Patents Examined by Qin Zhu
  • Patent number: 11962980
    Abstract: An exemplary system includes a memory storing instructions and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The processor may be configured to execute the instructions to present a spectro-temporally modulated audio signal to a user. The spectro-temporally modulated audio signal may be modulated within both a frequency domain and a time domain. The processor may be further configured to execute the instructions to adjust a modulation depth of the spectro-temporally modulated audio signal while the spectro-temporally modulated audio signal is being presented to the user, determine, during the adjusting of the modulation depth, a modulation detection threshold that corresponds to a minimum modulation depth at which the user is able to perceive modulation of the spectro-temporally modulated audio signal, and determine, based on the modulation detection threshold, a hearing capability of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Julia Rehmann, Stefan Klockgether
  • Patent number: 11961527
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to perform audio watermarking and watermark detection and extraction are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein are to select frequency components to be used to represent a code, different sets of frequency components to represent respectively different information, respective ones of the frequency components in the sets of frequency components located in respective code bands, there being multiple code bands and spacing between adjacent code bands being equal to or less than the spacing between adjacent frequency components in the code bands. Disclosed example apparatus are also to synthesize the frequency components to be used to represent the code, combine the synthesized frequency components with an audio block of an audio signal, and output the audio signal and a video signal associated with the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Pavlovich Topchy, Arun Ramaswamy, Venugopal Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 11956619
    Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus to generate audio data for a user, the apparatus comprising: an input device to receive one or more inputs derived from an environment in which the user is located; and a processor configured to obtain an acoustic profile for the environment based on or in response to the one or more inputs, synthesize audio data having audio characteristics corresponding to a sound source in the environment in accordance with the acoustic profile, and output the synthesized audio data for use by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventors: Daren Croxford, Roberto Lopez Mendez, Maxim Novikov
  • Patent number: 11955131
    Abstract: An apparatus for encoding a multi-channel signal having at least three channels includes an iteration processor, a channel encoder and an output interface. The iteration processor is configured to calculate inter-channel correlation values between each pair of the at least three channels, for selecting a pair including a highest value or including a value above a threshold, and for processing the selected pair using a multi-channel processing operation to derive first multi-channel parameters for the selected pair and to derive first processed channels. The iteration processor is configured to perform the calculating, the selecting and the processing using at least one of the processed channels to derive second multi-channel parameters and second processed channels. The channel encoder is configured to encode channels resulting from an iteration processing to obtain encoded channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Sascha Dick, Florian Schuh, Nikolaus Rettelbach, Tobias Schwegler, Richard Fueg, Johannes Hilpert, Matthias Neusinger
  • Patent number: 11950066
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a TWS earphone interaction method and system, and TWS earphones. When a main earphone and a secondary earphone receive a data packet sent by an audio source, within a residual slot of a data transmission slot, the main earphone and the secondary earphone can perform data interaction, wherein the residual slot is the remaining data transmission slot after the data packet is transmitted. When a data packet is received, the main earphone sends acknowledgment information to the audio source, within a residual slot of a next data transmission slot, the main earphone and the secondary earphone can perform data interaction, wherein the residual slot is the remaining of the next data transmission slot after the acknowledgment information is sent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: VeriSilicon Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., VeriSilicon Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Maogang Li
  • Patent number: 11950058
    Abstract: A binaural hearing system, and a method of providing communication of data are provided. The method comprises providing third communication of data between a first auxiliary device and a second auxiliary device, wherein the step of providing third communication of data comprises: providing third primary RF communication between the first auxiliary device and a first hearing device of a binaural hearing system; providing third secondary RF communication between the second auxiliary device and a second hearing device of the binaural hearing system; and providing third tertiary communication between the second hearing device and the first hearing device, wherein the step of providing third primary RF communication comprises utilizing a first RF transceiver of the first hearing device, and wherein the step of providing third secondary RF communication comprises utilizing a second RF transceiver of the second hearing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventors: Hong Liu, Brian Dam Pedersen
  • Patent number: 11948586
    Abstract: Methods and audio processing units for generating an object based audio program including conditional rendering metadata corresponding to at least one object channel of the program, where the conditional rendering metadata is indicative of at least one rendering constraint, based on playback speaker array configuration, which applies to each corresponding object channel, and methods for rendering audio content determined by such a program, including by rendering content of at least one audio channel of the program in a manner compliant with each applicable rendering constraint in response to at least some of the conditional rendering metadata. Rendering of a selected mix of content of the program may provide an immersive experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Coporation, Dolby International AB
