Patents by Inventor Michael J. Smithers
Michael J. Smithers 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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Patent number: 11477601Abstract: Some disclosed methods involve multi-band bass management. Some such examples may involve applying multiple high-pass and low-pass filter frequencies for the purpose of bass input management. Some disclosed methods treat at least some low-frequency signals as audio objects that can be panned. Some disclosed methods involve panning low and high frequencies separately. Following high-pass rendering, a power audit may determine a low-frequency deficit factor that is to be reproduced by subwoofers or other low-frequency-capable loudspeakers.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2019Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATIONInventors: Charles Q. Robinson, Mark R. P. Thomas, Michael J. Smithers
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Patent number: 11184706Abstract: An apparatus and method of excursion protection of a loudspeaker. The method includes attenuating selected bands in a transform domain, controlled by a feedback signal resulting from an excursion transfer function that has been modified according to the real-time operational characteristics of the loudspeaker. In this manner, the system reduces the amount of wideband attenuation needed to address the predicted excursion, resulting in a better listening experience.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2019Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Brian George Arnott, Nicholas Luke Appleton, Juan Felix Torres, William Thomas Rowley, Ho Young Sung, Michael J. Smithers
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Publication number: 20210345060Abstract: Some disclosed methods involve multi-band bass management. Some such examples may involve applying multiple high-pass and low-pass filter frequencies for the purpose of bass input management. Some disclosed methods treat at least some low-frequency signals as audio objects that can be panned. Some disclosed methods involve panning low and high frequencies separately. Following high-pass rendering, a power audit may determine a low-frequency deficit factor that is to be reproduced by subwoofers or other low-frequency-capable loudspeakers.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2019Publication date: November 4, 2021Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Charles Q. ROBINSON, Mark R. P. THOMAS, Michael J. SMITHERS
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Publication number: 20210211802Abstract: An apparatus and method of excursion protection of a loudspeaker. The method includes attenuating selected bands in a transform domain, controlled by a feedback signal resulting from an excursion transfer function that has been modified according to the real-time operational characteristics of the loudspeaker. In this manner, the system reduces the amount of wideband attenuation needed to address the predicted excursion, resulting in a better listening experience.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2019Publication date: July 8, 2021Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATIONInventors: Brian George ARNOTT, Nicholas Luke APPLETON, Juan Felix TORRES, William Thomas ROWLEY, Ho Young SUNG, Michael J. SMITHERS
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Patent number: 11006212Abstract: A speaker for transmitting reflected sound waves off an upper surface down to a listening environment, comprising: a cabinet containing a plurality of audio drivers, direct-firing drivers within the cabinet oriented to transmit sound along a horizontal axis substantially perpendicular to a front surface of the cabinet, and a pair of upward-firing slotted drivers placed proximate to ends of an top surface of the cabinet and oriented at an inclination angle relative to the horizontal axis. The slotted drivers are configured to create an overlapping reflected sound projection for high frequency sound when reflected down to a listening position located at a distance in front of the speaker pair. Such a speaker projects reflected sound that provides wider horizontal or side-to-side dispersion to better cover the listening area.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2019Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Michael J. Smithers, Alan J. Seefeldt
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Patent number: 10959034Abstract: A system and method of adjusting an audio output in one location so that its propagation into another location is reduced. As a first device in a first location generates sound, a second device in a second location detects the propagated sound. The first device then adjusts its output based on the detected sound.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2019Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: C. Phillip Brown, Michael J. Smithers, Remi S. Audfray, Patrick David Saunders
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Patent number: 10880636Abstract: Embodiments are directed to an upward-firing speaker that reflects sound off a ceiling to a listening location at a distance from a speaker. The reflected sound provides height cues to reproduce audio objects that have overhead audio components. The speaker comprises a direct-firing tweeter and an upward-firing full-range driver in a unitary enclosure for playback of front-channel and height-channel signals, respectively. A crossover passes high frequencies of a front-channel signal directly to the tweeter and combines low frequencies of the front-channel signal with the height channel signal to be played through the full-range driver. A virtual height filter is applied to the height channel signal to improve the perception of height for audio signals transmitted by the virtual height speaker to provide optimum reproduction of the overhead reflected sound.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2017Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: C. Phillip Brown, Michael J. Smithers
