Patents Examined by Norman Yu
  • Patent number: 10361484
    Abstract: A network device communicates with one or another set of antennas depending on an orientation of the network device. The network device includes a first set of one or more antennas, a second set of one or more antennas, a processor, and memory having stored thereon instructions executable by the processor to cause the device to perform functions. The functions include (1) determining that an orientation of the network device is one of a first orientation and a second orientation; (2) if the determined orientation is the first orientation, then causing the network device to communicate using the first set of one or more antennas; and (3) if the determined the orientation is the second orientation, then causing the network device to communicate using the second set of one or more antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Niels van Erven, Carlo van Niekerk, Michael Frey
  • Patent number: 10345855
    Abstract: A parabolic-shaped receptacle is provided. The parabolic-shaped receptacle has a frame having a left side that has a left parabolic curvature and a right side that has a right parabolic curvature. Further, the parabolic-shaped receptacle has one or more speaker ports. In addition, the parabolic-shaped receptacle has a coupling mechanism that couples a computing device to the frame such that one or more speakers of the computing device are aligned with the one or more speaker ports to deliver audio from the one or more speakers through the one or more speaker ports. The parabolic-shaped receptacle also has a left receptacle speaker positioned on the frame along the left parabolic curvature to the left of the one or more speaker ports. Further, the parabolic-shaped receptacle has a right receptacle speaker positioned on the frame along the right parabolic curvature to the right of the one or more speaker ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Language Line Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Lindsay D'Penha, Jeffrey Cordell
  • Patent number: 10343898
    Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphone is provided. The MEMS microphone includes a substrate, a backplate, a diaphragm, a first insulating protrusion and a plurality of second insulating protrusions. The backplate is disposed on a side of the substrate. The diaphragm is disposed between the substrate and the backplate and is movable relative to the backplate. The first insulating protrusion and the second insulating protrusions are formed on the side of the backplate facing the diaphragm. The first insulating protrusion is connected to and affixed to the diaphragm permanently, and an air gap is formed between the diaphragm and each of the second insulating protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: FORTEMEDIA, INC.
    Inventors: Jien-Ming Chen, Nai-Hao Kuo, Wen-Shan Lin, Hsin-Li Lee
  • Patent number: 10334371
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus reduce feedback in a hearing aid device. The method includes the step of acquiring a first feedback transfer function at a first point in time on a feedback path from a signal processing device via an electro-acoustic transducer, an acoustic signal path from the electro-acoustic transducer to an acousto-electric transducer and via the acousto-electric transducer back to the signal processing device. In a further step, a weighted mean value function is determined in a manner dependent on amplitude absolute values of the first feedback transfer function. A second feedback transfer function is estimated by an adaptive filter, wherein coefficients of the adaptive filter are determined in a manner dependent on the weighted mean value function. The adaptive filter is applied to a signal which is derived from an acoustic input signal of the acousto-electric transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Henning Puder, Tobias Daniel Rosenkranz, Tobias Wurzbacher
  • Patent number: 10334366
    Abstract: To provide an audio playback device which allows a novel listening experience for a listener by bone conduction from a prescribed position of the head area. [Solution] Provided is the audio playback device including at least one bone conduction device. The bone conduction device is provided at a position to be worn at a prescribed position of a head area of a listener. The prescribed position is a position allowing the listener to feel that a sound source moves from a position to which the bone conduction device is attached and to feel the sound source from another position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Nakagawa, Junya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10327088
