Patents by Inventor Eric J. Freeman

Eric J. Freeman 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: 20260136153
    Abstract: Techniques and devices are described for generating modified audio signals. The techniques include receiving an audio signal at a device, tracking a movement of the device, generating a first modified audio signal to spatialize the audio signal, generating a second modified audio signal to spatialize the audio signal, causing the first modified audio signal to be rendered using a first speaker of the device, and causing the second modified audio signal to be rendered using a second speaker of the device. In some cases, the first modified audio signal is generated using a first head-related transfer function (HRTF) and the movement of the device, and the second modified audio signal is generated using a second HRTF and the movement of the device, where the second HRTF is different from the first HRTF. Numerous variations and configurations will be apparent in view of this disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2026
    Publication date: May 14, 2026
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, David Avi Dick, Wade P. Torres, Daniel R. Tengelsen, Eric Raczka Bernstein
  • Patent number: 12549920
    Abstract: Techniques and devices are described for generating modified audio signals. The techniques include receiving an audio signal at a device, tracking a movement of the device, generating a first modified audio signal to spatialize the audio signal, generating a second modified audio signal to spatialize the audio signal, causing the first modified audio signal to be rendered using a first speaker of the device, and causing the second modified audio signal to be rendered using a second speaker of the device. In some cases, the first modified audio signal is generated using a first head-related transfer function (HRTF) and the movement of the device, and the second modified audio signal is generated using a second HRTF and the movement of the device, where the second HRTF is different from the first HRTF. Numerous variations and configurations will be apparent in view of this disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2026
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, David Avi Dick, Wade P. Torres, Daniel R. Tengelsen, Eric Raczka Bernstein
  • Publication number: 20240147183
    Abstract: Techniques and devices are described for generating modified audio signals. The techniques include receiving an audio signal at a device, tracking a movement of the device, generating a first modified audio signal to spatialize the audio signal, generating a second modified audio signal to spatialize the audio signal, causing the first modified audio signal to be rendered using a first speaker of the device, and causing the second modified audio signal to be rendered using a second speaker of the device. In some cases, the first modified audio signal is generated using a first head-related transfer function (HRTF) and the movement of the device, and the second modified audio signal is generated using a second HRTF and the movement of the device, where the second HRTF is different from the first HRTF. Numerous variations and configurations will be apparent in view of this disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, David Avi Dick, Wade P. Torres, Daniel R. Tengelsen, Eric Raczka Bernstein
  • Patent number: 11871209
    Abstract: An audio system, method, and computer program product which includes a wearable audio device and a peripheral device. Each device is capable of determining its respective absolute or relative position and orientation. Once the relative positions and orientations between the devices are known, virtual sound sources are generated at fixed positions and orientations relative to the peripheral device such that any change in position and/or orientation of the peripheral device produces a proportional change in the position and/or orientation of the virtual sound sources. Additionally, first order and second order reflected audio paths may be simulated for each virtual sound source to increase the realism of the simulated sources. Each sound path can be produced by modifying the original audio signal using head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) to simulate audio as though it were perceived by the user's left and right ears as coming from each virtual sound source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, David Avi Dick, Wade P. Torres, Daniel R. Tengelsen, Eric Raczka Bernstein
  • Publication number: 20220232341
    Abstract: An audio system, method, and computer program product which includes a wearable audio device and a peripheral device. Each device is capable of determining its respective absolute or relative position and orientation. Once the relative positions and orientations between the devices are known, virtual sound sources are generated at fixed positions and orientations relative to the peripheral device such that any change in position and/or orientation of the peripheral device produces a proportional change in the position and/or orientation of the virtual sound sources. Additionally, first order and second order reflected audio paths may be simulated for each virtual sound source to increase the realism of the simulated sources. Each sound path can be produced by modifying the original audio signal using head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) to simulate audio as though it were perceived by the user's left and right ears as coming from each virtual sound source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, David Avi Dick, Wade P. Torres, Daniel R. Tengelsen, Eric Raczka Bernstein
  • Patent number: 11388536
    Abstract: An audio device includes a casing configured for operation in a first orientation and a second orientation different from the first orientation, an orientation input device disposed on the casing to detect an orientation of the casing relative to the direction of the force of gravity, and a plurality of acoustic drivers disposed on the casing and operable to form a plurality of acoustic interference arrays, each of which is associated with one of a plurality of audio channels. The acoustic drivers of the audio device operate in a first frequency range and modify at least one of the acoustic interference arrays in response to a change in the orientation detected by the orientation input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, John Joyce
