Patents Examined by Hemant Patel
  • Patent number: 9860662
    Abstract: A computing device may transmit playback device configuration information to a given playback device. The computing device may then receive calibration data corresponding to each playback device of a plurality of playback devices, and receive playback device characteristic data indicating at least one playback device characteristic for each playback device of the plurality of playback devices. Based on at least the received calibration data and the received playback device characteristic data, the computing device may determine updated playback device configuration information and transmit data indicating the updated playback device configuration information to the given playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Jarvis, Klaus Hartung, Chris Davies, Tim Sheen
  • Patent number: 9852647
    Abstract: An e-learning system has a local classroom comprising a local student station and an instructor station, such that local students at the local student station and an instructor at the instructor station face each other directly along a first viewing line, a plurality of remote classrooms each having a student station, video cameras in each of the remote classrooms positioned and oriented to capture video images of subjects, video displays in the local classroom arranged along a line orthogonal to the first viewing line and all facing the local student station, in sets of at least two displays, arranged vertically one above another, each first set of at least two displays dedicated to one of the remote classrooms, a second plurality of video displays like the first, but facing the instructor, connection apparatus between classrooms, a server coordinating video feeds with displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
    Inventors: P. Venkat Rangan, Balaji Hariharan, Ramkumar Narayanankutty, Uma Gopalakrishnan
  • Patent number: 9848796
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a play control method, apparatus and terminal. The method comprises: acquiring brain wave information of a user; and controlling an electronic device based on the brain wave information. When the embodiments of this disclosure are applied, by acquiring brain wave information of a user and controlling an electronic device based on the brain wave information, the state of the user can be reflected through the brain wave information; accordingly, effective control of the user's needs can be realized through the brain wave information without any triggering operation by the user, thereby enhancing the user experience and improving the intelligence level of electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Xiaomi Inc.
    Inventors: Ke Wu, Xinyu Liu
  • Patent number: 9843678
    Abstract: Visual assistance systems and related methods are disclosed. A visual assistance system includes a visual assistance service configured to receive and display images from a user device on an electronic display for a live assistant. The visual assistance service is also configured to transmit assistant audio from the live assistant conveying information derived by the live assistant's review of the images. A visual assistance system comprises a user device configured to capture and transmit the images to the visual assistance service. The user device is also configured to receive the assistant audio from the visual assistance service, and reproduce the assistant audio to a user of the user device. The user is registered with the visual assistance service as having at least a minimum level of visual disability. A method of operating the visual assistance system includes receiving the images from, and transmitting the assistant audio to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: SORENSON IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Conrad Arlo Maxwell, Richard Shields
  • Patent number: 9843668
    Abstract: Disclosed is a secure telephone call management system for authenticating users of a telephone system in an institutional facility. Authentication of the users is accomplished by using a personal identification number, preferably in conjunction with speaker independent voice recognition and speaker dependent voice identification. When a user first enters the system, the user speaks his or her name which is used as a sample voice print. During each subsequent use of the system, the user is required to speak his or her name. Voice identification software is used to verify that the provided speech matches the sample voice print. The secure system includes accounting software to limit access based on funds in a user's account or other related limitations. Management software implements widespread or local changes to the system and can modify or set any number of user account parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Global Tel*Link Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen Lee Hodge
  • Patent number: 9841943
    Abstract: Example implementations may relate to creation and control of channels. In particular, a computing device may receive a first channel-addition request indicating content from a first audio-provider service and may responsively send to a server an instruction to establish a first channel that provides access to content from the first audio-provider service via an application-program account. With this arrangement, a subsequent second channel-addition request may then similarly lead to establishment of a second channel that provides access to content from the second audio-provider service via the application-program account. After channel-additions, the device may determine a first selection of the added first channel and may responsively cause content from the first audio-provider service to be output by an audio output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Seth Raphael, Ben Murdoch, Matthew David Tait, Cody Sumter
  • Patent number: 9838815
