Automatic Switchover Between Mono And Stereo Modes Patents (Class 381/11)
  • Patent number: 11792574
    Abstract: An AV amplifier contains an input unit to input digital data and an operation unit that receives a reproduction instruction. A switching unit switches whether to output the digital data input to a server interface unit or DSP in response to the reproduction instruction. The DSP processes the digital data output to obtain and output a two-channel signal, which the server interface unit transmits by the switching unit to a server and receives an audio signal from the server. An audio reproduction unit reproduces the server interface unit received audio signal and an audio signal output by the DSP. An output unit outputs the reproduced audio signal to each speaker and a control unit controls the switching unit and the server interface unit in response to the reproduction instruction from the user. The control unit controls the switching unit, when two-channel audio reproduction is instructed from the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Imahama, Shunichi Tani
  • Patent number: 11237792
    Abstract: Example techniques relate to calibration interfaces that facilitate calibration of a playback device. An example implementation may involve outputting a sequence of prompts to guide calibration of a playback device during a calibration sequence comprising (i) a spatial calibration component and (ii) a spectral calibration component. Outputting the sequence of prompts includes outputting one or more first audio prompts representing a guide to perform the spatial calibration component of the calibration sequence. The spatial calibration component involves calibration of the playback device for a particular location within an environment. Outputting the sequence of prompts also includes outputting one or more first second prompts representing a guide to perform the spectral calibration component of the calibration sequence. The spectral calibration component involves calibration of the playback device for the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Dayn Wilberding, Sein Woo
  • Patent number: 10491999
    Abstract: A headset controller for controlling two incoming radio signals for a headset that includes a left earcup and a right earcup. The controller includes a first radio signal input connection configured for receiving a first radio signal from a first radio, and a second radio signal input connection configured for receiving a second radio signal from a second radio different from the first radio. The controller also includes an electrical sensing and switching mechanism that is operative, when both channels have incoming signals, to send each signal separately to a respective earcup. The electrical sensing and switching mechanism is operative, when only one of the two channels has an incoming signal, to send that one signal to both earcups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Safariland, LLC
    Inventors: Pablo Hernandez, Timothy K. McNamara
  • Patent number: 10313812
    Abstract: Aspects of a multi-orientation playback device including at least one microphone array are discussed. A method may include determining an orientation of the playback device which includes at least one microphone array and determining at least one microphone training response for the playback device from a plurality of microphone training responses based on the orientation of the playback device. The at least one microphone array can detect a sound input, and the location information of a source of the sound input can be determined based on the at least one microphone training response and the detected sound input. Based on the location information of the source, the directional focus of the at least one microphone array can be adjusted, and the sound input can be captured based on the adjusted directional focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: SONOS, INC.
    Inventors: Brendan Welch, Romi Kadri, Jonathon Reilly
  • Patent number: 10299037
    Abstract: Identification and management of audio output outlets connected to a user device is described. Once one or more audio output outlets connected to a user device are identified, an audio signal is forwarded to each detected audio output outlet and in an event the audio signal forwarded to an audio output outlet is detected by an internal audio sensor of the user device, that audio output outlet is designated as a loudspeaker. Audio output outlets designated as loudspeakers are muted when the user device is in silent mode. If the audio signal forwarded to an audio output outlet is not detected by the internal audio sensor of the user device, that audio outlet is marked as a private speaker. Audio output outlets designated as private speakers remain in an audible state even when the user device is in silent mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventor: Xinmei Yang
  • Patent number: 10187726
    Abstract: An audio accessory and an audio output method are provided. The audio accessory includes a connector configured to be connected to an external device, an audio output unit configured to output a sound, and a switching unit configured to select a signal path according to whether the sound output through the audio output unit is in a balanced mode or an unbalanced mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Ju-Hee Chang, Je-Ok Lee, Seon-Mi Kim, Jun-Tai Kim, Ho-Chul Hwang
  • Patent number: 10157037
