Patents by Inventor Brenton Steele
Brenton Steele 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: 20240334133Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for signal processing an audio signal in a hearing device to determine whether the signal is tonal. The signal is converted at each of a series of successive time windows into samples in the frequency domain across multiple subbands. For at least one of the subbands, a normalized cross-correlation is calculated between two different samples in the same subband. A metric resulting from the calculation is compared to a predetermined threshold to provide a measure of whether the signal is tonal. The signal is considered to be tonal in the frequency of the subband when the metric is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, and the signal is considered to be not tonal in the frequency of the subband when the metric is less than the predetermined threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2021Publication date: October 3, 2024Inventors: Brenton Steele, Bryant E. Sorensen
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Patent number: 12010486Abstract: Methods and systems for signal processing an audio signal in a hearing device to detect when feedback path change occurs and controlling an adaptive feedback canceler to remove the feedback are provided. The hearing device includes a receiver and a microphone. An exemplary method includes detecting whether a tonal signal is caused by a feedback path change by estimating a product of a subband error signal and a subband output signal generated in response to a subband audio input signal; estimating a fast metric based on the estimated product and estimating a slow metric; and applying or maintaining an adaptation rate to the adaptive feedback canceler of the hearing device, wherein the adaptation rate applied or maintained is selected based upon a value of the difference between the fast and slow metrics compared to a threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2022Date of Patent: June 11, 2024Assignee: Eargo, Inc.Inventors: Bryant E. Sorensen, Brenton Steele
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Patent number: 11810544Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to a signal processing device for on ear detection for a headset. The device comprises a first microphone input for receiving a microphone signal from a first microphone, the first microphone being configured to be positioned inside an ear of a user when the user is wearing the headset; a second microphone input for receiving a microphone signal from a second microphone, the second microphone being configured to be positioned outside the ear of the user when the user is wearing the headset; and a processor.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2022Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.Inventor: Brenton Steele
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Patent number: 11800269Abstract: Described embodiments generally relate to a signal processing device for on ear detection for an earbud. The device comprises a first microphone input for receiving a microphone signal from a first microphone, the first microphone being configured to be positioned within an ear of a user when the earbud is being worn; a second microphone input for receiving a microphone signal from a second microphone, the second microphone being configured to be positioned outside the ear of the user when the earbud is being worn; a signal generator configured to generate a signal for acoustic playback from a speaker configured to be positioned within the earbud; and a processor.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2021Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.Inventor: Brenton Steele
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Publication number: 20230051386Abstract: Methods and systems for signal processing an audio signal in a hearing device to detect when feedback path change occurs and controlling an adaptive feedback canceler to remove the feedback are provided. The hearing device includes a receiver and a microphone. An exemplary method includes detecting whether a tonal signal is caused by a feedback path change by estimating a product of a subband error signal and a subband output signal generated in response to a subband audio input signal; estimating a fast metric based on the estimated product and estimating a slow metric; and applying or maintaining an adaptation rate to the adaptive feedback canceler of the hearing device, wherein the adaptation rate applied or maintained is selected based upon a value of the difference between the fast and slow metrics compared to a threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2022Publication date: February 16, 2023Inventors: Bryant E. Sorensen, Brenton Steele
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Patent number: 11503415Abstract: Methods and systems for signal processing an audio signal in a hearing device to detect when feedback path change occurs and controlling an adaptive feedback canceler to remove the feedback are provided. The hearing device includes a receiver and a microphone. An exemplary method includes detecting whether a tonal signal is caused by a feedback path change by estimating a product of a subband error signal and a subband output signal generated in response to a subband audio input signal; estimating a fast metric based on the estimated product and estimating a slow metric; and applying or maintaining an adaptation rate to the adaptive feedback canceler of the hearing device, wherein the adaptation rate applied or maintained is selected based upon a value of the difference between the fast and slow metrics compared to a threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2021Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: Eargo, Inc.Inventors: Bryant E. Sorensen, Brenton Steele
