Patents Assigned to Parrot
  • Publication number: 20130301109
    Abstract: An electrowetting optical device is provided comprising a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid, the liquids being non miscible, having different refractive indices and forming an interface, wherein the conductive liquid comprises from 5% by weight of a fluorinated salt, based the total weight of the conductive liquid. An apparatus comprising said electrowetting optical device is described as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: PARROT
    Inventors: Mathieu Maillard, Geraldine Malet, Matthias Stefan Ober, Daniel L. Dermody
  • Patent number: 8545555
    Abstract: According to a first aspect, the invention relates to an electrically controlled focusing ophthalmic device (43) to be worn by a user, comprising:—at least one active liquid lens comprising a liquid/liquid interface movable by electrowetting under the application of a voltage,—a driver for applying a DC voltage to said active liquid lens, the amplitude of the voltage to be applied being a function of the desired focusing;—a sensor (41) for detecting eyelid closing events and/or microsaccades of the user;—a controller for synchronizing said sensor and the driver, such that the driver may reverse the polarization of the DC voltage during a microsaccade and/or an eyelid closing event of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Parrot
    Inventor: Bruno Berge
  • Publication number: 20130230191
    Abstract: The method comprises the steps of: a) converting the digital audio signal (PCM) into a voltage signal (VE); b) first lowshelf filtering of fixed gain (G2); c) calculating a value of excursion (x) of the loudspeaker; d) comparing the excursion with a maximum value and calculating a first gain of possible attenuation (G3); e) second lowshelf filtering of gain (G4+G3) taking into account the first gain of possible attenuation; g) comparing with the maximum saturation or clipping voltage (vMAX) and calculating a second gain of possible attenuation (G5); h) third lowshelf filtering gain (G6+G3+G5) taking into account the first and/or second gains of possible attenuation; i) comparing with the maximum saturation or clipping voltage (vMAX) and applying a gain of possible overall attenuation (G7); j) optionally compensating for the nonlinearities of the loudspeaker response; and k) reversely converting the signal (Vs) into a digital audio signal (S) without dimension, for later amplification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: PARROT
    Inventors: Vu Hoang Co Thuy, Benoit Pochon
  • Patent number: 8504117
    Abstract: This method comprises the following steps in the frequency domain: a) estimating a probability that speech is present; b) estimating a spectral covariance matrix of the noise picked up by the sensors, this estimation being modulated by the probability that speech is present; c) estimating the transfer functions of the acoustic channels between the source of speech and at least some of the sensors relative to a reference constituted by the signal picked up by one of the sensors, this estimation being modulated by the probability that speech is present; d) calculating an optimal linear projector giving a single combined signal from the signals picked up by at least some of the sensors, from the spectral covariance matrix, and from the estimated transfer functions; and e) on the basis of the probability that speech is present and of the combined signal output from the projector, selectively reducing the noise by applying variable gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Parrot
    Inventor: Charles Fox
  • Patent number: 8498447
    Abstract: The method operates by estimating the differential movement of the scene picked up by a vertically-oriented camera. Estimation includes periodically and continuously updating a multiresolution representation of the pyramid of images type modeling a given picked-up image of the scene at different, successively-decreasing resolutions. For each new picked-up image, an iterative algorithm of the optical flow type is applied to said representation. The method also provides responding to the data produced by the optical-flow algorithm to obtain at least one texturing parameter representative of the level of microcontrasts in the picked-up scene and obtaining an approximation of the speed, to which parameters a battery of predetermined criteria are subsequently applied. If the battery of criteria is satisfied, then the system switches from the optical-flow algorithm to an algorithm of the corner detector type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Parrot
    Inventor: Thomas Derbanne
  • Publication number: 20130176423
    Abstract: The drone (10) comprises an onboard video camera (14) picking up a sequence of images to be transmitted to a remote control. The user selects an exposure mode such as forward or sideways, panoramic or boom plane, tracking, defining a trajectory to be transmitted to the drone. Corresponding setpoint values are generated and applied to a processing subsystem controlling the motors of the drone. Once the drone is stabilized on the prescribed trajectory (38), the exposure by the video camera (14) is activated and the trajectory is stabilized by an open loop control avoiding the oscillations inherent in a servocontrol with feedback loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: PARROT
