Directional Patents (Class 381/356)
  • Patent number: 11902770
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for providing three-dimensional (3D) immersive sound is provided. The system includes a loudspeaker and at least one controller. The loudspeaker transmits an audio output signal in a listening environment. The at least one controller is programmed to store a plurality of directional bands with each directional band being defined by a narrowband frequency interval and to store at least psychoacoustic scale including a sub-band for each directional band. The at least one controller is further programmed to determine an energy for the sub-band and generate a loudspeaker driving signal based at least on the energy for the sub-band to drive the loudspeaker to transmit the audio output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Ziad Ramez Hatab
  • Patent number: 11510012
    Abstract: An integrated optical transducer for detecting dynamic pressure changes comprises a micro-electro-mechanical system, MEMS, die having a MEMS diaphragm with a first side exposed to the dynamic pressure changes and a second side. The transducer further comprises an application specific integrated circuit, ASIC, die having an evaluation circuit configured to detect a deflection of the MEMS diaphragm, in particular of the second side of the MEMS diaphragm. The MEMS die is arranged with respect to the ASIC die such that a gap with a gap height is formed between the second side of the diaphragm and a first surface of the ASIC die and the MEMS diaphragm, the ASIC die and a suspension structure of the MEMS die delineate a back volume of the integrated optical transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: AMS AG
    Inventors: Goran Stojanovic, Colin Steele, Erik Jan Lous, Anderson Pires Singulani
  • Patent number: 11418901
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for providing three-dimensional (3D) immersive sound is provided. The system includes a loudspeaker and at least one controller. The loudspeaker transmits an audio output signal in a listening environment. The at least one controller is programmed to store a plurality of directional bands with each directional band being defined by a narrowband frequency interval and to store at least psychoacoustic scale including a sub-band for each directional band. The at least one controller is further programmed to determine an energy for the sub-band and generate a loudspeaker driving signal based at least on the energy for the sub-band to drive the loudspeaker to transmit the audio output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Ziad Ramez Hatab
  • Patent number: 11395058
    Abstract: Presented herein are contaminant-proof microphone assemblies for use with devices/apparatuses, such as auditory prostheses, that include one or more microphones disposed within a housing. A contaminant-proof microphone assembly in accordance with certain embodiments presented herein includes a microphone, a microphone plug, and a contaminant-proof membrane. The microphone plug has a first end coupled to the microphone and a second end that is configured to be positioned adjacent the contaminant-proof membrane. As such, the microphone plug is disposed between a sound inlet of the microphone and the contaminant-proof membrane. The microphone plug may be configured to mate with the housing or a gasket attached to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Nathan Isaacson, Adam Mujaj
  • Patent number: 10645493
    Abstract: Provided are sound direction detection sensors capable of detecting an input direction of sound and electronic apparatuses including the same. A sound direction detection sensor includes a sound inlet receiving input sound, a sound outlet outputting the sound input through the sound inlet, and a plurality of directional vibrators arranged between the sound inlet and the sound outlet in such a manner that at least one directional vibrator selectively reacts based on a direction of the sound input through the sound inlet, wherein a direction perpendicular to a direction of a directional vibrator having a lowest output in magnitude among the plurality of directional vibrators is determined as an input direction of the sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sungchan Kang, Cheheung Kim, Yongseop Yoon, Choongho Rhee
  • Patent number: 10341786
    Abstract: The present invention regards a hearing aid device at least one environment sound input, a wireless sound input, an output transducer, electric circuitry, a transmitter unit, and a dedicated beamformer-noise-reduction-system. The hearing aid device is configured to be worn in or at an ear of a user. The at least one environment sound input is configured to receive sound and to generate electrical sound signals representing sound. The wireless sound input is configured to receive wireless sound signals. The output transducer is configured to stimulate hearing of the hearing aid device user. The transmitter unit is configured to transmit signals representing sound and/or voice. The dedicated beamformer-noise-reduction-system is configured to retrieve a user voice signal representing the voice of a user from the electrical sound signals. The wireless sound input is configured to be wirelessly connected to a communication device and to receive wireless sound signals from the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Michael Syskind Pedersen, Jesper Jensen, Jan Mark De Haan
  • Patent number: 10264379
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer product for providing a visual indication of sound capture capability of a microphone includes receiving data corresponding to a polar pattern and a sound capture range of the microphone from a memory, generating a projection signal based on the data corresponding to the polar pattern and the sound capture range provided from the memory, generating a virtual image based on the projection signal, and projecting the generated virtual image near a sound source. The virtual image provides a visual indication of capability of the microphone to capture a sound generated by the sound source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Martin G. Keen, Adam Smye-Rumsby, Paul A. R. Frank, Hernan A. Cunico