    Inventors: Sripal S. Mehta, Thomas Ziegler, Stewart Murrie
  • Patent number: 11950083
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for head tracking state detection based on correlated motion of a source device and a headset communicatively coupled to the source device. In an embodiment, a method comprises: obtaining, using one or more processors of a source device, source device motion data from a source device and headset motion data from a headset; determining, using the one or more processors, correlation measures using the source device motion data and the headset motion data; updating, using the one or more processors, a motion tracking state based on the determined correlation measures; and initiating head pose tracking in accordance with the updated motion tracking state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaoyuan Tu, Margaret H. Tam, Halil Ibrahim Basturk, Alexander Singh Alvarado, Adam S. Howell
  • Patent number: 11943603
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product for: receiving information on a position of at least one user with respect to a spatial audio field provided by an audio source device, determining an audio volume level at the position of the at least one user, receiving information relating to background noise generated by the audio source device when providing the spatial audio field, determining, based on the audio volume level at the position of the at least one user and the information relating to the background noise, control information for controlling the audio source device, and controlling the audio source device based on the control information when providing the spatial audio field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Arto Juhani Lehtiniemi, Lasse Laaksonen, Mikko-Ville Laitinen
  • Patent number: 11942069
    Abstract: A method of automated feedforward filter design comprising designing a feedforward filter for a system implementing active noise cancelling is described. The method includes designing the feedforward filter by determining a filter transfer function of the feedforward filter. The filter transfer function is determined using a least square method. The method also includes determining the filter transfer function by defining a target transfer function of the feedforward filter and applying the least square method using the target transfer function to determine a filter expression for the filter transfer function. The least square method is a weighted least square method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Renesas Design Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Fotios Kontomichos, Wessel Harm Lubberhuizen, Paul Shields
  • Patent number: 11943604
    Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a technique for spatial audio processing including: determining at least one spatial parameter based, at least partially, on at least one input audio signal captured with at least one first device, configured to represent at least a portion of an audio scene; identifying a portion of interest of the audio scene based, at least partially, on the at least one spatial parameter; generating at least one first audio signal based, at least partially, on the at least one input audio signal; generating at least one second audio signal based, at least partially, on at least one audio signal captured with at least one second device; and combining, at least partially, the at least one first audio signal and the at least one second audio signal into at least one combined audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Antti Eronen, Jussi Leppanen, Tapani Pihlajakuja, Arto Lehtiniemi
  • Patent number: 11937059
    Abstract: A composite headphone is provided. The composite headphone includes a wireless Bluetooth headphone and a wired headset. The wireless Bluetooth headphone is detachably arranged on the wired headset. When the wireless Bluetooth headphone separates from the wired headset, the wireless Bluetooth headphone operates independently and the wired headset operates independently. When the wireless Bluetooth headphone is arranged on the wired headset and a composite event is triggered, the wireless Bluetooth headphone cooperates with the wired headset, so that the wired headset operates as a wireless Bluetooth headphone. When the wireless Bluetooth headphone is arranged on the wired headset and no composite event is triggered, the wired headset charges the wireless Bluetooth headphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: GOERTEK INC.
    Inventor: Haiyong Wang
  • Patent number: 11937050
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a hearing aid for placement on head of a user comprising a first second part. The first part may comprise an acoustic input transducer adapted to convert ambient sound picked up at the ear of the user to an electric signal, a signal processor adapted to process the electric signal according to specifications of user into a processed electric signal, and an output transducer adapted to covert the processed electric signal into a transmission signal, The second part may comprise an anchor adapted to fixate said second part under the skin to skull bone of the user, and a receiver adapted to receive the transmission signal and convert the transmission signal to an output signal perceivable as sound by the user. The first part may comprise an inner recess adapted to receive an insert element, where the insert element may comprise a first magnet adapted to in cooperation with the second part to cause the first part to attach to the head of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Oticon Medical A/S
    Inventors: Emilie Munk Haagerup, Peder Hesselbjerg Pedersen, Mads Buur Mortensen, Johan Rosengren
  • Patent number: 11937055
    Abstract: A method for speech collection control applied to a master earphone is provided. The method includes: activating a microphone of the master earphone to collect noise and transmitting an activating instruction to a slave earphone, when a user speech is detected, so that the slave earphone controls a microphone of the slave earphone to collect noise in response to the activating instruction; determining an earphone located in an environment with lower noise based on noise data collected by the master earphone and noise data collected by the slave earphone; and controlling a microphone of the earphone located in the environment with lower noise to collect the user speech. A method for speech collection control applied to a slave earphone is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: GOERTEK INC.
