultrasonic transducer array has a plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasound power transmitter activates a set of transmit ultrasonic transducers in close proximity of an electronic device to be arranged to beam ultrasound energy to the electronic device. Alignment magnets of the ultrasound power transmitter are aligned with corresponding alignment magnets of the electronic device to manage the ultrasound beaming. The ultrasound energy may be converted into electric power to charge the battery of the electronic device. Feedbacks may be provided by the electronic device to the ultrasound power transmitter to increase power transmission efficiency. The ultrasound power transmitter may pair the electronic device with other different electronic devices utilizing ultrasonic signals.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2016Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: GOLBA LLCInventor: Mehran Moshfeghi
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Patent number: 9742502Abstract: The present application provides an interaction method and system, and relates to the field of information interaction. The method comprises: in response to contact between a user body and an object, receiving a wave signal that is sent by the object and is transmitted by using a medium comprising at least a part of the user body. The system comprises: a receiving apparatus, configured to: in response to contact between a user body and an object, receive a wave signal that is sent by the object and is transmitted by using a medium comprising at least a part of the user body. The interaction method and system can help a user to naturally and efficiently complete an information interaction process, simplify an interaction process, and improve the interaction efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2015Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: BEIJING ZHIGU RUI TUO TECH CO., LTDInventors: Lin Du, Lei Pan
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Patent number: 9729014Abstract: A signal generator generates an electrical signal that is sent to an amplifier, which increases the power of the signal using power from a power source. The amplified signal is fed to a sender transducer to generate ultrasonic waves that can be focused and sent to a receiver. The receiver transducer converts the ultrasonic waves back into electrical energy and stores it in an energy storage device, such as a battery, or uses the electrical energy to power a device. In this way, a device can be remotely charged or powered without having to be tethered to an electrical outlet.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2015Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: uBeam Inc.Inventor: Meredith Perry
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Patent number: 9688371Abstract: A neutrally buoyant underwater vehicle is provided in which a length of the vehicle is up to one tenth the length of a predetermined acoustic wavelength. The vehicle includes an inertial navigation system with an accelerometer capable of measuring velocity in a multi-axis direction. The navigation system is operationally connected to a hydrophone which measures acoustic energy of the wavelength arriving at the underwater vehicle. A processor gathers the data from the accelerometer and the hydrophone to convert the data into usable units. The operation of the vehicle-based components is similar to a vector sensor for frequencies of 250 Hz or lower.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2015Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventor: Anthony A Ruffa
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Patent number: 9635186Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a conferencing apparatus that combines a beamforming microphone array (BMA) with an acoustic echo canceller where the BMA further comprises a plurality of microphones that are oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals. The apparatus further includes a processor, memory, and storage where the processor is configured to execute program instructions. The processor performs a beamforming operation to create a plurality of combined signals. In addition, the processor performs an acoustic echo cancellation operation to generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals. Further, the processor selects one of the combined echo cancelled signals for transmission to the far end where the signal selection module uses the far end signal as information to inhibit the signal selection module from changing the selection of the combined echo cancelled signals while only the far end signal is active.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2016Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: ClearOne Inc.Inventors: Ashutosh Pandey, Darrin T. Thurston, David K. Lambert, Tracy A. Bathurst
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Patent number: 9560441Abstract: A system that detects audio including speech using a spherical sensor array estimates a direction of arrival of the speech using a Kalman filter. To improve the estimates of the Kalman filter, the system estimates a noise covariance matrix, representing noise detected by the array. The structure of the noise covariance matrix is determined, using an assumption of spherically isotropic diffuse noise. The intensity of the noise covariance matrix is estimated based on the intensity of audio detected by the array.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2014Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: John Walter McDonough, Jr., Volker Sebastian Leutnant, Sri Venkata Surya Siva Rama Krishna Garimell, Spyridon Matsoukas