    Abstract: An on/off head detection system uses magnetic field intensity to determine a configuration, position, and/or orientation of a headphone. In some implementations, the system may determine whether a headphone is on or off a user's head. The system includes a magnetic field sensor configured to detect a magnetic field emitted by a magnetic field source associated with an earpiece of the headphone. A control module determines an intensity of the magnetic field and whether the intensity of the magnetic field satisfies a threshold. An operational mode associated with the headphone or an associated device is performed in response to the intensity of the magnetic field satisfying the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiren Harshad Patel, Kemal Kulovic
  • Patent number: 10075790
    Abstract: A headset controller for controlling two incoming radio signals for a headset that includes a left earcup and a right earcup. The controller includes a first radio signal input connection configured for receiving a first radio signal from a first radio, and a second radio signal input connection configured for receiving a second radio signal from a second radio different from the first radio. The controller also includes an electrical sensing and switching mechanism that is operative, when both channels have incoming signals, to send each signal separately to a respective earcup. The electrical sensing and switching mechanism is operative, when only one of the two channels has an incoming signal, to send that one signal to both earcups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Safariland, LLC
    Inventors: Pablo Hernandez, Timothy K. McNamara
  • Patent number: 9922663
    Abstract: A voice signal processing method and apparatus, which are used to process a voice signal collected by a microphone of a terminal in order to meet requirements of the terminal in different application modes for the voice signal generated after the processing. The method includes collecting at least two voice signals, determining a current application mode of a terminal, determining, according to the current application mode from the voice signals, voice signals corresponding to the current application mode, and performing, in a preset voice signal processing manner that matches the current application mode, beamforming processing on the corresponding voice signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rilin Chen, Deming Zhang
  • Patent number: 9792952
    Abstract: The available audio tracks of a multi-track television program are processed to remove or reduce certain components of the program, especially audience sounds, such as laughter. Such processing may be particularly applicable to “canned” laughter. This applies to any program which is supplied with a plurality of audio channels, whether provided by cable, DVD, Internet streaming, or otherwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Kill the Cann, LLC
    Inventors: Keith Gilbert, Geoffrey F. Gross, Joel MacAuslan
  • Patent number: 9743204
    Abstract: Aspects of a multi-orientation playback device including at least one microphone array are discussed. A method may include determining an orientation of the playback device which includes at least one microphone array and determining at least one microphone training response for the playback device from a plurality of microphone training responses based on the orientation of the playback device. The at least one microphone array can detect a sound input, and the location information of a source of the sound input can be determined based on the at least one microphone training response and the detected sound input. Based on the location information of the source, the directional focus of the at least one microphone array can be adjusted, and the sound input can be captured based on the adjusted directional focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Brendan Welch, Romi Kadri, Jonathon Reilly
  • Patent number: 9564117
    Abstract: Systems and methods of limiting peak audio power in mobile devices may include a high pass filter and a burst module to detect a burst load condition in a mobile device. The burst module can also apply the high pass filter to an audio signal of the mobile device in response to the burst load condition to obtain a filtered signal, and transmit the filtered audio signal to a speaker of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kuriappan P. Alappat, Vijayakumaran V. Nair
  • Patent number: 9558761
    Abstract: A method comprising receiving microphone audio information from at least one microphone, identifying a song based, at least in part, on the microphone audio information, receiving song audio information based, at least in part, on the identification of the song, causing display of, at least a portion of, a song indicator that represents the song, receiving information indicative of a song rendering input in relation to the song indicator, and causing rendering of the song audio information based, at least in part, on the song rendering input is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Arto Lehtiniemi, Miikka Vilermo
  • Patent number: 9538276
    Abstract: An earphone connection interface, a terminal including the same, and a method of operating the terminal are provided. The earphone connection interface includes: a terminal left terminal, a terminal right terminal, a terminal ground terminal, an earphone detection terminal, and a terminal microphone terminal disposed sequentially along an inner wall of a cylindrical groove and an ear microphone bias voltage source electrically connected to the terminal microphone terminal; and a capacitor electrically connected to the terminal microphone terminal through a switch element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Garam Yu, Minwoo Oh, Byounghee Lee, Jaekyu Lee
  • Patent number: 9400632
