Patents by Inventor Jonathan D. Sheaffer

Jonathan D. Sheaffer 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: 12556879
    Abstract: Sound sources can be spatially rendered in a setting and shown through a display. In response to satisfaction of a threshold criterion that is satisfied based on relative distance between the sound sources and a position of a listener, the rendering of the sound sources can be adjusted to maintain spatial integrity of the sound sources. The adjustment can be performed to prevent one of the sound sources from arriving at the listener earlier than another of the sound sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2026
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shai Messingher Lang, Jonathan D. Sheaffer
  • Patent number: 12556878
    Abstract: One or more acoustic parameters of a current acoustic environment of a user may be determined based on sensor signals captured by one or more sensors of the device. One or more preset acoustic parameters may be determined based on the one or more acoustic parameters of the current acoustic environment of the user and an acoustic environment of an audio file comprising audio signals that is determined based on the audio signals of the audio file or metadata of the audio file. The audio signals may be spatially rendered by applying spatial filters that include the one or more preset acoustic parameters to the audio signals, resulting in binaural audio signals. The binaural audio signals may be used to drive speakers of a headset. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2026
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prateek Murgai, John E. Arthur, Joshua D. Atkins, Juha O. Merimaa, Dipanjan Sen, Brandon J. Rice, Alexander Singh Alvarado, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Benjamin Bernard, David E. Romblom
  • Patent number: 12549897
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to providing device-independent audio for electronic devices. In one or more implementations, microphone data captured by multiple microphones at an electronic device may be provided to a device-specific audio generalizer at the electronic device. The device-specific audio generalizer may utilize device specific information to generalize the microphone data to form device-independent audio data. The device-independent audio data may then be provided to a device-independent machine learning model at the electronic device or another electronic device for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2026
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mehrez Souden, Jason Wung, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Joshua D. Atkins, Siyuan Yuan
  • Patent number: 12542124
    Abstract: Microphone signals of a primary headphone are processed and either a first transparency mode of operation is activated or a second transparency mode of operation. In another aspect, a processor enters different configurations in response to estimated ambient acoustic noise being lower or higher than a threshold, wherein in a first configuration a transparency audio signal is adapted via target voice and wearer voice processing (TVWVP) of a microphone signal to boost detected speech frequencies in the transparency audio signal, and in a second configuration the TVWVP is controlled to, as the estimated ambient acoustic noise increases, reduce boosting of, or not boost at all, the detected speech frequencies in the transparency audio signal. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2026
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John Woodruff, Andreas Koutrouvelis, Fatemeh Pishdadian, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Yang Lu, Carlos M. Avendano, Nasim Radmanesh
  • Publication number: 20250287171
    Abstract: In one implementation, a method of visualizing a combined audio pick-up pattern is performed at a first device in a physical environment, the first device including a display, one or more processors, and non-transitory memory. The method includes determining a first audio pick-up pattern of the first device. The method includes determining one or more second audio pick-up patterns of a respective one or more second devices. The method includes determining a combined audio pick-up pattern of the first device and the one or more second devices based on the first audio pick-up pattern and the one or more second audio pick-up patterns. The method includes displaying, on the display, a representation of the combined audio pick-up pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2025
    Publication date: September 11, 2025
    Inventors: Shai Messingher Lang, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Symeon Delikaris Manias
  • Patent number: 12368993
    Abstract: A multi-radius spherical microphone that includes an inner body defining an inner sphere having an inner radius from a center; a plurality of inner microphones coupled to the inner spherical body and defining an array of inner microphones; an outer body defining an dodecahedron, wherein the inner body and the outer body are concentric about the center; and a plurality of outer microphones coupled to the outer body at respective vertices of the dodecahedron and defining an array of outer microphones, wherein each of the plurality of outer microphones is positioned radially equidistant from the center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Abhaya Parthy, Dipanjan Sen, Bonnie W. Tom, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Justin D. Crosby, Symeon Delikaris Manias, Emily A. Wigley
  • Patent number: 12356166
