Patents Examined by Paul W. Huber
  • Patent number: 10917734
    Abstract: An electronic device for controlling a speaker and an operating method thereof are provided. The electronic device includes an audio output apparatus, and a processor configured to, according to a type of a first sound source to be output through the audio output apparatus, control an output of the audio output apparatus to output a first sound corresponding to the first sound source so as to be focused on a first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ji-Soon Park
  • Patent number: 10917708
    Abstract: A display device includes a display panel which includes a first substrate and a light emitting element layer disposed on a first surface of the first substrate; a lower cover disposed on a second surface of the first substrate; a first sound generator disposed on the second surface of the first substrate, where the first sound generator outputs a first sound by vibrating the display panel using a magnetic force generated through a voice coil therein; and a second sound generator disposed on the second surface of the first substrate, where the second sound generator outputs a second sound corresponding to a pressure change in a space between the display panel and the lower cover caused by a vibration of the display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byeong Hee Won, Jae Been Lee
  • Patent number: 10903801
    Abstract: An audio processing circuit includes a cascade operational amplifier circuit, an output node, and a pull-down circuit. The cascade operational amplifier circuit includes a first operational amplifier circuit and a second operational amplifier circuit. The first operational amplifier circuit includes a main operational amplifier and a secondary operational amplifier that are connected in parallel. The pull-down circuit is configured to pull down a voltage at the output node after the first operational amplifier circuit is turned on. The second operational amplifier circuit is configured to, after the secondary operational amplifier is turned on, control a voltage gain of the secondary operational amplifier to change gradually from low to high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Deyang Yin, Jun Li, Ding Li, Shuai Du
  • Patent number: 10902866
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a sound signal processing method, a terminal, and a headset, to prevent a sound in an external environment from causing unnecessary disturbance to a user, thereby improving user experience. The terminal includes: a microphone, configured to collect an ambient sound signal; and a processor, configured to: obtain the sound signal collected by the microphone, and process, based on user status information, the ambient sound signal collected by the microphone, where the user status information includes a geographical location of a user who uses the terminal or a motion status of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jingqing Mei
  • Patent number: 10904692
    Abstract: Embodiments are described for an adaptive audio system that processes audio data comprising a number of independent monophonic audio streams. One or more of the streams has associated with it metadata that specifies whether the stream is a channel-based or object-based stream. Channel-based streams have rendering information encoded by means of channel name; and the object-based streams have location information encoded through location expressions encoded in the associated metadata. A codec packages the independent audio streams into a single serial bitstream that contains all of the audio data. This configuration allows for the sound to be rendered according to an allocentric frame of reference, in which the rendering location of a sound is based on the characteristics of the playback environment (e.g., room size, shape, etc.) to correspond to the mixer's intent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Q. Robinson, Nicolas R. Tsingos, Christophe Chabanne
  • Patent number: 10898161
    Abstract: A mounting system is provided to allow the attachment of an acoustic collector to a handheld electronic device such that sound is conducted directly to the device's microphone. A fitted case or band encloses part of the device and includes a tube running from the collector to the device's microphone. In certain embodiments, the tube may be embedded in the case, and a detachable mount may be provided to connect the collector to the case. The collector may be a stethoscope chestpiece, or an open air collector, such as a parabolic collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: StratoScientific, Inc.
    Inventors: Suman K. Mulumudi, Mahesh S. Mulumudi
  • Patent number: 10904664
    Abstract: Embodiments include a system for enhancing an audio listening experience, the system comprising an electrical device configured to impart vibrations, to a chest area of a user, based on an incoming audio signal and detect an acoustic resonance generated in a chest cavity of the user as a result of the vibrations; and an acoustic system configured to output the incoming audio signal in synchrony with the vibrations imparted to the chest cavity and simultaneously deliver haptic and audible vibrations associated with the acoustic resonance to the ears of the user. Embodiments also include a headphone system comprising an audio driver for outputting an incoming audio signal to the ears; and at least one acoustical port configured to deliver haptic and audible vibrations to the ear, the haptic and audible vibrations being associated with an acoustic resonance generated in a chest cavity of the user based on the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: SonicSensory, Inc.
