Patents Examined by Disler Paul
  • Patent number: 10785559
    Abstract: The present application is applicable to the technical field of intelligent home, and provides a method and a device for switching play modes of a wireless speaker, and a wireless speaker. The method for switching play modes of a wireless speaker includes: acquiring user information in a current application scenario by the camera and/or the microphone array; and controlling the wireless speaker to switch into a play mode corresponding to the user information. The embodiments of the present application can automatically switch the play modes according to the application scenario, thereby improving the switching efficiency, reducing the waiting time of the user, and having strong ease of use and practicability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: SHENZHEN GRANDSUN ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rongfang Huang, Haiquan Wu, Weifeng Gu, Enqin Zhang, Lei Cao, Ruiwen Shi
  • Patent number: 10779084
    Abstract: Embodiments are described for a method for localizing a set of speakers (106) and microphones (108), having only the times of arrival between each of the speakers and microphones. An autodiscovery process (107) uses an external input to set: a global translation (3 continuous parameters), a global rotation (3 continuous parameters), and discrete symmetries, i.e., an exchange of any axis pairs and/or reversal of any axis. Different time of arrival acquisition techniques may be used, such as ultrasonic sweeps or generic multitrack audio content. The autodiscovery algorithm is based in minimizing a certain cost function, and the process allows for latencies in the recordings, possibly linked to the latencies in the emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Daniel Arteaga, Giulio Cengarle, David Matthew Fischer, Antonio Mateos Sole, Davide Scaini, Alan J. Seefeldt
  • Patent number: 10779083
    Abstract: A sound bar is provided which includes a generally elongate rectangular structure, with one angled output face having a plurality of speakers disposed therein, to thereby provide enhanced audio output. The sound bar is beneficially provided with a single mounting surface configured and arranged such that the sound bar can be mounted on both a table/shelf (horizontal orientation) and a wall (vertical orientation) via the single mounting surface by rotating the sound bar 180°, wherein the audio output in both mounting orientations is a multi-directional 3D audio output that travels to and bounces off both the walls and the ceiling of a room in which the sound bar is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: D&M Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Brendon Stead, Achim Schulz
  • Patent number: 10770081
    Abstract: A method comprising: receiving at least two audio channel signals; determining, for a first frame, at least two parameters representing a difference between the at least two channel audio signals; scalar quantising the at least two parameters to generate at least two index values; adaptively encoding an initial scalar quantized parameter of the at least two parameters; determining whether the initial scalar quantized parameter has a value different from a predetermined value; adaptively encoding any unencoded scalar quantized parameters where the initial scalar quantized parameter has a value different from the predetermined value; determining whether all of the at least two scalar quantized parameters have values equal to the predetermined value where the initial scalar quantized parameter has a value equal to the predetermined value; adaptively encoding any unencoded scalar quantized parameters and generating an indicator that an output is one of fixed or variable rate coding where the initial scalar quanti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Adriana Vasilache
  • Patent number: 10764703
    Abstract: A device for room geometry analysis comprising: a plurality of segments (101-106) built of acoustic metamaterials, each segment (?, ?) acting as a waveguide with a unique transfer function (B(?, ?, ?)); and a processor configured to calculate delays (?(?, ?)) and respective directions (c(?, ?)) of mirror sound sources (721-725) by decomposing a sound signal (?) obtained from a microphone (110) based on the transfer functions (B(?, ?, ?)) of the segments (101-106) and based on a calibration signal (tsp(t)) emitted by a speaker (420).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Franck Giron, Fabien Cardinaux, Thomas Kemp, Stefan Uhlich, Marc Ferras Font, Andreas Schwager, Patrick Putzolu
  • Patent number: 10764680
    Abstract: Provided is a microphone system insensitive to external noise, and the microphone system includes a microphone sensor that generates sensing data by sensing a change in sound pressure through a sensor bias voltage, a lead-out circuit that provides the sensor bias voltage for operating the microphone sensor, removes noise of the sensing data, and outputs the sensing data, a first pad that connects the microphone sensor and the lead-out circuit to each other and allows the sensor bias voltage to pass therethrough, and a second pad that connects the microphone sensor and the lead-out circuit to each other and allows the sensing data to pass therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: ALPHA HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Young Chul Park
