Patents Examined by Fan S. Tsang
  • Patent number: 11128958
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor die, comprising the steps of: providing a MEMS device having a structural body, provided with a cavity, and a membrane structure suspended over the cavity; coupling the structural body to a filtering module via direct bonding or fusion bonding so that a first portion of the filtering module extends over the cavity and a second portion of the filtering module extends seamlessly as a prolongation of the structural body; and etching selective portions of the filtering module in an area corresponding to the first portion, to form filtering openings fluidically coupled to the cavity. The semiconductor die is, for example, a microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giorgio Allegato, Federico Vercesi, Laura Maria Castoldi, Laura Oggioni, Matteo Perletti
  • Patent number: 11120075
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, devices, and apparatuses, including computer programs stored on computer-readable media, for storing and managing audio data. One of the methods includes: receiving a request to store audio data; associating the audio data with a spectrogram generated based on the audio data; storing the audio data and the spectrogram on a blockchain; and providing access to the audio data based on the spectrogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Alipay (Hangzhou) Information Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hui Xu
  • Patent number: 11122386
    Abstract: In general, various aspects of the techniques are directed to audio rendering for low frequency effects. A device comprising a memory and a processor may be configured to perform the techniques. The memory may store audio data representative of a soundfield. The processor may analyze the audio data to identify spatial characteristics of low frequency effects components of the soundfield, and process, based on the spatial characteristics, the audio data to render a low frequency effects speaker feed. The processor may also output the low frequency effects speaker feed to a low frequency effects capable speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jason Filos, Andre Schevciw, Graham Bradley Davis
  • Patent number: 11110839
    Abstract: A vehicle headrest includes an electro-acoustic transducer and an acoustic enclosure. The acoustic enclosure defines an acoustic chamber. The acoustic enclosure supports the electro-acoustic transducer such that a rear radiating surface of the electro-acoustic transducer radiates acoustic energy into the acoustic chamber. A cushion member is coupled to the acoustic enclosure for supporting a user's head. A grille member overlies a front radiating surface of the electro-acoustic transducer. The grille member is formed of a 3D printed lattice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Bradford Kyle Subat, Carl J. Price
  • Patent number: 11102584
    Abstract: Disclosed is a speaker unit for an earphone. The speaker unit includes a magnet, a voice coil, a vibration plate, a fixing ring on which an edge of the vibration plate is mounted, and a frame configured to accommodate the magnet, the upper plate, and the voice coil. Here, a pipe conduit is formed in the frame along a circumferential direction. A first hole configured to allow the pipe conduit and a first space disposed in front of the speaker unit to communicate with each other is formed in at least one first position at a top of the frame in a circumferential direction. A second hole configured to allow the pipe conduit and a second space disposed in the rear of the speaker unit to communicate with each other is formed in at lest one second position at a bottom of the frame in a circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: ALMUS CORP.
