Patents Examined by George C Monikang
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Patent number: 11265661Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 26, 2020Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: OTICON A/SInventor: Lars Riemer
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Patent number: 11250834Abstract: Systems and methods for providing accurate and independent control of reverberation properties are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system may include a reverberation processing system, a direct processing system, and a combiner. The reverberation processing system can include a reverb initial power (RIP) control system and a reverberator. The RIP control system can include a reverb initial gain (RIG) and a RIP corrector. The RIG can be configured to apply a RIG value to the input signal, and the RIP corrector can be configured to apply a RIP correction factor to the signal from the RIG. The reverberator can be configured to apply reverberation effects to the signal from the RIP control system. In some embodiments, one or more values and/or correction factors can be calculated and applied such that the signal output from a component in the reverberation processing system is normalized to a predetermined value (e.g., unity (1.0)).Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2020Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.Inventors: Remi Samuel Audfray, Jean-Marc Jot, Samuel Charles Dicker
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Patent number: 11245783Abstract: The invention provides a terminal device having a main body, a sounding assembly and a cover plate. The sounding assembly includes a housing and a sounding body. The housing has an accommodating groove and a first sounding channel. The main body has a second sounding channel and a first sound emitting hole. The cover plate has a first through hole. When the sounding assembly is located at the first position, the sound is propagated to the outside through the first through hole, the second sounding channel and the first sound emitting hole in sequence. When the sounding assembly is located at the second position, the sound is propagated to the outside through the first sounding channel. The present invention improves the problem that the sound effect is affected by airflow sound, piano sound, etc., generated by the terminal device in the speaker mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2020Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Bo Xiao, Xiaodong Liu, Ronglin Linghu
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Patent number: 11238840Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to using a display as a sound emitter and may relate to an electronic device including a display and for sound leak cancellation. A vibration sensor such as an accelerometer is physically coupled to the display and senses the display vibration to provide a signal representing actual acoustic output from the display. The electronic device includes a first actuator physically coupled to the display and configured to cause vibration of the display in response to a first audio signal. The electronic device further includes the vibration sensor configured to output a vibration sensor signal proportional to the vibration of the display. The electronic device further includes a second actuator physically coupled to a portion of the electronic device different from where the first actuator is physically coupled to the display and configured to cause vibration of the portion in response to a second audio signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2020Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Ricardo De Jesus Bernal Castillo, Wade Heimbigner, Andre Gustavo Schevciw
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Patent number: 11240614Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of sealing a module (14) in a hearing device housing. The method comprises the steps of preparing the module (14) and the hearing device housing, and applying a sealing material (28) into a space, said space being formed between the module (14) and the hearing device housing.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Natasha Thumm, Christian Frei, Matthias Stadler, André Lucien Ochsenbein, Tobias Balmer, Fiona Pacifico
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Patent number: 11234087Abstract: The disclosure relates to a hearing device comprising a housing surrounding a venting channel comprising a valve member moveable relative to the venting channel between different positions comprising a first valve position and a second valve position, an actuator configured to provide an actuation force with a direction and a magnitude acting on the valve member, and a controller a controller configured to provide a first control signal controlling the actuator to provide the actuation force in a first direction, and to provide a second control signal controlling the actuator to provide the actuation force in a second direction. The disclosure further relates to a method of operating such a hearing device.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2020Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Hans-Ueli Roeck, Christian Frei, Manuel Weibel, Erwin Kuipers, Maxi Susanne Moritz, Christian Landolt
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Patent number: 11227597Abstract: An electronic device for performing a voice recognition and a controlling method are provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2020Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hyunkook Cho, Taeyoung Kim, Sunghee Cho
