Patents Examined by P. Tran
  • Patent number: 10970036
    Abstract: An audio system presented herein includes a transducer array, sensor array, and a controller. The controller control tactile content imparted to a user via actuation of at least one transducer in the transducer array while presenting audio content to the user. The transducer array presents the audio content with the tactile content to the user. The audio system can be part of a headset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Cesare Valerio Parise, Morteza Khaleghimeybodi, Philip Robinson, Peter Gottlieb
  • Patent number: 10972987
    Abstract: A user equipment (UE) may transmit a power headroom report in response to changing beamforming parameters. The UE may autonomously change beamforming parameters from a preconfigured set of beams or receive a command to change beamforming parameters for transmissions on a new beam. The UE may determine a power headroom applicable to a transmission from the UE on the new beam. The UE may transmit, in response to the command, a power headroom report based on the power headroom using resources configured for the power headroom report. For example, the power headroom report may be multiplexed with an uplink transmission from the UE using the new beam. In an aspect, the UE may select a scheduled transmission during a time period after the command is implemented as the uplink transmission. For example, the power headroom report may be transmitted as a physical layer transmission or as a MAC-CE transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Sony Akkarakaran, Tao Luo, Juan Montojo, Xiao Feng Wang, Shengbo Chen, Sumeeth Nagaraja, Makesh Pravin John Wilson
  • Patent number: 10972064
    Abstract: An audio reproduction method comprises providing equal loudness response data defining a dependency between sound pressure level and frequency, resulting in sounds of equal loudness, including for sounds of a notional negative loudness; generating a required spectral weighting profile from the response data to represent a difference in frequency response between a first audio transducer and a second, different, audio transducer; applying a spectral weighting to an audio signal in dependence upon the derived frequency response; and reproducing the spectrally weighted audio signal using the second audio transducer at an audio reproduction level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Emmanuel Deruty
  • Patent number: 10959029
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining and adapting to changes in microphone performance of playback devices are disclosed herein. In one example, an audio input is received at an array of individual microphones of a network microphone device. Output microphone signals are generated from each of the individual microphones based on the audio input. The output microphone signals are analyzed to detect a trigger event. After detecting the trigger event, the output microphone signals are compared to detect aberrant behavior of one or more of the microphones. Optionally, corrective actions can be taken or suggested based on the detection of aberrant behavior of one or more microphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Thomas Soto, Connor Kristopher Smith, Roberto Maria Dizon, Patrick Kevin McPherson, Charles Conor Sleith
  • Patent number: 10952170
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided for syncing multiple electronic devices for collective audio playback. According to certain aspects, a master device connects (218) to a slave device via a wireless connection. The master device calculates (224) a network latency via a series of network latency pings with the slave device and sends (225) the network latency to the slave device. Further, the master devices sends (232) a portion of an audio file as well as a timing instruction including a system time to the slave device. The master device initiates (234) playback of the portion of the audio file and the slave devices initiates (236) playback of the portion of the audio file according to the timing instruction and a calculated system clock offset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Daley, Travis Bolinger, Heath O'Neal
  • Patent number: 10951243
    Abstract: A first plurality of wireless devices each having a microphone and a wireless antenna forming a first plurality of microphones and a first plurality of wireless antennas may be provided. The first plurality of wireless devices may be configured to transmit the first plurality of signals over Bluetooth. A master transceiver with a first microphone and a first wireless antenna may also be provided and the master transceiver can be configured to receive the plurality of signals from the plurality of wireless devices over Bluetooth. The master transceiver can be configured to combine the plurality of signals and the master signal into a combined signal. And the master transceiver can be configured to broadcast the combined signal over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi simultaneously with the transmission over Bluetooth for redundancy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas H. Cook
  • Patent number: 10951967
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for voice-controlled multimedia devices and universal remotes. In one embodiment, an example device may include a housing, a first circuit board, a second circuit board, a first infrared light emitting diode (LED) positioned on the first circuit board and configured to emit infrared light in a first direction, a second infrared LED positioned on the first circuit board and configured to emit infrared light in a second direction opposite the first direction, a microphone disposed on the second circuit board, and an HDMI port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Lemons, Giovanni Mata Magana, Miguel Virgen, Thompson Quang-Tue Nguyen, Chia Hung Kuo, Yao Xue
