Patents Assigned to Plantronics, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11777754
    Abstract: The number of persons in a still image acquired during a videoconference may change over time due to movement or persons entering or exiting a conference room. Minimizing the number of person identifiers that are tracked is beneficial for framing purposes. Typically, a stream of frames is sent to a far side, such as another endpoint device, for viewing. If the number of persons identified keeps changing, the composition of the stream of frames will be constantly changing as well. By using person identification and the use of timers, movement by the same person or a temporary change in a number or set of persons may be detected without making changes to the number of identifiers and persons being framed. It is only when a change has persisted past a period of time that changes are made to the frames, thereby improving the overall viewing experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kui Zhang, Raghavendra Balavalikar Krishnamurthy, Rajen Bhatt
  • Patent number: 11776520
    Abstract: A method for hybrid noise suppression includes receiving a processed audio signal from an audio device. The processed audio signal results from a partial audio processing performed on a noisy audio input signal. The method further includes predicting a noise suppression parameter using a neural network model operating on the processed audio signal and generating a noise-suppressed audio signal from the processed audio signal, using the noise suppression parameter. The method further includes generating a noise-suppressed audio output signal from the noise-suppressed audio signal using an additional audio processing and outputting the noise-suppressed audio output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kwan Kin Truong, Jacob T. Meyberg Guzman, Peter L. Chu
  • Patent number: 11778407
    Abstract: Determining the angle of sound relative to the centerline of a microphone array. The angle of the centerline of a camera field-of-view (FoV) and the angle of the camera FoV is determined. Knowing the angle from the centerline of the microphone array of the particular sound and then the angle of the centerline of the camera FoV and angles of the camera FoV allows a determination if the sound is inside the FoV of the camera. If so, the microphones are unmuted. If not, the microphones are muted. As the camera zooms or pans, the changes in camera FoV and centerline angle are computed and used with the sound angle, so that the muting and unmuting occurs automatically as the camera zoom and pan angle change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter L. Chu, Stephen C. Botzko
  • Publication number: 20230306698
    Abstract: A method including generating, by applying a three-dimensional pose estimation model to an original image generated by a camera, estimated three-dimensional poses for people in the original image. The estimated three-dimensional poses include distances from the camera. The method further includes determining, using the distances, a far people subset of the people. Each person of the far people subset corresponds to a distance from the camera exceeding a threshold distance. The method further includes, deriving, for the far people subset, regions of interest, upscaling a region of interest for a person of the far people subset to generate an upscaled region of interest, and generating, from the original image and the upscaled region of interest, an enhanced image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Varun Ajay Kulkarni, Raghavendra Balavalikar Krishnamurthy, Kui Zhang
  • Patent number: 11769386
    Abstract: Systems and methods of managing videoconferencing endpoint capacity based on safety concerns (e.g., COVID-19), comprising: capturing a video feed corresponding to a geographic location; detecting a presence of one or more persons corresponding to the geographic location, based on data of the video feed; determining a quantity of persons corresponding to the geographic location, based the data of the video feed; determining that the quantity of persons corresponding to the geographic location exceeds a first predetermined threshold; and—in response to the determination that the quantity of persons corresponding to the geographic location exceeds the first predetermined threshold—issuing one or more alert messages and/or taking other appropriate action(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Schwerdtfeger, Robert Manassero, II, Geoffrey Dean Jensen, Sean Michael Burke, Kem Gallione, Ryan Michael Dalke, Brian Jensen
  • Patent number: 11770646
    Abstract: A communication headset includes an earcup, a headband, and a microphone boom assembly. The microphone boom assembly includes a microphone boom, a gear assembly disposed on the earcup and supporting the microphone. The gear assembly enables a rotation of the microphone boom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Wen Tang
  • Patent number: 11750968
    Abstract: An audio device including a housing having a side facing outwardly of the housing, the housing further having a first mounting position disposed on the side. The side has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion opposite the second portion relative to the first mounting position. The audio device also includes a first omnidirectional microphone disposed on the first portion. The audio device also includes a second microphone disposed on the first mounting position. The second microphone may be a second-order microphone. The second-order microphone has a first-order microphone disposed within a first platform mounted a distance from the first mounting position. The audio device also includes a first speaker disposed on the second portion. The first speaker is further disposed such that an audio output of the first speaker falls within a null of the second microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter L. Chu
  • Patent number: 11751033
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a network circuit to communicate with a network and a server on the network. The apparatus includes a wireless circuit to communicate with another wireless device. The apparatus includes control logic to determine that the other wireless device is within a given proximity of the apparatus, and to determine that the other wireless device is configured to perform automatic pairing. The control logic is further to, based on a determination that the other wireless device is within the given proximity of the apparatus and is configured to perform automatic pairing, access the server to determine whether to perform automatic pairing with the other wireless device. The control logic is to pair with the other wireless device without further input from a user of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Grover, Scott Walsh, Wilson Ching-Lun Chung
