Patents Assigned to ClearOne Inc.
  • Publication number: 20250088795
    Abstract: This disclosure describes an invention that that mutes specific talkers using at least one beamforming microphone array 102 that is configured to generate N audio signals 108 where each audio signal is associated with a spatial pickup pattern 130, the microphone array(s) 102 are located in a room 200; a processor 104 and memory 105 operably coupled to the microphone array 102, the processor 104 configured to execute the following steps: (a) selectively mute or unmute an individual talker the room with a mute function 106 that controls whether to mute or unmute the individual talker T1-T7 that is picked up by one or more of the individual audio signals, the mute function 106 includes speech learning that learns to identify different talkers in real time to allow the mute function 106 to identify transitions from one talker to another talker in the room 200, (b) output an audio signal 110 based on the selective muting of the talkers T1-T7 in the room 200.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2022
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Applicant: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek L. Graham, David K. Lambert, Russell S. Ericksen, Zeynep Hakimoglu
  • Patent number: 12231843
    Abstract: This disclosure describes an apparatus and method of an embodiment of an invention that is improves Direction of Arrival (DOA) determinations. This embodiment of the apparatus includes a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array used for beamforming, the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations and produce audio signals to be used to form a directional pickup pattern; a processor, memory, storage, and a power supply operably coupled to the microphone array, the processor configured to execute the following steps: processing an algorithm for a Direction of Arrival (DOA) determination; supplemental processing that improves the DOA processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventor: Trisha Batzer
  • Patent number: 12206485
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a wide band array that uses wideband beamforming with interference cancellation at multiple independent frequencies and spatial locations and main lobe steering at multiple independent frequencies and spatial locations. One embodiment uses one through N analysis filter bands 1410 coupled to one through N narrowband beamformers 1414 with the output processed through one through N synthesis bands and summed together to produce the full spectrum output signal 1426. Another embodiment uses one through M sensors with Discrete Fourier Transforms (DFT) and one through N frequency bins 1412 coupled to one through N narrowband beamformers 1414 processed through an Inverse DFT to produce the full spectrum output signal 1428. Another embodiment uses one through N sensor subarrays and one through N frequency bands 1406 coupled to one through N narrowband beamformers 1414 summed together to produce the full spectrum output signal 1422.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventor: Trisha Batzer
  • Patent number: 12126958
    Abstract: This disclosure describes an apparatus and method of an embodiment of an invention that is a ceiling tile microphone that includes: a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array used for beamforming where the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations and produce audio signals to be used to form a directional pickup pattern; a single ceiling tile with an outer surface on the front side of the ceiling tile where the outer surface is acoustically transparent, the microphone array couples to the back side of the single ceiling tile and combines with the single ceiling tile as a single unit; a housing that encloses signal processing circuitry and couples to the back side of the single unit; where the single unit is mountable on the ceiling using mounting accessories; where all or part of the housing is in the ceiling space above the plane of the ceiling; where the single unit further includes beamforming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek L. Graham, David K. Lambert, Michael J. Braithwaite
  • Patent number: 12052393
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a conferencing device with beamforming and echo cancellation that includes: a microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals; a processor configured to execute the following steps: (1) performing a beamforming operation; (2) performing an acoustic echo cancellation operation; (3) post processing; (4) selecting one or more of the post processed signals for transmission to the far end where a signal selector uses the far end signal as information to inhibit the signal selector from changing the selection of the post processed signals while only the far end signal is active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Pandey, Darrin T. Thurston, David K. Lambert, Tracy A. Bathurst
  • Publication number: 20240205595
    Abstract: This disclosure describes an apparatus and method of an embodiment of an invention that is a ceiling tile microphone that includes: a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array used for beamforming where the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations and produce audio signals to be used to form a directional pickup pattern; a single ceiling tile with an outer surface on the front side of the ceiling tile where the outer surface is acoustically transparent, the microphone array couples to the back side of the single ceiling tile and combines with the single ceiling tile as a single unit; a housing that encloses signal processing circuity and couples to the back side of the single unit; where the single unit is mountable on the ceiling using mounting accessories; where all or part of the housing is in the ceiling space above the plane of the ceiling; where the single unit further includes beamforming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2024
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Applicant: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek L. Graham, David K. Lambert, Michael J. Braithwaite
  • Patent number: 11950050