  • Patent number: 10932204
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting power headroom information by a terminal in a mobile communication system. The method includes receiving, by the terminal, information for an allocated uplink transmission resource; identifying whether a path loss has changed by more than a threshold, after transmitting last power headroom information, when the terminal has the allocated uplink transmission resource; in case that the path loss has changed by more than the threshold when the terminal has the allocated uplink transmission resource, determining a transmission of the power headroom information; and transmitting an uplink packet including the power headroom information based on the allocated uplink transmission resource. The power headroom information is obtained based on a difference between a maximum transmission power of the terminal and a transmission power of the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Inventors: Soeng-Hun Kim, Gert-Jan Van Lieshout, Kyeong-In Jeong, Youn-Hyoung Heo
  • Patent number: 10932080
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to repositioning a location of an acoustic sweet spot for a multi-speaker system. One example provides a computing system configured to receive first location data regarding a first location of an object in a space as determined from data acquired by a first image sensor having a fixed location within the space, send a notification to an audio-providing device regarding the first location of the object as determined from the data acquired by the first image sensor, receive second location data regarding a second location of the object in the space as determined by a second sensor, the second location being outside of a view of the first image sensor, and based on receiving the second location data, send a notification to the audio-providing device regarding the second location of the object as determined by the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Brian Eugene Mouncer
  • Patent number: 10932076
    Abstract: A local device of an auditory device system is configured to perform a process that switches between operating modes. As part of the process, the local device may determine a wireless quality parameter indicative of a current environment for wireless communication with the contra device. Additionally, based on the one or more local input audio signals and the wireless quality parameter, the local device may determine whether to change a local active operating mode of the local device from a bilateral mode to a binaural mode or from the binaural mode to the bilateral mode. The local device may generate a local output audio signal based on the one or more local input audio signals in accordance with the local active operating mode and may produce sound based on the local output audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ivo Merks, John Ellison, Ke Zhou
  • Patent number: 10932203
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting power headroom information by a terminal in a mobile communication system. The method includes receiving, by the terminal, information on an allocated uplink transmission resource; determining whether a path loss has changed more than a threshold, after transmitting last power headroom information, when the terminal has the allocated uplink transmission resource; if the path loss has changed more than the threshold when the terminal has the allocated uplink transmission resource, determining a transmission of the power headroom information; and transmitting an uplink packet including the power headroom information using the allocated uplink transmission resource. The power headroom information is obtained based on a difference between a maximum transmission power of the terminal and a transmission power of the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Inventors: Soeng-Hun Kim, Gert-Jan Van Lieshout, Kyeong-In Jeong, Youn-Hyoung Heo
  • Patent number: 10924122
    Abstract: A system and method for phase alignment of multiple PLLs are disclosed. The system comprises a plurality N of PLLs (PLL_1 . . . PLL_N) and a plurality N of phase detectors (DET_1 . . . DET_N). The plurality N of phase detectors and the plurality N of PLLs are connected in a loop such that an i-th phase detector (DET_i) is configured to receive an i-th feedback signal (FB_i) generated from the i-th PLL and an (i+1)-th feedback signal (FB_i+1) generated from the (i+1)-th PLL, and the N-th phase detector (DET_N) is configured to receive the first feedback signal (FB_1) generated from the first PLL and the N-th feedback signal (FB_N) generated from the N-th PLL. The an i-th phase detector (DET_i) is configured to generate an i-th adjustment signal indicating an i-th phase difference between the i-th and (i+1)-th feedback signals for adjusting a phase of the i-th or (i+1)-th PLL, wherein i=1, 2, 3, . . . N?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Magnus Nilsson
  • Patent number: 10924870
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to tracking of acoustic feedback events of a hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid. Information about the acoustic feedback events is stored for analysis. Such information is useful for programming acoustic feedback cancellers and other parameters of a hearing assistance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Patent number: 10911877
