Patents by Inventor Chad G. Seguin

Chad G. Seguin 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: 10108612
    Abstract: A mobile electronic device has a touch sensitive screen and an accelerometer. A translator is to translate a word or phrase that is in a first human language and that is entered via a first virtual keyboard displayed on the touch sensitive screen, into a second human language. A translator is to cause the touch sensitive screen to display the translated word or phrase and a second virtual keyboard having characters in the second human language, in response to the accelerometer detecting a change in the physical orientation of the device or movement of the device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Lee, Justin Gregg, Chad G. Seguin
  • Patent number: 9614486
    Abstract: A gain control system is responsive to a user gain setting and to an effective signal level to calculate and adaptively vary an output gain to avoid output clipping. The effective signal level is calculated by smoothing the energy of an input audio signal in accordance with selected attenuation factors. In times during which fast transient sounds are occurring, attenuation factors corresponding to relatively low levels of attenuation are selected. In times during which fast transient sounds are not detected, attenuation factors corresponding to relatively higher levels of attenuation are selected. The effective signal level is held at a constant level during periods of silence in order to avoid increasing the output gain during these periods. The output gain is calculated based on a comparison of the effective signal level to a compression threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Yang, Philip Ryan Hilmes, Colin McEnroe, Chad G Seguin
  • Publication number: 20170060853
    Abstract: A mobile electronic device has a touch sensitive screen and an accelerometer. A translator is to translate a word or phrase that is in a first human language and that is entered via a first virtual keyboard displayed on the touch sensitive screen, into a second human language. A translator is to cause the touch sensitive screen to display the translated word or phrase and a second virtual keyboard having characters in the second human language, in response to the accelerometer detecting a change in the physical orientation of the device or movement of the device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Michael M. LEE, Justin GREGG, Chad G. SEGUIN
  • Patent number: 9535906
    Abstract: A mobile electronic device has a touch sensitive screen and an accelerometer. A translator is to translate a word or phrase that is in a first human language and that is entered via a first virtual keyboard displayed on the touch sensitive screen, into a second human language. A translator is to cause the touch sensitive screen to display the translated word or phrase and a second virtual keyboard having characters in the second human language, in response to the accelerometer detecting a change in the physical orientation of the device or movement of the device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Lee, Justin Gregg, Chad G. Seguin
  • Patent number: 9456298
    Abstract: During an ongoing wireless telephone call communication session between a pair of mobile devices, a local device responds to its user's activation of a virtual or actual button or key, or its user's verbal command, by automatically sending an over the air message (e.g., a SMS or text message or other network communication message) to the remote device. The message requests location information of the remote device. Upon obtaining location information from the remote device, a location of the remote device is automatically displayed on the local device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Lee, Justin Gregg, Chad G. Seguin
  • Publication number: 20150309997
    Abstract: A mobile electronic device has a touch sensitive screen and an accelerometer. A translator is to translate a word or phrase that is in a first human language and that is entered via a first virtual keyboard displayed on the touch sensitive screen, into a second human language. A translator is to cause the touch sensitive screen to display the translated word or phrase and a second virtual keyboard having characters in the second human language, in response to the accelerometer detecting a change in the physical orientation of the device or movement of the device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Michael M. LEE, Justin GREGG, Chad G. SEGUIN
  • Patent number: 8917577
    Abstract: A mobile communications device contains at least two microphones. One microphone is located away from the handset receiver and serves to pick up voice of a near end user of the device for transmission to the other party during a call. Another microphone is located near the handset receiver and serves to pick up acoustic output of the handset receiver (a far end signal). A signal processor measures the frequency response of the receiver. The signal processor performs spectral analysis of the receiver frequency response to determine whether or not the device is being held at the ear of the user. On that basis, the device automatically changes its operating mode, e.g., turns on or off a touch sensitive display screen during the call. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shaohai Chen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Jae Lee, Chad G. Seguin, Benjamin J. Pope
  • Patent number: 8855707
