Patents Examined by Alexander L Eljaiek
  • Patent number: 10560792
    Abstract: Method and devices for testing a headphone with increased sensation are provided. The headphone can filter and amplify low frequency audio signals, which are then sent to a haptic device in the headphone. The haptic device can cause bass sensations at the top of the skull and at both ear cups. The testing system can evaluate the haptic and acoustic sensations produced by the headphone to evaluate if they have been properly assembled and calibrate the headphones if necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics of Silicon Valley, Inc.
    Inventors: Rocky Chau-Hsiung Lin, Thomas Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 10489450
    Abstract: Implementations generally relate to selecting soundtracks. In some implementations, a method includes determining one or more sound mood attributes of one or more soundtracks, where the one or more sound mood attributes are based on one or more sound characteristics. The method further includes determining one or more visual mood attributes of one or more visual media items, where the one or more visual mood attributes are based on one or more visual characteristics. The method further includes selecting one or more of the soundtracks based on the one or more sound mood attributes and the one or more visual mood attributes. The method further includes generating an association among the one or more selected soundtracks and the one or more visual media items, wherein the association enables the one or more selected soundtracks to be played while the one or more visual media items are displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Ryan James Lothian
  • Patent number: 10469975
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a number of techniques for personalization of spatial audio across a plurality of systems. A participant media system participating in a session may generate two outputs: personalized audio data and depersonalized audio data. When a spectator attempts to spectate the session, a media sharing platform may distribute shared depersonalized audio data to the spectator system. Based on this shared depersonalized audio data, the spectator media system can personalized the audio data to cause an endpoint device to render spectator personalized audio based on HRTF data for the spectator. Accordingly, the spectator personalized audio is personalized and allows a rich, immersive spectating experience that overcome drawbacks associated with receiving personalized audio from participant systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Philip Andrew Edry, Todd Ryun Manion, Robert Norman Heitkamp, Steven Marcel Elza Wilssens
  • Patent number: 10466955
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide methods and systems for providing a recommended volume level in presentation of media content. In some embodiments, volume adjustment events made by a user and/or similar users while watching media content can be detected and automatically recorded. The media content may include a plurality of segments. A normalized volume level for at least one segment of the media content can be determined by aggregating the recorded volume adjustment events corresponding to the at least one segment of the media content. When the media content is played back on a user device, at least some embodiments cause the at least one segment of the media content to be played back at a recommended volume level determined based at least in part upon one of the normalized audio level of the corresponding segment, the audio system of the user device, or historical data and personal profile of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: A9.COM, INC.
    Inventors: Douglas Ryan Gray, Colin Jon Taylor, Ming Du, Wei-Hong Chuang
  • Patent number: 10454604
    Abstract: A method of synchronizing playback of audio over a plurality of wireless speaker packages that are each adapted to play audio, where the audio comprises a plurality of frames of encoded audio data. The method includes determining an offset time of a frame of encoded audio data, where the offset time corresponds to the time when the frame playback is to begin, and inserting the determined offset time into the frame of encoded audio data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Michael W. Elliot, Debasmit Banerjee, Rameshwar Sundaresan
  • Patent number: 10402156
    Abstract: In an example implementation, a method may involve sending a message that arranges a media playback system into a pre-defined state, wherein a first playback device is in a first zone having a first zone name, a second playback device is in a second zone having a second zone name, and a queue has a particular set of media items. The method may also involve detecting a trigger indicating a request to reset the media playback system. The method may further involve causing the media playback system to revert to the pre-defined state, wherein reverting may include assigning the first zone name to the first zone and joining the first playback device to the first zone, assigning the second zone name to the second zone and joining the second playback device to the second zone, and configuring the queue with the particular set of media items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Joni R. Hoadley, Diane Roberts, Robert A. Lambourne
  • Patent number: 10367868
    Abstract: Example techniques disclosed herein relate to location-based playlists. In an example implementation, a first computing device causes a graphical interface to display, in a media playback application, a location-based playlist that is based on location history of the first computing device. The first computing device receives an input indicating a selection of the location-based playlist and transmits, to a second computing device, a request for information associated with media content identified in the selected location-based playlist. The first computing device receives the requested information associated with media content identified in the location-based playlist. The information indicates at least one media item that was played back while the first computing device was located at one or more prior locations indicated in the location history of the first computing device. The first computing device causes the graphical interface to display the requested information associated with the media content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Trammell