    Inventor: Parrot
  • Publication number: 20130175905
    Abstract: The apparatus comprises: a case (100), in particular a case that can be integrated into a motor vehicle dashboard; a front panel element (200), removably mounted on the case; and means for the reversible assembly and fixation of the front panel element to the case. Such means include: at a first end of the front panel element and of the case, a dismountable magnetic hinge comprising a first pair of magnetic elements (124, 224), arranged on the case and on the front panel element, respectively, opposite to each other and in mutual attraction; and at an opposed, second end of the front panel element and of the case, means for locking the front panel element to the case, comprising a lock (212) and a second pair of magnetic elements (126, 226), arranged on the case and on the front panel element, respectively, opposite to each other and in mutual repulsion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: PARROT
    Inventor: Parrot
  • Publication number: 20130173088
    Abstract: The user inclines the apparatus (16) according to the pitch (32) and roll (34) axes to produce inclination signals (?I, ?I) which are transformed into corresponding command setpoints (?d, ?d) for the drone (10) in terms of attitude of the drone according to the pitch (22) and roll (24) axes of the drone. The drone and the apparatus each determine the orientation of their local reference frame (XlYlZl; XbYbZb) in relation to an absolute reference frame linked to the ground (XNEDYNEDZNED), to determine the relative angular orientation of the drone in relation to the apparatus. Then, the reference frame of the apparatus is realigned on the reference frame of the drone by a rotation that is a function of this relative angular orientation. The realigned values thus correspond to user commands referenced in the reference frame of the apparatus and no longer in that of the drone, which allows for more intuitive piloting when the user is watching the drone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: PARROT
    Inventor: PARROT
  • Patent number: 8474761
    Abstract: This method implements a transition from i) moving state in which the drone is flying at speed and tilt angle that are not zero to ii) hovering state in which the drone has speed and tilt angle that are both zero. The method comprises: a) measuring horizontal linear speed, tilt angles, and angular speeds at the initial instant; b) setting stopping time value; c) on the basis of initial measurements and set stopping time, parameterizing a predetermined predictive function that models optimum continuous decreasing variation of horizontal linear speed as a function of time; d) applying setpoint values to a loop for controlling motors of the drone, which values correspond to target horizontal linear speed precalculated from said parameterized predictive function; and e) once hovering state has been reached, activating a hovering flight control loop for maintaining drone at speed and tilt angle that are zero relative to the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Parrot
    Inventor: Francois Callou
  • Patent number: 8472940
    Abstract: The method includes determining (100) a first surface of a first coverage zone, determining (102) second surfaces of second coverage zones, determining (104), amongst the second coverage zones, a second coverage zone, referred to as the most probable second coverage zone, whose second surface has the greater overlapping with the surface of the first coverage zone, and attempting (106) to synchronize the turner with a second signal emitted over the most probable second coverage zone, in order to receive a second service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Parrot
    Inventors: Guillaume Defoug, Joseph Antunes
  • Patent number: 8473125
    Abstract: The respective motors of the drone (10) can be controlled to rotate at different speeds in order to pilot the drone both in attitude and speed. A remote control appliance produces a command to turn along a curvilinear path, this command comprising a left or right turning direction parameter and a parameter that defines the radius of curvature of the turn. The drone receives said command and acquires instantaneous measurements of linear velocity components, of angles of inclination, and of angular speeds of the drone. On the basis of the received command and the acquired measurements, setpoint values are generated for a control loop for controlling motors of the drone, these setpoint values controlling horizontal linear speed and inclination of the drone relative to a frame of reference associated with the ground so as to cause the drone to follow curvilinear path (C) at predetermined tangential speed (u).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Parrot
    Inventors: Michael Rischmuller, Frederic D'haeyer
  • Patent number: 8473012