  • Patent number: 11743371
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for connection and disconnection of a shared audio endpoint. In one aspect, a method includes detecting a charging event of a user mobile device being electrically coupled to a charger, and in response to detecting the charging event, broadcasting a beacon comprising a name of a shared audio endpoint. The shared audio endpoint accepts a connection request to connect the user mobile device to the shared audio endpoint based on the beacon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Brent John Thorington
  • Publication number: 20230259740
    Abstract: Distributed machine learning inference includes acquiring, by an input device, an input frame, executing, by an embedded processor of the input device, a model feature extractor on the input frame to obtain extracted features of the input frame, and transmitting the extracted features from the input device to a processing device. The processing device executes a model feature aggregator to process the plurality of extracted features and obtain a model result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicant: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Varun Ajay KULKARNI, Raghavendra Balavalikar Krishnamurthy, Kui Zhang, David Wang
  • Patent number: 11729165
    Abstract: A method of distributed authorization of one or more client applications to one or more connected devices. The method comprises: receiving at a connected device, from a browser executing a client application, a client token and an access request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Euan Christopher Smith, Julian Hall
  • Publication number: 20230244315
    Abstract: A method implements customizable gesture commands. The method includes constructing a set of gesture containers and training a machine learning model, for a gesture container of the set of gesture containers, to detect a performance of a video gesture. The method further includes detecting the performance of the video gesture, from a gesture container of the set of gesture containers, in a video stream using the machine learning model. The method further includes executing, in response to detecting the video gesture, a command assigned to the video gesture by the gesture container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Pornthep Pechin, Kishore Venkat Rao Goka, Nhu Quynh Pham Nguyen, Srinivas Bommareddy, Raghavendra Balavalikar Krishnamurthy
  • Patent number: 11695819
    Abstract: A system for preventing private image data captured at an endpoint from being shared during a videoconference is provided. A user can select three-dimensional regions which will not be seen during a videoconference while areas in front of the designated regions remain viewable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: PLANTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Kui Zhang, Varun Ajay Kulkarni, Raghavendra Balavalikar Krishnamurthy, Rajen Bhatt, Stephen Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11696065
    Abstract: A speaker system includes a speaker, a processor, and an active noise cancellation (ANC) circuit communicatively coupled with the processor. The ANC is configured to apply ANC on audio signals from outside the speaker system to generate a modified audio signal stream through the speaker. The application of ANC is to include generation of ANC signals to interfere with at least part of the audio signals from outside the speaker system in the modified audio signal stream. The processor is configured to determine of low-frequency energy at the speaker system, the low-frequency energy below a threshold frequency. The ANC circuit is configured to, based on the determination of low-frequency energy at the speaker system, perform a corrective action on application of ANC to the audio signals from outside the speaker system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammed Hasan, Matthew Neves
  • Patent number: 11694708
    Abstract: An audio device for improved talker discrimination is provided. To improve suppression of close talker interference, the audio device comprises at least a first and a second audio input to receive a first and second voice input signal; a first filter bank, configured to provide a plurality of first sub-band signals; a second filter bank, configured to provide a plurality of second sub-band signals; a correlator, configured to determine at least one signal correlation between at least a group of the first sub-band signals and at least a group of the second sub-band signals; and an attenuator, arranged to receive at least the group of the first sub-band signals and configured to conduct signal attenuation on the group of the first sub-band signals to provide gain-controlled sub-band signals, wherein the signal attenuation is based on the determined at least one signal correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Iain McNeill, Matthew Nunes Neves, Gavin Radolan
  • Patent number: 11695900
    Abstract: Scene changes should be done pleasingly and without user input or control. Based on the number of speakers and changes in speakers, either to a different individual or movement by the same speaker, based on the locations of the speakers, and based on the overlap of the current and intended scenes, a decision is made whether to perform a smooth transition or do a cut. It has been determined that the decision on cut versus smooth transition is preferably based on the location of the center of the intended new scene versus the boundaries of the current scene, a cut used if the center is outside the boundaries and a smooth transition if inside. If a smooth transition, an easing function, such as ease in ease out, is performed to change the scene. A preferred value for the smooth transition is to perform the transition over 80 frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Rommel Gabriel Childress, Jr., Alain Elon Nimri, Stephen Paul Schaefer
  • Patent number: D995603
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas W. Paterson, Stann N. Sheperd
  • Patent number: D997137
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Kelley, Nicholas W. Paterson, Chase Patrick Bailey
  • Patent number: D1000417
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John A Kelley, Joseph W. Yang, Nicholas W. Paterson
  • Patent number: D1000428
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventor: John A. Kelley