Patents by Inventor C. Phillip Brown

C. Phillip Brown 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: 20200359154
    Abstract: A system and method of adjusting an audio output in one location so that its propagation into another location is reduced. As a first device in a first location generates sound, a second device in a second location detects the propagated sound. The first device then adjusts its output based on the detected sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: C. Phillip BROWN, Michael J. SMITHERS, Remi S. AUDFRAY, Patrick David SAUNDERS
  • Publication number: 20200304906
    Abstract: Embodiments for a speaker system that produces a near-field sound pattern for rendering immersive audio content in a portable device. An array of drivers projects sound upwards from a top surface of the portable device to form upward-firing speakers; a set of speakers projects sound downwards from a bottom surface of the portable device to form downward-firing speakers. A decoder/renderer component receives immersive audio content, decodes height audio signals from the content and sends direct audio signals to the downward-firing speakers. A crossover performs a high-pass filter function to pass high frequency components of the decoded height audio signals to the upward-firing speakers and low frequency components of the decoded height audio signals to the downward-firing speakers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Ilker Deniz PELVAN, C. Phillip BROWN
  • Patent number: 10743125
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Brett G. Crockett, Spencer Hooks, Alan Seefeldt, Joshua B. Lando, C. Phillip Brown, Sripal S. Mehta, Stewart Murrie
  • Patent number: 10728692
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt, C. Phillip Brown
  • Patent number: 10595128
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Smithers, Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt, C. Phillip Brown
  • Publication number: 20200084538
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to an upward-firing speaker that reflects 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. The speaker comprises a direct-firing tweeter and an upward-firing full-range driver in a unitary enclosure for playback of front-channel and height-channel signals, respectively. A crossover passes high frequencies of a front-channel signal directly to the tweeter and combines low frequencies of the front-channel signal with the height channel signal to be played through the full-range driver. A virtual height filter is applied to the height channel 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: C. Phillip Brown, Michael J. Smithers
  • Publication number: 20200065055
    Abstract: Embodiments are described for a method of rendering audio for playback through headphones comprising receiving digital audio content, receiving binaural rendering metadata generated by an authoring tool processing the received digital audio content, receiving playback metadata generated by a playback device, and combining the binaural rendering metadata and playback metadata to optimize playback of the digital audio content through the headphones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicolas R. TSINGOS, Rhonda WILSON, Sunil BHARITKAR, C. Phillip BROWN, Alan J. SEEFELDT, Remi AUDFRAY
  • Patent number: 10503461
    Abstract: Embodiments are described for a method of rendering audio for playback through headphones comprising receiving digital audio content, receiving binaural rendering metadata generated by an authoring tool processing the received digital audio content, receiving playback metadata generated by a playback device, and combining the binaural rendering metadata and playback metadata to optimize playback of the digital audio content through the headphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Nicolas R. Tsingos, Rhonda Wilson, Sunil Bharitkar, C. Phillip Brown, Alan J. Seefeldt, Remi Audfray
  • Publication number: 20190349701
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Sripal S MEHTA, Brett G CROCKETT, Spencer HOOKS, Alan SEEFELDT, Christophe CHABANNE, C. Phillip BROWN, Joshua B LANDO, Brad BASLER, Stewart MURRIE
  • Publication number: 20190327575
    Abstract: A system and method of modifying a binaural signal using headtracking information. The system calculates a delay, a first filter response, and a second filter response, and applies these to the left and right components of the binaural signal according to the headtracking information. The system may also apply headtracking to parametric binaural signals. In this manner, headtracking may be applied to pre-rendered binaural audio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: C. Phillip Brown, Joshua Brandon Lando, Mark F. Davis, Alan J. Seefeldt, David Matthew Cooper, Dirk Jeroen Breebaart, Rhonda Wilson
  • Publication number: 20190320283
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brett G. CROCKETT, Alan J. SEEFELDT, C. Phillip BROWN
  • Publication number: 20190289397
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael J. SMITHERS, Brett G. CROCKETT, Alan J. SEEFELDT, C. Phillip BROWN
  • Patent number: 10412523
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Sripal S. Mehta, Brett G. Crockett, S. Spencer Hooks, Alan Seefeldt, Christophe Chabanne, C. Phillip Brown, Joshua B. Lando, Brad Basler, Stewart Murrie
  • Patent number: 10375508
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt, C. Phillip Brown
  • Publication number: 20190205085
    Abstract: Embodiments are described for a method of rendering audio for playback through headphones comprising receiving digital audio content, receiving binaural rendering metadata generated by an authoring tool processing the received digital audio content, receiving playback metadata generated by a playback device, and combining the binaural rendering metadata and playback metadata to optimize playback of the digital audio content through the headphones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicolas R. TSINGOS, Rhonda WILSON, Sunil BHARITKAR, C. Phillip BROWN, Alan J. SEEFELDT, Remi AUDFRAY
  • Patent number: 10313793
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Smithers, Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt, C. Phillip Brown
  • Patent number: 10255027
    Abstract: Embodiments are described for a method of rendering audio for playback through headphones comprising receiving digital audio content, receiving binaural rendering metadata generated by an authoring tool processing the received digital audio content, receiving playback metadata generated by a playback device, and combining the binaural rendering metadata and playback metadata to optimize playback of the digital audio content through the headphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Nicolas R. Tsingos, Rhonda Wilson, Sunil Bharitkar, C. Phillip Brown, Alan J. Seefeldt, Remi Audfray
  • Patent number: 10141003
    Abstract: Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to noise level estimation. A method for noise level estimation is disclosed. The method includes, responsive to an increase of a signal level of a noise signal, calculating an impulsive noise probability of the noise signal, the impulsive noise probability indicating a likelihood that the noise signal is an impulsive noise. The method also includes determining a variable smoothing factor for noise level estimation based on the impulsive noise probability, the variable smoothing factor being associated with a previous estimated level of the noise signal. The method further includes smoothing the noise signal with the variable smoothing factor so as to determine a current estimated level of the noise signal. Corresponding system and computer program products are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Guilin Ma, C. Phillip Brown
  • Patent number: 10142761
    Abstract: A method for creating a head-related impulse response (HRIR) for use in rendering audio for playback through headphones comprises receiving location parameters for a sound including azimuth, elevation, and range relative to a head of a listener, applying a spherical head model to the azimuth, elevation, and range input parameters to generate binaural HRIR values, computing a pinna model using the azimuth and elevation parameters to apply to the binaural HRIR values to pinna modeled HRIR values, computing a torso model using the azimuth and elevation parameters to apply to the pinna modeled HRIR values to generate pinna and torso modeled HRIR values, and computing a near-field model using the azimuth and range parameters to apply to the pinna and torso modeled HRIR values to generate pinna, torso and near-field modeled HRIR values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: C. Phillip Brown, Matthew Fellers, Regunathan Radhakrishnan
  • Patent number: 10096329
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to signal processing. Methods for enhancing intelligibility of speech content in an audio signal are disclosed. One of the methods comprises obtaining reference loudness of the audio signal. The method further comprises enhancing the intelligibility of the speech content by adjusting partial loudness of the audio signal based on the reference loudness and a degree of the intelligibility. Corresponding systems and computer program products are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Guilin Ma, Xiguang Zheng, C. Phillip Brown