Patents Examined by Sabrina Diaz
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Patent number: 10506358Abstract: A transmitting device comprises a binaural circuit (601) which provides a plurality of binaural rendering data sets, each binaural rendering data set comprising data representing parameters for a virtual position binaural rendering. Specifically, head related binaural transfer function data may be included in the data sets. A representation circuit (603) provides a representation indication for each of the data sets. The representation indication for a data set is indicative of the representation used by the data set. An output circuit (605) generates a bitstream comprising the data sets and the representation indications. The bitstream is received by a receiver (701) in a receiving device. A selector (703) selects a selected binaural rendering data set based on the representation indications and a capability of the apparatus, and an audio processor (707) processes the audio signal in response to data of the selected binaural rendering data set.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2017Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.Inventors: Jeroen Gerardus Henricus Koppens, Arnoldus Werner Johannes Oomen, Erik Gosuinus Petrus Schuijers
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Patent number: 10499179Abstract: A method assists in playing sound of a graphical representation for an electronic communication between a first person with a first portable electronic device (PED) to a second person with a second PED. The method displays a first visual indication that when selected plays the sound of the graphical representation in stereo or mono sound and a second visual indication that when selected plays the sound of the graphical representation in binaural sound.Type: GrantFiled: January 1, 2019Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Inventor: Philip Scott Lyren
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Patent number: 10479504Abstract: A seat integrating a loudspeaker system includes a seat having a seat body with a horizontally oriented seat bottom and a seat back secured thereto. The seat back includes an upper end and a lower end, wherein the lower end is positioned adjacent the seat bottom. The loudspeaker system includes a sound assembly mounted within the seat for selective movement between a storage orientation in which the sound assembly is housed and hidden within a support housing mounted along the seat and a use orientation extending from the support housing in which the sound assembly is positioned for use.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2018Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Inventor: Dennis A. Tracy
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Patent number: 10484793Abstract: An electronic device such as a pair of headphones may be provided with left and right speakers for playing audio to a user. Control circuitry in the electronic device may play audio through the speakers in an unreversed configuration in which left channel audio is played through a first of the speakers that is adjacent to a left ear of the user and right channel audio is played through a second of the speakers that is adjacent to a right ear of the user or a reversed configuration in which these channel assignments are reversed. The headphones may have ear cups that house the speakers. Capacitive touch sensors, force sensors, and other sensors on the ear cups may measure ear shapes and finger grip positions on the ear cups to determine whether to operate in the unreversed or reversed configuration. Sensors may gather gestures and other user touch input.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2016Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jonathan R. Peterson, Daniel D. Sunshine, Yohji Hamada, Daniel A. Podhajny, Kathryn P. Crews, Jahan C. Minoo
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Patent number: 10475433Abstract: A method to suppress noise emanating from an electrical power generator including the steps of: receiving sound emanating from the electrical power generator, wherein the sound is received in a duct for cooling air having passed through the generator; analyzing the received sound and, based on the analysis, generating a sound signal which represents a destructive sound to the received sound, and broadcasting a destructive sound into the duct, wherein the destructive sound corresponds to the sound signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2018Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Quoc Hoai Nguyen, Arkadiusz Bartlomiej Nagorski
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Patent number: 10477000Abstract: A headset is described that utilizes magnetic frictional couplers. A coupler includes a first member having a first engagement surface and a second member having a second engagement surface disposed for relative positioning of the first and second members along a line of adjustment. One or more magnetic elements are arranged on the first and second members to establish a magnetic flux between the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface, and thereby establishing a frictional force tending to hold the relative positions of the first and second members. The magnetic flux varies as a function of relative position of the first and second members along the line of adjustment, and has peaks at a plurality of detent positions along the line of adjustment.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2018Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.Inventors: Jacob T. Meyberg Guzman, Barry J. Lee, John A. Kelley
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Patent number: 10477290Abstract: A loudspeaker device includes a loudspeaker unit and an enclosure. The loudspeaker unit outputs sounds mainly in a first direction, upon receiving an electric signal. The enclosure is configured with at least a part of an interior member of a movable-body device, and secures and accommodates the loudspeaker unit in the inside of the enclosure. The interior member includes a body part, and an accommodation part that accommodates the loudspeaker unit therein and is formed integrally with the body part. The accommodation part is larger in dimension along the first direction than the body part.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2018Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Ryo Kuribayashi, Takayumi Daikoku, Tetsushi Itano, Hirofumi Higashi, Hiroyuki Morimoto, Yohei Jin
