Suppression (e.g., Antisidetone) Patents (Class 379/392)
  • Patent number: 11889257
    Abstract: A method for detecting and mitigating parasitic oscillation in a headphone equipped with an active noise reduction (ANR) system. A fundamental frequency of a microphone signal is determined from a microphone of the ANR system and an amplitude of the determined fundamental frequency is compared to a threshold level to determine parasitic oscillation. If parasitic oscillation is determined, then the microphone signal is altered to mitigate the parasitic oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Emery M. Ku
  • Patent number: 11394425
    Abstract: Ringing suppression may be provided. First, a first ringing suppressor in a first branch of an amplifier may cancel interference from a second branch of the amplifier using a transmitted signal from the second branch as a reference. The first ringing suppressor may also cancel echo interference from the first branch of the amplifier using an output of the first ringing suppressor in the first branch as a reference. Furthermore, a second ringing suppressor in the second branch of the amplifier may cancel interference from the first branch of the amplifier using a transmitted signal from the first branch as a reference. Furthermore, the second ringing suppressor may cancel echo interference from the second branch of the amplifier using an output of the second ringing suppressor in the second branch as a reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hang Jin, John T. Chapman
  • Patent number: 10397788
    Abstract: Disclosed is a server including a transceiver, and a controller configured to receive, via the transceiver from a terminal, a first message including first information for requesting to share multimedia content stored in the server with at least one specified user and second information related to expiration of time for sharing the multimedia content, and based on the received first message, establish a condition for sharing the multimedia content, and transmit, via the transceiver to the at least one specified user, a second message notifying that the at least one specified user is allowed to access the multimedia content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kyung-Tak Lee, Joon-Goo Park, Sang-Kyung Sung, Thirumalai Echampadi Seshadri
  • Patent number: 10302443
    Abstract: The same navigation information and facility information are directly distributed to both a vehicle-mounted navigation device and a portable terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Nakahara, Shigeomi Kubota, Kazuya Tamura, Hiroshi Inoue
  • Patent number: 10117781
    Abstract: An ear cup for a hearing protector includes a cup-shaped outer casing, a sealing ring on a rim of the outer casing, and at least one electrical component such as a microphone. The electrical component is mounted on a flexible circuit board attached on the outer surface of the outer casing, where the outer casing includes a slit through which the flexible circuit board extends to the inside of the outer casing so as to provide electrical connections between the electrical component and an electrical circuitry inside the outer casing. Thus, there is no need for wide openings on the outer casing of the ear cup, instead only a narrow slit suffices. This facilitates achieving good noise reduction properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SAVOX COMMUNICATIONS OY AB (LTD).
    Inventors: Janne Rosti, Ville Riikonen
  • Patent number: 10117102
    Abstract: Disclosed is a server including a transceiver, and a controller configured to receive, via the transceiver from a terminal, multimedia contents, store the multimedia contents, receive, via the transceiver from the terminal, a request for establishing one of a plurality of access modes with respect to the multimedia contents, wherein the plurality of access modes includes a restricted mode where at least one user designated by the terminal is allowed to access the multimedia contents, and a public mode where all users are allowed to access the multimedia contents, establish an access mode for the multimedia contents based on the request, and transmit, if the request includes information on the at least one user, via the transceiver to the at least one user, a notification that the at least one user is allowed to access the multimedia contents, based on the information on the at least one user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kyung-Tak Lee, Joon-Goo Park, Sang-Kyung Sung, Thirumalai Echampadi Seshadri
  • Patent number: 10041805
    Abstract: The same navigation information and facility information are directly distributed to both a vehicle-mounted navigation device and a portable terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Nakahara, Shigeomi Kubota, Kazuya Tamura, Hiroshi Inoue
  • Patent number: 9967642
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a case having an aperture; a board located within the case; a microphone located at a position corresponding to the aperture of the case; a partition wall located between the board and the case to surround a periphery of the microphone; and a sound absorbing material having a density of 46 kg/m3 to 69 kg/m3, and located in a space partitioned by the board, the partition wall, and the case to cover the microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamaguchi, Daisuke Mihara, Tatsuya Fukushi
  • Patent number: 9858915