  • Patent number: 10257621
    Abstract: A method for operating a hearing system is defined, wherein a sound signal emanating from a sound source is measured by a plurality of microphones, which are fitted in different devices. Each of the microphones detects the sound signal and generates therefrom a microphone signal. The hearing system is binaural and two of the devices are each embodied as a hearing aid. For at least the two microphone signals from the microphones of the hearing aids there is determined an individual reverberation time in each case, and the individual reverberation times are combined in a dataset from which a general reverberation time is determined. An operating parameter of the hearing system is adjusted according to the general reverberation time. A corresponding hearing system is also defined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Tobias Daniel Rosenkranz, Stefan Petrausch
  • Patent number: 10242690
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure may include a system and method for speech enhancement using the coherent to diffuse sound ratio. Embodiments may include receiving an audio signal at one or more microphones and controlling one or more adaptive filters of a beamformer using a coherent to diffuse ratio (“CDR”).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobias Wolff, Timo Matheja, Markus Buck
  • Patent number: 10212529
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer product for providing a visual indication of sound capture capability of a microphone includes receiving data corresponding to a polar pattern and a sound capture range of the microphone from a memory, generating a projection signal based on the data corresponding to the polar pattern and the sound capture range provided from the memory, generating a virtual image based on the projection signal, and projecting the generated virtual image near a sound source. The virtual image provides a visual indication of capability of the microphone to capture a sound generated by the sound source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Martin G. Keen, Adam Smye-Rumsby, Paul A. R. Frank, Hernan A. Cunico
  • Patent number: 10154330
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) microphone assembly is provided. The assembly includes an enclosure, a MEMS transducer, and a plurality of substrate layers. The single MEMS transducer is positioned within the enclosure. The plurality of substrate layers support the single MEMS transducer. The plurality of substrate layers define a first transmission mechanism to enable a first side of the single MEMS transducer to receive an audio input signal and a second transmission mechanism to enable a second side of the single MEMS transducer to receive the audio input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: John C Baumhauer, Jr., Fengyuan Li, Larry A. Marcus, Alan D. Michel, Marc Reese
  • Patent number: 10148811
    Abstract: A method, device, a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for controlling a voice signal by an electronic device including a first microphone, a second microphone, a communication interface, and a processor are provided. The method includes acquiring a first voice signal by using the first microphone; acquiring a second voice signal by using the second microphone; confirming a telephone call mode for performing, by the electronic device, a telephone call with an external electronic device; adjusting a first output attribute corresponding to the first voice signal or a second output attribute corresponding to the second voice signal, based on the telephone call mode; and transmitting the adjusted first voice signal or the adjusted second voice signal to the external electronic device by using the communication interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Gang-Youl Kim, Jun-Tai Kim, Min-Ho Bae, Beak-Kwon Son, Jung-Yeol An, Chul-Min Choi, Yang-Su Kim, Jae-Mo Yang, Nam-Woog Lee, Keun-Won Jang, Hyun-Min Choi
  • Patent number: 10142763
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to audio signal processing. Specifically, a method for processing audio signal is provided, the method comprising: determining, for a current frame of the audio signal, frequency band energies for a plurality of predefined frequency bands at least partially based on frequency parameters of the current frame; generating frequency band gains for the plurality of predefined frequency bands by processing the frequency band energies; and generating frequency bin gains for the current frame based on the frequency band gains using predefined frequency band filter banks, the frequency band filter banks being specific to the plurality of predefined frequency bands. Corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Zhiwei Shuang, David S. McGrath, Michael W. Mason
  • Patent number: 10015587
    Abstract: A dynamic microphone that enables taking a long propagation path of a sound wave on a back side of a diaphragm, and by which unidirectivity can be obtained even at a low frequency. The dynamic microphone includes: a dynamic microphone unit; and an air chamber provided on a back side of a diaphragm of the dynamic microphone unit, wherein the air chamber is folded back to make a propagation path of a sound wave on the back side of the diaphragm long, a plurality of acoustic resistors is arranged in the air chamber at intervals to each other in a direction of the propagation path of a sound wave, and acoustic resistance values of the plurality of acoustic resistors become higher as the propagation path of a sound wave goes away from the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Patent number: 9872102
    Abstract: A microphone device includes a case having a sound hole and a phase delay membrane. A plurality of non-directional microphones disposed in the case. A semiconductor chip is connected to the non-directional micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) microphones and operating in response to input signals, in which any one of the non-directional microphones forms a directional microphone by being connected with the sound hole and the phase delay membrane of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Ilseon Yoo
