Patents by Inventor Jeffrey HUTCHINGS

Jeffrey HUTCHINGS 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: 10582288
    Abstract: One or more embodiments set forth an audio processing system for a personal listening device that includes a set of microphones, a noise reduction module, an audio ducker, and a mixer. The set of microphones is configured to receive a first set of audio signals from an environment. The noise reduction module is configured to detect when a signal of interest is present in the first plurality of audio signals, and, upon detecting a signal of interest, transmit a ducking control signal. The audio ducker is configured to receive the ducking control signal, and receive a second plurality of audio signals via a playback device. The audio ducker is further configured to reduce an amplitude of a second plurality of audio signals relative to the signal of interest based on the ducking control signal. The mixer combines the first plurality of audio signals and second plurality of audio signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: James M. Kirsch, Jeffrey Hutchings
  • Patent number: 10555069
    Abstract: In an audio system, an audio signal is preprocessed to provide an input signal to a fast detector and a slow detector, the input signal comprising alert signals and ambient sounds. The slow detector determines the ambient sound level of the input signal which is output to an alert signal detector. The alert signal detector uses the ambient sound level to compute an adaptive threshold level using an adaptive threshold function. The fast detector determines the envelope level of the input signal which is output to the alert signal detector. The alert signal detector compares the envelope level to the adaptive threshold level to determine if an alert signal is present in the input signal. The adaptive threshold level varies depending on the ambient sound level of the input signal and the alert signal detection of the audio system automatically adapts to changing acoustic environments having different ambient sound levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ajay Iyer, Jeffrey Hutchings, Richard Allen Kreifeldt
  • Patent number: 10015593
    Abstract: Digital filters for processing an input audio signal for extending the audio capabilities and reducing distortion of a loudspeaker. Such extension may include a general sound pressure level (SPL) extension or a more targeted low frequency (LF) extension. This may be accomplished by modifying an original frequency response of the loudspeaker to achieve a particular extension, and applying a digital linear filter based on the modified frequency response to the audio signal. A nonlinear digital filter may also be applied to the audio signal reduce nonlinear distortions of the loudspeaker. The nonlinear digital filter may be based on an inverse of an electro-mechanical model of the loudspeaker. In this manner, a loudspeaker may be driven close to its maximum theoretical power capability without increasing distortion in the loudspeaker output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: University of Utah
    Inventors: Ajay Iyer, Jeffrey Hutchings, Richard Allen Kreifeldt, V. John Mathews, Shreyas Srikanth Payal
  • Publication number: 20180160211
    Abstract: One or more embodiments set forth an audio processing system for a personal listening device that includes a set of microphones, a noise reduction module, an audio ducker, and a mixer. The set of microphones is configured to receive a first set of audio signals from an environment. The noise reduction module is configured to detect when a signal of interest is present in the first plurality of audio signals, and, upon detecting a signal of interest, transmit a ducking control signal. The audio ducker is configured to receive the ducking control signal, and receive a second plurality of audio signals via a playback device. The audio ducker is further configured to reduce an amplitude of a second plurality of audio signals relative to the signal of interest based on the ducking control signal. The mixer combines the first plurality of audio signals and second plurality of audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: James M. KIRSCH, Jeffrey HUTCHINGS
  • Publication number: 20180014112
    Abstract: In an audio system, an audio signal is preprocessed to provide an input signal to a fast detector and a slow detector, the input signal comprising alert signals and ambient sounds. The slow detector determines the ambient sound level of the input signal which is output to an alert signal detector. The alert signal detector uses the ambient sound level to compute an adaptive threshold level using an adaptive threshold function. The fast detector determines the envelope level of the input signal which is output to the alert signal detector. The alert signal detector compares the envelope level to the adaptive threshold level to determine if an alert signal is present in the input signal. The adaptive threshold level varies depending on the ambient sound level of the input signal and the alert signal detection of the audio system automatically adapts to changing acoustic environments having different ambient sound levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Ajay Iyer, Jeffrey Hutchings, Richard Allen Kreifeldt
  • Patent number: 9848262
    Abstract: A corrector is configured to transform audio signals to compensate for unwanted distortion characteristics of a loudspeaker. A tuning filter is configured to transform audio signals to incorporate desired distortion characteristics associated with a target loudspeaker. By chaining together the tuning filter and the corrector, an audio signal can be modified so that the loudspeaker, when outputting the audio signal, has response characteristics of the target loudspeaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ajay Iyer, Jeffrey Hutchings, Richard Allen Kreifeldt
  • Publication number: 20170280241
    Abstract: A corrector is configured to transform audio signals to compensate for unwanted distortion characteristics of a loudspeaker. A tuning filter is configured to transform audio signals to incorporate desired distortion characteristics associated with a target loudspeaker. By chaining together the tuning filter and the corrector, an audio signal can be modified so that the loudspeaker, when outputting the audio signal, has response characteristics of the target loudspeaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Ajay Iyer, Jeffrey Hutchings, Richard Allen Kreifeldt
  • Patent number: 9749733
    Abstract: In an audio system, an audio signal is preprocessed to provide an input signal to a fast detector and a slow detector, the input signal comprising alert signals and ambient sounds. The slow detector determines the ambient sound level of the input signal which is output to an alert signal detector. The alert signal detector uses the ambient sound level to compute an adaptive threshold level using an adaptive threshold function. The fast detector determines the envelope level of the input signal which is output to the alert signal detector. The alert signal detector compares the envelope level to the adaptive threshold level to determine if an alert signal is present in the input signal. The adaptive threshold level varies depending on the ambient sound level of the input signal and the alert signal detection of the audio system automatically adapts to changing acoustic environments having different ambient sound levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: HARMAN INTENATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ajay Iyer, Jeffrey Hutchings, Richard Allen Kreifeldt
  • Publication number: 20150249889
    Abstract: Digital filters for processing an input audio signal for extending the audio capabilities and reducing distortion of a loudspeaker. Such extension may include a general sound pressure level (SPL) extension or a more targeted low frequency (LF) extension. This may be accomplished by modifying an original frequency response of the loudspeaker to achieve a particular extension, and applying a digital linear filter based on the modified frequency response to the audio signal. A nonlinear digital filter may also be applied to the audio signal reduce nonlinear distortions of the loudspeaker. The nonlinear digital filter may be based on an inverse of an electro-mechanical model of the loudspeaker. In this manner, a loudspeaker may be driven close to its maximum theoretical power capability without increasing distortion in the loudspeaker output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventors: Ajay IYER, Jeffrey HUTCHINGS, Richard Allen KREIFELDT, V. John MATHEWS, Shreyas Srikanth PAYAL