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Patent number: 11228851Abstract: A cerumen protection plug for a hearing device. The cerumen protection plug prevents cerumen from passing along a sound conduit in the hearing device and blocking sound output from a receiver in the hearing device. The cerumen protection plug includes a circular plug containing a cerumen barrier. A positioning handle allows the cerumen barrier to be positioned along the sound conduit, where it prevents cerumen that has entered the sound conduit from traveling along the sound conduit to the receiver or an output port of the receiver.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2017Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Erich Dittli, Christoph Bosshard, Marius Ruefenacht, Joseph Muller, Andre Ochsenbein, George Meier, Andreas Muller, Erdal Karamuk, Markus Muller
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Patent number: 11228843Abstract: A device includes: a piezoelectric transducer; a field effect transistor (FET) configured to provide a sub-threshold conduction path for leakage current across the piezoelectric transducer; wherein the FET comprises a gate; wherein each of a width and a length of the gate has a size in accordance with the sub-threshold conduction path being configured to substantially maintain an input voltage to the piezoelectric transducer across a path of the leakage current of the piezoelectric transducer.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2017Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: Vesper Technologies Inc.Inventors: Ronald Gagnon, Chen-Wei Huang
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Patent number: 11222647Abstract: A system configured to perform cascade echo cancellation processing to improve a performance when reference signals are asymmetric (e.g., dominant reference signal(s) overshadow weak reference signal(s)). The system may perform cascade echo cancellation processing to separately adapt filter coefficients between the dominant reference signal(s) and the weak reference signal(s). For example, the system may use a dominant reference signal to process a microphone audio signal and generate a residual audio signal, using the residual audio signal to adapt first filter coefficient values corresponding to the dominant reference signal. Separately, the system may use a weak reference signal to process the residual audio signal and generate an output audio signal, using the output audio signal to adapt second filter coefficient values corresponding to the weak reference signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2020Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Mohamed Mansour, Shobha Devi Kuruba Buchannagari
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Patent number: 11223915Abstract: A set of one or more processing circuits obtains eye movement-related eardrum oscillation (EMREO)-related measurements from one or more EMREO sensors of a hearing instrument. The EMREO sensors are located in an ear canal of a user of the hearing instrument and are configured to detect environmental signals of EMREOs of an eardrum of the user of the hearing instrument. The one or more processing circuits may perform an action based on the EMREO-related measurements.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2020Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Martin McKinney, Thomas Howard Burns, Yezihalem Mesfin, Kyle Walsh
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Patent number: 11218234Abstract: Components may modify an audio input signal to produce an output audio signal. The audio input signal is firstly rectified and sent to the peak detector as an input control signal. The peak detector produces a peak value which correlates to the level of the input control signal. The control signal is then sent from the peak detector to a dynamic curve module, which has two user selectable inputs: a threshold level and a knee/dynamic angle. The control signal is then sent from the dynamic curve module to the signal dynamics processor. This processor is then configurable to modify the control signal by applying an attack and release phase waveform to elements of the signal which exceed the threshold set by the user. The user will have selected the release time and the release phase shape prior to use of the processor. The release shape is selected by the user.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2020Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: DIGICO (UK) LTDInventor: Peter Johnston
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Patent number: 11205439Abstract: A method includes obtaining first audio data corresponding to speech occurring within a communication area. The first audio data is obtained from one or more interior locations inside the communication area. The method includes obtaining second audio data corresponding to the speech. The second audio data is obtained from one or more exterior locations outside of the communication area. The method includes calculating a first intelligibility based on the first audio data and calculating a second intelligibility based on the second audio data. The method includes comparing the first intelligibility to the second intelligibility, and determining, based on the comparing, that the second intelligibility exceeds a threshold. The method includes generating a set of countermeasures in response to the determining. The set of countermeasures includes at least one modification to a parameter of the speech. The method includes providing at least one countermeasure of the set of countermeasures.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2019Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gianluca Gargaro, Matteo Rogante, Angela Ghidoni, Sara Moggi
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Patent number: 11205429Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a receiving part that receives processing information based on voice; and a controller that performs control so that the processing information indicated by the voice received by the receiving part is displayed on a display. The receiving part further receives modification of the processing information displayed on the display, and the controller further performs control so that the modification received by the receiving part is reflected in processing received by the receiving part.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2019Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.Inventor: Ryoto Yabusaki