    Inventors: Ju Heon Ko, Byung Il Min, Yun Uk Ha, Jeong Kwon Park, Yeong Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 11102588
    Abstract: A portable airtight electronic component dryer device includes a container having an interior portion for receiving one or more electronic components for drying and a removable lid for the container. A desiccant is disposed in the interior portion of the container. The removable lid contains a disinfecting light source and a power source for providing power to the disinfecting light source. Light generated by the disinfecting light source is directed into the interior portion of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Inventor: Daniel R. Schumaier
  • Patent number: 11102574
    Abstract: A MEMS microphone module includes a MEMS microphone, a modulator connected downstream of the MEMS microphone, and an interference compensation circuit to apply an interference compensation signal to an input of the modulator, the interference compensation signal being opposed to a low-frequency signal interference present at the input of the modulator or a block connected upstream of the input of the modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Dietmar Straeussnigg, Elmar Bach
  • Patent number: 11102594
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hearing aid which includes a lateral ear canal assembly and a medial ear canal assembly. In embodiments of the invention the medial ear canal assembly may include smart circuitry adapted to control parameters and outputs of the medial ear canal assembly. In embodiments of the invention various methods and circuitry are described, wherein the methods and circuitry are adapted to improve the performance and efficiency of the hearing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Earlens Corporation
    Inventors: Cem Shaquer, Louis Wong, Kulbir Sandhu, Mudhafar Hassan Ali, Thanh Tran
  • Patent number: 11099808
    Abstract: Example techniques facilitate calibration of a playback device. An example implementation involves a computing device capturing, via a microphone, data representing multiple iterations of a calibration sound as played by a playback device. The computing device identifies multiple sections within the captured data. Two or more sections represent respective iterations of the calibration sound as played by the playback device. Based on the multiple identified sections, the computing device determines a frequency response of the playback device, the frequency response of the playback device representing audio output by the playback device and acoustic characteristics of an environment around the playback device. Based on the frequency response of the playback device and a target frequency response, the computing device determines one or more parameters of an audio processing algorithm and sends, to the playback device, the one or more parameters of the audio processing algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy W. Sheen
  • Patent number: 11102576
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus change operation of a hearing device based on a state of an acoustic valve in the hearing device. In some examples an electrical circuit performs one or more of differing operations depending on a state of the acoustic valve. Some operations change the signal to a sound producing transducer and other operations change other operations of the hearing device. For example, an electrical circuit changes active noise cancelling operation, changes equalization settings, provides noise reduction improvements, provides beam forming changes and other operations based on a state of the acoustic valve. In some implementations, a change in acoustic valve state is used to change the operation of the hearing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Knowles Electronicis, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Miller, Shehab Albahri, Andrew Bellavia, Erik Wiederholtz, Christopher Monti
  • Patent number: 11094313
    Abstract: An electronic device for adjusting a speech output rate (speech rate) of speech output data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Piotr Marcinkiewicz
  • Patent number: 11095983
    Abstract: A multiple speaker outdoor audio system receiving wi fi signals. The array comprises multiple range 30 to 40 ohm speakers connected in parallel to a wi fi enabled amplifier. The number of speakers are selected to maintain the load on the system amplifier within an acceptable range, usually 1 to 8 ohms. The array may also include a low range speaker such as an 8 ohm sub-woofer. The speaker array “kit” may be used indoors or outdoors and allows the user to distribute an array of speakers and sub woofer over an area to achieve balanced coverage using Wi Fi amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventor: Jeffery J Coombs
  • Patent number: 11089422
    Abstract: A sound signal processor includes a memory storing instructions and a processor configured to implement the stored instructions to execute a plurality of tasks, the tasks including a receiving task configured to receive audio information, a sound source position setting task configured to set position information of a sound source based on the received audio information, and a sound image localization processing task configured to calculate an output level of a sound signal of the sound source for a plurality of speakers to thereby perform sound image localization processing of the sound source to localize a sound image of the sound source in a sound image localization position based on the set position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiko Suyama, Ryotaro Aoki, Tatsuya Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 11089401
    Abstract: Apparatus for managing and/or reducing harmonic distortion arising with an audio signal including a phase generator for generating at least one phase-difference signal or a reference audio signal generated by the phase generator, wherein the or each constant phase difference is adapted to provide cancellation of the harmonic distortion components arising along the signal path. Respective amplifier channels for receiving and separately amplifying the audio signal acting as a reference audio signal are also provided as are respective loudspeaker channels for receiving and separately producing sound corresponding to the amplified audio wherein each loudspeaker channel has substantially equal performance parameters and is adapted to radiate the sound relative to other loudspeaker channels to produce a combined sound that corresponds to the audio signal with harmonic distortion components that are reduced compared to the harmonic distortion components arising along the signal path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Inventors: Gregory K. Cambrell, Zeljko Velican
