Patents by Inventor Bernd Iser

Bernd Iser has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11798576
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a communication system having microphones and loudspeakers to determine a noise and speech level estimate for a transformed signal, determine a SNR from the noise and speech level estimates, and determine a gain for the transformed signal to achieve a selected SNR range at a given position. In one embodiment, the gain is determined by adapting an actual gain to follow a target gain, wherein the target gain is adjusted to achieve the selected SNR range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Cerence Operating Company
    Inventors: Tobias Herbig, Meik Pfeffinger, Bernd Iser
  • Publication number: 20200176012
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a communication system having microphones and loudspeakers to determine a noise and speech level estimate for a transformed signal, determine a SNR from the noise and speech level estimates, and determine a gain for the transformed signal to achieve a selected SNR range at a given position. In one embodiment, the gain is determined by adapting an actual gain to follow a target gain, wherein the target gain is adjusted to achieve the selected SNR range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Applicant: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Tobias HERBIG, Meik PFEFFINGER, Bernd ISER
  • Publication number: 20170011753
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a communication system having microphones and loudspeakers to determine a noise and speech level estimate for a transformed signal, determine a SNR from the noise and speech level estimates, and determine a gain for the transformed signal to achieve a selected SNR range at a given position. In one embodiment, the gain is determined by adapting an actual gain to follow a target gain, wherein the target gain is adjusted to achieve the selected SNR range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Tobias Herbig, Meik Pfeffinger, Bernd Iser
  • Patent number: 9129608
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention exploit redundancy of succeeding FFT spectra and use this redundancy for computing interpolated temporal supporting points. An analysis filter bank converts overlapped sequences of an audio (ex. loudspeaker) signal from a time domain to a frequency domain to obtain a time series of short-time loudspeaker spectra. An interpolator temporally interpolates this time series. The interpolation is fed to an echo canceller, which computes an estimated echo spectrum. A microphone analysis filter bank converts overlapped sequences of an audio microphone signal from the time domain to the frequency domain to obtain a time series of short-time microphone spectra. The estimated echo spectrum is subtracted from the microphone spectrum. Further signal enhancement (filtration) may be applied. A synthesis filter bank converts the filtered microphone spectra to the time domain to generate an echo compensated audio microphone signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Mohamed Krini, Gerhard Uwe Schmidt, Bernd Iser, Arthur Wolf
  • Patent number: 9076455
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention exploit redundancy of succeeding FFT spectra and use this redundancy for computing interpolated temporal supporting points. An analysis filter bank converts overlapped sequences of an audio (ex. loudspeaker) signal from a time domain to a frequency domain to obtain a time series of short-time loudspeaker spectra. An interpolator temporally interpolates this time series. The interpolation is fed to an echo canceller, which computes an estimated echo spectrum. A microphone analysis filter bank converts overlapped sequences of an audio microphone signal from the time domain to the frequency domain to obtain a time series of short-time microphone spectra. The estimated echo spectrum is subtracted from the microphone spectrum. Further signal enhancement (filtration) may be applied. A synthesis filter bank converts the filtered microphone spectra to the time domain to generate an echo compensated audio microphone signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Mohamed Krini, Gerhard Schmidt, Bernd Iser, Arthur Wolf
  • Patent number: 8805453
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a signal processing system, comprising a number of microphones and loudspeakers, a hands-free set configured to receive a telephone signal from a remote party and to transmit a microphone signal supplied by at least one of the microphones to the remote party; an in-vehicle communication system configured to receive a microphone signal supplied by at least one of the microphones; receive the telephone signal; amplify the microphone signal to obtain at least one first output signal; output the at least one first output signal and/or a second output signal corresponding to the telephone signal to at least one of the loudspeakers; and wherein the signal processing systems is configured to detect speech activity in the telephone signal and to control the in-vehicle communication system to reduce amplification of the microphone signal by a damping factor, if it is detected that speech activity is present in the telephone signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Tim Haulick, Bernd Iser, Gerhard Uwe Schmidt, Arthur Wolf
  • Patent number: 8565415
    Abstract: A signal processing system enhances communication. When an audio signal is detected, an echo component of the detected audio signal may be estimated. A near party communication device may receive an audio signal from a remote party communication device. A characteristic of the received audio signal may be adjusted based on the echo component of the detected audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerhard Uwe Schmidt, Bernd Iser
  • Publication number: 20130208905
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention exploit redundancy of succeeding FFT spectra and use this redundancy for computing interpolated temporal supporting points. An analysis filter bank converts overlapped sequences of an audio (ex. loudspeaker) signal from a time domain to a frequency domain to obtain a time series of short-time loudspeaker spectra. An interpolator temporally interpolates this time series. The interpolation is fed to an echo canceller, which computes an estimated echo spectrum. A microphone analysis filter bank converts overlapped sequences of an audio microphone signal from the time domain to the frequency domain to obtain a time series of short-time microphone spectra. The estimated echo spectrum is subtracted from the microphone spectrum. Further signal enhancement (filtration) may be applied. A synthesis filter bank converts the filtered microphone spectra to the time domain to generate an echo compensated audio microphone signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Mohamed Krini, Gerhard Schmidt, Bernd Iser, Arthur Wolf
  • Patent number: 8369901
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a signal processing system, comprising a number of microphones and loudspeakers, a hands-free set configured to receive a telephone signal from a remote party and to transmit a microphone signal supplied by at least one of the microphones to the remote party; an in-vehicle communication system configured to receive a microphone signal supplied by at least one of the microphones; receive the telephone signal; amplify the microphone signal to obtain at least one first output signal; output the at least one first output signal and/or a second output signal corresponding to the telephone signal to at least one of the loudspeakers; and wherein the signal processing systems is configured to detect speech activity in the telephone signal and to control the in-vehicle communication system to reduce amplification of the microphone signal by a damping factor, if it is detected that speech activity is present in the telephone signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Tim Haulick, Bernd Iser, Gerhard Schmidt, Arthur Wolf
