Patents by Inventor Brett G. Crockett
Brett G. Crockett 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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Patent number: 10728692Abstract: Embodiments are directed to upward-firing speakers that reflect sound off a ceiling to a listening location at a distance from a speaker. The reflected sound provides height cues to reproduce audio objects that have overhead audio components. A virtual height filter based on a directional hearing model is applied to the upward-firing driver signal to improve the perception of height for audio signals transmitted by the virtual height speaker to provide optimum reproduction of the overhead reflected sound. The upward firing driver is tilted at an inclination angle of approximately 20 degrees to the horizontal axis of the speaker and separate height and direct terminal connections are provided to interface to an adaptive audio rendering system.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2019Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt, C. Phillip Brown
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Publication number: 20200144979Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for processing an audio signal in an audio processing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes receiving an audio signal and a parameter, the parameter indicating a location of an auditory event boundary. An audio portion between consecutive auditory event boundaries constitutes an auditory event. The method further includes applying a modification to the audio signal based in part on an occurrence of the auditory event. The parameter may be generated by monitoring a characteristic of the audio signal and identifying a change in the characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2019Publication date: May 7, 2020Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Brett G. CROCKETT, Alan J. SEEFELDT
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Patent number: 10595128Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a virtual height filter for use with or in an upward-firing speaker system that reflects sound off a ceiling to a listening location at a distance from a speaker, and that provides height cues to reproduce audio objects that have overhead audio components. A virtual height filter based on a directional hearing model is applied to the upward-firing driver signal to improve the perception of height for audio signals transmitted by the virtual height speaker to provide optimum reproduction of the overhead reflected sound. The virtual height filter is provided by any one or combination of analog or digital filter circuits, or mechanical structures including speaker grill, enclosure, or driver design or configuration.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Michael J. Smithers, Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt, C. Phillip Brown
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Patent number: 10523169Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for processing an audio signal in an audio processing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes receiving an audio signal and a parameter, the parameter indicating a location of an auditory event boundary. An audio portion between consecutive auditory event boundaries constitutes an auditory event. The method further includes applying a modification to the audio signal based in part on an occurrence of the auditory event. The parameter may be generated by monitoring a characteristic of the audio signal and identifying a change in the characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2019Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt
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Publication number: 20190349701Abstract: Embodiments are described for a system of rendering object-based audio content through a system that includes individually addressable drivers, including at least one driver that is configured to project sound waves toward one or more surfaces within a listening environment for reflection to a listening area within the listening environment; a renderer configured to receive and process audio streams and one or more metadata sets associated with each of the audio streams and specifying a playback location of a respective audio stream; and a playback system coupled to the renderer and configured to render the audio streams to a plurality of audio feeds corresponding to the array of audio drivers in accordance with the one or more metadata sets.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2019Publication date: November 14, 2019Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Sripal S MEHTA, Brett G CROCKETT, Spencer HOOKS, Alan SEEFELDT, Christophe CHABANNE, C. Phillip BROWN, Joshua B LANDO, Brad BASLER, Stewart MURRIE
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Publication number: 20190320283Abstract: Embodiments are directed to upward-firing speakers that reflect sound off a ceiling to a listening location at a distance from a speaker. The reflected sound provides height cues to reproduce audio objects that have overhead audio components. A virtual height filter based on a directional hearing model is applied to the upward-firing driver signal to improve the perception of height for audio signals transmitted by the virtual height speaker to provide optimum reproduction of the overhead reflected sound. The upward firing driver is tilted at an inclination angle of approximately 20 degrees to the horizontal axis of the speaker and separate height and direct terminal connections are provided to interface to an adaptive audio rendering system.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2019Publication date: October 17, 2019Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATIONInventors: Brett G. CROCKETT, Alan J. SEEFELDT, C. Phillip BROWN
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Patent number: 10440492Abstract: At least part of a speaker calibration process, such as a process of adjusting the gain of a top-firing speaker of a virtual height speaker system to compensate for ceiling height and/or ceiling acoustic reflectivity, may be done using a mobile device (a smart phone, a tablet, etc.) running a mobile device application on a mobile operating system (iOS, Android, etc.). An un-calibrated or minimally calibrated microphone, of the type typically found in mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets, may be used to provide input for such speaker calibration processes.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2015Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventor: Brett G. Crockett
