Patents Examined by Davetta W. Goins
  • Patent number: 10057671
    Abstract: To enable light to be easily visually recognized, the light indicating an operation state. A tubular microphone case, a light source that is accommodated in a position close to a first end of the microphone case and emits light in a direction of the first end, a light source mounting board on which the light source is placed, a light guide member including a protrusion and having an optically transmissive property, and a holding member that maintains a position of the light source and a position of the light guide member, and is fixed to the microphone case together with the light source mounting board are included, and the holding member includes a hole capable of accepting the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroaki Furuya
  • Patent number: 10057675
    Abstract: An in-ear earphone includes a body shaped to fit in the wearer's ear, a nozzle extending from the body towards the ear canal of the wearer's ear, the nozzle including an acoustic passage to conduct sound waves to the ear canal of the wearer, an ear canal sealing structure extending from the nozzle, and a sensor coupled to the nozzle. The sealing structure includes a thin sheet of material forming a hollow shape surrounding the nozzle and sensor, and the body, nozzle, sealing structure, and sensor are arranged such that when the earphone is located in the wearer's ear, the sensor faces the tragus of the ear, and the sealing structure simultaneously forms an acoustic seal to the entrance to the ear canal and provides optical coupling between the sensor and the tragus with minimal air gaps between the sensor, the sealing structure, and the tragus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Harsh Anilkant Mankodi, Kyle DeCubellis, Marko Orescanin, Michael D. Ting, Jonathan D. Turner
  • Patent number: 10051398
    Abstract: A multi-channel and multi-zone audio environment is provided. Various inventions are disclosed that allow playback devices on one or more networks to provide an effective multi-channel and a multi-zone audio environment using timing information. According to one example, timing information is used to coordinate playback devices connected over a low-latency network to provide audio along with a video display. In another example, timing information is used to coordinate playback devices connected over a mesh network to provide audio in one or more zones or zone groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Jarvis, Hilmar Lehnert, Aurelio Rafael Ramos, Luis Vega
  • Patent number: 10045127
    Abstract: A micro speaker is provided. The micro speaker includes a diaphragm, at least one coil coupled with the diaphragm, a magnet configured to interact with a magnetic field induced by the at least one coil, and a yoke plate located on a bottom of the magnet to support the magnet and including a hole therein, top and bottom ends of the hole being opened. An area, adjacent to the hole, of a lower surface of the yoke plate has a height difference relative to another area of the lower surface of the yoke plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ki Won Kim, Byoung Hee Lee, Chang Shik Yoon, Ho Chul Hwang
  • Patent number: 10034103
    Abstract: An output transducer is coupled to a support structure, and the support structure configured to contact one or more of the tympanic membrane, an ossicle, the oval window or the round window. An input transducer is configured for placement near an ear canal opening to receive high frequency localization cues. A sound inhibiting structure, such as an acoustic resistor or a screen, may be positioned at a location along the ear canal between the tympanic membrane and the input transducer to inhibit feedback. A channel can be coupled to the sound or feedback inhibiting structure to provide a desired frequency response profile of the sound or feedback inhibiting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Earlens Corporation
    Inventor: Sunil Puria
  • Patent number: 10034109
    Abstract: Acoustic transducer systems involving position sensing, and methods of operating and providing the acoustic transducer systems, are described herein. The described systems include a driver motor with a voice coil structure coupled to a diaphragm, the voice coil structure movable within an air gap in response to a magnetic flux; a position sensor to generate a position signal to represent a displacement of the diaphragm; and a system controller to modify an input signal based on the position signal and transmit the modified input signal to a voice coil so the voice coil can move in response to the modified input signal. The position sensor can generate the position signal based on optical sensing or strain measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Audera Acoustics Inc.
