Patents Examined by Jesse Elbin
  • Patent number: 8989885
    Abstract: A watermark generator for providing a watermark signal in dependence on binary message data includes an information processor configured to provide, in dependence on a single message bit of the binary message data, a 2-dimensional spread information representing the message bit in the form of a set of time-frequency-domain values. The watermark generator also includes a watermark signal provider configured to provide the watermark signal on the basis of the 2-dimensional spread information. A watermark detector, methods and computer programs are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Stefan Wabnik, Jörg Pickel, Bert Greevenbosch, Bernhard Grill, Ernst Eberlein, Giovanni Del Galdo, Stefan Krägeloh, Reinhard Zitzmann, Tobias Bliem, Marco Breiling, Juliane Borsum
  • Patent number: 8983107
    Abstract: A silicon based capacitive microphone includes a printed circuit board, a shell mounted on the printed circuit board and forming a receiving space together with the printed board, a chamber support located on top of the printed circuit board and received in the receiving space, a transducer unit and a controlling chip respectively mounted on the chamber support, wherein the chamber support forms a first chamber together with the printed board, the chamber support includes an opening, the transducer unit is provided with a second chamber and covers the opening, the second chamber communicates with the first chamber via the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: AAC Acoustic Technologies (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Guojun Liu
  • Patent number: 8977374
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and system for analyzing music audio. An example method includes obtaining a music audio track, calculating acoustic features of the music audio track, calculating geometric features of the music audio track in view of the acoustic features, and determining a mood of the music audio track in view of the geometric features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Eck, Jay Yagnik
  • Patent number: 8965019
    Abstract: Sound processor housings, sound processors and systems including sound processors are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG
    Inventor: James P. Goodman
  • Patent number: 8965547
    Abstract: A watermark signal provider provides a watermark signal suitable for being hidden in an audio signal when the watermark signal is added to the audio signal, such that the watermark signal represents watermark data. The watermark signal provider includes a psychoacoustical processor for determining a masking threshold of the audio signal; and a modulator for generating the watermark signal from a superposition of sample-shaping functions spaced apart from each other at a sample time interval of a time-discrete representation of the watermark data, each sample-shaping function being amplitude-weighted with a respective sample of the time-discrete representation, multiplied by a respective amplitude weight depending on the masking threshold, the modulator being configured such that the sample time interval is shorter than a time extension of the sample-shaping functions; and the respective amplitude weight also depends on samples of the time-discrete representation neighboring the respective sample in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Stefan Wabnik, Joerg Pickel, Bert Greevenbosch, Bernhard Grill, Ernst Eberlein, Giovanni Del Galdo, Stefan Kraegeloh, Reinhard Zitzmann, Tobias Bliem, Marco Breiling, Juliane Borsum
  • Patent number: 8965020
    Abstract: Sound processors with light transmissive seals and systems including such sound processors are disclosed. A seal, formed in part from substantially translucent material and having at least a portion of the substantially translucent material associated with the housing exterior of the sound processor, transmits light from a light emitter carried within the housing to indicate an operational aspect of the sound processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG
    Inventor: James P. Goodman
  • Patent number: 8954172
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to process a user-defined audio user interface (UI), and an audio device using the same. The method includes designating a specific portion of an audio signal being reproduced, using a specific input member, capturing audio data of the designated specific portion, mapping the captured audio data of the designated specific portion to information on the specific input member, and constructing an audio UI database using the audio data of the designated specific portion mapped to the information on the specific input member. Accordingly, by constructing an audio UI database by selecting sounds preferred by a user, demands of various users, which cannot be provided by existing MP3 players, can be satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoon-hark Oh