  • Patent number: 10764662
    Abstract: To provide an enclosure structure having relatively high rigidity to a speaker system mounted on a vehicle, and to improve frequency characteristics of sound pressure. The speaker system includes: a hollow framework member extending in a front-back direction of a vehicle; and a speaker unit installed such that an internal space of the framework member is usable as a back cavity. The framework member has a partition member at at least one end of the internal space, and spatial path lengths from the speaker unit to both longitudinal ends of the internal space are substantially the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignees: DENSO TEN Limited, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masashi Nakamura, Masahito Isayama, Takashi Moriki, Kazuhiko Hamada, Isamu Umegaki, Shunsuke Kobayashi, Koji Sagata
  • Patent number: 10748521
    Abstract: This document describes a method that includes receiving a driver signal for an acoustic transducer of an acoustic device. The method also includes receiving a signal from a microphone of the acoustic device, and, processing the driver signal through a filter to provide a reference signal. The filter has a transfer function associated with a condition of the acoustic device. The method also includes comparing the signal to the reference signal to determine whether the signal has a threshold similarity to the reference signal, and, indicating the condition of the acoustic device in respond to the determined threshold similarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: James P. Mulvey, David J. Warkentin, Emery M. Ku
  • Patent number: 10734955
    Abstract: An audio amplifier of a BTL (Bridged Tied Load) type, includes a first amplifier, a second amplifier, a first output pin connected to an output of the first amplifier, a second output pin connected to an output of the second amplifier, a first monitor pin, a second monitor pin, a current source connected to the first monitor pin and configured to be switched on and off, a switch interposed between the second monitor pin and a fixed voltage line, and a load state determination circuit configured to detect a state of a load based on a potential difference between the first monitor pin and the second monitor pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Saegusa, Keita Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10728660
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide methods and apparatus for predicting the excursion of a transducer. The method comprises determining whether an input signal to the transducer is a periodic signal; and responsive to determining that the input signal is a periodic signal, calculating the predicted excursion based on a direct current (“DC”) offset associated with the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto Napoli, Jason William Lawrence
  • Patent number: 10728681
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided for intelligently activating an amplifier in a playback device based on proximity detection. The playback device may be in a quasi-idle state when the playback device is not rendering media content. The quasi-idle state of the playback device may involve an amplifier in the playback device being inactive, while some other components or modules of the playback devices remain active. The playback device may include a proximity sensor configured to detect movement relative to the playback device. If movement is detected indicating that a user input to cause the playback device to render media content is anticipated, the amplifier may be pre-emptively activated such that the playback device enters an active state from the quasi-idle state. In some cases, the playback device may send a message to one or more other playback devices to cause the other playback devices to enter an active state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathon Reilly, Jonathan Lang
  • Patent number: 10714116
    Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to active noise cancellation in the interior of a vehicle. In exemplary embodiments, a microphone mounted on the vehicle outputs an audio signal indicative of noise emitted by a noise source. A computing system of the vehicle determines a position of the noise source based upon sensor signals output by sensors mounted on the vehicle. The computing system further determines a position of a passenger in the vehicle based upon a sensor mounted inside the vehicle. The computing system generates a complementary signal that is configured to attenuate the noise based upon the audio signal, the position of the noise source, and the position of the passenger. The complementary signal is then output by way of a speaker in the interior of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Marko Tintor, Matt Fornero
  • Patent number: 10705791
    Abstract: A volume adjustment method and a terminal relate to the field of terminal technologies and applied to adaptively adjust a volume during a voice conversation, and improve user experience. The terminal collects sound data during a voice conversation, where the sound data includes uplink voice data and background noise, and adjusts, when receiving downlink voice data, a volume of the downlink voice data based on the sound data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lin Yang, Fuzhou Xiao, Xiao Han, Junfeng Su
