Patents Examined by Paul Kim
  • Patent number: 11523207
    Abstract: An example headphone device includes a first earpiece and a second earpiece, each earpiece including a respective antenna at least partially disposed within the earpiece. The headphone device includes a headbow adjustably connecting the first earpiece and the second earpiece, where the first earpiece and second earpiece are each extendable from the headbow, which includes an inner cavity. A cable assembly including a cable extends between the first earpiece and the second earpiece. The cable assembly is at least partially formed from an elastomeric material and is positioned within the inner cavity of the headbow in a resting position such that the cable assembly is extendable within the inner cavity of the headbow from the resting position when one or both of the first and second earpieces are extended from the headbow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Dieter Rapitsch, Patrice Billaudet
  • Patent number: 11523241
    Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a method for processing a spatial audio signal that represents an audio scene, wherein the spatial audio signal is controllable and associated with at least two viewing directions is provided, the method including receiving a focus direction and a focus amount; processing the spatial audio signal by modifying the audio scene so as to control emphasis in, at least in part, a portion of the spatial audio signal in said focus direction according to said focus amount; and outputting the processed spatial audio signal, wherein the modified audio scene enables the emphasis in, at least in part, said portion of the spatial audio signal in said focus direction according to said focus amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Juha Vilkamo, Mikko-Ville Laitinen
  • Patent number: 11514922
    Abstract: A method for preparing reference signals for an echo cancellation system disposed in a vehicle, comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of drive signals, each drive signal being provided to an associated transducer of a plurality of acoustic transducers such that the associated acoustic transducer transduces the drive signal into an acoustic signal, filtering each drive signal with a respective filter of a plurality of filters to produce a plurality of filtered signals, wherein each of the plurality of filters approximates a transfer function from an associated acoustic transducer to a microphone disposed within the vehicle such that the plurality of filtered signals each estimate a respective acoustic signal at the microphone; summing together at least a subset of the plurality of filtered signals to produce a summed reference signal; and outputting the summed reference signal to an echo cancellation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Elie Bou Daher, Cristian M. Hera, Vigneish Kathavarayan
  • Patent number: 11514883
    Abstract: An active noise reduction system and method, and a storage medium are provided. In the system, a first signal acquisition circuitry acquires an external noise signal at a noise cancellation spot, and transmits the acquired external noise signal to a noise control system including a first frequency nonlinear transformation circuitry, a first filter circuitry and an inverter. The first frequency nonlinear transformation circuitry receives the external noise signal, and expands at least one target frequency band of the external noise signal based on a frequency nonlinear transformation mapping function to generate a first transformed external noise signal, the first filter circuitry filters the first transformed external noise signal to generate a filtered external noise signal, and the inverter performs inversion on the filtered external noise signal to generate a noise cancellation signal; and the signal output circuitry receives and outputs the noise cancellation signal to cancel an actual noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: RDA MICROELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Simin Fang, Jiayi Zhuang, Kai Li
  • Patent number: 11509993
    Abstract: The technology disclosed herein enables ambient noise level determination at an endpoint using a secondary audio capture system for the endpoint. In a particular embodiment, a method includes during a communication session, receiving an audio signal representing sound captured by a secondary audio capture system for an endpoint on the communication session. A primary audio capture system for the endpoint captures voice communications from a user of the endpoint for the communication session. The method further determining an ambient noise level for the endpoint from the audio signal and, in response to determining that the ambient noise level satisfies a loudness criterion, presenting a notification to the user about the ambient noise level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Avaya Management, L.P.
