Patents by Inventor Brent Robert Shumard
Brent Robert Shumard 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).
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Publication number: 20220159374Abstract: An audio device may be configured to have multiple modes of operation. The mode of the device may be associated with a particular geometric configuration of the device, such as by swiveling an arm of the device and/or changing the orientation of the device with respect to gravity and/or a surface (e.g., table) on which the device rests. The device may determine the appropriate state based on the current geometry, and based on the state may tune the device for a particular operation suited for that geometry. For example, different signal processing parameters may be applied, different microphones may be enabled and disabled, and/or different acoustic conditions may be provided (for example, different modes of a passive radiator) based on the mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2021Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: Brent Robert Shumard, Walter Timothy Harwood, Michael Knappe
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Publication number: 20220159370Abstract: A filter that may increase and extend, the bass frequency response of a speaker of an audio device. The filter may be space-efficient. The filter may be part of a device that does not necessarily have a large rear cavity and that does not necessarily have porting and/or passive radiating. The low-frequency extension filter may be used, for example, with a smaller rear cavity while essentially simulating the acoustic effects of a much larger rear cavity. The low-frequency extension filter may include a plurality of acoustic pathways, such as tubes, which may wind around along a tortuous path and which may resemble a labyrinthine design. The tubes may be selected to resonate with particular predetermined low frequency channels. For example, the tubes may be approximately a quarter wavelength of the center of the corresponding frequency channel, or even slightly shorter.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2021Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: Brent Robert Shumard, Thomas Andrew Satrom
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Patent number: 11310592Abstract: Embodiments include a microphone assembly comprising an array microphone and a housing configured to support the array microphone and sized and shaped to be mountable in a drop ceiling in place of at least one of a plurality of ceiling tiles included in the drop ceiling. A front face of the housing includes a sound-permeable screen having a size and shape that is substantially similar to the at least one of the plurality of ceiling tiles. Embodiments also include an array microphone system comprising a plurality of microphones arranged, on a substrate, in a number of concentric, nested rings of varying sizes around a central point of the substrate. Each ring comprises a subset of the plurality of microphones positioned at predetermined intervals along a circumference of the ring.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2019Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Mathew T. Abraham, David Grant Cason, John Casey Gibbs, Gregory William Lantz, Albert Francis McGovern, Jr., Brent Robert Shumard
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Patent number: 11310596Abstract: Array microphone systems and methods having adjustable lobe shapes are provided. The lobe shapes of pickup patterns in an array microphone may be adjusted by weighting the audio signals of subsets of the microphone elements that make up the array. The lobe shapes may be adjusted in a direction independent of a steering vector of the lobe. Users may have greater control of lobes which can result in more efficient and optimal coverage of audio sources in environments.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2019Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Brent Robert Shumard, Mathew T. Abraham
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Patent number: 11297426Abstract: Embodiments include an array microphone comprising a plurality of microphone sets arranged in a linear pattern relative to a first axis and configured to cover a plurality of frequency bands. Each microphone set comprises a first microphone arranged along the first axis and a second microphone arranged along a second axis orthogonal to the first microphone, wherein a distance between adjacent microphones along the first axis is selected from a first group consisting of whole number multiples of a first value, and within each element, a distance between the first and second microphones along the second axis is selected from a second group consisting of whole number multiples of a second value.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Brent Robert Shumard, Mark Gilbert, James Michael Pessin, Emily Ann Wigley
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Publication number: 20220014847Abstract: A microphone module comprises a housing, an audio bus, and a first plurality of microphones in communication with the audio bus. The microphone module further comprises a module processor in communication with the first plurality of microphones and the audio bus. The module processor is configured to detect the presence of an array processor in communication with the audio bus, detect the presence of a second microphone module in communication with the audio bus, and configure the audio bus to pass audio signals from both the first plurality of microphones and the second microphone module to the array processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventors: Zachery Barnett, Brent Robert Shumard, David Grant Cason, Andrey Ash, Jordan Schultz, Mathew T. Abraham, Avinash K. Vaidya
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Publication number: 20220007104Abstract: Offset cartridge microphones are provided that include multiple unidirectional microphone cartridges mounted in an offset geometry. Various desired polar patterns and/or desired steering angles can be formed by processing the audio signals from the multiple cartridges, including a toroidal polar pattern. The offset geometry of the cartridges may include mounting the cartridges so that they are immediately adjacent to one another and so that their center axes are offset from one another. The microphones may have a more consistent on-axis frequency response and may more uniformly form desired polar patterns and/or desired steering angles by reducing the interference and reflections within and between the cartridges.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Brent Robert Shumard, Gregory H. Canfield, Mark Gilbert