  • Patent number: 9860631
    Abstract: A sound recording module including a sound-collecting space, a sound wave inlet, and a sound-receiving element is provided. The sound-collecting space at least has a reflecting zone. The reflecting area is adjacent to a first sound wave gathering zone and a second sound gathering zone, respectively. The first sound wave gathering zone appears in form of a hand web and defines a sound-receiving element fixing portion in the deepest position of the first sound gathering zone. The sound wave inlet is correspondingly formed on at least part of a periphery of the second sound gathering zone. The sound-receiving element is disposed at the sound-receiving element fixing portion of the first sound gathering zone. The sound-receiving element is configured to record a sound entering the sound-collecting space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Merry Electronics (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Diego Jose Hernandez Garcia, Ming-Yo Hung, Wen-Hong Wang
  • Patent number: 9854368
    Abstract: A method of operating a hearing aid system using adaptive time-frequency analysis in order to provide improved noise reduction and enhanced speech intelligibility, and a hearing aid system (100, 200) comprising an adaptive filter bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Widex A/S
    Inventor: Kristian Timm Andersen
  • Patent number: 9743175
    Abstract: A microphone includes a microphone unit that converts a sound into an electrical signal. A tubular housing houses the microphone unit and includes a rear opening portion in a side surface. A step portion surrounds the rear opening portion in an inner surface of the housing. A plate-like shielding member is attached to the step portion from an inner surface side of the housing, and a circuit board housed in the housing in contact with the shielding member includes a ground pattern its side surface and in a contact position between the circuit board and the shielding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Patent number: 9609426
    Abstract: An acoustic tube attaching unit that attaches an acoustic tube to a side of a main body case where a microphone unit is mounted. The acoustic tube attaching unit includes first and second elastic members lying between a fixing member and a washer, and bolts that tight the fixing member and the washer in an axial direction. A peripheral edge surface of the first elastic member is formed in a linear manner, and a peripheral edge surface of the second elastic member is formed in a recessed surface manner, so that the peripheral edge surface of the first elastic member protrudes in an outer peripheral direction by elastic deformation by the tightening of the bolts. The acoustic tube is attached to the main body case side by fixing action to an inner wall of the acoustic tube by the protrusion of the first elastic member in the outer peripheral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Patent number: 9591411
    Abstract: A hearing assistance system calibrates a noise reduction system of a hearing assistance device. The system comprises a hearing assistance device, and an auxiliary device. The hearing assistance device comprises a multitude of input units, and a multi-channel beamformer filtering unit configured to determine filter weights for a beamformed signal. The system further comprises a user interface for activating a calibration mode. The auxiliary device comprises an output transducer for converting an electric calibration signal to an acoustic calibration sound signal. The system is configured to estimate a look vector for a target signal originating from a target signal source located at a specific location relative to the user based on the acoustic calibration sound signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Jesper Jensen, Michael Syskind Pedersen
  • Patent number: 9584888
    Abstract: A microphone includes a microphone unit having a diaphragm vibrating in response to sound. The microphone unit converts the sound into an electrical signal. A cylindrical casing contains the microphone unit. A metal mesh strip rounded along the inner surface of the casing is attached to the inner surface of the main wall of the casing so as to cover openings. The rounded metal mesh strip has a spring portion generating spring force to expand the metal mesh strip against the inner surface of the casing to provide electrostatic shielding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Patent number: 9516430
    Abstract: A binaural hearing assistance system includes left and right hearing assistance devices, and a user interface. The left and right hearing assistance devices comprises a) at least two input units for providing a time-frequency representation of an input signal in a number of frequency bands and a number of time instances; and b) a multi-input unit noise reduction system comprising a multi-channel beamformer filtering unit operationally coupled to said at least two input units and configured to provide a beamformed signal. The binaural hearing assistance system is configured to allow a user to indicate a direction to or location of a target signal source relative to the user via said user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Jesper Jensen, Michael Syskind Pedersen, Jan Mark De Haan
  • Patent number: 9510074
    Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) optical sensor including an enclosure having a top wall, a bottom wall and a sidewall connecting the top wall and the bottom wall. The sensor further including a compliant membrane positioned within the enclosure, which is configured to vibrate in response to an acoustic wave and having a grating formed therein. A reflector is formed directly on an inner surface of one of the bottom wall or the top wall of the enclosure. A light emitter is positioned within the enclosure along a side of the compliant membrane opposite the reflector, the light emitter is configured to transmit a laser light toward the grating and the reflector. A light detector is positioned along the side of the compliant membrane opposite the reflector, the light detector configured to detect an interference pattern of the laser light, which is indicative of an acoustic vibration of the compliant membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jae H. Lee, Janhavi S. Agashe
