Patents Examined by David L Ton
  • Patent number: 11115771
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system and method for demonstrating spatial performance of a demonstration speaker model to consumers in order to evaluate different speakers. The system and method comprise a microphone array for recording the output of the demonstration speaker model. The system and method comprise acoustic input samples for processing to an acoustic output and a processor for determining characteristics of each microphone recording, and processing an acoustic input sample and characteristics of each microphone recording corresponding to a selected demonstration speaker model. The system and method further comprise a reference speaker model for outputting an acoustic signal based on the result of the processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Crutchfield Corporation
    Inventors: William G Crutchfield, Jr., Richard I Wright
  • Patent number: 11109172
    Abstract: An circuit includes: a plurality of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and a control chip. The control chip is utilized for instructing a target ADC to output audio data of a target channel during a target period, and utilized for instructing remaining ADCs not to output audio data in the target period. Then, the control chip defines data timing of the target channel and other channels based on the data receiving time point of the audio data of the target channel. The plurality of ADCs would process analog audio signals of a plurality of channels and output audio data of the plurality of channels according to an assigned order configured by the control chip to form a serial data signal. The control chip separates the audio data of different channels from the serial data signal according to the data timing of the plurality of channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventor: Chiu-Yun Tsai
  • Patent number: 11109156
    Abstract: A method for improving the effective signal-to-noise ratio (“SNR”) of an analog to digital converter (“ADC”) for active loudspeakers uses the two available channels of a stereo ADC to separately process the low- and high-frequency components of an audio signal. Because the power spectral density of music approximates a pink noise spectrum, the high-frequency component of the signal has peak levels low enough to avoid exceeding the maximum ADC input level. The audio signal is analog high-pass filtered and the resulting high-frequency signal component is sent directly to a first ADC channel without attenuation. The remaining low-frequency component is attenuated and sent to a second ADC channel. The digital signals are processed, converted back to analog, amplified, and reproduced by loudspeaker drivers. Noise and distortion at low frequencies is less audible than higher frequencies, so the improved SNR at higher frequencies yields a significant practical improvement in audio fidelity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Barefoot Sound, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Barefoot
  • Patent number: 11102565
    Abstract: Methods for communicating audio and voice signals as well as hearable devices therefor are disclosed. A disclosed method includes creating an audio and voice Bluetooth communication link between a computing device and a hearable device. The audio and voice Bluetooth communication link includes a downlink and an uplink. The method further includes configuring the downlink with a downlink audio codec and the uplink with an uplink voice codec and receiving, by the hearable device through the downlink, a channel of a downlink audio signal from the computing device. The channel is encoded with the downlink audio codec. The method further includes transmitting, to the computing device, an uplink voice signal by the hearable device through the uplink. The uplink voice signal is encoded with the uplink voice codec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: TAP Sound System
    Inventors: Thomas Girardier, Antoine Soulier
  • Patent number: 11102581
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a Bluetooth earphone connecting method, a storage medium and an electronic device. The method includes obtaining two signal strengths between the electronic device and two Bluetooth earphones when the electronic device simultaneously connecting with the two Bluetooth earphones via Bluetooth; determining one of the two Bluetooth earphones as a first earphone and the other Bluetooth earphone as a second earphone when one of the two signal strengths is less than or equal to a preset strength, the second earphone corresponding to the signal strength which is less than or equal to the preset strength, and the first earphone corresponding to the other signal strength which is greater than the preset strength; and keeping the connection between the electronic device and the first earphone, and controlling the first earphone and the second earphone connecting with each other via Bluetooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Jinhua Gong, Jian Wang
  • Patent number: 11102340
    Abstract: The disclosure herein provides a mobile system including a base station and a wireless earbud. The base station comprising a connection hole, a user input button, at least one processor, at least one memory, and circuitry. The wireless earbud is configured for plugging into the connection hole of the base station to form an integrated body with the base station. The system is capable of wirelessly pairing with a smartphone for the wireless earbud to receive audio data originated from the smartphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Pinn, Inc.
