Patents Examined by Jesse Elbin
  • Patent number: 11004456
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to provide media content are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein include means for identifying primary media content presented on a first media presentation device. Disclosed example apparatus also include means for accessing a secondary content schedule associated with the primary media content. The secondary content schedule includes a plurality of secondary content items and time values associated with the secondary content items. The secondary content items are also associated with a loyalty value for a user of the first media presentation device. Disclosed example apparatus further include means for selecting one of the secondary content items to be accessed in response to a timestamp associated with the primary media content being between time values associated with the selected one of the secondary content items in the secondary content schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David Henry Harkness, Arun Ramaswamy, Jerome Samson, Jan Besehanic, Venugopal Srinivasan, Alexander Pavlovich Topchy
  • Patent number: 10979841
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a speaker, including: a vibration system; a magnetic circuit system; a frame fixing the vibration system and the magnetic circuit system, and a front cover covering the frame. The frame includes a number of hot-melt posts and a number of step parts arranged abutting against the hot-melt posts. The front cover includes a number of positioning holes matching the hot-melt posts and a number of positioning grooves matching the step parts and hollowed at a side of the front cover adjacent to the frame. The positioning holes are received in the positioning grooves; the step parts are accommodated in the positioning grooves; and the hot-melt posts pass through the positioning holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Xiaojiang Gu
  • Patent number: 10956118
    Abstract: A processor and memory comprising instructions stored therein executable by the processor to display a first media item available for playback, wherein the first media item is associated at least with a preview option, a playback option, and a queue option. A first input associated with the first media item is received. The first input is determined to correspond only to the preview option. Responsive to determining that the first input corresponds only to the preview option, causing at least a portion of the first media item to be played.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Bates, Abhishek Kumar, Jonathan Lang
  • Patent number: 10958310
    Abstract: An electronic device may contain an input-output device such as a speaker, vibrator, or near field communications antenna. The input-output device may include an inductor. The inductor in the input-output device may be shared by wireless charging circuitry in the electronic device so that wireless charging signals can be converted into power to charge a battery in the electronic device. A separate inductor may also be provided within an input-output device to support wireless charging. A drive circuit may supply drive signals to the input-output device such as audio signals, vibrator control signals, or near field communications output signals for external near field communications equipment. An input amplifier that is coupled across the inductor in the input-output device may be used in receiving near field communications signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. Terlizzi
  • Patent number: 10958999
    Abstract: A novel loudspeaker with a reflex enclosure that has the reflex port terminating to the bottom of the enclosure. The loudspeaker further includes a stand which is removably attached to the bottom of the enclosure so as to create a clearance between the bottom and the surface supporting the loudspeaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Genelec Oy
    Inventors: Ilkka Rissanen, Tommi Paavilainen, Harri Koskinen
  • Patent number: 10951748
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a chassis which has mutually partitioned first chamber, second chamber and third chamber, an electronic substrate which is housed in the first chamber, loudspeaker modules which are housed in the second chamber and the microphones which are housed in the third chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Ushioda
  • Patent number: 10945027
    Abstract: An example zone player is configured to receive, from a cloud-based computing system, (i) an instruction for the zone player to accept playback responsibility for a remote playback queue, and (ii) data for retrieving at least a first media item identified in the remote playback queue from a cloud-based media service. The zone player is also configured to retrieve, from the cloud-based media service, the first media item and begin to play back the first media item. The zone player is also configured to request at least one additional media item from the remote playback queue and then (i) receive, from the cloud-based computing system, data for retrieving at least a second media item identified in the remote playback queue from the cloud-based media service, (ii) retrieve from the cloud-based media service, the second media item, and (iii) begin to play back the second media item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur Coburn, IV, Joni Rafalski Hoadley
  • Patent number: 10924608
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting volume level changes in communications are described herein. In some embodiments, a system comprises a computer system. The computer system comprises at least one processor and a memory coupled to the at least one processor. The memory stores program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computer system to perform tasks. The tasks include recording a communication that comprises audio, and analyzing the audio of the communication. The analysis of the audio is operable to detect a change in a volume level of the audio that indicates an occurrence of a potential event of interest. The tasks also include creating and storing an information record corresponding to the communication in a second database. The information record includes an indication of the detected change in the volume level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Luke Keiser, Stephen Schneider
