Patents Examined by Andrew L. Sniezek
  • Patent number: 11751839
    Abstract: Provided is a biological sound measurement device capable of suppressing an occurrence of a rubbing noise and improving a measurement accuracy. The biological sound measurement device (1) includes a sound measurement unit (3) including a contact surface (30) configured to be brought into contact with the body surface S of a subject, and a gripping portion (10) supporting the sound measurement unit (3) and configured to be gripped by a measurer. At least a first region of a front surface of the gripping portion (10), excluding a region to be covered by a hand Ha of the measurer in a state in which the gripping portion (10) is gripped by the measurer, is a region not including an angular portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: OMRON HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuyoshi Morita, Takayuki Shiina, Seiji Fukunaga
  • Patent number: 11755281
    Abstract: A stem cap audio system enables detachable attachment of a speaker assembly to the stem cap of a bicycle. A speaker base is configured to detachably couple to the stem cap. The speaker is coupled to the base and may be configured for easy one-hand operation, wherein functions of the speaker are initiated by simply pushing down on the speaker housing. The speaker housing is configured to actuate or depress down into the speaker base and a speaker control interface is actuated by contact with a portion of the base. An elastomeric interface is configured between the speaker and base to rebound the speaker after actuation to change a function of the speaker operation. This easy one hand operation can be operated while riding and with a gloved hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: DESERT BLOOM INNOVATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Trapp, Alexandru Christopher Trapp, Matthew Jacob Trapp
  • Patent number: 11736852
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a loudspeaker apparatus. The loudspeaker apparatus comprises a core housing for accommodating the earphone core; a circuit housing for accommodating a control circuit that drives the earphone core to vibrate to generate a sound, wherein the sound includes at least two resonance peaks; an ear hook for connecting the core housing and the circuit housing; a key arranged at a keyhole on the circuit housing, wherein the key moves relative to the keyhole to generate a control signal for the control circuit; and an elastic pad arranged between the key and the keyhole, wherein the elastic pad hinders a movement of the key towards the keyhole. In the present disclosure, by providing an elastic pad between the key and the keyhole, the waterproof effect of the loudspeaker apparatus may be improved, and the space occupied by the key may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chaowu Li, Zhuyang Jiang, Fen You
  • Patent number: 11716566
    Abstract: Some disclosed devices may include a display stack, a cover layer proximate a first side of the display stack and a segmented transducer array proximate a second side of the display stack. The segmented transducer array may include a plurality of separate transducer segments. Each of the separate transducer segments may include a piezoelectric layer and a thin-film transistor (TFT) layer. The separate transducer segments may include transmitter transducer segments and receiver transducer segments. In some examples, a spacing between at least a first plurality of the transmitter transducer segments may correspond to a display stack and cover layer oscillation mode frequency in a range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, from 15 kHz to 200 kHz or from 20 kHz to 400 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Bernard Herrera, Jessica Liu Strohmann, Changting Xu, Hrishikesh Vijaykumar Panchawagh, Kostadin Dimitrov Djordjev
  • Patent number: 11711652
    Abstract: A reproduction device includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire sound source information about a sound source; a determination unit configured to determine an output characteristic of the sound source with a virtual speaker arranged in a virtual space, based on a positional relationship between the virtual speaker and a virtual listener arranged in the virtual space; and a reproduction unit configured to reproduce the sound source with a real speaker arranged in a real space, based on the output characteristic determined by the determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO TEN Limited
    Inventors: Yohei Kakee, Yoshikuni Miki, Hisanari Kimura
  • Patent number: 11711647
    Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for detecting voice commands from a user of an ear-based device. The ear-based device may include an in-ear facing microphone to capture sound emitted in an ear of the user, and an exterior facing microphone to capture sound emitted in an exterior environment of the user. The in-ear microphone may generate an inner audio signal representing the sound emitted in the ear, and the exterior microphone may generate an outer audio signal representing sound from the exterior environment. The ear-based device may compute a ratio of a power of the inner audio signal to the outer audio signal and may compare this ratio to a threshold. If the ratio is larger than the threshold, the ear-based device may detect the voice of the user. Further, the ear-based device may set a value of the threshold based on a level of acoustic seal of the ear-based device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kuan-Chieh Yen, Daniel Wayne Harris, Carlo Murgia, Taro Kimura
