Patents by Inventor Klaus Hartung
Klaus Hartung 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).
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Publication number: 20240080636Abstract: Example techniques may involve calibration with multiple recording devices. An implementation may include a mobile device receiving data indicating that a calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated in a venue. The mobile device displays a prompt to include the first mobile device in the calibration sequence for the multiple playback devices and a particular selectable control that, when selected, includes the first mobile device in the calibration sequence. During the calibration sequence, the mobile device records calibration audio as played back by the multiple playback devices and transmits data representing the recorded calibration audio to a computing device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2023Publication date: March 7, 2024Inventor: Klaus Hartung
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Patent number: 11899519Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices with reduced power consumption in network microphone devices. In one embodiment, a network microphone device is configured to perform a method that includes (i) capturing audio content; (ii) using a first algorithm to perform a keyword detection process for determining whether the audio content includes a keyword; (iii) responsive to determining that the audio content includes the keyword, using a second, more computationally intensive algorithm to perform a wake-word detection process for determining whether the audio content includes a wake word; and (iv) responsive to performing the wake-word detection process, (a) causing a voice service corresponding to the wake word to process the audio content if the wake-word detection process confirms that the audio content includes the wake word or (b) ceasing performance of the wake-word detection process if the wake-word detection process disconfirms that the audio content includes the wake word.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2018Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Nick D'Amato, Daniele Giacobello, Joachim Fainberg, Klaus Hartung
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Patent number: 11889276Abstract: An audio playback device comprises a microphone, a speaker, and a processor. The processor is arranged to output by the speaker first audio content and receive by the microphone an indication of the first audio content. A first acoustic response of a room in which the audio playback device is located is determined based on the received indication of first audio content. A mapping is applied to the first acoustic response to determine a second acoustic response. The second acoustic response is indicative of an approximated acoustic response of the room at a spatial location different from a spatial location of the microphone. The second audio content output by the speaker is adjusted based on the second response.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Patrick McPherson, Shao-Fu Shih, Klaus Hartung
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Publication number: 20230410812Abstract: Systems and methods for media playback via a media playback system include capturing sound data via a network microphone device and identifying a candidate wake word in the sound data. Based on identification of the candidate wake word in the sound data, the system selects a first wake-word engine from a plurality of wake-word engines. Via the first wake-word engine, the system analyzes the sound data to detect a confirmed wake word, and, in response to detecting the confirmed wake word, transmits a voice utterance of the sound data to one or more remote computing devices associated with a voice assistant service.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2023Publication date: December 21, 2023Inventors: Joachim Fainberg, Daniele Giacobello, Klaus Hartung
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Publication number: 20230388729Abstract: An example computing device is configured to perform functions including receiving calibration data corresponding respectively to a plurality of playback devices, where each playback device in the plurality of playback devices is located in a respective playback environment other than a first playback environment. The functions also include receiving playback device characteristic data respectively indicating at least one playback device characteristic for each playback device of the plurality of playback devices. The functions also include, based on at least the calibration data and the playback device characteristic data, determining updated playback device configuration information and transmitting data indicating the updated playback device configuration information to a given playback device located in the first environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventors: Simon Jarvis, Klaus Hartung, Chris Davies, Tim Sheen
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Publication number: 20230379644Abstract: Example techniques relate to voice interaction in an environment with a media playback system that is playing back audio content. In an example implementation, while playing back first audio in a given environment at a given loudness: a playback device (a) detects that an event is anticipated in the given environment, the event involving playback of second audio and (b) determines a loudness of background noise in the given environment, the background noise comprising ambient noise in the given environment. The playback device ducks the first audio in proportion to a difference between the given loudness of the first audio and the determined loudness of the background noise and plays back the ducked first audio concurrently with the second audio.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2023Publication date: November 23, 2023Inventors: Klaus Hartung, Romi Kadri
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Patent number: 11818553Abstract: Example techniques may involve multiple calibrations for a playback device. In an example implementation, a playback device plays back audio content according to a first calibration via the one or more audio amplifiers. The playback device detects that an arrangement of one or more listeners relative to the first playback device has changed from a first arrangement to a second arrangement. Based on detection that the arrangement of one or more listeners relative to the first playback device has changed from the first arrangement to the second arrangement, the playback device applies a second calibration to playback by the first playback device.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2022Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Klaus Hartung, Dayn Wilberding