    Abstract: A spatial audio processor for providing spatial parameters based on an acoustic input signal has a signal characteristics determiner and a controllable parameter estimator. The signal characteristics determiner is configured to determine a signal characteristic of the acoustic input signal. The controllable parameter estimator for calculating the spatial parameters for the acoustic input signal in accordance with a variable spatial parameter calculation rule is configured to modify the variable spatial parameter calculation rule in accordance with the determined signal characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Oliver Thiergart, Fabian Kuech, Richard Schultz-Amling, Markus Kallinger, Giovanni Del Galdo, Achim Kuntz, Dirk Mahne, Ville Pulkki, Mikko-Ville Laitinen
  • Patent number: 10321223
    Abstract: A mobile computing device receptacle is provided. The mobile computing device receptacle has a rear enclosure with a receiving area for receiving a mobile computing device. The mobile computing device receptacle also has a first acoustic amplification component operably connected to a first side of the rear enclosure. In addition, the mobile computing device receptacle has a second acoustic amplification component operably connected to a second side of the rear enclosure. Further, the mobile computing device receptacle has a front enclosure having a first side speaker hole arrangement and a second speaker hole arrangement. The first side speaker hole arrangement is configured to be positioned over the first acoustic amplification component. In addition, the second side speaker hole arrangement is configured to be positioned over the second acoustic amplification component. A coupling mechanism couples a mobile computing device between the front enclosure and the rear enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Language Line Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Lindsay D'Penha, Jeffrey Cordell, Greg Weisenfeld
  • Patent number: 10313802
    Abstract: A system for monitoring the status and/or performance of one or more hearing devices is disclosed. The system comprises a number of access points configured to receive wireless signals transmitted by the hearing devices, wherein the access points are connected to a central unit communicatively connected to the Internet/cloud, wherein the system is configured to automatically monitor the status and/or performance of one or more parameter of the one or more hearing devices received by access points, wherein the monitored parameters are accessible from the central unit and/or from a cloud service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Lars Pinnerup Frederiksen, Thorvaldur Oli Bodvarsson, Søren Hesselballe Larsen, Lars Bramsløw, Niels Søgaard Jensen, Filip Marchman Rønne, Ariane Laplante-Lévesque, Eline Borch Petersen, Carina Graversen, Lasse Juul Villadsen, Rikke Birksteen Rossing, Adis Bjelosevic
  • Patent number: 10311889
    Abstract: A headphone, headphone system, and speech enhancing method is provided to enhance speech pick-up from the user of a headphone and includes receiving a plurality of signals from a set of microphones and generating a primary signal by array processing the microphone signals to steer a beam toward the user's mouth. A noise reference signal is also derived from one or more microphones, and a voice estimate signal is generated by filtering the primary signal to remove components that are correlated to the noise reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Alaganandan Ganeshkumar, Xiang-Ern Yeo, Mehmet Ergezer
  • Patent number: 10299044
    Abstract: A stabilizer for use in stabilizing a diaphragm of an audio device, such as a microphone transducer or a speaker driver. The stabilizer is configured to be attached to the diaphragm to provide stability to the diaphragm, which may be in the form of one or more of counteraction to asymmetric movement about the center of mass of the voice coil; counteraction to rotation in a direction perpendicular to the desired axial motion of the diaphragm; and additional nonlinear stiffness for mechanical limiting of the diaphragm in the axial direction, which may assist in preventing large excursions of the diaphragm from atypical sources, such as drop, shock, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger Stephen Grinnip, III
  • Patent number: 10299028
    Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for a headset with force isolation, where the headset comprises a headband having two upper headband sections coupled by a center block and two ear cups, where each ear cup is coupled to one of the two upper headband sections. The two upper headband sections may include side support strips between which a movable strip may be placed utilizing a slider knob, thereby increasing the rigidness of the headband when fully extended between the side support strips utilizing the slider knob. The rigidness of the headband may decrease when the movable strips are retracted from between the side support strips and into the center block utilizing the slider knob. The side support strips may be plastic and the movable strip may be metal. The center block may be more rigid than the side support strips. The center block may be plastic. The headband may include headband endcaps at lower ends of the headband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc.
