Patents Examined by Norman Yu
  • Patent number: 10469956
    Abstract: A MEMS transducer package comprising a substrate; a filter circuit for filtering RF signals, the filter circuit comprising a resistor and a capacitor; and an IPD chip; wherein at least a portion of the filter circuit is provided within the IPD chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc
    Inventors: Aleksey Sergeyevich Khenkin, David Patten, Dimitris Drogoudis
  • Patent number: 10453443
    Abstract: This relates to providing an indication of the suitability of an acoustic environment for performing speech recognition. One process can include receiving an audio input and determining a speech recognition suitability based on the audio input. The speech recognition suitability can include a numerical, textual, graphical, or other representation of the suitability of an acoustic environment for performing speech recognition. The process can further include displaying a visual representation of the speech recognition suitability to indicate the likelihood that a spoken user input will be interpreted correctly. This allows a user to determine whether to proceed with the performance of a speech recognition process, or to move to a different location having a better acoustic environment before performing the speech recognition process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Yoon Kim
  • Patent number: 10455320
    Abstract: A device can be worn by a user and can include a microphone to analyze music and other sound in the surrounding environment. In one embodiment, the device can translate audio into a haptic and/or light of the sound's or music's bassline, in real-time. In one embodiment, no music is recorded by the device. The haptic or vibrational representation of the music can be generated by a motor. In some examples, the light representation of the music can be generated via a red/green/blue light emitting diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Body Beats, LLC
    Inventor: Brandon Ralph
  • Patent number: 10455328
    Abstract: Example embodiments relating to the adjustment of a microphone attached to a headset are provided. The adjustable headset detects a microphone attached to the headset at a first position and receives one or more speech signal inputs from a user. The headset calculates a feedback parameter which includes a confidence parameter, a vocabulary assistance parameter, and a node exit attempt parameter. The headset determines a pass state in an instance in which the feedback parameter satisfies a feedback threshold, to maintain the microphone at the first position. The headset determines a fail state in an instance in which the feedback parameter fails to satisfy a feedback threshold, to cause a stepper motor to move the microphone from the first position to a second position relative the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: HAND HELD PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Nageshwara Rao Moova, Rimi Raina, Nikhil Sharma
  • Patent number: 10455317
    Abstract: A system and method for a hybrid ring-radiator headphone driver, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc.
    Inventor: David Zepp
  • Patent number: 10448194
    Abstract: Example techniques may involve performing aspects of a spectral calibration using an applied spatial calibration. An example implementation may include receiving data representing spatial filters that correspond to respective playback configurations. The implementation may also involve causing the audio drivers to output calibration audio that is divided into a repeating set of frames, the set of frames including a respective frame for each playback configuration. Causing the audio drivers to output the calibration audio may involve causing an audio stage to apply, during each frame, the spatial filter corresponding to the respective playback configuration. The implementation may also include receiving data representing spectral filters that correspond to respective playback configurations, the spectral filters based on the calibration audio output by the audio drivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Sheen
  • Patent number: 10448170
    Abstract: A sound generator includes at least one piezoelectric vibrator including a piezoelectric element, a vibration unit in one of a non-contact state not contacting the at least one piezoelectric vibrator and a contact state contacting the at least one piezoelectric vibrator. While in the contact state, the at least one piezoelectric vibrator generates vibration in response to a signal, and causes a contact surface contacted by the vibration unit to vibrate and generate a sound to be emitted from the contact surface. The sound generator can detect driving allowed and driving denied states, and control application of a sound signal in accordance with the two states to the piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Fukami, Hiroshi Taimura, Atsuo Chiba, Yuta Sakamoto, Akinori Wada, Daisuke Tsuiki, Takashi Ikegami, Kazuya Sono, Hideaki Fujimoto, Seiji Horii
  • Patent number: 10440484
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for improved microphone protection for hearing assistance devices. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a hearing assistance device, such as a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) type hearing aid, that includes a battery door with a microphone slit and a battery contact including a microphone port. In various embodiments, the microphone slit and the microphone port are configured to create a nonlinear acoustic path to a microphone of the hearing assistance device. In various embodiments, the acoustic path is configured to prevent earwax from blocking and/or damaging the microphone, such as during insertion, removal or cleaning of the hearing assistance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Sidney A. Higgins, Gary Zajicek, Toto Saykeo, Jerome C. Ruzicka, Janet Richardson
  • Patent number: 10433044
    Abstract: A novel headphone system includes a first speaker assembly, a second speaker assembly, and an interactive visual display system. The interactive visual display system includes a display operative to output visual contents according to interaction with a user. In one embodiment, one of the displays can be a transparent display placed in front of the user's eyes. Live images passing through the transparent display can be merged with the digital image generated by the transparent display to give the user an augmented reality experience. In another embodiment, the headphone system includes an external device interface that enables a user to interact with the contents displayed from the screen via an external device or via the Internet. In another embodiment, the interactive visual display system is removable from the rest of the headphone system and can optionally be installed in another compatible non-headphone device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Inventors: Ronald Pong, King Hei Liu, Wing Pun Leung
  • Patent number: 10424315
    Abstract: Audio device systems and methods are provided to enhance speech pick-up from a user. The systems and methods include a plurality of left signals and right signals from microphones coupled to left and right earpieces. Various of the signals are combined to provide a primary signal having enhanced acoustic response in the direction of a selected location, such as the user's mouth. Additionally, the left signals are combined to provide a left reference signal having reduced acoustic response from the selected location, and the right signals are combined to provide a right reference signal also having reduced acoustic response from the selected location. Each of the left and right reference signals are filtered to provide left and right noise estimates, respectively, and the left and right noise estimates are subtracted from the primary signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Alaganandan Ganeshkumar