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Patent number: 11817083Abstract: A first playback device is configured to perform functions comprising: detecting sound, identifying a wake word based on the sound as detected by the first device, receiving an indication that a second playback device has also detected the sound and identified the wake word based on the sound as detected by the second device, after receiving the indication, evaluating which of the first and second devices is to extract sound data representing the sound and thereby determining that the extraction of the sound data is to be performed by the second device over the first device, in response to the determining, foregoing extraction of the sound data, receiving VAS response data that is indicative of a given VAS response corresponding to a given voice input identified in the sound data extracted by the second device, and based on the VAS response data, output the given VAS response.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2022Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: John Tolomei, Klaus Hartung
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Patent number: 11800306Abstract: Example techniques may involve calibration with multiple recording devices. An implementation may include a mobile device receiving data indicating that a calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated in a venue. The mobile device displays a prompt to include the first mobile device in the calibration sequence for the multiple playback devices and a particular selectable control that, when selected, includes the first mobile device in the calibration sequence. During the calibration sequence, the mobile device records calibration audio as played back by the multiple playback devices and transmits data representing the recorded calibration audio to a computing device.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2022Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventor: Klaus Hartung
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Patent number: 11790911Abstract: Systems and methods for media playback via a media playback system include capturing sound data via a network microphone device and identifying a candidate wake word in the sound data. Based on identification of the candidate wake word in the sound data, the system selects a first wake-word engine from a plurality of wake-word engines. Via the first wake-word engine, the system analyzes the sound data to detect a confirmed wake word, and, in response to detecting the confirmed wake word, transmits a voice utterance of the sound data to one or more remote computing devices associated with a voice assistant service.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Joachim Fainberg, Daniele Giacobello, Klaus Hartung
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Patent number: 11769519Abstract: Examples described herein involve detecting known environmental conditions of using a neural network. An example implementation involves a playback device receiving data indicating a response of a listening environment to audio output of one or more playback devices as captured by a microphone and determining an input vector for a neural network. The playback device provides the determined input vector to the neural network, which includes an output layer comprising neurons that correspond to respective environmental conditions. The playback device detects that the input vector caused one or more neurons of the neural network to fire such that the neural network indicates that one or more particular environmental conditions are present in the listening environment. The playback device adjusts audio output of the one or more playback devices to at least partially offset the one or more particular environmental conditions.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2021Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Klaus Hartung, Greg Bright
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Patent number: 11736877Abstract: An example computing device is configured to perform functions including receiving calibration data corresponding respectively to a plurality of playback devices, where each playback device in the plurality of playback devices is located in a respective playback environment other than a first playback environment. The functions also include receiving playback device characteristic data respectively indicating at least one playback device characteristic for each playback device of the plurality of playback devices. The functions also include, based on at least the calibration data and the playback device characteristic data, determining updated playback device configuration information and transmitting data indicating the updated playback device configuration information to a given playback device located in the first environment.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Simon Jarvis, Klaus Hartung, Chris Davies, Tim Sheen
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Publication number: 20230215424Abstract: A first playback device is configured to perform functions comprising: detecting sound, identifying a wake word based on the sound as detected by the first device, receiving an indication that a second playback device has also detected the sound and identified the wake word based on the sound as detected by the second device, after receiving the indication, evaluating which of the first and second devices is to extract sound data representing the sound and thereby determining that the extraction of the sound data is to be performed by the second device over the first device, in response to the determining, foregoing extraction of the sound data, receiving VAS response data that is indicative of a given VAS response corresponding to a given voice input identified in the sound data extracted by the second device, and based on the VAS response data, output the given VAS response.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2022Publication date: July 6, 2023Inventors: John Tolomei, Klaus Hartung
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Patent number: 11641559Abstract: Example techniques relate to voice interaction in an environment with a media playback system that is playing back audio content. In an example implementation, while playing back first audio in a given environment at a given loudness: a playback device (a) detects that an event is anticipated in the given environment, the event involving playback of second audio and (b) determines a loudness of background noise in the given environment, the background noise comprising ambient noise in the given environment. The playback device ducks the first audio in proportion to a difference between the given loudness of the first audio and the determined loudness of the background noise and plays back the ducked first audio concurrently with the second audio.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2020Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Klaus Hartung, Romi Kadri
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Publication number: 20230069810Abstract: Example techniques relate to voice interaction in an environment with a media playback system that is playing back audio content. In an example implementation, while playing back first audio in a given environment at a given loudness: a playback device (a) detects that an event is anticipated in the given environment, the event involving playback of second audio and (b) determines a loudness of background noise in the given environment, the background noise comprising ambient noise in the given environment. The playback device ducks the first audio in proportion to a difference between the given loudness of the first audio and the determined loudness of the background noise and plays back the ducked first audio concurrently with the second audio.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2020Publication date: March 2, 2023Inventors: Klaus Hartung, Romi Kadri
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Publication number: 20230024158Abstract: A computing device may maintain a database of representative spectral characteristics. The computing device may also receive particular spectral data associated with a particular playback environment corresponding to the particular playback device. Based on the particular spectral data, the computing device may identify one of the representative spectral characteristics from the database that substantially matches the particular spectral data, and then identify, in the database, an audio processing algorithm based on a) the identified representative spectral characteristic and b) at least one characteristic of the particular playback device. The computing device may then transmit, to the particular playback device, data indicating the identified audio processing algorithm.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2022Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Klaus Hartung, Simon Jarvis, Tim Sheen, Chris Davies
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Patent number: 11538460Abstract: A first playback device is configured to perform functions comprising: detecting sound, identifying a wake word based on the sound as detected by the first device, receiving an indication that a second playback device has also detected the sound and identified the wake word based on the sound as detected by the second device, after receiving the indication, evaluating which of the first and second devices is to extract sound data representing the sound and thereby determining that the extraction of the sound data is to be performed by the second device over the first device, in response to the determining, foregoing extraction of the sound data, receiving VAS response data that is indicative of a given VAS response corresponding to a given voice input identified in the sound data extracted by the second device, and based on the VAS response data, output the given VAS response.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2021Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: John Tolomei, Klaus Hartung
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Patent number: 11516612Abstract: An example playback device is configured to (i) receive, via a network interface, data representing a command to play back audio content, where the audio content is a first type of audio content, (ii) during playback of the first type of audio content via an audio amplifier configured to drive a speaker, apply a first calibration and a second calibration to playback by the playback device, where the first calibration at least partially offsets one or more acoustic characteristics of an environment surrounding the playback device when applied to playback by the playback device, and where the second calibration corresponds to the first type of audio content, and (iii) during playback of a second type of audio content via the audio amplifier configured to drive the speaker, apply a third calibration to playback by the playback device, where the third calibration corresponds to the second type of audio content.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2021Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Klaus Hartung, Dayn Wilberding
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Publication number: 20220369057Abstract: Example techniques may involve calibration with multiple recording devices. An implementation may include a mobile device receiving data indicating that a calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated in a venue. The mobile device displays a prompt to include the first mobile device in the calibration sequence for the multiple playback devices and a particular selectable control that, when selected, includes the first mobile device in the calibration sequence. During the calibration sequence, the mobile device records calibration audio as played back by the multiple playback devices and transmits data representing the recorded calibration audio to a computing device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2022Publication date: November 17, 2022Inventor: Klaus Hartung
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Patent number: 11432089Abstract: Example techniques may involve calibration with multiple recording devices. An implementation may include a mobile device receiving data indicating that a calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated in a venue. The mobile device displays a prompt to include the first mobile device in the calibration sequence for the multiple playback devices and a particular selectable control that, when selected, includes the first mobile device in the calibration sequence. During the calibration sequence, the mobile device records calibration audio as played back by the multiple playback devices and transmits data representing the recorded calibration audio to a computing device.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2020Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventor: Klaus Hartung