    Inventor: David Russell
  • Patent number: 10034086
    Abstract: A headset includes at least one ear cup having front and rear cavities separated by a driver. The cup includes a pressure equalization port coupling the front cavity to space outside the cup, the pressure equalization port having a cross-sectional area greater than 2 mm2 and being significantly longer than it is wide, providing a principally reactive acoustic impedance, such that the pressure response of the front cavity including the port to signals input via the driver may be effectively linear over a wide range of pressure levels within the front cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Roman Sapiejewski, Mark Bergeron, Mihir D. Shetye
  • Patent number: 10032464
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for detecting drones are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a digital sound sample and partitioning the digital sound sample into segments. The method also includes applying a frequency and power spectral density transformation to each of the segments to produce respective sample vectors. For each of the sample vectors, the example method determines a combination of drone sound signatures and background sound signatures that most closely match the sample vector. The method further includes determining, for the sample vectors, if the drone sound signatures in relation to the background sound signatures that are included within the respective combinations are indicative of a drone. Conditioned on determining that the drone sound signatures are indicative of a drone, an alert message indicative of the drone is transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Droneshield, LLC
    Inventors: John Franklin, Brian Hearing
  • Patent number: 10028062
    Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one load and a plurality of armatures, each including a permanent magnet, which are coupled to the at least one load to cause the at least one load to move. The apparatus also includes a common stator that defines an air gap within which the plurality of armatures is disposed. The common stator is configured for creating magnetic flux across the air gap for the armatures to interact with, thereby to drive motion of the at least one load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Brian M. Lucas, Johan H. Isaksson, Geoffrey C. Chick
  • Patent number: 10027298
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a system for amplifying a signal provided by a capacitive signal source includes an impedance converter having an input node configured to be coupled to a first terminal of the capacitive signal source, and an adjustable capacitive network having a first node configured to be coupled to a second terminal of the capacitive signal source and a second node coupled to an output node of the impedance converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Michael Kropfitsch, Andreas Wiesbauer
  • Patent number: 10028061
    Abstract: A surround that is generally arched in shape and that includes a radial exterior flange that extends downward from exterior side of the arched portion of the surround and that adhesively attaches to the inner wall or edge of the mounting ring of the frame or the loudspeaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Ronnie S. Espiritu
  • Patent number: 10020005
    Abstract: A frame signal generator is configured to generate a frame signal with a predetermined first time length from an input signal. A reference signal generator is configured to generate a reference signal from a signal located more in a past than a position of the frame signal in the input signal. A correlation value calculator is configured to calculate a correlation value between the frame signal and the reference signal within a range of a predetermined phase shift amount m. A periodic noise determiner is configured to determine whether or not the frame signal includes periodic noise, and calculate a period of the periodic noise in the case where the frame signal includes the periodic noise. A correlation value calculation range generator is configured to generate the range of the predetermined phase shift amount based on the period of the periodic noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: JVC KENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Oda, Takaaki Yamabe
  • Patent number: 10015589
    Abstract: A telephone includes at least two microphones and a circuit for processing audio signals coupled to the microphones. The circuit processes the signals, in part, by providing at least one statistic representing maximum normalized cross-correlation of the signals from the microphones, doaEst, dirGain, or diffGain and comparing the at least one statistic with a threshold for that statistic. At least one of noise reduction and speech enhancement is controlled by an indication of near-field sounds in accordance with the comparison. Indication of near-field speech can be further enhanced by combining statistics, including a statistic representing inter-microphone level difference, each of which have their own threshold. dirGain and diffGain are derived from signals incident upon the microphones such that the desired near-field signal is not suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Samuel Ponvarma Ebenezer
  • Patent number: 10009677