  • Patent number: 11710473
    Abstract: Earpieces and methods for acute sound detection and reproduction are provided. A method can include measuring an external ambient sound level (xASL), monitoring a change in the xASL for detecting an acute sound, estimating a proximity of the acute sound, and upon detecting the acute sound and its proximity, reproducing the acute sound within an ear canal, where the ear canal is at least partially occluded by an earpiece. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Staton Techiya LLC
    Inventors: Steven Wayne Goldstein, John Usher, Marc Andre Boillot
  • Patent number: 11706548
    Abstract: A MEMS microphone includes a substrate, a diaphragm disposed over the substrate to cover the cavity, the diaphragm defining an air gap together with the back plate, and the diaphragm being spaced apart from the substrate, a back plate disposed over the diaphragm and in the vibration area, an upper insulation layer to cover the back plate, a plurality of chamber portions provided in the supporting area, a lower insulation layer provided under the upper insulation layer and on the substrate, and an intermediate insulation layer provided between the lower insulation layer and the upper insulation layer and disposed further from the vibration area than the chamber portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: DB HIKTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Min Hyun Jung
  • Patent number: 11703580
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a sensor body, a cushion member, a retainer unit, and a drainage path. The sensor body includes an ultrasonic microphone and a microphone support unit which allows a protruding part of the ultrasonic microphone located at a distal end in an axial direction to protrude and supports the protruding part. The cushion member covers the protruding part. The retainer unit allows exposure of a portion of the cushion member that is located at the distal end in the axial direction, and a portion of the cushion member that is located at a proximal end in the axial direction is sandwiched between the retainer unit and an outer peripheral surface of the protruding part. The drainage path penetrates the retainer unit in a radial direction to allow water to be discharged out of the retainer unit from a gap between the retainer unit and the cushion member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Ueda, Takeo Tsuzuki, Taketo Harada, Mitsuyasu Matsuura
  • Patent number: 11700479
    Abstract: An acoustic device includes a main body case, a vibrating body provided inside of the main body case, a magnetic circuit unit disposed in front of the vibrating body in a sound emitting direction of the vibrating body, a coil located inside of a magnetic gap of the magnetic circuit unit, a bobbin configured to support the coil and vibrate along with the vibrating body, and a damper configured to connect the main body case to the bobbin. The damper is disposed in the rear of the vibrating body, and a damper regulation unit is provided in the rear of the damper at a position facing the damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryo Ito
  • Patent number: 11689878
    Abstract: A device includes a memory and one or more processors. The memory is configured to store instructions. The one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions to obtain electrical activity data corresponding to electrical signals from one or more electrical sources within a user's head. The one or more processors are also configured to execute the instructions to render, based on the electrical activity data, audio data to adjust a location of a sound source in a sound field during playback of the audio data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Diyan Teng, Junsheng Han, Rashmi Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 11689864
    Abstract: A hearing device, in particular hearing aid, contains a transmitter circuit for wireless signal transmission. The transmitter circuit contains an electrical resonant circuit having at least one controllable semiconductor switch, at least one capacitor and a transmitter coil. The at least one semiconductor switch is driven by a pulse phase modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Johannes Brendel, Gerhard Pfannenmueller, Ulrich Schaetzle
  • Patent number: 11689867
    Abstract: A hearing system comprises a) at least one hearing device adapted for being worn on the head, or fully or partially implanted in the head, of a user, and b) a multitude of external, spatially separated, audio transmitters, each providing respective external electric sound signals comprising audio. The hearing system is configured to allow wireless communication, including audio communication, between the hearing device and the external audio transmitters, at least from the external audio transmitters to the at least one hearing device, to be established. The at least one hearing device comprises A) a multitude of microphones, each providing an electric input signal representative of sound; B) a beamformer filter providing a beamformed signal from the multitude of electric input signals; and C) an output unit configured to provide stimuli perceivable by the user as sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Michael Syskind Pedersen, Jesper Jensen
  • Patent number: 11689877