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for audio device playback failure recovery and redistribution. The systems and methods may be configured to render an audio content according to a first playback responsibility that involves rendering both (a) a left channel of an audio content and (b) a right channel of the audio content, detect an instruction to form a stereo pair with another network device; render the audio content according to a second playback responsibility that involves rendering one of (a) the left channel of the audio content or (b) the right channel of the audio content; while rendering the audio content according to the second playback responsibility, detect a failure of the another network device; and render the audio content according to the first playback responsibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Beckhardt, Jonathan Paul Lang, Jonathon Reilly
  • Patent number: 9319159
    Abstract: The present document relates to audio signal processing, in particular to an apparatus and a corresponding method for improving an audio signal of an FM stereo radio receiver. In particular, the present document relates to a method and system for reliably detecting the quality of a received FM stereo radio signal and for selecting an appropriate processing based on the detected quality. An apparatus (20) configured to estimate the quality of a received multi-channel FM radio signal is described. The received multi-channel FM radio signal is representable as a mid signal and a side signal, and the side signal is indicative of a difference between a left signal and a right signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Jonas Engdegard, Heiko Purnhagen, Leif Sehlstrom
  • Patent number: 9307316
    Abstract: In a device including a headset jack having an external microphone contact, and an external microphone signal path connected to the external microphone contact, a method including detecting whether a headset plug is plugged into the headset jack and, if the headset plug is detected, selecting an audio signal received from the external microphone signal path, recording the selected audio signal, to produce a recorded audio signal, and determining if an external microphone is connected to the external microphone contact based on the recorded audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: ACER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Po-Jen Tu, Jia-Ren Chang, Ming-Chun Yu, Kuei-Ting Tai, Kai-Meng Tzeng
  • Patent number: 9161145
    Abstract: An audio receiver may include a mono/stereo detector that causes the audio receiver to output either a monophonic or a stereophonic signal based on a difference between a pilot energy signal and a filtered pilot energy signal. The audio receiver includes a filter that filters the pilot energy signal to generate a filtered pilot energy signal, wherein a variable leakage factor associated with the filter is used to minimize a noise level of the filtered pilot energy signal and to reduce a response time of the audio receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Chris Cheng-Chieh Lee
  • Patent number: 9097903
    Abstract: An image display method displaying a stereoscopic 3D image, displaying both images of heterogeneous contents, or displaying an image according to a 2D scheme, and a 3D display device for implementing the display method are disclosed. The 3D display device receives a broadcast signal and restores a base view image signal and an extended view image signal constituting a pair of stereoscopic images. In a first operation mode, the 3D display device formats the base view image signal and the extended view image signal and displays the same according to a stereoscopic scheme. In a second operation mode, the 3D display device synthesizes two image signals different from the pair of stereoscopic images and displays the synthesized images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Sangwook Nam
  • Patent number: 9042556
    Abstract: Techniques for shaping sound based on a speaker orientation are disclosed. In an embodiment, an audio data stream is obtained by a zone player having one or more speaker drivers, an orientation of the zone player is determined, and sound is reproduced by the zone player based on the orientation. The sound may be further shaped based on other states of the zone player in addition to orientation. The overall sound may be shaped from one zone player or from a collection of zone players.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc
    Inventors: Christopher Kallai, Michael Darrell Andrew Ericson, Jonathan P. Lang, Craig Wisneski, Jonathon Reilly, Seamus Daly, Todd Mansfield
  • Patent number: 8953809
    Abstract: A system and method for switching a mode of a receiver between a monophonic and stereophonic mode is disclosed. The method can include generating a residual signal indicative of a noise level associated with a pilot energy signal, calculating a residual block energy level of the residual signal over an observation interval, generating a monitor signal based on a number of times the pilot energy signal is less than a pilot energy threshold during the observation interval and switching the mode of the receiver based on the residual block energy level and the monitor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Chris Cheng-Chieh Lee
  • Patent number: 8948402
    Abstract: A receiver may estimate a channel condition based on a difference between a pilot energy signal and a filtered pilot energy signal. The receiver may further switch to a stereophonic mode when both the difference and an energy level of the pilot energy signal satisfy a predetermined requirement of the receiver, and switch to a monophonic mode when either the difference or the energy level of the pilot energy signal fail to satisfy the predetermined requirement of the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Chris Cheng-Chieh Lee
  • Patent number: 8929558
