Patents by Inventor Brian Slack

Brian Slack 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: 11490192
    Abstract: In an audiovisual system, in which video is displayed on a screen that does not permit sound to pass through the screen, such as a light emitting diode panel, a high-frequency speaker positioned above an audience seating area can direct sound toward the screen, so that the screen can reflect the sound toward the audience seating area. The high-frequency speaker can be used with one or more low-frequency speakers positioned at or near the height of the audience seating area. The low-frequency and high-frequency sounds can appear to originate from close to the same height, thereby creating a realistic audio image at the audience seating area. A spectral filter can negate the spectral effects of propagation to and reflection from the screen. Suitable time delays can synchronize the high-frequency sound with the low-frequency sound and with video displayed on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: DTS, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Slack
  • Publication number: 20220328062
    Abstract: A method comprises: obtaining a mixed soundtrack that includes dialogue mixed with non-dialogue sound; converting the mixed soundtrack to comparison text; obtaining reference text for the dialogue as a reference for intelligibility of the dialogue; determining a measure of intelligibility of the dialogue of the mixed soundtrack to a listener based on a comparison of the comparison text against the reference text; and reporting the measure of intelligibility of the dialogue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: David Cortes PROVENCIO, Martin WALSH, Brian SLACK, Edward STEIN
  • Patent number: 10979809
    Abstract: The present subject matter provides a technical solution to the technical problems facing sound localization by separating sounds and reproducing the separated sounds using a set of loudspeakers and a set of headphones. A general soundtrack that is meant to be experienced throughout the room would play through the loudspeakers, and specific sounds that are meant to be experienced near the listener would be played through a binaural representation in the headphones. The headphones may be selected to avoid occluding the ear, allowing sound produced at the loudspeakers to be heard clearly. This separation and reproduction of sounds using a combination of a loudspeaker and headphone provides a technical solution to the technical problem facing typical surround sound systems by localizing sounds for listeners in any location within a room. This improves reproduction accuracy of location-specific audio objects, including audio objects above or below a coplanar speaker configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: DTS, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Slack
  • Publication number: 20210021929
    Abstract: In an audiovisual system, in which video is displayed on a screen that does not permit sound to pass through the screen, such as a light emitting diode panel, a high-frequency speaker positioned above an audience seating area can direct sound toward the screen, so that the screen can reflect the sound toward the audience seating area. The high-frequency speaker can be used with one or more low-frequency speakers positioned at or near the height of the audience seating area. The low-frequency and high-frequency sounds can appear to originate from close to the same height, thereby creating a realistic audio image at the audience seating area. A spectral filter can negate the spectral effects of propagation to and reflection from the screen. Suitable time delays can synchronize the high-frequency sound with the low-frequency sound and with video displayed on the screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventor: Brian Slack
  • Publication number: 20200296504
    Abstract: In an audiovisual system, in which video is displayed on a screen that does not permit sound to pass through the screen, such as a light emitting diode panel, a high-frequency speaker positioned above an audience seating area can direct sound toward the screen, so that the screen can reflect the sound toward the audience seating area. The high-frequency speaker can be used with one or more low-frequency speakers positioned at or near the height of the audience seating area. The low-frequency and high-frequency sounds can appear to originate from close to the same height, thereby creating a realistic audio image at the audience seating area. A spectral filter can negate the spectral effects of propagation to and reflection from the screen. Suitable time delays can synchronize the high-frequency sound with the low-frequency sound and with video displayed on the screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventor: Brian Slack
  • Publication number: 20200196056
    Abstract: The present subject matter provides a technical solution to the technical problems facing sound localization by separating sounds and reproducing the separated sounds using a set of loudspeakers and a set of headphones. A general soundtrack that is meant to be experienced throughout the room would play through the loudspeakers, and specific sounds that are meant to be experienced near the listener would be played through a binaural representation in the headphones. The headphones may be selected to avoid occluding the ear, allowing sound produced at the loudspeakers to be heard clearly. This separation and reproduction of sounds using a combination of a loudspeaker and headphone provides a technical solution to the technical problem facing typical surround sound systems by localizing sounds for listeners in any location within a room. This improves reproduction accuracy of location-specific audio objects, including audio objects above or below a coplanar speaker configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventor: Brian Slack
  • Patent number: 10638218
    Abstract: In an audiovisual system, in which video is displayed on a screen that does not permit sound to pass through the screen, such as a light emitting diode panel, a high-frequency speaker positioned above an audience seating area can direct sound toward the screen, so that the screen can reflect the sound toward the audience seating area. The high-frequency speaker can be used with one or more low-frequency speakers positioned at or near the height of the audience seating area. The low-frequency and high-frequency sounds can appear to originate from close to the same height, thereby creating a realistic audio image at the audience seating area. A spectral filter can negate the spectral effects of propagation to and reflection from the screen. Suitable time delays can synchronize the high-frequency sound with the low-frequency sound and with video displayed on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: DTS, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Slack
  • Publication number: 20200068294
    Abstract: In an audiovisual system, in which video is displayed on a screen that does not permit sound to pass through the screen, such as a light emitting diode panel, a high-frequency speaker positioned above an audience seating area can direct sound toward the screen, so that the screen can reflect the sound toward the audience seating area. The high-frequency speaker can be used with one or more low-frequency speakers positioned at or near the height of the audience seating area. The low-frequency and high-frequency sounds can appear to originate from close to the same height, thereby creating a realistic audio image at the audience seating area. A spectral filter can negate the spectral effects of propagation to and reflection from the screen. Suitable time delays can synchronize the high-frequency sound with the low-frequency sound and with video displayed on the screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventor: Brian Slack
  • Patent number: 10575094
    Abstract: The present subject matter provides a technical solution to the technical problems facing sound localization by separating sounds and reproducing the separated sounds using a set of loudspeakers and a set of headphones. A general soundtrack that is meant to be experienced throughout the room would play through the loudspeakers, and specific sounds that are meant to be experienced near the listener would be played through a binaural representation in the headphones. The headphones may be selected to avoid occluding the ear, allowing sound produced at the loudspeakers to be heard clearly. This separation and reproduction of sounds using a combination of a loudspeaker and headphone provides a technical solution to the technical problem facing typical surround sound systems by localizing sounds for listeners in any location within a room. This improves reproduction accuracy of location-specific audio objects, including audio objects above or below a coplanar speaker configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: DTS, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Slack