  • Patent number: 9497546
    Abstract: The stereo boundary microphone includes a boundary plate, a case body attached to the boundary plate and having an elongate shape including left and right grooves provided in opposite sides and extending along the longitudinal direction, first and second side walls covering the grooves included in the case body by predetermined distances to form left and right acoustic passages, and first and second microphones contained in tail end portions of the acoustic passages so as directional axes of the first and second microphones to be parallel. An opening communicating with the tail end portion of the case body is provided and services as a rear acoustic terminal to be used by both the first and second microphones. Front ends of the acoustic passages formed by the side walls serve as left and right front acoustic terminals of the first and second microphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Patent number: 9497528
    Abstract: Speech from a driver and speech from a passenger in a vehicle is selected directionally using a plurality of directional microphones. Sounds detected as coming from a passenger from a plurality of directional microphones are suppressed from sounds detected as coming from a driver by a second plurality of directional microphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jianming Song, Mike Reuter
  • Patent number: 9460724
    Abstract: An audio signal decoder for providing an upmix signal representation on the basis of a downmix signal representation and an object-related parametric information and in dependence on a rendering information has an object parameter determinator. The object parameter determinator is configured to obtain inter-object-correlation values for a plurality of pairs of audio objects. The object parameter determinator is configured to evaluate a bitstream signaling parameter in order to decide whether to evaluate individual inter-object-correlation bitstream parameter values to obtain inter-object-correlation values for a plurality of pairs of related audio objects, or to obtain inter-object-correlation values for a plurality of pairs of related audio objects using a common inter-object-correlation bitstream parameter value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Juergen Herre, Johannes Hilpert, Andreas Hoelzer, Jonas Engdegard, Heiko Purnhagen
  • Patent number: 9338571
    Abstract: A direction of at least one sound source from an array of microphones is determined by obtaining a plurality of solutions sets from audio signals acquired from the microphones array, each solutions set being obtained by applying a sound source localization method to the audio signals, each solution defining a sound direction candidate. Then, solutions are grouped into groups of solutions and at least one of the groups is removed, based on a criterion of disparity between the solutions sets. The direction of the at least one sound source from directions associated with the remaining groups is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Johann Citerin, Gérald Kergourlay
  • Patent number: 9313319
    Abstract: A method includes determining by a sensor of a mobile device that a first ambient sound level represents a quiet context for the mobile device, providing a audio signal to a speaker of the mobile device in response to determining that the first ambient sound level represents a quiet context, determining, by the sensor, that a second ambient sound level represents a first noisy context for the mobile device, wherein the second ambient sound level is louder than the first ambient sound level, modifying the audio signal into a beam forming audio signal in response to determining that the second ambient sound level represents the first noisy context, and providing the beam forming audio signal to the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: DELL PRODUCTS, LP
    Inventors: Deeder M. Aurongzeb, Erin K. Walline
  • Patent number: 9131315
    Abstract: A MEMS microphone with a built-in textile material protecting screen comprises a microphone body having an opening thereat is arranged a textile material protecting screen which is built-in in the microphone body, during the production phase of the MEMS device called “packaging”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: SAATI S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marco Mietta, Paolo Canonico
  • Patent number: 9100737
    Abstract: A microphone boom is provided with extendable microphone arrays, and a headset having such a microphone boom. The headset comprise a casing accommodating the signal transmission circuitry and further comprises a speaker adapted to serve a sound signal at the proximity of a users ear and the speaker is protruding from the casing at a speaker-end of the casing and one microphone array is fixated relative to the casing distally with respect to the speaker-end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: SENNHEISER COMMUNICATIONS A/S
    Inventors: Esge Brandt Andersen, Claus Benjaminsen, Svend Feldt, Christian Wang, Torben Christiansen, Brian Brorsbøl
  • Patent number: 9031620
    Abstract: A second microphone device of a mobile terminal, and more particularly, a second microphone device of a mobile terminal for preventing various limitations caused by mounting of a second microphone, is provided. The second microphone device includes an ear jack connector having an insertion space, a microphone hole connected at one end to the insertion space, and a second microphone connected at the other end of the microphone hole, thereby improving ambient noise removal performance of the mobile terminal without adversely affecting its appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Jae Ko, Min Seok Kim, Jin Hong Park
  • Patent number: 9025805