  • Patent number: 8953829
    Abstract: A behind the ear hearing aid is provided with a casing part comprising electronics adapted for signal processing where the casing is adapted for placing behind the ear of a user and a speaker is provided in or near the ear canal and leads are arranged between the speaker and the casing part. A plug and socket electrical and mechanical interconnection is arranged between the leads and the electronics inside the casing and the mutual motion between the plug and socket parts for establishing connection is in a direction essentially off axis to the axis of the leads at the casing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Maria Mehlsen, Mads Grønlund Andersen, Klaus Sommer Ipsen, Bo Skjoldborg, Niels Stubager Kiemer, Morten Philip, Jan T. L. Larsen, Michael Frydendal, Peter Spragge
  • Patent number: 8954173
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for profiling and identifying the source of a signal is provided. A first method includes receiving a signal produced by a known source and creating a matrix of wavelet coefficients corresponding to a wavelet transform of the signal. The method also includes profiling the signal according to an output of a wavelet transform utilizing a particular base function and a particular scale set. A second method includes performing a wavelet transform having a particular profile on a received signal and determining the presence of a particular signal-producing entity as a function of wavelet coefficients exceeding a threshold. An apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive a signal and a processor coupled to the receiver, such that the processor is configured to perform wavelet transforms on the signals. A database is coupled to the processor and configured to store wavelet transform profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Inventor: Mark Fischer
  • Patent number: 8948895
    Abstract: A computerized method for engaging a user of a mobile computer system, The mobile computer system may be connectible to a server over a wide area network. An audio signal of ambient audio is autonomously sampled in the vicinity of the mobile computer system to capture one or more audio samples of the audio signal. The multiple samples of the audio signal are autonomously sampled without requiring any interaction from the user, thus avoiding an input from the user to capture each of the samples. The audio sample may be processed to extract an audio signature of the audio sample. The audio signature may be compared with multiple previously stored reference audio signatures. Upon matching the audio signature with at least one reference audio signature a matched reference audio signature may be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Mobile Research Labs, Ltd.
    Inventors: Aron Weiss, Omri Halevi, Hezi Manus, Dave Springer
  • Patent number: 8918197
    Abstract: As the possible variations of “Hearing Thresholds”, “Hearing Loudness bandwidths” and “Voice Intonation” characteristics of people are finite, it is proposed to set a Database of these characteristics, where the data elements fully describe the Hearing and Talking characteristics of anyone, while many have the same characteristics. Thus any voice communication between two parties may be optimized by correcting the intensities of the call in the spectral domain, differently for each party and each ear. The optimizations are automatic given the “codes” of the parties and have a minimal latency. The system may be implemented either centrally in the world-wide-web or at the edges, in cellular phones, landline phones, VoIP, VoIM and in the audio parts of entertainment devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Inventor: Avraham Suhami
  • Patent number: 8917880
    Abstract: Methods of operating an audio device are provided. A method includes calculating estimated sound pressure levels (SPLs) for drive signals directed to an ear canal receiver (ECR) during a time increment ?t; calculating an estimated SPL_Dose during the time increment ?t using the estimated sound pressure levels; and calculating a total SPL_Dose at a time t of the audio device using the estimated SPL_Dose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Personics Holdings, LLC.
