Patents Examined by Ryan Robinson
  • Patent number: 11818547
    Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus to improve a user's understanding of speech in real-time conversations by processing the audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. The hearing device may be a headphone or hearing aid. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Chromatic Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Casper, Igor Lovchinsky, Nicholas Morris, Matthew de Jonge, Jonathan Macoskey, Philip Meyers, IV
  • Patent number: 11812225
    Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus to improve a user's understanding of speech in real-time conversations by processing the audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. The hearing device may be a headphone or hearing aid. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Chromatic Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Casper, Igor Lovchinsky, Nicholas Morris, Matthew de Jonge, Jonathan Macoskey, Philip Meyers, IV
  • Patent number: 11805351
    Abstract: An eartip comprises a central tube part and a cone, the central tube part is in the shape of a column, the cone wraps around the central tube part, the cone comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion has a first hardness, the second portion has a second hardness less than the first hardness, a first upper end of the first portion is connected to a top end of the central tube part, and a bottom end of the first portion overlaps with a second upper end of the second portion to form a transition. The invention aims to solve the problems in the prior art that a hardness of eartip materials is too hard to cause discomfort to users, and too soft that may cause the structure to collapse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Spinfit Trading Limited
    Inventor: Cheng Houng Huang
  • Patent number: 11800273
    Abstract: Aspects describe a dual-planar retaining piece for stabilizing and securing earpiece in a wearer's ear. The retaining piece is either fixed or removable from the earpiece. The retaining piece includes a first cantilevered portion shaped to flexibly fit under the antitragus of a wearer's ear when the earpiece is worn, a second cantilevered portion shaped to flexibly fit under the antihelix of the wearer's ear when the earpiece is worn, and at least one attachment feature that couples the retaining piece to a body of the earpiece, wherein the body is shaped to fit in the lower concha of the wearer's ear when the earpiece is worn. In aspects, the first and second cantilevered portions are integrally formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Andrew Zalisk, Liam Robert Kelly
  • Patent number: 11800279
    Abstract: An audio system comprises an array of transparent piezoelectric transducers on a transparent surface. Each transparent piezoelectric transducer includes one or more piezoelectric layers and one or more conductive layers that are substantially transparent to visible light. A transparent piezoelectric transducer may include, e.g., a first conductive layer, a first piezoelectric layer on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer on the first piezoelectric layer. Or in another example, the transparent piezoelectric transducer includes many (e.g., 20-30) piezoelectric layers and many (e.g., 20-30) conductive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chuming Zhao, Morteza Khaleghimeybodi, Antonio John Miller
  • Patent number: 11800278
    Abstract: A microphone assembly includes: a microphone with a first acoustic port, wherein the microphone is configured to convert acoustic waves into an electric signal; a filter housing with a second acoustic port; and a carrier coupled to the microphone and to the filter housing, wherein the carrier and the filter housing together enclose a cavity with a first acoustic passage fluidly connecting the first acoustic port and the second acoustic port; wherein the cavity comprises an acoustic chamber and a second acoustic passage; and wherein the second acoustic passage is in fluid communication with the first acoustic passage and with the acoustic chamber, and wherein the acoustic chamber and the second acoustic passage together establish a Helmholtz resonator for suppressing acoustic energy within a first frequency band in the acoustic waves propagating through the first acoustic passage, wherein the first frequency band is in an ultrasound frequency domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventors: René Christensen, Nikolaj Christiansen, Emil Holm Knudsen, Gojko Obradovic
  • Patent number: 11800270
    Abstract: An integrated acoustic coupler for use in sound engineering testing of an IEM (in-ear monitor). The integrated acoustic coupler comprises an integrated coupler body having an input, a first chamber and an output port. The input defines an IEM seat defined by a foam member and into an which an IEM may be inserted to define an air-tight seal between the foam and the IEM. The first chamber is in fluid communication with the IEM seat and interconnected with at least one second chamber via a passageway configured for creating compliance and impedance to simulate a human ear. The output port is configured for electronically interconnecting to an XLR cable and outputting a signal from an IEM under test to a mixer or audio analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Audix Corporation
    Inventor: Fred Bigeh
  • Patent number: 11792564
