Patents by Inventor Clarence S.H. Chu

Clarence S.H. Chu 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: 9437213
    Abstract: Implementations include systems, methods and/or devices operable to enhance the intelligibility of a target speech signal by targeted voice model based processing of a noisy audible signal. In some implementations, an amplitude-independent voice proximity function voice model is used to attenuate signal components of a noisy audible signal that are unlikely to be associated with the target speech signal and/or accentuate the target speech signal. In some implementations, the target speech signal is identified as a near-field signal, which is detected by identifying a prominent train of glottal pulses in the noisy audible signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Malaspina Labs (Barbados) Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Zakarauskas, Alexander Escott, Clarence S. H. Chu, Shawn E. Stevenson
  • Patent number: 9384759
    Abstract: Implementations include systems, methods and/or devices operable to detect voice activity in an audible signal by detecting glottal pulses. The dominant frequency of a series of glottal pulses is perceived as the intonation pattern or melody of natural speech, which is also referred to as the pitch. However, as noted above, spoken communication typically occurs in the presence of noise and/or other interference. In turn, the undulation of voiced speech is masked in some portions of the frequency spectrum associated with human speech by the noise and/or other interference. In some implementations, detection of voice activity is facilitated by dividing the frequency spectrum associated with human speech into multiple sub-bands in order to identify glottal pulses that dominate the noise and/or other inference in particular sub-bands. Additionally and/or alternatively, in some implementations the analysis is furthered to provide a pitch estimate of the detected voice activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Malaspina Labs (Barbados) Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Zakarauskas, Alexander Escott, Clarence S. H. Chu, Shawn E. Stevenson
  • Patent number: 9240190
    Abstract: Implementations of systems, method and devices described herein enable enhancing the intelligibility of a target voice signal included in a noisy audible signal received by a hearing aid device or the like. In particular, in some implementations, systems, methods and devices are operable to generate a machine readable formant based codebook. In some implementations, the method includes determining whether or not a candidate codebook tuple includes a sufficient amount of new information to warrant either adding the candidate codebook tuple to the codebook or using at least a portion of the candidate codebook tuple to update an existing codebook tuple. Additionally and/or alternatively, in some implementations systems, methods and devices are operable to reconstruct a target voice signal by detecting formants in an audible signal, using the detected formants to select codebook tuples, and using the formant information in the selected codebook tuples to reconstruct the target voice signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Malaspina Labs (Barbados) Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Zakarauskas, Alexander Escott, Clarence S. H. Chu, Shawn E. Stevenson
  • Patent number: 9241223
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein include directional filtering of audible signals, which is provided to enable acoustic isolation and localization of a target voice source. Without limitation, various implementations are suitable for speech signal processing applications in, hearing aids, speech recognition software, voice-command responsive software and devices, telephony, and various other applications associated with mobile and non-mobile systems and devices. In particular, some implementations include systems, methods and/or devices operable to emphasize at least some of the time-frequency components of an audible signal that originate from a target direction and source, and/or deemphasizing at least some of the time-frequency components that originate from one or more other directions or sources. In some implementations, directional filtering includes applying a gain function to audible signal data received from multiple audio sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Malaspina Labs (Barbados) Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence S. H. Chu, Alireza Kenarsari Anhari, Alexander Escott, Shawn E. Stevenson, Pierre Zakarauskas
  • Publication number: 20150222996
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein include directional filtering of audible signals, which is provided to enable acoustic isolation and localization of a target voice source. Without limitation, various implementations are suitable for speech signal processing applications in, hearing aids, speech recognition software, voice-command responsive software and devices, telephony, and various other applications associated with mobile and non-mobile systems and devices. In particular, some implementations include systems, methods and/or devices operable to emphasize at least some of the time-frequency components of an audible signal that originate from a target direction and source, and/or deemphasizing at least some of the time-frequency components that originate from one or more other directions or sources. In some implementations, directional filtering includes applying a gain function to audible signal data received from multiple audio sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: Malaspina Labs (Barbados), Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence S.H. Chu, Alireza Kenarsari Anhari, Alexander Escott, Shawn E. Stevenson, Pierre Zakarauskas
  • Publication number: 20150187365
    Abstract: Implementations of systems, method and devices described herein enable enhancing the intelligibility of a target voice signal included in a noisy audible signal received by a hearing aid device or the like. In particular, in some implementations, systems, methods and devices are operable to generate a machine readable formant based codebook. In some implementations, the method includes determining whether or not a candidate codebook tuple includes a sufficient amount of new information to warrant either adding the candidate codebook tuple to the codebook or using at least a portion of the candidate codebook tuple to update an existing codebook tuple. Additionally and/or alternatively, in some implementations systems, methods and devices are operable to reconstruct a target voice signal by detecting formants in an audible signal, using the detected formants to select codebook tuples, and using the formant information in the selected codebook tuples to reconstruct the target voice signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Pierre Zakarauskas, Alexander Escott, Clarence S.H. Chu, Shawn E. Stevenson
