Patents Examined by George C Monikang
  • Patent number: 11405725
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide an electronic device and a method, the device comprising: an audio module; a display; a connection terminal connected to earphones; a communication interface; and a processor electrically connected to the audio module, the display, the connection terminal, or the communication interface, wherein the processor is set to display execution screens associated with a first application and a second application through a multi-window, respectively, and output an audio signal corresponding to the first application and an audio signal corresponding to the second application to a left terminal or a right terminal of the earphones separately based on a window position corresponding to each execution screen. In addition, other embodiments are also possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sangwoo Park, Eunkyu Lee, Wonbae Lim, Eujin Ha, Sunmoek Jung, Meeryung Choi
  • Patent number: 11405732
    Abstract: A hearing assistance device which is worn by the user and which can suppress the voices produced by the user wearing the hearing assistance device is provided. When the user wears the hearing assistance device 1, a pair of microphones is separated and positioned on both sides of a head of the user and a pair of speakers is separated and positioned on both ears of the user or positioned near the ears and which emits sound. The hearing assistance device includes a noise canceller 96 which subtracts a signal processed by a mouth directivity sound processor 93 from the input signal from at least one of the microphones L and R, in which the mouth directivity sound processor 93 emphasizes voice produced from a sound source positioned at a mouth of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignees: CEAR, INC., FREECLE INC.
    Inventors: Yasushi Honda, Yoshitaka Murayama, Sosuke Kubo, Taichi Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 11405716
    Abstract: A modular headphone system that can afford the wearer configurable choices of hearing protection and quality sound delivery for music and programming is provided. In an embodiment, a modular headphone includes a headband and an earpiece mounted to the headband. The earpiece comprises a can comprising a speaker, the can secured to the headband. A removable and replaceable music ear cup is removably mountable to the can to overlie the speaker. A removable and replaceable hearing protection/sound amplification (HP/amp) ear cup is removably mountable to the can to overlie the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Wiley X, lnc.
    Inventors: Daniel W. Freeman, Frank Strauss, Marc A. Tappeiner
  • Patent number: 11399255
    Abstract: A directivity adjustment device that maintains a constant direct-to-reverberant ratio based on the detected location of a listener in relation to the speaker array is described. The directivity adjustment device may include a distance estimator, a directivity compensator, and an array processor. The distance estimator detects the distance between the speaker array and the listener. Based on this detected distance, the directivity compensator calculates a directivity index form a beam produced by the speaker array that maintains a predefined direct-to-reverberant sound energy ratio. The array processor receives the calculated directivity index and processes each channel of a piece of sound program content to produce a set of audio signals that drive one or more of the transducers in the speaker array to generate a beam pattern with the calculated directivity index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Martin E. Johnson, Ronald N. Isaac, Afrooz Family
  • Patent number: 11399244
    Abstract: A hearing instrument is specified having a rechargeable battery, a charging coil for inductively receiving energy for charging the battery, a transmitter and/or receiver coil electrically separated from the charging coil for inductively transmitting and/or receiving data, and a magnetic core. Both the charging coil and the transmitter and/or receiver coil are wound on the magnetic core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Martin Schmidt, Peter Nikles
  • Patent number: 11395085
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for translating a first plurality of audio input channels to a second plurality of audio output channels. This includes determining that there is pair-wise coding among any of the first plurality of audio input channels, determining an input/output-mapping matrix for mapping at least a first set of the first plurality of audio input channels to at least a second set of the second plurality of audio output channels; and deriving the second plurality of audio output channels based on first plurality of audio input channels, the input/output-mapping matrix and the determined pair-wise coding. The first plurality of audio input channels represent the same soundfield represented by the second plurality of audio output channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Mark F. Davis
  • Patent number: 11367437
    Abstract: There is provided a speech dialog system that includes a first microphone, a second microphone, a processor and a memory. The first microphone captures first audio from a first spatial zone, and produces a first audio signal. The second microphone captures second audio from a second spatial zone, and produces a second audio signal. The processor receives the first audio signal and the second audio signal, and the memory contains instructions that control the processor to perform operations of a speech enhancement module, an automatic speech recognition module, and a speech dialog module that performs a zone-dedicated speech dialog.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Timo Matheja, Markus Buck, Andreas Kirbach, Martin Roessler, Tim Haulick, Julien Premont, Josef Anastasiadis, Rudi Vuerinckx, Christophe Ris, Stijn Verschaeren, Hakan Ari, Dieter Ranz