  • Patent number: 10917731
    Abstract: Acoustic valves including a housing having an acoustic passage are disclosed. A bobbin located in the housing includes a valve seat and a body member housing a magnetic core. An electrical coil is disposed about a portion of the body member, an axial dimension of the electrical coil substantially aligned with an axial dimension of the magnetic core. The electrical coil generates a magnetic field when energized. An armature is movably disposed in the housing between the valve seat and a second surface of the acoustic valve. The valve has a first stable state when the armature is positioned against the valve seat, and the valve has a second stable state when the armature is positioned against the second surface. The valve seat and the second surface are on opposite sides of the armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Monti
  • Patent number: 10911857
    Abstract: A stable wearing state on an ear is secured. A speaker that outputs sound; a speaker arrangement portion in which the speaker is arranged therein; and a sound guiding pipe in which one end portion is continuous with the speaker arrangement portion and an internal space is formed as a sound guiding space that leads the sound outputted from the speaker are provided, in which an opening that emits the sound toward an ear is formed at the other end of the sound guiding pipe. The sound output apparatus is worn on the ear by sandwiching the outer peripheral portion of the auricle between the sound guiding pipe and the speaker arrangement portion or by the sound guiding pipe so that a stable wearing state on the ear can be secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ryota Mihara, Yasuhide Hosoda
  • Patent number: 10901684
    Abstract: An electronic device may exchange packets with a second electronic device. These packets may include transmit times, based on a given clock in a given electronic device when the packets were transmitted. Moreover, when the packets are received by the electronic device, the electronic device may store associated receive times based on a clock in the electronic device. Using minimum time differences between the transmit and receive times, the electronic device may calculate a time offset between the electronic device and the second electronic device, which may then be used to determine future times in a clock domain of the second electronic device. Moreover, the electronic device may provide additional packets to the second electronic device, where a given additional packet includes audio data, and a playback time, corresponding to a given future time, when the audio data is to be played back by the second electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Eva Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: David Bryant, Vanshil Shah, Leo Lay, Gaylord Yu
  • Patent number: 10904677
    Abstract: A hearing aid configuration managing system for configuring at least one hearing aid having a wireless connection to the Internet via a gateway. The hearing aid includes a processor controlling its configuration, and a memory containing configuration settings for customizing the configuration of the hearing aid. The remote server manages user accounts for multiple hearing aid users, including managing the configuration of the hearing aid, and creates a service level status change event for the account upon change of the service level status to a new configuration of the hearing aid. The remote server sends a configuration change instruction to the hearing aid via the gateway upon the occurrence of the service level status change event. The hearing aid processor stores new configuration settings in the hearing aid memory upon reception of the configuration change instruction, and changes the hearing aid to the new configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: WIDEX A/S
    Inventors: Soren Erik Westermann, Svend Vitting Andersen, Anders Westergaard, Niels Erik Boelskift Maretti
  • Patent number: 10893368
    Abstract: An antenna for inductively transmitting information and/or energy, in particular a hearing aid antenna, has a foil-like antenna base body that has a central coil core section that holds a first coil, and outer antenna sections arranged opposite one another on both sides of the central coil core section. The outer antenna sections respectively have an edge-side coil core section that adjoins the central coil core section and holds a second coil. The outer antenna sections are at an angle relative to the central coil core section. There is also described a device, in particular a hearing device, which is preferably a hearing aid, with such an antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter Nikles, Sebastian Suedekum
  • Patent number: 10893348
    Abstract: A sound vibration actuator includes: a bracket and a casing for forming an internal space; a coil part coupled to the bracket in the internal space; a magnet part disposed around the coil part; an elastic member whose one surface coupled to the magnet part; a substrate fixed to the bracket and exposed outward from the internal space; and a substrate seating part disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the casing, wherein the substrate is disposed on top of the substrate seating part. The sound vibration actuator reduces the entire thickness thereof, while constantly maintaining an amount of vibration and generate vibrations in various frequency bands because the coil and the magnet are not fixed in the process where the vibrations are generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: MPLUS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Tae Kim, Yeon Ho Son, Dong Su Moon
