Patents Examined by Kuassi A Ganmavo
  • Patent number: 10798516
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and method capable of performing compensation to achieve a standard sound regardless of a recording environment. The microphone picks up sound from a sound source and inputs the sound to a recording apparatus as an analog audio signal. The recording apparatus is an apparatus that performs binaural recording and generates an audio file of a sound obtained by binaural recording. The recording apparatus adds metadata related to a recording environment of binaural content to the audio file generated by binaural recording and transmits the file with the metadata to a reproducing apparatus. The present disclosure is applicable to a recording/reproducing system that performs binaural recording and reproduction of the sound, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Hayashi, Kohei Asada, Yushi Yamabe
  • Patent number: 10764661
    Abstract: Loudspeaker enclosures and loudspeaker devices are provided. In some embodiments, a loudspeaker device is provided, the loudspeaker device comprising: a loudspeaker enclosure, comprising: a rear side; and a front side of the loudspeaker enclosure comprising: a lower portion of the front side comprising a first opening for receiving a first loudspeaker and a second opening for receiving a second loudspeaker; and an upper portion of the front side comprising a third opening for receiving a third loudspeaker, a first port, and a second port, wherein a distance from the lower portion of the front side to the rear side is greater than a distance from the upper portion of the front side to the rear side; the first loudspeaker positioned in the first opening; the second loudspeaker positioned in the second opening; and the third loudspeaker positioned in the third opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Warner Music Inc.
    Inventor: George Augspurger
  • Patent number: 10754607
    Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-threshold sensing at an audio receiver, and systems and methods for calibrating an audio system to optimize for the specific configuration of the audio system are disclosed herein. In some implementations of a multi-threshold receiver, at least one additional voltage level is selected to trigger latching events within the receiver based on changes of the receiver input (which includes differential signals Vp and Vn) and in turn, to generate internal signals within the multi-threshold receiver, and then logic operations are performed on these internal signals to generate the output of the multi-threshold receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jason Gonzalez, Puxuan Dong, Lior Amarilio
  • Patent number: 10757525
    Abstract: A vehicle and a method of controlling the vehicle are capable of outputting a sound similar to an original sound by modulating a sound signal obtained using a plurality of microphones of an external terminal device considering the physical characteristics of a user and the sound reproduction space. The vehicle includes: a speaker; a sensor module configured to detect a state of the vehicle; a communicator including a plurality of microphones and configured to receive a sound signal having two channels, information about sensitivity of each microphone of the plurality of microphones, and information about a relative position between the plurality of microphones; and a controller configured to: modulate the sound signal on at least one of the sensitivity of the plurality of microphones, the relative position between the plurality of microphones, and a Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF); remove the reverberation from the modulated sound signal; and control the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Youngbeom Kim
  • Patent number: 10750269
    Abstract: Wireless headphones having a built-in flexible battery are provided. Wireless headphones having a built-in flexible battery according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprise: a band part having at least one fastening portion; a pair of headset parts, each of which includes a speaker unit for receiving a wirelessly transmitted audio signal and outputting the audio signal to the outside, and is connected to the band part; and a plate-shaped flexible battery which is embedded in the band part so as to supply power to the headset parts, and has a to-be-fastened portion corresponding to the fastening portion so as to be fixed in position when coupled to the band part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Amogreentech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gi Wook Lee, Seung Yun Rho
  • Patent number: 10741163
    Abstract: A road noise-cancellation system, comprising: an actuator disposed in a vehicle cabin; a controller comprising a processor and non-volatile memory, the controller being programmed to: generate a noise-cancellation signal with a noise-cancellation filter including a first plurality of coefficients, the noise-cancellation signal being based on the first plurality of coefficients, the noise-cancellation signal being transduced by the actuator to generate a noise-cancellation audio signal based on the noise-cancellation signal, the noise-cancellation audio signal destructively interfering with an undesired noise in a noise-cancellation zone; adjust the first plurality of coefficients of the noise-cancellation filter based on one or more input signals to provide a second plurality of coefficients; store the second plurality of coefficients in the non-volatile memory during a shutdown sequence or at the end of an interval; and restore the second plurality of coefficients from non-volatile memory to the noise-cancel
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Travis Hein, Siamak Farahbakhsh, Eric Bernstein
  • Patent number: 10743101
    Abstract: A playback device comprises a network interface configured to communicate with a network microphone device. A processor of the playback device comprises instructions, which when executed, cause the processor to receive a message associated with the network microphone device; and adjust a volume of audio content below a volume of content associated with the network microphone device based on the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Jarvis, Romi Kadri, Paul Andrew Bates, Luis Vega-Zayas
  • Patent number: 10725121