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Publication number: 20190289397Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a virtual height filter for use with or in an upward-firing speaker system that reflects sound off a ceiling to a listening location at a distance from a speaker, and that provides height cues to reproduce audio objects that have overhead audio components. A virtual height filter based on a directional hearing model is applied to the upward-firing driver signal to improve the perception of height for audio signals transmitted by the virtual height speaker to provide optimum reproduction of the overhead reflected sound. The virtual height filter is provided by any one or combination of analog or digital filter circuits, or mechanical structures including speaker grill, enclosure, or driver design or configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATIONInventors: Michael J. SMITHERS, Brett G. CROCKETT, Alan J. SEEFELDT, C. Phillip BROWN
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Patent number: 10412523Abstract: Embodiments are described for a system of rendering object-based audio content through a system that includes individually addressable drivers, including at least one driver that is configured to project sound waves toward one or more surfaces within a listening environment for reflection to a listening area within the listening environment; a renderer configured to receive and process audio streams and one or more metadata sets associated with each of the audio streams and specifying a playback location of a respective audio stream; and a playback system coupled to the renderer and configured to render the audio streams to a plurality of audio feeds corresponding to the array of audio drivers in accordance with the one or more metadata sets.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2017Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Sripal S. Mehta, Brett G. Crockett, S. Spencer Hooks, Alan Seefeldt, Christophe Chabanne, C. Phillip Brown, Joshua B. Lando, Brad Basler, Stewart Murrie
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Patent number: 10375508Abstract: Embodiments are directed to upward-firing speakers that reflect sound off a ceiling to a listening location at a distance from a speaker. The reflected sound provides height cues to reproduce audio objects that have overhead audio components. A virtual height filter based on a directional hearing model is applied to the upward-firing driver signal to improve the perception of height for audio signals transmitted by the virtual height speaker to provide optimum reproduction of the overhead reflected sound. The upward firing driver is tilted at an inclination angle of approximately 20 degrees to the horizontal axis of the speaker and separate height and direct terminal connections are provided to interface to an adaptive audio rendering system.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2015Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt, C. Phillip Brown
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Publication number: 20190222186Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for processing an audio signal in an audio processing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes receiving an audio signal and a parameter, the parameter indicating a location of an auditory event boundary. An audio portion between consecutive auditory event boundaries constitutes an auditory event. The method further includes applying a modification to the audio signal based in part on an occurrence of the auditory event. The parameter may be generated by monitoring a characteristic of the audio signal and identifying a change in the characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2019Publication date: July 18, 2019Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt
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Patent number: 10313793Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a virtual height filter for use with or in an upward-firing speaker system that reflects sound off a ceiling to a listening location at a distance from a speaker, and that provides height cues to reproduce audio objects that have overhead audio components. A virtual height filter based on a directional hearing model is applied to the upward-firing driver signal to improve the perception of height for audio signals transmitted by the virtual height speaker to provide optimum reproduction of the overhead reflected sound. The virtual height filter is provided by any one or combination of analog or digital filter circuits, or mechanical structures including speaker grill, enclosure, or driver design or configuration.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2015Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Michael J. Smithers, Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt, C. Phillip Brown
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Patent number: 10284159Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for processing an audio signal in an audio processing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes receiving an audio signal and a parameter, the parameter indicating a location of an auditory event boundary. An audio portion between consecutive auditory event boundaries constitutes an auditory event. The method further includes applying a modification to the audio signal based in part on an occurrence of the auditory event. The parameter may be generated by monitoring a characteristic of the audio signal and identifying a change in the characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2018Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt
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Publication number: 20190013786Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for processing an audio signal in an audio processing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes receiving an audio signal and a parameter, the parameter indicating a location of an auditory event boundary. An audio portion between consecutive auditory event boundaries constitutes an auditory event. The method further includes applying a modification to the audio signal based in part on an occurrence of the auditory event. The parameter may be generated by monitoring a characteristic of the audio signal and identifying a change in the characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2018Publication date: January 10, 2019Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt
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Patent number: 10134409Abstract: In one aspect, the invention divides an audio signal into auditory events, each of which tends to be perceived as separate and distinct, by calculating the spectral content of successive time blocks of the audio signal, calculating the difference in spectral content between successive time blocks of the audio signal, and identifying an auditory event boundary as the boundary between successive time blocks when the difference in the spectral content between such successive time blocks exceeds a threshold. In another aspect, the invention generates a reduced-information representation of an audio signal by dividing an audio signal into auditory events, each of which tends to be perceived as separate and distinct, and formatting and storing information relating to the auditory events. Optionally, the invention may also assign a characteristic to one or more of the auditory events. Auditory events may be determined according to the first aspect of the invention or by another method.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2014Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventor: Brett G. Crockett
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Patent number: 10103700Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for processing an audio signal in an audio processing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes receiving an audio signal and a parameter, the parameter indicating a location of an auditory event boundary. An audio portion between consecutive auditory event boundaries constitutes an auditory event. The method further includes applying a modification to the audio signal based in part on an occurrence of the auditory event. The parameter may be generated by monitoring a characteristic of the audio signal and identifying a change in the characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2017Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt
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Publication number: 20180077511Abstract: Embodiments are described for a system of rendering object-based audio content through a system that includes individually addressable drivers, including at least one driver that is configured to project sound waves toward one or more surfaces within a listening environment for reflection to a listening area within the listening environment; a renderer configured to receive and process audio streams and one or more metadata sets associated with each of the audio streams and specifying a playback location of a respective audio stream; and a playback system coupled to the renderer and configured to render the audio streams to a plurality of audio feeds corresponding to the array of audio drivers in accordance with the one or more metadata sets.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2017Publication date: March 15, 2018Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Sripal S. MEHTA, Brett G. CROCKETT, Spencer HOOKS, Alan SEEFELDT, Christophe CHABANNE, C. Phillip BROWN, Joshua B. LANDO, Brad BASLER, Stewart MURRIE
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Publication number: 20180069517Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for processing an audio signal in an audio processing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes receiving an audio signal and a parameter, the parameter indicating a location of an auditory event boundary. An audio portion between consecutive auditory event boundaries constitutes an auditory event. The method further includes applying a modification to the audio signal based in part on an occurrence of the auditory event. The parameter may be generated by monitoring a characteristic of the audio signal and identifying a change in the characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2017Publication date: March 8, 2018Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt
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Publication number: 20180020310Abstract: Embodiments are described for rendering spatial audio content through a system that is configured to reflect audio off of one or more surfaces of a listening environment. The system includes an array of audio drivers distributed around a room, wherein at least one driver of the array of drivers is configured to project sound waves toward one or more surfaces of the listening environment for reflection to a listening area within the listening environment and a renderer configured to receive and process audio streams and one or more metadata sets that are associated with each of the audio streams and that specify a playback location in the listening environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2017Publication date: January 18, 2018Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Brett G. CROCKETT, Spencer HOOKS, Alan SEEFELDT, Joshua B. LANDO, C. Phillip BROWN, Sripal S. MEHTA, Stewart MURRIE
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Patent number: 9866191Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for processing an audio signal in an audio processing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes receiving an audio signal and a parameter, the parameter indicating a location of an auditory event boundary. An audio portion between consecutive auditory event boundaries constitutes an auditory event. The method further includes applying a modification to the audio signal based in part on an occurrence of the auditory event. The parameter may be generated by monitoring a characteristic of the audio signal and identifying a change in the characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2017Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt