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).

  • Patent number: 11810544
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventor: Brenton Steele
  • Patent number: 11800269
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventor: Brenton Steele
  • Publication number: 20230051386
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Bryant E. Sorensen, Brenton Steele
  • Patent number: 11503415
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Eargo, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryant E. Sorensen, Brenton Steele
  • Publication number: 20220345832
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Bryant E. Sorensen, Brenton Steele
  • Publication number: 20220223137
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventor: Brenton STEELE
  • Patent number: 11322131
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Brenton Steele
  • Patent number: 11323804
    Abstract: 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 mixin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry Chen, Tom Harvey, Brenton Steele
  • Publication number: 20220103921
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventor: Brenton STEELE
  • Patent number: 11240578
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Brenton Steele
  • Publication number: 20210241747
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventor: Brenton STEELE
  • Publication number: 20210195307
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventor: Brenton STEELE
  • Patent number: 11026041
    Abstract: 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 func
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhangli Chen, Brenton Steele, Thomas Ivan Harvey
  • Publication number: 20200304936
    Abstract: 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 funct
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhangli CHEN, Brenton STEELE, Thomas Ivan HARVEY
  • Publication number: 20200186923
    Abstract: 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 mixin
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Henry CHEN, Tom HARVEY, Brenton STEELE
  • Patent number: 10595126
    Abstract: 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 mixin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry Chen, Tom Harvey, Brenton Steele
  • Patent number: 10595151
    Abstract: 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 funct
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhangli Chen, Brenton Steele, Thomas Ivan Harvey
  • Publication number: 20190355341
    Abstract: An apparatus for playback of captured ambient sounds. The apparatus comprises a controller comprising a first input coupled to a respective first microphone for receiving an audio signal generated by the microphone, the audio signal representative of captured ambient sounds; a second input for receiving a playback instruction to instigate playback of ambient sounds; and an output coupled to a speaker. The apparatus further comprises data memory comprising a data structure for continuously buffering a most recent portion of the audio signal as an audio snippet. In response to detection of the playback instruction at the second input, the controller is configured to determine an output audio signal based on the audio snippet and provide the audio output signal to the output for substantially immediate playback through the speaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Brenton STEELE, Thomas HARVEY
  • Publication number: 20070118367
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Bonar Dickson, Brenton Steele
  • Publication number: 20070106530
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Inventors: Peter Blamey, Benjamin Smith, Brenton Steele