    Abstract: This applications relates to methods and apparatus for monitoring a socket (101), to detect a connection status of a mating plug (102), e.g. for monitoring an audio jack socket for connection of an audio jack plug. A monitor (115, 305) is configured to monitor a voltage (VM) at a monitoring node (114), which is coupled to a jack detect contact (112) of the socket and a voltage pull-up element (113). The voltage (VM) at the monitoring node (114) is monitored against a threshold (Vthv) and a threshold module (302) is configured to vary the threshold depending on an indication of signal activity (SACT) of a signal path for a first socket contact (103) which will be electrically connected to the jack detect contact when a plug when inserted in the socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: John Bruce Bowlerwell
  • Patent number: 10728666
    Abstract: A first array of speaker elements is disposed in a cylindrical configuration about an axis and configured to play back audio at a first range of frequencies. A second array of speaker elements is disposed in a cylindrical configuration about the axis and configured to play back audio at a second range of frequencies. A digital signal processor generates a first plurality of output channels from an input channel for the first frequencies, applies the output channels to the first array of speaker elements using a first rotation matrix to generate a first beam of audio content at a target angle about the axis, generates a second plurality of output channels from the input channel for the second frequencies, and applies the second output channels to the second array of speaker elements using a second rotation matrix to generate a second beam of audio content at the target angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Ulrich Horbach
  • Patent number: 10699692
    Abstract: Sound effects are generated from a speaker inside a vehicle compartment repeatedly between a lower limit frequency and an upper limit frequency in accordance with an increase in the vehicle velocity. Consequently, the frequency is increased with respect to an increase in the vehicle velocity, in a manner so that audible sound effects, that is, sound effects at a so-called infinite scale, are generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xun Wang, Toshio Inoue, Takuma Maesaka
  • Patent number: 10667783
    Abstract: The stethoscope with sound recognition capacity is an electric stethoscope. The stethoscope with sound recognition capacity comprises a stethoscope and a sound processing device. The stethoscope is a traditional medical device used to listen for audible sounds inside a patient. The stethoscope of the stethoscope with sound recognition capacity performs this traditional function. The sound processing device is an electrical circuit housed within the stethoscope. The sound processing device: a) converts the audible sounds captured by the stethoscope into an electrical signal; b) processes the electrical signal to extract diagnostic information; c) processes the extracted diagnostic information to identify one or more conditions of diagnostic relevance found in the patient; and, d) makes an audible spoken announcement of the one or more conditions of diagnostic relevance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Inventor: Samson Arigbamu
  • Patent number: 10674247
    Abstract: The present invention provides a hearing protection earphone, a hearing protection method and a computer program storage medium, comprising a sound control system including a wearing-status sensing module for monitoring a current wearing status of the hearing protection earphone, sending a first monitoring signal when it is determined that the hearing protection earphone is in a wearing state, and sending a second monitoring signal when it is determined that the hearing protection earphone is in a non-wearing state; and a main control module for enabling a play function corresponding to a play mode which is adapted to the hearing protection earphone currently when the first monitoring signal sent from the wearing-status sensing module is received, and counting a stand-by time of the protection earphone and turning off the hearing protection earphone after a preset stand-by time elapses when the second monitoring signal sent from the wearing-status sensing module is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: MERRY ELECTRONICS (SUZHOU) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Guoming Song, Ming Zhu, Feilong Cheng, Chunyan Hu, Jiawei Zhou
  • Patent number: 10659897
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for reducing undesired crosstalk signals on an inactive channel of a device comprising the steps of: (i) determining system volume levels required to achieve a range of desired audio output attenuation levels on an active channel of the device; (ii) determining a crosstalk compensation signal comprising a signal amplitude and associated phase shift required to reduce undesired crosstalk on the inactive channel of the device for each desired audio output attention level in the range of desired audio output attenuation levels; and (iii) generating a desired audio output attenuation level on the active channel of the device by generating a signal at the determined system volume level required to achieve said desired audio output attenuation level, and generating a contemporaneous crosstalk compensation signal on the inactive channel of the device by generating a signal at the determined signal amplitude and associated phase shift required to reduce the undesired crosstalk on the ina
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: SHOEBOX Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Majid, Julian Bromwich, Heikki Koivikko
  • Patent number: 10657975
    Abstract: The following coding scenario is addressed: A number of audio source signals need to be transmitted or stored for the purpose of mixing wave field synthesis, multi-channel surround, or stereo signals after decoding the source signals. The proposed technique offers significant coding gain when jointly coding the source signals, compared to separately coding them, even when no redundancy is present between the source signals. This is possible by considering statistical properties of the source signals, the properties of mixing techniques, and spatial hearing. The sum of the source signals is transmitted plus the statistical properties of the source signals which mostly determine the perceptually important spatial cues of the final mixed audio channels. Source signals are recovered at the receiver such that their statistical properties approximate the corresponding properties of the original source signals. Subjective evaluations indicate that high audio quality is achieved by the proposed scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventor: Christof Faller
