Patents by Inventor Soenke Pelzer

Soenke Pelzer 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).

  • Publication number: 20260197602
    Abstract: An audio system and a method of providing a faded audio experience during a transition from a first audio experience to a second audio experience, is described. The first audio experience can include playback of an audio signal spatialized using a first space impulse response that is generated by the audio system. The second audio experience includes playback of the audio signal spatialized using a second space impulse response that is received by the audio system. The audio system generates a hybrid space impulse response based on the first space impulse response and the second space impulse response. During the transition between audio experiences, the hybrid space impulse response is used to spatialize the audio signal to create the faded audio experience. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2026
    Publication date: July 9, 2026
    Inventors: Soenke Pelzer, David E. Romblom, Kacper Kosikowski, Dirk Schroeder
  • Patent number: 12647744
    Abstract: A ray trace simulation may be performed using a model of a user's environment. A decay rate of the environment may be measured in one or more microphone signals that capture sound in the user's environment. A room impulse response of the environment may be generated from the ray trace simulation. The model of the environment may be modified based on the decay rate of the environment and the room impulse response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Soenke Pelzer, David E. Romblom, Dirk Schroeder, Juha O. Merimaa, Jonathan D. Sheaffer
  • Patent number: 12598443
    Abstract: An audio system and a method of providing a faded audio experience during a transition from a first audio experience to a second audio experience, is described. The first audio experience can include playback of an audio signal spatialized using a first space impulse response that is generated by the audio system. The second audio experience includes playback of the audio signal spatialized using a second space impulse response that is received by the audio system. The audio system generates a hybrid space impulse response based on the first space impulse response and the second space impulse response. During the transition between audio experiences, the hybrid space impulse response is used to spatialize the audio signal to create the faded audio experience. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2026
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Soenke Pelzer, David E. Romblom, Kacper Kosikowski, Dirk Schroeder
  • Patent number: 12375853
    Abstract: An audio device can sense sound in a physical environment using a plurality of microphones to generate a plurality of microphone signals. Clean speech can be extracted from microphone signals. Ambience can be extracted from the microphone signals. The clean speech can be encoded at a first compression level. The ambience can be encoded at a second compression level that is higher than the first compression level. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tomlinson Holman, Christopher T. Eubank, Joshua D. Atkins, Soenke Pelzer, Dirk Schroeder
  • Patent number: 12348953
    Abstract: Processing sound in an enhanced reality environment can include generating, based on an image of a physical environment, an acoustic model of the physical environment. Audio signals captured by a microphone array, can capture a sound in the physical environment. Based on these audio signals, one or more measured acoustic parameters of the physical environment can be generated. A target audio signal can be processed using the model of the physical environment and the measured acoustic parameters, resulting in a plurality of output audio channels having a virtual sound source with a virtual location. The output audio channels can be used to drive a plurality of speakers. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher T. Eubank, Joshua D. Atkins, Soenke Pelzer, Dirk Schroeder
  • 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: 20240236610
    Abstract: Processing sound in an enhanced reality environment can include generating, based on an image of a physical environment, an acoustic model of the physical environment. Audio signals captured by a microphone array, can capture a sound in the physical environment. Based on these audio signals, one or more measured acoustic parameters of the physical environment can be generated. A target audio signal can be processed using the model of the physical environment and the measured acoustic parameters, resulting in a plurality of output audio channels having a virtual sound source with a virtual location. The output audio channels can be used to drive a plurality of speakers. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2024
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher T. Eubank, Joshua D. Atkins, Soenke Pelzer, Dirk Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20240163609
    Abstract: An audio device can sense sound in a physical environment using a plurality of microphones to generate a plurality of microphone signals. Clean speech can be extracted from microphone signals. Ambience can be extracted from the microphone signals. The clean speech can be encoded at a first compression level. The ambience can be encoded at a second compression level that is higher than the first compression level. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2024
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventors: Tomlinson Holman, Christopher T. Eubank, Joshua D. Atkins, Soenke Pelzer, Dirk Schroeder
  • Patent number: 11956623
    Abstract: Processing sound in an enhanced reality environment can include generating, based on an image of a physical environment, an acoustic model of the physical environment. Audio signals captured by a microphone array, can capture a sound in the physical environment. Based on these audio signals, one or more measured acoustic parameters of the physical environment can be generated. A target audio signal can be processed using the model of the physical environment and the measured acoustic parameters, resulting in a plurality of output audio channels having a virtual sound source with a virtual location. The output audio channels can be used to drive a plurality of speakers. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher T. Eubank, Joshua D. Atkins, Soenke Pelzer, Dirk Schroeder
  • Patent number: 11930337
    Abstract: An audio device can sense sound in a physical environment using a plurality of microphones to generate a plurality of microphone signals. Clean speech can be extracted from microphone signals. Ambience can be extracted from the microphone signals. The clean speech can be encoded at a first compression level. The ambience can be encoded at a second compression level that is higher than the first compression level. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc
    Inventors: Tomlinson Holman, Christopher T. Eubank, Joshua D. Atkins, Soenke Pelzer, Dirk Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20240007820
    Abstract: An audio system and a method of providing a faded audio experience during a transition from a first audio experience to a second audio experience, is described. The first audio experience can include playback of an audio signal spatialized using a first space impulse response that is generated by the audio system. The second audio experience includes playback of the audio signal spatialized using a second space impulse response that is received by the audio system. The audio system generates a hybrid space impulse response based on the first space impulse response and the second space impulse response. During the transition between audio experiences, the hybrid space impulse response is used to spatialize the audio signal to create the faded audio experience. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Soenke Pelzer, David E. Romblom, Kacper Kosikowski, Dirk Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20230276190
    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: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Inventors: Benjamin BERNARD, Prateek MURGAI, Juha O. MERIMAA, Jonathan D. SHEAFFER, Soenke PELZER
  • Patent number: 11631393
    Abstract: Ray tracing is performed with sound sources and a listener position in a listening environment, to generate impulse responses associated with each of the sound sources. The impulse responses are combined to form a combined impulse response. One or more filters are determined, each corresponding to the sound sources, based on the combined impulse response and the impulse responses. Each filter serves as a correction factor that holds unique acoustic information for the sound source that the filter is associated with. The combined impulse response and the filters can be applied to one or more audio signals that contain the sound sources, resulting in audio having reverberation that is tailored to the various sound sources. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Soenke Pelzer, David E. Romblom, Dirk Schroeder, Jonathan D. Sheaffer
  • Patent number: 11197119
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to techniques for generating physically accurate auralization of sound propagation in complex environments, while accounting for important wave effects, such as sound absorption, sound scattering, and airborne sound insulation between rooms. According to some embodiments, techniques may be utilized to determine more accurate, e.g., “acoustically-effective” room volumes that account for open windows, open doors, acoustic dead space, and the like. According to other embodiments disclosed herein, techniques may be utilized to perform optimized hybrid acoustical ray tracing, including grouping coherent rays by processing core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dirk Schroeder, Soenke Pelzer
  • Patent number: 11170139
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to techniques for generating physically accurate auralization of sound propagation in complex environments, while accounting for important wave effects, such as sound absorption, sound scattering, and airborne sound insulation between rooms. According to some embodiments, techniques may be utilized to determine more accurate, e.g., “acoustically-effective” room volumes that account for open windows, open doors, acoustic dead space, and the like. According to other embodiments disclosed herein, techniques may be utilized to perform optimized hybrid acoustical ray tracing, including grouping coherent rays by processing core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dirk Schroeder, Soenke Pelzer
  • Patent number: 11172320
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to techniques for generating physically accurate auralization of sound propagation in complex environments, while accounting for important wave effects, such as sound absorption, sound scattering, and airborne sound insulation between rooms. According to some embodiments, techniques may be utilized to determine more accurate, e.g., “acoustically-effective” room volumes that account for open windows, open doors, acoustic dead space, and the like. According to other embodiments disclosed herein, techniques may be utilized to perform optimized hybrid acoustical ray tracing, including grouping coherent rays by processing core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Soenke Pelzer, Dirk Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20210329381
    Abstract: An audio device can sense sound in a physical environment using a plurality of microphones to generate a plurality of microphone signals. Clean speech can be extracted from microphone signals. Ambience can be extracted from the microphone signals. The clean speech can be encoded at a first compression level. The ambience can be encoded at a second compression level that is higher than the first compression level. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Tomlinson Holman, Christopher T. Eubank, Joshua D. Atkins, Soenke Pelzer, Dirk Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20210329405
    Abstract: Processing sound in an enhanced reality environment can include generating, based on an image of a physical environment, an acoustic model of the physical environment. Audio signals captured by a microphone array, can capture a sound in the physical environment. Based on these audio signals, one or more measured acoustic parameters of the physical environment can be generated. A target audio signal can be processed using the model of the physical environment and the measured acoustic parameters, resulting in a plurality of output audio channels having a virtual sound source with a virtual location. The output audio channels can be used to drive a plurality of speakers. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher T. Eubank, Joshua D. Atkins, Soenke Pelzer, Dirk Schroeder
  • Patent number: 11070933
    Abstract: A computer system having an electronic device determines a listener position within a computer-generated reality (CGR) setting that is to be aurally experienced by a user of the electronic device through at least one speaker. The system determines a source position of a virtual sound source within the CGR setting and determines a characteristic of a virtual object within the CGR setting, where the characteristic include a geometry of an edge of the virtual object. The system determines at least one edge-diffraction filter parameter for an edge-diffraction filter based on 1) the listener position, 2) the source position, and 3) the geometry. The system applies the edge-diffraction filter to an input audio signal to produce a filtered audio signal that accounts for edge-diffraction of sound produced by the virtual sound source within the CGR setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Dirk Schroeder, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Soenke Pelzer, Juha O. Merimaa