    Abstract: A method performed by a programmed processor, the method including receiving an input noise signal, generating, using a machine learning model that has an input based on the input noise signal, a mono audio signal that includes a sound and a spatial parameter for the mono audio signal, and generating spatial audio data by spatially encoding the mono audio signal according to the spatial parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Yelena V. Menyaylenko
  • Patent number: 12342154
    Abstract: In one implementation, a method of visualizing a combined audio pick-up pattern is performed at a first device in a physical environment, the first device including a display, one or more processors, and non-transitory memory. The method includes determining a first audio pick-up pattern of the first device. The method includes determining one or more second audio pick-up patterns of a respective one or more second devices. The method includes determining a combined audio pick-up pattern of the first device and the one or more second devices based on the first audio pick-up pattern and the one or more second audio pick-up patterns. The method includes displaying, on the display, a representation of the combined audio pick-up pattern. In one implementation, a method of determining an audio emission pattern is performed at a first device at a first location, the first device having a microphone, one or more processors, and non-transitory memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Shai Messingher Lang, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Symeon Delikaris Manias
  • Patent number: 12317057
    Abstract: A method for self-calibrating a sound pickup process that uses a microphone array in a wearable device that also includes a loudspeaker, where the microphone array being in a physical arrangement with respect to the loudspeaker. The method obtains, for each of several microphones of the microphone array, one or more transfer functions that each represent a response of the microphone to sound from a position in an acoustic space. The method determines whether a physical arrangement of the microphone array with respect to the loudspeaker has changed and adjusts the transfer function, for at least one of the microphones of the several microphones, in response to determining that the current physical arrangement of the microphone array with respect to the loudspeaker has changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Daniel K. Boothe, Martin E. Johnson, Neal D. Evans, Nikolas T. Vitt, Christopher T. Eubank, Peter V. Jupin, Symeon Delikaris Manias, Shai Messingher Lang
  • Publication number: 20250157443
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for voice over music recording are provided. A person may sing along with music being output into the physical environment of the person by a loudspeaker. One or more microphones may be used to record both the voice of the person singing, and the music output by the speaker. An electronic device may cancel the portion of the microphone signals containing the music output by the speaker, and remix the voice of the person with digital audio content corresponding to the music.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2024
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Inventors: Mehrez SOUDEN, Aaftab A. MUNSHI, Dogac BASARAN, Jonathan D. HOGG, Jonathan D. SHEAFFER, Joshua D. ATKINS, Matthias MAUCH, Tony S. VERMA, Troy D. SCHULTZ, Vijay SUNDARAM
  • Publication number: 20250133364
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for automatically transitioning between communication modes of wearable audio output devices based solely on acoustic analysis. The audio output devices may operate in one of three electroacoustic modes. In the transparency mode, an audio output device may pass through the speech signal of a nearby user. In the peer-to-peer mode, the audio output device may establish a direct low-latency radio frequency (RF) link to another audio output device. In the telephony mode, the audio output device may communicate with another audio output device using networked telephony. The disclosed methods and systems perform acoustic analysis of the near-field speech signal of a local wearer of the audio output device and the far-field speech signal of a remote talker to determine the best mode for the audio output device to use and to seamlessly transition between the modes as the acoustic environment between the wearers changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2024
    Publication date: April 24, 2025
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Martin E. Johnson, Andrew P. Bright
  • Patent number: 12283289
    Abstract: Processing of ambience and speech can include extracting from audio signals, ambience and speech signals. One or more spatial parameters can be generated that define spatial characteristics of ambience sound in the one or more ambience audio signals. The primary speech signal, the one or more ambience audio signals, and the spatial parameters can be encoded into one or more encoded data streams. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Joshua D. Atkins, Mehrez Souden, Symeon Delikaris Manias, Sean A. Ramprashad
  • Patent number: 12264931
    Abstract: A method for providing navigation assistance using a head-worn device that has a camera, several microphones, and several speakers. The method captures sound in an environment as a plurality of microphone audio signals, captures, using the camera, a scene of the environment as a digital image, and processes the digital image to detect an object therein. The method selects, in response to the detection of the object, one of several navigation audio rendering modes. The several navigation audio rendering modes include a first mode that activates an acoustic transparency function to cause the speakers to reproduce the sound of the environment, a second mode that sonifies the object and activates the acoustic transparency function, and a third mode that sonifies the object, partially activates the acoustic transparency function, and an activates active noise cancellation function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Katherine S. Shigeoka, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Andrew P. Bright