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods for integrating adaptive noise cancellation (ANC) with communication features in an enclosure, such as an incubator, bed, and the like. Utilizing one or more error and reference microphones, a controller for a noise cancellation portion reduces noise within a quiet area of the enclosure. Voice communications are provided to allow external voice signals to be transmitted to the enclosure with minimized interference with noise processing. Vocal communications from within the enclosure may be processed to determine certain characteristics/features of the vocal communications. Using these characteristics, certain emotive and/or physiological states may be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Northern Illinois Research Foundation
    Inventors: Sen M. Kuo, Lichuan Liu
  • Patent number: 9264883
    Abstract: An originating SMSC in Network A issues an SRI-SM towards the HLR of a recipient (User B in Network B). One of a number of N Platforms or Message Controllers (“MCOs”) intercepts the SRI-SM. Instead of passing on the SRI-SM, the MCO terminates it and performs a full decode of all fields, specifically extracting the recipient MSISDN from it. The MCO then constructs a new SRI-SM for the same MSISDN, but forcing the new request to ask for all available data, including, but not necessarily limited to visited-MSC address, SGSN address and IP-SM-GW address. When a response is received the MCO generates a fresh query response for the originating SMSC instead of merely routing on the response which it receives. If the MCO is programmed to provide a false address for smart services it incorporates the false address in the query response which it generates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: MARKPORT LIMITED
    Inventors: Simon Dumbleton, Jim Plimmer, Ian Birchall
  • Patent number: 8963695
    Abstract: A vibrator designed to be integrated into a portable electronic device as part of a haptic alert device has a linear electric motor that is coupled to actively drive a moveable weight in back-and-forth directions to produce the desired vibration. A lock mechanism has a restraining member that is biased into a lock position, which prevents the moveable weight from moving in the back-and-forth directions when the vibrator is inactive. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy M. Johnson, Yehonatan Perez, Sawyer I. Cohen, Ashutosh Y. Shukla
  • Patent number: 8886529
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for the objective evaluation of voice quality of a speech signal. The device includes: a module for extracting a background noise signal, referred to as a noise signal, from the speech signal; a module for calculating the audio parameters of the noise signal; a module for classifying the background noise contained in the noise signal on the basis of the calculated audio parameters, according to a predefined set of background noise classes; and a module for evaluating the voice quality of the speech signal on the basis of at least the resulting classification relative to the background noise in the speech signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: France Telecom
    Inventors: Julien Faure, Adrien Leman
  • Patent number: 8774875
    Abstract: Noise reduction is provided to audio captured by a headset by employing spatially separated microphones provided by a headset and a mobile phone. Primary audio is captured by a headset microphone and includes both voice audio and ambient noise. Secondary audio is captured by a mobile phone microphone and includes ambient audio. Noise reduction is performed using the primary and secondary audio to generate a noise-reduce audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Clark Douglas Halferty, Andrew Mark Wurtenberger, Caleb Sisson Hyde
  • Patent number: 8682018
    Abstract: Microphone arrays (MAs) are described that position and vent microphones so that performance of a noise suppression system coupled to the microphone array is enhanced. The MA includes at least two physical microphones to receive acoustic signals. The physical microphones make use of a common rear vent (actual or virtual) that samples a common pressure source. The MA includes a physical directional microphone configuration and a virtual directional microphone configuration. By making the input to the rear vents of the microphones (actual or virtual) as similar as possible, the real-world filter to be modeled becomes much simpler to model using an adaptive filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: AliphCom
    Inventor: Gregory C. Burnett
  • Patent number: 8565414
    Abstract: A telephone includes a transmit channel and a receive channel, each including a bank of sub-band filters having a VAD coupled one to each sub-band filter. Each VAD measures the spectral energy in a sub-band, compares the spectral energy to a first threshold, and produces an output signal representative of whether or not the first threshold is exceeded. The voice activity detector also includes a threshold circuit for calculating a dynamically adjustable noise threshold based upon averaged measured spectral energy. A wide band or system VAD monitors echo canceling circuitry to detect voice activity and double talk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Acoustic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin L. Allen, Franklyn H. Story, Seth Suppappola
  • Patent number: 8532096
    Abstract: The present invention system and method facilitates efficient and accurate maintenance of LERG information. The present system and method periodic implementation of LERG downloads permits network devices to automatically update LERG information. A local exchange routing guide update method includes performing an automated LERG maintenance initialization process; engaging in an automated LERG parsing process; and executing an automated LERG synchronization process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Pramod S. Rao
  • Patent number: 8488805
