Patents Examined by Phan Le
  • Patent number: 9247352
    Abstract: A hearing aid and a method for operating a hearing aid to improve the quality of the hearing aid, in particular depending on the situation, include a hearing aid component that can be worn in a human auditory canal and a balloon, the size of which can be changed and which at least partially encloses the hearing aid component. During the operation of the hearing aid, a value specific to the current hearing situation is detected by the hearing aid. The size of the balloon is then set according to the determined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Henning Puder, Andre Steinbuss
  • Patent number: 9241220
    Abstract: A speaker device includes a diaphragm, a frame supporting the diaphragm vibratably along a vibration direction, and a driving part disposed in proximity of the frame and vibrating the diaphragm corresponding to an audio signal. The driving part includes a magnetic circuit having a magnetic gap formed along a direction different from the vibration direction of the diaphragm, a voice coil supporting part having a voice coil and vibrating along the magnetic gap, and a vibration-direction-conversion part direction-converting the vibration of the voice coil supporting part and transmitting the vibration to the diaphragm. The vibration-direction-conversion part includes a link body angle-converting a link part formed between the voice coil supporting part and the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignees: Pioneer Corporation, Tohoku Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Yasumi Umetsu, Minoru Horigome
  • Patent number: 9215304
    Abstract: A media headset for exchanging data with a media device includes at least one audio speaker that provides an audio output, a data store that stores media device data, a communications interface for exchanging the media device data with the media device, and a connector for detachably connecting the communications interface to the media device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael N. Rosenblatt, Andrew M. Van Court, Jeffrey D. Mullen
  • Patent number: 9185496
    Abstract: A stethoscope chest piece has a chest piece housing containing a piezoelectric (piezo) element mounted within a housing. The piezo element converts body signals to an electrical representation that is processed by circuitry on a circuit board. A back stop is affixed to the circuit board to prevent excess excursion by the piezo element and may be one of the circuit elements on the circuit board. The circuitry includes a USB interface for passing the electrical representation to a receiving device such as a personal computer. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Inventor: Charles Richard Abbruscato
  • Patent number: 9185499
    Abstract: A hearing aid includes: at least one microphone for provision of at least one microphone audio signal in response to sound received at the at least one microphone; a signal separation unit configured to provide an estimate of a target signal and an estimate of a masker signal based on the at least one microphone audio signal; a frequency modifying unit configured to modify a frequency content of at least one of the estimate of the target signal and the estimate of the masker signal, to thereby output the estimated target signal and the estimated masker signal substantially in different frequency bands; and a receiver for conversion of a combination of the estimate of the target signal and the estimate of the masker signal output by the frequency modifying unit into an acoustic signal for transmission towards an eardrum of a user of the hearing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: GN RESOUND A/S
    Inventors: Karl-Fredrik J. Gran, Andrew B. Dittberner
  • Patent number: 9185485
    Abstract: Various methods and apparatus for processing audio signals are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device which can enhance and/or optimize received audio signals for vibrational conduction to the user. Received audio signals may be processed to cancel acoustic echo such that undesired sounds received by one or more intra-buccal and/or extra-buccal microphones are eliminated or mitigated. Additionally, a multiband actuation system may be used where two or more transducers each deliver sounds within certain frequencies. Also, the assembly may also utilize the sensation of directionality via the conducted vibrations to emulate directional perception of audio signals received by the user. Another feature may include the ability to vibrationally conduct ancillary audio signals to the user along with primary audio signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sonitus Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: Amir A. Abolfathi
  • Patent number: 9173044
    Abstract: A method for delivering announcements via a cabin communication facility comprising at least one cabin loudspeaker and via an on-board entertainment system comprising at least one headset output comprises the steps of delivering an announcement via the at least one cabin loudspeaker, beginning at a first instant, and delivering the announcement via the at least one headset output, beginning at a second instant, which differs from the first instant, the delivering of the announcement via the at least one cabin loudspeaker and the delivering of the announcement via the at least one headset output being initiated at differing instants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Gerald Coto-Lopez
  • Patent number: 9173018
    Abstract: In an aspect, in general, a loudspeaker element includes an enclosure, a cone diaphragm of a driver element located within the enclosure, a first cavity wall extending from the cone diaphragm of the driver element to a throat opening which has an area less than an area of the cone diaphragm and forming a first cavity within the enclosure, an exit element extending from the throat opening to an environment outside of the enclosure, and an impedance compensation element extending from the first cavity wall, the impedance compensation element including a second cavity wall which forms a second cavity within the enclosure and a resistance element separating the second cavity from the first cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Silver, John H. Wendell
  • Patent number: 9173030
    Abstract: A speaker system includes: a display panel having a display screen; a structure having a plate part functioning as an acoustic diaphragm located outside of a perimeter of the display screen and being supported by the display panel; and an actuator attached to the structure so that a displacement direction of the actuator may be a direction of a plate surface of the plate part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobukazu Suzuki, Yoshio Ohashi, Akihisa Inatani, Yasuo Osada, Terutaka Yana, Yutaka Miki
  • Patent number: 9173040
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a new topology of a balanced variable reluctance transducer where magnets are moved to a lateral position relative to the dynamic flux circuit. This makes the whole transducerFIG.considerably smaller and the air gaps become fully visible from the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Inventor: Bo H{dot over (a)}kansson
  • Patent number: 9167335
