Patents Examined by Phan Le
  • Patent number: 9456280
    Abstract: An electromagnetic transducer is disclosed in the present invention. The electromagnetic transducer includes a frame including a receiving space; an assistant member made of metal material and embedded in the frame; a magnetic circuit unit having a magnetic gap and received in the receiving space; a diaphragm facing the magnetic circuit unit and mounted on the frame and a voice coil partially received in the magnetic gap for driving the diaphragm to vibrate and generate sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Guqing Zhang, Zhongping Li
  • Patent number: 9451369
    Abstract: A hearing aid includes a first microphone for providing a first audio input signal, a second microphone for providing a second audio input signal, a signal processor configured for generating a hearing loss compensated audio output signal based at least in part on the audio input signals, and a receiver for converting the audio output signal into an output sound signal, wherein the signal processor is configured to perform directional processing, based on the first and second audio input signals, in a first frequency range and substantially omni-directional processing in a second frequency range, at least a part of the first frequency range being higher than the second frequency range, and wherein a lower cutoff frequency of the first frequency range is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: GN ReSound A/S
    Inventors: Andrew Dittberner, Rob De Vries, Almer Jacob Van Den Berg
  • Patent number: 9451344
    Abstract: A speaker device includes a voice coil, a lead wire configured to be pulled out of the voice coil, a vibrating body connecting to the voice coil, a magnetic circuit comprising a yoke, and a frame that supports the vibrating body. The yoke includes a bottom portion including a plurality of corners and a side portion extending toward the vibrating body from one side of the bottom portion. The lead wire is configured to pass through a space that is outside of and next to the side portion of the yoke and between the frame and the vibrating body. The lead wire is configured to pass above a cutout of the yoke and bend toward and through the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignees: Pioneer Corporation, Tohoku Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuaki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9451371
    Abstract: An antenna configured in a hybrid circuit provides a compact design for a hearing aid to communicate wirelessly with a system external to the hearing aid. In an embodiment, an antenna includes metallic traces in a hybrid circuit that is configured for use in a hearing aid. The antenna includes contacts in the hybrid circuit to couple the metallic traces to electronic devices in the hybrid circuit. In an embodiment, the metallic traces form a planar coil design having a number of turns of the coil in a substrate in the hybrid circuit. In another embodiment, the metallic traces are included in a flex circuit on a substrate in the hybrid circuit. An antenna configured in a hybrid circuit allows for use in a completely-in-the-canal hearing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Beau Jay Polinske
  • Patent number: 9451357
    Abstract: A basal end cover having a cable entry portion, and an earphone case which accommodates a bone conduction microphone and a bone conduction speaker, being assembled to the basal end cover, with the earphone case including a rigid resin ear plug having a microphone accommodating space in which the bone conduction microphone to be disposed on the distal end side is accommodated, and a speaker accommodating space in which the bone conduction speaker to be disposed on the basal end side is accommodated, and a sensing cover formed of a material softer than that of the ear plug defining the microphone accommodating space, and a bone-conducted sound is picked up by the bone conduction microphone through the sensing cover is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: TEMCO JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mikio Fukuda
  • Patent number: 9420377
    Abstract: An audio playback device is provided. The audio playback device includes a magnetic module, an annular armature, a coil module and a diaphragm. The magnetic module includes a magnetic source and two yokes each connected to one of two magnetic poles generated by the magnetic source and extends to form a magnetic field. The annular armature includes a first, a second, a third and a fourth arms that form a hollow area. At least part of the first arm is located in the magnetic area. The coil module is winded on the second arm and generates two varying electro-magnetic poles according to an alternating current data signal. The annular armature vibrates according to a relation of the two varying electro-magnetic poles and the magnetic field. The diaphragm is connected to the annular armature through a driving rod to vibrate according to the annular armature to generate a sound wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Ming-Sian Bai, Bo-Cheng You, Yi-Yang Lo, Yu-Ming Chang, Tang-Yao Jheng
  • Patent number: 9412537