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Patent number: 11196960Abstract: Media content typically includes closed captioning information such as subtitled in domestic and foreign languages. Techniques and mechanisms provide that closed captioning information may be toggled on/off using menu options and preferences as well as automatically managed by intelligently monitoring the environment surrounding a device. Device sensors such as microphones and vibration monitors determine the noise level of an environment as well as the spectral characteristics of the noise to determine whether the noise profile would interfere with the video playback experience. A particular environmental noise profile could automatically trigger the display of closed captioning information or present an easy access, otherwise unavailable toggle to display closed captioning information associated with a video stream.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: TiVo CorporationInventor: Torbjorn Einarsson
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Patent number: 11190888Abstract: A tool for replacing a cerumen filter in a sound conduit of a hearing aid. The tool is designed to position a cerumen filter along the sound conduit and to couple with and remove a cerumen filter that has been positioned along the sound conduit. The tool comprises an insertion tip and an removal tip, both configured to fit inside the sound conduit and to couple or engage with an engagement body extending centrally from the cerumen filter. The tool may be in the form of a stylus with the insertion tip on one and the removing tip on the other end. The tool may also be in the form of a disc dispenser with a plurality of insertion and removal tips attached to the dispenser and accessible for use by rotating plates making up the disc dispenser.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2017Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Martyn Beedham, Erich Dittli, Andre Ochsenbein, George Meier, Christoph Bosshard, Josef Müller, Marius Ruefenacht, Erdal Karamuk, Markus Muller
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Patent number: 11178797Abstract: A loudspeaker system includes a line array assembly and a base for supporting the line array assembly. The line array assembly includes a plurality of electro-acoustic transducers arranged along a vertical axis and the base houses electronics for powering the line array assembly. The base and the line array assembly together define a flow path to facilitate a convective air flow to pass between the base and the line array assembly for cooling the electronics.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2019Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: Bose CorporationInventors: Peter C. Santoro, Thomas E. MacDonald
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Patent number: 11178495Abstract: The electromechanical transducer is provided with: a structure portion in which a magnet, yokes, and a coil are integrally arranged; an armature which includes an inner portion penetrating through an internal space of the structure portion along a central axis in the X-direction, and outer portions, constitutes a magnetic circuit with the structure portion, and is displaced in the Z-direction; and elastic members providing the armature with a recovery force. Each of the elastic members has a first and a second engaging portions. A width in which a force in the Z-direction acts between each of the elastic members and the structure portion via the first engaging portion has a first distance. A width between each of the elastic members and the outer portion via the second engaging portion has a second distance in the Y-direction, wherein the dimension condition of 2a>2×2b is set.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2019Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: RION CO., LTD.Inventor: Takashi Iwakura
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Patent number: 11176937Abstract: An electronic apparatus may include a microphone; a communication circuitry; a memory; and a processor configured to: identify whether information of an external apparatus that previously connected through the communication circuitry is stored in the memory based on a preset event of the electronic apparatus; based on identifying that the information of the external apparatus that previously connected through the communication circuitry is stored in the memory, perform connection with the external apparatus through the communication circuitry based on the information of the external apparatus; and based on identifying that the information of the external apparatus that previously connected through the communication circuitry is not stored in the memory, perform connection with the external apparatus by performing a search through the communication circuitry, based on a first voice command obtained through the microphone.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2019Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Shina Kim, Jongjin Park, Wonjae Lee, Minsup Kim
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Patent number: 11172297Abstract: There is provided a smart audio system including multiple audio devices and a central server. The central server confirms a model of every audio device and a position thereof in an operation area in a scan mode. The central server confirms a user position or a user state to accordingly control output power of a speaker of each of the multiple audio devices in an operation mode.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2020Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.Inventors: Ming Shun Manson Fei, Yi-Hsien Ko