    Inventors: Steven W. Goldstein, John Usher, Brian Fligor, John P. Keady
  • Patent number: 8909362
    Abstract: A signal processing apparatus includes a connection section for being attachable to or detachable from an external device which reproduces content and attribute information of the content and a control section for controlling the external device which is mounted on the connection section. The control section acquires the attribute information from an external device, supplies a reproduction request for content to the external device, supplies content reproduced by the external device in response to the reproduction request to a reproduction device by streaming, and determines whether or not the content is completely reproduced using the acquired attribute information, and when it is determined that the reproduction of the content is completed, controlling the external device by stopping the reproduction of the content and notifying that the reproduction of the content is completed to the reproduction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hidehiko Okuno
  • Patent number: 8908879
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for playback of audio content in an “audition mode.” A system may be providing audio content to be rendered by a group of playback devices, when receiving a request to audition a second audio content with at least one playback device from the group of playback devices. The system may then suspend rendering of the first audio content at the at least one playback device, and provide the second audio content to be rendered by the at least one playback device for a duration of time. Upon exiting audition mode, either by completion of the second audio content, expiration of the duration of time, or request to exit audition mode, the system may resume rendering of the first audio content by the at least one playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Bates, Abhishek Kumar, Jonathan Paul Lang
  • Patent number: 8908882
    Abstract: Corrupted portions of an audio signal are detected and repaired. An audio signal, including numerous sequential frames, may be received from an audio input device. One or more corrupted frames included in the audio signal may be identified. A frame approximating an uncorrupted frame and corresponding to each corrupted frame may be constructed. Each corrupted frame may be replaced with a corresponding constructed frame to generate a repaired audio signal. The repaired audio signal may be outputted via an audio output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Audience, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Goodwin, Carlo Murgia
  • Patent number: 8903526
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for audio device playback failure recovery and redistribution. The systems and methods may be configured to cause a plurality of playback devices to render audio content in a synchronized manner, detect a failure of a first playback device of the plurality of playback devices, determine a playback responsibility of the first playback device, and cause an adjustment of the rendering of the audio content by at least a second playback device of the plurality of playback devices. The systems and methods may further be configured to detect an addition of a new playback device to the plurality of playback devices, determine a playback responsibility of the new playback device for rendering the audio content, and cause an adjustment of the rendering of the audio content by at least a one playback device from the plurality of playback devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Robert Beckhardt, Jonathan Paul Lang, Jonathon Reilly
  • Patent number: 8897471
    Abstract: The invention concerns a mobile terminal with at least two transducers (LSm, LSs1, LSS2) used simultaneously as loudspeakers for stereophonic effect. According to the invention, one of said transducers is a main transducer (LSm) with a main working frequency band (Bm) corresponding to at least the phone frequency band, while the other transducer is a secondary transducer (LSs1; LSs2) with a secondary working frequency band (Bs1; Bs2) band different from said main frequency band, the lowest frequencies of said secondary working frequency band (Bs1; Bs2) being greater than the lowest frequencies of said main working frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: DRNC Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerard Douhet, Stephane Dufosse, Alain Guillotin
  • Patent number: 8897481
    Abstract: A grille attachment for a loudspeaker is disclosed. A grille retainer is defined by a retention lip portion, a radial rim interface portion, and a hinge portion. The radial rim interface portion is in an abutting relationship with a flange radial mounting surface of the loudspeaker basket. The hinge portion connects the retention lip portion and the radial rim interface portion. The retention lip portion extends toward a flanged rim of the speaker basket, and defines an inner retention surface that is opposed to a flange circumferential surface. A grille extends across the griller retainer and is defined by a grille body and a grille rim that is circumferentially disposed and extending from the grille body. The grille rim is interposed between the flange circumferential surface and the inner retention surface, with the retention lip portion exerting a radial compressive force against the grille rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sound Sources Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoichiro Sumitani, Chun-Yi Lin, Yu-Ling Cheng
  • Patent number: 8892225
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for concurrently recording multiple radio channels. A recorder includes a wideband tuner having a complex mixer for converting a received wideband RF signal to a complex signal that is then digitized. A digital front end module applies a number of complex down-mixers to the digital complex signal to generate the multiple radio channels in the baseband. Each one of the multiple radio channels in the baseband is further filtered, decimated and demodulated. A digital signal processing unit encodes each demodulated channel according to an audio compression format and stores the then encoded audio content to a storage unit. An RBDS decoder parses radio data service information associated with the stored audio content. The radio data service information is stored in a first section of the storage unit while the encoded audio content is stored in a second section of the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: MaxLinear, Inc.
    Inventors: Brendan Walsh, Stefan Szasz, Madhukar Reddy
  • Patent number: 8892232
    Abstract: The invention describes the proprietary activities, services and devices provided to a networked community of Hearing impaired people, that help improve wired, wireless and direct voice communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Inventor: Avraham Suhami