Patents Examined by Matthew Eason
  • Patent number: 11282493
    Abstract: An adaptive noise filtering system and method detect sounds using a sensor onboard a vehicle system. A value of a signal associated with operation of the vehicle system is determined. One or more sounds detected by the sensor are filtered out based on the value of the signal that is determined. Operation of the vehicle system may be controlled using the remaining sound(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Brian E. Kurz
  • Patent number: 11282488
    Abstract: A flow controlled sound generation system is disclosed that includes one or more fluid pumps to control air flow through a sound channel. The air flow is modulated through one or more valves to produce audible frequency pressure waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: DeftIO LLC
    Inventor: Manjirnath Chatterjee
  • Patent number: 11284196
    Abstract: Diaphragms (4, 5, 6, 7) each include laminated layers including a piezoelectric layer. The diaphragms (4, 5, 6, 7) are each warped to oscillate due to expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric layer or due to an oscillatory force from the outside. The diaphragms have mutually different resonance frequencies. A casing (2) has an internal space (2C) for accommodating the diaphragms (4, 5, 6, 7) and a fixing part (2D) for fixing a portion of each of the diaphragms (4, 5, 6, 7). The casing (2) transmits oscillations between the diaphragms (4, 5, 6, 7) and the outside via the fixing part (2D).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: DAI-ICHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Ogata, Shogo Kurogi, Keita Matsuoka, Yoshiyuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11276388
    Abstract: A beamforming system comprises an input module, a phase-difference module, a delay distribution module, and a delay estimation module configured to make a final delay estimation based on the delay distribution. The final delay estimation is applied to align one of two selected channels and combine the two channels to obtain a signal of interest. The phase-difference module calculates phase differences for a range of frequency bins. The delay estimation module considers all possible delays derived from the phase differences, including multiples of ±2? to overcome the ambiguity in high frequency bins when the spacing between two acoustic sensors is longer than the half of the wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Powen Ru
  • Patent number: 11272279
    Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel R. Bloom
  • Patent number: 11265638
    Abstract: A low-profile earbud is disclosed that sits securely within an ear of a user. The earbud includes a protruding portion that passes through a channel defined by the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can take the form of a cable configured to supply power and transfer data to the earbud. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can provide additional space for electrical components and sensors supporting the earbud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Ethan L. Huwe, Craig M. Stanley
  • Patent number: 11259133
    Abstract: A microphone assembly includes a substrate defining a port, a MEMS transducer, a guard ring, and a can. The MEMS transducer is coupled to the substrate such that the MEMS transducer is positioned over the port. The guard ring is coupled to the substrate and surrounds the MEMS transducer. The guard ring includes a plurality of edges that further includes a first edge and an opposing second edge. A portion of the first edge and a portion of the second edge have a reduced thickness relative to adjacent ones of the plurality of edges. The can is coupled to the guard ring such that the substrate and the can cooperatively define an interior cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Norman Dennis Talag, Anthony Schmitz
  • Patent number: 11249716
    Abstract: A display device includes a display panel which includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a light emitting element layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and outputting light to the second substrate, a first sound generator which is disposed on a surface of the first substrate and outputs sound by vibrating the display panel, and a first buffer member which is disposed on the surface of the first substrate, where a height of the first buffer member is smaller than that of the first sound generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yi Joon Ahn, Ga Na Kim, Byeong Hee Won, Jae Been Lee, Jae Woo Im
  • Patent number: 11250870
    Abstract: In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device comprises a communication circuitry configured to establish a voice call with an external electronic device; a microphone; a memory configured to store a first sound quality enhancement parameter; and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: obtain an audio signal associated with speech through the microphone, during the voice call; transmit, to a server, voice data based on the audio signal when the ratio is within a first range; transmit, to the server, noise data based on the audio signal, when the ratio is within a second range; receive an updated sound quality enhancement parameter from the server with the communication circuit during the voice call; and adjust the first sound quality enhancement parameter stored in the memory, based on the updated sound quality enhancement parameter received from the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gunwoo Lee, Hangil Moon, Soonho Baek, Beakkwon Son, Jaemo Yang
  • Patent number: 11252513
    Abstract: The application relates to a MEMS transducer package comprising: a package substrate the package substrate comprising a substrate channel, the substrate channel comprising first and second channel portions, wherein the first portion extends in a first direction between a first channel opening in a side surface of the substrate and a junction between the first and second channel portions, and wherein the second portion extends in a second direction between said junction and a second channel opening at, or underlying, a substrate opening provided in an upper surface of the package substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto Brioschi, Rkia Achehboune, David Patten
  • Patent number: 11235970
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a MEMS ASIC. In some examples, the MEMS ASIC can include a MEMS, an analog front end (AFE) amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), an overload detector, and a high-ohmic (HO) block. The HO block and the MEMS can form a high-pass filter (HPF). The impedance of the HO block can be related to the DC operating level of the AFE amplifier and the cutoff frequency of the HPF. In some examples, an overload event can occur, and the overload detector can be configured to adjust the impedance of the HO block to reduce the settling time of the MEMS ASIC. Methods of using the MEMS ASIC to reduce the settling time of the MEMS ASIC due to an overload event are disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Eddie L. Ng
  • Patent number: 11239825
    Abstract: A MEMS resonator is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: FemtoDx, Inc.