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Publication number: 20210345040Abstract: Embodiments include an audio system comprising an audio device, a speaker, and a processor. The audio system is configured to receive data from one or more sensors corresponding to persons in a room and/or characteristics of a room, and responsively take action to modify one or more characteristics of the audio system, share the information with other systems or devices, and track data over time to determine patterns and trends in the data.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Christopher Meyer, Daniel Aaron Law, Avinash K. Vaidya, Steven Norman Leib, Mark Swiderski, David Grant Cason, Brent Robert Shumard
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Publication number: 20210160611Abstract: A microphone may comprise a microphone element for detecting sound, and a digital signal processor configured to process a first audio signal that is based on the sound in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of digital signal processing (DSP) modes. Each of the DSP modes may be for processing the first audio signal in a different way. For example, the DSP modes may account for distance of the person speaking (e.g., near versus far) and/or desired tone (e.g., darker, neutral, or bright tone). At least some of the modes may have, for example, an automatic level control setting to provide a more consistent volume as the user changes their distance from the microphone or changes their speaking level, and that may be associated with particular default (and/or adjustable) values of the parameters attack, hold, decay, maximum gain, and/or target gain, each depending upon which DSP is being applied.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2020Publication date: May 27, 2021Inventors: Timothy William Balgemann, Soren Christian Pedersen, James Michael Pessin, Brent Robert Shumard, Lena Lins Sutter, Ryan Jerold Perkofski
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Publication number: 20210136487Abstract: Embodiments include a microphone array comprising a first plurality of directional microphone elements arranged in a first cluster formed by directing a front face of said microphone elements towards a center of the first cluster, and a second plurality of directional microphone elements arranged in a second cluster formed by directing a front face of said elements away from a center of the second cluster, wherein the first cluster is disposed vertically above the second cluster. Also provided is a microphone comprising a first microphone array comprising a plurality of directional microphone elements arranged in close proximity to each other and configured to capture near-field sounds within a first range of frequencies, and a second microphone array disposed concentrically around the first microphone array, the second array comprising a plurality of omnidirectional microphone elements configured to capture near-field sounds within a second range of frequencies higher than the first range.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2020Publication date: May 6, 2021Inventors: Brent Robert Shumard, Mark Gilbert, Emily Ann Wigley, Roger Stephen Grinnip, III
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Patent number: 10959017Abstract: A microphone module comprises a housing, an audio bus, and a first plurality of microphones in communication with the audio bus. The microphone module further comprises a module processor in communication with the first plurality of microphones and the audio bus. The module processor is configured to detect the presence of an array processor in communication with the audio bus, detect the presence of a second microphone module in communication with the audio bus, and configure the audio bus to pass audio signals from both the first plurality of microphones and the second microphone module to the array processor.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2019Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Zachery Barnett, Brent Robert Shumard, David Grant Cason, Andrey Ash, Jordan Schultz, Mathew T. Abraham, Avinash K. Vaidya
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Publication number: 20210058702Abstract: Embodiments include an array microphone comprising a plurality of microphone sets arranged in a linear pattern relative to a first axis and configured to cover a plurality of frequency bands. Each microphone set comprises a first microphone arranged along the first axis and a second microphone arranged along a second axis orthogonal to the first microphone, wherein a distance between adjacent microphones along the first axis is selected from a first group consisting of whole number multiples of a first value, and within each element, a distance between the first and second microphones along the second axis is selected from a second group consisting of whole number multiples of a second value.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Inventors: Brent Robert Shumard, Mark Gilbert, James Michael Pessin, Emily Ann Wigley
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Publication number: 20200374624Abstract: A steerable speaker array is provided, comprising a plurality of drivers arranged in a concentric, nested configuration formed by arranging the drivers in a plurality of concentric groups and placing the groups at different radial distances from a central point of the configuration. Each group is formed by a subset of the plurality of drivers being positioned at predetermined intervals from each other along a perimeter of the group. Also, the concentric groups are harmonically nested and rotationally offset from each other. An audio system is also provided comprising at least one steerable speaker array and a beamforming system configured to receive one or more input audio signals from an audio source, generate a separate audio output signal for each driver of the speaker array based on at least one of the input signals, and provide the audio output signals to the corresponding drivers to produce a beamformed audio output.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventors: Matthew David Koschak, Brent Robert Shumard, David Grant Cason, Kenneth James Platz
