Patents Examined by Norman Yu
  • Patent number: 10224062
    Abstract: Sample rate converter and related methods are provided. A method may include (1) obtaining a pitch value based at least on a relationship between an input sampling rate of input samples of a first audio signal to an output sampling rate of output samples corresponding to a second audio signal; (2) automatically generating a first set of interpolated coefficient values by interpolating between a first set of coefficient values corresponding to a first filter and automatically generating a second set of interpolated coefficient values by interpolating between a second set of coefficient values corresponding to a second filter; (3) automatically generating a third set of coefficient values by interpolating between the first set of interpolated coefficient values and the second set of interpolated coefficient values using a set of fraction values related to the pitch value; and (4) filtering data corresponding to the input samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas C. Savell
  • Patent number: 10225652
    Abstract: In accordance with methods and systems of the present disclosure, a mobile device may include an enclosure adapted such that the enclosure is readily transported by a user of the mobile device, a speaker associated with the enclosure for generating sound, and a controller within the enclosure, communicatively coupled to the speaker. The controller may be configured to receive a signal from the speaker, the signal induced at least in part by sound incident on the speaker other than sound generated by the speaker and process the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Melanson, Eric Swanson
  • Patent number: 10225680
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and wearable/mobile computing devices configured to facilitate production and/or reproduction of spatial audio and/or one or more audio spaces. More specifically, disclosed are systems, components and methods to acoustically determine displacements of audios sources (or portions thereof), such as a subset of speaking users, for providing audio spaces and spatial sound field reproduction, for example, for a remote listener. In one embodiment, a media device includes transducers to emit audible acoustic signals into a region including one or more audio sources, acoustic probe transducers configured to emit ultrasonic signals and acoustic sensors configured to sense received ultrasonic signals reflected from an audio source. A controller can determine a displacement of the audio source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Inventor: Thomas Alan Donaldson
  • Patent number: 10225653
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a device may include a piezoelectric speaker for generating sound, a microphone, and a controller communicatively coupled to the speaker and the microphone. The controller may be configured to receive a first signal from the piezoelectric speaker, the first signal induced at least in part by sound incident on the speaker other than sound generated by the piezoelectric speaker, receive a second signal from the microphone, the second signal induced by sound incident on the microphone, process at least one of the first signal and the second signal to determine at least one characteristic of sound incident upon at least one of the piezoelectric speaker and the microphone, and select at least one of the microphone and the piezoelectric speaker as a signal source for incident sound based on the at least one characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Melanson, Eric Swanson
  • Patent number: 10219094
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and wearable computing devices to facilitate production and/or reproduction of a spatial sound field and/or one or more audio spaces. More specifically, disclosed are systems, components and methods to determine acoustically positions of audios sources, such as vocal users, for providing audio spaces and spatial sound field reproduction for remote listeners. In one embodiment, a media device includes a housing, transducers disposed in the housing to emit audible acoustic signals into a region including one or more audio sources, acoustic probe transducers configured to emit ultrasonic signals and acoustic sensors configured to sense received ultrasonic signals reflected from an audio source. A controller can determine a position of the audio source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Inventor: Thomas Alan Donaldson
  • Patent number: 10219067
    Abstract: A sound system is provided with a headphone that includes a transducer and at least one microphone. The sound system also includes an equalization filter and a loop filter circuit. The equalization filter is adapted to equalize an audio input signal based on at least one predetermined coefficient. The loop filter circuit includes a leaky integrator circuit that is adapted to generate a filtered audio signal based on the equalized audio input signal and a feedback signal indicative of sound received by the at least one microphone, and to provide the filtered audio signal to the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Ulrich Horbach
  • Patent number: 10210881