  • Patent number: 11087742
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for generating adaptive feedback in response to a user request. Input indicative of a user request may be received and utilized to identify an item in an electronic catalog. A title for the item may be retrieved and provided, as input, to a machine-learning model. The machine-learning model may be trained to identify one or more segments of an input title. A shortened title may be generated from these identified segments and provided as output at the user device (e.g., via audible output provided at a speaker of the user device). In some embodiments, the length and content of the shortened title may vary based at least in part on the contextual intent of the user's request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ran Levy, Yehuda Finkelstein, Iftah Gamzu, Haim Litvak
  • Patent number: 11084327
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, an apparatus for generating a simulated vehicle sound is provided. At least one parameter module receives a first driver throttle signal and to transmit a first input signal indicative of a first simulated vehicle sound. An engine sound generator block audibly generates a first simulated vehicle sound in response to the first input signal. An engine sound removal block is operably coupled to a microphone that receives a first microphone input signal. The first microphone input signal includes first environmental noise associated with a vehicle exterior environment and the first simulated vehicle sound. The engine sound removal block is configured to filter the first simulated vehicle sound from the first microphone input signal to determine the first environmental noise. The engine sound generator generates a second simulated vehicle sound that is louder than the first environmental noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Kreifeldt, James Kirsch
  • Patent number: 11080010
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a method and system for receiving, in a bitstream, metadata associated with the audio data, and analyzing the metadata to determine whether a loudness parameter for a first group of audio playback devices are available in the bitstream. Responsive to determining that the parameters are present for the first group, the system uses the parameters and audio data to render audio. Responsive to determining that the loudness parameters are not present for the first group, the system analyzes one or more characteristics of the first group, and determines the parameter based on the one or more characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey Riedmiller, Scott Gregory Norcross, Karl Jonas Roeden
  • Patent number: 11082773
    Abstract: A context-aware voice guidance method is provided that interacts with other voice services of a user device. The voice guidance does not provide audible guidance while the user is making a verbal request to any of the voice-activated services. Instead, the voice guidance transcribes its output on the screen while the verbal requests from the user are received. In some embodiments, the voice guidance only provides a short warning sound to get the user's attention while the user is speaking on a phone call or another voice-activated service is providing audible response to the user's inquires. The voice guidance in some embodiments distinguishes between music that can be ducked and spoken words, for example from an audiobook, that the user wants to pause instead of being skipped. The voice guidance ducks music but pauses spoken words of an audio book in order to provide voice guidance to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan A. Bennett, Stephen O. Lemay, Marcel van Os, Scott Forstall, Bradford A. Moore, Emanuele Vulcano, Seejo K. Pylappan
  • Patent number: 11082759
    Abstract: A surround for protecting an acoustic device for sending and/or receiving acoustic signals positioned therein from impact as the surround is rolled along an interior surface of a fluid-containing pipeline, the surround comprising: a shell comprising an exterior segment configured to roll along the interior surface, the exterior segment defining at least one acoustic aperture configured to allow the passage of acoustic signals therethrough; and a lattice configured between the exterior segment and the acoustic device, the lattice comprising a plurality of unit cells, each unit cell defining an opening, wherein the plurality of unit cells are interconnected and define a plurality of openings, wherein the plurality of openings allow fluid to move between the interior of the surround and the exterior of the surround and enable the passage of the acoustic signals transmitted and/or received by the acoustic device such that the surround reduces the diminution of the quality and/or strength of the acoustic signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: PURE TECHNOLOGIES LTD
    Inventors: Kyle Hentschel, Peter O. Paulson
  • Patent number: 11079792
    Abstract: A display device incudes: a display panel; a plurality of vibro-acoustic elements coupled to the display panel and spaced apart from each other on a lower surface of the display panel; and a bracket disposed below the display panel and including a bottom plate, where a plurality of receiving holes is defined through the bottom plate. The plurality of vibro-acoustic elements is disposed in the plurality of receiving holes, respectively, a vibration space is defined by a portion of the bottom plate defining a receiving hole of the receiving holes, which is recessed from an upper surface toward a lower surface of the bottom plate, and audio frequencies in different frequency bands, respectively, is produced from regions in which the plurality of vibro-acoustic elements are disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yi Joon Ahn, Sung Chul Kim, Jung Hun Noh, Keun Kyu Song, Hye Yong Chu