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a hearing device comprising an earpiece provided with a vent configured to provide for a venting of sound waves between an inner region of the ear canal and an ambient environment outside the ear canal; the earpiece further comprising an acoustic valve including a valve member moveable relative to the vent between different positions and an actuator configured to provide an actuation force for a movement of the valve member such that an effective open cross-sectional area of the vent can be modified by the movement of the valve member; the hearing device further comprising an output transducer configured to be acoustically coupled to the inner region of the ear canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Erwin Kuipers, Manuel Weibel, Christian Frei-Krumme, Maxi Susanne Moritz
  • Patent number: 11792559
    Abstract: Disclosed are an earphone control method, an earphone control device, an earphone, and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium. The earphone control method includes obtaining a biometric parameter and/or a current environment parameter of a wearer during exercise; determining a play content and/or a light-emitting state corresponding to the biometric parameter and/or the current environment parameter; and controlling an earphone to operate according to the play content and/or the light-emitting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Inventor: Sufang Liu
  • Patent number: 11785372
    Abstract: An earphone comprising: a device housing that defines an internal cavity within the device housing; an acoustic port formed through a wall of the device housing and having an opening at an exterior surface of the device housing; an audio driver disposed within the device housing and aligned to emit sound through the acoustic port; and a mesh disposed within the acoustic port and having an outer periphery spaced apart from the device housing wall, wherein the mesh forms a portion of an exterior surface of the earphone that is recessed from the opening at the exterior surface of the device housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Lee M. Panecki, Michael B. Minerbi, Sean T. McIntosh
  • Patent number: 11758321
    Abstract: Provided is a speaker box, including housing and sounding unit having diaphragm including vibration portion and suspension portion. The housing includes holder, lower and upper covers. The holder includes holder body, holder extension portion and holder fixing portion. The sounding unit is fixed to the holder fixing portion. Orthographic projection of the vibration portion completely falls into the holder body. The suspension portion is arc-shaped formed by recessing away from the holder body. The lower cover includes lower cover plate and lower cover sidewall. The sounding unit, the holder and the lower cover sidewall define front sound cavity. The sounding unit and the lower cover define rear sound cavity. The lower cover sidewall, the holder fixing portion, the holder extension portion and the upper cover define auxiliary rear sound cavity communicated with the rear sound cavity. The speaker box has large cavity volume and good acoustic performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: AAC Microtech (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhang Ren, Zhiwei Zhong
  • Patent number: 11743626
    Abstract: There is provided a sound device used while being worn on the listener's ears. The sound device includes a main body installed on a medial surface of an auricle, a holding portion having an annular hollow structure arranged to be coupled to an intertragic notch of an ear near an entrance of an ear canal, a sound guide portion formed as a pipe structure having one end communicating with the main body and another end communicating with the holding portion, an open/close operation unit configured to open or close an earhole, and a control unit configured to control driving of the open/close operation unit. The earhole open/close state is set for each user. The earhole open/close state can be switched depending on the type of application or content to be played, ambient noise level, user behavior, position information, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Igarashi, Naoki Shinmen, Kohei Asada
  • Patent number: 11711657
    Abstract: In embodiments of the invention, the present invention is directed to a contact hearing system including: a transmit coil positioned in an ear tip wherein the transmit coil includes an electrical coil wound on a ferrite core; a receive coil positioned on a contact hearing device wherein the receive coil includes an electrical coil without a core; a load connected to the receive coil; and a demodulation circuit connected to the receive coil and the load wherein the demodulation circuit includes a voltage doubler and a peak detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Earlens Corporation
    Inventor: Stuart W. Wenzel
  • Patent number: 11700476
    Abstract: Earphone positioning and retention mechanisms are disclosed. One earphone described includes a speaker driver, a flexible eartip comprising a first oval shaped contact surface at an opening forming a hole through the eartip, the first oval shaped contact surface configured to contact an outer surface of a user's ear canal when worn, a body portion comprising a second contact surface configured to position behind an anti-tragus portion of the user's ear, and, a retaining member formed of a compliant material, comprising a third contact surface configured to conform to a cymba conch portion of the user's ear, where the body portion and the retaining member are shaped in a way that the second contact surface contacts the anti-tragus portion and the third contact surface contacts the cymba conch portion at the same time, when the first contact surface is already in contact with the outer surface of the ear canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Holley, Wei-Hean Liew, Jerad Lewis, David Amaranto, Alexia Delhoume, Casper Asmussen, Victor Johansson