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Publication number: 20220345832Abstract: Methods and systems for signal processing an audio signal in a hearing device to detect when feedback path change occurs and controlling an adaptive feedback canceler to remove the feedback are provided. The hearing device includes a receiver and a microphone. An exemplary method includes detecting whether a tonal signal is caused by a feedback path change by estimating a product of a subband error signal and a subband output signal generated in response to a subband audio input signal; estimating a fast metric based on the estimated product and estimating a slow metric; and applying or maintaining an adaptation rate to the adaptive feedback canceler of the hearing device, wherein the adaptation rate applied or maintained is selected based upon a value of the difference between the fast and slow metrics compared to a threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2021Publication date: October 27, 2022Inventors: Bryant E. Sorensen, Brenton Steele
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Patent number: 11323804Abstract: An apparatus of reducing feedback noise in an acoustic system, the apparatus comprising: a first input for receiving a first signal derived from a first microphone associated with a first channel, the first signal comprising a first set of frequency sub-bands; a second input for receiving a second signal derived from a second microphone associated with a second channel, the second signal comprising second set of frequency sub-bands, the first and second sets of frequency sub-bands having matching frequency ranges, each frequency sub-band of the first and second sets of frequency sub-bands having a frequency of greater than a threshold frequency; and one or more processors configured to: determining feedback at a first speaker associated with the first channel; and responsive to determining feedback, mix each of the first set of frequency sub-bands with a corresponding one of the second set of frequency sub-bands to generate a mixed output signal comprising a mixed set of frequency sub-bands; wherein the mixinType: GrantFiled: January 28, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventors: Henry Chen, Tom Harvey, Brenton Steele
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Patent number: 11322131Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to a signal processing device for on ear detection for a headset. The device comprises a first microphone input for receiving a microphone signal from a first microphone, the first microphone being configured to be positioned inside an ear of a user when the user is wearing the headset; a second microphone input for receiving a microphone signal from a second microphone, the second microphone being configured to be positioned outside the ear of the user when the user is wearing the headset; and a processor.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventor: Brenton Steele
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Patent number: 11240578Abstract: Described embodiments generally relate to a signal processing device for on ear detection for an earbud. The device comprises a first microphone input for receiving a microphone signal from a first microphone, the first microphone being configured to be positioned within an ear of a user when the earbud is being worn; a second microphone input for receiving a microphone signal from a second microphone, the second microphone being configured to be positioned outside the ear of the user when the earbud is being worn; a signal generator configured to generate a signal for acoustic playback from a speaker configured to be positioned within the earbud; and a processor.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventor: Brenton Steele
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Patent number: 11026041Abstract: A method of equalising sound in a headset comprising an internal microphone configured to generate a first audio signal, an external microphone configured to generate a second audio signal, a speaker, and one or more processors coupled between the speaker, the external microphone, and the internal microphone, the method comprising: while the headset is worn by a user: determining a first audio transfer function between the first audio signal and the second audio signal in the presence of sound at the external microphone; and determining a second audio transfer function between a speaker input signal and the first audio signal with the speaker being driven by the speaker input signal; determining an electrical transfer function of the one or more processors; determining a closed-ear transfer function based on the first audio transfer function, the second audio transfer function and the electrical transfer function; and equalising the first audio signal based on a comparison between the closed-ear transfer funcType: GrantFiled: January 24, 2020Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventors: Zhangli Chen, Brenton Steele, Thomas Ivan Harvey
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Patent number: 10595126Abstract: An apparatus of reducing feedback noise in an acoustic system, the apparatus comprising: a first input for receiving a first signal derived from a first microphone associated with a first channel, the first signal comprising a first set of frequency sub-bands; a second input for receiving a second signal derived from a second microphone associated with a second channel, the second signal comprising second set of frequency sub-bands, the first and second sets of frequency sub-bands having matching frequency ranges, each frequency sub-band of the first and second sets of frequency sub-bands having a frequency of greater than a threshold frequency; and one or more processors configured to: determining feedback at a first speaker associated with the first channel; and responsive to determining feedback, mix each of the first set of frequency sub-bands with a corresponding one of the second set of frequency sub-bands to generate a mixed output signal comprising a mixed set of frequency sub-bands; wherein the mixinType: GrantFiled: December 7, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventors: Henry Chen, Tom Harvey, Brenton Steele