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for improving a stereo audio signal of an FM stereo radio receiver. The apparatus comprises a parametric stereo (PS) parameter estimation stage. The parameter estimation stage is configured to determine one or more parametric stereo parameters based on the stereo audio signal in a frequency-variant or frequency-invariant manner. Preferably, these PS parameters are time- and frequency-variant. Moreover, the apparatus comprises an upmix stage. The upmix stage is configured to generate the improved stereo signal based on a first audio signal and the one or more parametric stereo parameters. The first audio signal is obtained from the stereo audio signal, e.g. by a downmix operation in a downmix stage. The PS parameter estimation stage may be part of a PS encoder. The upmix stage may be part of a PS decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Jonas Engdegard, Heiko Purnhagen, Karl Jonas Roeden
  • Patent number: 8879740
    Abstract: An audio receiver may include a mono/stereo detector that causes the audio receiver to output either a monophonic or a stereophonic signal based on a difference between a pilot energy signal and a filtered pilot energy signal. The audio receiver includes a filter that filters the pilot energy signal to generate a filtered pilot energy signal, wherein a variable leakage factor associated with the filter is used to minimize a noise level of the filtered pilot energy signal and to reduce a response time of the audio receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Chris Cheng-Chieh Lee
  • Patent number: 8779962
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods including an analog-to-digital controller (ADC) configured to receive an enable signal and to provide an ADC output signal to control logic, wherein the control logic is configured to provide a control voltage to a control input of a switch. In an example, the control voltage includes the ADC output signal when the ADC output signal is below a first threshold or above a second threshold. In certain examples, the control logic is configured to transition the control voltage from the first threshold to the second threshold when the ADC output signal is between the first and second thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: John L. Carpentier, Julie Lynn Stultz, Steven Macaluso
  • Patent number: 8744088
    Abstract: A decoding method, medium, and device decoding an input signal, including compressed multi-channel signals as a mono or stereo signal, into 2-channel binaural signals. A full band channel level of each channel in the multi-channel system is calculated from channel level differences between the channels, and data of each channel included in the input signal is localized in directions corresponding to the channels based on the calculated full band channel levels of the channels. Accordingly, the input signal can be output as the 2-channel binaural signals by using simple operations without having to reconstruct multi-channel signals from the input signal in a quadrature mirror filter (QMF) domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sangchul Ko, Youngtae Kim, Sangwook Kim, Jungho Kim
  • Patent number: 8712771
    Abstract: The present invention relates to means and methods of automated difference recognition between speech and music signals in voice communication systems, devices, telephones, and methods, and more specifically, to systems, devices, and methods that automate control when either speech or music is detected over communication links. The present invention provides a novel system and method for monitoring the audio signal, analyze selected audio signal components, compare the results of analysis with a pre-determined threshold value, and classify the audio signal either as speech or music.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Inventor: Alon Konchitsky
  • Patent number: 8699963
    Abstract: An audio subsystem in a mobile communication device has a speaker. In one implementation, the audio subsystem has a higher-gain power amplifier, a lower-gain power amplifier, and a switching system configured to route signals produced by the lower-gain power amplifier to the speaker while the device is operative in a first mode and configured to route signals produced by the higher-gain power amplifier to the speaker while the device is operative in a second mode. In another implementation, the audio subsystem has a power amplifier coupled to the speaker and a power supply control controlled to provide voltage at a first voltage level to the power amplifier while the device is operative in a first mode and controlled to provide voltage at a second, higher, voltage level to the power amplifier while the device is operative in a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Chao Chen, Li Huang, Dan Kaufman
  • Patent number: 8612239
    Abstract: Provided is an audio coding apparatus and method that can selectively apply a operation mode of a coding module for stereo or multi-channel representation according to input signal characteristics of each channel, when voice or music signals are transmitted using an audio codec in portable terminals capable of stereo or multi-channel input and output. The audio coding apparatus includes a down-mixer for down-mixing multi-channel audio signals into mono signals; a coder for coding the mono signals; an input channel correlation analyzer for deciding whether to give them stereo effect based on their signal distribution characteristics, and outputting a control signal indicating whether to perform stereo representation process; and a stereo representation unit for performing stereo representation process onto the multi-channel audio signals when the control signal indicating to perform stereo representation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Electronics & Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Mi-Suk Lee, Do-Young Kim, Hae-Won Jung