    Inventor: Seung Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 11102600
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a receiver and an up-mixer. The receiver is configured to receive a bitstream that includes an encoded mid signal and encoded stereo parameter information. The encoded stereo parameter information represents a first value of a stereo parameter and a second value of the stereo parameter. The first value is associated with a first frequency range. The second value is associated with a second frequency range that is distinct from the first frequency range. The up-mixer is configured to perform an up-mix operation on a frequency-domain decoded mid signal generated from the encoded mid signal. A particular value based on the first value and the second value is applied to the frequency-domain decoded mid signal during the up-mix operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Venkata Subrahmanyam Chandra Sekhar Chebiyyam, Venkatraman Atti
  • Patent number: 11095963
    Abstract: Display panel and display apparatus including the same. A display panel includes a first substrate including a display portion configured to display an image, a second substrate attached to the first substrate by an adhesive member, and a vibration generating module within the adhesive member to overlap the display portion. The vibration generating module is surrounded by the second substrate and the adhesive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: YongGyoon Jang, Yong-Su Ham, YongWoo Lee, Kyungyeol Ryu
  • Patent number: 11093044
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure may provide an electronic device for detecting an input. The electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise: a speaker; a microphone; and a processor coupled to the speaker and the microphone. The processor may be configured to output a sound through the speaker on the basis of a first audio signal; obtain a second audio signal from the sound through the microphone; detect an input on the basis of a result of comparison between the first audio signal and the inputted second audio signal; and perform an operation according to the input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jakub Tkaczuk, Roman Fraczek
  • Patent number: 11070916
    Abstract: A separate virtual (e.g. aural) location for one or more interaction or telephony call participants may provide an indication or clue for at least one of the call participants of who is speaking at any one time, reducing errors and misunderstandings during the call. Auditory localization may be used so that participants are heard from separate virtual locations. An audible user interface (AUI) may be produced such that audio presented to the listening user is location-specific, the location being relevant to the user, just as information presented in a graphical user interface (GUI) might be relevant. For example, a plurality of audio streams which are part of an interaction between communicating parties may be accepted, and based on the audio streams, a plurality of audio outputs may be provided, each located at a different location in three-dimensional space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: INCONTACT, INC.
    Inventors: Adam Samuel Horrocks, Matthew Lawrence Page, Nathan Edwin Boden, Christopher Garn Seaman
  • Patent number: 11062713
    Abstract: In general, techniques are described by which to specify spatially formatted enhanced audio data for backward compatible audio bitstreams. A device comprising a memory and one or more processors may be configured to perform the techniques. The memory may store the backward compatible bitstream that conforms to a legacy transport format. The processor(s) may obtain, from the backward compatible bitstream, legacy audio data that conforms to a legacy audio format and a spatially formatted extended audio stream. The processor(s) may process the spatially formatted extended audio stream to obtain extended audio data that enhances the legacy audio data. The processor(s) may next obtain, based on the legacy audio data and the extended audio data, enhanced audio data that conforms to an enhanced audio format. The processor(s) may output the enhanced audio data to one or more speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorported
    Inventors: Nils Günther Peters, Ferdinando Olivieri, Moo Young Kim, Dipanjan Sen, Shankar Thagadur Shivappa
  • Patent number: 11057728
    Abstract: Provided is an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program capable of voice presentation, to a user, of information transmitted from another user around the user. The information processing apparatus includes a control unit that performs control to present, to a user by voice, information that has been transmitted from another user in surroundings of the user. The control unit performs control to emphasize and present, by voice, specific information among the information which has been transmitted from another user in surroundings of the user, in accordance with a situation of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Inventors: Yasuhide Hosoda, Yusuke Sakai, Shingo Utsuki
  • Patent number: 11032643
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for selecting distributed mode loudspeaker electrodes using an output frequency. One of the methods includes determining, for a piezoelectric transducer, a subset of frequencies, from a range of frequencies, at which to output a sound; selecting, based on the subset of frequencies, one or more electrode pairs from two or more electrode pairs included in the piezoelectric transducer to generate the sound; and providing, by a drive module connected to each of the two or more electrode pairs, current to each of the selected one or more electrode pairs to cause the piezoelectric transducer to generate a force that, when provided to a load, causes the load to generate the sound within the subset of frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Inventor: Neil John Harris