    Abstract: Systems, devices, media, and methods are presented for an immersive augmented reality (AR) experience using an eyewear device with spatial audio. The eyewear device has a processor, a memory, an image sensor, and speakers. The eyewear device captures image information for an environment surrounding the device, identifies a match between objects in the image information and predetermined objects in previously obtained information for the same environment. The eyewear device then identifies a target location within the environment, which may be associated with a physical or a virtual object. The eyewear device monitors its orientation with respect to the target location and presents audio signals to guide the user toward the target location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Ilteris Canberk, Shin Hwun Kang, James Powderly
  • Patent number: 11678119
    Abstract: In a virtual sound image control system according to the present invention, a signal processor generates the acoustic signal and outputs the acoustic signal to the two-channel loudspeakers so as to create a virtual sound image to be perceived by a user as a stereophonic sound image. The two-channel loudspeakers are arranged such that a first listening area and a second listening area for the user are symmetric to each other with respect to a virtual plane including a virtual line segment connecting the two-channel loudspeakers together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wakio Yamada, Daichi Toh
  • Patent number: 11671747
    Abstract: A system can improve the performance of an electroacoustic absorber. The system includes a loudspeaker and an absorber operatively positioned relative to the loudspeaker. The absorber can be configured to absorb sound waves. A control circuit can be operatively connected to the loudspeaker. The control circuit can be configured to tune the resonance of the loudspeaker and therefore cause one or more acoustic characteristics, such as acoustic impedance, of the loudspeaker to be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manutacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaopeng Li, Taehwa Lee, Hideo Iizuka
  • Patent number: 11672078
    Abstract: A wireless earphone incorporates a wire antenna having a form factor driven innovative antenna shape that minimizes antenna detuning caused by user interactions with the earphones. The wire shape, diameter, and distance of the wire antenna from the printed circuit board (PCB) are selected for an acceptable tradeoff between antenna bandwidth and radiated efficiency. By inserting an end through a through-hole of the PCB, the wire antenna is electrically connected to a multi-layer PCB without traditional approaches such as springs, pogo pins, and the like. An antenna holder further secures the antenna within a thin profile housing for precise placement and manufacturing consistency. A PCB-specific RF VIA geometry is also utilized for partial impedance matching of a transmission line to the wire antenna. In addition, a more constant impedance is maintained along the transmission line connecting a radio device with the wire antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Zachara, Truong Vu Luu, Christopher Richard Knipstein
  • Patent number: 11665473
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiments relate to implementing techniques for transmission of audio data from both of a pair of audio output devices to a user equipment (UE). A first wireless audio output device establishes a communication link to a source device using a wireless communication protocol, receives source audio data from the source device, receives secondary audio data from a second wireless audio output device and combines primary audio data from the first wireless audio output device with the secondary audio data into a consolidated audio packet. The consolidated packet is then transmitted to the source device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sriram Hariharan, Alon Paycher
  • Patent number: 11664035
    Abstract: A device configured to decode a bitstream, where the device includes a memory configured to store a temporally encoded representation of spatial audio signals. The device is also configured to receive the bitstream that includes an indication of a spatial transformation, and includes a temporal decoding unit, coupled to the memory, configured to decode one or more spatial audio signals represented in a spatial domain, where the one or more spatial audio signals are associated with different angles in the spatial domain. In addition, the device includes an inverse spatial transformation unit, coupled to the temporal decoding unit, is configured to convert the one or more spatial audio signals represented in the spatial domain into at least three ambisonic coefficients that, in part, represent a soundfield in an ambisonics domain, and perform a spatial transformation of the soundfield based on the indication of the spatial transformation received in the bitstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Nils Günther Peters, Moo Young Kim, Dipanjan Sen
  • Patent number: 11659348
    Abstract: An electronic device identifies a location of a physical object that is away from a listener. The electronic device convolves sound so the sound externally localizes as binaural sound to the physical object. The sound plays to the listener through earphones so the listener hears the sound as emanating from the physical object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Inventors: Glen A. Norris, Philip Scott Lyren