Patents Examined by James K Mooney
  • Patent number: 11488574
    Abstract: The implementation of modal processors, which involve the parallel combination resonant filters, may be costly for applications such as artificial reverberation that can require thousands of modes. In one embodiment, the input signal is decomposed into a plurality of subbands, the outputs of which are downsampled. In each downsampled band, resonant filters are applied at the downsampled sampling rate, and their output is upsampled and filtered to form the band output. In these and other embodiments, a feature of responses of the mode filters have been optimized to minimize an aspect of a residual error after a point in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Inventor: Jonathan Stuart Abel
  • Patent number: 11477573
    Abstract: A handheld electronic device includes a first speaker, a second speaker, and an audio controller. The audio controller includes a signal receiving unit, a frequency crossover unit, a harmonic-wave generating unit, a low frequency enhancement unit, and a signal synthesis unit. The signal receiving unit receives an original sound signal and generates a first channel signal and a second channel signal according to the original sound signal. The frequency crossover unit sets a preset frequency crossover point to filter the first channel signal to generate a low frequency signal. The harmonic-wave generating unit generates harmonic waves according to the low frequency signal. The low frequency enhancement unit generates an enhancing low-frequency signal according to the harmonic waves. The signal synthesis unit generates a first channel enhanced signal according to the enhancing low-frequency signal and drives the first speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Tsung-Yen Yu, Kuo-Yuan Huang, Shih-Jie Kuo, Yuan-Hao Lo, Yen-Ming Chen, Wei-Chi Pan
  • Patent number: 11477572
    Abstract: A speaker drive unit includes a control signal generation unit and a signal processing unit. The control signal generation unit generates a control signal on the basis of detection signals generated by a plurality of detection units that is disposed in one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of actuators that vibrates a diaphragm, and detects vibration conditions. The signal processing unit includes a plurality of signal systems corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of actuators. The signal systems provide a drive signal to the corresponding actuators on the basis of the same audio signal. The drive signal generated by at least one signal system of the signal systems is controlled by the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Kamata, Naoki Shinmen, Michiaki Yoneda, Yoshiyuki Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11477601
    Abstract: Some disclosed methods involve multi-band bass management. Some such examples may involve applying multiple high-pass and low-pass filter frequencies for the purpose of bass input management. Some disclosed methods treat at least some low-frequency signals as audio objects that can be panned. Some disclosed methods involve panning low and high frequencies separately. Following high-pass rendering, a power audit may determine a low-frequency deficit factor that is to be reproduced by subwoofers or other low-frequency-capable loudspeakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles Q. Robinson, Mark R. P. Thomas, Michael J. Smithers
  • Patent number: 11470420
    Abstract: Example techniques relate to audio generation in a media playback system. Based on one or more first functions and first characteristics of an area, the system may generate first audio that includes a first audio signal and a second audio signal. The system provides the first audio signal to at least one first audio driver and the second audio signal to at least one second audio driver, thereby causing a first playback device and a second playback device to play back the first audio synchronously. The system receives second characteristics of the area and based on one or more second functions and the second characteristics, generates second audio comprising a third audio signal and a fourth audio signal. The system provides the third audio signal to the at least one first audio driver and the fourth audio signal to the at least one second audio driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Chamness, Aurelio Rafael Ramos, Timothy Sheen, Hilmar Lehnert
  • Patent number: 11457327
    Abstract: A first subwoofer may be configured to output multimedia content in synchrony with at least one other playback device and a second subwoofer. The first subwoofer may, based on a received indication of an acoustic characteristic of the at least one other playback device, determine a crossover frequency of (i) the first subwoofer and the second subwoofer and (ii) the at least one other playback device. After determining the crossover frequency, the first subwoofer may output a first tone set and a second tone set in synchrony with the second subwoofer and the at least one other playback device, and after outputting the first tone set and the second tone set, receive, from a controller device, an indication of a selected one of the first tone set or the second tone set. Based on the selected tone set, the first subwoofer may adjust a phase setting of the first subwoofer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Mike Chamness
  • Patent number: 11445296
