Patents Assigned to Plantronics, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11510197
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing multiple wireless links, e.g., between base stations and wireless headsets. Each wireless link communicates data packets (e.g., audio data packets) according to a wireless protocol (e.g., Bluetooth) defining a series of connection intervals having a defined number of frames (e.g., Bluetooth eSCO intervals including 6 or 12 frames per interval). A controller stores interval segmentation data specifying a first interval segment (including a first subset of frames) allocated to original transmissions of packets and at least one additional interval segment (including additional subsets of frames) allocated to retransmissions of failed packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: PLANTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Jacobus Cornelis Haartsen
  • Patent number: 11501578
    Abstract: A videoconferencing device at an endpoint determines whether a person is a real person standing in front of a display device or if the person is instead an image rendered by a display device. In the first instance the real person will be included in a video feed for transmission to a remote endpoint. In the second instance, images of the display device on which the person is rendered will not be included in the video feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Hailin Song, Hai Xu, Xi Lu, Fangpo Xu
  • Patent number: 11496675
    Abstract: A teleconferencing system, comprising: a camera, wherein the camera is configured to capture an image data stream comprising one or more image data frames in accordance with one or more image-capture parameters; and a processor coupled to the camera, wherein the processor is configured to: receive the image data stream from the camera; determine a region of interest within an image data frame of the image data stream; identify a sub-portion of the image data frame corresponding to the region of interest; evaluate a quality of image data corresponding to the sub-portion; determine that the quality of the image data corresponding to the sub-portion is below one or more predetermined quality thresholds; update one or more of the image-capture parameters of the camera, responsive to determining that the quality of the image data corresponding to the sub-portion is below the one or more predetermined quality thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: PLANTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: David A. Bryan, Kui Zhang, Varun Ajay Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 11496836
    Abstract: Headsets with an improved headband are provided. In some embodiments, a headset comprises: a left earphone assembly; a right earphone assembly; and a headband assembly having a left end movably coupled to the left earphone assembly and a right end movably coupled to the right earphone assembly. The headband assembly comprises: an outer headband, extending between the left end and the right end of the headband assembly; a first elongated housing, arranged on an interior side of the outer headband and extending from the left end of the headband assembly to a first housing inner end; a second elongated housing, arranged on the interior side of the outer headband and extending from the right end of the headband assembly to a second housing inner end; and an inner headband, coupled between the first housing inner end and the second housing inner end on an interior side of the outer headband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: PLANTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew J. Mainini, John A. Kelley, Stann N. Sheperd
  • Patent number: 11494473
    Abstract: A headset for acoustic authentication of a user is provided, the headset comprising at least a first microphone, a second microphone, a controllable filter, and an authenticator. The first microphone is arranged to obtain a first input signal. The second microphone is arranged to obtain a second input signal. The controllable filter is configured to receive the first input signal and the second input signal and to determine at least one filter transfer function from the received first input signal and the second input signal. The authenticator is configured to determine a current user acoustic signature from the at least one filter transfer function and to compare the current user acoustic signature with a predefined user acoustic signature and to authenticate the user based on the comparison of the current user acoustic signature with the predefined user acoustic signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: PLANTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Shridhar K Mukund
  • Publication number: 20220353615
    Abstract: Headsets with an improved headband are provided. In some embodiments, a headset comprises: a left earphone assembly; a right earphone assembly; and a headband assembly having a left end movably coupled to the left earphone assembly and a right end movably coupled to the right earphone assembly. The headband assembly comprises: an outer headband, extending between the left end and the right end of the headband assembly; a first elongated housing, arranged on an interior side of the outer headband and extending from the left end of the headband assembly to a first housing inner end; a second elongated housing, arranged on the interior side of the outer headband and extending from the right end of the headband assembly to a second housing inner end; and an inner headband, coupled between the first housing inner end and the second housing inner end on an interior side of the outer headband.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew J. MAININI, John A. KELLEY, Stann N. SHEPERD
  • Publication number: 20220353309
    Abstract: One or more embodiments relate to a computer implemented method that includes extracting file attribute values for multiple files on a conferencing endpoint, and extracting, from a conferencing application, conference attribute values. Responsive to a trigger of a file share via the conferencing application and during a conference call, the computer implemented method further includes selecting a matching file from the multiple files by applying a matching algorithm to the conference attribute values and the file attribute values, and presenting, during the conference call, recommended content including the matching file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Grover
  • Publication number: 20220337927
    Abstract: A system includes a speaker enclosure, a speaker in the speaker enclosure, and a meta cell. The meta cell includes an opening on a first end connected to the speaker enclosure, and a closed cavity on a second end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Stanley FOLETTA, Steven L. POTTS
  • Patent number: 11477328
    Abstract: PTP timestamps are obtained and correlated to internal audio time and timestamps. This allows Ethernet/IP audio devices to be closely aligned with local digital audio devices to allow improved AEC operations. By performing repetitive PTP timestamps based on local audio time, drift between PTP time and local audio time is determined and corrected. By performing the PTP to local audio time operations on each independent Ethernet network, the Ethernet/IP audio devices can be split between independent LANs. If some local digital audio inputs formed from analog inputs are not aligned with other local digital audio inputs, signals can be provided in analog format and audio samples of the signals can be correlated to local audio time. With correlations performed as necessary based on the various audio inputs in use, high quality AEC operations are performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Yibo Liu, Steven Potts, Peter Chu, Richard Kos, Gary Brown, John Dietz
  • Patent number: 11475869