    Abstract: The equipment comprises a pilot box (10) mounted on the dashboard, an offset box (12) and a link (14) for coupling these boxes. The pilot box comprises a signal processing and equipment control digital processor (18) and, coupled to this processor, an information display screen (20), means for applying user commands, and means (26) of wireless coupling with a remote phone (28). The offset box (12) comprises an audio amplifier (52) and a power supply (46) linked to the vehicle electrical network (48). The coupling link is consisted of a bidirectional digital bus adapted to convey concurrently digital signals and power supply currents. The offset box comprises an audio codec (56) coupling the digital bus to the audio amplifier, and an interconnection arrangement (38, 50, 58, 60, 64) for the wire connection to a plurality of peripheral devices (40, 42, 44, 62, 68, 72) of the equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Parrot
    Inventors: Simao Borges Varela, Antoine Loizeau
  • Publication number: 20130147265
    Abstract: A remote control unit carries control keys and possesses in its back face a battery housing with central and peripheral power supply contacts, and also with signal transmission contacts. An active support carries a portion in relief suitable for penetrating into the housing of the unit to take the place of the power supply battery. Two power supply terminals are connected to a power supply line and arranged so as to bear against the respective power supply contacts of the unit when the portion in relief is inserted and locked in the housing of the unit, with the same applying for signal transmission terminals that are arranged on the portion in relief in positions that correspond to the transmission contacts of the unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: PARROT
    Inventor: Parrot
  • Patent number: 8458535
    Abstract: The packet interleaving method includes selecting successive input sets of consecutive input packets (X1 . . . XNin) received from a forward correction module (14), each input packet (Xj) being a vector of constellation points of a predetermined constellation diagram. For each input set, it further includes generating an output set of output packets (O1 . . . ONout), each output packet (Om) being a vector of constellation points, by distributing the constellation points of each input packet (Xj) of the input set, and sending the output packets (O1 . . . ONout) of the output set to a modulator (18). The input set including Nin input packets (X1 . . . XNin) and each of the Nin input packets (X1 . . . XNin) including a same number Lin of constellation points, the number Nout of output packets in the output set is related to Lin by the relation Lin=A×Nout, where A is a fixed whole number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Parrot
    Inventors: Emmanuel Hamman, Xenofon Doukopoulos
  • Publication number: 20130129105
    Abstract: The headset comprises two earpieces each having a transducer for playing back the sound of an audio signal and received in an acoustic cavity defined by a shell having an ear-surrounding cushion. The active noise control comprises, in parallel, a feedforward bandpass filter receiving the signal from an external microphone, a feedback bandpass filter receiving as input an error signal delivered by an internal microphone, and a stabilizer bandpass filter locally increasing the phase of the transfer function of the feedback filter in an instability zone, in particular a waterbed effect zone around 1 kHz. A summing circuit delivers a weighting linear combination of the signal delivered by these filters together with the audio signal to be played back. Control is non-adaptive, with the parameters of the filters being static.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: PARROT
    Inventor: Parrot
  • Patent number: 8370140
    Abstract: A multi-microphone hands-free device operating in noisy surroundings implements a method of de-noising a noisy sound signal. The noisy sound signal comprises a useful speech component coming from a directional speech source and an unwanted noise component, the noise component itself including a lateral noise component that is non-steady and directional. The method operates in the frequency domain and comprises combining signals into a noisy combined signal, estimating a pseudo-steady noise component, calculating a probability of transients being present in the noisy combined signal, estimating a main arrival direction of transients, calculating a probability of speech being present on the basis of a three-dimensional spatial criterion suitable for discriminating amongst the transients between useful speech and lateral noise, and selectively reducing noise by applying a variable gain specific to each frequency band and to each time frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Parrot
    Inventors: Guillaume Vitte, Julie Seris, Guillaume Pinto
  • Patent number: D683326
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Parrot
    Inventor: Thierry Sanlaville
  • Patent number: D687414
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: PARROT
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Vuillet
  • Patent number: D687415
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Parrot
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Vuillet
  • Patent number: D694134
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: PARROT
    Inventor: Edouard Simoens