    Abstract: A method of operation of a device includes receiving an input signal at the device. The input signal is generated using at least one microphone. The input signal includes a first signal component having a first amount of wind turbulence noise and a second signal component having a second amount of wind turbulence noise that is greater than the first amount of wind turbulence noise. The method further includes generating, based on the input signal, an output signal at the device. The output signal includes the first signal component and a third signal component that replaces the second signal component. A first frequency response of the input signal corresponds to a second frequency response of the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Shuhua Zhang, Erik Visser, Lae-Hoon Kim, Raghuveer Peri, Yinyi Guo
  • Patent number: 9838528
    Abstract: A video calling service provides a mobile device user is provided the capability to transition from a voice call to a video call within a calling session in a voice over long term evolution (VoLTE). The example video calling service offers a seamless transition of a voice call to a video call in a simplified and efficient process. In an example, a graphical user interface is provided that allows a user to select controls to provide real-time stream of video of a live scene via a rear facing camera to another user during a video call. Other examples describe the merger of individual voice calls into a merged call with the individual calls grouped as a conference call. The examples provide simplified use of a mobile device to transition voice calls to a video call in a cellular carrier's mobile network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Abbott, So Young Park
  • Patent number: 9832321
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a collect call method and system thereof, more particularly, in order to charge the called party with a uniform toll for collect call, which is determined by only the type and location of called party terminal. In one embodiment, the collect call method, system and a counsel service providing method use a free VoIP network for part of the voice call link and a charge PSTN network for the rest of the voice call link. In one embodiment, if the first link corresponding to the collect call request is established, the collect call switch calls the called party terminal to establish the second link, and billing on the second link is initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Inventor: Ey-Taeg Kwon
  • Patent number: 9826196
    Abstract: An e-learning system has a local classroom with an instructor station and a microphone and a local student station with a microphone, a plurality of remote classrooms with an instructor display and a student station with a microphone, and planar displays and video cameras in each of the classrooms, the remote and local classrooms connected over a network, with a server monitoring feeds and enforcing exclusive states, with sets of video displays, each set dedicated to a remote classroom, arrayed along a line orthogonal to a line between the instructor station and the local student station, with one display in each set facing toward the instructor station, and one display in each set facing toward the local student station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
    Inventors: P. Venkat Rangan, Balaji Hariharan, Ramkumar Narayanankutty, Uma Gopalakrishnan
  • Patent number: 9820046
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a pre-correcting engine generates a pre-corrected signal that may be used to mitigate air path distortions in sounds generated by loudspeaker systems that include loudspeakers coupled to waveguides. In operation, the pre-correcting engine virtually propagates a target signal in a reverse direction from the output of the waveguide to the output of a driver. Notably, the pre-correcting engine implements a propagation distortion compensation model that, when applied to the target signal, corrects for the effects of air path distortions on the target signal. The pre-correcting engine then transmits the pre-corrected signal to the driver. As the driver drives the waveguide based on the pre-corrected signal, effects of the pre-corrected distortions negate effects of air path distortions and the loudspeaker system generates high-fidelity sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignees: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED, UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Shreyas Srikanth Payal, V. John Mathews, Douglas J. Button, Ajay Iyer, Russell H. Lambert
  • Patent number: 9813670
    Abstract: A computer-implemented online conferencing transactional platform system comprising an interaction module, a video-conferencing module, and a storage device may allow multiple participants in a video-conference to access, co-browse, collaboratively edit, and sign a transactional document. An interaction module fetches an image of a transactional document and a field identifier for an interactive transactional document element to be filled out from a remotely-connected secure signature API, and displays the image of the document, along with the interactive transactional document element on a webpage interface to a moderator and a signer end user in a video-conference. The interaction module receives a filled-out transactional document in an I-frame from the secure signature API, allowing the signer end user to sign the transactional document using a secure embedded signature process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: LIVEOAK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Peter Rung, Andrew Ambrose, Thomas Brown
  • Patent number: 9813673
