Patents Examined by Ahmad F. Matar
  • Patent number: 11611660
    Abstract: Systems and methods described herein can automatically route an inbound call from an identified customer to one of a plurality of agents, the agent being selected on the basis of likelihood of a favorable outcome. The method determines a predictive model appropriate for the identified customer, with model variables including call center data, and targeted marketing data based upon risk data for the customer. An analytical engine calculates outcome predictions by applying the predictive model to values of model variables over a recent time interval. In a time-series analysis, this calculation is repeated while dynamically adjusting the recent time interval, until identifying a call routing option that satisfies a favorable outcome criterion. This method may be used to select the agent to handle the incoming call, and optionally to select a product for that agent to discuss with the identified customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
    Inventor: Sears Merritt
  • Patent number: 11605456
    Abstract: An acquisition system includes a processor, one or more sensors operatively coupled to the processor where the one or more sensors acquire at the ear, on the ear or within an ear canal, one or more of acceleration, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure or heart-rate, and the one or more sensors configured to monitor a biological state or a physical motion or both for an event. The event can be a detection of a discrepancy when compared with a set of reference data by the one or more sensors or the biological state or the event can be one of a detection of an abrupt movement of a headset operatively coupled to the processor, a change in location of an earpiece operatively coupled the processor, a touching of the headset, a recognizing of a voice command, a starting or ending of a phone call, or a scheduled time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Staton Techiya, LLC
    Inventors: Steven W. Goldstein, John Usher, Marc Andre Boillot
  • Patent number: 11601756
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a pair of headphones may be provided with left and right speakers for playing audio to a user. Control circuitry in the electronic device may play audio through the speakers in an unreversed configuration in which left channel audio is played through a first of the speakers that is adjacent to a left ear of the user and right channel audio is played through a second of the speakers that is adjacent to a right ear of the user or a reversed configuration in which these channel assignments are reversed. The headphones may have ear cups that house the speakers. Capacitive touch sensors, force sensors, and other sensors on the ear cups may measure ear shapes and finger grip positions on the ear cups to determine whether to operate in the unreversed or reversed configuration. Sensors may gather gestures and other user touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan R. Peterson, Daniel D. Sunshine, Yohji Hamada, Daniel A. Podhajny, Kathryn P. Crews, Jahan Minoo, David M. Kindlon
  • Patent number: 11601757
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods related to audio input prioritization are described. Systems may include to one or more sound devices. Audio input may be played on a sound device based on one or more settings applied to the audio input. A setting can be determined based on feedback received by a host. In an example, a method for prioritizing audio input may include receiving a plurality of audio inputs each comprising signaling representative of different sounds, and each from a different application, identifying an attribute of each audio input of the plurality of audio inputs, prioritizing each audio input based on the identified attribute of each audio input, and sending each audio input to a sound device to be played based on the prioritization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Carla L. Christensen, Bhumika Chhabra, Zahra Hosseinimakarem
  • Patent number: 11594233
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, devices and computer program products for encoding and decoding of a vector of parameters in an audio coding system. The disclosure further relates to a method and apparatus for reconstructing an audio object in an audio decoding system. According to the disclosure, a modulo differential approach for coding and encoding a vector of a non-periodic quantity may improve the coding efficiency and provide encoders and decoders with less memory requirements. Moreover, an efficient method for encoding and decoding a sparse matrix is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Leif Jonas Samuelsson, Heiko Purnhagen
  • Patent number: 11595520
    Abstract: Initiating a conference call includes receiving a conference call request message from an initiating user specifying a plurality of other users and determining an availability of the other users to receive conference call invitations. A conference call is initiated between the initiating user and one or more of the other users that are determined to be available. The availability of one or more of the other users determined to be unavailable is monitored and interaction with a conference call invitation by one or more of the other users determined to be unavailable is enabled upon their monitored availability changing from unavailable to available. The interaction with the conference call invitation by the other users is conditioned on whether the conference call is still in progress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: W. Karl Renner, Stephen Vaughan Murphy
  • Patent number: 11593058
    Abstract: Disclosed are techniques to improve power consumption of portable audio devices through the use of a plurality of adapters. Each of the plurality of adapters can be used to modify and/or enhance the functionality of the portable audio device. The portable audio device can include respective circuitry that is activated in response to detecting that a specific one of the plurality of adapters is coupled to the portable audio device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Logitech Europe S.A.