  • Patent number: 11341981
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic device including a speaker, a communication circuit, a processor, and a memory. The processor is configured to receive first data including a first audio frame corresponding to a first interval and a second audio frame corresponding to a second interval subsequent to the first interval, using the communication circuit, to store the second audio frame in the memory in response to reception of the first data, to output a first audio signal generated based on the first audio frame, through the speaker, and to store the third audio frame in the memory and output a second audio signal generated based on the second audio frame of the second data through the speaker when second data including the second audio frame and a third audio frame corresponding to a third interval subsequent to the second interval is received using the communication circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hangil Moon, Hyunwook Kim, Sanghoon Lee, Euibum Han
  • Patent number: 11337013
    Abstract: A hearing aid has a hearing aid module for supplying electrical energy and has a transmitting and receiving unit for communication with another device. The hearing aid module has an accumulator and a charging circuit for charging the accumulator. The charging circuit is formed for contactless, in particular inductive, charging of the accumulator. The hearing aid module further has a charging conductor loop. The transmitting and receiving unit has a radio conductor loop and the radio conductor loop is integrated into the hearing aid module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter Nikles, Martin Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11322170
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products of automatic de-essing are disclosed. An automatic de-esser can be used without manually setting parameters and can perform reliable sibilance detection and reduction regardless of absolute signal level, singer gender and other extraneous factors. An audio processing device divides input audio signals into buffers each containing a number of samples, the buffers overlapping one another. The audio processing device transforms each buffer from the time domain into the frequency domain and implements de-essing as a multi-band compressor that only acts on a designated sibilance band. The audio processing device determines an amount of attenuation in the sibilance band based on comparison of energy level in sibilance band of a buffer to broadband energy level in a previous buffer. The amount of attenuation is also determined based on a zero-crossing rate, as well as a slope and onset of a compression curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Giulio Cengarle, Antonio Mateos Sole, Brett G. Crockett
  • Patent number: 11323814
    Abstract: Provided is a vibration system using sound. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system which is capable of generating vibration using sound so that the beats of the sound may be felt, is convenient to carry or move due to a lightweight and compact size thereof, is capable of generating vibration matching a beat of sound to which a user is currently listening, is capable of generating vibrations matching various feelings according to beats of sound on the basis of user setting, thereby greatly enhancing effects that the user may feel, and is very inexpensive to manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: BEATSNINE INC.
    Inventor: Ji Seung Yoo
  • Patent number: 11317222
    Abstract: A method performed by a hearing device comprising a first housing, a microphone, a speaker, and a first control system configured to control an active vent, the active vent comprising a vent canal and a valve member configured to block the vent canal when the active vent is in the closed state, and to allow passage of air through the vent canal when the active vent is in the open state, comprising: emitting an acoustic signal from the speaker; measuring a first transfer function of an acoustic feedback path between the speaker and the microphone when the active vent is expected to be in the open state; measuring a second transfer function of the acoustic feedback path when the active vent is expected to be in the closed state; and determining a status of the active vent based at least on the first and second measured transfer functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: GN Hearing A/S
    Inventors: Theodorus Geradus Maria Brouwer, Aart Zeger Van Halteren, Andreas Tiefenau
  • Patent number: 11308967
    Abstract: Disclosed is an audio signal processing apparatus for rendering an input audio signal. The audio signal processing apparatus may include a processor configured to obtain an input audio signal including an ambisonics signal and a non-diegetic channel difference signal, render the ambisonics signal to generate a first output audio signal, mix the first output audio signal and the non-diegetic channel difference signal to generate a second output audio signal, and output the second output audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: GAUDIO LAB, INC.