    Abstract: There is provided a headphone including a headband having flexibility; a slider having flexibility with the headband attached at one end, and a headphone unit attached at the other end; a slide groove, arranged at an end of the headband or the one end of the slider, for guiding a circling movement of the slider with respect to the headband; and a slider guide, having rigidity higher than the headband and the slider, for holding the one end of the slider at the end of the headband so that one surface of the slider facing one surface of the headband circling moves with respect to the one surface of the headband while being engaged to the slide groove. A headphone that can be thinned while suppressing lowering of the attachment property is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ito, Hiroaki Ishiguro, Yuusuke Oosato
  • Patent number: 9167336
    Abstract: A removable component for use with an earphone is disclosed. As an example, the removable component can be an ear tip. According to one aspect, an improved ear tip can be provided for use with a headphone. The ear tip is suitable for in-ear operation and can have a cosmetic deformable outer member. The deformable outer member can enable the ear tip to readily conform to a user's ear. The ear tip can also include an inner member to structurally support the outer member and to facilitate attachment to a headphone. Methods for forming such ear tips are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Edward Siahaan, Kurt Stiehl, Victor Tiscareno, Wey-Jiun Lin, Cameron Frazier, Christopher Prest, Jeffrey Hayashida
  • Patent number: 9167354
    Abstract: The electroacoustic transducer according to the invention has at least one diaphragm and at least one counterelectrode. In that case the diaphragm and/or the counterelectrode each have at least two electrically mutually insulated segments. In that arrangement the segments are so adapted that different electric signals are supplied or that different electric signals are delivered in response to exposure to sound of the sound transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Alexander Nowak
  • Patent number: 9137607
    Abstract: A surround suspension system for a low profile loudspeaker transducer having a former, diaphragm, and loudspeaker magnet assembly, wherein the former is connected to a voice coil and a upper end of the former that is opposite the voice coil is shown. The loudspeaker magnet assembly includes an annular outer magnet having a top surface and the surround suspension system may include a surround suspension member. The surround suspension member includes an outer edge that is attached to the top surface of the annular outer magnet, and inner edge that is attached to the upper end of the former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Brendon Stead
  • Patent number: 9113258
    Abstract: A speaker includes a holder forming a hollow space, a magnetic system received into the hollow space and defining a magnetic gap, an elastic plate assembled with the holder and defining a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a diaphragm defining a dome part connected with the first surface of the elastic plate and an edge part connected with the second surface of the elastic plate, and at least a coil defining an end suspended in the magnetic gap and an another end connected with the dome part. The edge part defines an arcuate portion depressed toward the magnetic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: AAC Acoustic Technologies (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lin Liu, Xu-Dong Yan
  • Patent number: 9105264
    Abstract: A coding apparatus which suppresses an extreme increase in a bit rate, includes: a downmixing and coding unit (301) that downmixes audio signals that have been provided, to reduce the number of channels to be fewer than the number of the provided audio signals, and to code the downmix signals; an object parameter extracting unit (304) that extracts parameters indicating correlation between the audio signals; and a multiplexing circuit (309) that multiplexes the extracted parameters with the generated downmix coded signals. The object parameter extracting unit (304) includes: an object classifying unit (305) that classifies each of the provided audio signals into a predetermined one of types based on audio characteristics; and an object parameter extracting circuit (308) that extracts parameters using a temporal granularity and a frequency granularity each of which is determined for a corresponding one of the types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomokazu Ishikawa, Takeshi Norimatsu, Kok Seng Chong, Huan Zhou
  • Patent number: 9031246
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for clamping a headset in a calibration system using a clamp system that includes a clamp, platform, and one or more spindles (e.g., cushion spindles) to minimize or eliminate issues associated with positioning of headsets. The clamp system comprises a mount having a receptacle. When a device is introduced to the mount the receptacle receives at least a portion of a device. The clamp system includes a clamp attached to the mount and having a first arm rotateably coupled to a second arm that controls the first arm between an open position and a closed position. A platform and at least one spindle are connected to the first arm. When the device is present in the receptacle and the first arm is in the closed position the spindle contacts the device and seats or secures the device in the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: AliphCom
    Inventor: Gregory C. Burnett
  • Patent number: 9031243
    Abstract: Controlling a multimedia software application using high-level metadata features and symbolic object labels derived from an audio source, wherein a first-pass of low-level signal analysis is performed, followed by a stage of statistical and perceptual processing, followed by a symbolic machine-learning or data-mining processing component is disclosed. This multi-stage analysis system delivers high-level metadata features, sound object identifiers, stream labels or other symbolic metadata to the application scripts or programs, which use the data to configure processing chains, or map it to other media. Embodiments of the invention can be incorporated into multimedia content players, musical instruments, recording studio equipment, installed and live sound equipment, broadcast equipment, metadata-generation applications, software-as-a-service applications, search engines, and mobile devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: iZotope, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay LeBoeuf, Stephen Pope
  • Patent number: 9014378
    Abstract: This invention relates to the field of multichannel audio. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for the provision of audio channels suitable for application to loudspeakers located above conventional front loudspeakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Christophe Chabanne
  • Patent number: 9008349
    Abstract: A speaker diaphragm of the present invention is formed by mixing polylactic acid as a plant-derived resin, bamboo fibers and a natural binder. It is thereby possible to realize a speaker diaphragm capable of obtaining sufficient sound velocity, while having low environmental load and high sound quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohei Jin, Yoshimichi Kajihara, Shinya Mizone