  • Patent number: 11356795
    Abstract: An audio system, method, and computer program product which includes a wearable audio device and a mobile peripheral device. Each device is capable of determining its respective absolute or relative position and orientation. Once the relative positions and orientations between the devices are known, virtual sound sources are generated at fixed positions and orientations relative to the peripheral device such that any change in position and/or orientation of the peripheral device produces a proportional change in the position and/or orientation of the virtual sound sources. Additionally, first order and second order reflected audio paths may be simulated for each virtual sound source to increase the realism of the simulated sources. Each sound path can be produced by modifying the original audio signal using head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) to simulate audio as though it were perceived by the user's left and right ears as coming from each virtual sound source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, David Avi Dick, Wade P. Torres, Daniel R. Tengelsen, Eric Raczka Bernstein
  • Publication number: 20220122630
    Abstract: An audio system and method for generating improved augmented hearing effects in real-time. The system includes a wearable audio device arranged to obtain audio that includes a voice signal associated with a user and an environmental signal associated with other audio picked up by the wearable audio device that does not includes the user's voice. In some implementations, at least one processor of the wearable audio device is configured to isolate the voice signal from the environmental signal such that augmented hearing effects can be applied to the voice signal and/or the environmental signal, independently. In some implementations, augmented hearing effects are designated by a signal augmentation profile generated or stored in the wearable audio device such that the total time between receipt of the audio signal and the modifications and/or transformations to the respective audio signals does not exceed 100 ms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2022
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Francois Laberge, Charles Stein, Colin Cowles, Felix Izarra, Daniel Sisolak, Eric J. Freeman, Aric J. Wax
  • Patent number: 11297457
    Abstract: An audio system, method, and computer program product which includes a wearable audio device and a mobile peripheral device. Each device is capable of determining its respective absolute or relative position and orientation. Once the relative positions and orientations between the devices are known, virtual sound sources are generated at fixed positions and orientations relative to the peripheral device such that any change in position and/or orientation of the peripheral device produces a proportional change in the position and/or orientation of the virtual sound sources. Additionally, first order and second order reflected audio paths may be simulated for each virtual sound source to increase the realism of the simulated sources. Each sound path can be produced by modifying the original audio signal using head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) to simulate audio as though it were perceived by the user's left and right ears as coming from each virtual sound source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, David Avi Dick, Wade P. Torres, Daniel R. Tengelsen, Eric Raczka Bernstein
  • Patent number: 11217268
    Abstract: An audio system and method for generating improved augmented hearing effects in real-time. The system includes a wearable audio device arranged to obtain audio that includes a voice signal associated with a user and an environmental signal associated with other audio picked up by the wearable audio device that does not includes the user's voice. In some implementations, at least one processor of the wearable audio device is configured to isolate the voice signal from the environmental signal such that augmented hearing effects can be applied to the voice signal and/or the environmental signal, independently. In some implementations, augmented hearing effects are designated by a signal augmentation profile generated or stored in the wearable audio device such that the total time between receipt of the audio signal and the modifications and/or transformations to the respective audio signals does not exceed 100 ms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Francois Laberge, Charles Stein, Colin Cowles, Felix Izarra, Daniel Sisolak, Eric J. Freeman, Aric J. Wax
  • Publication number: 20210400417
    Abstract: An audio system, method, and computer program product which includes a wearable audio device and a mobile peripheral device. Each device is capable of determining its respective absolute or relative position and orientation. Once the relative positions and orientations between the devices are known, virtual sound sources are generated at fixed positions and orientations relative to the peripheral device such that any change in position and/or orientation of the peripheral device produces a proportional change in the position and/or orientation of the virtual sound sources. Additionally, first order and second order reflected audio paths may be simulated for each virtual sound source to increase the realism of the simulated sources. Each sound path can be produced by modifying the original audio signal using head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) to simulate audio as though it were perceived by the user's left and right ears as coming from each virtual sound source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, David Avi Dick, Wade P. Torres, Daniel R. Tengelsen, Eric Raczka Bernstein
  • Publication number: 20210134321