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Patent number: 10469941Abstract: An acoustic transducer can have an acoustic diaphragm defining a barometric vent configured to equalize a barometric pressure-gradient across the acoustic diaphragm. Such a barometric vent can be formed by an aperture through the acoustic diaphragm. A gas-permeable vent membrane can be coupled with the acoustic diaphragm and extend across the aperture. The vent membrane can inhibit movement of liquid across the vent membrane. An acoustic-transducer module can include a chassis a chassis configured to mount the acoustic-transducer module to another module, and a suspension system can movably couple the acoustic diaphragm with the chassis. Such an acoustic-transducer module can sealably couple with a housing of a water-resistant electronic device to inhibit a flow of liquid into the housing while providing a water-resistant barometric vent to the housing, as well as an acoustic diaphragm having a sufficient size to meet or exceed selected acoustic-performance targets.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2017Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Ruchir M. Dave, Jesse A. Lippert, Nikolas T. Vitt, Scott P. Porter, Eugene Fox
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Patent number: 10462577Abstract: A ported cavity tweeter includes a face plate having top and bottom surfaces, a diaphragm frame secured to the bottom surface of the face plate, and a central aperture passing through both the face plate and the diaphragm frame. In addition, the ported cavity tweeter includes a dome-shaped diaphragm positioned within the central aperture and having a periphery thereof secured to the diaphragm frame. A voice coil is wrapped on a voice coil former and mounted to the dome-shaped diaphragm. The ported cavity tweeter also includes a magnetic assembly having the diaphragm frame mounted thereon, and at least one acoustic duct extending through the face plate and diaphragm frame. The ported cavity tweeter is configured as a Helmholtz resonator to increase the output level over a range of frequencies.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2019Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Inventor: Alexander B. Ralph
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Patent number: 10440493Abstract: An audio signal associated with a navigation prompt is processed, based on the localization and distance information supplied by a navigation system, to generate an audio signal that, when played by an audio system in the vehicle, emulates the localization and distance information.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2018Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Harman International Industries, IncorporatedInventor: Christopher Michael Trestain
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Patent number: 10424317Abstract: Disclosed methods and systems are directed to determining a best microphone pair and segmenting sound signals. The methods and systems may include receiving a collection of sound signals comprising speech from one or more audio sources (e.g., meeting participants) and/or background noise. The methods and systems may include calculating a TDOA and determining, based on the TDOA and via robust statistics, the best pair of microphones. The methods and systems may also include segmenting sound signals from multiple sources.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2017Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.Inventors: Pablo Peso Parada, Dushyant Sharma, Patrick Naylor
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Patent number: 10418038Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, devices and computer program products for encoding and decoding of a vector of parameters in an audio coding system. The disclosure further relates to a method and apparatus for reconstructing an audio object in an audio decoding system. According to the disclosure, a modulo differential approach for coding and encoding a vector of a non-periodic quantity may improve the coding efficiency and provide encoders and decoders with less memory requirements. Moreover, an efficient method for encoding and decoding a sparse matrix is provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2018Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: Dolby International ABInventors: Leif Jonas Samuelsson, Heiko Purnhagen
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Patent number: 10412492Abstract: A directional sound playing system using ultrasonic sound sources, the ultrasonic sound sources being installed on a surface of a supporting body. The directional sound playing system includes a setting module, a first detecting module, and a driving control module. The setting module sets a distribution position of each of the ultrasonic sound sources on the surface of the supporting body according to the angle of output of each of the ultrasonic sound sources and a requirement angle of a listener. The first detecting module obtains location information of the listener. The driving control module selects and drives one or more ultrasonic sound sources to transmit and direct ultrasonic sound corresponding to the location information of the listener. A directional sound playing method is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2018Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: NANNING FUGUI PRECISION INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventor: Hsiao-Jen Tsai