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Patent number: 9507907Abstract: Disclosed herein is a computer-implemented defect prediction method for a device manufacturing process involving processing a portion of a design layout onto a substrate, the method comprising: identifying a hot spot from the portion of the design layout; determining a range of values of a processing parameter of the device manufacturing process for the hot spot, wherein when the processing parameter has a value outside the range, a defect is produced from the hot spot with the device manufacturing process; determining an actual value of the processing parameter; and determining or predicting, using the actual value, an existence, a probability of existence, a characteristic, or a combination selected therefrom, of a defect produced from the hot spot with the device manufacturing process.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2015Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Christophe David Fouquet, Bernardo Kastrup, Arie Jeffrey Den Boef, Johannes Catharinus Hubertus Mulkens, James Benedict Kavanagh, James Patrick Koonmen, Neal Patrick Callan
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Patent number: 9510118Abstract: Environmental sound is captured and mapped. Application of a large number of mobile communication terminals embodied as a data supplier leads to extensive, automatic and continual mapping of environmental sound. For sites that are visited relatively frequently and by a plurality of subscribers, a relatively large quantity of remotely transmitted data records for the environmental sound is obtained informally, which permits a more precise depiction of the environmental noise. Commercially available mobile communication terminals may be augmented using simple measures in order to communicate with a central or local mapping system or mapping service directly or indirectly.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2015Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Roland Eckl
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Patent number: 9337011Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for reducing noise generated by an electrical component, the device including a stiffening component secured to an electrical component, wherein the stiffening component provides rigidity to the electrical component, thereby reducing the mechanical resonance of the electrical component during operation. The electrical component has at least one end face and a flange portion that includes a flange face that extends about a perimeter of the end face. The flange face is substantially parallel to the end face, wherein the stiffening component is secured to the flange face of the electrical component such that it does not extend into a plane of the end face. Further, the stiffening component can include a stiffening portion and a securing portion, wherein the stiffening portion is secured to the flange face of the electrical component by the securing portion. Further, the electrical component can be a power semiconductor device.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2012Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Peter Janes, Riazuddin R. Shaikh
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Patent number: 9264553Abstract: Embodiments include methods and apparatuses for sensing acoustic waves for a conferencing application. A conferencing apparatus includes a plurality of microphones oriented to cover a corresponding plurality of direction vectors and to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals. A processor is operably coupled to the plurality of microphones. The processor is configured to perform a beamforming operation to combine the plurality of microphone signals to a plurality of combined signals that is greater in number than one and less in number than the plurality of microphone signals. The processor is also configured perform an acoustic echo cancelation operation on the plurality of combined signals to generate a plurality of combined echo-canceled signals and select one of the plurality of combined echo-canceled signals for transmission.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2012Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: ClearOne Communications, Inc.Inventors: Ashutosh Pandey, Darrin T. Thurston, David K. Lambert, Tracy A. Bathurst
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Patent number: 9246349Abstract: An ultrasound power transmitter comprising a transmit ultrasonic transducer array has a plurality of transmit ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasound power transmitter activates a set of transmit ultrasonic transducers in close proximity of an electronic device to be arranged to beam ultrasound energy to the electronic device. Alignment magnets of the ultrasound power transmitter are aligned with corresponding alignment magnets of the electronic device to manage the ultrasound beaming. The ultrasound energy may be converted into electric power to charge the battery of the electronic device. Feedbacks may be provided by the electronic device to the ultrasound power transmitter to increase power transmission efficiency. The ultrasound power transmitter may pair the electronic device with other different electronic devices utilizing ultrasonic signals.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2012Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: GOLBA LLCInventor: Mehran Moshfeghi
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Patent number: 9241275Abstract: Techniques are presented for distributed processing Distributed-Input Distributed-Output (DIDO) wireless communication. A plurality of base stations (e.g., APs) are provided, each configured to wirelessly serve one or more wireless devices (e.g., clients). At least first and second base stations are configured to transmit simultaneously at an agreed upon time. The first and second base stations are each configured to locally generate steering matrix information used to spatially precode their respective data transmissions in order to steer their respective data transmissions to their one or more wireless devices while nulling to the one or more client devices of the other base station. Moreover, the first and second base stations are each configured to locally generate a transmit waveform by applying the steering matrix information to their respective data transmissions.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2013Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: Cisco Technologies, Inc.Inventors: David Kloper, Brian D. Hart, Paul J. Stager, Matthew A. Silverman