    Abstract: The invention is directed to recording, transmitting, and displaying a three-dimensional image of a face of a user in a video stream. Reflected light from a curved or geometrically shaped screen is employed to provide multiple perspective views of the user's face that are transformed into the image, which is communicated to remotely located other users. A head mounted projection display system is employed to capture the reflective light. The system includes a frame, that when worn by a user, wraps around and grips the user's head. Also, at least two separate image capture modules are included on the frame and generally positioned relatively adjacent to the left and right eyes of a user when the system is worn. Each module includes one or more sensor components, such as cameras, that are arranged to detect at least reflected non-visible light from a screen positioned in front of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Inventor: Gerard Dirk Smits
  • Patent number: 9799319
    Abstract: A headset includes a microphone that detects an acoustic signal, and converts the acoustic signal into a microphone signal, an audio processor that receives the microphone signal, and a twisted pair conductor element coupling the microphone and the audio processor. The twisted pair conductor element self-cancels a radio frequency (RF) field to prevent the RF field from entering the microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lee John Yee, Nathan Marshall Cross
  • Patent number: 9800984
    Abstract: An electronic device may be configured to identify a load coupled to the device. The device may measure direct current (DC) and/or alternating current (AC) characteristics of the load to identify the load. The device may then take action based on the identification of the load. For example, a specific transducer may be identified as coupled to the electronic device and an appropriate equalization curve applied to an audio output of the device. The measurement of characteristics of the load may include controlling a reference generator according to a search algorithm, such as a step ramp or binary search, to identify the load. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) may operate through the search algorithm to provide feedback to digital circuitry regarding how to proceed through the search algorithm to identify the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Shatam Agarwal, Alvin C. Storvik, Anand Ilango, Daniel John Allen
  • Patent number: 9800833
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, capturing images that are associated with a video conference communication session, obtaining a video conference policy associated with the video conference communication session, applying object pattern recognition to the images to detect an object in the images, and retrieve first replacement image content according to the video conference policy. The images can be adjusted by replacing a first portion of the images other than the detected object with the first replacement image content to generate first adjusted video content. The first adjusted video content can be provided to the first recipient communication device via the video conference communication session. Non-adjusted video content can be provided according to the video conference policy to the second recipient communication device via the video conference communication session. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Min Lu, Yi Chin, Gerald L. Hoover
  • Patent number: 9781387
    Abstract: Techniques for video conferencing include receiving a stream of video slices from a participant, designating the video slices as a primary sub-picture of a frame of video, encoding, with a first encoder, a first secondary sub-picture of the frame of video to obtain an encoded first secondary sub-picture of a frame of video, encoding, with a second encoder, a second secondary sub-picture of the frame of video to obtain an encoded first secondary sub-picture of a frame of video, combining the primary sub-picture with the encoded first secondary sub-picture to obtain a first video stream, combining the primary sub-picture with the encoded second secondary sub-picture to obtain a second video stream, and transmitting the first and second video streams to respective recipients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul G. Bright-Thomas
  • Patent number: 9774939
    Abstract: A slim electronic device is provided. The slim electronic device includes a substrate having an opening formed therein, and an audio component accommodated in the opening of the substrate without overlapping the substrate and disposed such that the top and bottom thereof are substantially parallel to the top and bottom of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Min-Young Park, Kwangmin Kil, Jae-Joon Yoo, Chang-Youl Lee, Janghoon Kang, Taeeon Kim, Youngbae Park
  • Patent number: 9769316
    Abstract: A method for customization of voice mail messaging. The method includes recording a plurality of voice mail messages, defining selection criteria for each of the plurality of voice mail messages, establishing a first call for which one of the plurality of voice mail messages will be selected, identifying parameters of the first call, matching the parameters with the selection criteria, selecting the one of the plurality of messages based on the matching step, and playing the selected message on the first call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Venson M. Shaw
  • Patent number: 9749863
    Abstract: An inmate mobile device for communicating with an outsider mobile device is provided. An identity data item, of the device, includes an inmate identifier of an inmate user of the inmate mobile device, a verified data and a restrictions repository. Also included is a media capture module configured to obtain an initial verification data from the inmate user of the inmate mobile device, and an outsider client application configured to receive the initial verification data from the media capture module, determine that the inmate verification data and the inmate verified data match, generate a connection request targeting the outsider mobile device. The connection request includes the inmate identifier of the inmate user and an outsider identifier of an outsider user of the outsider mobile device. The inmate application is also further configured to send the connection request to a server system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Intelmate LLC
    Inventors: Richard Torgersrud, Kevin O'Neil