    Abstract: Background audio can be provided during telephonic communication. Telephonic communication can be established via a network, such as between a user of a telephony device and a communication partner having a second telephony device. A voice signal may be received from the user via a microphone integral with the telephony device. An audio track can be retrieved, for example, from memory integral with the telephony device or from a third-party service provider via the communications network. Noise reduction is performed on the voice signal to produce a clean voice signal. The clean voice signal may be combined with the audio track to produce a combined signal, such that the audio track provides background audio to the clean voice signal. The combined signal can then be transmitted from the telephony device to the second telephony device via the communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Audience, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Santos, Lloyd Watts, Carlo Murgia, Brian Clark
  • Patent number: 8275120
    Abstract: An acoustic echo cancellation technique. The present adaptive acoustic echo cancellation technique employs a plurality of acoustic echo cancellation filters which use different adaptation techniques which may employ different parameters such as step size, to improve both the adaptation algorithm convergence time and misadjustment over previously known acoustic echo cancellation techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corp.
    Inventors: Jack W. Stokes, III, Dinei Florencio, Amit Chhetri
  • Patent number: 8229105
    Abstract: An enhanced sidetone system is disclosed which provides the user of a telecommunications terminal, while speaking, with immediate audio feedback that corresponds to what the far-end party is probably hearing. The sidetone system continuously samples the input speech signal from the user and also obtains signal quality statistics of the transmission path. These statistics can include descriptions of network quality-of-service characteristics (e.g., packet loss rate, etc.) and/or media quality characteristics (e.g., audio distortion due to echo cancellation, etc.). These statistics enable the disclosed technique to determine whether the transmitted signal quality is acceptable. When an unacceptable condition in transmit-path signal quality is detected, the technique modifies the traditional (main) sidetone signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Roller Michaelis
  • Patent number: 8085945
    Abstract: In a communication machine room wideband noise suppression system, a sensing unit detects a noise source produced by a fan during the operation thereof and generates a noise input signal and a feedback signal, which are sent to a signal amplifying unit for signal amplification. The amplified signals are then sent to a signal converting unit and converted into digital signals. A multi-channel hybrid controller receives the digital signals and makes corrections and conduct rapid convergence algorithm to derive a reverse digital signal, which is sent to the signal converting unit and converted into a reverse analog signal. The reverse analog signal is sent to the signal amplifying unit for power amplification to generate a control signal for driving a loudspeaker unit to produce interfering acoustic wave, so as to cancel out the noise source and achieve the purpose of eliminating wideband noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fu-Cheng Su, Yuan-Liang Liao, Jyh-Ren Lee, Yi-Hong Liao
  • Patent number: 8050398
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are teleconferencing pods that include a microphone and a loudspeaker for open-air conversations, connectible to a separate telephonic device that generates an intermittent sidetone that is active at certain times not in the control or monitoring of the pod. In those pods is a sidetone suppressor that suppresses a distracting open-air echo produced from the intermittent sidetone and a compensator that detects sidetone transitions to avoid generating an echo signal in the pod and to avoid adapting suppression in the absence of an externally-generated sidetone. Sidetone suppression may be by several means, and may include variables controlled by adaption, including delay factors, scalers and coefficients. Detailed information on various example embodiments of the inventions are provided in the Detailed Description below, and the inventions are defined by the appended claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Clearone Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Xin Xu
  • Patent number: 7756265
    Abstract: In an on-board hands-free communication apparatus, a gain of an amplifier of a speaker for outputting an incoming voice signal from a telephone device varies with a volume set value of a speaker volume switch adjusted by an user. When the gain of the amplifier increases equal to or greater than a threshold value, a feature extraction amplification circuit performs a feature extraction amplification processing to apparently amplify output power of the incoming voice signal, and a control circuit fixes the gain of the amplifier to the threshold value regardless of the volume set value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihiro Hosoi
  • Patent number: 7706525
    Abstract: A side-tone circuit comprises a microphone configured to generate a reverse link audio signal and a side-tone noise suppressor. The side tone noise suppressor is configured to receive the reverse link audio signal, suppress noise in the received reverse link audio signal, and output a noise suppressed side-tone signal. The side-tone noise circuit also includes a speaker configured to receive the noise suppressed audio signal and communicate it to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Kyocera Wireless Corp.