  • Patent number: 8588718
    Abstract: A method comprises detecting whether or not a frequency modulation broadcast receiver is tuned to an overdeviated frequency modulated broadcast, or is at a location where overdeviated frequency modulated broadcasts exist or has received a user input indicating the presence of an overdeviated frequency modulated broadcast; and in response to the detection, automatically adjusting operation of the frequency modulated broadcast receiver. Automatically adjusting operation comprises adjusting one or more parameters or settings in such a way as to alter the susceptibility of a speaker arrangement to the possibility of being overdriven by overdeviated frequency modulated broadcasts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Neil Briffett
  • Patent number: 8582787
    Abstract: Described herein is a preamplifier circuit for a capacitive acoustic transducer provided with a MEMS detection structure that generates a capacitive variation as a function of an acoustic signal to be detected, starting from a capacitance at rest; the preamplifier circuit is provided with an amplification stage that generates a differential output signal correlated to the capacitive variation. In particular, the amplification stage is an input stage of the preamplifier circuit and has a fully differential amplifier having a first differential input (INP) directly connected to the MEMS detection structure and a second differential input (INN) connected to a reference capacitive element, which has a value of capacitance equal to the capacitance at rest of the MEMS detection structure and fixed with respect to the acoustic signal to be detected; the fully differential amplifier amplifies the capacitive variation and generates the differential output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Filippo David, Igino Padovani
  • Patent number: 8565444
    Abstract: The present invention includes apparatuses and methods comprising a means for detecting the presence of speakers and microphones coupled to a portable multi-function device (such as Apple's iPhone™). In response, a portable multi-function device can adapt its output depending on the nature of the coupled headset device. In particular, a portable multi-function device containing the present invention can, upon detecting only one speaker in a coupled headset accessory device, combine the multiple channels of a stereo audio signal into a single mono audio signal. Likewise, a portable multi-function device containing the present invention can alert users to the absence of a coupled microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Johnson
  • Patent number: 8467549
    Abstract: An audio information processing apparatus for processing input audio information is adapted to input an audio signal composed of front area audio information that should be input to a front speaker and rear area audio information that should be input to a plurality of speakers. A mixer is adapted to mix the rear area audio information in accordance with an instruction from an instruction circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taizo Hori
  • Patent number: 8411871
    Abstract: Implementations related to echo cancellation are depicted and described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Lantiq Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: David Schwingshackl, Joerg Hauptmann, Gerhard Paoli, Dietmar Straeussnigg
  • Patent number: 8369532
    Abstract: A device for processing an audio signal, wherein the device comprises a detection unit adapted for detecting a widening state of the audio signal, and a widening modification unit adapted for modifying a widening characteristic of the audio signal depending on the detected widening state of the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Ronaldus Maria Aarts
  • Patent number: 8325935
    Abstract: A wireless system including a first speaker and a second speaker, where the first and second speakers communicate with each other over a wireless link. In some configurations, the first speaker includes both a primary wireless interface for receiving audio from an audio source and a secondary wireless interface transmitting a portion of the audio to the second speaker. The speaker can incorporate Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to provide the wireless link between each other. The wireless system can be configured to synchronize audio output at the speakers, and can also include a second-speaker detection mechanism that permits the first speaker to be used in either a stand-alone mode, with audio output at only the first speaker, or full-headset mode, with audio output at both speakers when the second speaker is detected within wireless range of the first speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Phillip Rutschman
  • Patent number: 8320572
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for directing operation of a microphone system. In one embodiment, the microphone system comprises a plurality of component modules. First, a diagnostic test is performed to determine a diagnostic result indicating whether the component modules have failed the diagnostic test. Whether a plurality of required component modules corresponding to a current application mode for operating the microphone system have failed the diagnostic test is then determined according to the diagnostic result, wherein the application mode requires cooperation of the required component modules selected from the component modules of the microphone system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Fortemedia, Inc.