    Inventors: Scot Cochran, Tim Wiley, Andy Logan
  • Patent number: 10284954
    Abstract: A loudspeaker system is described that includes a loudspeaker and an extender. The loudspeaker can be positioned on the ground and the extender can be optionally connected thereto. When the extender is connected to the loudspeaker, the loudspeaker is capable of selectively sending high-frequency components of an input audio signal to the extender and the extender is capable of playing back such high-frequency components to produce high-frequency audio. Due to the fact that an audio-producing apparatus of the extender can be positioned at a higher elevation than the loudspeaker, the high-frequency audio (which is more directional than lower-frequency audio) can be produced at a height that is likely to match that of the ear height of a user as opposed to producing the audio at floor height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Caavo Inc
    Inventors: Andrew E. Einaudi, Ashish D. Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 10277978
    Abstract: The speaker device includes a cylindrical main body, a sound receiving portion, plural speaker units and at least one passive radiation plate. The cylindrical main body includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The sound receiving portion disposed on the top portion of the cylindrical main body. The speaker units are disposed within the cylindrical main body. The exports of the speaker units face the directions extending radially outward from an axial center of the cylindrical main body respectively. Each of the speaker units outputs a voice signal. The passive radiation plate is disposed on a surrounding surface of the cylindrical main body, and located between the speaker units and the bottom portion of the cylindrical main body. The passive radiation plate is driven to produce resonance with the air within the cylindrical main body, which is vibrated by the vibration of the voice signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: COMPAL ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Ru-Yen Yeh
  • Patent number: 10277183
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method to generate an audio output signal is disclosed. The method may include receiving an audio input signal at an automatic gain control (AGC) unit. The method may further include receiving a volume setting indicator signal at the AGC unit. Further, the method may include setting one or more operational parameters for the AGC unit based on the volume setting indicator signal. In addition, the method may include applying a gain to the audio input signal based on the one or more operational parameters to generate an audio output signal at a desired output level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Sorenson IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Paul W. Cohrs
  • Patent number: 10262650
    Abstract: A method of active noise reduction. The method comprises instructing a microphone electronically coupled by a client terminal to record a nonaural noise signal, instructing a circuit of the client terminal to record an aural noise signal using at least one electroacoustic transducer of an earphone, calculating a noise reduction signal based on a function combining nonaural noise signal and the aural noise signal, calculating a noise reduced signal based on a combination of a content signal prepared to be played by the at least one electroacoustic transducer and the noise reduction signal, and instructing the circuit to play the noise reduced signal via the at least one electroacoustic transducer. The nonaural noise signal and the aural noise signal are recorded at least partly simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Bugatone Ltd.
    Inventors: Edmund Ben-Ami, Noam Petrank
  • Patent number: 10264349
    Abstract: This application provides a combined-type phase plug, and a compression driver and a speaker using same. The combined-type phase plug of this application includes a first phase plug and a second phase plug. The first phase plug includes a cone, a plurality of fins, and a base ring. The plurality of fins is located on an outer surface of the cone. The base ring is located below the cone, and the plurality of fins extends downward to the base ring. The base ring is connected to the plurality of fins but is not connected to the cone. That is, the cone and the base ring are connected only by the plurality of fins. The second phase plug is located under the first phase plug. The second phase plug includes a tapered cone and a base. The tapered cone is located inside the base ring, and a first space is formed between the tapered cone and the base ring. A second space is formed between the tapered cone and the cone, and the second space extends to the first space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: PREMIUM LOUDSPEAKERS (HUI ZHOU) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhi Chen
  • Patent number: 10249322
    Abstract: An audio processing device is described comprising an energy distribution determiner configured to determine an energy distribution of a sound and an acoustical environment determiner configured to determine based on the energy distribution whether the sound includes a sound caused by the acoustical environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: INTEL IP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christoph Nelke, Navin Chatlani, Christophe Beaugeant, Peter Vary
  • Patent number: 10251003
    Abstract: An external component including a vibratory portion configured to vibrate in response to a sound signal to evoke a hearing percept via bone conduction and including a coupling portion configured to removably attach the external component to an outer surface of skin of a recipient of the hearing prosthesis while imparting deformation to the skin of the recipient at a location of the attachment, in a one-gravity environment, of an amount that is about equal to or equal to that which results from the external component having mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Marcus Andersson, Kristian Asnes, Erik Martin Holgersson
  • Patent number: 10250730
    Abstract: An adapter apparatus for an earphone accessory is provided. The adapter apparatus includes an earphone jack, a connection interface, a pre-amplifier and a device adapter circuit. The earphone jack is suitable for a plug of the earphone accessory to plug in. The connection interface is suitable for being electrically connected with a portable device. The pre-amplifier is electrically connected to the earphone jack to receive an earphone control signal of the earphone accessory and to provide an amplified earphone control signal. The device adapter circuit is electrically connected to the pre-amplifier and the connection interface to receive the amplified earphone control signal of the earphone accessory and provide a device control signal to the portable device via the connection interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Merry Electronics (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mao-Hung Lin, Syue-Yu Jhang, Hung-Chi Lin, Yi-Lin Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10237651
    Abstract: An audio processing method and an electronic device for supporting the same are provided. The audio signal processing method includes checking property information of an audio signal in response to a request for playing the audio signal; processing, when property information fulfills a first condition, the audio signal using the first method and, when the property information fulfills a second condition, the audio signal using the second method; and outputting the audio signal processed using one of the first and second methods through a speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Beakkwon Son, Gangyoul Kim, Yangsu Kim, Chulmin Choi, Jinwoo Park, Gunhyuk Yoon, Namil Lee, Yonghoon Lee, Keunwon Jang, Seungyoon Heo