  • Patent number: 10656900
    Abstract: A device and method capable of performing image following type audio control or image non-following type audio control are implemented. Images in different directions are selectively displayed on the display unit, and an output audio is controlled in accordance with an image display. A data processing unit executes image following type audio control of moving an audio source direction in accordance with movement of the display image of the display unit and image non-following type audio control of not moving the audio source direction in accordance with the movement of an image in units of individual controllable audio elements. The data processing unit acquires audio control information from an MP4 file or a media presentation description (MPD) file and executes either the image following type audio control or the image non-following type audio control in accordance with the acquired audio control information in units of individual controllable audio elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuru Katsumata, Toru Chinen, Masayoshi Mizuno
  • Patent number: 10650835
    Abstract: The following coding scenario is addressed: A number of audio source signals need to be transmitted or stored for the purpose of mixing wave field synthesis, multi-channel surround, or stereo signals after decoding the source signals. The proposed technique offers significant coding gain when jointly coding the source signals, compared to separately coding them, even when no redundancy is present between the source signals. This is possible by considering statistical properties of the source signals, the properties of mixing techniques, and spatial hearing. The sum of the source signals is transmitted plus the statistical properties of the source signals which mostly determine the perceptually important spatial cues of the final mixed audio channels. Source signals are recovered at the receiver such that their statistical properties approximate the corresponding properties of the original source signals. Subjective evaluations indicate that high audio quality is achieved by the proposed scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventor: Christof Faller
  • Patent number: 10652680
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a first speaker, a first microphone, a storage unit storing a reference signal, and a controller configured to, when the reference signal is output through the first speaker, receive a first signal input through the first microphone and a second signal input through a second microphone of an external electronic device and determine whether to use the first microphone or the second microphone based on at least one of the first signal input through the first microphone and the second signal input through the second microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Wook Shin, Sung-Woon Jang, Sang-Ki Kang, Sung-Wan Youn
  • Patent number: 10652689
    Abstract: Audio processing architectures are described for implementing a multi-band audio compression algorithm with advanced surround processing. Exemplary architectures can improve the fidelity and perceived sound field spread of inexpensive, cabinet mounted, stereo speakers such as those that might be found in televisions, wireless speaker systems and sound bars. Embodiments of the present disclosure can improve inexpensive, cabinet mounted, stereo speakers by providing, e.g., (i) an Advanced Surround algorithm that adds depth and height to the left/right/center sound field images, (ii) a Soft Clip algorithm to minimize the perceived artifacts caused by compressor overshoot, (iii) configurable crossover filter order adjustment to allow better isolation between bands, (iv) a compressor maximum gain adjustment to reduce overshoot and minimize noise boost, and/or (v) a center gain adjustment to emphasize the perception of the center image (dialog) in high ambient noise situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: THAT Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Easley, Mikio Oda
  • Patent number: 10643629
    Abstract: The following coding scenario is addressed: A number of audio source signals need to be transmitted or stored for the purpose of mixing wave field synthesis, multi-channel surround, or stereo signals after decoding the source signals. The proposed technique offers significant coding gain when jointly coding the source signals, compared to separately coding them, even when no redundancy is present between the source signals. This is possible by considering statistical properties of the source signals, the properties of mixing techniques, and spatial hearing. The sum of the source signals is transmitted plus the statistical properties of the source signals which mostly determine the perceptually important spatial cues of the final mixed audio channels. Source signals are recovered at the receiver such that their statistical properties approximate the corresponding properties of the original source signals. Subjective evaluations indicate that high audio quality is achieved by the proposed scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventor: Christof Faller
  • Patent number: 10643628
    Abstract: The following coding scenario is addressed: A number of audio source signals need to be transmitted or stored for the purpose of mixing wave field synthesis, multi-channel surround, or stereo signals after decoding the source signals. The proposed technique offers significant coding gain when jointly coding the source signals, compared to separately coding them, even when no redundancy is present between the source signals. This is possible by considering statistical properties of the source signals, the properties of mixing techniques, and spatial hearing. The sum of the source signals is transmitted plus the statistical properties of the source signals which mostly determine the perceptually important spatial cues of the final mixed audio channels. Source signals are recovered at the receiver such that their statistical properties approximate the corresponding properties of the original source signals. Subjective evaluations indicate that high audio quality is achieved by the proposed scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEW ANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventor: Christof Faller