Patents Examined by Rodrigo A Chavez
  • Patent number: 11929089
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing a multichannel audio signal has a plurality of channel signals. The apparatus performs a time scale modulation of the multichannel audio signal and has a phase adaptor and a separator. The phase adaptor provides a processed signal by modifying a phase of a signal based on a combination of the channel signals. The separator provides separated signals based on the processed signal. A corresponding method is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FĂ–RDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Christian Uhle, Michael Kratz, Paul Klose, Timothy Leonard, André Luvizotto, Sebastian Scharrer
  • Patent number: 11915709
    Abstract: An inter-channel phase difference (IPD) parameter extraction method includes obtaining a parameter for obtaining an information extraction manner for a current frame of a multi-channel signal; obtaining an IPD parameter extraction manner for the current frame based on the parameter for obtaining the information extraction manner, where the obtained IPD parameter extraction manner is one of at least two preset IPD parameter extraction manners; and obtaining an IPD parameter of the current frame based on the obtained IPD parameter extraction manner for the current frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xingtao Zhang, Haiting Li, Zexin Liu, Lei Miao
  • Patent number: 11893999
    Abstract: Techniques for enrolling a user in a system's user recognition functionality without requiring the user speak particular speech are described. The system may determine characteristics unique to a user input. The system may generate an implicit voice profile from user inputs having similar characteristics. After an implicit voice profile is generated, the system may receive a user input having speech characteristics similar to that of the implicit voice profile. The system may ask the user if the user wants the system to associate the implicit voice profile with a particular user identifier. If the user responds affirmatively, the system may request an identifier of a user profile (e.g., a user name). In response to receiving the user's name, the system may identify a user profile associated with the name and associate the implicit voice profile with the user profile, thereby converting the implicit voice profile into an explicit voice profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sai Sailesh Kopuri, John Moore, Sundararajan Srinivasan, Aparna Khare, Arindam Mandal, Spyridon Matsoukas, Rohit Prasad
  • Patent number: 11823706
    Abstract: A method of detecting human voice activity includes determining a presence of human voice in a frame of audio signal using a plurality of features extracted from the frame of audio signal. The extracted features can include a number of zero-crossings, a periodicity metric, an energy ratio between a low frequency band and a high frequency band, and an envelope-to-floor ratio (EFR) in the frame of audio signal. Each of the features is associated with predefined criteria indicative of a presence of human voice, and based on comparisons of the features to the respective predefined criteria, the voice activity detector determines whether the frame of audio signal includes a human voice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Yang, Joshua Bingham
  • Patent number: 11810578
    Abstract: Systems and processes for operating an intercom system via a digital assistant are provided. The intercom system is trigger-free, in that users communicate, in real-time, via devices without employing a trigger to speak. Acoustic fingerprints are employed to associate users with devices. Acoustic fingerprints include vector embeddings of speech input in an acoustic-feature vector space. Speech heard at multiple devices, as embedded in a fingerprint, may be clustered in the vector space, and the structure of the clusters is employed to associate users and devices. Based on the fingerprints, a device is mapped to a user, and the user employs that device to participate in a conversation, via the intercom service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Phipps, Sachin Kajarekar, Eugene Ray, Mahesh Ramaray Shanbhag, Kisun You, Patrick L. Coffman
  • Patent number: 11755841
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided updating a knowledge base of a sentiment analysis system, the knowledge base being operable for storing natural language terms and a score value related to each natural language term, the score value characterizing the sentiment of the natural language term. Messages comprising natural language are received. Using content of the knowledge base, a decision is made as to whether at least one message of the received messages has a positive sentiment or a negative sentiment. A term is extracted from the message that is not present in the knowledge base. Based on a frequency of occurrence of the term in the received messages and the sentiment of the messages in which the term occurs, a score value of the term is calculated, and the term and the calculated score value are stored into the knowledge base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele Crudele, Antonio Perrone