    Inventor: Brock Maxwell Seiler
  • Patent number: 10897660
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent apparatus that can include a housing, an audio module, an outer dust-proof member, and an inner dust-proof member. The housing defines a mounting chamber therein and is provided with a sound guide hole in communication with the mounting chamber. The audio module is arranged in the mounting chamber and includes a sound guide channel in communication with the sound guide hole. The outer dust-proof member is arranged between the sound guide hole and the sound guide channel, and is provided with an outer filter hole communicating the sound guide hole with the sound guide channel. The inner dust-proof member is arranged between the outer dust-proof member and the sound guide channel, and is provided with an inner filter hole communicating the outer filter hole with the sound guide channel. The outer filter hole has a larger aperture size than the inner filter hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ji Xiang
  • Patent number: 10887695
    Abstract: A method includes receiving sound by a first audio unit installed in an electrical outlet, routing audio data corresponding to the received sound from the first audio unit to a second audio unit installed in a second electrical outlet, and sending the audio data to a mobile device using a wireless link between the mobile device and the second audio unit. Routing the audio data may include receiving the audio data from the first audio unit by a third audio unit and routing the audio data to the second audio unit by the third audio unit serving as a router. The data may be routed using table driven routing, on-demand routing or some other appropriate routing protocol. The method may also include performing voice recognition on the audio data and detecting a command word and routing command word data to the second audio unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Lombardi, Mitul R. Patel, Amber M. Pierce
  • Patent number: 10880660
    Abstract: The disclosure presents a method and a hearing device comprising a first portion adapted for being arranged behind an ear of a user for providing a signal, an output transducer for converting the signal to an acoustic output, a coupling element coupled to the first portion, and wherein the coupling element is adapted for transmitting at least the signal or the acoustic output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Jens Troelsen, Rune Sø, Morten Thougaard
  • Patent number: 10880651
    Abstract: A signal processing device includes a switching receptor, a storage, and a signal processor. The switching receptor receives switching of a speaker serving as a supply destination of a signal. The storage stores an optimal setting, which is obtained by measuring characteristics of the speaker selected by the switching, in association with the switching of the speaker. The signal processor reads out the optimal setting, which is associated with the switching received by the switching receptor, from the storage, and uses the optimal setting to process the signal to be supplied to the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hironari Kawai
  • Patent number: 10873821
    Abstract: A method provides binaural sound to a person through electronic earphones. The binaural sound localizes to a sound localization point (SLP) in empty space that is away from but proximate to the person. When an event occurs, the binaural sound switches or changes to stereo sound, to mono sound, or to altered binaural sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Inventors: Philip Scott Lyren, Glen A. Norris
  • Patent number: 10873807
    Abstract: A method of using a directional microphone unit having an array of constituent microphones. Each of a plurality of the microphones receives substantially white noise via a direct path from a source, and also receives an echo comprising a reflection of the white noise from at least one surface, thereby obtaining a received noise signal comprising a combination of the directly-received noise and the echo. For each of the plurality of microphones, a spacing is identified between lobes and/or troughs in a respective spectrum of the received noise signal as received by the respective microphone, thereby determining an additional distance travelled by the echo to the respective microphone relative to the direct path. A direction of the source is calculated based on the additional distance travelled for each of said plurality of microphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: XMOS LTD
    Inventors: Sam Chesney, Andrew Graham Stanford-Jason, Hendrik Lambertus Muller
  • Patent number: 10872591
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a compensator for a loudspeaker system having a first loudspeaker group having at least one sound transducer, the first loudspeaker group being configured to generate a first sound signal based on an audio signal, the sound signal having a useful signal portion and a distortion signal portion. The compensator has a second loudspeaker group having at least one sound transducer, the second loudspeaker group being configured to generate a second sound signal based on a compensation signal, the second sound signal compensating and/or reducing the distortion signal portion when superimposed with the first sound signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Lorenz Betz, Maximilian Wolf
  • Patent number: 10867605