    Abstract: This disclosure describes an apparatus and method of an embodiment of an invention that is a ceiling tile microphone that includes: a plurality of microphones positioned at predetermined locations and coupled together as a microphone array used for beamforming; a single ceiling tile with an outer surface on the front side of the ceiling tile where the outer surface is acoustically transparent, the microphone array couples to the back side of the single ceiling tile, the microphone array combines with the ceiling tile as a single unit, the single unit is mountable in a drop ceiling in place of a single ceiling tile included in the drop ceiling, all or part of the single unit is in the drop space of the drop ceiling when the single unit is used in a drop ceiling mounting configuration; where the ceiling tile microphone further includes beamforming, acoustic echo cancellation, and auto mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Graham, David K. Lambert, Michael Braithwaite
  • Publication number: 20240022668
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a conferencing device with beamforming and echo cancellation that includes: a microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals; a processor configured to execute the following steps: (1) performing a beamforming operation; (2) performing an acoustic echo cancellation operation; (3) post processing; (4) selecting one or more of the post processed signals for transmission to the far end where a signal selector uses the far end signal as information to inhibit the signal selector from changing the selection of the post processed signals while only the far end signal is active.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Pandey, Darrin T. Thurston, David K. Lambert, Tracy A. Bathurst
  • Patent number: 11831812
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a conferencing device with beamforming and echo cancellation that includes: a microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals; a processor configured to execute the following steps: (1) performing a beamforming operation to combine the plurality of microphone signals from the microphone array into a plurality of combined signals, (2) performing an acoustic echo cancellation operation on the plurality of combined signals to generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals, (3) receiving with a voice activity detector the far end signal as an input, (4) selecting one or more of the combined echo cancelled signals for transmission to the far end where a signal selector uses the far end signal as information to inhibit the signal selector from changing the selection of the combined echo cancelled signals while only the far end signal is active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Pandey, Darrin T. Thurston, David K. Lambert, Tracy A. Bathurst
  • Patent number: 11743638
    Abstract: A beamforming microphone array may be integrated into a wall or ceiling tile as a single unit. The beamforming microphone array includes a plurality of microphones that picks up audio input signals. In addition, the wall or ceiling tile may include an acoustically transparent outer surface on the front side of the tile, and the beamforming microphone array picks up the audio input signals through the outer surface of the tile. The beamforming microphone array may be coupled to the tile as a single unit and may be integrated into the back side of the tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Graham, David K. Lambert, Michael Braithwaite
  • Patent number: 11743639
    Abstract: A beamforming microphone array may be integrated into a wall or ceiling tile as a single unit. The beamforming microphone array includes a plurality of microphones that picks up audio input signals. In addition, the wall or ceiling tile may include an acoustically transparent outer surface on the front side of the tile, and the beamforming microphone array picks up the audio input signals through the outer surface of the tile. The beamforming microphone array may be coupled to the tile as a single unit and may be integrated into the back side of the tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Graham, David K. Lambert, Michael Braithwaite
  • Publication number: 20230268977
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a wide band array that uses wideband beamforming with interference cancellation at multiple independent frequencies and spatial locations and main lobe steering at multiple independent frequencies and spatial locations. One embodiment uses one through N analysis filter bands 1410 coupled to one through N narrowband beamformers 1414 with the output processed through one through N synthesis bands and summed together to produce the full spectrum output signal 1426. Another embodiment uses one through M sensors with Discrete Fourier Transforms (DFT) and one through N frequency bins 1412 coupled to one through N narrowband beamformers 1414 processed through an Inverse DFT to produce the full spectrum output signal 1428. Another embodiment uses one through N sensor subarrays and one through N frequency bands 1406 coupled to one through N narrowband beamformers 1414 summed together to produce the full spectrum output signal 1422.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Applicant: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventor: Trisha Batzer
  • Publication number: 20230124859
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a conferencing device with beamforming and echo cancellation that includes: a microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals; a processor configured to execute the following steps: (1) performing a beamforming operation to combine the plurality of microphone signals from the microphone array into a plurality of combined signals, (2) performing an acoustic echo cancellation operation on the plurality of combined signals to generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals, (3) receiving with a voice activity detector the far end signal as an input, (4) selecting one or more of the combined echo cancelled signals for transmission to the far end where a signal selector uses the far end signal as information to inhibit the signal selector from changing the selection of the combined echo cancelled signals while only the far end signal is active.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Pandey, Darrin T. Thurston, David K. Lambert, Tracy A. Bathurst
  • Patent number: 11601749