  • Patent number: 11727302
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for building a conversation understanding system based on artificial intelligence, a device and a computer-readable storage medium. In embodiments of the present disclosure, it is feasible to obtain the training feedback information provided by conversation service conducted by the user and the basic conversation understanding system, then according to the training feedback information, perform adjustment processing for a service state of the basic conversation understanding system, to obtain an adjustment state of the basic conversation understanding system. It is possible to perform data merging processing according to the training feedback information and the adjustment state of the basic conversation understanding system, to obtain model training data for building the model conversation understanding system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: BEIJING BAIDU NETCOM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ke Sun, Shiqi Zhao, Dianhai Yu, Haifeng Wang
  • Patent number: 11662610
    Abstract: A smart device input method based on facial vibration includes: collecting a facial vibration signal generated when a user performs voice input; extracting a Mel-frequency cepstral coefficient from the facial vibration signal; and taking the Mel-frequency cepstral coefficient as an observation sequence to obtain text input corresponding to the facial vibration signal by using a trained hidden Markov model. The facial vibration signal is collected by a vibration sensor arranged on glasses. The vibration signal is processed by: amplifying the collected facial vibration signal; transmitting the amplified facial vibration signal to the smart device via a wireless module; and intercepting a section from the received facial vibration signal as an effective portion and extracting the Mel-frequency cepstral coefficient from the effective portion by the smart device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SHENZHEN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kaishun Wu, Maoning Guan
  • Patent number: 11610598
    Abstract: Communication terminal includes a first microphone system, a second microphone system, and a noise reduction processing unit (NRPU). The NRPU receives a primary signal from the first microphone system and a secondary signal from the second microphone system. The NRPU dynamically identify an optimal transfer function of a correction filter which can be applied to the secondary signal provided by the second microphone system to obtain a correction signal. The correction signal is subtracted from the primary signal to obtain a remainder signal which approximates a signal of interest contained within the primary signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: HARRIS GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: James Hamilton, Keith Kripp
  • Patent number: 11600262
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a recognition device includes storage and a processor. The storage is configured to store a first recognition model, a first data set, and tags, for each first recognition model. The processor is configured to acquire a second data set, execute recognition processing of the second recognition target data in the second data set by using the first recognition model, extract a significant tag of the tags stored in the storage in association with the first recognition model, based on the recognition processing result and the second correct data in the second data set, and create a second recognition model based on the acquired second data set and the first data set stored in the storage in association with the extracted tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Yasuda, Kenta Cho
  • Patent number: 11586822
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for adapting regular expressions for different contexts. Embodiments include identifying a regular expression in an initial form provided by a user. Embodiments include retrieving, from a repository, an adapted form of the regular expression based on the initial form. Embodiments include transforming the regular expression based on the adapted form to generate an adapted regular expression. Embodiments include evaluating the adapted regular expression to produce an output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Su Liu, Fan Yang, Boyi Tzen, Debbie A. Anglin
  • Patent number: 11507743
    Abstract: A method, system, and non-transitory processor-readable storage medium for automatic key phrase rule generation for automatic key phrase extraction including: receiving a corpus sample including a plurality of documents containing text, receiving a plurality of identified key phrases which relate to a topic of the text of at least one corresponding document; assigning a part-of-speech to each word in the corpus sample; generating a part-of-speech pattern from each identified key phrase; and generating key phrase rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: NICE LTD.