    Abstract: A condenser microphone includes a unit case that supports a condenser microphone unit, has an internal space in communication with a rear acoustic terminal of the microphone unit, and has an opening in a peripheral wall in communication with the internal space; a volume restrictor that reduces the volume of the internal space by partitioning the internal space; a circuit board disposed in the internal space and surrounded by the volume restrictor; and a rigid conductor that electrically connects a signal output terminal of the microphone unit and the circuit board. The circuit board intersects the center axis of the unit case. The rigid conductor is supported such that the rigid conductor slides along the volume restrictor. An elastic conductor is compressed between the rigid conductor and the circuit board or between the rigid conductor and the signal output terminal of the microphone unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Patent number: 9025797
    Abstract: A ribbon microphone includes a ribbon microphone unit; an acoustic box for mounting a rear acoustic terminal of the ribbon microphone unit; a detective microphone mounted in the acoustic box, the detective microphone detecting sound waves identical to sound waves guided to the rear acoustic terminal of the ribbon microphone unit; a speaker comprising a diaphragm, the speaker being assembled in the acoustic box and varying the pressure in the acoustic box in response to the driven diaphragm; and a drive unit for driving the speaker so as to cancel a variation in pressure in the acoustic box in response to signals detected by the detective microphone, the variation being caused by sound waves guided to the rear acoustic terminal. This configuration extracts an omnidirectional component without an acoustic tube to achieve a small high-sensitivity unidirectional ribbon microphone and a unidirectional converter for the ribbon microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Patent number: 9020179
    Abstract: A unidirectional condenser microphone includes a front acoustic terminal disposed on a forward portion of a microphone case, a rear acoustic terminal disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the microphone case, and a directionality varying member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the microphone case. The directionality varying member switches between a first position and a second position. The directionality varying member covers the rear acoustic terminal at the first position while the rear acoustic terminal is opened at the second position. The front acoustic terminal is displaced ahead of the front surface of the microphone case, and the directionality varying member is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the microphone case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventors: Hiroshi Akino, Noriko Matsui
  • Patent number: 8989411
    Abstract: A vacuum sealed directional microphone and methods for fabricating said vacuum sealed directional microphone. A vacuum sealed directional microphone includes a rocking structure coupled to two vacuum sealed diaphragms which are responsible for collecting incoming sound and deforming under sound pressure. The rocking structure's resistance to bending aids in reducing the deflection of each diaphragm under large atmospheric pressure. Furthermore, the rocking structure exhibits little resistance about its pivot thereby enabling it to freely rotate in response to small pressure gradients characteristic of sound. The backside cavities of such a device can be fabricated without the use of the deep reactive ion etch step thereby allowing such a microphone to be fabricated with a CMOS compatible process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Neal A. Hall, Michael Louis Kuntzman, Karen Denise Kirk
  • Patent number: 8983106
    Abstract: A narrow directional microphone including a film for suppressing wind noise capable of being displaced by a wind pressure, a unidirectional microphone unit having a front acoustic terminal, a cylindrical acoustic tube having a prescribed axial length, and an acoustic resistor disposed at a position which is on an outward side of the film and at which the resistor does not come into contact with the film even when the film is displaced by the wind pressure. A rear end of the acoustic tube is coupled to a side of the front acoustic terminal of the unidirectional microphone unit, and a front end opening of the acoustic tube is covered with the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Patent number: 8948433
    Abstract: Provided is a narrow-angle directional microphone in which a microphone unit is attached to an acoustic tube, the acoustic tube is accommodated a microphone case and which prevents the rattling of components provided in the microphone case and has high mechanical strength. A narrow-angle directional microphone 1 includes a microphone unit 2, an acoustic tube 3 that has an opening formed in a circumferential wall along an axis direction and a rear end to which the microphone unit is connected, a cylindrical microphone case 4 that accommodates the acoustic tube, and fixing means 3a, 4a, 10, and 20a that fix the acoustic tube in the microphone case, with stress being applied to the acoustic tube in the microphone case in the axis direction from the leading end side of the acoustic tube using the rear end of the acoustic tube as a fulcrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Patent number: 8948432
    Abstract: A microphone unit includes a case; a diaphragm arranged inside the case; and an electric circuit unit that processes an electric signal generated in accordance with vibration of the diaphragm. The case has a first sound introducing space that introduces a sound from outside of the case to a first surface of the diaphragm via a first sound hole; and a second sound introducing space that introduces a sound from outside of the case to a second diaphragm, via a second sound hole. A resonance frequency of the diaphragm is set in the range of ±4 kHz based on the resonance frequency of at least one of the first sound introducing space and the second sound introducing space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignees: Funai Electric Co., Ltd., Funai Electric Advanced Applied Technology Research Institute Inc.