    Inventors: Jeonghun Seo, Sangbae Chon
  • Patent number: 11310574
    Abstract: Wireless-enabled loudspeaker includes a wooden capacitive touch user interface. The loudspeaker may comprise at least one electroacoustic transducer, a processor in communication with the at least one electroacoustic transducer, and a wooden exterior surface comprising a capacitive touch user interface that allows a user to control operation of the loudspeaker. The wooden exterior surface acts a dielectric for the capacitive touch user interface. The loudspeaker may comprise a wireless transceiver circuit for receiving and transmitting wireless communication signals via a wireless network. The wireless transceiver circuit may receive wirelessly audio content from streaming audio content servers that are connected to the Internet. The capacitive touch user interface comprises a plurality of user control icons etched in the wooden exterior surface, and a plurality of capacitive sense electrodes located under the wooden exterior surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: KOSS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael J. Koss, Michael J. Pelland, Nicholas Blair
  • Patent number: 11299124
    Abstract: A vehicle system to produce audible sound includes at least one auxiliary motor to mechanically operate of a vehicle component based on a control signal and to produce an audible sound without mechanically operating the vehicle component, and a controller to output a motion control signal to control operation of the at least one auxiliary motor and to output an auditory control signal to actuate the at least one auxiliary motor to produce the audible sound. A waveguide is provided in communication with the at least one auxiliary motor and in sonic resonance with sound produced by the auxiliary motor to amplify and/or to modify the audible sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA CLOSURES INC.
    Inventors: Stephen James Caron, Gabriele Wayne Sabatini
  • Patent number: 11301205
    Abstract: A boat includes a dash positioned proximate a windshield at a first non-zero angle. A speaker is mounted under a top surface of the dash at a second non-zero angle. The speaker is positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker through an opening in the dash and the windshield is configured to reflect the sound emanating from the speaker as reflected sound in an aft direction. The boat may also include an enclosure having a reflective surface positioned within a cavity formed between the deck and hull of the boat. A speaker, mounted within the enclosure, and the reflective surface are configured to reflect sound emanating from the speaker off of the reflective surface and through an opening of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: MasterCraft Boat Company, LLC
    Inventors: Darren S. Sheedy, David F. Ekern
  • Patent number: 11297455
    Abstract: There are two representations for Higher Order Ambisonics denoted HOA: spatial domain and coefficient domain. The invention generates from a coefficient domain representation a mixed spatial/coefficient domain representation, wherein the number of said HOA signals can be variable. An aspect of the invention further relates to methods and apparatus decoding multiplexed and perceptually encoded HOA signals, including transforming a vector of PCM encoded spatial domain signals of the HOA representation to a corresponding vector of coefficient domain signals by multiplying the vector of PCM encoded spatial domain signals with a transform matrix and de-normalizing the vector of PCM encoded and normalized coefficient domain signals, wherein said de-normalizing comprises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Sven Kordon, Alexander Krueger
  • Patent number: 11270713
    Abstract: Methods for generating an object based audio program, renderable in a personalizable manner, and including a bed of speaker channels renderable in the absence of selection of other program content (e.g., to provide a default full range audio experience). Other embodiments include steps of delivering, decoding, and/or rendering such a program. Rendering of content of the bed, or of a selected mix of other content of the program, may provide an immersive experience. The program may include multiple object channels (e.g., object channels indicative of user-selectable and user-configurable objects), the bed of speaker channels, and other speaker channels. Another aspect is an audio processing unit (e.g., encoder or decoder) configured to perform, or which includes a buffer memory which stores at least one frame (or other segment) of an object based audio program (or bitstream thereof) generated in accordance with, any embodiment of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Sripal S. Mehta, Thomas Ziegler, Giles Baker, Jeffrey Riedmiller, Prinyar Saungsomboon
  • Patent number: 11269586
    Abstract: Embodiments are described for a method of rendering audio for playback through headphones comprising receiving digital audio content, receiving binaural rendering metadata generated by an authoring tool processing the received digital audio content, receiving playback metadata generated by a playback device, and combining the binaural rendering metadata and playback metadata to optimize playback of the digital audio content through the headphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Nicolas R. Tsingos, Rhonda Wilson, Sunil Bharitkar, C. Phillip Brown, Alan J. Seefeldt, Remi Audfray
  • Patent number: 11265661
    Abstract: A hearing aid comprises a) an input transducer; b) an output transducer; c) an input buffer connected to the input transducer configured to store audio data representing one or more time segments of an electric input signal; d) an own voice detector for providing an own voice control signal, and e) a combiner allowing to insert audio data from the input buffer in a forward audio signal path. The hearing aid further comprises f) an input controller configured to control storage of a time segment of the electric input signal in dependence of said own voice control signal; and g) an output controller configured to select audio data from said one or more time segments of the electric input signal currently stored in the input buffer for insertion in the forward path in dependence of an output control signal originating from the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventor: Lars Riemer