    Abstract: A method for hybrid noise suppression involves receiving a first processed audio signal and a second processed audio signal from an audio device. The first processed audio signal results from a comprehensive audio processing including a noise spectrum estimate-based noise suppression performed on a noisy audio input signal obtained by the audio device. The second processed signal results from a partial audio processing excluding the noise spectrum estimate-based noise suppression performed on the noisy audio input signal. The method further involves temporally aligning the second processed audio signal with the first processed audio signal, predicting a noise suppression parameter using a neural network model operating on the second processed audio signal after the temporal alignment, generating a noise-suppressed audio output signal from the first processed audio signal after the temporal alignment using the noise suppression parameter, and outputting the noise-suppressed audio output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kwan Kin Truong, Jacob T. Meyberg Guzman, Peter L. Chu
  • Patent number: 11477393
    Abstract: A method of view selection in a teleconferencing environment includes receiving a frame of image data from an optical sensor such as a camera, detecting one or more conference participants within the frame of image data, and identifying an interest region for each of the conference participants. Identifying the interest region comprises estimating head poses of participants to determine where a majority of the participants are looking and determining if there is an object in that area. If a suitable object is in the area at which the participants are looking, such as a whiteboard or another person, the image data corresponding to the object will be displayed on a display device or sent to a remote teleconference endpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: PLANTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: David A. Bryan, Wei-Cheng Su, Stephen Paul Schaefer, Alain Elon Nimri, Casey King
  • Publication number: 20220329755
    Abstract: A method of tracking a presenter during a videoconference, comprising: detecting, in a data stream, data indicating a presence of one or more persons at a videoconferencing endpoint, the data stream comprising a plurality of frames; detecting tracker initiation data (e.g., that a person is actively talking, or that a person has raised their hand, or both) in the data stream; determining a subject of interest responsive to the tracker initiation data, and tracking the subject of interest as they move while making a presentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: PLANTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: HAI XU, XI LU, YONGKANG FAN, WENXUE HE, HAILIN SONG
  • Patent number: 11469792
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for carrier selection are described. In one example, a method of carrier selection for a frequency-hopping wireless communication device includes using a fixed set of available carriers to hop over during communications. The method includes allocating a subset of the available carriers to a long-range carrier class. In one example, the subset of available carriers consists of at least two carrier clusters spaced widely in the frequency spectrum. The method further includes monitoring a transmit power level in the wireless communication device. The method further includes using the long-range carrier class to hop over during communications if the wireless communication device transmit power is greater than a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Jacobus Cornelis Haartsen
  • Publication number: 20220318962
    Abstract: One illustrative method includes: (a) obtaining a video frame sequence having alternating fast and slow exposure frames; (b) applying a convolutional neural network twice to each frame in the video frame sequence, first when the frame is paired with a preceding frame, and again when the frame is paired with a subsequent frame, each time converting a pair of fast and slow exposure frames into an enhanced dynamic range video frame; and (c) outputting an enhanced video frame sequence. In another illustrative method, the convolutional neural network converts pairs of adjacent fast and slow exposure frames into corresponding pairs of enhanced dynamic range video frames. In yet another illustrative method, neighboring video frames for each given video frame are interpolated to form a fast and slow exposure frame pair, which the convolutional neural network converts into a corresponding enhanced dynamic range video frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: PLANTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: YONGKANG FAN, HAI XU, XI LU, HAILIN SONG
  • Publication number: 20220319032
    Abstract: A method (1000) for operating cameras (202) in a cascaded network (100), comprising: capturing a first view (1200) with a first lens (326) having a first focal point (328) and a first centroid (352), the first view (1200) depicting a subject (1106); capturing a second view (1202) with a second lens (326) having a second focal point (328) and a second centroid (352); detecting a first location of the subject (1106), relative the first lens (326), wherein detecting the first location of the subject (1106), relative the first lens (326), is based on audio captured by a plurality of microphones (204); estimating a second location of the subject (1106), relative the second lens (326), based on the first location of the subject (1106) relative the first lens (326); selecting a portion (1206) of the second view (1202) as depicting the subject (1106) based on the estimate of the second location of the subject (1106) relative the second lens (326).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: PLANTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: YONGKANG FAN, HAI XU, WENXUE HE, HAILIN SONG, TIANRAN WANG, XI LU
  • Publication number: 20220319034
    Abstract: A teleconferencing system (100) comprises: a first camera (202) including a first lens (326) having a first focal point (328) and a first centroid (352), and configured to capture a first view (900) corresponding to a subject (702); a second lens (326) having a second focal point (328) and a second centroid (352), and configured to capture a second view (902) corresponding to the subject (702); and a processor (206) coupled to the first camera device (202) and the second camera device (202). The processor (206) is configured to: estimate a first orientation (351) of the subject (702) relative the first lens (326) and a second orientation (351) of the subject relative the second lens (326); and determine that the first orientation (351) is more closely aligned with a first line (307) from the first centroid (352) to the first focal point (328) than is the second orientation (351) aligned with a second line (307) from the second centroid (352) to the second focal point (328).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: PLANTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Yongkang Fan, HAI XU, Hailin Song, TIANRAN WANG, Xi Lu
  • Publication number: 20220312094
    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: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Wen Tang
  • Publication number: 20220303478
    Abstract: A method may include obtaining a frame of a video stream of multiple video streams of a video conference, obtaining face detection information identifying a face size and a face position of at least one face detected in the frame, and cropping and scaling the frame according to at least one crop and scale parameter using the face detection information to obtain a modified first frame. The at least one crop and scale parameter is based on frames of the multiple video streams. The frames include the frame. The method may further include presenting the modified frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Hai Xu, Xi Lu, Yongkang Fan, Tiantian Pang, Matthew Xiang
  • Patent number: D969099
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Bowman Wang, George Janour
  • Patent number: D969104
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph W. Yang