    Inventor: Zongxu Yang
  • Patent number: 11937069
    Abstract: An audio system includes: a face data detection unit that detects face data on the basis of input image data; an acoustic coefficient acquisition unit that outputs an acoustic coefficient associated with face data output from the face data detection unit; and an acoustic coefficient application unit that performs, on an audio signal, acoustic processing based on an acoustic coefficient acquired by the acoustic coefficient acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Honma, Toru Chinen, Yoshiaki Oikawa
  • Patent number: 11930351
    Abstract: A method of audio rendering. The method includes receiving an audio element, wherein the audio element comprises: i) an interior representation that is valid within a spatial region, the interior representation of the audio element being in a listener-centric format and ii) information indicating the spatial region. The method further includes determining that a listener is outside the spatial region. The method further includes deriving an exterior representation of the audio element and rendering the audio element using the exterior representation of the audio element. In another aspect, a method of providing a spatially-bounded audio element is provided. The method includes providing, to a rendering node, an audio element. The audio element includes: (i) an interior representation that is valid within a spatial region, the interior representation being in a listener-centric format; and (ii) information indicating the spatial region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Tommy Falk, Werner De Bruijn, Erlendur Karlsson, Tomas Jansson Toftgård, Mengqiu Zhang
  • Patent number: 11924628
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a computerized process for creating a virtual surround sound process for loudspeakers systems, which can create an immersive sound experience with a minimal number of loudspeakers from a less immersive sound source. This computerized process is embodied by software that can be used to process a traditional mono, stereo, or multi-channel audio input to create additional audio channels which are then processed by virtualization filters, and finally summed together with the original input source and output to a loudspeaker system, where a listener will experience a more immersive virtual surround sound experience when compared to listening to only the original source. It should be further noted that the software can be customized for each loudspeaker system for optimal calibration and sonic performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: HEAR360 INC
    Inventor: Matthew Marrin
  • Patent number: 11917392
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed comprising means for providing first positional data indicative of a first user position in a virtual space which comprises a plurality of audio objects. The means may also be for receiving, based at least partially on the first positional data, data indicative of a first allocation of the audio objects into a prioritized order or into one of a plurality of prioritized groups in which each group has a respective priority order, and receiving audio data associated with at least some of the audio objects. The means may also be for rendering the received audio data for at least some of the audio objects associated with the received audio data, based on the first allocation data, in which audio objects with a higher priority or in a higher priority group are rendered with priority over audio objects allocated with a lower priority or in a lower priority group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Lasse Laaksonen, Arto Lehtiniemi, Antti Eronen, Jussi Leppänen
  • Patent number: 11910180
    Abstract: An audio processing method includes processing, by M first virtual speakers, a to-be-processed audio signal to obtain M first audio signals; processing, by N second virtual speakers, the to-be-processed audio signal to obtain N second audio signals; obtain M first head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) centered at a left ear position and N second HRTFs centered at a right ear position; obtain a first target audio signal based on the M first audio signals and the M first HRTFs; and obtain a second target audio signal based on the N second audio signals and the N second HRTFs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cal Armstrong, Gavin Kearney, Bin Wang, Zexin Liu
  • Patent number: 11910179
    Abstract: Examples described herein provide a computer-implemented method that includes receiving virtual object data about a virtual object in a virtual reality environment. The method further includes determining a shape of the virtual object. The method further includes determining a pose of the virtual object in the virtual reality environment. The method further includes creating, based at least in part on the shape of the virtual object and the pose of the virtual object, an acoustic representation of the virtual object within a real-world environment using at least one electroacoustic transducer to generate acoustic signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mark Sobierajski