  • Patent number: 10362077
    Abstract: Example techniques disclosed herein relate to location-based music content identification. In an example implementation, a first computing device receives, over one or more networks, a location message comprising location information indicating a particular location of a second computing device at a given time. Based on the location information and the given time, the first computing device determines identification information indicating media content played by one or more playback devices at the particular location and availability information indicating availability of at least one media item of the media content from a media streaming service. The first computing device transmits, over the one or more networks to the second computing device, the identification information indicating the media content and an indication that the at least one media item of the media content is available for playback via the media streaming service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Trammell
  • Patent number: 10362078
    Abstract: Example techniques disclosed herein relate to location-based media content identification. In an example implementation, a first computing device transmits, over one or more networks to a second computing device, location information indicating a particular location of the first computing device at a given time. The first computing device receives, over the one or more networks from the second computing device, identification information indicating media content played by one or more playback devices at the particular location and availability information indicating that at least one media item of the media content is available for playback via a media streaming service and causes presentation of an indication of the media content played at the particular location and an indication that the at least one media item of the media content is available for playback via the media streaming service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Trammell
  • Patent number: 10332542
    Abstract: An audio identification system accounts for an audio signal's complexity when generating a test audio fingerprint for identification of the audio signal. In particular, the audio identification system determines a complexity of an audio signal to be fingerprinted. For example, the audio signal's complexity may be determined by performance of an autocorrelation on the audio signal. Based on the determined complexity, the audio identification system determines a length of a sample of the audio signal used to generate a test audio fingerprint. A sample having the length is then obtained and used to generate a test audio fingerprint for the audio signal. The test audio fingerprint may be compared to a set of reference audio fingerprints to identify the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Sergiy Bilobrov
  • Patent number: 10324682
    Abstract: A control method for controlling audio playing includes obtaining a playing instruction corresponding to a multi-media file, detecting whether a current playing environment meets a preset condition, and controlling playing of audio data in the multi-media file if the current playing environment meets the preset condition. The current playing environment includes at least one of a current audio output channel, the multi-media file, and a current time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Xiaomi Inc.
    Inventors: Kangxi Tan, Yongjian Sun, Xin Liang
  • Patent number: 10318233
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are example techniques for multimedia experience based on biometric data. An example implementation may involve receiving first biometric data representing one or more first biological characteristics of an individual. After receiving the first biometric data, the example implementation may involve correlating the one or more first biological characteristics of the individual with a listening state of the individual. The example implementation may further involve receiving second biometric data representing one or more second biological characteristics of the individual. After receiving the second biometric data, the example implementation may involve determining that the one or more second biological characteristics corresponds to the one or more first biological characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Pedersen, Michael Papish, Eric Clayton
  • Patent number: 10318578
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for automatically changing the priority of a media asset using a continuous listening device. The system may receive an audio clip of a conversation a user, and then determine whether that conversation relates to any of the programs recorded or scheduled to be recorded on a storage device associated with the user. In response to determining that the media asset does relate to one of the programs recorded or scheduled to be recorded on the storage device, a user profile may be consulted to determine past instances of the user discussing the media asset, and, if a measure of the total number of instances the user discussed the media asset meets a threshold measure, the priority of the media asset may be updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael McCarty, Glen E. Roe
  • Patent number: 10320502
    Abstract: A system may allow users to automatically record radio programs for later consumption. When a user is listening to a radio program in the car, and arrives at the destination, the user's mobile device may capture an audio sample of the radio station, along with a GPS location of the user, and may transmit this information to a radio station application server. The server may use the location to identify a list of candidate radio stations, and may compare the audio sample with reference recordings of the candidate radio stations, to identify the radio station and program. The program may then be recorded for the user and subsequently played back at the user's convenience and on a device selected by the user, such as a mobile device, television, computer, DVR, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Chris Kennedy
