Patents by Inventor Hilmar Lehnert
Hilmar Lehnert 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: 9547298Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to learn and share remote commands are disclosed. An example method to configure a playback device to be controlled by a remote control includes receiving by the playback device a first code for a first command from the remote control. The example method includes identifying by the playback device a second code for a second command based on the received first code. The example method includes receiving by the playback device the second code from the remote control. The example method includes executing the second command by the playback device.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2012Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Simon Jarvis, Hilmar Lehnert, Aurelio Rafael Ramos
-
Patent number: 9538305Abstract: Examples described herein involve identifying one or more error conditions during calibration of one or more playback devices in a playback environment. A microphone of a network device may detect and sample an audio signal while the one or more playback devices in the playback environment plays a calibration tone. A processor of the network device may then receive, from the microphone, a stream of audio data. The audio data may include an audio signal component and a background noise component. As a subset of the audio data is received, the processor may identify based on at least the subset of audio data, the one or more error conditions. The processor may then cause a graphical display to display a graphical representation associated with the identified error condition.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2015Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Hilmar Lehnert, Timothy Sheen, Dayn Wilberding
-
Patent number: 9516440Abstract: A multi-channel and multi-zone audio environment is provided. Various inventions are disclosed that allow playback devices on one or more networks to provide an effective multi-channel and a multi-zone audio environment using timing information. According to one example, timing information is used to coordinate playback devices connected over a low-latency network to provide audio along with a video display. In another example, timing information is used to coordinate playback devices connected over a mesh network to provide audio in one or more zones or zone groups.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2012Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: SonosInventors: Simon Jarvis, Hilmar Lehnert, Aurelio Rafael Ramos, Luis Vega
-
Publication number: 20160353605Abstract: Embodiments are provided for cooling one or more components of a playback device using speaker vibrations that result from playback of inaudible audio. Movement of air molecules arising from the speaker vibrations may disperse heat away from the one or more components of a playback device. In an example implementation, a playback device detects that playback of audible audio content via at least one speaker has stopped, and in response to the detection, plays inaudible audio content to cause the at least one speaker to vibrate thereby inducing air movement within the playback device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2016Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Jonathon Reilly, Hilmar Lehnert
-
Patent number: 9451724Abstract: Embodiments are provided for cooling one or more components of a playback device using speaker vibrations that result from inaudible audio. Movement of air molecules arising from the speaker vibrations may disperse heat away from the one or more components of a playback device. In an example implementation, while playing audible audio content via the at least one speaker, a playback device may receive input data indicating an instruction to stop playback of the audible audio content. The playback device may determine that playback of the audible audio content has stopped and based on that determination, play inaudible audio content to cause the at least one speaker to vibrate thereby inducing air movement within the playback device.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2016Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Jonathon Reilly, Hilmar Lehnert
-
Patent number: 9426574Abstract: A method for automatically switching an audio source includes the steps of receiving an audio signal from a video display device, and receiving a digital audio signal from one of a plurality of audio/video source devices which each can supply audio and video information to the video display device. The digital audio signal is compared with the audio signal from the video display device. The digital audio signal is output to a supplemental audio system of the video display device when the comparing step indicates that the digital audio signal and the audio signal from the video display device contain substantially similar audio programs.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2010Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: Bose CorporationInventors: Frank Croghan, Hilmar Lehnert, Daniel M. Morton, Pelham Norville, Klaus Hartung, Wade P. Torres
-
Publication number: 20160212531Abstract: An automated process for equalizing an audio system and an apparatus for implementing the process. An audio system includes a microphone unit, for receiving the sound waves radiated from a plurality of speakers, acoustic measuring circuitry, for calculating frequency response measurements; a memory, for storing characteristic data of the loudspeaker units and further for storing the frequency response measurements; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating an equalization pattern responsive to the digital data and responsive to the characteristic data of the plurality of loudspeaker units. Also described is an automated equalizing system including a acoustic measuring circuitry including a microphone for measuring frequency response at a plurality of locations; a memory, for storing the frequency responses at the plurality of locations; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating, from the frequency responses, an optimized equalization pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2016Publication date: July 21, 2016Applicant: Bose CorporationInventors: William M. Rabinowitz, Hilmar Lehnert, Keith D. Martin, Richard Saffran, Abhijit Kulkarni, Finn A. Arnold
-
Publication number: 20160198275Abstract: An automated process for equalizing an audio system and an apparatus for implementing the process. An audio system includes a microphone unit, for receiving the sound waves radiated from a plurality of speakers, acoustic measuring circuitry, for calculating frequency response measurements; a memory, for storing characteristic data of the loudspeaker units and further for storing the frequency response measurements; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating an equalization pattern responsive to the digital data and responsive to the characteristic data of the plurality of loudspeaker units. Also described is an automated equalizing system including a acoustic measuring circuitry including a microphone for measuring frequency response at a plurality of locations; a memory, for storing the frequency responses at the plurality of locations; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating, from the frequency responses, an optimized equalization pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2016Publication date: July 7, 2016Applicant: Bose CorporationInventors: William M. Rabinowitz, Hilmar Lehnert, Keith D. Martin, Richard Saffran, Abhijit Kulkarni, Finn A. Arnold
-
Publication number: 20160192537Abstract: Embodiments are provided for cooling one or more components of a playback device using speaker vibrations that result from inaudible audio. Movement of air molecules arising from the speaker vibrations may disperse heat away from the one or more components of a playback device. In an example implementation, while playing audible audio content via the at least one speaker, a playback device may receive input data indicating an instruction to stop playback of the audible audio content. The playback device may determine that playback of the audible audio content has stopped and based on that determination, play inaudible audio content to cause the at least one speaker to vibrate thereby inducing air movement within the playback device.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2016Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: Jonathon Reilly, Hilmar Lehnert