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a signal processing apparatus and method, and a program that make it possible to reduce an arithmetic operation amount. The signal processing apparatus performs, on the basis of audio object mute information indicative of whether or not a signal of an audio object is a mute signal, at least either one of a decoding process or a rendering process of an object signal of the audio object. The present technology can be applied to a signal processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Honma, Toru Chinen, Yoshiaki Oikawa
  • Patent number: 11444375
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for frequency routing based on orientation are disclosed. An example method includes receiving, by a playback device, an audio data stream. The example method includes determining, by the playback device, an orientation of the playback device. The example method includes routing, by the playback device, a first set of frequencies in the audio data stream to at least one of a plurality of speaker drivers based on the first orientation. The example method includes routing, by the playback device, a second set of frequencies in the audio data stream to the at least one of the plurality of speaker drivers based on the second orientation, wherein the first set of frequencies is different than the second set of frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Kallai, Michael Darrell Andrew Ericson, Jonathan P. Lang, Craig Wisneski, Jonathon Reilly, Seamus Daly, Todd Mansfield
  • Patent number: 11438721
    Abstract: To provide an out-of-head localization system, a filter generation device, a method, and a program capable of appropriate processing, an out-of-head localization system according to this embodiment includes a measurement device that measures transfer characteristics by using a microphone worn on a user's ear before the user U sits on a seat, an out-of-head localization device that is installed in the seat and performs out-of-head localization by using a filter appropriate to the transfer characteristics, and a server terminal that transmits the filter appropriate to the transfer characteristics to the out-of-head localization device on the basis of identification information of the user U.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: JVCKENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisako Murata, Masaya Konishi, Yumi Fujii, Takahiro Gejo, Kuniaki Takachi, Toshiaki Nagai
  • Patent number: 11425500
    Abstract: Apparatus for processing an audio signal including an audio processing device configured to process, evaluate and modify an audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: ASK INDUSTRIES GMBH
    Inventor: Benjamin Sellak
  • Patent number: 11412340
    Abstract: The description relates to rendering directional sound. One implementation includes receiving directional impulse responses corresponding to a scene. The directional impulse responses can correspond to multiple sound source locations and a listener location in the scene. The implementation can also include encoding the directional impulse responses to obtain encoded departure direction parameters for individual sound source locations. The implementation can also include outputting the encoded departure direction parameters, the encoded departure direction parameters providing sound departure directions from the individual sound source locations for rendering of sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft TEchnology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Nikunj Raghuvanshi, Keith William Godin, John Michael Snyder, Chakravarty Reddy Alla Chaitanya
  • Patent number: 11412321
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for enabling adaptive audio signal alteration are described. When an input audio signal is received, a determination of whether the user of an audio device hears the input audio signal is performed based upon brain activity of the user. A determination of whether the user is distracted by the audio signal is performed based upon sensor measurements indicating a physical state of the user. In response to determining that the user hears the input audio signal and that the input audio signal causes the user to be distracted, a determination of configuration parameter(s) is performed. An alteration of audio signal(s) is caused based upon the configuration parameter(s) to obtain modified version(s) of the audio signal(s) that are intended to address the distraction caused by the input audio signal, and output audio signals are output, where the output audio signals include the modified versions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Matthew John Lawrenson, Jan Jasper Van Den Berg, Jacob Ström, Lars Andersson
  • Patent number: 11399240
    Abstract: A hearing system to activate an auditory system using cerebrospinal fluids includes at least one processor configured to receive an audio signal captured using a sound sensor (e.g., a microphone), extract temporal and spectral features from the audio signal, and create modulated ultrasound signals in a range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz with ultrasound carrier frequencies in the range of 50 kHz to 4 MHz, which are ultrasound frequencies that are well-suited to reach the cerebrospinal fluids (e.g., can pass across the skull/bones to reach the cerebrospinal fluids). The system further includes at least one ultrasonic transducer which receives the modulated signal and delivers the modulated signal to the body and activates the auditory system via vibration of cerebrospinal fluids that vibrate cochlear fluids, bypassing the normal conductive pathway that uses middle ear bones and minimizing bone conduction and distortion through the skull.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Hubert H. Lim, Mark Hamilton, Hongsun Guo, Cory Gloeckner
  • Patent number: 11388538