  • Patent number: 10305763
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs for monitoring quality of audio delivered over a communications channel are presented. One method includes an operation for defining timestamps. The timestamps are associated with a measure of time while delivering audio to a client computer, where each timestamp includes a plurality of timestamp bits. Further, the method includes an operation for modulating an audio signal with pseudo noise (PN) codes when a timestamp bit has a first logical value, and modulating the audio signal with a negative of the PN codes when the timestamp bit has a second logical value. After transmitting the modulated audio signal to the client computer, the timestamp bits are extracted from a received modulated audio signal to obtain received timestamps. The quality of the audio is assessed based on the received timestamps, and the quality of the audio is stored in computer memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence Andrew Spracklen
  • Patent number: 10283129
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein relating to audio matching. Interest points that are onsets are generally very efficient in audio matching in that they are robust to multiple types of distortion. Prominent onsets can be detected within an audio signal excerpt as interest points and combined as a function of a set of interest points to form a descriptor. Descriptors associated with an audio signal excerpt that contain a set of prominent onsets as interest points can be used in matching the audio signal excerpt to an audio reference. The benefits in generating and using prominent onsets within descriptors improve the accuracy of an audio matching system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Sharifi, Richard Francis Lyon
  • Patent number: 10242378
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods provide incentive-based usage of an audio recognition system. In an aspect, a system is provided that includes a query component configured to receive an audio sample from a device and a recognition component configured to determine an identification of the audio sample. The system further includes a reward component configured to identify a reward associated with the identification of the audio sample, wherein the query component is further configured to provide a query result to the device, the query result comprising the identification of the audio sample and the reward associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Sharifi, Yaniv Bernstein, Dominik Roblek, Annie Chen, Matthew Wiseman
  • Patent number: 10244120
    Abstract: A method and an audio conference device for carrying out an audio conference are disclosed, whereby classification information associated with a respective audio date flow is recorded for supplied audio data flows. According to a result of an evaluation of the classification information, the audio data flows are associated with at least three groups which are homogeneous with regard to the results. The individual audio data flows are processed uniformly in each group in terms of the signals thereof, and said audio data flows processed in this way are superimposed in order to form audio conference data flows to be transmitted to the communication terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Virginie Gilg, Tobias Kleemann, Jorg Krumbock, Walter Schmid
  • Patent number: 10225672
    Abstract: Loud sounds with fast rise times, like gunfire and explosions, can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Unfortunately, current models do not adequately explain how impulsive sounds cause NIHL, which makes it difficult to predict and prevent NIHL on battlefields and other hostile or rugged environments. Fortunately, the impulsive sounds experienced by soldiers and others working in rugged environments can be recorded using a compact, portable system that acquires, digitizes, and stores high-bandwidth audio data. An example of this system can be mounted on a helmet or other article and used to record hours of audio data at a bandwidth of 20 kHz or higher, which is broad enough to capture sounds with rise times less than 50 ms. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) digitizes these broadband audio signals at rate of 40 kHz or higher to preserve the impulse information. A processor transfers the digitized samples from a buffer to a memory card for later retrieval using an interrupt-driven processing technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Joseph J. Lacirignola, Trina Rae Vian, David F. Aubin, Jr., Thomas F. Quatieri, Kate D. Fischl, Paula P. Collins, Christopher J. Smalt, Paul D. Gatewood, Nicolas Malyska, David C. Maurer
  • Patent number: 10191607
    Abstract: A user-configurable modular audio control surface comprises master modules for controlling global surface properties and channel modules for controlling one or more individual audio channels. The modules are disposed in a two-dimensional spatial arrangement such that any module can occupy a location within the control surface not occupied by another module. The modules are connected to each other and to external platforms hosting media applications and plug-ins via a network. Control surface users can interact with external applications via remote graphical user interfaces displayed on modules within the surface, and can automate multiple external applications using an automation system built into the surface. Automation line graphs and metadata for both internal and external applications are displayed over the corresponding waveform displays that can include audio ahead of a current playback location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Avid Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven H. Milne, Martin Kloiber, Paul A. Vercellotti, David M. Tremblay, Edward Jones, Karl M. Mueller, Robert Boyer