    Inventors: Fuminori Tanaka, Ryusuke Horibe, Takeshi Inoda, Masatoshi Ono, Rikuo Takano, Toshimi Fukuoka
  • Patent number: 8938085
    Abstract: A microphone adapter is attachable to a microphone including a microphone unit and a casing having a front sound terminal and a back sound terminal. The microphone adapter has a bottom having a hole through which the casing of the microphone extends and a cylindrical peripheral wall integrated with the bottom, having an open end opposite to the bottom, and covering the periphery of the back sound terminal. The cylindrical peripheral wall has an internal diameter larger than the external diameter of the casing of the microphone so as to define a space between the cylindrical peripheral wall and the external peripheral surface of the casing of the microphone extending through the hole, and extends from the bottom at least to a position of the front sound terminal in a sound collection axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventors: Noriko Matsui, Hiroshi Akino
  • Publication number: 20140376761
    Abstract: A microphone includes a housing and a microphone capsule positioned within the housing. The microphone is also provided with a vibration damping, non-porous capsule support member supporting the microphone capsule within the housing and electronic circuitry transmitting the signal from the microphone capsule to other equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Michael James Godfrey
  • Publication number: 20140355808
    Abstract: A condenser microphone includes a unit case that supports a condenser microphone unit, has an internal space in communication with a rear acoustic terminal of the microphone unit, and has an opening in a peripheral wall in communication with the internal space; a volume restrictor that reduces the volume of the internal space by partitioning the internal space; a circuit board disposed in the internal space and surrounded by the volume restrictor; and a rigid conductor that electrically connects a signal output terminal of the microphone unit and the circuit board. The circuit board intersects the center axis of the unit case. The rigid conductor is supported such that the rigid conductor slides along the volume restrictor. An elastic conductor is compressed between the rigid conductor and the circuit board or between the rigid conductor and the signal output terminal of the microphone unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Patent number: 8892432
    Abstract: Provided is a signal separation system including a rendering unit which receives a first and a second input signal and positions the first input signal according to rendering information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Shimada, Akihiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8891784
    Abstract: A microphone assembly for use with an aftermarket telematics unit mounted in a passenger compartment of a vehicle is disclosed herein. The aftermarket telematics unit has a chamber having an opening that generally faces towards a rear of the vehicle and the microphone assembly includes, but is not limited to, a directional wideband microphone disposed within the chamber. A preamplifier is internally mounted within the directional wideband microphone. The preamplifier has an electrical lead and is both electrically and structurally attached to the aftermarket telematics unit via the electrical lead. The electrical lead is the sole means of physical attachment between the directional wideband microphone and the preamplifier, on the one hand, and the aftermarket telematics unit on the other hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Jesse T. Gratke
  • Patent number: 8891797
    Abstract: An audio format transcoder for transcoding an input audio signal, the input audio signal having at least two directional audio components. The audio format transcoder including a converter for converting the input audio signal into a converted signal, the converted signal having a converted signal representation and a converted signal direction of arrival. The audio format transcoder further includes a position provider for providing at least two spatial positions of at least two spatial audio sources and a processor for processing the converted signal representation based on the at least two spatial positions to obtain at least two separated audio source measures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Oliver Thiergart, Cornelia Falch, Fabian Kuech, Giovanni Del Galdo, Juergen Herre, Markus Kallinger
  • Patent number: 8873777
    Abstract: A first diaphragm FD and a second diaphragm RD are respectively arranged across a fixed electrode BP at both sides to constitute the variable directivity condenser microphone. A microphone body 1 includes a vacuum tube Q1 for impedance converting an audio signal obtained at the fixed electrode, and a connector 2 provided with a hot side connector terminal and a cold side connector terminal through which the audio signal that is impedance converted by the vacuum tube is outputted in parallel. A means for supplying a polarization voltage applied to the second diaphragm RD from an external power supply circuit 3 is arranged such that the hot side connector terminal and the cold side connector terminal are used as a forward conductor and a ground connector terminal for the microphone body arranged at the connector is used as a return conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Satoshi Yoshino