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Publication number: 20200359154Abstract: A system and method of adjusting an audio output in one location so that its propagation into another location is reduced. As a first device in a first location generates sound, a second device in a second location detects the propagated sound. The first device then adjusts its output based on the detected sound.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2019Publication date: November 12, 2020Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: C. Phillip BROWN, Michael J. SMITHERS, Remi S. AUDFRAY, Patrick David SAUNDERS
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Patent number: 10812895Abstract: A dual wave-column, dual-driver loudspeaker enclosure is described. The two drivers are cross-coupled through their respective front and back sides by two single exit wave-columns. At the ¼ wavelength frequency of the waveguide length, both drivers resonate with the waveguides, and cone motion is minimized while output is maximized. At the ½ wavelength frequency, the front wave of the first driver is in-phase with, the rear wave of the second driver such that the output is increased, reinforced, and smoothed at that frequency. At the ? wavelength frequency, the two wave-column mouth outputs exhibit acoustic mutual coupling, which boosts acoustic output and reduces cone motion at the critical maximum displacement frequency.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2017Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: James J. Croft, III, Michael J. Smithers, Garth Norman Showalter
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Patent number: 10602263Abstract: An acoustic manifold for altering a sound wavefront shape from a loudspeaker having a substantially planar driver, comprising a mounting surface configured to attach to a front surface of a case surrounding the driver and having two vertical openings matching corresponding vertical openings in the case to allow sound from the driver to project therethrough, and a waveguide portion coupled to the mounting surface and having a structure channeling sound projected from the driver through the two vertical openings to be combined in one output area. The structure has a plurality of reflective surfaces configured to create output sound that has a consistent dispersion pattern over a defined area. The manifold is configured to increase a vertical and/or horizontal beamwidth of the projected sound so that listeners positioned off an axis of the loudspeaker will hear a wide range of audible frequencies at a substantially similar sound level.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2017Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Michael J. Smithers, Garth Norman Showalter
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Patent number: 10595128Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a virtual height filter for use with or in an upward-firing speaker system that reflects sound off a ceiling to a listening location at a distance from a speaker, and that provides height cues to reproduce audio objects that have overhead audio components. A virtual height filter based on a directional hearing model is applied to the upward-firing driver signal to improve the perception of height for audio signals transmitted by the virtual height speaker to provide optimum reproduction of the overhead reflected sound. The virtual height filter is provided by any one or combination of analog or digital filter circuits, or mechanical structures including speaker grill, enclosure, or driver design or configuration.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Michael J. Smithers, Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt, C. Phillip Brown
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Publication number: 20200084538Abstract: Embodiments are directed to an upward-firing speaker that reflects sound off a ceiling to a listening location at a distance from a speaker. The reflected sound provides height cues to reproduce audio objects that have overhead audio components. The speaker comprises a direct-firing tweeter and an upward-firing full-range driver in a unitary enclosure for playback of front-channel and height-channel signals, respectively. A crossover passes high frequencies of a front-channel signal directly to the tweeter and combines low frequencies of the front-channel signal with the height channel signal to be played through the full-range driver. A virtual height filter is applied to the height channel signal to improve the perception of height for audio signals transmitted by the virtual height speaker to provide optimum reproduction of the overhead reflected sound.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2017Publication date: March 12, 2020Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: C. Phillip Brown, Michael J. Smithers
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Publication number: 20200029150Abstract: A dual wave-column, dual-driver loudspeaker enclosure is described. The two drivers are cross-coupled through their respective front and back sides by two single exit wave-columns. At the ¼ wavelength frequency of the waveguide length, both drivers resonate with the waveguides, and cone motion is minimized while output is maximized. At the ½ wavelength frequency, the front wave of the first driver is in-phase with, the rear wave of the second driver such that the output is increased, reinforced, and smoothed at that frequency. At the ? wavelength frequency, the two wave-column mouth outputs exhibit acoustic mutual coupling, which boosts acoustic output and reduces cone motion at the critical maximum displacement frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2017Publication date: January 23, 2020Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: James J. CROFT, III, Michael J. SMITHERS, Garth Norman SHOWALTER
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Publication number: 20200021909Abstract: A speaker for transmitting reflected sound waves off an upper surface down to a listening environment, comprising: a cabinet containing a plurality of audio drivers, direct-firing drivers within the cabinet oriented to transmit sound along a horizontal axis substantially perpendicular to a front surface of the cabinet, and a pair of upward-firing slotted drivers placed proximate to ends of an top surface of the cabinet and oriented at an inclination angle relative to the horizontal axis. The slotted drivers are configured to create an overlapping reflected sound projection for high frequency sound when reflected down to a listening position located at a distance in front of the speaker pair. Such a speaker projects reflected sound that provides wider horizontal or side-to-side dispersion to better cover the listening area.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2019Publication date: January 16, 2020Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Michael J. SMITHERS, Alan J. SEEFELDT