  • Patent number: 10701485
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method comprising determining a potential energy in a loudspeaker, a kinetic energy in the loudspeaker, and an electrical energy in the loudspeaker based on a physical model of the loudspeaker. The method further comprises determining a total energy stored in the loudspeaker based on the potential energy, the kinetic energy, and the electrical energy. The method further comprises determining a maximum potential displacement of a diaphragm of a speaker driver of the loudspeaker based on the total energy, and limiting the total energy stored in the loudspeaker by attenuating a source signal for reproduction via the loudspeaker. An actual displacement of the diaphragm during the reproduction of the source signal is controlled based on the attenuated source signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Pascal M. Brunet, Glenn S. Kubota
  • Patent number: 10694107
    Abstract: A process for the elimination of thermal interferences in the infrared and video fire detection at an early stage in waste incineration plants, recycling facilities, warehouses and the like. The process is characterized by an additional noise and vibration analysis, by measuring the noise level of vehicles situated in the area to be detected or other thermal interference sources, with a distinction in measuring the noise level between day mode and night mode. The volume thresholds can thus be determined and be used as a threshold for determining whether a fire extinguishing sequence should be triggered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Inventor: Albert Orglmeister
  • Patent number: 10681480
    Abstract: A method for operating a wireless audio playback device that has an electro-acoustic transducer and a microphone, wherein the wireless audio playback device is configured for playback of audio signals received from a plurality of digital audio sources and for synchronized audio playback with one or more other wireless audio playback devices. A particular predefined user action is detected. Based on the detection, wireless communication with another wireless audio playback device is enabled. Then an audio signal received by the device microphone is transmitted to and played by the other wireless audio playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Don L. Drinkwater, Naganagouda B. Patil
  • Patent number: 10679646
    Abstract: A signal processing device includes a prior distribution storage that stores a prior distribution group that is a set of prior distributions representing representative spectral shapes of spectral bases of an acoustic event specified as a detection target, and a basis generation unit that, using as input a spectrogram for basis generation, generates an acoustic event basis group that is a set of the spectral bases of the acoustic event specified as a detection target. The basis generation unit performs sound source separation on the spectrogram for basis generation and thereby generates an acoustic event basis group, using respective prior distributions included in a prior distribution group as a constraint for spectral bases of a corresponding acoustic event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya Komatsu, Reishi Kondo
  • Patent number: 10667045
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a robot and an audio data processing method thereof. The robot includes a body part, a main control module, and a sound pickup module electrically coupled to the main control module. The sound pickup module includes N microphones distributed around the body part to collect audio data. The main control module is configured to obtain the audio data of a sound source from a part of the N microphones collecting the audio data of the sound source without blocked by the body part, and perform a sound source localization and a sound pickup based on the obtained audio data. The 360-degree wake-up and sound source localization of the robot and the beam-forming of directional beams are realized. In addition, the sound pickup is realized without forming microphone holes on the head of the robot, hence the aesthetics of the robot will not be affected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP LTD
    Inventors: Youjun Xiong, Fanglin Xing
  • Patent number: 10659888
    Abstract: A sensor output device includes a sensor and an output circuit. The sensor includes a piezoelectric element and an output terminal. The piezoelectric element includes porous resin. The output circuit is connected to the output terminal of the sensor and includes a thermistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Susumu Ishibashi, Masao Noro, Yohei Ohtani, Tomonobu Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 10659862
    Abstract: An in-ear device includes a molding shaped to hold the in-ear device in an ear, and an audio package configured to emit sound. The audio package is structured to removably attach to the molding. An electronics package is structured to removably couple to the audio package and removably attach to the molding. The electronics package includes a controller to control the sound output from the audio package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Jason Rugolo