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a signal processing device, a signal processing method, and a program capable of stabilizing localization of a sound image in a center direction. Input signals of audio of two channels are added to generate the addition signal. Moreover, convolution of the addition signal and a head related impulse response (HRIR) in a center direction is performed to generate a center convolution signal. Furthermore, convolution of the input signal and a binaural room impulse response (BRIR) is performed to generate an input convolution signal. Then, the center convolution signal and the input convolution signal are added to generate an output signal. The present technology can be applied, for example, in a case of reproducing listening conditions in various sound fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yuji Tsuchida
  • Patent number: 11381909
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and an apparatus for forming a differential beam, a method and an apparatus for processing a signal, and a chip. The method for forming a differential beam includes: obtaining a differential beam forming signal according to an input signal acquired by two microphones in a microphone array (101); and performing a nonlinear adjustment on at least an amplitude of the differential beam forming signal based on a distance between the two microphones and a signal frequency of the input signal to obtain the adjusted differential beam forming signal (102). With the above solution, a constant beam characteristic of the differential beam forming signal can be ensured as much as possible for microphone arrays of different specifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Shenzhen Goodix Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Na Li, Guoliang Li, Xinshan Wang, Hu Zhu, Hongjing Guo
  • Patent number: 11375309
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sound collection device that collects a sound while suppressing noise. The sound collection device includes: a storage that stores first data indicating a feature amount of an image of an object indicating a noise source or a target sound source; and a control circuit that specifies a direction of the noise source by performing a first collation of collating image data generated by a camera with the first data, and performs signal processing on an acoustic signal outputted from a microphone array so as to suppress a sound arriving from the specified direction of the noise source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Hirose, Yusuke Adachi
  • Patent number: 11375311
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for audio equalization based on variant selection. An example apparatus to generate equalization adjustments for an audio signal includes an input feature set generator to generate an equalization input feature set by generating a data structure corresponding to a user input, the data structure including a number of entries identifying a selected variant of music and including the data structure in the equalization input feature set, and a model executor to, in response to obtaining the equalization input feature set, adjust at least one weight of a neural network model to generate the equalization adjustments for the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Gracenote, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Coover, Joseph Renner, Cameron A. Summers
  • Patent number: 11363361
    Abstract: A sound collection system includes a sound collection unit, a variable shelter configured to cover the sound collection unit, an optimum form determination unit configured to determine a form of the variable shelter on a basis of an ambient environmental state, and a shelter optimization control unit configured to change the form of the variable shelter on a basis of a determination result by the optimum form determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yusuke Sakai
  • Patent number: 11356794
    Abstract: Upon an attempt to communicate through an audio input source in a voice session, a determination can be made whether an audio quality received from a user through the audio input source is below an audio quality threshold. In response to determining that the audio quality through the audio input source is below the audio quality threshold, a first voice input can be received from the user from a first position. A second voice input can be received from the user from a second position. A first volume of the first voice input from the first position can be compared to a second volume of the second voice input from the second position. Feedback can be provided to the user indicating whether the user is closer or farther from the audio input source based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Clement Decrop, Spencer Thomas Reynolds, Jeremy R. Fox, Zachary A. Silverstein, Jacob Ryan Jepperson
  • Patent number: 11350204
    Abstract: A system for detecting feedforward instability in a wearable audio device. The audio device includes an electro-acoustic transducer that is configured to develop sound for a user, a housing that holds the transducer, a feedforward microphone that is configured to detect sound outside of the housing and output a microphone signal, and an opening in the housing that emits sound pressure from the transducer that can reach the microphone. A feedforward instability detector is configured to apply two filters to the microphone signal. A first filter passes more energy in a frequency band than does a second filter, to develop a filtered signal. The filtered signal is compared to the microphone signal outside of the frequency band, to develop a comparison signal that is indicative of feedforward instability in the frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Emery M. Ku