  • Patent number: 8243955
    Abstract: A noise attenuation system attenuates noise in an input signal. The system may estimate a power of the input signal, and determine a noise power value based on the input power estimate. The noise power value corresponds to an estimate of a noise power within the input signal. The system may determine an attenuation factor based on the noise power value, and attenuate the input signal by using the attenuation factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Iser, Gerhard Schmidt, Mathias Roder
  • Patent number: 8190429
    Abstract: A codebook spectral envelope may be used to extend the bandwidth of a bandwidth limited signal. A system includes codebooks that list codebook spectral envelopes. A codebook spectral envelope may be selected based on a characteristic of the spectral envelope of the bandwidth limited signal. Modifications of selected codebook spectral envelopes may generate a bandwidth extension signal that may be added to the bandwidth limited signal to improve the quality of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernd Iser, Gerhard Uwe Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8160889
    Abstract: A bandwidth extension system extends the bandwidth of an acoustic signal. By shifting a portion of the signal by a frequency value, the system generates an upper bandwidth extension signal. An extended bandwidth acoustic signal may be generated from the acoustic signal, the upper bandwidth extension signal, and/or a lower bandwidth extension signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernd Iser, Gerhard Nüssle, Gerhard Uwe Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20100239104
    Abstract: A noise attenuation system attenuates noise in an input signal. The system may estimate a power of the input signal, and determine a noise power value based on the input power estimate. The noise power value corresponds to an estimate of a noise power within the input signal. The system may determine an attenuation factor based on the noise power value, and attenuate the input signal by using the attenuation factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Iser, Gerhard Schmidt, Mathias Roder
  • Patent number: 7792680
    Abstract: A method for extending the spectral bandwidth of an excitation signal of a speech signal includes determining a bandwidth limited excitation signal of the speech signal, and applying a nonlinear function to the excitation signal for generating a bandwidth extended excitation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernd Iser, Gerhard Uwe Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7783479
    Abstract: A system for use in providing a wideband signal from a received narrowband signal is set forth. The system comprises an extracted narrowband feature vector that corresponds to at least one characteristic of the narrowband signal. A narrowband codebook having one or more narrowband codebook index vectors is also employed, where each narrowband codebook index vector is associated with one or more corresponding narrowband codebook parameters. An analyzer is provided to correlate the extracted narrowband feature vector with an entry in the narrowband codebook. More particularly, the analyzer is responsive to the extracted narrowband feature vector to identify the narrowband codebook feature index vector that best matches the extracted narrowband feature vector. A signal mapper is provided to execute a mapping function of the extracted narrowband feature vector and/or the narrowband codebook index vector identified by the analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernd Iser, Gerhard Uwe Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7756714
    Abstract: A system is provided for extending the spectral bandwidth of a bandwidth limited audio signal by applying a nonlinear function to the bandwidth limited speech signal to generate the low frequency audio signal components that were attenuated in the bandwidth limited audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernd Iser, Gerhard Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7693714
    Abstract: An electronic communication system is set forth that includes the transmission of a narrowband speech signal corresponding to a narrowband version of speech utterances of a speaker as well as the transmission of speaker-dependent data. The speaker-dependent data may be used to correlate narrowband versions of the speech utterances of the speaker with corresponding wideband versions of the speech utterances of the speaker. Both the narrowband speech signal and the speaker-dependent data are received by a receiving party. A receiver at the receiving party uses the narrowband speech signal and the speaker-dependent data to generate a wideband speech signal corresponding to a wideband version of the speech utterances of the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Iser, Gerhard Uwe Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20100035663
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a signal processing system, comprising a number of microphones and loudspeakers, a hands-free set configured to receive a telephone signal from a remote party and to transmit a microphone signal supplied by at least one of the microphones to the remote party; an in-vehicle communication system configured to receive a microphone signal supplied by at least one of the microphones; receive the telephone signal; amplify the microphone signal to obtain at least one first output signal; output the at least one first output signal and/or a second output signal corresponding to the telephone signal to at least one of the loudspeakers; and wherein the signal processing systems is configured to detect speech activity in the telephone signal and to control the in-vehicle communication system to reduce amplification of the microphone signal by a damping factor, if it is detected that speech activity is present in the telephone signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Tim Haulick, Bernd Iser, Gerhard Schmidt, Arthur Wolf
  • Patent number: 7630881
    Abstract: A system extends a bandwidth of bandlimited audio signals by analyzing bandlimited audio signals at a transmission cycle rate. The analyzer may obtain a bandlimited parameter at a transmission cycle rate. A mapping device or logic in the system obtains a wideband parameter based on the bandlimited parameter. An audio signal generator generates a highband and/or lowband audio signal based on the wideband parameter at the transmission cycle rate. In some systems, the bandlimited audio signal is analyzed at the transmission cycle rate. The highband and/or lowband audio signals and the combined wideband audio signal are generated at the transmission cycle rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernd Iser, Gerhard Uwe Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20090225980
    Abstract: A signal processing system enhances communication. When an audio signal is detected, an echo component of the detected audio signal may be estimated. A near party communication device may receive an audio signal from a remote party communication device. A characteristic of the received audio signal may be adjusted based on the echo component of the detected audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: Gerhard Uwe Schmidt, Bernd Iser