Patents Examined by Kile O Blair
  • Patent number: 11587544
    Abstract: An active road noise control system method for a vehicle includes picking up noise at a multiplicity of positions in or on the vehicle and generating a multiplicity of noise sense signals representative of road noise originating from a road noise source in or at the vehicle, and processing, according to a beamforming scheme, the multiplicity of noise sense signals to generate a reference signal and to provide a sensitivity characteristic for picking up the noise that comprises one main lobe directed to the road noise source. The system and method further includes iteratively and adaptively processing the reference signal to provide a noise reducing signal, and generating at one or more positions in an interior of the vehicle, from the noise reducing signal, noise reducing sound at a listening position in the interior of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Nikos Zafeiropoulos, Gerhard Pfaffinger
  • Patent number: 11581011
    Abstract: In one aspect, an example method to be performed by a computing device includes (a) determining that a ride-sharing session is active; (b) in response to determining the ride-sharing session is active, using a microphone of the computing device to capture audio content; (c) identifying reference audio content that has at least a threshold extent of similarity with the captured audio content; (d) determining that the ride-sharing session is inactive; and (e) outputting an indication of the identified reference audio content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Gracenote, Inc.
    Inventor: Nisarg A. Modi
  • Patent number: 11576004
    Abstract: Methods and systems for designing binaural room impulse responses (BRIRs) for use in headphone virtualizers, and methods and systems for generating a binaural signal in response to a set of channels of a multi-channel audio signal, including by applying a BRIR to each channel of the set, thereby generating filtered signals, and combining the filtered signals to generate the binaural signal, where each BRIR has been designed in accordance with an embodiment of the design method. Other aspects are audio processing units configured to perform any embodiment of the inventive method. In accordance with some embodiments, BRIR design is formulated as a numerical optimization problem based on a simulation model (which generates candidate BRIRs) and at least one objective function (which evaluates each candidate BRIR), and includes identification of a best one of the candidate BRIRs as indicated by performance metrics determined for the candidate BRIRs by each objective function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Grant A. Davidson, Kuan-Chieh Yen, Dirk Jeroen Breebaart
  • Patent number: 11568850
    Abstract: A noise cancellation circuit includes: a first filter circuit for filtering a first input signal according to a first filter coefficient to generate a first filtered signal; a signal processing circuit for generating a feedback signal according to a second input signal and an audio signal; a second filter circuit for filtering the feedback signal according to a second filter coefficient to generate a second filtered signal; a first multiplication circuit for multiplying the first filtered signal by a first scale to generate a first intermediate signal; a second multiplication circuit for multiplying the second filtered signal by a second scale to generate a second intermediate signal; a first adder circuit for adding the first intermediate signal to the second intermediate signal to generate a noise cancellation signal; and a second adder circuit for adding the noise cancellation signal to the audio signal to generate an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mu-Chen Wu
  • Patent number: 11570547
    Abstract: An acoustic device comprising an enclosure having an enclosure wall that defines an enclosure volume; a first mass movably coupled to the enclosure, the first mass comprising a sound radiating surface, a voice coil and a first suspension member; a second mass movably coupled to the enclosure, the second mass comprising a magnet assembly and a second suspension member, and wherein the first suspension member couples the first mass to the second mass, the second suspension member couples the magnet assembly to the enclosure wall, and the second suspension member is tuned to reduce enclosure vibrations caused by a movement of the first mass and the second mass relative to the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Jason D. Silver
  • Patent number: 11568849
    Abstract: Various aspects include a wearable audio device having active noise reduction (ANR), where the ANR device includes: a feedback microphone; an electroacoustic transducer; and a feedback compensator configured to output a noise reduction signal to the electroacoustic transducer in response to a feedback signal from the feedback microphone, wherein the feedback compensator includes a tunable filter that modulates a loop gain in response to an adverse low frequency event being detected in the noise reduction signal outputted from the tunable filter, wherein the tunable filter is configured to maintain a substantially similar loop gain shape near a low frequency cross-over as the low frequency cross-over changes during loop gain modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Ole Mattis Nielsen, David J. Warkentin, Lei Cheng, Brandon Lee Olmos, Michael P. O'Connell
  • Patent number: 11558683