    Inventors: Guangnuan Liu, Shiang Steve Charng, Tom Hsia
  • Patent number: 8306493
    Abstract: Performing a decoding mode of a frequency modulation (FM) signal for an adaptive FM radio receiver includes passing the FM signal through a FM demodulator to obtain a composite signal that includes a pilot signal and noise around the pilot signal, passing the composite signal through a band bass filter, filtering the pilot signal from the noise using a pilot and noise separator that includes a notch filter that filters the pilot signal from the noise, obtaining average amplitudes of the pilot signal and the noise, comparing a ratio between the average amplitudes of the pilot signal and the noise with a programmable threshold, and selecting a decoding mode and an audio low pass filter. The decoding mode is selected based on a quality of the pilot signal being decoded and the audio LPF is selected based on the comparison ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Newport Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Yongru Gu
  • Patent number: 8295495
    Abstract: An FM audio receiver can include a mono/stereo detector that causes the audio receiver to output either a monophonic or a stereophonic signal based on a received pilot tone energy. An accurate operation of the receiver, including but not limited to correct decoding of monophonic/stereophonic reception, can be based on the receiver operating with the same rated maximum system deviation (RMSD) as the received signal itself. Aspects of the disclosure describe a system and method of detecting and matching a receiver's RMSD to that of a received signal by demodulating a carrier bearing a an input signal over a first bandwidth, extracting a pilot energy signal from the input signal, and demodulating the carrier bearing the input signal over a second bandwidth if the pilot energy signal is within a pilot energy range for a first predetermined amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Chris Cheng-Chieh Lee
  • Patent number: 8155335
    Abstract: A wireless headset includes a first earpiece and a second earpiece, where the first and second earpieces communicate with each other over a wireless link. In some configurations, the first earpiece includes both a primary wireless interface for receiving audio from an audio source and a secondary wireless interface transmitting a portion of the audio to the second earpiece. The earpieces can incorporate Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to provide the wireless link between each other. The wireless headset can be configured to synchronize audio output at the earpieces, and can also include a second-earpiece detection mechanism that permits the first earpiece to be used in either a stand-alone mode, with audio output at only the first earpiece, or full-headset mode, with audio output at both earpieces when the second earpiece is detected within wireless range of the first earpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Inventor: Phillip Rutschman
  • Patent number: 8139771
    Abstract: A system and method for switching a mode of a receiver between a monophonic and stereophonic mode is disclosed. The method can include generating a residual signal indicative of a noise level associated with a pilot energy signal, calculating a residual block energy level of the residual signal over an observation interval, generating a monitor signal based on a number of times the pilot energy signal is less than a pilot energy threshold during the observation interval and switching the mode of the receiver based on the residual block energy level and the monitor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Chris Cheng-Chieh Lee
  • Patent number: 8139772
    Abstract: A receiver may estimate a channel condition based on a difference between a pilot energy signal and a filtered pilot energy signal. The receiver may further switch to a stereophonic mode when both the difference and an energy level of the pilot energy signal satisfy a predetermined requirement of the receiver, and switch to a monophonic mode when either the difference or the energy level of the pilot energy signal fail to satisfy the predetermined requirement of the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Chris Cheng-Chieh Lee
  • Patent number: 8130990
    Abstract: In a hearing aid system comprising two hearing aids between which wireless signal transmission is provided. The hearing aids are automatically switched on and off. To this end, a field strength or value of an electromagnetic signal received by a hearing aid that is transmitted from the respective other hearing aid may be determined. The determined value is compared with a threshold value, the relevant hearing aid being switched off (sleep mode), as long as the field strength is greater than the threshold value and the hearing aid being switched on as long as the measured field strength is lower than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Jürgen Reithinger
  • Patent number: 8081781
    Abstract: For achieving an audio reproduction with high sound quality, in a multi-channel A/V amplifier, front speakers are driven with a parallel-drive bi-amplifier arrangement upon stereo reproduction. In the case of the multi-channel reproduction mode, the switching circuit allows an output signal of each channel of the decoder to be sent to speakers via amplifiers for each channel in one-to-one correspondence. On the other hand, in the case of the 2-channel stereo reproduction mode, the switching circuit allows at least two amplifiers among the plurality of amplifiers to be connected in parallel between the output signal for each of the channels L and R of the decoder and the speakers for each of the channels L and R, and also allows the timing of the output signals of the respective amplifiers to be varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Atsuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8045840