    Inventors: Inna Achlow, Naomi Zeichner, Hila Kneller
  • Patent number: 11450314
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for using shortcut command phrases to operate an automated assistant. A user of the automated assistant can request that a shortcut command phrase be established for causing the automated assistant to perform a variety of different actions. In this way, the user does not necessarily have to provide an individual command for each action to be performed but, rather, can use a shortcut command phrase to cause the automated assistant to perform the actions. The shortcut command phrases can be used to control peripheral devices, IoT devices, applications, websites, and/or any other apparatuses or processes capable of being controlled through an automated assistant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Yuzhao Ni, Lucas Palmer
  • Patent number: 11403470
    Abstract: A storage unit stores a target term, a substitute term, a substitute translated term, and a representative term. The substitute translated term is a translation of the substitute term and is expressed in a second language. The representative term indicates a type of the target term and is expressed in the second language. A communication unit acquires a provisional translation that is a translation of a processed sentence from a first external device that has a translation function. When the storage unit does not store a target translated term that is a translation of the target term, a controller replaces the substitute translated term contained in the provisional translation with the representative term to generate a second display-purpose translated sentence, and then causes a display unit to display the second display-purpose translated sentence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomokazu Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11393480
    Abstract: An inter-channel phase difference (IPD) parameter extraction method and apparatus, where the extraction method includes obtaining a parameter obtaining an information extraction manner for a current frame of a multi-channel signal, obtaining an IPD parameter extraction manner for the current frame based on the parameter obtaining the information extraction manner, where the obtained IPD parameter extraction manner is one of at least two preset IPD parameter extraction manners, and obtaining an IPD parameter of the current frame based on the obtained IPD parameter extraction manner for the current frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xingtao Zhang, Haiting Li, Zexin Liu, Lei Miao
  • Patent number: 11316488
    Abstract: A gain control system for controlling gain applied to an audio signal includes a power estimator configured to estimate the power of a digital signal derived from the audio signal, a digital gain estimator configured to determine, in dependence on the estimated power, a digital gain which would modify the power of the digital signal so as to reach a target power level, and a gain controller configured to adjust an analogue gain applied to the audio signal in dependence on the determined digital gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Senthil Kumar Mani, Bala Manikya Prasad Puram
  • Patent number: 11294962
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing random interaction data. The method includes receiving random interaction data sent by a first terminal, and adding the random interaction data to a resource pool. The random interaction data carries user attribute information and inputted conversation information of a user of the first terminal. The method also includes, when no reply message for the random interaction data is received from one or more second terminals, activating a second interface and sending the random interaction data to an intelligent dialog system via the second interface, where the intelligent dialog system is configured to automatically generate reply information according to at least the inputted conversation information and the user attribute information. The method also includes receiving the reply information returned by the intelligent dialog system; and sending the reply information to the first terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Qiuge Liu, Yanxiong Lu
  • Patent number: 11257509
    Abstract: Techniques for EMD-based signal de-noising are disclosed that use statistical characteristics of IMFs to identify information-carrying IMFs for the purposes of partially reconstructing the identified relevant IMFs into a de-noised signal. The present disclosure has identified that the statistical characteristics of IMFs with noise tend to follow a generalized Gaussian distribution (GGD) versus only a Gaussian or Laplace distribution. Accordingly, a framework for relevant IMF selection is disclosed that includes, in part, performing a null hypothesis test against a distribution of each IMF derived from the use of a generalized probability density function (PDF). IMFs that contribute more noise than signal may thus be identified through the null hypothesis test. Conversely, the aspects and embodiments disclosed herein enable the determination of which IMFs have a contribution of more signal than noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Kirsch, Mahdi H. Al-Badrawi, Bessam Z. Al-Jewad
  • Patent number: 11238882
    Abstract: A method for separating an audio input signal into a dry signal component and an ambient signal component is provided. The method includes generating a transferred input signal including transferring the audio input signal into frequency space and applying a smoothing filter to the transferred input signal to generate an estimated ambient signal component. The method includes determining the dry signal component based on the estimated ambient signal component and determining the ambient signal component based on the determined dry signal component and the audio input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Finauer, Friedrich Von Turckheim, Tobias Muench, Christopher Lee
  • Patent number: 11195513
    Abstract: A technique for estimating phonemes for a word written in a different language is disclosed. A sequence of graphemes of a given word in a source language is received. The sequence of the graphemes in the source language is converted into a sequence of phonemes in the source language. One or more sequences of phonemes in a target language are generated from the sequence of the phonemes in the source language by using a neural network model. One sequence of phonemes in the target language is determined for the given word. Also, technique for estimating graphemes of a word from phonemes in a different language is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gakuto Kurata, Toru Nagano, Yuta Tsuboi