    Abstract: A sound system includes a seat including a seatback having a first dipole subwoofer, a second dipole subwoofer, a first speaker, and a second speaker; and a seat bottom having a third speaker. The first dipole subwoofer, the second dipole subwoofer, the first speaker, the second speaker, and/or the third speaker may be configured to receive audio signals from a receiver and provide sound corresponding to the audio signals toward an occupant position of the seat. The third speaker may be directed toward the seat back. The first dipole subwoofer, the second dipole subwoofer, the first speaker, the second speaker, and/or the third speaker may be configured to provide a sound zone for said occupant that facilitates (i) hearing of the sound by said occupant, and/or (ii) limiting transmission of the sound beyond the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Arjun Yetukuri, David A. Hein, Kim Krulek, Peter Festag, Stefan Willems, Mladen Humer
  • Patent number: 11551659
    Abstract: Systems and methods for communicating information related to a wearable device are disclosed. Exemplary information includes audio information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Taylor, Steven B. Elgee, Chiao George Liu, Austin A. Bartz
  • Patent number: 11553268
    Abstract: A wireless headset includes a first headset part and a second headset part. The first headset part includes a first earplug, a battery box, and a first part of a cable control box. The first part of the cable control box includes a first interface, a first wireless chip configured to receive and send a wireless signal, and a processor configured to process the wireless signal. The battery box includes a first battery. The second headset part includes a second earplug and a second part of the cable control box, and the second part of the cable control box includes a second interface. The first interface is detachably connected to the second interface. When the first interface is electrically connected to the second interface, a data path is formed between the second earplug and the processor, and the first battery supplies power to the second earplug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haowen Xu, Bertrand Clerc, Ying Zhao, Xin Zhu, Ning Zhang
  • Patent number: 11551660
    Abstract: Techniques are described in which sensor data is used to determine one or more of background noise or occupancy associated with a passenger cabin of a vehicle. The sensor data, in turn, is used to determine an operating state for one or more components of the vehicle (e.g., pumps, compressors, fans, blowers, etc.) such that an amount of background noise within the passenger cabin is reduced (e.g., when a passenger/occupant is present). In various examples, the operating state of the component may operate in a different, though louder, state (e.g., higher efficiency, greater power, etc.) when an occupant is not present or proximate the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel David Baker, Songmao Chen, Nicholas Nakjoo Kim
  • Patent number: 11546716
    Abstract: Examples of the disclosure describe systems and methods for presenting an audio signal to a user of a wearable head device. According to an example method, a source location corresponding to the audio signal is identified. An acoustic axis corresponding to the audio signal is determined. For each of a respective left and right ear of the user, an angle between the acoustic axis and the respective ear is determined. For each of the respective left and right ear of the user, a virtual speaker position, of a virtual speaker array, is determined, the virtual speaker position collinear with the source location and with a position of the respective ear. The virtual speaker array includes a plurality of virtual speaker positions, each virtual speaker position of the plurality located on the surface of a sphere concentric with the user's head, the sphere having a first radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Remi Samuel Audfray, Jean-Marc Jot, Samuel Charles Dicker, Mark Brandon Hertensteiner, Justin Dan Mathew, Anastasia Andreyevna Tajik, Nicholas John LaMartina
  • Patent number: 11546714
    Abstract: An audio system and method of spatially rendering audio signals that uses modified virtual speaker panning is disclosed. The audio system may include a fixed number F of virtual speakers, and the modified virtual speaker panning may dynamically select and use a subset P of the fixed virtual speakers. The subset P of virtual speakers may be selected using a low energy speaker detection and culling method, a source geometry-based culling method, or both. One or more processing blocks in the decoder/virtualizer may be bypassed based on the energy level of the associated audio signal or the location of the sound source relative to the user/listener, respectively. In some embodiments, a virtual speaker that is designated as an active virtual speaker at a first time, may also be designated as an active virtual speaker at a second time to ensure the processing completes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Lloyd Schmidt, Samuel Charles Dicker
  • Patent number: 11540045
    Abstract: An audio transducer device includes an audio transducer, a controller and a direction adjusting mechanism. The audio transducer has a sound receiving surface formed with multiple sound collecting holes, and multiple microphones corresponding in position to the sound collecting holes. The controller is detachably mounted to an electronic device, and controls the microphones to cooperatively perform directional sound reception to obtain audio data. The direction adjusting mechanism interconnects an audio transducer shell and the controller such that the sound receiving surface can be rotated to a position where a normal direction thereof and an image capturing direction of the electronic device forming a desired angle therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventor: Hsiao-Han Chen