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a ceiling tile microphone system that includes a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array and used for beamforming processing, one or more separate processing devices that couple to the microphone array, where one or more separate processing devices further include beamforming, acoustic echo cancellation, and adaptive acoustic processing; a single ceiling tile with an outer surface on the front side of the ceiling tile where the outer surface is acoustically transparent, the microphone array combines with the ceiling tile as a single unit, the ceiling tile being mountable in a drop ceiling in place of a ceiling tile included in the drop ceiling; where the system is used in a drop ceiling mounting configuration; where the microphone array couples to the back side of the ceiling tile and all or part of the system is in the drop space of the drop ceiling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Graham, David K. Lambert, Michael Braithwaite
  • Publication number: 20230050677
    Abstract: This disclosure describes an apparatus and method of an embodiment of an invention that is improves Direction of Arrival (DOA) determinations. This embodiment of the apparatus includes a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array used for beamforming, the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations and produce audio signals to be used to form a directional pickup pattern; a processor, memory, storage, and a power supply operably coupled to the microphone array, the processor configured to execute the following steps: processing an algorithm for a Direction of Arrival (DOA) determination; supplemental processing that improves the DOA processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventor: Trisha Batzer
  • Patent number: 11539846
    Abstract: This disclosure describes an apparatus and method of an embodiment of an invention that is a conferencing device that includes a microphone array that further comprises a plurality of microphones; a processor configured to execute the following steps: performing a beamforming operation to combine the plurality of microphones into a plurality of combined signals that is greater in number than one and less in number than the plurality of microphone signals, each of the plurality of combined signals corresponding to a different fixed beam; wherein performing the beamforming operation includes applying beamforming weights to the signals from each microphone to achieve a desired pickup pattern that includes a main lobe and sidelobes together with nulls for each fixed beam; performing an acoustic echo cancellation operation generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals; and selecting one or more of the combined echo cancelled signals for transmission to the far end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Pandey, Darrin T. Thurston, David K. Lambert, Tracy A. Bathurst
  • Publication number: 20220353609
    Abstract: A beamforming microphone array may be integrated into a wall or ceiling tile as a single unit. The beamforming microphone array includes a plurality of microphones that picks up audio input signals. In addition, the wall or ceiling tile may include an acoustically transparent outer surface on the front side of the tile, and the beamforming microphone array picks up the audio input signals through the outer surface of the tile. The beamforming microphone array may be coupled to the tile as a single unit and may be integrated into the back side of the tile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Graham, David K. Lambert, Michael Braithwaite
  • Publication number: 20220353610
    Abstract: A beamforming microphone array may be integrated into a wall or ceiling tile as a single unit. The beamforming microphone array includes a plurality of microphones that picks up audio input signals. In addition, the wall or ceiling tile may include an acoustically transparent outer surface on the front side of the tile, and the beamforming microphone array picks up the audio input signals through the outer surface of the tile. The beamforming microphone array may be coupled to the tile as a single unit and may be integrated into the back side of the tile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Graham, David K. Lambert, Michael Braithwaite
  • Patent number: 11303996
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a ceiling tile microphone that includes: a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array used for beamforming, the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations; a single ceiling tile with an outer surface on the front side of the ceiling tile where the outer surface is acoustically transparent, the microphone array combines with the ceiling tile as a single unit, the ceiling tile being mountable in a drop ceiling in place of a ceiling tile included in the drop ceiling; where the ceiling tile microphone further includes beamforming, acoustic echo cancellation, and auto voice tracking; where the ceiling tile microphone is used in a drop ceiling mounting configuration; where the microphone array couples to the back side of the ceiling tile and all or part of the ceiling tile microphone is in the drop space of the drop ceiling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Graham, David K. Lambert, Michael Braithwaite
  • Patent number: 11297420
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a ceiling tile microphone that includes: a plurality of microphones coupled together as a microphone array used for beamforming, the plurality of microphones are positioned at predetermined locations; a single ceiling tile with an outer surface on the front side of the ceiling tile where the outer surface is acoustically transparent, the microphone array combines with the ceiling tile as a single unit, the ceiling tile being mountable in a drop ceiling in place of a ceiling tile included in the drop ceiling; where the ceiling tile microphone further includes beamforming, acoustic echo cancellation, and auto voice tracking; where the ceiling tile microphone is used in a drop ceiling mounting configuration; where the microphone array couples to the back side of the ceiling tile and all or part of the ceiling tile microphone is in the drop space of the drop ceiling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: ClearOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Graham, David K. Lambert, Michael Braithwaite