Patents by Inventor Chris Forrester

Chris Forrester 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: 9432756
    Abstract: The disclosure recites a feedback system and method for adjusting output sounds generated by a communication device. The feedback system comprises: a transducer; a microphone; and an enclosure for the communication device defining a first location for the placement of the transducer, a second location for the placement of the microphone adjacent to the transducer, a first port connecting the first location to a cavity located on a top side of the enclosure, a second port connecting the second location to the cavity. For the system, the first port connects to the cavity beside the second port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Chris Forrester, Larry Edward Hawker
  • Patent number: 9432762
    Abstract: A system and method to perform signal processing using a loudspeaker output are described. The system includes an enclosure configured to define a back cavity of the loudspeaker and components to obtain a representation of the loudspeaker acoustic output at the back cavity. The system also includes a processor to process the representation to perform the signal processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Andre John Van Schyndel, Chris Forrester, Sylvain Angrignon
  • Patent number: 9426569
    Abstract: The bandwidth of a codec is compared with a determined bandwidth of the output signal produced by the codec. If the bandwidths match, then an audio profile of the apparatus is set to correspond to the established bandwidths and a corresponding icon is rendered on a display of the apparatus. If the signal bandwidth is narrower, than the codec bandwidth, then the audio profile of the apparatus is set to a narrower audio profile and a corresponding icon is rendered on the display of the apparatus. The bandwidth of the signal processed by the codec may be determined in several different ways and the narrower audio profile includes reduced bandwidth, reduced gain, or reduced dynamic range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Chris Forrester
  • Patent number: 9182853
    Abstract: A function of an electronic device is selected by detecting a resonant frequency generated by a tapping on a selection region of a device housing. The function of the device is selected based on the detected resonant frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Dietmar Frank Wennemer, Peter Mankowski, Wael Jendli, Timothy Kyowski, Chris Forrester
  • Patent number: 9148725
    Abstract: Techniques for use in improving audio quality with use of an acoustic leak compensation (ALC) system in a mobile device are described. The mobile device includes a receiver and a microphone which is acoustically coupled to the receiver. A change in a signal power of signals received at the microphone is detected. In response to the detecting, a probe signal is enabled, and a frequency response between the receiver and the microphone is estimated using the probe signal as an input. Filter coefficients of a filter are calculated based on the estimated frequency response, and the calculated filter coefficients are applied to the filter. The filter type may be selected from a plurality of filter types based on an estimated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the microphone signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Malay Gupta, Adam Sean Love, Brady Nicholas Laska, Chris Forrester, Sean Bartholomew Simmons
  • Patent number: 9131041
    Abstract: Audio input may be received at one or more microphones of a mobile device. Based on the audio input, a change in an acoustic environment of the device, such as a change in a direction of arrival of the audio input or a degradation in a quality of acoustic echo cancellation being performed upon the audio input, may be detected. A determination may be made that the detected change coincides with a non-acoustic physical event detected using an auxiliary sensor at the mobile device. The event may for example be device motion, a new proximate object, a change in a proximity of an object, a new heat source or a change in a heat level from a known heat source. Based on the determining, a signal processor, possibly comprising an audio beamformer or echo canceller, may be recalibrated, e.g. the audio beamformer or echo canceller may be caused to reconverge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Brady Nicholas Laska, Chris Forrester, Malay Gupta, Sylvain Angrignon, Michael Tetelbaum, James David Gordy
  • Patent number: 9083782
    Abstract: A telephonic device having a speakerphone function has a loudspeaker and a plurality of microphones. The plurality of microphones are coupled to a plurality of beamformers which produce a first beamform having a spatial null in the direction of the loudspeaker and a second beamform having a spatial null in the direction of near-end signals. The two beamforms are then processed to facilitate echo reduction. By comparing the beamform powers, a state of double-talk can be determined and the determination can be used to enhance echo reduction associated with speakerphone functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Tetelbaum, James David Gordy, Brady Nicholas Laska, Chris Forrester, Malay Gupta, Sylvain Angrignon
  • Publication number: 20150156580
    Abstract: A system and method to perform signal processing using a loudspeaker output are described. The system includes an enclosure configured to define a back cavity of the loudspeaker and components to obtain a representation of the loudspeaker acoustic output at the back cavity. The system also includes a processor to process the representation to perform the signal processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Andre John Van Schyndel, Chris Forrester, Sylvain Angrignon
  • Publication number: 20150062090
    Abstract: A function of an electronic device is selected by detecting a resonant frequency generated by a tapping on a selection region of a device housing. The function of the device is selected based on the detected resonant frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Dietmar Frank Wennemar, Peter Mankowski, Wael Jendli, Timothy Kyowski, Chris Forrester
  • Publication number: 20140235173
    Abstract: Techniques for use in improving audio quality with use of an acoustic leak compensation (ALC) system in a mobile device are described. The mobile device includes a receiver and a microphone which is acoustically coupled to the receiver. A change in a signal power of signals received at the microphone is detected. In response to the detecting, a probe signal is enabled, and a frequency response between the receiver and the microphone is estimated using the probe signal as an input. Filter coefficients of a filter are calculated based on the estimated frequency response, and the calculated filter coefficients are applied to the filter. The filter type may be selected from a plurality of filter types based on an estimated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the microphone signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Malay Gupta, Adam Sean Love, Brady Nicholas Laska, Chris Forrester, Sean Bartholomew Simmons
  • Patent number: 8473011
    Abstract: A user is allowed to select an acoustic equalizer setting from among a plurality of predetermined acoustic equalizer settings. Upon receiving an indication of a selection of a given acoustic equalizer setting, a handheld telephony device processes voice call downlink audio, based on the given acoustic equalizer setting and drives an audio output device with the processed audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion
    Inventors: Sean Bartholomew Simmons, Chris Forrester, Craig Eric Ranta, Magnus Hansson