    Abstract: A protected extended playback mode protects the integrity of audio and side information of a spatial audio signal and sound object and position information of audio objects in an immersive audio capture and rendering environment. Integrity verification data for audio-related data determined. An integrity verification value is computable dependent on the transmitted audio-related data. The integrity verification value can be compared with the integrity verification data for verifying the audio-related data transmitted in the audio stream for generating a playback signal having a mode dependent on the verification of the audio-related data A transmitting device transmits that integrity verification data and the audio-related data in an audio stream for reception by a receiving device. The audio stream, including the audio-related data and integrity verification data are received by the receiving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Antti Eronen, Miikka T. Vilermo, Arto J. Lehtiniemi, Lasse J. Laaksonen
  • Patent number: 10212514
    Abstract: A predictive brownout prevention system may be configured to prevent brownout of an audio output signal. Particularly, the brownout prevention system may be configured to receive information indicative of adaptive estimates of power supply conditions, wherein the information indicative of adaptive estimates of the power supply conditions comprises information regarding a voltage component and a resistive component received from an adaptive battery model of a battery for providing electrical energy to a power supply for generating the power supply voltage and adapt the adaptive battery model based on a monitored battery voltage output by the battery and loading events of the signal path and excluding loading events of components other than the signal path which are powered from the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Serwy, Jason W. Lawrence, Firas Azrai, Jeffrey Allen May, Jie Su
  • Patent number: 10185535
    Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed for facilitating reception of a digital audio stream over a wireless personal area network (PAN). At a wireless network mobile computing device, a wireless network audio broadcast device is discovered. The wireless network audio broadcast device is operable to provide a digital audio stream over a wireless PAN. The wireless network mobile computing device facilitates the reception of the digital audio stream over the wireless PAN by a wireless network audio listening device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales PTE. Limited
    Inventor: Robert William Hulvey
  • Patent number: 10171930
    Abstract: Several embodiments of a localized audibility sound system are disclosed. In an embodiment designed for persons playing a video game, configurations are disclosed which limit propagation of low-frequency sound to nearby areas or rooms, both for group and single-person play. Other embodiments are disclosed for use in trade shows and the like, which limit propagation sound to nearby booths and areas, while providing a rich audio experience for persons in a defined area. Embodiments for use in conference-calling are disclosed which facilitate selective telephonic transmission or recording of sounds spoken by persons around a conference table, while attenuating telephonic transmission or recording of other sounds created in the conference room such as typing on computer keyboards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Inventor: Kevin Brown
  • Patent number: 10158943
    Abstract: A microphone includes a first micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) motor, the first MEMS motor including a first diaphragm and a first back plate; and a second MEMS motor including a second diaphragm and a second back plate. The first diaphragm is electrically biased relative to the first back plate according to a first voltage, the second diaphragm is biased relative to the second back plate according to a second voltage, and a magnitude of the first voltage is different from a magnitude of the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Wade Conklin, Michael Kuntzman, Sung Bok Lee
  • Patent number: 10152977
    Abstract: A device includes an encoder. The encoder is configured to receive two audio channels. The encoder is also configured to determine a mismatch value indicative of an amount of a temporal mismatch between the two audio channels. The encoder is further configured to determine, based on the mismatch value, at least one of a target channel or a reference channel. The target channel corresponds to a lagging audio channel of the two audio channels and the reference channel corresponds to a leading audio channel of the two audio channels. The encoder is also configured to generate a modified target channel by adjusting the target channel based on the offset value. The encoder is further configured to generate at least one encoded channel based on the reference channel and the modified target channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Venkatraman Atti, Venkata Subrahmanyam Chandra Sekhar Chebiyyam, Daniel Jared Sinder
  • Patent number: 10149078
    Abstract: A speaker assembly including a sound radiating surface suspended over a magnet assembly, a suspension member for suspending the sound radiating surface over the magnet assembly, a voice coil extending from a bottom side of the sound radiating surface, and a capacitive displacement sensor for sensing a movement of the sound radiating surface. The capacitive displacement sensor including a first conductive plate fixedly positioned over the sound radiating surface and a second conductive plate coupled to the sound radiating surface and vertically aligned with the first conductive plate, and wherein the second conductive plate is confined to an area that is entirely radially inward of the voice coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Roderick B. Hogan, Anthony P. Grazian, Scott P. Porter, Christopher Wilk, Hongdan Tao
