Patents Examined by Kenny H Truong
  • Patent number: 12033609
    Abstract: An audio system for an ear mountable playback device comprises a speaker and an error microphone that is configured to sense sound being output from the speaker and ambient sound. The audio system further comprises a detection engine that is configured to determine a driver response between the speaker and the error microphone, and to estimate a leakage condition from the determined driver response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: AMS AG
    Inventor: Peter McCutcheon
  • Patent number: 12028698
    Abstract: An air purifier includes a cylindrical filter configured to filter pollutants included in air that enters the air purifier, and a plurality of speakers coupled to a circumference of an outer surface of the cylindrical filter. A communication interface is configured to obtain information from an external device, and a processor is configured to control the plurality of speakers to output an audio signal corresponding to the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kidu Kim, Jongyuk Lee, Kwangyoun Kim, Suho Jo
  • Patent number: 12027149
    Abstract: A transportation vehicle provides a workspace in a passenger cabin to support a teleconference with a remote party. External sensors are configured to scan the exterior of the vehicle. A sound exciter is configured to generate a masking noise directed to the exterior. A control circuit which enhances privacy of the teleconference is configured to A) detect the audio content of the teleconference being present in the interior of the vehicle, B) quantify an interior sound level of the audio content, C) estimate a discernability of the audio content at an external location accessible to passersby where the audio content can be overheard, and D) activate the sound exciter such that the masking noise is adapted to mask the audio content at the external location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Brendan F. Diamond, John R. Van Wiemeersch, Pietro Buttolo, Ryan O'Gorman, Joshua R. Wheeler
  • Patent number: 12020679
    Abstract: One disclosed example method includes a device receiving an audio signal recorded in a physical environment and applying a machine learning model onto the audio signal to generate an enhanced audio signal. The machine learning model is configured to simultaneously remove interference and distortion from the audio signal and is trained via a training process. The training process includes generating a training dataset by generating a clean audio signal and generating a noisy distorted audio signal based on the clean audio signal that includes both an interference and a distortion. The training further includes constructing the machine learning model as a generative adversarial network (GAN) model that includes a generator model and multiple discriminator models, and training the machine learning model using the training dataset to minimize a loss function defined based on the clean audio signal and the noisy distorted audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiuyu Xu, Jianfang Zhai
  • Patent number: 12022275
    Abstract: An apparatus including circuitry configured to: obtain a binaural audio signal; obtain, based on the binaural audio signal, at least one direction parameter of at least one frequency band of the binaural audio signal; process the binaural audio signal to generate at least two audio signals for loudspeaker reproduction by modifying an inter-channel difference of the at least one frequency band of the binaural audio signal based on the at least one direction parameter for the at least one frequency band; and output the at least two audio signals for loudspeaker reproduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Mikko-Ville Laitinen, Juha Vilkamo
  • Patent number: 12015909
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method and a system for head-related transfer function (HRTF) adaptation. The method includes performing a system identification. The system identification includes a pinna identification and a shadowing identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Xiaonan Han, Shao-Fu Shih, Jianwen Zheng, Ming Zhou
  • Patent number: 12015906
    Abstract: A sound generating device includes a magnet and a center pole on a yoke, a bobbin around the center pole, a coil wound around the bobbin, a frame outside the yoke, a damper between the frame and the bobbin, and a spacer in the bobbin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sungtae Lee, KwanHo Park, YeongRak Choi, Kwangho Kim
  • Patent number: 12010505
    Abstract: An electronic eyewear device includes a display and a speaker system adapted to present augment reality objects and associated sounds in a scene being viewed by the user. A processor receives one or more audio tracks respectively associated with one or more augmented reality objects, encodes the audio tracks into an aggregated audio track including the audio tracks, a header for each audio track that uniquely identifies each respective audio track, and an aggregate header that identifies the number of tracks in the aggregated audio track. The processor transfers the aggregated audio track to an audio processor that uses the header for each audio track and the aggregate header to separate the audio tracks from the aggregated audio track. The audio processor processes the audio tracks independently in parallel and provides the audio tracks to the speaker system for presentation with the augmented reality objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Ashwani Arya, Tejas Bahulkar, Daniel Harris, Daniel C. Wiggins
  • Patent number: 12003952
    Abstract: A method improves performance of a computer that provides binaural sound to a listener. A memory stores coordinate locations that follow a path of how the head of the listener moves. This path is retrieved in anticipation of subsequent head movements of the listener to improve computer performance of executing binaural sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Inventors: Philip Scott Lyren, Glen A. Norris
  • Patent number: 12003946
    Abstract: A rendering mode may be determined for received audio data, including audio signals and associated spatial data. The audio data may be rendered for reproduction via a set of loudspeakers of an environment according to the rendering mode, to produce rendered audio signals. Rendering the audio data may involve determining relative activation of a set of loudspeakers in an environment. The rendering mode may be variable between a reference spatial mode and one or more distributed spatial modes. The reference spatial mode may have an assumed listening position and orientation. In the distributed spatial mode(s), one or more elements of the audio data may each be rendered in a more spatially distributed manner than in the reference spatial mode and spatial locations of remaining elements of the audio data may be warped such that they span a rendering space of the environment more completely than in the reference spatial mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignees: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, DOLBY INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Alan J. Seefeldt, Joshua B. Lando, Daniel Arteaga, Glenn N. Dickins, Mark Richard Paul Thomas
  • Patent number: 11996074
    Abstract: Provided is a signal processing device that performs noise canceling by combining a feedforward method and a feedback method. A signal processing device includes: a correlation calculation unit that calculates a correlation between a first sound pickup signal by a first microphone installed outside a predetermined region and a second sound pickup signal by a second microphone installed in the predetermined region; a determination unit that determines the correlation; and a control unit that performs control based on a result of the determination. The control unit controls execution of signal processing for generating a cancellation signal to be output within the predetermined region from the first sound pickup signal and the second sound pickup signal or output of the cancellation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji Tokozume, Yuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11980809
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for independent audio volume control. An audio system may include a circuit for controlling one or both of generation and output of combined audio, with the circuit being configured to determine, based on user input, a mix setting applicable in the audio system to mixing of a first audio and a second audio when generating the combined audio, wherein the combined audio comprises at least a portion of each of the first audio and the second audio; determine a corresponding volume setting applicable at an audio output element of the audio system during outputting of the combined audio; determine a corresponding delay applicable to one or both of the mix setting and the volume setting; and apply one or both of the mix setting and the volume setting based on at least the delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.