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hearing device and method of operating a hearing device in a binaural hearing system, the method comprising: receiving distal data from a distal hearing device; receiving an audio signal and converting the audio signal to a first microphone input signal and a second microphone input signal; and determining a beamforming scheme based on the distal data, the first microphone input signal, and the second microphone input signal, wherein determining the beamforming scheme comprises obtaining a zero-direction index, and wherein the beamforming scheme is based on the zero-direction index; and applying the beamforming scheme in a beamforming module of the hearing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: GN Hearing A/S
    Inventors: Rob De Vries, Changxue Ma, Andrew Dittberner
  • Patent number: 10911198
    Abstract: Disclosed are a wireless transmitter and a reference signal transmission method that improve channel estimation accuracy. In a terminal, which transmits a reference signal using n (n is a non-negative integer 2 or greater) band blocks (which correspond to clusters here), which are disposed with spaces therebetween in a frequency direction, a reference signal controller switches the reference signal formation method of a reference signal generator between a first formation method and a second formation method based on the number (n) of band blocks. In addition, a threshold value setting unit adjusts a switching threshold value based on the frequency spacing between band blocks. Thus, the reference signal formation method can be selected with good accuracy and, as a result, channel estimation accuracy is further improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Sun Patent Trust
    Inventors: Takashi Iwai, Sadaki Futagi, Tomohumi Takata, Daichi Imamura, Yoshihiko Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10911881
    Abstract: A system configured to detect a tap event on a surface of a device only using microphone audio data. For example, instead of using a physical sensor to detect the tap event, the device may detect a tap event in proximity to a microphone based on a power level difference between two or more microphones. When a power ratio exceeds a threshold, the device may detect a tap event and perform an action. For example, the device may output an alarm and use a detected tap event as an input to delay or end the alarm. In some examples, the device may detect a tap event using a plurality of microphones. Additionally or alternatively, the device may distinguish between multiple tap events based on a location of the tap event, enabling the device to perform two separate actions depending on the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Savaskan Bulek, Tarun Pruthi, Ali Abdollahzadeh Milani, Trausti Thor Kristjansson
  • Patent number: 10904684
    Abstract: This application relates an activity detector (100) for detecting signal activity in an input audio signal (SIN), such as may be used for always-on speech detection. The activity detector has a first time-encoding modulator (TEM) 101 including a first hysteretic comparator (201) for generating a PWM (pulse-width modulation) signal based on the input audio signal. A second TEM (103) having a second hysteretic comparator (401) is arranged to receive a reference voltage (VMID) and generate a clock signal (SCLK). A time-decoding converter (102) receives the clock signal and generates count values of a number of cycles of the clock signal in periods defined by the PWM signal. An activity monitor (104) is responsive to a count signal (SCT) from the TDC 102 to determine whether the input audio signal comprises signal activity above a defined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: John Paul Lesso
  • Patent number: 10893355
    Abstract: The earphone comprises a main housing; a cover; a speaker module; a circuit module; and a power supply. The cover is buckled on the main housing. The speaker module, the circuit module, and the power supply are disposed within a space enclosed by the main housing and the cover. The speaker electrical connector is used to achieve an electrical connection between the speaker body and the circuit module in an elastic contact manner. The battery electrical connector is used to achieve electrical connection with the circuit board in the elastic contact manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN MEES HI-TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuanqing Huang
  • Patent number: 10880669
    Abstract: A first microphone on a first earpiece of a personal audio delivery device measures a first head related transfer function (HRTF) associated with a sound source. A second microphone on an earpiece of a personal audio delivery device measures a second HRTF associated with the sound source. An interaural time difference (ITD) is determined based on the first HRTF and second HRTF. A determination is made that the sound source is located in a first region based on the interaural time difference. A determination is made that the sound source is located in a second region within the first region based on the ITD of the first HRTF and the second HRTF and an ITD associated with third HRTFs for the second region. A location of the sound source is determined within the second region, which in some examples, is improved with a Kalman filter model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: EmbodyVR, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaushik Sunder, Kapil Jain, Yuxiang Wang
  • Patent number: 10880665
    Abstract: An audio headset may receive a plurality of audio signals corresponding to plurality of surround sound channels. The headset may determine, via its audio processing circuitry, context and/or content of the audio signals. The audio processing circuitry may process the audio signals to generate stereo signals carrying one or more virtual surround channels, wherein the processing comprises automatically controlling, based on the context and the content of the audio signals, a simulated acoustic environment of the virtual surround channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Kulavik