    Abstract: This is directed to a bend switch constructed from two substantially co-linear elongated bodies having opposing contact surfaces. In an open switch position, the contact surfaces remain apart, preventing electrical coupling. To close the switch, a user can bend the elongated bodies relative to each other to cause the contact surfaces to meet, thus creating an electrical coupling. Each elongated body can have several independent conductive portions. The bend switch can include a movable space member placed between the elongated bodies to maintain the contact surfaces a predetermined distance apart in the open switch position. The movable space member can include preferred or non-preferred bending orientations, equilibrium positions, and/or a potentiometer for closing the switch. The bend switch can control one or more functions (e.g., microphone, volume, or playback controls) of an electronic device (e.g., portable media device or cellular telephone) coupled to the bend switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric B. Daniels, M. Evans Hankey, Daniele De Iuliis, Shin Nishibori, Peter Russell-Clarke
  • Patent number: 9390705
    Abstract: An intelligent sound field control system, which relates to a sound field modulation device and is provided with a WiFi/wireless/wire network main control device, a notebook computer, a wireless universal serial bus dongle, a tablet computer, a motion control electronic device and a reflecting medium, is capable of integrally controlling states of different sound reflecting mediums. Accordingly, an indoor acoustic parameter can be varied and electromechanical integration can be achieved, thereby promoting usage convenience, accuracy and usability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Inventor: Chee Henry Tseng
  • Patent number: 9380367
    Abstract: In order to protect a microphone from moisture and/or dirt, there is provided a microphone protective device that needs only relatively little space for installation into an electroacoustic device for a relatively large effective surface area. For this purpose, the novel microphone protective device has an at least partially cylindrical-shell-shaped membrane, for preventing dirt and/or moisture from entering a sound inlet opening of the microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Anton Gebert, Marco Lederer
  • Patent number: 9369790
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for safely and efficiently removing or returning a radio microphone from a mounting surface. The system includes a first magnet attached to the rear side of a radio microphone and a second magnet located at a desired mounting position on the mounting surface. The second magnet preferably includes an outer vinyl layer to prevent breaking or cracking of the first second magnet when returning the radio microphone to its mounting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Innovative Products Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan J. Schreiber, Michael J. Tinter
  • Patent number: 9363595
    Abstract: A microphone unit includes first and second diaphragms; a substrate on a top surface of which are installed the first and second diaphragms; and a cover disposed covering the first and second diaphragms, the cover joined to an outside edge of the substrate and forming an internal space. There are formed in the substrate first and second openings that are formed respectively in the top and bottom surfaces of the substrate, and an internal sound path communicating from the first opening to the second opening. The first diaphragm is disposed on the substrate so as to cover and hide the first opening. The second diaphragm is disposed so as to seal off a partial region away from the first opening of the top surface of the substrate. A third opening is formed in the cover, and the internal space communicates to an outside space via the third opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryusuke Horibe, Tomohiro Taniguchi, Fuminori Tanaka, Takeshi Inoda
  • Patent number: 9351062
    Abstract: A microphone unit (1) is provided with an electro-acoustic transducer (13) which converts acoustic signals into electric signals on the basis of the oscillation of a diaphragm (134), and a housing (10) which contains the electro-acoustic transducer (13). The housing (10) is provided with: a first sound conduction space (SP1) that guides sound waves from the outside to one side of the diaphragm (134) via at least one first aperture (18) formed on the exterior of the housing (10); and a second sound conduction space (SP2) that guides sound waves from the outside to the other side of the diaphragm (134) via at least one second aperture (19) formed on the exterior of the housing (10). The total square area of at least one first aperture (18) and the total square area of at least one second aperture (19) are not the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Inoda, Ryusuke Horibe, Fuminori Tanaka, Shuji Umeda
  • Patent number: 9344805
    Abstract: A capacitive micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) microphone includes a semiconductor substrate having an opening that extends through the substrate. The microphone has a membrane that extends across the opening and a back-plate that extends across the opening. The membrane is configured to generate a signal in response to sound. The back-plate is separated from the membrane by an insulator and the back-plate exhibits a spring constant. The microphone further includes a back-chamber that encloses the opening to form a pressure chamber with the membrane, and a tuning structure configured to set a resonance frequency of the back-plate to a value that is substantially the same as a value of a resonance frequency of the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Franz Felberer, Remco Henricus Wilhelmus Pijnenburg, Twan van Lippen, Iris Bominaar-Silkens