  • Patent number: 10133547
    Abstract: A method and device for obtaining a sound, wherein an information representative of a speed of a first object moving on a first surface is obtained. The obtained speed information is used with one or more reference sounds to obtain the sound. The one or more reference sounds are associated with a determined speed of displacement of a second object moving on a second surface, the first surface being different from the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: INTERDIGITAL CE PATENT HOLDINGS
    Inventors: Julien Fleureau, Yoan Lefevre, Philippe Guillotel
  • Patent number: 10136222
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a signal processing apparatus which can allow a user to listen to sound assumed by a designer while a difference among individuals is taken into account. [Solution] Provided is a signal processing apparatus including: a characteristics difference calculating unit configured to calculate a difference between reproduction target characteristics of a first sound signal and characteristics of a second sound signal obtained by collecting, at a microphone provided inside a headphone, sound output from a driver which outputs the sound based on a third sound signal obtained by performing signal processing on the first sound signal; and a sound signal processing unit configured to select a parameter to be used at the signal processing based on the difference calculated by the characteristics difference calculating unit, and perform signal processing on the first sound signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Hayashi, Kohei Asada
  • Patent number: 10129378
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus is disclosed. An electronic apparatus comprises a panel, a case, a speaker, and a cover member. The panel comprises a first surface and a second surface located opposite to the first surface. The case supports the second surface. The speaker is located inside the case and outputs a sound. The cover member covers at least part of the first surface. The cover member comprises a first opening through which the sound output from the speaker is transmitted to the outside of the electronic apparatus. The first opening and part of the case overlap each other in a first direction along a thickness direction of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Nonaka, Atsuki Ooi
  • Patent number: 10123150
    Abstract: A game engine may generate video and audio content on a per-frame basis. Audio data corresponding to a current frame may be generated to comprise sound-field information independent of a speaker configuration or spatialization technology that may be used to play the associated audio. The sound-field may be generated based on monaural audio data corresponding to a sound produced by an in-game object at the object's position as of the current frame. The sound-field information may be transmitted to a remote computing device for reproduction using a selected, available speaker configuration and spatialization technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Y. Kim, Todd R. Manion, Robert N. Heitkamp, Steven Wilssens, Philip A. Edry
  • Patent number: 10117026
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a bone conduction speaker and its compound vibration device. The compound vibration device comprises a vibration conductive plate and a vibration board, the vibration conductive plate is set to be the first torus, where at least two first rods inside it converge to its center; the vibration board is set as the second torus, where at least two second rods inside it converge to its center. The vibration conductive plate is fixed with the vibration board; the first torus is fixed on a magnetic system, and the second torus comprises a fixed voice coil, which is driven by the magnetic system. The bone conduction speaker in the present invention and its compound vibration device adopt the fixed vibration conductive plate and vibration board, making the technique simpler with a lower cost; because the two adjustable parts in the compound vibration device can adjust both low frequency and high frequency area, the frequency response obtained is flatter and the sound is broader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SHENZHEN VOXTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xin Qi, Ye Yu
  • Patent number: 10111014
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for multi-source audio amplification and ear protection devices are provided herein. In certain configurations, an audio amplification and ear protection device includes at least one microphone that generates an ambient sound signal based on detecting ambient sound, at least one speaker, and an electrical system that controls sound outputted by the at least one speaker based on amplifying the ambient sound signal and a secondary sound source signal. The electrical system receives a first user-controlled volume signal that is operable to control an amount of amplification provided to the ambient sound signal, and a second user-controlled volume signal that is operable to control an amount of amplification provided to the secondary sound source signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Team IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy D. Schnell, Doug Mann
  • Patent number: 10110986
    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 cancellation feature of the headphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC
    Inventor: Jun-Ki Min