Patents Examined by David L Ton
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Patent number: 10555106Abstract: Embodiments relate to a headset that filters sounds according to a direction of a gaze of a user wearing the headset. The user wears the headset including an eye tracking unit and one or more microphones. The eye tracking unit tracks an orientation of an eye of the user to determine the direction of the gaze of the user. The direction of the gaze may be different from a facing direction of the headset. According to the determined direction of the gaze of the user, input sound signals generated by the microphones can be beamformed to amplify or emphasize sound originating from the direction of the gaze.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2018Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLCInventor: Ravish Mehra
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Patent number: 10547910Abstract: Examples relate to a network-connected audio system for adjusting speaker settings. An example network-connected audio system may comprise a hardware processor that plays audio files. The example network-connected audio system may also comprise a user detection engine that detects that a first user is connected to the audio system, as well as a settings engine that determines that a first type of audio file is to be played, and changes audio settings of the audio system to a first set of audio settings responsive to determining that the first type of audio file is to be played and responsive to determining that the first user is connected to the audio system.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2015Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventor: David H. Hanes
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Patent number: 10542366Abstract: A content presentation system including a display screen and an array of speakers behind the display screen is described herein. In some examples, speaker-associated screen areas, the volume of a sound, and a screen location of a sound source may be used to determine one or more speakers that are associated with the sound. For example, the volume of a sound and the screen location of a sound source may be used to determine a sound range for the sound that may be used to associate one or more speakers with the sound. In some examples, upon determination of the sound range, one or more speaker-associated screen areas that are wholly or partially included within the sound range may then be identified. Each speaker that is represented by an identified speaker-associated screen area may then be associated with the sound.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2017Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Harvey Oates, III, Kevin Kalima Ashman
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Patent number: 10536136Abstract: The present invention relates broadly to a method of digitally filtering a signal, such as an audio signal, using a digital filter. The digital filter includes a plurality of neighbouring sample points broken into zones having different frequency content or frequency ranges. The zones adjacent one another may have neighbouring sample points in common. Generally each zone has at least same distinct frequencies compared with other zones. That is, the zones are roughly dependent on the frequency content. The invention in its preferred form involves combining values for two or more of the neighbouring sample points for select of the zones depending on its frequency content. The values are combined so as to provide a modified zone having substantially the same number of sample points as the select zone. The modified zones together provide a modified filter to be applied to the signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2015Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Inventor: Lachlan Paul Barratt
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Patent number: 10524082Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for automatically adjusting, by an audio device, the SPL of its audio output. As described herein, the SPL is adjusted based on approximated noise in an ear canal of occluded ears as determined by an accelerometer measuring the user's motion. According to aspects, the audio device adjusts a tone of the signal by adjusting the SPL of a set of frequencies and also adjusts the overall gain of the full frequency spectrum of the audio signal. The tone may be adjusted more quickly as compared to the overall broadband gain.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2018Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: BOSE CORPORATIONInventors: Grace Carroll, Dale McElhone, Christopher R. Paetsch
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Patent number: 10524074Abstract: A method comprising: automatically applying a selection criterion or criteria to a sound object; if the sound object satisfies the selection criterion or criteria then performing one of correct or incorrect rendering of the sound object; and if the sound object does not satisfy the selection criterion or criteria then performing the other of correct or incorrect rendering of the sound object, wherein correct rendering of the sound object comprises at least rendering the sound object at a correct position within a rendered sound scene compared to a recorded sound scene and wherein incorrect rendering of the sound object comprises at least rendering of the sound object at an incorrect position in a rendered sound scene compared to a recorded sound scene or not rendering the sound object in the rendered sound scene.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: Nokia Technologies OyInventors: Antti Eronen, Jussi Leppänen, Arto Lehtiniemi, Francesco Cricri
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Patent number: 10523170Abstract: Systems and techniques are generally described for audio signal processing for motion detection. In some examples, a first energy level of a first audio signal detected by a first microphone is determined over a first period of time. In some further examples, a first change in the first energy level from a first energy level value to a second energy level value is determined during the first period of time. In some other examples, a determination is made that the first change in the first energy level exceeds a threshold change value associated with the first period of time. In at least some other examples, a bias of an audio amplifier of the first device is adjusted.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2018Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Ilya Vladimirovich Brailovskiy, Venkatesh Viswanathan
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Patent number: 10524047Abstract: A satellite microphone assembly formed by a base housing a microphone and a volume control electronics and an outer ring coupled with the base and rotatable about the base. The outer ring includes a center aperture having an actuatable button to toggle mute/unmute of the microphone disposed therein. A rotational sensor is supported by the base and configured to detect a rotation of the outer ring and to output information about a direction and a degree of rotation of the outer ring to the volume control electronics, thereby causing a rotation of the outer ring to affect a volume of a speaker.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2018Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Matthew M. U. Cho, Ian Matthew Snyder, Morgan Davis Teachworth, Nicholas James Kaoru Kawamoto
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Patent number: 10524053Abstract: An electronic device that dynamically adapts sound based at least in part on spatial information determined from ambient or background sound is described. Based at least in part on sound measurements corresponding to ambient noise in an environment, which may include a second electronic device, the electronic device may determine a characteristic of the environment. For example, the characteristic may include: a size of the environment, an acoustic mode of the environment and/or a reverberation time of the environment, which is associated with at least a frequency. Then, based at least in part on the determined characteristics, the electronic device may calculate an acoustic radiation pattern. Next, the electronic device may provide audio content and second information specifying the acoustic radiation pattern for the second electronic device.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2018Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: EVA Automation, Inc.Inventor: Jonathan Moore
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Patent number: 10514886Abstract: A playback sound provision device includes: a surrounding information detection device configured to detect detection information including information on a three-dimensional object or a planar display around the vehicle; and a control device configured to determine a playback method for a playback sound based on a music piece based on the detection information when a predetermined target is included in the detection information, and provide the playback sound based on the playback method.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2018Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takahiro Suzuki, Yukari Nakane, Chisato Komurasaki, Hiroshi Ishii
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Patent number: 10506226Abstract: Display device ON/OFF detection methods and apparatus are disclosed. Example display activity detectors disclosed herein are to extract regions from respective ones of captured video frames, the regions corresponding to a depiction of a display of a monitored media device Disclosed example display activity detectors are also to compute a distance metric that is to represent an amount a first one of the regions of a first one of the captured video frames differs from a corresponding second one of the regions of a second one of the captured video frames. Disclosed example display activity detectors are further to compare the distance metric to a threshold to determine whether the monitored media device is ON or OFF.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2019Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Christen V. Nielsen, Dan Nelson
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Patent number: 10506327Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention, a method of modifying ambient sound received by an earpiece in accordance with an environmental characterization may have one or more of the following steps: (a) receiving the ambient sound at a microphone operably coupled to the earpiece, (b) determining, via a processor operably coupled to the microphone, the environmental characterization based on the ambient sound, (c) modifying, via the processor, the ambient sound in accordance with a plurality of parameters associated with the environmental characterization to create a modified ambient sound, (d) communicating, via a speaker operably coupled to the earpiece, the modified ambient sound, (e) receiving the ambient sound at the second microphone, (f) determining, via the processor, a location of the ambient sound from a temporal differential and an intensity differential between the reception of the ambient sound at the microphone and the reception of the ambient sound at the second microphone, and (g) determining,Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2017Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: BRAGI GmbHInventor: Peter Vincent Boesen
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Patent number: 10506338Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for monitoring the operating state of an audio circuit, and in particular for detecting a defective operating state, as may occur after an Electrical Over-Stress (EOS) event. An audio circuit (210) has an input node (103) for receiving an input audio signal (SIN) and an output node (104) for outputting an output audio signal (AOUT) for driving an audio load. A monitoring module (202) receives a first signal (S1) derived from the output audio signal and a second signal (S2) indicative of the input audio signal. The monitoring module (202) monitors the first signal (S1) with respect to the second signal (S2) to determine whether at least one parameter of the first signal corresponds to an expected parameter value based on the indication of input audio signal. If the parameter does not correspond to the expected parameter value, the monitoring module (202) outputs an indication (CTRL) of a defective operating state of the audio circuit (201).Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2018Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventor: Andrew James Howlett
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Patent number: 10506324Abstract: A case for a portable wireless listening device (e.g., a pair of wireless earbuds) is configured to house a pair of wireless earbuds and charge the earbuds when they are in the case. The case is further configured to receive media received by the wireless earbuds and transmit the media to a non-wireless output device connected to the case. The case can further include its own wireless radio that can wirelessly communicate audio to the wireless earbuds when the earbuds are not in the case. The case can further include an input port to receive an audio signal from a non-wireless source and can be configured to wirelessly transmit the audio received from the source to the wireless earbuds.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2018Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jahan C. Minoo, Zachary C. Rich, Patrick T. Ryan
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Patent number: 10490180Abstract: In accordance with an example aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprising at least one processing core, at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processing core, cause the apparatus at least to derive, from first digital information describing a system impulse response caused by a loudspeaker to a first location in a first room, second digital information describing a cancelling impulse response, determine, for samples comprised in the second digital information, at least one of a delay value describing how much the samples are to be shifted in time and a gain factor describing how much the samples' magnitude is to be adjusted, so that an energy associated with a sum of the system impulse response and the cancelling impulse response is reduced, and employ the determined at least one of the delay value and the gain factor to generate a cancelling signal, and to adType: GrantFiled: August 31, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Genelec OyInventor: Juha Urhonen
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Patent number: 10484769Abstract: The present disclosure provides a speaker box, including a housing having an accommodation space, an acoustic device accommodated in the accommodation space, a first air-permeable separation component, a second air-permeable separation component. The acoustic device separates the accommodation space into a front cavity and a rear cavity. The first air-permeable separation component is fixed inside the housing and separates the rear cavity into a first rear cavity and a second rear cavity in air communication with each other. The acoustic device is located in the first rear cavity. The second rear cavity is filled with acoustic absorption particles. The second air-permeable separation component separates the second rear cavity into at least two rear sub-cavities in air communication with each other. Types of the acoustic absorption particles filled in two of the rear sub-cavities are not completely the same. Acoustic performance of the speaker box in the present disclosure is better.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd.Inventor: Rui Zhang
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Patent number: 10476461Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for changing a distributed mode loudspeaker's fundamental frequency. One of the systems includes a distributed mode loudspeaker comprising an actuator that includes: a supported portion, and a cantilevered portion having a length, a first fundamental frequency, and adapted to create a force to cause vibration of a load to generate sound waves using the first fundamental frequency; a support element connected to the supported portion of the actuator and adapted to adjust, based on a change to a shape of the support element, a size of the length of the cantilevered portion to change the first fundamental frequency to a second fundamental frequency with which the load will generate sound waves; and a frequency selection module that provides a signal to the support element to cause the support element to change shape.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2017Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Inventors: Graham Landick, Neil John Harris
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Patent number: 10468041Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide encoding and decoding methods, and associated encoders and decoders, for encoding and decoding of an audio scene which is represented by one or more audio signals. The encoder generates a bit stream which comprises downmix signals and side information which includes individual matrix elements of a reconstruction matrix which enables reconstruction of the one or more audio signals in the decoder.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2019Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Dolby International ABInventors: Heiko Purnhagen, Lars Villemoes, Leif Jonas Samuelsson, Toni Hirvonen
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Patent number: 10468040Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide encoding and decoding methods, and associated encoders and decoders, for encoding and decoding of an audio scene which is represented by one or more audio signals. The encoder generates a bit stream which comprises downmix signals and side information which includes individual matrix elements of a reconstruction matrix which enables reconstruction of the one or more audio signals in the decoder.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2019Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Dolby International ABInventors: Heiko Purnhagen, Lars Villemoes, Leif Jonas Samuelsson, Toni Hirvonen
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Patent number: 10468039Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide encoding and decoding methods, and associated encoders and decoders, for encoding and decoding of an audio scene which is represented by one or more audio signals. The encoder generates a bit stream which comprises downmix signals and side information which includes individual matrix elements of a reconstruction matrix which enables reconstruction of the one or more audio signals in the decoder.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2019Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Dolby International ABInventors: Heiko Purnhagen, Lars Villemoes, Leif Jonas Samuelsson, Toni Hirvonen