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Publication number: 20200288237Abstract: Embodiments include a microphone assembly comprising an array microphone and a housing configured to support the array microphone and sized and shaped to be mountable in a drop ceiling in place of at least one of a plurality of ceiling tiles included in the drop ceiling. A front face of the housing includes a sound-permeable screen having a size and shape that is substantially similar to the at least one of the plurality of ceiling tiles. Embodiments also include an array microphone system comprising a plurality of microphones arranged, on a substrate, in a number of concentric, nested rings of varying sizes around a central point of the substrate. Each ring comprises a subset of the plurality of microphones positioned at predetermined intervals along a circumference of the ring.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2019Publication date: September 10, 2020Inventors: Mathew T. Abraham, David Grant Cason, John Casey Gibbs, Gregory William Lantz, Albert Francis McGovern, JR., Brent Robert Shumard
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Publication number: 20200100025Abstract: Array microphone systems and methods having adjustable lobe shapes are provided. The lobe shapes of pickup patterns in an array microphone may be adjusted by weighting the audio signals of subsets of the microphone elements that make up the array. The lobe shapes may be adjusted in a direction independent of a steering vector of the lobe. Users may have greater control of lobes which can result in more efficient and optimal coverage of audio sources in environments.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2019Publication date: March 26, 2020Inventors: Brent Robert Shumard, Mathew T. Abraham
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Publication number: 20200037068Abstract: A microphone module comprises a housing, an audio bus, and a first plurality of microphones in communication with the audio bus. The microphone module further comprises a module processor in communication with the first plurality of microphones and the audio bus. The module processor is configured to detect the presence of an array processor in communication with the audio bus, detect the presence of a second microphone module in communication with the audio bus, and configure the audio bus to pass audio signals from both the first plurality of microphones and the second microphone module to the array processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2019Publication date: January 30, 2020Inventors: Zachery Barnett, Brent Robert Shumard, David Grant Cason, Andrey Ash, Jordan Schultz, Mathew T. Abraham, Avinash K. Vaidya
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Patent number: 10547935Abstract: Offset cartridge microphones are provided that include multiple unidirectional microphone cartridges mounted in an offset geometry. Various desired polar patterns and/or desired steering angles can be formed by processing the audio signals from the multiple cartridges, including a toroidal polar pattern. The offset geometry of the cartridges may include mounting the cartridges so that they are immediately adjacent to one another and so that their center axes are offset from one another. The microphones may have a more consistent on-axis frequency response and may more uniformly form desired polar patterns and/or desired steering angles by reducing the interference and reflections within and between the cartridges.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2018Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Brent Robert Shumard, Gregory H. Canfield, Mark Gilbert
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Patent number: 10440469Abstract: A microphone module comprises a housing, an audio bus, and a first plurality of microphones in communication with the audio bus. The microphone module further comprises a module processor in communication with the first plurality of microphones and the audio bus. The module processor is configured to detect the presence of an array processor in communication with the audio bus, detect the presence of a second microphone module in communication with the audio bus, and configure the audio bus to pass audio signals from both the first plurality of microphones and the second microphone module to the array processor.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2018Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Shure Acquisitions Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Zachery Barnett, Brent Robert Shumard, David Grant Cason, Andrey Ash, Jordan Schultz, Mathew T. Abraham, Avinash K. Vaidya
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Publication number: 20180338205Abstract: Embodiments include a microphone assembly comprising an array microphone and a housing configured to support the array microphone and sized and shaped to be mountable in a drop ceiling in place of at least one of a plurality of ceiling tiles included in the drop ceiling. A front face of the housing includes a sound-permeable screen having a size and shape that is substantially similar to the at least one of the plurality of ceiling tiles. Embodiments also include an array microphone system comprising a plurality of microphones arranged, on a substrate, in a number of concentric, nested rings of varying sizes around a central point of the substrate. Each ring comprises a subset of the plurality of microphones positioned at predetermined intervals along a circumference of the ring.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2017Publication date: November 22, 2018Inventors: Mathew T. Abraham, David Grant Cason, John Casey Gibbs, Gregory William Lantz, Albert Francis McGovern, JR., Brent Robert Shumard
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Publication number: 20180310096Abstract: Offset cartridge microphones are provided that include multiple unidirectional microphone cartridges mounted in an offset geometry. Various desired polar patterns and/or desired steering angles can be formed by processing the audio signals from the multiple cartridges, including a toroidal polar pattern. The offset geometry of the cartridges may include mounting the cartridges so that they are immediately adjacent to one another and so that their center axes are offset from one another. The microphones may have a more consistent on-axis frequency response and may more uniformly form desired polar patterns and/or desired steering angles by reducing the interference and reflections within and between the cartridges.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2018Publication date: October 25, 2018Inventors: Brent Robert Shumard, Gregory H. Canfield, Mark Gilbert