    Inventor: Jay King
  • Patent number: 7680226
    Abstract: A digital signal waveform receiving circuit may be processed by a non-linear adaptive canonical correlation analysis circuit that may quantify and minimize crosstalk-induced jitter timing skew for improving set-up and hold timing margins of data streams on the receiving circuit. A non-linear adaptive canonical correlation analysis circuit may be placed between an incoming digital signal from a serial link and a PHY receiving layer of an information handling system 100. The PHY receiving layer of the information handling system may be coupled to the non-linear adaptive canonical correlation analysis circuit or may be coupled to the digital signal. This coupling selection may be automatically programmed depending on received signal cross-talk-induced jitter timing skew or may be programmed by a user of the information handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Rajen Murugan, Girish K. Singh
  • Patent number: 7310420
    Abstract: The present invention is directed most particularly to wireless communication systems for interconnection with telephone systems, and more particularly to methods and apparatus to suppress unwanted and annoying audio spikes or bursts that infiltrate the wireless system from ultimately reaching the user's earpiece. An embodiment of the invention is directed to a telephone headset amplifier system with a noise blanking or squelching capability, which attenuates the incoming audio signal when the incoming signal exceeds a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: GN Netcom A/S
    Inventors: Robert E. Lucey, Michael B. Lasky
  • Patent number: 7190769
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling operation of a recording device with a telephone configured for orientation in a first state and a second state includes: (a) an information conveying section for conveying information from the telephone to a recording locus in the recording device; (b) an indicating section for receiving a monitor signal having a first value when the telephone is in the first state and having a second value when the telephone is in the second state; the indicating section employs a single fixed bias to generate a first indicating signal when the telephone is in the first state and to generate a second indicating signal when the telephone is in the second state; and (c) an engaging section; the engaging section responds to the first and second indicating signals to orient the recording device for recording the information or for not recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Radioshack Corporation
    Inventors: Ko Chuk, Tu Tian Tian
  • Patent number: 7065339
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for enabling prepaid service in a packet-based communications system, in particular in an All-IP network which comprises one or more subscriber terminals. At least one subscriber database stores subscriber information including identification data of one or more server means, and the at least one server means stores prepaid accounts for subscribers. When a subscriber terminal is initiating the establishment of a connection to another network entity, the server means is adapted to transmit a subscriber-prepaid-account related value informing a control means on an available charge threshold value for the connection to be established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Juha Vallinen, Juha-Pekka Koskinen
  • Patent number: 6999560
    Abstract: A test system measures performance of telephone network echo cancellers using a primary criterion of estimated user annoyance due to audible returned echo. The invention generates live telephone calls, uses real speech samples as stimulus signals and provides tail-circuit emulation using actual measured telephone tail-circuit impulse responses. These features provide better ‘real-life’ test conditions for the echo canceller system under test than current ITU standard test methods. Two methods are employed for echo canceller performance evaluation via metrics of estimated user annoyance due to echo. Energy-based method employs point-by-point comparison of talker speech and talker echo signal energy envelopes and uses variable energy thresholds for estimation of echo audibility. A perceptual-model based method uses a Perceptual Speech Distortion Metric (PSDM), such as ITU P.861, in an unique configuration to estimate user annoyance due to audible echo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Connor, Michael E. Knappe, Ramanathan T. Jagadeesan
  • Patent number: 6993126
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting far end speech in a telephone apparatus. A speaker (14) produces far end sound from a far end signal, when received by the telephone apparatus. A microphone (12) generates a near end signal from near end sound, for transmission from the telephone apparatus. A hybrid (24) which passes the near and far end signals from an external two wire link (30) to and from the speaker and microphone, on respective first and second paths (1, 2) of a four wire link (28). Muting of the near end signal is effected when signal derived from the first path (1) of the four wire link (28) is detected as being representative of a condition of existence of far end signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Clearsonics Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Mykola Kyrylenko, Lambertus Anthony Mary Voskulen
  • Patent number: 6993125