    Abstract: A portable handheld electronic device contains a camera lens and accelerometer to allow a user to control voicemail and call features by swiping his finger across the camera lens and/or tapping the device. Therefore, the user can comfortably input commands into the device with a single hand and without needing to move the phone away from his ear to apply these inputs. In another embodiment, the camera lens can also be used to control navigation of the display screen or a displayed document of the device. For example, if a user wishes to shift a scrollbar for a page displayed on the screen downwards to view the bottom of the page, the user should move his finger over the camera lens in an analogous downward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chad G. Seguin, Justin Gregg, Michael M. Lee
  • Patent number: 8837257
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide a computer-implemented method for generating a modulated acoustic carrier signal for wireless transmission from a speaker of a transmit device to a microphone of a receive device. Aspects of the exemplary embodiments include converting a message to binary data; modulating one or more selected frequencies for one or more acoustic carrier signals based on the binary data to generate one or more modulated acoustic carrier signals; filtering the one or more modulated acoustic carrier signals to remove any unintended audible harmonics created during modulation, including; equalizing the modulated acoustic carrier signal to pre-compensate for known degradations that will occur further along a signal path; setting a level of the modulated acoustic carrier signal for the intended application; and storing the modulated acoustic carrier signal in a buffer for subsequent output and transmission by the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Verifone Systems, Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard S. Surprenant, Chad G. Seguin, Brett L. Paulson
  • Patent number: 8781820
    Abstract: An uplink or downlink audio processor contains a multi band compressor that receives an input, uplink or downlink, audio signal. The multi-band compressor has a band splitter that splits the input audio signal into a number of different band signals. Each band signal is input to a respective compressor block, which is independently programmable so that its audio frequency response (a) differs from a linear response in at least two non-overlapping windows of its input signal, and (b) differs from the frequency response of another one of the compressor blocks. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Chad G. Seguin
  • Publication number: 20130295906
    Abstract: A mobile communications device contains at least two microphones. One microphone is located away from the handset receiver and serves to pick up voice of a near end user of the device for transmission to the other party during a call. Another microphone is located near the handset receiver and serves to pick up acoustic output of the handset receiver (a far end signal). A signal processor measures the frequency response of the receiver. The signal processor performs spectral analysis of the receiver frequency response to determine whether or not the device is being held at the ear of the user. On that basis, the device automatically changes its operating mode, e.g., turns on or off a touch sensitive display screen during the call. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Shaohai Chen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Jae Lee, Chad G. Seguin, Benjamin J. Pope
  • Patent number: 8515470
    Abstract: A source mobile telephone detects that a telephone number of the telephone has changed to a new number, and in response, sends a text or short message service (SMS) notice message to contacts identified in the mobile telephone to indicate that the source mobile telephone has a new telephone number. In response to receiving the text or SMS notice message, a contact telephony device may update its contact list to reflect the new number. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip George Tamchina, Michael M. Lee, Chad G. Seguin
  • Patent number: 8498677
    Abstract: A mobile phone has a mobile phone housing in which are integrated an actuator and a telephone module. The actuator can vibrate the housing to give a haptic or tactile alert to the user. The actuator is to vibrate in accordance with an input signal. The telephone module activates the input signal during the making of an outgoing call to a destination phone, so that the housing vibrates to alert the user while the destination phone is ringing. In another embodiment, the telephone module signals a display screen integrated in the housing, to show a graphic indicative of the outgoing call. In addition, the telephone module activates the input signal for the backlight of the display screen during the making of the outgoing call, so that the backlight flashes the display screen while the destination phone is ringing. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Lee, Chad G. Seguin, Cyril Labidi
  • Patent number: 8488411
    Abstract: A mobile communications device contains at least two microphones. One microphone is located away from the handset receiver and serves to pick up voice of a near end user of the device for transmission to the other party during a call. Another microphone is located near the handset receiver and serves to pick up acoustic output of the handset receiver (a far end signal). A signal processor measures the frequency response of the receiver. The signal processor performs spectral analysis of the receiver frequency response to determine whether or not the device is being held at the ear of the user. On that basis, the device automatically changes its operating mode, e.g., turns on or off a touch sensitive display screen during the call. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shaohai Chen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Jae Lee, Chad G. Seguin, Benjamin John Pope