  • Patent number: 11540080
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an audio processing apparatus and method and a program that make it possible to obtain sound of higher quality. An acquisition unit acquires an audio signal and metadata of an object. A vector calculation unit calculates, based on a horizontal direction angle and a vertical direction angle included in the metadata of the object and indicative of an extent of a sound image, a spread vector indicative of a position in a region indicative of the extent of the sound image. A gain calculation unit calculates, based on the spread vector, a VBAP gain of the audio signal in regard to each speaker by VBAP. The present technology can be applied to an audio processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Yamamoto, Toru Chinen, Minoru Tsuji
  • Patent number: 11540038
    Abstract: The present disclosure may provide an acoustic device. The acoustic device may include a housing, at least one low-frequency acoustic driver, at least one high-frequency acoustic driver, and a noise reduction assembly. The housing may be configured to be rested on a shoulder of a user. The at least one low-frequency acoustic driver may be carried by the housing and configured to output first sound from at least two first sound guiding holes. The at least one high-frequency acoustic driver may be carried by the housing and configured to output second sound from at least two second sound guiding holes. The noise reduction assembly may be configured to receive third sound and reduce noise of the third sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Junjiang Fu, Bingyan Yan, Fengyun Liao, Xin Qi
  • Patent number: 11533551
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image by emitting light, and a sound generation device including a vibration generation module configured to vibrate the display panel. The vibration generation module includes a vibration element on a rear surface of the display panel, and a vibration reflecting member on the rear surface of the display panel and spaced apart from the vibration element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taehyung Kim, YoungYoon You, GeunChang Park
  • Patent number: 11527230
    Abstract: An active noise control device includes a secondary path filter coefficient updating unit. The secondary path filter coefficient updating unit is configured to update a coefficient of a secondary path filter by using a coefficient of the secondary path filter after previous updating as a previous value, when a phase characteristic of the secondary path filter that sets an initial value as the coefficient and a phase characteristic of the secondary path filter that uses the previous value as the coefficient are not approximate to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Inoue, Xun Wang
  • Patent number: 11527231
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a headset system including a microphone including a microphone transducer configured to receive vocal sounds from a user of the headset system and to generate a voice audio signal representing the vocal sounds; a first earcup including a first housing, wherein the first housing further includes a voice canceling circuit, an inner speaker, and a first outer speaker; the voice canceling circuit configured to receive the voice audio signal and configured to generate a first voice canceling signal to cancel the voice of the user; and the first outer speaker including a first speaker transducer configured to generate and output sounds representing the first voice cancelling signal to cancel the vocal sounds of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Justin Dax Haslam, Donnette L. Moncrief Brown, Eric David Schroeder, Ravi Durairaj, Deborah Janette Schulz
  • Patent number: 11516578
    Abstract: A plate member of an acoustic equipment includes a flat plate that constitutes at least a part of the plate member that is used in the acoustic equipment. The flat plate includes a first drawn portion and a second drawn portion. The first drawn portion is recessed in a thickness direction of the flat plate with respect to a predetermined plane orthogonal to the thickness direction of the flat plate and has a rectangular outline when viewed in the thickness direction of the flat plate. The first drawn portion and the second drawn portion are arranged adjacent to each other so as to provide a predetermined gap therebetween. When a standing wave is formed on the flat plate, the first drawn portion and the second drawn portion are arranged so that the gap is located in a position of an antinode of the standing wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO TEN Limited
    Inventors: Noboru Hidaka, Kayo Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 11516572
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an acoustic output device. The acoustic output device may include at least one acoustic driver and a supporting structure. The at least one acoustic driver may be configured to generate a sound and output the sound through at least two sound guiding holes. The supporting structure may be configured to support the at least one acoustic driver and dispose the at least two sound guiding holes on two sides of an auricle of a user, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Junjiang Fu, Bingyan Yan, Fengyun Liao, Xin Qi