    Abstract: The variable sidetone system provides an enhanced method for inducing the subscriber maintain the amplitude of their voice at an appropriate level by exaggerating the amplitude characteristics of the sidetone returned to the subscriber. Rather than have the sidetone level linked to the amplitude of the subscriber's voice signal in a linear non-adjustable 1:1 relationship (as is done in the prior art), the present variable sidetone system implements an adjustable relationship between the amplitude of the subscriber's voice signal and sidetone levels, thereby allowing the variable sidetone system to provide the necessary acoustic feedback to subscribers to maintain the subscriber's voice signal within the predetermined bounds of the voice encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Avaya Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Paul R. Michaelis
  • Patent number: 6980644
    Abstract: There is disclosed an echo canceller circuit for use in a full duplex transceiver of the type comprising a line driver capable of sending analog transmit signals through a cable and comprising a line receiver capable of receiving analog receive signals from the cable. An echo canceller impedance model circuit is coupled to an output of the line driver and is coupled to an input of the line receiver. The echo canceller impedance model circuit generates an echo canceller current that is equal in magnitude and opposite in phase to a current that represents signal echoes that are present in the analog receive signals. The echo canceller impedance model circuit has a variable impedance for generating the echo canceller current. The variable impedance has at least one variable resistor and at least one variable capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Sallaway, Thulasinath G. Manickam, Sreen Raghavan
  • Patent number: 6934383
    Abstract: An apparatus for reducing echoes which are generated due to signals induced to a handset connector in a telephone, includes a round-type handset connector cord arranged into a round configuration having a certain arrangement of the speech transmitting and receiving lines, and a connecting unit provided in the body of the telephone and having a differential amplifier for applying signals received to a transmitting unit by differentially amplifying the signals. Alternatively, the apparatus for reducing echoes includes a flat-type handset connector cord having the lines arranged in a certain order, and a connecting unit for connecting the speech transmitting and receiving lines in certain manner. Alternatively, the apparatus for reducing echoes and noises includes a flat-type handset connector cord having the lines arranged in a certain order, and a connecting unit connecting to the speech-transmitting lines and the speech-receiving lines in a certain manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung-Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 6925172
    Abstract: A transceiver system is disclosed for use in a telecommunication system. The transceiver system includes a transmission circuit including a transmitter input coupled to an input of a transmission amplifier, a receiver circuit including a receiver output coupled to an output of a receiver amplifier, and a transmission line interface circuit that is coupled to an output of the transmission amplifier and to an input of the receiver amplifier. The transmission line interface circuit includes a matching impedance that is directly coupled to a feedback path of the transmission amplifier and that terminates the transmission line of the transceiver system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Faramarz Sabouri, John P. Guido, John G. Kenney, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6870928
    Abstract: A line interface couples signals between a data transceiver and a transmission line having a load impedance Z. The line interface includes a transformer, a driver circuit for supplying a transmit signal from the data transceiver to the transformer, and a receiver circuit for receiving a receive signal from the transformer. The transformer includes a first port coupled to the transmission line, a second port coupled to the driver circuit, a third port coupled to the receiver circuit, a first winding part having a turns ratio of 1: n, where n>1, for coupling the transmit signal from the second port to the first port, and a second winding part having a turns ratio of 1: m, where m<n, for coupling the receive signal from the first port to the third port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventors: Cormac S. Conroy, Samuel W. Sheng, Ara Bicakci, John DeCelles, Sang-Soo Lee
  • Patent number: 6850617
    Abstract: A telephone receiver circuit with sidetone signal generation controlled by voice activity detection in accordance with the present invention uses the voice activity detector (VAD) to detect the presence of voice activity within the microphone signal and dynamically adjust the sidetone signal generation to compensate for noisy environments by eliminating or reducing the sidetone signal in the absence of voice activity. Hence, a sidetone signal is generated in the presence of voice activity, when feedback is required, while the sidetone signal is not generated in the absence of voice activity, since audio feedback for the user is not required then.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: David Lind Weigand
  • Patent number: 6842517
    Abstract: A filtering circuit is described for filtering out meter pulses of analog telephone communication, for example in analog modems. The circuit is mainly composed of resistors and capacitors and is configured as a double T element or a Wien bridge circuit. The filtering circuit is needed for attenuating interferences to such an extent that integrated circuits operating with low voltages are not overloaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Rainer Storn
