Patents by Inventor Bruce C. Po

Bruce C. Po 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).

  • Publication number: 20210385602
    Abstract: A system and method is described for determining whether a loudspeaker device has relocated, tilted, rotated, or changed environment such that one or more parameters for driving the loudspeaker may be modified and/or a complete reconfiguration of the loudspeaker system may be performed. In one embodiment, the system may include a set of sensors. The sensors provide readings that are analyzed to determine 1) whether the loudspeaker has moved since a previous analysis and/or 2) a distance of movement and/or a degree change in orientation of the loudspeaker since the previous analysis. Upon determining the level of movement is below a threshold value, the system adjusts previous parameters used to drive one or more of the loudspeakers. By adjusting previous parameters instead of performing a complete recalibration, the system provides a more efficient technique for ensuring that the loudspeakers continue to produce accurate sound for the listener.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Bruce C. Po, Richard M. Powell, Aram M. Lindahl, Baptiste P. Paquier, Phillip A. Kamp
  • Patent number: 11109173
    Abstract: A system and method is described for determining whether a loudspeaker device has relocated, tilted, rotated, or changed environment such that one or more parameters for driving the loudspeaker may be modified and/or a complete reconfiguration of the loudspeaker system may be performed. In one embodiment, the system may include a set of sensors. The sensors provide readings that are analyzed to determine 1) whether the loudspeaker has moved since a previous analysis and/or 2) a distance of movement and/or a degree change in orientation of the loudspeaker since the previous analysis. Upon determining the level of movement is below a threshold value, the system adjusts previous parameters used to drive one or more of the loudspeakers. By adjusting previous parameters instead of performing a complete recalibration, the system provides a more efficient technique for ensuring that the loudspeakers continue to produce accurate sound for the listener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Bruce C. Po, Richard M. Powell, Aram M. Lindahl, Baptiste P. Paquier, Phillip A. Kamp
  • Publication number: 20200245088
    Abstract: A system and method is described for determining whether a loudspeaker device has relocated, tilted, rotated, or changed environment such that one or more parameters for driving the loudspeaker may be modified and/or a complete reconfiguration of the loudspeaker system may be performed. In one embodiment, the system may include a set of sensors. The sensors provide readings that are analyzed to determine 1) whether the loudspeaker has moved since a previous analysis and/or 2) a distance of movement and/or a degree change in orientation of the loudspeaker since the previous analysis. Upon determining the level of movement is below a threshold value, the system adjusts previous parameters used to drive one or more of the loudspeakers. By adjusting previous parameters instead of performing a complete recalibration, the system provides a more efficient technique for ensuring that the loudspeakers continue to produce accurate sound for the listener.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Bruce C. Po, Richard M. Powell, Aram M. Lindahl, Baptiste P. Paquier, Phillip A. Kamp
  • Patent number: 10567901
    Abstract: A system and method is described for determining whether a loudspeaker device has relocated, tilted, rotated, or changed environment such that one or more parameters for driving the loudspeaker may be modified and/or a complete reconfiguration of the loudspeaker system may be performed. In one embodiment, the system may include a set of sensors. The sensors provide readings that are analyzed to determine 1) whether the loudspeaker has moved since a previous analysis and/or 2) a distance of movement and/or a degree change in orientation of the loudspeaker since the previous analysis. Upon determining the level of movement is below a threshold value, the system adjusts previous parameters used to drive one or more of the loudspeakers. By adjusting previous parameters instead of performing a complete recalibration, the system provides a more efficient technique for ensuring that the loudspeakers continue to produce accurate sound for the listener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Bruce C. Po, Richard M. Powell, Aram M. Lindahl, Baptiste P. Paquier, Phillip A. Kamp
  • Publication number: 20180090150
    Abstract: Ambience extraction from a multichannel input signal is provided. The multichannel input signal is converted into a time-frequency representation. A cross-correlation coefficient is computed for each time and frequency in the time-frequency representation of the multichannel input signal. An autocorrelation is computed for each time and frequency in the time-frequency representation of the multichannel input signal. Using the cross-correlation coefficient and the autocorrelation, ambience extraction coefficients including crosstalk and same-side coefficients are computed as a function of a tuning parameter, the crosstalk coefficients being proportional to the tuning parameter and the tuning parameter being between a value of 0 and a value of 1. The ambience extraction coefficients are applied to extract a left ambience component and a right ambience component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Juha O. Merimaa, Bruce C. Po, Adam E. Kriegel
  • Patent number: 9928842
    Abstract: Ambience extraction from a multichannel input signal is provided. The multichannel input signal is converted into a time-frequency representation. A cross-correlation coefficient is computed for each time and frequency in the time-frequency representation of the multichannel input signal. An autocorrelation is computed for each time and frequency in the time-frequency representation of the multichannel input signal. Using the cross-correlation coefficient and the autocorrelation, ambience extraction coefficients including crosstalk and same-side coefficients are computed as a function of a tuning parameter, the crosstalk coefficients being proportional to the tuning parameter and the tuning parameter being between a value of 0 and a value of 1. The ambience extraction coefficients are applied to extract a left ambience component and a right ambience component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Juha O. Merimaa, Bruce C. Po, Adam E. Kriegel
  • Publication number: 20170280265