    Inventors: Pritiraj Mohanty, Shyamsunder Erramilli
  • Patent number: 11234073
    Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include accessing environment information identifying an undesired sound source within an environment. The method may further include determining, based on the accessed environment information, a spatial location of the undesired sound source in the environment that is to be attenuated using an active noise cancelling (ANC) signal. The method may also include forming a microphone beam, using two or more microphones, directed at the determined spatial location, where the microphone beam is configured to capture audio information from the determined spatial location. Still further, the method may include generating an ANC signal using the audio information captured using the microphone beam, and playing back the generated ANC signal to attenuate the undesired sound source at the determined spatial location. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Buye Xu, Antonio John Miller, Jacob Ryan Donley
  • Patent number: 11234082
    Abstract: A carrier substrate and a method for making a carrier substrate are disclosed. In an embodiment a carrier substrate includes a substrate body having a multilayer structure, electrical connection pads on a top surface of the substrate body, an organic cushion layer on the top surface of the substrate body, electrically conductive elongated parts arranged on top of the cushion layer, wherein each conductive elongated part is contacted to a respective electric connection pad and a solder pad located at an end of each elongated part distant from the respective connection pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wolfgang Pahl
  • Patent number: 11225408
    Abstract: An embodiment as described herein includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) with a first MEMS transducer element, a second MEMS transducer element, and a semiconductor substrate. The first and second MEMS transducer elements are disposed at a top surface of the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor substrate includes a shared cavity acoustically coupled to the first and second MEMS transducer elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Andreas Wiesbauer, Christian Mandl, Marc Füldner, Shu-Ting Hsu
  • Patent number: 11228847
    Abstract: A microphone can include a cover having a series of slits and a nest. The nest can be configured to receive a first diaphragm, a second diaphragm, and a PCB in a stacked arrangement, such that the PCB is positioned between the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm. Also, the first diaphragm can define a first plane, the second diaphragm can define a second plane, and the PCB can define a third plane and the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane can extend parallel to one another. The cover can also include slits having a first length and a second length, and the first length can be greater than the second length. The slits can extend both radially and axially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff Segota, Michael Alwicker, Daniel Pratt, John Miller, Elizabeth Cho
  • Patent number: 11223907
    Abstract: The present application relates to structures for supporting mechanical, electrical and/or electromechanical components, devices and/or systems and to methods of fabricating such structures. The application describes a primary die comprising an aperture extending through the die. The aperture is suitable for receiving a secondary die. A secondary die may be provided within the aperture of the primary die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Rkia Achehboune, Roberto Brioschi
  • Patent number: 11214483
    Abstract: In an embodiment a MEMS microphone includes a substrate, a shield layer, a central insulation layer and a membrane, wherein the substrate has an upper surface with a first opening therein, wherein the shield layer is arranged between the upper surface of the substrate and the membrane, the shield layer having a second opening, wherein the central insulation layer is arranged between the shield layer and the membrane, the shield layer comprising a dielectric bulk material having a third opening and an etch stopper forming an edge of the central insulation layer towards the third opening such that the dielectric bulk material of the central insulation layer is completely enclosed between the shield layer, the etch stopper and the membrane, and wherein all openings are arranged one above another to form a common sound channel to the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kurt Rasmussen, Jan Tue Ravnkilde
  • Patent number: 11206495
    Abstract: A MEMS microphone includes a substrate. A dielectric layer is disposed on the substrate, having an opening and includes: indent region surrounding the opening; pillars extending from an indent surface at the indent region to the substrate; and an outer part surrounding the indent region and disposed on the substrate. A signal sensing space is created at the indent region between the pillars and between the pillars and the outer part. A first electrode layer is disposed on the indent surface of the dielectric layer. A second electrode layer is disposed on the substrate. A sensing diaphragm is held by the dielectric layer, including two elastic diaphragms supported by the dielectric layer; and a conductive plate between the first elastic diaphragm and the second elastic diaphragm. The conductive plate has a central part embedded in the holding structure and a peripheral part extending into the signal sensing space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Solid State System Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Min Hsieh, Li-Chi Tsao, Chien-Hsing Lee
  • Patent number: 11197079
    Abstract: A MEMS microphone with a hybrid packaging structure is provided. The microphone comprises: a first circuit board; a second circuit board, spaced apart from the first circuit board and parallel to the first circuit board; a packaging cover, covering the second circuit board, and forming an acoustic cavity with the second circuit board; wherein the first circuit board and the second circuit board form an accommodating space in which a pressure sensor is disposed. In the present invention, the chip and electronics of the MEMS microphone are installed on two different circuit boards, respectively, so that an interior space of the microphone is fully utilized, a good heat dissipation is achieved, a better sound transmission effect is achieved, and the microphone can be widely used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Inventor: Jinghua Ye