  • Patent number: 10419868
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an interior cabin space and a sound system. The sound system includes one or more speakers and sensors configured to change sounds emitted from the speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC
    Inventor: James T. Hotary
  • Patent number: 10418049
    Abstract: The present invention makes it possible to reduce noise from a driving unit with a two-channel microphone configuration. An audio processing apparatus has a first microphone whose main acquisition target is sound from outside of the apparatus, a second microphone whose main acquisition target is driving noise from the driving unit, and a noise removing unit that generates two-channel audio data in which driving noise made by the driving unit of the apparatus has been reduced based on the difference between time-series audio data acquired by the first microphone and time-series audio data acquired by the second microphone. This noise removing unit has two adaptive filter units that respectively perform filter processing on time-series audio data from the first microphone and time-series audio data from the second microphone, and generates stereo two-channel audio data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Toriumi
  • Patent number: 10418955
    Abstract: A process is provided. The process receives, at a mobile computing device, audio content via a communication application that provides a voice-based communication between a first user and a second user through a computerized network. Further, the process amplifies, via an acoustic amplification device, the audio content. In addition, the process delivers the audio content through a receptacle that receives the mobile computing device. The receptacle is integrated with the acoustic amplification device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Language Line Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Lindsay D'Penha, Jeffrey Cordell
  • Patent number: 10397684
    Abstract: Wireless speaker systems and methods for synchronous audio playback. Speaker systems can comprise more than one wireless speaker assembly, such as wireless earphones, in serial communication with an audio source device, such as a smartphone. Separate audio rendering by each wireless speaker assembly and synchronization of audio playback by imposing a fixed latency from an output timestamp associated with the audio source data, and rate matching the sample allow for tightly synchronized playback of stereo audio at low latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: VOXX INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arthur Chang, Chung Lung Chang
  • Patent number: 10382866
    Abstract: Haptic feedback is generated on a headphone to indicate contexts of ambient sound. In this way, noise-canceling headphones can alert the wearer to audible cues of potentially dangerous situations that otherwise would be suppressed by the noise cancelation feature of the headphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC
    Inventor: Jun-Ki Min
  • Patent number: 10375466
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a gain redistribution application restructures gains associated with multiple microphones included in a head-worn audio system to minimize near field noise. In response to a sound generated by a sound source, the microphones generate input signals. The gain redistribution application performs mixing operations on the input signals to generate an output signal that mitigates near field noise associated with the same side of the head as the sound source. Subsequently, the gain redistribution application transmits the output signal to a speaker that targets the same side of the head as the sound source. Advantageously, by reducing the gain associated with an input signal received via a microphone located on the same side of the head as the sound source, the gain redistribution application reduces near field noise transmitted to the user during operation in a more comprehensive fashion relative to conventional designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Branden Sheffield, James M. Kirsch
  • Patent number: 10366708
    Abstract: A headphone system is provided that includes a left and right earpiece having a left and right microphone, respectively, to receive left and right acoustic signals and provide left and right signals for processing. The left and right signals are added to provide a principal signal, and the left and right signals are subtracted to provide a reference signal. A detection circuit compares the principal signal to the reference signal and selectively indicates whether a user is speaking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xiang-Ern Yeo, Mehmet Ergezer, Alaganandan Ganeshkumar
  • Patent number: 10368156
    Abstract: A configurable earbud retention and stabilization system is disclosed herein. The configurable earbud retention and stabilization system includes a bendable earloop configured to fit over an ear of a user, the bendable earloop having a first end and a second end oppositely disposed relative to the first end, the bendable earloop defining a clip aperture proximate to the first end, the bendable earloop configured to be deformed into a plurality of different positions so as to provide a customized fit for the user; and an earbud clip, the earbud clip forming a cavity configured to receive an earbud headphone therein, the earbud clip including a connecting member received within the clip aperture of the bendable earloop so as to detachably couple the earbud clip to the bendable earloop. In some embodiments, the bendable earloop includes an inner wire enabling the bendable earloop to be deformed into the different positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Inventor: Gordon Haggott Beckhart
  • Patent number: 10362389
    Abstract: A loudspeaker system comprises a driver mounted within the interior of a single-reflex band-pass box which is self-draining to protect the driver from exposure to standing water. The band-pass box may be mounted at the stern of a boat to direct acoustic energy from the driver to an individual being towed behind it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: JL Audio, Inc.
    Inventors: Lucio Proni, Bellal J Hamze, Donald C Nesbit, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10362406
    Abstract: A MEMS microphone package includes a substrate including a base layer, a sound hole cut through the base layer, a conduction part arranged on the base layer, a sidewall connected with one end thereof to the top surface of the base layer and having a conducting line electrically connected to the conduction part, a cover plate connected to an opposite end of the sidewall and having a solder pad and a third contact disposed in conduction with the solder pad and electrically connected to the conducting line, an acoustic wave sensor mounted on the top surface of the base layer to face toward the sound hole, a processor chip mounted on the top surface of the base layer and electrically connected to the acoustic wave sensor and the conduction part, and one or multiple electronic components electrically bonded to the cover plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: LINGSEN PRECISION INDSUTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yao-Ting Yeh, Hsien-Ken Liao, Jyong-Yue Tian, Ming-Te Tu