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Patent number: 10397699Abstract: An apparatus configured to: determine a viewing angle associated with at least one apparatus camera; determine from at least two audio signals at least one audio source orientation relative to an apparatus; and generate at least one spatial filter including at least a first orientation range associated with the viewing angle and a second orientation range relative to the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Nokia Technologies OyInventors: Lasse Juhani Laaksonen, Kemal Ugur, Pushkar Prasad Patwardhan, Adriana Vasilache, Jari Mathias Hagqvist
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Patent number: 10395661Abstract: A schematic block diagram of an audio encoder for encoding a multichannel audio signal is shown. The audio encoder includes a linear prediction domain encoder, a frequency domain encoder, and a controller for switching between the linear prediction domain encoder and the frequency domain encoder. The controller is configured such that a portion of the multichannel signal is represented either by an encoded frame of the linear prediction domain encoder or by an encoded frame of the frequency domain encoder. The linear prediction domain encoder includes a downmixer for downmixing the multichannel signal to obtain a downmixed signal. The linear prediction domain encoder further includes a linear prediction domain core encoder for encoding the downmix signal and furthermore, the linear prediction domain encoder includes a first joint multichannel encoder for generating first multichannel information from the multichannel signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.Inventors: Sascha Disch, Guillaume Fuchs, Emmanuel Ravelli, Christian Neukam, Konstantin Schmidt, Conrad Benndorf, Andreas Niedermeier, Benjamin Schubert, Ralf Geiger
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Patent number: 10397721Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for frontal audio rendering in interaction with a screen size, the method including measuring playback environment information used to play back input content; and correcting an audio signal to be output based on the measured playback environment information and production environment information included in the input content.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2016Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignees: Electrons and Telecommunications Research Institute, Kyonggi University Industry & Academia Cooperation FoundationInventors: Jae Hyoun Yoo, Seok Jin Lee
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Patent number: 10396726Abstract: A preamplifier for musical instruments includes: an operational amplifier 40 to amplify an inputted analog audio signal; a dual-unit variable resistor 30 to change an amplification factor of the operational amplifier 40 by manually operating an operation unit; an A/D converter 51 to convert the amplified analog audio signal to a digital audio signal; and a digital signal processor 60 to digital-signal process the digital audio signal, wherein the dual-unit variable resistor 30 includes a second variable resistor 32 to output a detection signal in accordance with an amount of operation of the operation unit, and the digital signal processor 60 is capable of implementing, based on a value of the detection signal, a first digital gain process to amplify the digital audio signal and/or a second digital gain process to attenuate the digital audio signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2018Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: ZOOM CORPORATIONInventor: Michihito Nozokido
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Patent number: 10372411Abstract: An example embodiment may involve determining that a client device (such as a smartphone, tablet, or in-automobile audio device) is in an automobile and that the client device has access to a playlist of audio content. Possibly based on the client device being in the automobile and having access to the playlist of audio content, the client device may request a stream of the audio content. As a consequence of making the request, the client device may receive the stream of the audio content and begin audible playout of the audio content.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2018Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: Gracenote Digital Ventures, LLCInventor: Venkatarama Anilkumar Panguluri
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Patent number: 10375484Abstract: An improved open-ear hearing aid to compensate for hearing loss includes a microphone for picking up incident sound and converting it to an electrical audio signal. An ear insert positionable within a human ear canal is provided for producing an output sound amplified within one or more frequency bands in response to incident sound picked up by the microphone. The in-band gain of the amplified sound output of the ear insert's loudspeaker is dependent on the user's hearing loss characteristics and the sound pressure levels of the incident sound. The form of the ear insert allows transmission of incident sound directly to the eardrum, where it is summed at the eardrum with the amplified sound output from the ear insert. Sound output is maximum at low incident sound pressure levels and minimum when the incident sound exceeds a set cut-off level.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2015Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: Meyer Sound Laboratories, IncorporatedInventors: John D. Meyer, Toban A. Szuts
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Patent number: 10366704Abstract: Techniques related to active acoustic echo cancellation are discussed. Such techniques may include generating an audio output signal having a portion thereof corresponding to a first audio frequency range to negate a response of an audio input device to an output from a speaker in a second audio frequency range at a response negation rate and decimating an audio input signal based on the response negation rate to generate a resultant audio input signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2018Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: Intel CorporationInventor: Sebastian Rosenkiewicz