    Abstract: A device includes a balloon inflation module having an involuted balloon housed within a lumen, an integrated reservoir in fluid communication with the involuted balloon where the balloon inflation module is configured to selectively displace a volume of fluid from the integrated reservoir into the involuted balloon and from the involuted balloon into the integrated reservoir. The device also includes a port configured to receive an accessory module. In one embodiment, the accessory module is a communication module having a logic circuit coupled to an ambient microphone configured to pick up ambient audio content, an ear canal microphone configured to pick up audio in the proximity of an ear canal, and an ear canal receiver configured to provide audio content in the proximity of the ear canal. In some embodiments, the integrated reservoir is formed within portions of a push button spring-loaded pump assembly. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Staton Techiya, LLC
    Inventors: Steven W. Goldstein, Moises Perez
  • Patent number: 10003008
    Abstract: Membrane device comprising a support, a membrane suspended on the support, a first actuator in contact with the membrane designed to apply a force on the membrane, a second actuator in contact with the membrane designed to apply a force on the membrane, means of determining the position of the membrane relative to the support and control means of the first and second actuators, said control means applying a deformation signal to one of the first and second actuators to deform the membrane and applying a control signal to the other of the first and second actuators to control displacement of the membrane, application of the control signal being determined by the membrane position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives
    Inventors: Stephane Fanget, Remy DeJaeger, Philippe Robert
  • Patent number: 10002643
    Abstract: A reproducing apparatus is disclosed. The reproducing apparatus includes a reproducing section, a notifying section, and a notification controlling section. The reproducing section reproduces content data. The notifying section notifies a user that there are content data correlated with content data reproduced by the reproducing section. The notification controlling section determines whether content data correlated with content data reproduced by the reproducing section have been retrieved and controls the notifying section to notify the user that there are the correlated content data when the correlated content data have been retrieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yujin Morisawa, Takashi Kinouchi, Hideo Tsukazaki, Takeshi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 10000162
    Abstract: A speaker device for a vehicle includes a speaker unit, an enclosure mounted to a vehicle body accommodating the speaker unit, and provided with an inner space which is divided into a front space into which a front sound of the speaker unit is radiated and a rear space into which a rear sound of the speaker unit is radiated by a division member, a first path connecting the front space to a first division space provided in the vehicle body, a second path connecting the rear space to a second division space provided in the vehicle body, and a front sound outlet connecting the front space to an indoor space of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: YoungKyu Kim, Jung Uk Noh, Jong Suh Park
  • Patent number: 9998833
    Abstract: A speaker is provided in the present disclosure. The speaker includes a shell, a magnetic system received in the shell, and a vibrating system. The vibrating system includes a membrane and a coil assembly connecting to the membrane for driving the membrane to vibrate. The magnetic system is arranged at two opposite sides of the coil assembly; and the coil assembly is arranged perpendicular to the membrane. The coil assembly includes a coil and a coil support for supporting the coil, the coil support includes a main body and a first extending part extending from an edge of the main body, the coil is supported and fixed to the main body, and the first extending part is connected to the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: AAC TECHNOLOGIES PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Hongxing Wang, Chengxia Ji
  • Patent number: 9995828
    Abstract: A quiet zone generation technique for acoustic/audio signals is proposed for mitigation of selected noise or interferences over limited areas in free space by injecting the very acoustic noise, interference, or audio feedback signals via iterative processing, generating quiet zones dynamically. This creates undesired noise-free quiet zones. Optimization loops operating iteratively to electronically process cancellation signals consist of three interconnected functional blocks: (1) an acoustic injection array, consisting of pick-up arrays to obtain the interference signals, beam forming networks for element weighting and/or re-positioning, and array elements for noise injections, (2) a diagnostic network with strategically located probes, and (3) an optimization processor with cost minimization algorithms to calculate element weights for updating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Spatial Digital Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Steve Chen
  • Patent number: 9992576
    Abstract: A speaker includes: a diaphragm; and a damper configured to adjust vibration of the diaphragm and including a first and second metal plates having polarities that are different from each other and symmetrical with each other, wherein the damper further includes first and second deformation prevention members disposed on bottom surfaces of the first and second metal plates, respectively, and wherein first and second deformation prevention members protrude downward and extend along a major-axis direction of the diaphragm, and the first and second deformation members are configured to prevent deformation of diaphragm caused by a vertical load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO. LTD
    Inventors: Won Youl Bae, Tae Myun Kim, Jong In Jo