    Inventors: Shobha Devi Kuruba Buchannagari, Kevin Robertson, Scott Warren
  • Patent number: 11984111
    Abstract: A vehicle includes options including function selection buttons and selection buttons respectively associated with operations of a plurality of functions mounted on the vehicle, and a sound controller is capable of changing a sound output from a speaker array to a sound that arrives from a target virtual sound source set at a predetermined position, and changes the position of the target virtual sound source for each of the options.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kohei Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11979707
    Abstract: An audio reproduction device is disclosed. The audio reproduction device includes a housing, a driver assembly including a diaphragm, an ear cushion and at least one port. The diaphragm selectively vibrates based on a received audio input signal. The diaphragm has a front side and a back side. The driver assembly is disposed in the housing, with selective portion of the housing and the driver assembly define a housing chamber, the housing chamber disposed behind the back side of the diaphragm. The ear cushion surrounds the diaphragm and selective portion of the ear cushion forms an ear chamber, the ear chamber disposed in front of the front side of the diaphragm. The at least one port is configured to communicate with the housing chamber and selectively relieve pressure from the housing chamber and into the ear cushion, when the diaphragm selectively vibrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Scaeva Technologies, Inc
    Inventors: Steven E. Curd, Wendy S. Curd
  • Patent number: 11978428
    Abstract: Systems for magnetoacoustically transferring sound across an acoustic barrier include first and second acoustic resonators positioned on opposite sides of the barrier. Each of the first and second resonators includes an attached magnet. Via magnetic coupling between the magnets, an acoustic oscillation at the first resonator induces an oscillation of the same frequency at the second resonator. Thus sound waves absorbed at the first resonator are magnetically transferred across the barrier to the second resonator, from which they are emitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Taehwa Lee, Hideo Iizuka
  • Patent number: 11974116
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic device. The electronic device includes: an audio output device comprising circuitry configured to output a sound; a microphone; and a processor configured to control, based on a content being selected, the audio output device to output an audio signal corresponding to the content using a sound compensation value, wherein the processor is configured to: extract, based on a sound corresponding to the content being output from the audio output device and input to the microphone, characteristic information from the sound input to the microphone, calculate a sound compensation value based on the extracted characteristic information, and update the sound compensation value with the calculated sound compensation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hoseok Wey, Shukjae Choi, Inwoo Hwang, Sunmin Kim
  • Patent number: 11962977
    Abstract: A custom switchable hearing protection system includes an earplug and an electronic hearing device received in a recessed cavity in the earplug. The earplug includes a first portion disposed in a user's outer ear, a second portion disposed in the user's ear canal, and a sound tube extending through the second portion. The electronic hearing device includes electronics that incorporate digital signal processing to provide sound amplification and fast compression programming to shut off sound amplification to protect the user when a loud noise is detected. The housing of the electronic hearing device has a sound aperture for emitting the sound from a speaker assembly. The sound aperture is aligned with an opening of the sound tube, so that sound generated by the speaker assembly can propagate through the sound tube to the user's ear canal. A slider on the housing engages a switching device to activate or deactivate the electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel R. Schumaier, Dale F. Kundis
  • Patent number: 11962976
    Abstract: A hearing aid system has comprises a hearing aid with at least one input transducer, an output transducer, and a movement sensor. An actual movement of the hearing aid system user is detected as movement sensor data of the movement sensor and/or as movement sound data of the input transducer. An actual movement pattern for the actual movement is determined based on the movement sensor data and/or the movement sound data. The actual movement pattern is compared with a target movement pattern and, depending on the outcome of the comparison, an audio signal is generated at a perceptible signal level to supports the hearing aid system user in the execution of the actual movement. The movement sounds detected by the input transducer are used as the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Rosa-Linde Fischer, Ronny Hannemann
  • Patent number: 11956622
    Abstract: A signal processing system and method for delivering spatialized sound by optimizing sound waveforms from a sparse array of speakers to the ears of a user. The system can provide listening areas within a room or space, to provide spatialization sounds to create a 3D audio effect. In a binaural mode, a binary speaker array provides targeted beams aimed towards a user's ears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Comhear Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey M. Claar
  • Patent number: 11951889
    Abstract: Various implementations include seats and related loudspeakers. In particular cases, a seat includes: a seat headrest portion; a seat backrest portion; and a loudspeaker assembly. The loudspeaker assembly includes at least one driver for generating an acoustic output; and an acoustic exit fixed in the seat backrest portion and angled to provide the acoustic output to a location below a nominal ear position of an occupant of the seat, wherein a firing angle of the at least one driver provides the acoustic output to achieve a consistent frequency response across a range of positions deviating from the nominal ear position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas K. Lade, Bradford Kyle Subat, Charles Terence Henry Oswald