    Abstract: A system for operating an earbud can include a primary processor to control the earbud and operate in a low-power state, a microphone to receive an input, a casing having a speaker configured to provide audio output from the primary processor to a user's ear, the casing being configured to maintain a position in a user's ear canal to maintain a position of the speaker within the user's ear, a listening sub-system to convert the input into an output signal, and a neural net processor to receive the output signal from the listening sub-system and determine whether to generate a wake signal based on the received output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: AVNERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Christopher James O'Connor
  • Patent number: 10869156
    Abstract: A method comprising: causing display of a sound-source virtual visual object in a three-dimensional virtual visual space; causing display of a multiplicity of interconnecting virtual visual objects in the three-dimensional virtual visual space, wherein at least some of the multiplicity of interconnecting virtual visual objects interconnect visually a sound-source virtual visual object and a user-controlled virtual visual object, wherein a visual appearance of each interconnecting virtual visual object, is dependent up on one or more characteristics of a sound object associated with the sound-source virtual visual object to which the interconnecting virtual visual object is interconnected, and wherein audio processing of the sound objects to produce rendered sound objects depends on user-interaction with the user-controlled virtual visual object and user-controlled interconnection of interconnecting virtual visual objects between sound-source virtual visual objects and the user-controlled virtual visual object
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Arto Lehtiniemi, Antti Eronen, Jussi Leppänen, Juha Arrasvuori
  • Patent number: 10863965
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are provided for capturing and outputting data regarding a bodily characteristic. In one embodiment, a hardware device can operate as a stethoscope with sensors to detect bodily characteristics such as heart sounds, lung sounds, abdominal sounds, and other bodily sounds and other characteristics such as temperature and ultrasound. The stethoscope can be configured to work independently with built solid state memory or SIM card. The stethoscope can be configured to pair via a wireless communication protocol with one or more electronic devices, and upon pairing with the electronic device(s), can be registered in a network resident in the cloud and can thereby create a network of users of like stethoscopes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: M3DICINE IP PTY LTD.
    Inventors: Arsil Nayyar Hussain, Dang Khoa Tran
  • Patent number: 10869120
    Abstract: An audio assembly provides audio content to a user. The audio assembly comprises an elongated body, a negative vent assembly, and a positive vent assembly. The elongated body includes an audio waveguide. The negative vent assembly is coupled to the elongated body and includes at least one negative vent that vents negative acoustic pressure waves generated by a back surface of a transducer coupled to a first end of the audio waveguide. The positive vent assembly is part of the elongated body and is coupled to a second end of the audio waveguide. The positive vent assembly includes at least one positive vent that vents positive acoustic pressure waves generated by a front surface of the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joel Bernard Jacobs, Clare Regimbal Long, Simon Porter, Joseph Patrick Sullivan, Peter Allan Chase Newbury
  • Patent number: 10863293
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an electro-acoustic conversion device and a terminal. The electro-acoustic conversion device includes a housing, an electro-acoustic component, and a vibration element. The housing is provided with a sound chamber and a sound outlet communicating with the sound chamber. The electro-acoustic component is arranged in the sound chamber. The vibration element is fixed to the housing and configured to generate sound waves to atomize liquid in the sound chamber, so that the atomized liquid is discharged outside the sound chamber through the sound outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignees: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD., KING TONE INNOVATION (BEIJING) TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bixiang Yan, Xin Yan
  • Patent number: 10856836
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are provided for capturing and outputting data regarding a bodily characteristic. In one embodiment, a hardware device can operate as a stethoscope with sensors to detect bodily characteristics such as heart sounds, lung sounds, abdominal sounds, and other bodily sounds and other characteristics such as temperature and ultrasound. The stethoscope can be configured to work independently with built solid state memory or SIM card. The stethoscope can be configured to pair via a wireless communication protocol with one or more electronic devices, and upon pairing with the electronic device(s), can be registered in a network resident in the cloud and can thereby create a network of users of like stethoscopes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: M3DICINE IP PTY LTD
    Inventor: Arsil Nayyar Hussain