    Inventors: Ahmad Shamsoddini, Jeremy Saxton, Hamidreza Niknami, John Chen, Guillaume Mathias
  • Patent number: 11570611
    Abstract: Disclosed according to various embodiments are an electronic device for opening a communication service and a method for an operation of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taikuin Mun, Bongsoo Jeong, Jiah Choi, Junbeom Kim, Donghyoun Son, Siyoul Choi
  • Patent number: 11570566
    Abstract: A method for generating loudspeaker signals associated with a target screen size is disclosed. The method includes receiving a bit stream containing encoded higher order ambisonics signals, the encoded higher order ambisonics signals describing a sound field associated with a production screen size. The method further includes decoding the encoded higher order ambisonics signals to obtain a first set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals representing dominant components of the sound field and a second set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals representing ambient components of the sound field. The method also includes combining the first set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals and the second set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals to produce a combined set of decoded higher order ambisonics signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Jax, Johannes Boehm, William Redmann
  • Patent number: 11558504
    Abstract: A call challenger can receive a user input from a called party identity to opt-in to a call challenge service, and a second user input of a keyword. When the call challenger receives a call directed to a user equipment of the called party identity, the call challenger can prompt the calling party to provide an audible response. In response to a receipt of the audible response, the call challenger can convert the audible response to a text. The call challenger can compare the text with the keyword to determine if there is a sufficient match. In response to the determining the output of the comparing does not satisfy a threshold match score, the call challenger can prevent the call from connecting with the user equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P., AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Sheldon Meredith, Brandon Hilliard, Zachary Meredith
  • Patent number: 11558695
    Abstract: A condenser microphone with at least two microphone capsules, each including a diaphragm and a backplate. The backplates of both the first capsule and second capsule having an electret bias. The first capsule having a first polar pattern, and the second capsule having a second polar pattern. The second capsule having an external voltage bias that is continuously variable over a certain voltage range. This external voltage bias can be applied to the second diaphragm or second backplate. The microphone's total polar pattern consists of a combination of the first polar pattern and the second polar pattern. Using the external voltage bias of the second capsule, the microphone's total polar pattern is continuously variable throughout a range set by the external voltage bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Jon Caleb Halverson
  • Patent number: 11558502
    Abstract: Technology for identifying that a communication is from a verified enterprise includes receiving, by a device associated with a user, a data packet from a phone network. The data packet can be included in a communication to the device, which can have an application configured to verify communications from at least one enterprise. A token within the data packet can be identified by the application, and the application can compare the token to at least one token identifier associated with the at least one enterprise. In response to the token corresponding to at least one token identifier, the application can verify that the communication is from the at least one enterprise. In response to the communication being verified, the application can display a validation image on the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventor: Michael W. Howell
  • Patent number: 11551114
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and apparatus for recommending a test question, and an intelligent device. The method includes: acquiring a plurality of skill entities of a post; calculating, according to the data of the post, a weight value of each of the plurality of skill entities; and acquiring, according to the weight value of each skill entity, a recommended test question of the post from a question bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Baidu Online Network Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chuan Qin, Hengshu Zhu, Chen Zhu, Chao Ma, Jingshuai Zhang, Peng Wang, Tong Xu
  • Patent number: 11546682
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and system for synchronous audio playback of TWS earphones, The TWS earphones include a master earphone and a slave earphone; both the master earphone and the slave earphone include a first timer, a second timer, an audio DAC, and an audio playback phase-locked loop; the first timer and the second timer of the master earphone are respectively used to collect a real-time audio playback position of the master earphone and a public Bluetooth clock; the first timer and the second timer of the slave earphone are respectively used to collect a real-time audio playback position of the slave earphone and a local Bluetooth clock; the slave earphone calibrates audio data in the audio DAC, and the first timer and the audio playback phase-locked loop of the slave earphone, to achieve synchronization between the master earphone and the slave earphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignees: VeriSilicon Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., VeriSilicon Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuai Li