  • Patent number: 11026020
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a memory, a housing, an acoustic module comprising a coil and an acoustic membrane configured to be movable based on a signal applied to the coil, the acoustic module being disposed in an internal space of the housing, an amplifier, and a processor. The memory may store instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to apply a first signal to the coil through the amplifier to move the acoustic membrane in a first direction by a first distance and applying a second signal to the coil through the amplifier to move the acoustic membrane in a second direction different from the first direction and/or to move the acoustic membrane by a second distance different from the first distance after applying the first signal to the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youngbae Park, Changshik Yoon, Hongki Kim, Junhui Lee, Dongheon Jang, Sohae Kim, Hyunjong Roh, Limsam Lim, Hochul Hwang
  • Patent number: 11010125
    Abstract: Reducing audio-based distractions in an information handling system, including performing, by an audio focus computing module and at a first time, a calibration and configuration of an audio focus model, performing, by the audio focus computing module at a second time, a steady-state monitoring of the information handling system, including applying the one or more configuration rules to perform one or more of the computer-implemented actions to automatically enable the video conference of the video conferencing application executing on the information handling system without user interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Vivek Viswanathan Iyer, Michael S. Gatson
  • Patent number: 11002029
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: INTERMAN Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeki Uetabira, Junichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10999676
    Abstract: Systems and methods for audio communication are disclosed. The system includes a plurality of transducer units and plurality of three dimensional sensor modules (TDSMs) adapted to be located in a plurality of sites/spaces to which service should be provided by the system. The plurality of transducer units are capable of emitting/directing and focusing ultra-sonic signals to respective coverage zones in the sites, such that localized (confined) sound field can be formed at selected spatial position in the coverage zones by utilizing sound from ultrasound technique. The TDSMs are associated with respective sensing volumes in the sites and are operable to obtain sensory data indicative of the 3D arrangement of elements in a within the sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: NOVETO SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Silviu Zilberman, Tomer Shani, Noam Babayoff
  • Patent number: 10984815
    Abstract: Techniques for non-linear acoustic echo cancellation are described herein. In an embodiment, a system comprises a loudspeaker, a microphone array, a spatial filtering logic with a spatial filter, an acoustic echo canceller (AEC) logic and an adder logic block. The spatial filtering logic is configured to generate a spatially-filtered signal by applying the spatial filter using a reference signal sent to the loudspeaker and a multi-channel microphone signal from the microphone array. The generated spatially-filtered signal carries both linear echo and non-linear echo that are included in the multi-channel microphone signal. The AEC logic is configured to apply a linear adaptive filter using the spatially-filtered signal to generate a cancellation signal that estimates both the linear echo and the non-linear echo of the multi-channel microphone signal. The adder logic block is configured to generate an output signal based on the cancellation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Ashutosh Pandey, Ted Wada
  • Patent number: 10984776
    Abstract: Aspects are generally directed to headphone systems that adjust Active Noise Reduction operations based on measurements of environmental conditions. In one example, a headphone system includes an earpiece having an interior volume, the earpiece configured to couple to an ear and define an acoustic volume including the interior volume and a volume within the ear, a speaker to provide acoustic energy to the acoustic volume based on a received driver signal, a feedback microphone to detect at least residual noise within the acoustic volume and generate a feedback audio signal indicative of the residual noise, and a control circuit including a sensor interface configured to receive an atmospheric pressure signal, the control circuit coupled to the feedback microphone to receive the feedback audio signal, and the control circuit configured to adjust the driver signal based at least in part on the feedback audio signal and the atmospheric pressure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Paul G. Yamkovoy
  • Patent number: 10959031
    Abstract: A loudspeaker assembly includes L loudspeakers, each being substantially the same size and having a peripheral front surface, and an enclosure having a hollow cylindrical body and end closures, the cylindrical body and end closures being made of material that is impervious to air. The cylindrical body comprises L openings therein. The L openings are sized and shaped to correspond with the peripheral front surfaces of the L loudspeakers, and have central axes. The central axes of the L openings are contained in a radial plane, and the angles between adjacent axes are identical. The L loudspeakers are disposed in the L openings and hermetically secured to the cylindrical body. L is equal to or greater than 2. A higher-order loudspeaker system comprising such a loudspeaker assembly and a beamforming module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Christoph