Patents Examined by Vivian Chin
  • Patent number: 10200787
    Abstract: An apparatus including an input configured to receive at least one first audio signal from a first apparatus; an input configured to receive at least one second audio signal from a second apparatus; a distance detector configured to determine a distance between the first and the second apparatus; and a level control generator configured to generate a level control for mixing the at least one first audio signal and the at least one second audio signal based on the distance between the first and the second apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC
    Inventors: Jussi Virolainen, Matti Hamalainen, Joonas Itaranta
  • Patent number: 10200790
    Abstract: An earpiece includes an earpiece housing, a processor disposed within the ear piece housing, a speaker operatively connected to the processor, at least one microphone operatively connected to the processor, and a cellular transceiver disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the processor. The cellular transceiver may be a low energy long term evolution (LTE) cellular transceiver. The ear piece may include an inertial sensor disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the processor. The earpiece may further include a short range transceiver disposed within the earpiece housing. The short range transceiver may be a Bluetooth transceiver. The earpiece may also include a slot within the earpiece housing for receiving an identity module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: BRAGI GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Vincent Boesen, Nikolaj Hviid
  • Patent number: 10200000
    Abstract: A handheld electronic, a sound produce system and control method of sound producing thereof are provided. The sound produce system includes a speaker, a feedback unit, a gain unit and a compensation unit. The speaker generates audible sound according to an output audio signal. The feedback unit generates a first detected parameter, wherein the first detected parameter represents a detected excursion. The gain unit receives an input audio signal, and amplifies the input audio signal to generate a gained audio signal according to a gain value. The compensation unit receives the gained audio signal and the first detected parameter, and predicts an excursion of the speaker corresponding to the gained audio signal to generate a predicted excursion parameter, and compensates the gained audio signal to generate the output audio signal according to the first detected parameter and the predicted excursion parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Chih-Chiang Cheng, Chun-Min Lee, Hann-Shi Tong, Lei Chen, Che-Yi Hsiao, Chin-Kuo Huang
  • Patent number: 10200780
    Abstract: A system includes a left earpiece comprising a left earpiece housing and a right earpiece comprising a right earpiece housing and a radio transceiver disposed within at least one of the left earpiece and the right earpiece, and a software application executable on a computing device in operative communication with the radio transceiver; wherein the software application provides a visual representation of the left earpiece and a visual representation of the right earpiece and wherein the visual representation of the left earpiece indicates a remaining charge for the left earpiece and wherein the visual representation of the right earpiece indicates a remaining charge for the right earpiece. A method for displaying battery life is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: BRAGI GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Steiner
  • Patent number: 10195452
    Abstract: A system capable of self-adjusting both sound level and spectral content to improve audibility and intelligibility of medical device audible cues. Audible cues are stored as sound files. Ambient noise is detected, and the output of the audible cues is altered based on the ambient noise. Various embodiments include processed sound files that are more robust in noisy environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: PHYSIO-CONTROL, INC.
    Inventor: Robert Eugene Smith
  • Patent number: 10200772
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel which displays an image and a vibration member attached to a surface of the display panel, where the vibration member receives a sound signal, generates a vibration in response to the sound signal, and transfers the vibration to the display panel to allow the display panel to output a sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yi Joon Ahn, Yongchang Park, WonSang Park, Jongin Baek, Yong-Suk Yeo, Taehee Lee
  • Patent number: 10200003
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods to dynamically extend loudspeaker capabilities. In particular, a system comprising a loudspeaker can receive an electronic audio signal. Responsive to a change in available headroom, one or more parameters of an equalizer being applied to at least a portion of the signal in order to extend a physical low-frequency response of the loudspeaker can be modified based on the change in available headroom. Additionally or alternatively, responsive to the change in available headroom, a bandwidth of low-frequency content of the signal that is being synthesized by the system to extend low-frequency capability of the system beyond physical capabilities of the system can be adjusted based on the change in available headroom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Gabriel Slotnick
  • Patent number: 10194234
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes an output jack including a ground pole and a power output pole, a power supply circuit configured to generate a power signal, a coupler circuit operably coupled to the ground pole and the power output pole of the output jack, such that the coupler circuit is configured to couple the power signal with a noise signal on the ground pole to generate a combined output signal on the power output pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jingxue Lu, Vijayakumar Dhanasekaran, Meysam Azin, Arash Mashayekhi, Kshitij Yadav
  • Patent number: 10192537
    Abstract: A noise cancelling headset includes first and second earpieces, each earpiece including a respective feedback microphone, a respective feed-forward microphone, and a respective output driver. A first feedback filter receives an input from at least the first feedback microphone and produces a first filtered feedback signal. A first feed-forward filter receives an input from at least the first feed-forward microphone and produces a first filtered feed-forward signal. A first summer combines the first filtered feedback signal and the first filtered feed-forward signal and produces a first output signal. An output interface provides the first output signal as an output from the headset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel M. Gauger, Jr., Jahn Dmitri Eichfeld, Steven H. Isabelle, John Allen Rule
  • Patent number: 10194225
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) includes a strap arm that transmits audio. The HMD includes a front rigid body and a strap arm. The strap arm includes a body portion defining a boss having an aperture that rotatably connects the strap arm to the front rigid body. The body portion defines an audio passage to transmit sound and an audio port to output the sound. The audio passage is defined along the body portion between the aperture of the boss and the audio port. A speaker is positioned, such as within the aperture, to emit the sound through the audio passage and to the audio port. The strap arm can further include a back volume unit that enhances the sound transmitted through the audio passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Wesley Bristol, Scott Andrew Dallmeyer, Quintin Morris, Matthew James Devoe, David Tao
  • Patent number: 10194258