  • Patent number: 9020818
    Abstract: Implementations of systems, method and devices described herein enable enhancing the intelligibility of a target voice signal included in a noisy audible signal received by a hearing aid device or the like. In particular, in some implementations, systems, methods and devices are operable to generate a machine readable formant based codebook. In some implementations, the method includes determining whether or not a candidate codebook tuple includes a sufficient amount of new information to warrant either adding the candidate codebook tuple to the codebook or using at least a portion of the candidate codebook tuple to update an existing codebook tuple. Additionally and/or alternatively, in some implementations systems, methods and devices are operable to reconstruct a target voice signal by detecting formants in an audible signal, using the detected formants to select codebook tuples, and using the formant information in the selected codebook tuples to reconstruct the target voice signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Malaspina Labs (Barbados) Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Zakarauskas, Alexander Escott, Clarence S. H. Chu, Shawn E. Stevenson
  • Patent number: 9015044
    Abstract: Implementations of systems, method and devices described herein enable enhancing the intelligibility of a target voice signal included in a noisy audible signal received by a hearing aid device or the like. In particular, in some implementations, systems, methods and devices are operable to generate a machine readable formant based codebook. In some implementations, the method includes determining whether or not a candidate codebook tuple includes a sufficient amount of new information to warrant either adding the candidate codebook tuple to the codebook or using at least a portion of the candidate codebook tuple to update an existing codebook tuple. Additionally and/or alternatively, in some implementations systems, methods and devices are operable to reconstruct a target voice signal by detecting formants in an audible signal, using the detected formants to select codebook tuples, and using the formant information in the selected codebook tuples to reconstruct the target voice signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Malaspina Labs (Barbados) Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Zakarauskas, Alexander Escott, Clarence S. H. Chu, Shawn E. Stevenson
  • Publication number: 20130231927
    Abstract: Implementations of systems, method and devices described herein enable enhancing the intelligibility of a target voice signal included in a noisy audible signal received by a hearing aid device or the like. In particular, in some implementations, systems, methods and devices are operable to generate a machine readable formant based codebook. In some implementations, the method includes determining whether or not a candidate codebook tuple includes a sufficient amount of new information to warrant either adding the candidate codebook tuple to the codebook or using at least a portion of the candidate codebook tuple to update an existing codebook tuple. Additionally and/or alternatively, in some implementations systems, methods and devices are operable to reconstruct a target voice signal by detecting formants in an audible signal, using the detected formants to select codebook tuples, and using the formant information in the selected codebook tuples to reconstruct the target voice signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Inventors: PIERRE ZAKARAUSKAS, ALEXANDER ESCOTT, CLARENCE S.H. CHU, SHAWN E. STEVENSON
  • Publication number: 20130231924
    Abstract: Implementations of systems, method and devices described herein enable enhancing the intelligibility of a target voice signal included in a noisy audible signal received by a hearing aid device or the like. In particular, in some implementations, systems, methods and devices are operable to generate a machine readable formant based codebook. In some implementations, the method includes determining whether or not a candidate codebook tuple includes a sufficient amount of new information to warrant either adding the candidate codebook tuple to the codebook or using at least a portion of the candidate codebook tuple to update an existing codebook tuple. Additionally and/or alternatively, in some implementations systems, methods and devices are operable to reconstruct a target voice signal by detecting formants in an audible signal, using the detected formants to select codebook tuples, and using the formant information in the selected codebook tuples to reconstruct the target voice signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Inventors: Pierre Zakarauskas, Alexander Escott, Clarence S.H. Chu, Shawn E. Stevenson
  • Publication number: 20130231932
    Abstract: Implementations include systems, methods and/or devices operable to detect voice activity in an audible signal by detecting glottal pulses. The dominant frequency of a series of glottal pulses is perceived as the intonation pattern or melody of natural speech, which is also referred to as the pitch. However, as noted above, spoken communication typically occurs in the presence of noise and/or other interference. In turn, the undulation of voiced speech is masked in some portions of the frequency spectrum associated with human speech by the noise and/or other interference. In some implementations, detection of voice activity is facilitated by dividing the frequency spectrum associated with human speech into multiple sub-bands in order to identify glottal pulses that dominate the noise and/or other inference in particular sub-bands. Additionally and/or alternatively, in some implementations the analysis is furthered to provide a pitch estimate of the detected voice activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Inventors: Pierre Zakarauskas, Alexander Escott, Clarence S.H. Chu, Shawn E. Stevenson
  • Publication number: 20130231923
    Abstract: Implementations include systems, methods and/or devices operable to enhance the intelligibility of a target speech signal by targeted voice model based processing of a noisy audible signal. In some implementations, an amplitude-independent voice proximity function voice model is used to attenuate signal components of a noisy audible signal that are unlikely to be associated with the target speech signal and/or accentuate the target speech signal. In some implementations, the target speech signal is identified as a near-field signal, which is detected by identifying a prominent train of glottal pulses in the noisy audible signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Inventors: Pierre Zakarauskas, Alexander Escott, Clarence S.H. Chu, Shawn E. Stevenson