    Abstract: A video-audio recording and reproducing apparatus (101) has a built-in stereo microphone (21a, 21b) and an external microphone connection terminal (32). The external microphone connection terminal (32) is connected to a binaural microphone (3) to be attached to the ears of a photographer (300). When the binaural microphone (3) is used to collect ambient sounds, an audio signal to be recorded on a recording medium is switched from an audio signal from the built-in stereo microphone (21a, 21b) to a binaural audio signal from the binaural microphone (3). The photographer (300) puts the binaural microphone (3 (31a, 31b)) on his or her ears and collects ambient sounds around the photographer (300) including a sound emanating from an object. The object is photographed with a camera unit (11). The recording medium records the binaural audio signal, a photographed video signal, and a binaural flag signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Limited
    Inventors: Hisako Murata, Takuma Suzuki, Sadahiro Yasura, Miki Haneishi, Katsumi Hasegawa, Naoko Aizaki, Yoshihisa Fujinami, Masami Takeda, Takayuki Sugahara
  • Patent number: 8014531
    Abstract: An adder mixes an L-channel sound signal and an R-channel sound signal with each other and then outputs a mixed signal. A switching unit performs a switching operation such that, if power is being supplied to loudspeaker amplifiers, the L-channel sound signal and the R-channel sound signal are respectively supplied to the loudspeaker amplifiers, and if power is not being supplied to the loudspeaker amplifier, an output signal of the adder is supplied to the loudspeaker amplifier. A power down control unit forces a loudspeaker amplifier to which power is not supplied and a preamplifier for driving the loudspeaker amplifier to be in a power-down state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Toda
  • Patent number: 7991621
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing an encoded signal and method thereof are disclosed, by which an audio signal can be compressed and reconstructed in higher efficiency. An audio signal processing method includes the steps of identifying whether a type of an audio signal is a music using first type information, if the type of the audio signal is not the music signal, identifying whether the type of the audio signal is a speech signal or a mixed signal using second type information, and if the type of the audio signal is determined as either the speech signal or the mixed signal, reconstructing the audio signal according to a coding scheme applied per frame using coding identification information. If the type of the audio signal is the music signal, the first type information is received only. If the type of the audio signal is the speech signal or the mixed signal, both of the first type information and the second type information are received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignees: LG Electronics Inc., Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei University
    Inventors: Hyen O Oh, Jeong Ook Song, Chang Heon Lee, Yang Won Jung, Hong Goo Kang
  • Patent number: 7889871
    Abstract: The sound reproduction of a multichannel sound reproduction system with a plurality of speakers which is connected to the output of an FM stereo receiver is controlled by a control signal derived from the reception quality. Preferably, the control signal from the FM stereo receiver for controlling the stereo and mono components is also employed to control the multichannel sound reproduction system. For example, stereo, pseudo-stereo or mono reproduction are provided in the multichannel sound reproduction system in response to the stereo component within the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Gierl, Christoph Benz, Hans-Juergen Nitzpon, Andreas Koerner
  • Patent number: RE42949
    Abstract: A communication system for sending a sequence of symbols on a communication link. The system includes a transmitter for placing information indicative of the sequence of symbols on the communication link and a receiver for receiving the information placed on the communication link by the transmitter. The transmitter includes a clock for defining successive frames, each of the frames including M time intervals, where M is an integer greater than 1. A modulator modulates each of M carrier signals with a signal related to the value of one of the symbols thereby generating a modulated carrier signal corresponding to each of the carrier signals. The modulated carriers are combined into a sum signal which is transmitted on the communication link. The carrier signals include first and second carriers, the first carrier having a different bandwidth than the second carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hybrid Audio LLC
    Inventors: Michael A. Tzannes, Peter N. Heller, John P. Stautner, William R. Morrell, Sriram Jayasimha
  • Patent number: RE44980
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically changing a state of a device coupled to a headphone device is provided. The system comprises a means for detecting if at least one earpiece of the headphone device is activated or deactivated. Based on an activation state or a change in an activation state of the at least one earpiece, a state change may occur in the device. The state change is determined by a preset of a control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Stewart Sargaison