    Abstract: A system and method is described for determining whether a loudspeaker device has relocated, tilted, rotated, or changed environment such that one or more parameters for driving the loudspeaker may be modified and/or a complete reconfiguration of the loudspeaker system may be performed. In one embodiment, the system may include a set of sensors. The sensors provide readings that are analyzed to determine 1) whether the loudspeaker has moved since a previous analysis and/or 2) a distance of movement and/or a degree change in orientation of the loudspeaker since the previous analysis. Upon determining the level of movement is below a threshold value, the system adjusts previous parameters used to drive one or more of the loudspeakers. By adjusting previous parameters instead of performing a complete recalibration, the system provides a more efficient technique for ensuring that the loudspeakers continue to produce accurate sound for the listener.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventor: Bruce C. Po
  • Patent number: 9607602
    Abstract: An anti-noise signal is produced in accordance with an active noise cancellation process (ANC), at an input of a speaker so as to control how much background noise a user can hear. Strength of the anti-noise signal is adjusted gradually, rather than abruptly, in proportion to decreasing or increasing sound pressure level (SPL) of the background noise, during inactivation or activation of the ANC process. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce C. Po, Vladan Bajic
  • Patent number: 9161151
    Abstract: A vehicle audio system that includes a source of audio signals, which may include both entertainment audio signals and announcement audio signals, speakers for radiating audio signals, and spatial enhancement circuitry comprising circuitry to avoid applying spatial enhancement processing to the announcement audio signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Davis Y. Pan, Shiufun Cheung, Darby Edward Hadley, Ryo Maiguma, Takao Nakayma, Bruce C. Po, Katsumi Tomida, Petr Vicherek, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Ronald A. Fowler
  • Patent number: 9058801
    Abstract: A system for managing the changing state of an adaptive filter in an active noise control (ANC) system is described. An adaptive filter state storage stores copies of prior states of the adaptive filter. A disturbance detector can detect either normal ambient noise or abnormal ambient noise. An adaptive filter state manager signals that a copy of a current state of the adaptive filter is to be repeatedly written to the state storage, so long as normal ambient noise is being detected. But when abnormal noise is detected, the state manager signals that the adaptive filter be restored to one of its prior states, from the copies stored in the state storage. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce C. Po, Guy C. Nicholson
  • Publication number: 20150071453
    Abstract: An anti-noise signal is produced in accordance with an active noise cancellation process (ANC), at an input of a speaker so as to control how much background noise a user can hear. Strength of the anti-noise signal is adjusted gradually, rather than abruptly, in proportion to decreasing or increasing sound pressure level (SPL) of the background noise, during inactivation or activation of the ANC process. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Bruce C. Po, Vladan Bajic
  • Patent number: 8744091
    Abstract: A communications device is configured to control the intelligibility of speech in a downlink voice signal during a call. The device determines a current noise level based on sampling ambient acoustic noise and based on a previously determined noise level. The device then determines an overall output gain and a frequency response based on the current noise level and based on a user-selected volume setting of the device. The device modifies the downlink voice signal during the call in accordance with the determined overall output gain and the determined frequency response. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shaohai Chen, Guy C. Nicholson, Bruce C. Po
  • Publication number: 20140072134
    Abstract: A system for managing the changing state of an adaptive filter in an active noise control (ANC) system is described. An adaptive filter state storage stores copies of prior states of the adaptive filter. A disturbance detector can detect either normal ambient noise or abnormal ambient noise. An adaptive filter state manager signals that a copy of a current state of the adaptive filter is to be repeatedly written to the state storage, so long as normal ambient noise is being detected. But when abnormal noise is detected, the state manager signals that the adaptive filter be restored to one of its prior states, from the copies stored in the state storage. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce C. Po, Guy C. Nicholson
  • Publication number: 20120230534
    Abstract: A vehicle audio system that includes a source of audio signals, which may include both entertainment audio signals and announcement audio signals, speakers for radiating audio signals, and spatial enhancement circuitry comprising circuitry to avoid applying spatial enhancement processing to the announcement audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Davis Y. Pan, Shiufun Cheung, Darby Edward Hadley, Ryo Maiguma, Takao Nakayma, Bruce C. Po, Katsumi Tomida, Petr Vicherek, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Ronald A. Fowler
  • Publication number: 20120121096
    Abstract: A communications device is configured to control the intelligibility of speech in a downlink voice signal during a call. The device determines a current noise level based on sampling ambient acoustic noise and based on a previously determined noise level. The device then determines an overall output gain and a frequency response based on the current noise level and based on a user-selected volume setting of the device. The device modifies the downlink voice signal during the call in accordance with the determined overall output gain and the determined frequency response. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shaohai Chen, Guy C. Nicholson, Bruce C. Po
  • Publication number: 20090060208
    Abstract: A vehicle audio system that includes a source of audio signals, which may include both entertainment audio signals and announcement audio signals, speakers for radiating audio signals, and spatial enhancement circuitry comprising circuitry to avoid applying spatial enhancement processing to the announcement audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Davis Y. Pan, Shiufun Cheung, Darby Edward Hadley, Ryo Maiguma, Takao Nakayama, Bruce C. Po, Katsumi Tomida, Petr Vicherek, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Ronald A. Fowler