Patents Examined by David L Ton
-
Patent number: 11323838Abstract: Methods (700, 800) and apparatuses (160-1, 181, 184, 220, 600, 156, 105) of providing and receiving audio content are described. The method of providing audio content (700) includes receiving (710) a first audio content from a first user, processing (720) the first audio content based on a first viewing direction for the first user facing at least one section of an audiovisual content and on a viewing direction for a second user facing at least one section of the audiovisual content, and providing (730) the processed first audio content. The audiovisual content may be an immersive reality content. A computer-readable storage medium, computer program and a non-transitory article of manufacture are described.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2018Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings, SASInventor: William G. Redmann
-
Patent number: 11315577Abstract: 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: July 24, 2020Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: Dolby International ABInventors: Heiko Purnhagen, Lars Villemoes, Leif Jonas Samuelsson, Toni Hirvonen
-
Patent number: 11317231Abstract: Apparatus including a processor configured to: receive at least two microphone audio signals; determine spatial metadata associated with the at least two microphone audio signals; and synthesize adaptively a plurality of spherical harmonic audio signals based on at least one microphone audio signal and the spatial metadata in order to output a pre-determined order spatial audio signal format.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2017Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: Nokia Technologies OyInventors: Juha Vilkamo, Mikko-Ville Laitinen
-
Patent number: 11301202Abstract: An automatic adjustment method includes: recognizing whether one of a plurality of predetermined sound categories is included in audio data of current game; when one of the predetermined sound categories is included in the audio data, determining volume gain based on the predetermined sound category included in the audio data; and adjusting the volume of the audio data according to the volume gain.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2020Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: ACER INCORPORATEDInventors: En-Shin Chen, Cheng-Tse Wu, An-Cheng Lee, Ying-Shih Hung
-
Patent number: 11297424Abstract: Techniques of source localization and acquisition involve a wideband joint acoustic source localization and acquisition approach in light of sparse optimization framework based on an orthogonal matching pursuit-based grid-shift procedure. Along these lines, a specific grid structure is constructed with the same number of grid points as compared to the on-grid case, but which is “shifted” across the acoustic scene. More specifically, it is expected that each source will be located close to a grid point in at least one of the set of shifted grids. The sparse solutions corresponding to the set of shifted grids are combined to obtain the source location estimates. The estimated source positions are used as side information to obtain the original source signals.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2018Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: GOOGLE LLCInventors: Willem Bastiaan Kleijn, Jan Skoglund, Christos Tzagkarakis
-
Patent number: 11296665Abstract: For converting analog audio signals captured by a microphone into digital audio data, the analog audio signals are first amplified in a pre-amplifier and then fed to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). For better utilizing the dynamic range of the ADC, a DC coupled dual amplifier circuit may be used herein that automatically switches between two amplifier branches with different gain factors. To avoid switching noise, both signals must have the same DC component before the analog-to-digital conversion. To achieve this, the amplifier arrangement comprises a first amplifier branch having a higher first gain factor (G1) and providing a first output voltage (VOUT1) and a second amplifier branch having a lower second gain factor (G2) and providing a second output voltage (VOUT2). Both amplifier branches are DC coupled and receive as a common input signal an audio signal with a predetermined DC component (Vk).Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KGInventor: Vittorio Pascucci, IV
-
Patent number: 11282490Abstract: Systems and methods for vibration attenuation, and for investigating a subsurface volume of interest from a borehole. System embodiments may include a vibration attenuation system, comprising: at least one vibration attenuator configured to dynamically isolate a vibration source, the at least one vibration attenuator comprising metamaterial defining a plurality of cells; wherein at least one cell of the plurality of cells comprises a plurality of sub-cells azimuthally arrayed about an axis of alignment, and at least one sub-cell of the plurality is defined by a solid, the at least one sub-cell including a plurality of cell segments substantially oriented in alignment with a mapping geometry comprising an inversion of a canonical tangent circles mapping. The vibration source may comprise an acoustic source. The system may have an enclosure having the acoustic source and the at least one receiver disposed therein, with the at least one acoustic attenuator is positioned between.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2018Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Baker Hughes, A GE Company, LLCInventor: Dwight W. Swett
-
Patent number: 11284151Abstract: The present application relates to a loudness adjustment method and apparatus, and an electronic device and a storage medium, mainly relating to the technical field of multimedia. The method comprises: converting a sound signal of a multimedia resource into a first frequency domain signal; acquiring a second frequency domain signal based on the first frequency domain signal and frequency response information of a current electronic device, wherein the second frequency domain signal is used for reflecting the loudness of the first frequency domain signal when same is played on the current electronic device; and adjusting the loudness of the sound signal based on the second frequency domain signal and a target loudness, so as to obtain a target sound signal of the multimedia resource.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2019Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Beijing Dajia Internet Information Technology Co., Ltd.Inventor: Chen Zhang
-
Patent number: 11277105Abstract: An audio device is adapted to receive and process a digital audio signal and output an analog audio signal. The audio device includes an adder, a digital-to-analog conversion circuit, an amplifying circuit, a voltage detecting circuit and an offset compensating circuit. The voltage detecting circuit detects a supply voltage received by the amplifying circuit. The offset compensating circuit generates a DC offset compensation value according to the supply voltage. The adder adds the digital audio signal and the DC offset compensation value to output an added signal. The digital-to-analog conversion circuit converts the added signal into a converted analog audio signal. The amplifying circuit amplifies the converted analog signal to output an amplified analog signal. Accordingly, the audio device can reduce pop noise caused by a DC offset.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2020Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.Inventors: Shih-Hsin Lin, Che-Hung Lin, Yi-Chang Tu
-
Patent number: 11275550Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods, devices, and systems for playing audio signals associated with an electric in vehicle. The method includes, for example, (1) determining a speed of the electric vehicle; (2) receiving, from a memory, a plurality of sound frequency characteristics corresponding to the determined speed of the electric vehicle; and (3) generating an audio signal segment corresponding to the received sound frequency characteristics by a speaker of the electric vehicle. The sound frequency characteristics include a plurality of segments. Each of the segments includes an amplitude of a number of frequency characteristics in a sound produced by a powertrain assembly (e.g., an electric motor) in a speed range.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2018Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: Gogoro Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Neal Bethurum, Jia-Yang Wu
-
Patent number: 11264005Abstract: A support structure for active noise control systems is provided. The support structure may be used with active noise control systems in enclosed spaces such as a neonatal incubator.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2020Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: Invictus Medical, Inc.Inventors: George Martin Hutchinson, Lilin Du
-
Patent number: 11257478Abstract: The present technology relates to a signal processing device, a signal processing method, and a program that enable implementation of more effective distance feeling control. The signal processing device includes a reverb processing unit that generates a signal of a reverb component on the basis of object audio data of an audio object and a reverb parameter for the audio object. The present technology can be applied to a signal processing device.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2018Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Minoru Tsuji, Toru Chinen, Takao Fukui, Mitsuyuki Hatanaka
-
Patent number: 11251890Abstract: A mixing apparatus comprises a weighting circuit configured to, within a particular control target band, perform weighting amplitude spectra of a priority audio signal and a non-priority audio signal taking frequency masking and time masking into account, an amplitude changer configured to relatively amplify an amplitude spectrum of the priority audio signal within the control target band based on the amplitude spectrum to which the weighting has been applied, a phase changer configured to make a phase spectrum of the non-priority audio signal approach a phase spectrum of the priority audio signal, within the control target band, based on the amplitude spectrum to which the weighting has been applied, and a mixer configured to mix the priority audio signal and the non-priority audio signal after the amplitude spectrum and the phase spectrum are changed.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2020Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: CLARION CO., LTD.Inventor: Kazutomo Fukue
-
Patent number: 11250830Abstract: Circuits, devices and methods related to mode-switching of amplifiers. In some embodiments, an audio controller can include a mode state engine configured to receive an enable signal and generate a control signal for controlling a mode transition of an amplifier between a current source mode and a voltage source mode, with the mode transition of the amplifier resulting in an artifact sound. The audio controller can further include an enable component configured to provide the enable signal to the mode state engine based on a masking sound in an audio signal, such that the artifact sound is substantially masked by the masking sound during the mode transition of the amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2020Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventor: Michael Jon Wurtz