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Patent number: 10425723Abstract: A soundbar speaker for transmitting reflected sound waves off an upper surface down to a listening environment, comprising: a cabinet containing a plurality of audio drivers, direct-firing drivers within the cabinet oriented to transmit sound along a horizontal axis substantially perpendicular to a front surface of the cabinet, and a pair of upward-firing slotted drivers placed proximate to ends of an top surface of the cabinet and oriented at an inclination angle relative to the horizontal axis. The slotted drivers are configured to create an overlapping reflected sound projection for high frequency sound when reflected down to a listening position located at a distance in front of the speaker pair. Such a speaker projects reflected sound that provides wider horizontal or side-to-side dispersion to better cover the listening area.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2016Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Michael J. Smithers, Alan J. Seefeldt
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Publication number: 20190289397Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a virtual height filter for use with or in an upward-firing speaker system that reflects sound off a ceiling to a listening location at a distance from a speaker, and that provides height cues to reproduce audio objects that have overhead audio components. A virtual height filter based on a directional hearing model is applied to the upward-firing driver signal to improve the perception of height for audio signals transmitted by the virtual height speaker to provide optimum reproduction of the overhead reflected sound. The virtual height filter is provided by any one or combination of analog or digital filter circuits, or mechanical structures including speaker grill, enclosure, or driver design or configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATIONInventors: Michael J. SMITHERS, Brett G. CROCKETT, Alan J. SEEFELDT, C. Phillip BROWN
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Patent number: 10313793Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a virtual height filter for use with or in an upward-firing speaker system that reflects sound off a ceiling to a listening location at a distance from a speaker, and that provides height cues to reproduce audio objects that have overhead audio components. A virtual height filter based on a directional hearing model is applied to the upward-firing driver signal to improve the perception of height for audio signals transmitted by the virtual height speaker to provide optimum reproduction of the overhead reflected sound. The virtual height filter is provided by any one or combination of analog or digital filter circuits, or mechanical structures including speaker grill, enclosure, or driver design or configuration.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2015Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Michael J. Smithers, Brett G. Crockett, Alan J. Seefeldt, C. Phillip Brown
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Publication number: 20190052956Abstract: An acoustic manifold for altering a sound wavefront shape from a loudspeaker having a substantially planar driver, comprising a mounting surface configured to attach to a front surface of a case surrounding the driver and having two vertical openings matching corresponding vertical openings in the case to allow sound from the driver to project therethrough, and a waveguide portion coupled to the mounting surface and having a structure channeling sound projected from the driver through the two vertical openings to be combined in one output area. The structure has a plurality of reflective surfaces configured to create output sound that has a consistent dispersion pattern over a defined area. The manifold is configured to increase a vertical and/or horizontal beamwidth of the projected sound so that listeners positioned off an axis of the loudspeaker will hear a wide range of audible frequencies at a substantially similar sound level.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2017Publication date: February 14, 2019Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATIONInventors: Michael J. SMITHERS, Garth Norman SHOWALTER
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Patent number: RE48210Abstract: Estimates of spectral magnitude and phase are obtained by an estimation process using spectral information from analysis filter banks such as the Modified Discrete Cosine Transform. The estimation process may be implemented by convolution-like operations with impulse responses. Portions of the impulse responses may be selected for use in the convolution-like operations to trade off between computational complexity and estimation accuracy. Mathematical derivations of analytical expressions for filter structures and impulse responses are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2018Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Corey I. Cheng, Michael J. Smithers
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Patent number: RE48271Abstract: Estimates of spectral magnitude and phase are obtained by an estimation process using spectral information from analysis filter banks such as the Modified Discrete Cosine Transform. The estimation process may be implemented by convolution-like operations with impulse responses. Portions of the impulse responses may be selected for use in the convolution-like operations to trade off between computational complexity and estimation accuracy. Mathematical derivations of analytical expressions for filter structures and impulse responses are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2018Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Corey I. Cheng, Michael J. Smithers