  • Patent number: 11546460
    Abstract: A terminal device acquires a displayable advertisement. The terminal device displays, based on determination that an output mode of a voice of a person on the other end of the line is a first mode in which the voice is output from an output device different from an earpiece, the acquired advertisement on a display within an invitation period during which a called party is being invited to answer an incoming call because of the terminal device transmitting information to make the call. The terminal device prevents, based on determination that the output mode is a second mode in which the voice is output from the earpiece, the advertisement from being displayed on the display within the invitation period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Saki Shirai
  • Patent number: 11539843
    Abstract: An enhanced routing system determines a service provider best suited to fulfill a user's request to interact and establishes a communication session between the user's client device and a device of the service provider. The enhanced routing system may use user characteristics and behavior to select the service provider. For example, the enhanced routing system receives a request to connect to a customer service system from a user who has recently started a new job and has been accessing a banking application on his mobile phone. The enhanced routing system may determine that a payroll service provider is best suited to fulfill the user's request. For example, the enhanced routing system uses a machine learning model that has been trained on previously fulfilled requests. In this way, the enhanced routing system improves upon systems that continuously prompt the user for information by selecting a service provider without overburdening the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ZenPayroll, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Anthony Scott, Aurobind Ravichandran, Matthew Surjana Oey, Gregory Shunsuke Wilson
  • Patent number: 11533398
    Abstract: A method and system automatically optimizes agent time. The method performed by a transferring device includes monitoring a communication session between an agent device used by an agent of the contact center and a user device used by a user. The communication session including first communications generated by the agent and second communications generated by the user. The method includes determining when the communication session is to be transferred from the agent device to an automated system of the contact center. The automated system is configured to perform the communication session by generating third communications for the second communications. The method includes generating a control signal upon determining the communication session is to be transferred that is configured to automatically transfer the communications session from the agent device to the automated system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Liam Loftus, Neil O'Connor, Tommy Moran, Seamus Hayes, Paul D'Arcy
  • Patent number: 11523230
    Abstract: Various implementations include audio devices and related earpieces. In certain implementations, an earpiece includes an electro-acoustic transducer and an acoustic back volume configured to provide a desirable fit along with desirable acoustic performance. In some particular aspects, an earpiece includes: an electro-acoustic transducer; a housing supporting the electro-acoustic transducer such that the housing and the electro-acoustic transducer together define a first acoustic volume and a second acoustic volume, the electro-acoustic transducer being arranged such that a first radiating surface of the transducer radiates acoustic energy into the first acoustic volume coupled to an outlet and such that a second radiating surface of the transducer radiates acoustic energy into the second acoustic volume, where at least a portion of the second acoustic volume is located between the first radiating surface and the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew D. Dominijanni
  • Patent number: 11516342
    Abstract: A mobile application for a wireless handheld computing device, such as a smartphone, is disclosed in combination with a communication link establishment and management system. Systems and methods are disclosed for calling desired contacts using a smartphone that can take advantage of the power and efficiency of agent-assisted dialing provided by the communication link establishment and management system. The systems and methods automatically integrate with a customer relationship management (CRM) system connected to the communication link establishment and management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: ConnectAndSell, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Beall, Dhruv H. Shah
  • Patent number: 11514906
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for voice activated devices with integrated heatsinks and speakers. In one embodiment, an example voice activated device may include a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion, a speaker housing, a heatsink coupled to the speaker housing, where the heatsink and the speaker housing together form a sealed chamber, a first speaker coupled to the speaker housing and partially disposed within the sealed chamber, where the first speaker is oriented to output audio towards the upper portion of the housing, and a light ring disposed about the lower portion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Amita Pawar, Jordan Pine, Albert John Yu Sam Chua, Yu-Tsen Kuo, Thompson Q. Nguyen