  • Patent number: 9344803
    Abstract: A loudspeaker assembly preferably, but not necessarily, structured to be operative as a tweeter and including a base which may be formed of a magnet in conformance with the operability of a tweeter. One or more terminals are connected to the base and at least a corresponding number of recesses are formed in an exterior sidewall surface thereof. Each of the one or more terminals is disposed in aligned relation with a correspondingly disposed one of said recesses, wherein aligned ones of said terminals and said recesses are cooperatively disposed and structured to facilitate conformance of the one or more terminals with the circumferential configuration of the exterior sidewall of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Inventor: Gonzalo Palenzuela
  • Patent number: 9344823
    Abstract: Embodiments include a device comprising a pipe having at least one section that spans between a first end and a second end of the pipe. The pipe has a cylindrical cross-section. The device comprises a receptacle positioned in the pipe a first distance from the first end and a second distance from the second end. The receptacle receives an electronic device having microphones that are to be calibrated and secures the microphones a third distance inside an inside surface of the pipe. The device comprises an adapter connected to the first end. The adapter connects a loudspeaker to the pipe. The pipe controls an acoustic energy experienced by the plurality of microphones so that each microphone of the plurality of microphones receives equivalent acoustic energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: AliphCom
    Inventor: Gregory C. Burnett
  • Patent number: 9319807
    Abstract: A system includes an earhook having a connector for coupling to a behind-the-ear component of a hearing prosthesis. The earhook further includes a transducer and combined electromagnetic (EM) and magnetic induction (MI) antenna circuitry coupled to the transducer. The combined EM and MI antenna circuitry also includes an electrically conductive portion of the transducer and at least one inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Werner Meskens, Jan Frieding, Ibrahim Bouchataoui
  • Patent number: 9313590
    Abstract: A hearing aid is disclosed, which can autonomously track the bias current requirements of its output amplifier and control the current bias accordingly, resulting in less power consumption than if the bias current were delivered at a constant, worst-case level. An input signal is split into different frequency bands. A volume envelope is formed for each frequency band, which may function like an instantaneous volume level for each frequency band. The volume envelopes are weighted by frequency, with high frequencies being weighted more heavily than low frequencies. The weighted volume envelopes are used to calculate a dynamic bias current level, and a current with that level is provided to the output amplifier of the hearing aid. In some cases, the narrowband input signals for the frequency bands are amplified with respective predetermined gains, and are then combined to form a broadband output signal, which is sent to the output amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: ENVOY MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Paul R. Mazanec
  • Patent number: 9313584
    Abstract: A hearing assistance suitability determining device, that determines suitability including whether a subject can clearly hear speech using dichotic hearing assistance, includes: a subject hearing ability information input unit; a hearing ability type determining unit that determines at least one hearing ability type that corresponds to the hearing ability information, based on hearing ability information frequency characteristics; a suitability determining unit that determines suitability for dichotic hearing assistance based on the at least one hearing ability type determined by the hearing ability type determining unit; and suitability presenting unit that presents the suitability determined by the suitability determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takagi, Takashi Katayama, Hikaru Takato
  • Patent number: 9288598
    Abstract: Embodiments include a method comprising forming a pipe including a first end and a second end by forming couplings between a plurality of sections of pipe. A loudspeaker is connected to the first end. The loudspeaker is a mouth simulator loudspeaker. A plurality of microphones are positioned a third distance inside an inside surface of the pipe using a receptacle positioned in the pipe a first distance from the first end and a second distance from the second end. An acoustic output is generated at the loudspeaker. One or more calibration filters are generated using outputs of the plurality of microphones produced in response to the acoustic output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Aliph, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory C. Burnett
  • Patent number: 9271095
    Abstract: A hearing aid device and a method of manufacturing the hearing aid device provide a housing and a first conductive layer. The housing has a first non-conductive layer and a second non-conductive layer. The first conductive layer is disposed between the first non-conductive layer and the second non-conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Frank Beck, James Edward De Finis, Jens-Christian Holst, Harald Klemenz, Lavlesh Lamba, Pei Chyi Kristy Lim, Uwe Rass, Joseph Sauer, Amit Vaze