  • Patent number: 10880632
    Abstract: An earphone comprising an ear hook having a body the bulk of which is made from a flexible material molded over a formable member and a plurality of wires. The ear hook includes a first end and a second end and a curved portion in between. The earphone further includes an earbud coupled to the first end of the ear hook and coupled to the plurality of wires. The plurality of wires extends within the ear hook along its length from the first end to the second end exiting the ear hook at the second end. The formable member extends within the ear hook from the first end along a portion of the ear hook length towards the second end and enables the ear hook to be bent along a portion of its length while retaining its bent shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Boyd, William R. Rochowicz, Carlos M. Santana, Sean S. Corbin, Matthew Costello, David H. Tan
  • Patent number: 10880653
    Abstract: A transducer assembly including a stiffener plate having a first side and a second side; a voice coil coupled to the second side of the stiffener plate; a magnet assembly positioned along the second side of the stiffener, the magnet assembly operable to produce a magnetic field that causes a movement of the magnet assembly relative to the voice coil; and a spring suspending the magnet assembly from the stiffener plate such that the movement of the magnet assembly drives a movement of the stiffener plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Onur I Ilkorur, Michael J Newman, Bonnie W Tom, Christopher Wilk
  • Patent number: 10873817
    Abstract: In a method that reduces the occurrence of acoustic feedback in a hearing device, a first wearing situation is created that determines a positioning of the hearing device relative to the wearer. For the first wearing situation, a first usage situation is created being a body movement of the wearer of the hearing device and/or a relative position of an external object relative to the body of the wearer. A first number of frequency-resolved curves of a feedback tendency of the hearing device are determined for the first use situation. A first criticality measure is ascertained based on the frequency-resolved curve for the first use situation that contains information on a frequency range that is critical with respect to an occurrence of acoustic feedback and a corresponding relative probability of acoustic feedback, and a target is established for adapting a hearing device parameter based on the first criticality measure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Stefan Aschoff, Stefan Petrausch
  • Patent number: 10863287
    Abstract: Scene and/or state information may be used to facilitate processing an input to separate one or more signals within the input, to shape the signal within the input, and/or for other processing of the input or signal(s) within the input. A scene determination may be made based upon location data, time data, data describing the received input, or other basis. A state determination may be made based upon the scene determination, properties of a signal itself, or other information such as location, time, etc. By determining an appropriate scene and/or state, processing of an input and/or a signal within an input may proceed in a fashion determined to provide the most valuable information for output. Systems and methods in accordance with the invention may be implemented in a wide variety of baseband processing systems, such as hearing aids and energy consumption monitoring systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
    Inventors: Jerald Frederic Johnson, Marc Anthony Epard, Curtis Scott Crawford, Ronald Byron Kabler, Alain Charles Briançon, Christopher Allen Giacoponello, Victor Andres Jara-Olivares, Robert Leon Lutes, John Berns Lancaster
  • Patent number: 10856060
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a first body, a second body, and a speaker module. The first body includes a first housing and a second housing disposed on the first housing. The second body is pivotally connected to the first body. The speaker module is movably disposed in the first body. The first body has a first surface and a second surface, and the first surface and the second surface are respectively located at two opposite sides of the speaker module. When the speaker module is abutted against the first surface, the speaker module resonates with the first housing to emit a first sound. When the speaker module is abutted against the second surface, the speaker module resonates with the second housing to emit a second sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: COMPAL ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Hsin Yeh, Jyh-Chyang Tzou, Cheng-Ya Chi, Pai-Feng Chen
  • Patent number: 10856087
    Abstract: A hearing device, e.g. a hearing aid, comprises an input unit; an output unit; an adaptive beamformer filtering unit configured to provide a spatially filtered signal based on a multitude of electric input signals from the input unit and an adaptively updated adaptation factor ?; a memory, wherein A) a reference value REF, equal to or dependent on a value, ?ov, of said adaptation factor ? determined when a voice of the user is present, or B) a set of parameters for classification based on logistic regression or a neural network, is stored; and an own voice detector configured to provide an estimate of whether or not, or with what probability, a given input sound originates from the voice of the user, and wherein said estimate is dependent on a) a current value of said adaptation factor ? and said reference value REF, or on b) said set of parameters for classification based on logistic regression or a neural network, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Michael Syskind Pedersen, Angela Josupeit, Sigurdur Sigurdsson, Anders Vinther Olsen, Nels Hede Rohde