  • Patent number: 8861750
    Abstract: A remote controlled robot system that includes a robot and a remote control station. The robot includes a binaural microphone system that is coupled to a speaker system of the remote control station. The binaural microphone system may include a pair of microphones located at opposite sides of a robot head. the location of the microphones roughly coincides with the location of ears on a human body. Such microphone location creates a mobile robot that more effectively simulates the tele-presence of an operator of the system. The robot may include two different microphone systems and the ability to switch between systems. For example, the robot may also include a zoom camera system and a directional microphone. The directional microphone may be utilized to capture sound from a direction that corresponds to an object zoomed upon by the camera system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Intouch Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Bjorn Roe, Daniel Steven Sanchez, Marco Pinter, Derek Walters, Charles S. Jordan
  • Patent number: 8861764
    Abstract: An enclosure (10) of a microphone unit (1) includes a mounting portion (11) which has a mounting surface (11a) where a first vibration portion (13) and a second vibration portion (15) are mounted and in which, in the back surface (11b) of the mounting surface (11a), a first sound hole (23) and a second sound hole (25) are provided; in the enclosure (10), a first sound path (41) is provided that transmits sound waves input through the first sound hole (23) to one surface of a first diaphragm (134) and that also transmits the sound waves to one surface of a second diaphragm (154) and a second sound path (42) is provided that transmits sound waves input through the second sound hole to the other surface of the second diaphragm (154).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fuminori Tanaka, Takeshi Inoda, Ryusuke Horibe
  • Patent number: 8848962
    Abstract: A unidirective condenser microphone unit includes a diaphragm; a fixed electrode facing the diaphragm with a gap and defining a capacitor together with the diaphragm; an insulating spacer disposed adjacent to the rear surface of the fixed electrode and supporting the fixed electrode; an acoustic resistor disposed in an air chamber defined by the front surface of the insulating spacer and the fixed electrode; a unit case, a front acoustic terminal; and a rear acoustic terminal. The insulating spacer has a protrusion projecting toward the fixed electrode with a gap, and the protrusion is fixed to the surface of the fixed electrode with fixing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Patent number: 8842869
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sound source localization using microphones are disclosed. The method includes: receiving signals coming from a sound source through microphones covering all directions; distinguishing the received signals into those signals directly input to the microphones from the sound source (direct signals) and those signals indirectly input to the microphones (indirect signals); identifying a candidate region at which the sound source is present using locations of the microphones receiving direct signals; selecting a point in the candidate region as a candidate location; drawing one or more virtual tangent lines, contacting with the circumference of the apparatus, from the candidate location; placing locations of the microphones receiving indirect signals on the virtual tangent lines; and localizing the sound source on the basis of signals passing through the microphones receiving direct signals and through the virtual locations of the microphones receiving indirect signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyun Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 8824719
    Abstract: A microphone unit (1) comprises a first vibrating part (14), a second vibrating part (15), and a case (10) for accommodating the first vibrating part (14) and the second vibrating part (15), the case being provided with a first sound hole (132) and a second sound hole (133). The case (10) is provided with a first sound channel (41) for transmitting acoustic pressure inputted from the first sound hole (132) to one surface (142a) of a first diaphragm (142) and to one surface (152a) of a second diaphragm (152), a second sound channel (42) for transmitting acoustic pressure inputted from the second sound hole (133) to the other surface (152b) of the second diaphragm (152), and a sealed space (S) that faces the other surface (142b) of the first diaphragm (142).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fuminori Tanaka, Ryusuke Horibe, Shuji Umeda, Takeshi Inoda