    Inventors: John C. Lynch, Anthony Peter Neville Brown, Dustin John Laidsaar, Chee Fai Lee, Rayan Ahmed Mamun, Nina Yunusova
  • Patent number: 11500611
    Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein include, determining that a requirement exists to output a system response. In response to determining that a requirement exists to output a system response, (i) setting a system response volume for a first speaker associated with the first networked device and (ii) outputting a system response at the set system response volume via the first speaker associated with the first networked device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Luis Vega-Zayas, Lucas Pylypczak, Rich Lean
  • Patent number: 11501760
    Abstract: A method for routing audio content through an electronic device that is to be worn by a user. The method obtains a communication and determines whether the communication is private. In response to determining that the communication is private, the method drives a bone conduction transducer of the electronic device with an audio signal associated with the communication. In response to determining that the communication is not private, however, the method drives a speaker of the electronic device with the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Robert D. Silfvast, Neal D. Evans, Nikolas T. Vitt, Jonathan D. Sheaffer
  • Patent number: 11496825
    Abstract: An ear-plug device is an in-ear device that presents audio content to an ear canal of a user. The in-ear device includes a body configured to at least partially fit inside the ear canal of the user, and a transducer assembly coupled to the body. The transducer assembly comprises at least one transducer located within the ear canal. The at least one transducer is configured to vibrate a portion of the ear canal to cause the ear canal to create an airborne acoustic pressure wave in the ear canal in accordance with vibration instructions. The airborne acoustic pressure wave corresponds to and is for presentation of the audio content to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Morteza Khaleghimeybodi
  • Patent number: 11491497
    Abstract: Disclosed is a noise suppressor for use inside a nozzle and adjacent a nozzle liner. The suppressor can include an inlet with a cross-sectional area larger than that of the nozzle liner outlet. The suppressor can also have an entrance length with a diverging cross-sectional area, and an exit length extending from the entrance length. By incorporating this geometry, the noise suppressor reduces noise and improves performance of the apparatus in which the suppressor is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Figure, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard McCreary, Chris Holtzclaw, Jonathon McDaniels
  • Patent number: 11496824
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for acoustic device. The acoustic output device may include an earphone core including at least one acoustic driver for outputting sound though one or more sound guiding holes set on the acoustic output apparatus; the acoustic output device may include one or more sensors configured to detect status information of a user of the acoustic output apparatus; the acoustic output device may include a controller configured to cause the at least one acoustic driver to output sound based on the detected status information of the user; the acoustic output device may further include a power source assembly configured to provide electrical power to the earphone core, the one or more sensors, and the controller; and the acoustic output device may further include a flexible circuit board configured to connect at least the earphone core and the power source assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Junjiang Fu, Bingyan Yan, Fengyun Liao, Xin Qi
  • Patent number: 11483669
    Abstract: An apparatus including circuitry configured for: defining at least one parameter field associated with an input multi-channel audio signals, the at least one parameter field configured to describe at least one characteristic of the multi-channel audio signals; determining at least one spatial audio parameter associated with the multi-channel audio signals; and controlling a rendering of the multi-channel audio signals by processing the input multichannel audio signals using at least the at least one characteristic of the multi-channel audio signals and the at least one spatial audio parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Anssi Ramo, Lasse Laaksonen, Henri Toukomaa, Antti Eronen
  • Patent number: 11479184
    Abstract: An object is to provide a sound collection apparatus capable of collecting a sound with a higher SN rate than before through use of a reflected sound. The sound collection apparatus is installed in a vehicle. The vehicle includes a seat for a passenger to sit on, and a reflective structure that reflects a sound emitted by a passenger sitting in the seat. The sound collection apparatus includes a first microphone arranged at a position where a direct sound that is a sound emitted by the passenger is readily collected, and a second microphone arranged at a position where a reflected sound that is a sound emitted by the passenger and reflected by the reflective structure is readily collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazunori Kobayashi, Shoichiro Saito, Masahiro Fukui
  • Patent number: 11483670
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing spatial audio are disclosed herein. In one example, the method includes receiving a first position of a first playback device relative to a user in a listening environment; receiving a second position of a second playback device relative to the user in the listening environment; transmitting, to a media content provider, location data corresponding to the first and second positions; receiving, from the media content provider, virtual media audio content associated with a virtual environment, the virtual media audio content comprising first and second audio signals generated based on the transmitted location data, wherein the generated first and second audio signals include one or more audio cues configured to enable the user to spatially perceive a location of a virtual object within the listening environment; and playing back the first audio signal via the first playback device in synchrony with playing back the second audio signal via the second playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Cole Harris, Jeffrey Michael Torgerson
  • Patent number: 11481628