-
Patent number: 11243568Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems for maintaining a user's privacy in relation to mobile computing devices. In one general aspect a system includes an acoustically insulated housing, a speaker system, a touchscreen, and a control system. The housing has an interior sized to contain a mobile computing device. The speaker system includes a speaker arranged to direct sound into the interior volume. The control system is configured to perform operations that include causing the speaker system to emit voice obscuring noise into the interior volume of the housing, receiving display data indicating content displayed on a touchscreen of the mobile computing device, causing the touchscreen display to present the display data in a manner that substantially mirrors the content as displayed on the touchscreen of the mobile computing device, and providing control signals indicating user inputs received on the touchscreen to control functions of the mobile computing device.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2020Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: Cor Sanctum, LLCInventor: John L. Tuttle
-
Patent number: 11230852Abstract: A mobile terminal booth with a sound masking function includes a sound absorbing panel which partitions a space as viewed from the above to provide a place where a user of a mobile terminal can have a telephone conversation; a speaker provided to emit sounds to an outside of the mobile terminal booth; and a masking sound generation unit provided to emit a masking sound through the speaker. The harsh-sounding high frequency components of the masking sound which is output from the speaker are attenuated so that the masking sound gives less uncomfortable feeling to persons surrounding the mobile terminal booth.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2020Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: INTERMAN CorporationInventors: Shigeki Uetabira, Junichi Nakamura
-
Patent number: 11234095Abstract: An audio system (e.g., of an artificial reality headset) determines a position of the headset relative to a position of a head of a user wearing the headset. The determination is based in part on an image of a portion of the head from a tracking camera (e.g., eye tracking and/or face tracking) on the headset. The audio system adjusts an acoustic parameter based in part on the determined position of the headset. The audio system performs an action that uses the adjusted acoustic parameter.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2020Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLCInventors: Sang-Ik Cho, Pablo Francisco Faundez Hoffmann, Karol Constantine Hatzilias, Gregory Olegovic Andreev
-
Patent number: 11228289Abstract: This application describes an amplifier circuit (200) with a forward signal path with a class-D output stage (102) for generating a driving signal (Sout) based on a digital input signal (Sin). The amplifier has a first feedback path for providing a first digital feedback signal (Sfb1) based on the driving signal and a second feedback path for providing a second digital feedback signal (Sfb2) from a digital part of the forward signal path. The digital input signal (Sin) is combined with a selected feedback signal (Sfbs). The amplifier circuit is selectively operable in a first mode, in which the first feedback signal is used as the selected feedback signal, and in a second mode, in which the second feedback signal is used as the selected feedback signal. A calibration module (204) is operable to calibrate the first feedback path to reduce any DC offset when the amplifier circuit is operating in the second mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2020Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventors: Angus Black, Hemant Shukla
-
Patent number: 11221821Abstract: From multiple audio objects in an audio scene, one or more audio objects of interest are identified. First audio signals associated with the plurality of objects are processed for provision to a user device. The processing may be based on a position of the user device in an audio scene. The processing may include combining the first audio signals associated with the audio objects to form combined first audio signals, modifying the amplitude of the combined first audio signals and limiting to a first level the maximum amplitude of the combined first audio signals. The processing also includes modifying the amplitude of one or more individual first audio signals, associated with the one or more audio objects of interest, the modifying the amplitude of one or more individual first audio signals being independent of that for the combined first audio signals.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2018Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: Nokia Technologies OyInventors: Antti Eronen, Jussi Artturi Leppanen, Sujeet Shyamsundar Mate, Arto Lehtiniemi
-
Patent number: 11219386Abstract: A method of cough detection in a headset, the method comprising: receiving a first signal from an external transducer of the headset; receiving a second signal from an in-ear transducer of the headset; and detecting a cough of a user of the headset based on the first and second signals.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2020Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventors: John P. Lesso, Yanto Suryono, Toru Ido