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Patent number: 9213099Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting targets. A sound wave within an underwater detection region is transmitted from each of a number of sources. The sound wave transmitted by each of these sources comprises a pulse train of identical pulses. Pulses are received at a receiver within the underwater detection region. Data is generated in response to receiving the pulses. Correlation data for the pulses is generated based on the data generated by the receiver. A determination is made as to whether each of the pulses received at the receiver is received from a target located within the underwater detection region or from one of the number of sources.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2013Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventor: Richard Ove Nielsen
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Patent number: 9129587Abstract: To solve the problems with the prior art that a multi-microphone array cannot inhibit broad-band noises well and cannot be used in the increasingly widespread broad-band communication, embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, a device and a system for eliminating noises with multi-microphone array.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2012Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: GOERTEK INC.Inventors: Song Liu, Bo Li
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Patent number: 8923893Abstract: Generating a planogram of a facility in real-time, includes positioning a wireless mobile device at a plurality of geometric positions within the facility. A location of the mobile device at each position is then established using a location mechanism. Each geometric position is then associated with that location of the mobile device. The planogram is then updated with information about the geometric position. The geometric positions are associated with physical objects modeled in the planogram. Non-geometric information can also be obtained at the location of the mobile device, and this non-geometric information can be overlaid onto the planogram.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2012Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Timothy Austin, Russell Calvarese
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Publication number: 20140362253Abstract: A beamforming method and apparatus for acquiring a sound signal in an electronic device includes selecting at least one object for beamforming to acquire a sound, measuring a first distance between the at least one object selected and a sensor for distance measurement, calculating a second distance between the at least one object and a plurality of microphones based on the first distance, and determining a weight for sound beamforming using at least one of time delay and phase delay corresponding to the second distance between the object and the microphone.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2014Publication date: December 11, 2014Inventors: Soo-Hyung Kim, Hyun-Soo Kim, Sung-Hyuk Shin
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Patent number: 8894580Abstract: An inspection system includes a plurality of acoustic beamformers, where each of the plurality of acoustic beamformers including a plurality of acoustic transmitter elements. The system also includes at least one controller configured for causing each of the plurality of acoustic beamformers to generate an acoustic beam directed to a point in a volume of interest during a first time. Based on a reflected wave intensity detected at a plurality of acoustic receiver elements, an image of the volume of interest can be generated.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2013Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLCInventors: Roger Kisner, Hector J. Santos-Villalobos
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Patent number: 8872595Abstract: A binary bi-phase shift modulator having an input piezoelectric transducer and an output piezoelectric transducer connected in series between a radio frequency input and a radio frequency output. A fixed DC pole voltage having a first polarity is connected to one of the transducers. A DC switched pole voltage is connected to the other transducer which switches between the pole voltage of the first polarity and a pole voltage of the opposite polarity in accordance with a binary data signal. The polarity of the radio frequency input relative to the radio frequency output varies as a function of the polarity of the DC switched pole voltage.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2012Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Roger D. Kaul, Jeffrey S. Pulskamp, Ronald G. Polcawich, Sarah Bedair
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Patent number: 8842495Abstract: Movements of objects within a space are adaptively detected by emitting ultrasound waves into the space and detecting reflections of the ultrasound waves, determining locations of objects within the space based on the ultrasound reflections, and determining real-time movements of the objects based on, in certain embodiments, (i) amplitude differences between amplitudes of echoes in a current wave cycle and an average amplitude over a plurality of wave cycles and (ii) elapsed times of the ultrasound reflections associated with the amplitude differences.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2011Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.Inventor: Stephen Hersey