  • Patent number: 6836544
    Abstract: A method and apparatus enables echo reduction in a full duplex transceiver system. A replica current is subtracted from a receiver via a first differential circuit path that adaptively matches a time constant associated with a second differential circuit path that connects the receiver with an external data line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Sandeep K. Gupta
  • Patent number: 6834108
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for improving acoustic noise attenuation, in which the method includes an adaptive control for partial-band echo compensation as well as global-band post-filtering for suppressing residual echo in hand-free devices. This method also uses a level balance as well as controllable frequency-selective echo compensation with partial-band processing. After the frequency-selective echo compensation, the signal is submitted to a post-filtering in another frequency-selective filter using a Wiener-equation adjustment algorithm (Wiener filtering). A single control value (increment vector) is used for controlling both the frequency-selective echo compensation and the other filter. This method can thus be implemented with a very reduced amount of calculations so that it can also be used in simple consumer-directed processors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Gerhard Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20040156495
    Abstract: Network System and Method for facilitating message exchange between mobile subscribers belonging to the same or different public land mobile networks, possibly incorporating different standards. Message exchange between two subscribers of the same or different networks may involve one or more lookups on subscription data, zero or more message transformations, one or more routing decisions including application of costing functions, and, storage and propagation of the message in one or more Core or Intermediary networks. The messages may be of type, among others, SMS (Short Message Service), MMS (Multimedia Message Service), or EMAIL.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventors: Venkatesh Chava, Christian Zimmern, Robert Lovell, Kirk Tsai
  • Patent number: 6768795
    Abstract: A side-tone control unit for a telecommunication instrument is configured to include a side-tone amplifier having a transfer function selectively controlled in accordance with a set of amplifier parameters, and a side-tone controller, coupled to the side-tone amplifier, for selectively applying the set of amplifier parameters to the side-tone amplifier based on the detected energy of an uplink signal and the detected energy of a downlink signal. The side tone controller can select a particular set of amplifier parameters by indexing a table in accordance with quantized values of the detected uplink signal energy and the detected downlink signal energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Alberto Diego Jimenez Feltström, Mats Ormin, Ulf Axel Lindgren, Joakim Persson
  • Patent number: 6731748
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for providing an audio interface between multiple deskset phones and a single radio antenna unit (RAU). The audio interface includes a transmit path and a receive path. The transmit path carries transmit signals from the multiple deskset phones to the RAU. The receive path carries a receive signal from the RAU to the deskset phones. The transmit path and receive path are electrically isolated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Clement B. Edgar, III, Ivan Oei
  • Patent number: 6728367
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide for filtering of voiceband and specified tone frequencies of a mixed voice/data signal, such as an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) signal. A lowpass filter section passes voiceband content of the mixed signal and suppresses mixed signal content having frequencies falling within a databand of the mixed signal. A bandpass filter section is coupled to or integral with the lowpass filter section and passes the specified tone frequency, such as a metering or billing tone frequency. The lowpass and bandpass filter sections exhibit a combined frequency response that provides for a stopband between the voiceband and the metering tone frequency. The bandpass filter section effectively detunes a frequency response of the lowpass filter section to provide for the stopband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven M. Swam
  • Publication number: 20040047464
    Abstract: An adaptive noise canceling microphone system for extracting a desired signal, in particular a desired speech signal, comprising two microphones being arranged at a predefined distance from each other; a signal forming system (SFS) being adapted to receive a first and second input signals resulting from sounds received by the two microphones wherein an acoustical signal component in the first input signal is determined, wherein an acoustical signal component in the second input signal is determined, wherein the acoustical signal component in the first input signal is enhanced to generate a speech enhanced signal, and wherein the acoustical signal component in the second input signal is suppressed to generate a speech nulled signal; an adaptive noise cancellation filtering circuit being adapted to receive the speech enhanced signal and the speech nulled signal, wherein the noise in the speech enhanced signal is cancelled using the speech nulled signal as reference, thereby generating an output filtered signal
