Patents Examined by Jesse A Elbin
  • Patent number: 8369972
    Abstract: Encoding and decoding methods and apparatus as described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Pavlovich Topchy, Arun Ramaswamy, Venugopal Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 8364296
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for synchronizing playing of a playlist on multiple audio devices. The method includes installing code on multiple audio devices connected to a network, the code being configured to synchronize playing of a playlist on the devices, and configuring, using the code, one device as a primary device for synchronizing playing of the files in the playlist on the other devices located in multiple locations. Further, the method includes communicating data corresponding to a current state of the primary device to each secondary device that is to play the playlist in synchronization with the primary device, synchronizing, using data communicated by the primary device, a current state of the secondary device that is to play the file, and playing the playlist on the secondary device, such that the secondary device plays the playlist at a same time in synchronization with the primary device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert D. Wilhelm
  • Patent number: 8364297
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an audio playing method adapted for an electronic device. The audio playing method includes (a) providing the electronic device, the electronic device comprising a processor, an audio playing program executed by the processor, and a storage system comprising a playlist comprising a plurality of audio files; (b) invoking and running the audio playing program; (c) accessing the playlist and selecting an audio file; (d) determining if the audio file selected has been previously selected as a prompt signal of the electronic device; (e) accessing another audio file in the playlist if the audio file has been previously selected as a prompt signal; and (f) playing the audio file if the audio file has not been previously selected as a prompt signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Zhao Jin
  • Patent number: 8352053
    Abstract: An audio signal-processing system has signal-processing units connectable to a transmission line. Each signal-processing unit has channels for applying a signal process to input audio signals. A control unit is connectable to the transmission line for operating a target channel belonging to one of the signal-processing units. The control unit has color pallets different from each other and previously selected in correspondence to the signal-processing units. When the control unit detects an instruction to display an operation screen of the target channel, the control unit renders the operation screen of the target channel using the color pallet corresponding to the signal-processing unit to which the target channel belongs, so that a background color of the operation screen of the target channel displayed on a display part of the control unit is different from a background color of an operation screen of another channel belonging to another signal-processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Kotaro Terada
  • Patent number: 8340797
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for generating digital content using text-to-speech (TTS) conversion. A predetermined script is selected using a portable terminal or user personal computer (PC). A format for converting the selected script into an audio data file is determined. The selected script is generated into the audio data file according to the determined conversion format of the audio data file using a TTS engine provided to at least one of the user PC and a web server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Hoon Lee, Jun Hee Kim
  • Patent number: 8335580
    Abstract: In a music selection mode, a reproduction object deciding unit in an audio reproducing apparatus selects a plurality of pieces of candidate music from music data stored in a storage unit and has a reproducing unit reproduce them simultaneously. An assigned position deciding unit controls an audio processing unit in such a manner as to assign the sound images of the pieces of candidate music respectively to different positions. An input by which one unit of sound is selected from among a plurality of sounds that a user hears from the different positions is entered to an input unit. Then the reproduction object deciding unit determines that music data corresponding to the sound has been selected. This causes a changeover to a normal mode and the selected music data only is reproduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Nozomu Ikeda, Kosei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8332060
    Abstract: In an acoustic design support apparatus, a speaker selection supporter selects a desired speaker as a candidate for use in a given space based on shape information representing a shape of the space. A speaker mounting angle optimizer calculates an optimal mounting direction of the selected speaker by selecting a mounting direction pattern which minimizes a degree of variation among sound pressure levels at a plurality of positions on a sound receiving surface defined in the space. An acoustic parameter calculator calculates a variety of acoustic parameters at sound receiving points within the space based on both of the shape information of the space and the optimal mounting direction of the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Miyazaki, Takayuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8326444
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for performing audio ducking is presented. A plurality of tracks are displayed in a user interface, each track of the plurality of tracks including at least one audio clip. A first clip of the plurality of tracks is linked to at least one other clip of the plurality of tracks. At least one audio clip of the first track is preprocessed to obtain characteristic data of the at least one audio clip of the first track. The characteristic data of the at least one audio clip is utilized to determine level change parameters for the at least one clip of the plurality of tracks linked to the first clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Holger Classen, Sven Duwenhorst
  • Patent number: 8321044
    Abstract: This patent application relates generally to dialysis machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Kulwinder S. Plahey, Mohsen Reihanifam, Carlos E. Medina, Tri Ly, Maureen Lyden Green, Thomas R. Williams
  • Patent number: 8320584
    Abstract: A method and system for performing audio signal processing is provided. A phase of a signal may be shifted between 0° and 360° for all frequencies of the signal, without any significant delay distortion. The phase shift can be accomplished through the use of two signal outputs (which are each shifted in phase by 90° relative to the other), inverters and an analog summing circuit. Selective use of the inverter on one or both of the 90° phase shifted outputs, and their linear combinations, allows the phase of the audio signal outputs to be shifted between about 0° and about 360° by a recording engineer, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Inventor: Laurence L. Sheets
  • Patent number: 8321042
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, an audio system connectable to a portable audio player for playing audio contents includes an audio content narrowing unit for narrowing the audio contents stored in the connected portable audio player down to a processing target audio content according to an attribute of the audio content selected by a user, a preset information registering unit for registering, in response to a user preset registration operation, a procedure of the narrowing performed by the audio content narrowing unit as preset information, and a preset playback controlling unit for performing, in response to a user preset playback operation, a narrowing procedure equivalent to the procedure of the narrowing that is registered as the preset information, and causing the portable audio player to play back the audio content narrowed down from the audio contents stored in the connected portable audio player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Koji Nagayama