    Abstract: An audio system and method for generating improved augmented hearing effects in real-time. The system includes a wearable audio device arranged to obtain audio that includes a voice signal associated with a user and an environmental signal associated with other audio picked up by the wearable audio device that does not includes the user's voice. In some implementations, at least one processor of the wearable audio device is configured to isolate the voice signal from the environmental signal such that augmented hearing effects can be applied to the voice signal and/or the environmental signal, independently. In some implementations, augmented hearing effects are designated by a signal augmentation profile generated or stored in the wearable audio device such that the total time between receipt of the audio signal and the modifications and/or transformations to the respective audio signals does not exceed 100 ms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Francois Laberge, Charles Stein, Colin Cowles, Felix Izarra, Daniel Sisolak, Eric J. Freeman, Aric J. Wax
  • Patent number: 10720173
    Abstract: Audio systems and methods are provided that receive a playback signal and produce an acoustic signal based upon the playback signal, and include microphone signal(s) for capturing and processing user voice signals. An echo reference signal is based upon the playback signal, and an echo canceler reduces echo components from the microphone signal(s). Functionality of the echo canceler is modified, such as by freezing an adaptive filter, in response to a non-linear condition in the audio playback, or a likelihood of such a non-linear condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, Joseph Gaalaas
  • Patent number: 10521512
    Abstract: A method of operating a situationally aware speaker associated with a virtual personal assistant (VPA) service provider that comprises receiving an indication of at least one parameter of an environment proximate the situationally aware speaker, and delivering the response to the vocal query to the user formatted as speech through an audio output of the situationally aware speaker, at least one audio parameter of the response set based on the indication of the at least one parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jamie Alders, Zukui Song, Shiufun Cheung, Eric J. Freeman
  • Publication number: 20190384821
    Abstract: A method of operating a situationally aware speaker associated with a virtual personal assistant (VPA) service provider that comprises receiving an indication of at least one parameter of an environment proximate the situationally aware speaker, and delivering the response to the vocal query to the user formatted as speech through an audio output of the situationally aware speaker, at least one audio parameter of the response set based on the indication of the at least one parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Jamie Alders, Zukui Song, Shiufun Cheung, Eric J. Freeman
  • Publication number: 20190259408
    Abstract: Audio systems and methods are provided that receive a playback signal and produce an acoustic signal based upon the playback signal, and include microphone signal(s) for capturing and processing user voice signals. An echo reference signal is based upon the playback signal, and an echo canceler reduces echo components from the microphone signal(s). Functionality of the echo canceler is modified, such as by freezing an adaptive filter, in response to a non-linear condition in the audio playback, or a likelihood of such a non-linear condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, Joseph Gaalaas
  • Publication number: 20190215635
    Abstract: An audio device includes a casing configured for operation in a first orientation and a second orientation different from the first orientation, an orientation input device disposed on the casing to detect an orientation of the casing relative to the direction of the force of gravity, and a plurality of acoustic drivers disposed on the casing and operable to form a plurality of acoustic interference arrays, each of which is associated with one of a plurality of audio channels. The acoustic drivers of the audio device operate in a first frequency range and modify at least one of the acoustic interference arrays in response to a change in the orientation detected by the orientation input device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, John Joyce
  • Patent number: 10264384
    Abstract: An audio device includes a casing configured for operation in a first orientation and a second orientation different from the first orientation, an orientation input device disposed on the casing to detect an orientation of the casing relative to the direction of the force of gravity, and a plurality of acoustic drivers disposed on the casing and operable to form a plurality of acoustic interference arrays, each of which is associated with one of a plurality of audio channels. The acoustic drivers of the audio device operate in a first frequency range and modify at least one of the acoustic interference arrays in response to a change in the orientation detected by the orientation input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, John Joyce
  • Publication number: 20180341643
    Abstract: A method of operating a situationally aware speaker associated with a virtual personal assistant (VPA) service provider that comprises receiving an indication of at least one parameter of an environment proximate the situationally aware speaker, and delivering the response to the vocal query to the user formatted as speech through an audio output of the situationally aware speaker, at least one audio parameter of the response set based on the indication of the at least one parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Jamie Alders, Zukui Song, Shiufun Cheung, Eric J. Freeman
  • Patent number: 9736612
    Abstract: An audio device includes a casing configured for operation in a first orientation and a second orientation different from the first orientation, an orientation input device disposed on the casing to detect an orientation of the casing relative to the direction of the force of gravity, and a plurality of acoustic drivers disposed on the casing and operable to form a plurality of acoustic interference arrays, each of which is associated with one of a plurality of audio channels. The acoustic drivers of the audio device operate in a first frequency range and modify at least one of the acoustic interference arrays in response to a change in the orientation detected by the orientation input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Freeman, John Joyce