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Zhuliang Yu, Wee Ser
  • Patent number: 6690790
    Abstract: A telephone receiving section having a final stage, an electroacoustic transducer having a first terminal connected to the ground of the circuit, a unit for controlling switching on/off, a source of a reference voltage, a switch that can adopt a first position or a second position in order to connect the second terminal of the transducer selectively, via a capacitor, to a reference-voltage terminal of the reference voltage source or to an output terminal of the final stage, respectively, and control means that respond to signals of the unit for controlling switching on/off in order to activate or to deactivate the final stage and the reference-voltage source and to operate the switch in accordance with a predetermined time program. The receiving section operates with the same immunity to disturbances as a fully balanced structure, even though the transducer is not connected between two balanced outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Germano Nicollini, Sergio Pernici
  • Patent number: 6587504
    Abstract: Following arrangement of an adaptive equalizer with a direct filter structure according to the least mean square error architecture, look ahead conversion of modifying a tap coefficient of the next cycle utilizing the tap coefficient of a predetermined preceding cycle is carried out and then a retiming process of adjusting the timing of tap coefficients and signals is carried out to arrange delay elements, whereby a transposition filter is realized. A high-speed adaptive equalizer is provided that can have the critical path reduced without increasing the hardware amount and that is superior in expansionability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuji Murakami, Hirohisa Machida, Hiroyuki Mizutani, Hiroshi Ochi
  • Patent number: 6539091
    Abstract: An apparatus for sidetone damping can be used in telephones configured for hands-free operation. The apparatus has a reception branch with a speaker and a transmission branch with a microphone. An adaptive echo compensator is provided for compensating for echos interfering with signals in the transmission branch. A damping device for damping the transmission branch or reception branch is also provided. A device for determining the power transfer factor is provided for controlling the adaptation of the adaptive echo compensator and for adjusting the damping of the damping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Thomas Schertler
  • Patent number: 6445791
    Abstract: An interface for coupling a modem port with a transmission line includes a hybrid converter having a variable gain amplifier coupling a transmit path of a first differential polarity and a received path of a second differential polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Thomas Grisamore, Kartika Putra Prihadi, Eric Swanson, Karl Nordling, Axel Thomsen
  • Patent number: 6320923
    Abstract: A locking device for use in restraining a jet pump downcomer of a nuclear reactor, including an upper jaw; a lower jaw placed in an opposing position below the upper jaw; and a tightening screw movably supporting the upper jaw and the lower jaw. When installed on a jet pump downcomer, the complete assembly includes a restraining ring; a downcomer carried by the restraining ring; a wedge supported by the restraining ring and the downcomer; and a guide bolt extending in an axial direction in relation to the downcomer such that the wedge is movably supported by the guide bolt. The wedge is interposed between the upper jaw and the lower jaw, and one end of the upper jaw and a corresponding end of the lower jaw are moveably supported by the guide bolt. The upper jaw and lower jaw are supported at their respective opposite ends by the tightening screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wivagg, Dwight E. Starnes
  • Patent number: 6304654
    Abstract: A telephone handset interface reduces or eliminates feedback induced singing in a telephone handset/hybrid loop. The interface provides for user selectable volume control settings, each setting representing an amount of gain or loss to be applied to the transmit and receive signals within the telephone set. The gain settings are selected to limit overall loop gain so as to reduce or eliminate any tendency of the handset to sing at high receive gain levels. Loss inserted into the transmit circuit is removed when user speech is detected in the transmit circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Albert Wittman
  • Patent number: 6212273
    Abstract: A full-duplex communication device includes a transmit channel, a receive channel, and echo cancellers connected between the transmit channel and the receive channel. A plurality of control parameters and status indicators are defined for both channels. The plurality of control parameters are accessed via a writable interface for controlling operations of the communication device. Typically the control parameters are modified, enabled, and disabled based on an implemented control method and based on signal conditions, including noise, echo, tone, and other abnormal noise conditions. A writable access port enables a user to request tweaking, modification, enabling, and disabling of multiple features and controls. A readable/writable access port enables access to multiple status parameters that are indicative of the status of the communication device and channel operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Crystal Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Nariankadu D. Hemkumar, Brent W. Wilson