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Patent number: 10595151Abstract: A method of equalising sound in a headset comprising an internal microphone configured to generate a first audio signal, an external microphone configured to generate a second audio signal, a speaker, and one or more processors coupled between the speaker the external microphone, and the internal microphone, the method comprising: while the headset is worn by a user: determining a first audio transfer function between the first audio signal and the second audio signal in the presence of sound at the external microphone; and determining a second audio transfer function between a speaker input signal and the first audio signal with the speaker being driven by the speaker input signal; determining an electrical transfer function of the one or more processors; determining a closed-ear transfer function based on the first audio transfer function, the second audio transfer function and the electrical transfer function; and equalising the first audio signal based on a comparison between the closed-ear transfer functType: GrantFiled: March 18, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.Inventors: Zhangli Chen, Brenton Steele, Thomas Ivan Harvey
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Publication number: 20070118367Abstract: Adaptive processing of an input signal is achieved by offline analysis, with inline processing comprising an adaptive filter. The method comprises passing the input signal through an adaptive time domain filter to produce an output signal. The input signal and/or output signal is used as an offline analysis signal. The analysis signal is transformed into a transform domain (eg frequency domain) to produce a transformed analysis signal. The transformed analysis signal is analysed, for example by ADRO, to produce a plurality of desired gains each corresponding to a respective transform domain sub-band. A time domain filter characteristic is synthesised to at least approach the desired gains. The adaptive filter is updated with the synthesised filter characteristic. Minimum phase adaptive filter techniques are found to possess particular benefits in this scheme.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2005Publication date: May 24, 2007Inventors: Bonar Dickson, Brenton Steele
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Publication number: 20070106530Abstract: The invention relates to oscillation suppression and, more particularly, concerns a method and apparatus for suppressing oscillation in a signal identified as or suspected of containing an oscillation due to feedback. The method involves converting the signal into frequency bands in the frequency domain, applying, for a selected period of time, a randomly changing phase to the signal in at least one of said frequency bands, and reconverting the converted signal into an output wave form signal. The selected period is divided into a series of successive time windows, and for each successive time window a newly generated random or pseudo-random phase is applied to the signal. The method can be used in combination with a method for detecting oscillation in said signal in each of the frequency bands, a randomly changing phase applied in each frequency band for which said oscillation has been detected. The invention has particular application in hearing aid devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2004Publication date: May 10, 2007Inventors: Peter Blamey, Benjamin Smith, Brenton Steele
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Publication number: 20070014419Abstract: The invention relates to adaptive directional systems, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for producing adaptive directional signals. The invention may be applied to the provision of audio frequency adaptive directional microphone systems for devices such as hearing aids and mobile telephones. The method involves constructing the adaptive directional signal (46) from a weighted sum of a first signal (42A) having an omni-directional polar pattern and a second signal (42B) having a bi-directional polar pattern, wherein the weights are calculated to give the combined signal a constant gain in a predetermined direction and to minimise the power of the combined signal. The method has particular application in producing signals in digital hearing aids, the predetermined direction being in the forward direction with respect to the wearer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2004Publication date: January 18, 2007Applicant: DYNAMIC HEARING PTY LTD.Inventor: Brenton Steele
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Publication number: 20060126865Abstract: An input sound signal (210) is processed in order to meet a target dynamic range (910, 920). At least one gain, specific to the input sound signal (210), is applied to the input sound signal (210) to produce a processed sound signal (214). A dynamic range of the processed sound signal is measured, and a match of the measured dynamic range with the target dynamic range (910, 920) is determined. The gain is adjusted in accordance with at least one input sound signal-specific parameter, to improve the match of dynamic range of the processed sound signal (214) to the target dynamic range (910, 920). The input sound signal-specific parameter is adaptive in response to at least one monitored signal condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2004Publication date: June 15, 2006Inventors: Peter Blamey, Bonar Dickson, Brenton Steele, Margaret Steinberg