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Publication number: 20140269197Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying an unidentified sound source in a 3-dimensional sensor array calculates a position vector for each of a plurality of sensors in the array. A time Fourier transform is computed based on time samples from each of the sensors. A spatial Fourier transform is computed for the results of the time Fourier transform and in part on the position vectors calculated. All three dimensional components of the wavenumber of the received signal, kx, ky and kz are explicitly calculated to generate spatial frequency information in all three dimensions. Direction of arrival of the received sound signal is determined in all three spatial directions providing unambiguous target localization and acoustic signature characterization.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventor: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
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Patent number: 8834369Abstract: A method of ultrasound receive beamforming includes receiving a first plurality of sensing signals from target tissue, forming a first plurality of digital sensing signals, and data processing the digital sensing signals along a first plurality of data paths to form a first plurality of delayed and apodized digital sensing signals. Data path combining generates data combinations of the delayed and apodized digital sensing signals to include two or more of the delayed and apodized digital sensing signals that originate from different ones of the transducer elements. The data combinations are interpolation filtered using a plurality of interpolation filters to form a second plurality of delayed and apodized digital sensing signals, which are then summed to form an ultrasound receive beamformed signal. The interpolation filters can be interpolation filters in a single shared filter bank, with each interpolation filter providing a different fractional delay.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2009Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventor: David P Magee
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Patent number: 8811120Abstract: Frequency-steered acoustic arrays transmitting and/or receiving multiple, angularly dispersed acoustic beams are used to generate 2D and 3D images. Input pulses to the arrays are generally non-linear, frequency-modulated pulses. Frequency-steered acoustic arrays may be provided in one-dimensional linear and two dimensional planar and curvilinear configurations, may be operated as single order or multiple order arrays, may employ periodic or non-periodic transducer element spacing, and may be mechanically scanned to generate 2D and 3D volumetric data. Multiple imaging fields of view may generated in different directions by switching the polarity of phase-shifted array transducer elements. Multiple frequency-steered arrays arranged in an X-configuration provide a wide, contiguous field of view and multiple frequency steered arrays arranged in a T-configuration provide orthogonally oriented fields of view.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2004Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Teledyne Blueview, Inc.Inventors: Scott Thomas Bachelor, R. Lee Thompson, Jason Seawall
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Patent number: 8787114Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for detecting objects of interest using sounds. Sounds are monitored for using a sensor array. A number of beams are formed. Each beam in the number of beams is formed for a selected direction in which the selected direction for each beam is relative to a line of sight for the sensor array. A presence of a number of objects of interest is identified using the number of beams and the sounds detected by the sensor array.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2011Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Leonard Alan Plotke
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Patent number: 8755546Abstract: A sound processing apparatus, a sound processing method and a hearing aid efficiently emphasize the sound of an utterer regardless of the distance between microphones. The sound processing apparatus outputs a first directivity signal in which the main axis of directivity is formed in the direction of the utterer and outputs a second directivity signal in which the dead zone of directivity is formed in the direction of the utterer. The sound processing apparatus calculates the level of the first directivity signal and the level of the second directivity signal, and determines the distance to the utterer based on the level of the first directivity signal and the level of the second directivity signal. The sound processing apparatus derives a gain to be given to the first directivity signal according to the result of the determination and controls the level of the first directivity signal by using the gain.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2010Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Pansonic CorporationInventors: Yasuhiro Terada, Maki Yamada
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Patent number: 8702610Abstract: A diagnostic ultrasound image of a region of interest (ROI) of a body is formed by transmitting into the ROI at least a first and a second ultrasound pulse, in which the second pulse is phase-shifted relative to the first pulse by an amount other than 0 or 180 degrees. Discretized receive signals from the pulses are interleaved to form a resultant operating signal that is detected and beamformed as the operating signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2010Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Rui Fan, Shuangshuang Li, Yong Li