  • Patent number: 8321043
    Abstract: In a simulation apparatus, a difference data generation part compares a simulation result of an existing sound generator with a simulation result of a virtual sound generator, and generates difference data representing a difference between the simulation result of the existing sound generator and the simulation result of the virtual sound generator. A characteristic correction part corrects a measurement result of the existing sound generator based on the difference data, and generates virtual sound generator prediction data representing the sound generation characteristic of the virtual sound generator according to the corrected measurement result of the existing sound generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Hirofumi Onitsuka
  • Patent number: 8315727
    Abstract: In a channel patching apparatus, an output patch setting part assigns a name to an audio signal of an internal channel of an audio device, which outputs the audio signal to a transmission channel of an audio network. A transmission channel allocation setting part allocates a transmission channel of the audio network to the audio signal assigned the name, and performs setting of the audio device such that the audio signal assigned the name is output from an internal channel associated with the audio signal assigned the name to the allocated transmission channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Kotaro Terada
  • Patent number: 8315418
    Abstract: A sound receiver includes a casing having multiple cavities which house multiple microphones and through which sound waves are received. A first sound wave is directly received by microphones. A second sound wave is reflected by an inner wall of the cavities and changes in phase corresponding to the material of the inner wall. The material of the inner wall differs for each cavity, thereby effecting a different change in phase of the second sound wave at each of the inner walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Junichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8311228
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring a sound pressure level dose at an ear are provided. A system includes an audio transducer which outputs a sound signal is placed within an ear to receive sound at the ear. A sound level threshold detector determines whether a sound pressure level of the sound signal is at a minimum level and outputs a sound pressure level signal corresponding to the sound pressure level when the sound pressure level is not at the minimum level. A time period is calculated during which the sound pressure level is not at the minimum threshold level. A listening fatigue calculator determines whether a cumulative effect of exposure to the sound signal at the ear over the time period will cause harm to the ear. At least a portion of the system is disposed in situ at the ear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Personics Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Steven W. Goldstein, John Usher, Brian Fligor
  • Patent number: 8295958
    Abstract: A circuit for correcting the output of an audio level meter comprises input means for generating the square or the absolute value of an input signal, a low pass filter having a predetermined attack time and release time, and output means for converting the output signal from a linear scale to a logarithmic scale. The circuit further comprises a correction means to which an information about whether the input signal to the audio level meter was subject to squaring or converting into an absolute value at the input, as well as the attack and release time of the low pass filter, are supplied as input values, and which provides, at its output, a value representing the difference between the output of the audio level meter and the true signal power of the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Markus Schlosser, Ulrich Schreiber, Mario Sieck
  • Patent number: 8290605
    Abstract: In an acoustic design support apparatus, a speaker selection supporter selects a desired speaker as a candidate for use in a given space based on shape information representing a shape of the space. A speaker mounting angle optimizer calculates an optimal mounting direction of the selected speaker by selecting a mounting direction pattern which minimizes a degree of variation among sound pressure levels at a plurality of positions on a sound receiving surface defined in the space. An acoustic parameter calculator calculates a variety of acoustic parameters at sound receiving points within the space based on both of the shape information of the space and the optimal mounting direction of the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Miyazaki, Takayuki Watanabe, Hideki Sakanashi, Shuichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8265286
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for processing signals representative of sound for conveyance to the auditory system of a subject based on the identity of an input device. In one implementation, a method includes identifying an input element to an audiological system that conveys sound information directly to a subject's auditory system, automatically setting parameters for processing the signal based on the identity of the input element, and processing the signal in accordance with the processing parameters. The input element is configured to generate a signal representative of sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Bionics Corporation
    Inventors: Philip A. Segel, Tissa Karunasiri, Lakshmi N. Mishra
  • Patent number: 8254587
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for objectively assessing acoustical performance of an in-ear device having a passageway extending there through use a dual microphone probe that removably engages the passageway. The acoustical performance of the in-ear device is performed with the in-ear device inserted into the ear canal of the user and a reference sound source. A clip holding the probe in an acoustic near field of the sound source permits real time calibration thereof. The method and apparatus allow on-site and in-situ measurement of a predicted personal attenuation rating of the device, a subject-fit re-insertion test, an acoustic seal test, a rating test, a stability and reliability test, as well as a protection test of the device with an assessment of a filtered predicted exposure level at the ear for a specific noise exposure level. The apparatus may be simply housed along with the sound source for in-field evaluation tests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jeremie Voix, Frederic Laville
  • Patent number: 8254586
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for objectively assessing acoustical performance of an in-ear device having a passageway extending there through use a dual microphone probe that removably engages the passageway. The acoustical performance of the in-ear device is performed with the in-ear device inserted into the ear canal of the user and a reference sound source. A clip holding the probe in an acoustic near field of the sound source permits real time calibration thereof. The method and apparatus allow on-site and in-situ measurement of a predicted personal attenuation rating of the device, a subject-fit re-insertion test, an acoustic seal test, a rating test, a stability and reliability test, as well as a protection test of the device with an assessment of a filtered predicted exposure level at the ear for a specific noise exposure level. The apparatus may be simply housed along with the sound source for in-field evaluation tests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jeremie Voix, Frederic Laville