-
Publication number: 20160192100Abstract: An automated process for equalizing an audio system and an apparatus for implementing the process. An audio system includes a microphone unit, for receiving the sound waves radiated from a plurality of speakers, acoustic measuring circuitry, for calculating frequency response measurements; a memory, for storing characteristic data of the loudspeaker units and further for storing the frequency response measurements; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating an equalization pattern responsive to the digital data and responsive to the characteristic data of the plurality of loudspeaker units. Also described is an automated equalizing system including a acoustic measuring circuitry including a microphone for measuring frequency response at a plurality of locations; a memory, for storing the frequency responses at the plurality of locations; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating, from the frequency responses, an optimized equalization pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2016Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: William M. Rabinowitz, Hilmar Lehnert, Keith D. Martin, Richard Saffran, Abhijit Kulkarni, Finn Arnold
-
Publication number: 20160173984Abstract: An automated process for equalizing an audio system and an apparatus for implementing the process. An audio system includes a microphone unit, for receiving the sound waves radiated from a plurality of speakers, acoustic measuring circuitry, for calculating frequency response measurements; a memory, for storing characteristic data of the loudspeaker units and further for storing the frequency response measurements; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating an equalization pattern responsive to the digital data and responsive to the characteristic data of the plurality of loudspeaker units. Also described is an automated equalizing system including a acoustic measuring circuitry including a microphone for measuring frequency response at a plurality of locations; a memory, for storing the frequency responses at the plurality of locations; and equalization calculation circuitry, for calculating, from the frequency responses, an optimized equalization pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2016Publication date: June 16, 2016Inventors: William M. Rabinowitz, Hilmar Lehnert, Keith D. Martin, Richard Saffran, Abhijit Kulkarni, Finn Arnold
-
Publication number: 20160157016Abstract: An example method is performed by a media playback system comprising a plurality of audio drivers having a first radiation pattern. The method includes receiving data representing audio content, where each datum of the data indicates (i) a frequency and (ii) an amplitude corresponding to the frequency. The method further includes, for each audio driver of the plurality of audio drivers, determining a transfer function; processing each datum of the data based on (i) the frequency indicated by the given datum and (ii) the determined transfer function; and providing, to the given audio driver, a respective signal representing the data processed for the given audio driver, thereby causing the plurality of audio drivers to play back the audio content according to a second radiation pattern that is different from the first radiation pattern. An example media playback system and an example non-transitory computer-readable medium related to the example method is also disclosed herein.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2014Publication date: June 2, 2016Inventors: Mike Chamness, Aurelio Rafael Ramos, Timothy Sheen, Hilmar Lehnert
-
Patent number: 9354677Abstract: Embodiments are provided for cooling one or more components of a playback device using speaker vibrations that result from inaudible audio. Movement of air molecules arising from the speaker vibrations may disperse heat away from the one or more components of a playback device. The playback device may include a thermal sensor to determine the temperature on or around one or more components. If the playback device is no longer playing audible audio and temperature on or around one or more components rises above a first predetermined threshold, the playback device may play inaudible audio. Playback of inaudible audio may result in movement of air molecules and the dispersion of heat away from the one or more components. Playback of the inaudible audio may stop if the playback device begins playing audible audio or if the temperature on or around one or more components drops below a second predetermined threshold.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2013Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Jonathon Reilly, Hilmar Lehnert
-
Publication number: 20160014537Abstract: Examples described herein involve identifying one or more error conditions during calibration of one or more playback devices in a playback environment. A microphone of a network device may detect and sample an audio signal while the one or more playback devices in the playback environment plays a calibration tone. A processor of the network device may then receive, from the microphone, a stream of audio data. The audio data may include an audio signal component and a background noise component. As a subset of the audio data is received, the processor may identify based on at least the subset of audio data, the one or more error conditions. The processor may then cause a graphical display to display a graphical representation associated with the identified error condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2015Publication date: January 14, 2016Inventors: Hilmar Lehnert, Timothy Sheen, Dayn Wilberding
-
Publication number: 20150085441Abstract: Embodiments are provided for cooling one or more components of a playback device using speaker vibrations that result from inaudible audio. Movement of air molecules arising from the speaker vibrations may disperse heat away from the one or more components of a playback device. The playback device may include a thermal sensor to determine the temperature on or around one or more components. If the playback device is no longer playing audible audio and temperature on or around one or more components rises above a first predetermined threshold, the playback device may play inaudible audio. Playback of inaudible audio may result in movement of air molecules and the dispersion of heat away from the one or more components. Playback of the inaudible audio may stop if the playback device begins playing audible audio or if the temperature on or around one or more components drops below a second predetermined threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2013Publication date: March 26, 2015Applicant: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Jonathon Reilly, Hilmar Lehnert
-
Patent number: D721059Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2012Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventor: Hilmar Lehnert
-
Patent number: D721352Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2012Date of Patent: January 20, 2015Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Mieko Kusano, Wai-Loong Lim, Hilmar Lehnert, Ong Kok Aun, Koh Eng Giap
-
Patent number: D746258Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2014Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventor: Hilmar Lehnert
-
Patent number: D759629Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2014Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Mieko Kusano, Wai-Loong Lim, Hilmar Lehnert, Ong Kok Aun, Koh Eng Giap
-
Patent number: D768602Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2015Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Stefan Reichert, Mieko Kusano, Roland Bird, Roger Swales, Niels van Hoof, Lukasz Natkaniec, Dana Krieger, Tadeo T. Toulis, Mike Chamness, Hilmar Lehnert, Wilfred Wei, Wei Hean Liew