  • Patent number: 11689868
    Abstract: A hearing assistance device including: a microphone arranged to receive sound of an environment in which the hearing assistance device is located; a wireless communication device arranged to wirelessly communicate data with an external device; a controller operably connected with the microphone and arranged to process the received sound using sound processing settings that have been determined using a trained machine learning processing model; and a speaker operably connected with the controller and arranged to output the processed sound. The sound processing settings have been determined using the trained machine learning processing model based on a hearing response of a user and one or more properties of the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventor: Mun Hoong Leong
  • Patent number: 11683628
    Abstract: A headset may comprise at least one ear cup and an ear cup shaper configurable into at least two configurations. When the ear cup shaper is configured in a first of the configurations, the ear cup is shaped to contact the temple of a wearer of the headset. When the adjustable ear cup shaper is configured in a second of the configurations, the ear cup is shaped to accommodate the temple piece of a pair of eyeglasses of a wearer of the headset. The ear cup may comprise a filler material such as foam, and the adjustable ear cup shaper when configured in the second of the configurations may create a depression in the foam. The adjustable ear cup shaper may comprise a strap and/or a plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Kulavik, Andy Logan
  • Patent number: 11683633
    Abstract: A mouth piece to transmit sound through vibration may include a front portion and a rear portion, which are connected through a connecting unit with each other to form a U-shaped apparatus. In one embodiment, the mouth piece can be disposed traversing the lower lip. More specifically, the front portion is disposed in front of the lower lip and the rear portion is disposed between the lower lip and the gum behind the lower lip, while the connecting unit is located between the upper lip and lower lip. The mouth piece may further include an extending piece extending from the rear portion into the mouth for the upper tooth and lower tooth to bite on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Inventor: Luis Stohr
  • Patent number: 11683639
    Abstract: A speaker system uses multiple sound chambers having phi ratios to create a dampening effect to filter out incoherent sounds, thus creating an enhanced listening experience that feels very natural to the listener. The speaker system has at least a sound driver, a first sound chamber having a first volume, and a second sound chamber having a second volume that is approximately 1.6 times the first volume. The speaker system can also have a second sound driver, and a third sound chamber having a third volume that is that is approximately 1.6 times the second volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Soniphi LLC
    Inventor: Wayne J. Powell
  • Patent number: 11678104
    Abstract: An earcup for a headphone, comprising at least one earcup comprising a front opening adapted to be adjacent to the ear of a user of the headphone, a baffle disposed within the earcup to define front and rear cavities, an outer cup arranged to accommodate the rear cavities, a first inner cup arranged within the rear cavity surrounding the front opening, a transducer and an earpad extending around the periphery of the front opening of the earcup arranged to accommodate the front cavity and the ear of the user, and wherein the earcup comprises a second inner cup arranged between the outer cup and the back-volume cup for providing an acoustic barrier between outside noise and the ear of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: EPOS Group A/S
    Inventors: Anders Røser Hansen, Peter Vestergaard Værum, Klaus Sommer Ipsen, Johan Grundtvig, Morten Hessilt Kjær, Giovanni Ferranti
  • Patent number: 11678130
    Abstract: A method for setting up a short-range radio connection, in particular a Bluetooth connection, provides a connection between two devices, namely a hearing device and an additional device. The hearing device has a switch as an input element and a receiver as an output element. The additional device has an input element and an output element. A reciprocal authentication is performed by using a respective device to generate a character string and transmitting the character string to the other device. A check code is subsequently generated on both devices using both respective character strings and output to a user through the respective output element. The authentication is completed successfully and then a short-range radio connection is set up if a confirmation from the user that the check codes that have been output match, is received through the respective input element. A corresponding hearing device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Riccardo Cavallari, Stefan Mijovic