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed methods and apparatus for audio equalization based on variant selection. An example apparatus includes a processor to obtain training data, the training data including a plurality of reference audio signals each associated with a variant of music and organize the training data into a plurality of entries based on the plurality of reference audio signals, a training model executor to execute a neural network model using the training data, and a model trainer to train the neural network model by updating at least one weight corresponding to one of the entries in the training data when the neural network model does not satisfy a training threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Gracenote, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Coover, Joseph Renner, Cameron A. Summers
  • Patent number: 11477574
    Abstract: This application discloses a device to project sound to a specific person while keeping the sound away from others nearby. The device has various parametric speakers arranged in a pattern to project sounds in a narrow field while preventing dispersion of sounds to nearby areas. The device can be connected to other electronic equipment by wires or wirelessly, and can be removed and used in different settings. This device has particular application in delivering sounds to infants and toddlers to sooth them while the same sounds are not heard by adults nearby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Mozo, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Ostrup, Matthew Ostrup
  • Patent number: 11477600
    Abstract: A device includes one or more processors configured to execute instructions to obtain, at a first audio output device, first spatial audio data and a first reference time associated, and to cause the first reference time and data representing at least a portion of the first spatial audio data to be transmitted from the first audio output device. The instructions further cause the one or more processors to receive, at the first audio output device from a second audio output device, second spatial audio data and a second reference time. The instructions further cause the one or more processors to, based on the first reference time and the second reference time, time-align the first spatial audio data and the second spatial audio data to generate combined audio data representing a three-dimensional (3D) sound field and to generate audio output based on the combined audio data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Turner, Laurent Wojcieszak, Benjamin Campbell
  • Patent number: 11462202
    Abstract: In a first system signal processing unit, an adaptive filter generates a noise cancel sound, a first system selector selects an output of a first system auxiliary filter corresponding to a noise cancel position matching a detected position of a right ear of a user from a plurality of first system auxiliary filters corresponding to different noise cancel positions, and a first system subtractor subtracts the selected output from an output of a first microphone and outputs the subtracted result as an error signal to a first system adaptive filter and a second system adaptive filter of a second system signal processing unit. The noise cancel positions are arranged at predetermined intervals in a space where the user can move the right ear due to turning and side bending of the head within a predetermined range in the up-down and front-back directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignees: ALPS ALPINE. CO . LTD, A SCHOOL CORPORATION KANSAI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ryosuke Tachi, Yoshinobu Kajikawa
  • Patent number: 11462227
    Abstract: The present application discloses a method for determining a delay between signals, an apparatus, a device and a storage medium, and relates to voice technology. In the method, apparatus, device, and storage medium provided by the present disclosure, by performing down-sampling processing on the signals, the amount of calculation for determining the delay can be reduced, thereby improving the determination efficiency. Moreover, signal segments including alignment positions of the two signals can be estimated in the signal through a currently determined delay, and then the processing can be performed again on the signal segments. In this way, a range for determination can be gradually reduced, that is, an accurate delay can be obtained by just processing shorter signals, which not only ensures the accuracy of the determination, but also reduces the amount of data processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Apollo Intelligent Connectivity (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Danqing Yang, Gang Xu, Junhua Xu
  • Patent number: 11462200
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a signal processing apparatus and method, and a program that can easily make a leaking sound difficult to hear. A signal processing apparatus includes a masking sound generation unit that, in a case where a first content is reproduced in a first region and a second content is reproduced in a second region by wave field synthesis using a speaker array, generates a masking sound for masking a sound of the first content and a sound of the second content heard in a region between the first region and the second region. The present technology can be applied to content reproduction systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichi Osako, Yuhki Mitsufuji, Masafumi Takahashi, Yukara Ikemiya
  • Patent number: 11457325
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for using an audio time and level difference renderer (TLDR) to generate spatialized audio content for multiple channels from an audio signal received at a single channel. The system selects an audio TLDR from a set of audio TLDRs based on received input parameters. The system configures the selected audio TLDR based on received input parameters using a filter parameter model to generate a configured audio TLDR that comprises a set of configured binaural dynamic filters, and a configured delay between the multiple channel. The system applies the configured audio TLDR to an audio signal received at the single channel to generate spatialized multiple channel audio content for each channel of the multiple audio channel and presents the generated spatialized audio content at multiple channels to a user via a headset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Owen Brimijoin, II, Samuel Clapp, Peter Dodds, Nava K. Balsam, Tomasz Rudzki, Ryan Rohrer, Kevin Scheumann, Michaela Warnecke