  • Patent number: 12256212
    Abstract: A plurality of microphone signals of a microphone array may be obtained. An environment change may be detected based on the microphone signals. In response, a reverberation time environment may be determined. The reverberation may be used to modify a playback audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Bernard, Prateek Murgai, Juha O. Merimaa, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Soenke Pelzer
  • Publication number: 20250037709
    Abstract: A method for routing audio content through an electronic device that is to be worn by a user. The method obtains a communication and determines whether the communication is private. In response to determining that the communication is private, the method drives a bone conduction transducer of the electronic device with an audio signal associated with the communication. In response to determining that the communication is not private, however, the method drives a speaker of the electronic device with the audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2024
    Publication date: January 30, 2025
    Inventors: Robert D. Silfvast, Neal D. Evans, Nikolas T. Vitt, Jonathan D. Sheaffer
  • Patent number: 12175159
    Abstract: A method performed by a processor of a computer system including a headset that is to be worn on a head of a user. The method drives a speaker of the headset with an input audio signal to output sound into an environment. The method determines that the speaker is at least partially covered with a cupped hand. In response to determining that the speaker is at least partially covered with the cupped hand, applying a gain to the input audio signal to reduce an output sound level of the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nikolas T. Vitt, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Neal D. Evans, Christopher T. Eubank, Jae Hwang Lee
  • Patent number: 12149919
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for automatically transitioning between communication modes of wearable audio output devices based solely on acoustic analysis. The audio output devices may operate in one of three electroacoustic modes. In the transparency mode, an audio output device may pass through the speech signal of a nearby user. In the peer-to-peer mode, the audio output device may establish a direct low-latency radio frequency (RF) link to another audio output device. In the telephony mode, the audio output device may communicate with another audio output device using networked telephony. The disclosed methods and systems perform acoustic analysis of the near-field speech signal of a local wearer of the audio output device and the far-field speech signal of a remote talker to determine the best mode for the audio output device to use and to seamlessly transition between the modes as the acoustic environment between the wearers changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Martin E. Johnson, Andrew P. Bright
  • Publication number: 20240363094
    Abstract: A conversation detector processes microphone signals and other sensor signals of a headphone to declare a conversation and configures a filter block to activate a transparency audio signal. It then declares an end to the conversation based on processing one or more of the microphone signals and the other sensor signals, and in response deactivates the transparency audio signal. The conversation detector monitors an idle duration in which an OVAD and a TVAD are both or simultaneously indicating no activity and declares the end to the conversation in response to the idle duration being longer than an idle threshold. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Ashok Masilamani, Prateek Murgai, John Woodruff, David M. Fischer, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Jonathan Huang, Sorin V. Dusan, Andrew W. Malta, Erik D. Hornberger, Yichi Zhang, Miquel Espi Marques, Carlos M. Avendano
  • Publication number: 20240365040
    Abstract: A conversation detector processes microphone signals and other sensor signals of a headphone to declare a conversation and configures a filter block to activate a transparency audio signal. It then declares an end to the conversation based on processing one or more of the microphone signals and the other sensor signals, and in response deactivates the transparency audio signal. The conversation detector monitors an idle duration in which an OVAD and a TVAD are both or simultaneously indicating no activity and declares the end to the conversation in response to the idle duration being longer than an idle threshold. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Ashok Masilamani, David M. Fischer, John Woodruff, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Sanket S. Dave, Deepak Iyer, Andrew W. Malta, Erik D. Hornberger
  • Patent number: 12089032
    Abstract: Acoustic pickup beams (sound beams) can be formed in a physical environment from a plurality of microphone signals. Each of the sound beams can measure acoustic energy in a direction of the respective sound beam. Directional decay of the acoustic energy measured through each of the sound beams is determined. Room surface acoustic properties of the physical environment are determined based on mapping the directional decay of the acoustic energy to the physical environment. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prateek Murgai, Jonathan D. Sheaffer