  • Patent number: 8358787
    Abstract: A portable handheld test fixture has an acoustic port, e.g. a speaker port, a microphone, and/or an earpiece/receiver port. Once the media device has been installed onto the test fixture, the port becomes acoustically coupled to a respective acoustic aperture of the media device that is associated with a speaker, a microphone, or an earpiece/receiver as the case may be. A sound test tool, e.g. a reference sound source and/or a sound pressure level, SPL, meter, has an input or output sound port that can be removably coupled to the acoustic port of the test fixture. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Lee, Chad G. Seguin, Bob Burrough, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Cyril Labidi, Daniel Farrell, Justin Gregg, Tony Aghazarian, Tang Yew Tan, Christian Paez
  • Patent number: 8351979
    Abstract: A portable handheld electronic device contains a camera lens and accelerometer to allow a user to control voicemail and call features by swiping his finger across the camera lens and/or tapping the device. Therefore, the user can comfortably input commands into the device with a single hand and without needing to move the phone away from his ear to apply these inputs. In another embodiment, the camera lens can also be used to control navigation of the display screen or a displayed document of the device. For example, if a user wishes to shift a scrollbar for a page displayed on the screen downwards to view the bottom of the page, the user should move his finger over the camera lens in an analogous downward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chad G. Seguin, Justin Gregg, Michael M. Lee
  • Publication number: 20120309362
    Abstract: A mobile phone has a mobile phone housing in which are integrated an actuator and a telephone module. The actuator can vibrate the housing to give a haptic or tactile alert to the user. The actuator is to vibrate in accordance with an input signal. The telephone module activates the input signal during the making of an outgoing call to a destination phone, so that the housing vibrates to alert the user while the destination phone is ringing. In another embodiment, the telephone module signals a display screen integrated in the housing, to show a graphic indicative of the outgoing call. In addition, the telephone module activates the input signal for the backlight of the display screen during the making of the outgoing call, so that the backlight flashes the display screen while the destination phone is ringing. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Michael M. Lee, Chad G. Seguin, Cyril Labidi
  • Patent number: 8290537
    Abstract: A portable telephony device has a mobile phone housing. Integrated in the housing are memory to store a telephony module, an earphone type detect module, a headphone port, and a processor. The headphone port may be a wired headset jack to receive a mating wired headset plug, or it may be a communications subsystem that makes a wireless connection with a wireless headset. The earphone type detect module, when executed by the processor, is to determine what type of earphone or headset is connected to the headphone port. The telephony module when executed by the processor is to adjust a sidetone function of the device as a function of the determined type of earphone, and apply sidetone in accordance with said adjusted sidetone function. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Lee, Justin Gregg, Chad G. Seguin
  • Publication number: 20120231778
    Abstract: A mobile communications device contains at least two microphones. One microphone is located away from the handset receiver and serves to pick up voice of a near end user of the device for transmission to the other party during a call. Another microphone is located near the handset receiver and serves to pick up acoustic output of the handset receiver (a far end signal). A signal processor measures the frequency response of the receiver. The signal processor performs spectral analysis of the receiver frequency response to determine whether or not the device is being held at the ear of the user. On that basis, the device automatically changes its operating mode, e.g., turns on or off a touch sensitive display screen during the call. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shaohai Chen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Jae Lee, Chad G. Seguin, Benjamin John Pope
  • Patent number: 8265708
    Abstract: A mobile phone has a mobile phone housing in which are integrated an actuator and a telephone module. The actuator can vibrate the housing to give a haptic or tactile alert to the user. The actuator is to vibrate in accordance with an input signal. The telephone module activates the input signal during the making of an outgoing call to a destination phone, so that the housing vibrates to alert the user while the destination phone is ringing. In another embodiment, the telephone module signals a display screen integrated in the housing, to show a graphic indicative of the outgoing call. In addition, the telephone module activates the input signal for the backlight of the display screen during the making of the outgoing call, so that the backlight flashes the display screen while the destination phone is ringing. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Lee, Chad G. Seguin, Cyril Labidi