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an audio signal processing apparatus for filtering a left channel input audio signal (L) and a right channel input audio signal (R), a left channel output audio signal (X1) and a right channel output audio signal (X2) to be transmitted over acoustic propagation paths to a listener, wherein transfer functions of the acoustic propagation paths are defined by an acoustic transfer function matrix. The audio signal processing apparatus comprises a decomposer, a first cross-talk reducer, a second cross-talk reducer, and a combiner. The first cross-talk reducer is configured to reduce a cross-talk within a first predetermined frequency band upon the basis of the acoustic transfer function matrix. The second cross-talk reducer is configured to reduce a cross-talk within a second predetermined frequency band upon the basis of the acoustic transfer function matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yesenia Lacouture Parodi
  • Patent number: 10194032
    Abstract: A method and system of conferencing can include the steps of initiating a conference call at a communication device with two or more communication devices and selecting to suppress a voice communication of at least one communication device on the conference call where a modified electronic signal is generated with the selected at least one communication device so that the voice communication from the selected at least one communication device is inaudible. The method or system further includes sending the modified electronic signal to at least one other communication device on the conference call. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Staton Techiya, LLC
    Inventors: Jason McIntosh, Marc Boillot, John Usher, Steven Goldstein
  • Patent number: 10186278
    Abstract: Noise is suppressed from a microphone array by estimating a noise field isotropy. In some examples audio is received from a plurality of microphones. A power spectral density of a beamformer output is determined and a power spectral density of microphone noise differences is determined. A noise power spectral density is determined using a transfer function and the noise power spectral density is applied to the beamformer output power spectral density to produce a power spectral density output of the received audio with reduced noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sergey I. Salishev
  • Patent number: 10182278
    Abstract: A wireless speaker device having a housing including a first magnet and an arm configurable between a straight configuration and a bent configuration. The arm is attached to the housing on one end and has an opposing end having a second magnet. The arm is bendable to allow the magnets to engage another to attach the device to clothing and other items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Pred Technologies USA Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Yanofsky, Adam Fairless, Charles Speidel
  • Patent number: 10175929
    Abstract: An interface device is configured to be attached to an audio device and at least one switch within a vehicle. The audio device recognizes a predetermined voltage signal as being a desired audio characteristic and then generates an audio signal having the desired audio characteristic. The interface device includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a wireless receiver. The wireless receiver may receive a wireless data signal from a wireless device corresponding to a desired change to the audio characteristic. The wireless data signal is converted to a first voltage signal. The first voltage signal is transmitted to the CPU. The CPU transforms the first voltage signal to an audio input signal, corresponding to the predetermined voltage signal recognizable by the audio device and corresponding to the desired change to the audio characteristic. The CPU may also receive a second voltage signal, which is converted to the audio input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: NSV Group FZCO
    Inventor: Victor Harris
  • Patent number: 10176822
    Abstract: A computerized method for filtering a digital audio file to generate an output audio file that induces optimal health and cognitive ability in a listener of a playback of the output audio file is described herein. The method includes the steps of identifying a plurality of target frequencies that span within an octave, identifying a plurality of mid-point frequencies that are situated at mid-points between any two adjacent target frequencies, applying a peaking filter to the digital audio file centered around the plurality of mid-point frequencies to produce highest frequency attenuation at the plurality of mid-point frequencies, and generating the output audio file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Inventor: Alan Brunton
  • Patent number: 10171924
    Abstract: Various arrangements for providing audio calibration are presented. A remote control may determine that it is in position for an audio-based command to be received by the remote control from a user. Via a condenser microphone incorporated as part of the remote control, a calibration sound may be output. The condenser microphone may receive the output the calibration sound in the form of a reflected sound that is an acoustic reflection of the calibration sound. The remote control may analyze an amount of time that has elapsed between outputting the calibration sound and receiving the reflected sound to determine a distance between the condenser microphone and the user. One or more audio input settings may be configured that are used for modifying audio received by the condenser microphone based on the determined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: DISH Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jeremy Mickelsen, Christopher Burns
  • Patent number: 10171916
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a circuit includes a high-? resistor including a plurality of semiconductor junction devices coupled in series and a plurality of additional capacitances formed in parallel with the plurality of semiconductor junction devices. Each semiconductor junction device of the plurality of semiconductor junction devices includes a parasitic doped well capacitance configured to insert a parasitic zero in a noise transfer function of the high-? resistor. Each additional capacitance of the plurality of additional capacitances is configured to adjust a parasitic pole in the noise transfer function of the high-? resistor in order to compensate for the parasitic zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Luca Valli, Benno Muehlbacher, Richard Gaggl
  • Patent number: 10164588
    Abstract: An audio amplifier circuit for driving an electro-acoustic transducer, which is bridged transless (BTL)-connected to the audio amplifier circuit, in a filterless manner, including: a class D amplifier including a high side transistor and a low side transistor; a high side driver configured to drive the high side transistor; and a low side driver configured to drive the low side transistor, as a pair, wherein the low side driver is configured so that a time for turning off the low side transistor by the low side driver is longer than that for turning off the high side transistor by the high side driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Munenaga, Hideo Araki
  • Patent number: 10165348
    Abstract: A headphone and method are provided. The headphone includes a headphone housing and a resilient cushion attached to the housing to define a chamber with the housing for enclosing the user's ear. An assembly is disposed in the housing proximate to a distal end and has a plurality of blades moveable between at least one open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the blades define a distal surface of the housing. In the open position, the assembly defines an aperture in the housing. The aperture allows sound communication from outside the housing into the chamber. The headphone is in communication with at least one external device and is programmed to receive a signal from the external device. The assembly to moves between the open position and the closed position based on the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: James Kirsch