Patents by Inventor Stefan Finauer

Stefan Finauer 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: 11832079
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, an audio system is provided. At least one controller is programmed to encode a first and second audio component and to generate a first and a second encoded audio component. The at least one controller is programmed to apply a first gain to at least one of the first encoded audio component and the second encoded audio component to generate at least one of a first and second increased encoded audio component and to decode the at least one of the first and the second increased encoded audio component to generate at least one of a first and second decoded audio component. The at least one controller is further programmed to amplitude pan the at least one of the first and the second decoded audio component to increase a stereo width for an audio output transmitted by a first loudspeaker and a second loudspeaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Friedrich Von Turckheim, Stefan Finauer, Adrian von dem Knesebeck
  • Patent number: 11670319
    Abstract: Techniques for regenerating reverberation include generating a reverberation signal based on a source signal and a response of a listening space, generating a compressed reverberation signal by increasing output levels of a first portion of the reverberation signal having output levels below a threshold level more than output levels of a second portion of the reverberation signal having output levels above the threshold level, and combining the compressed reverberation signal with the source signal to form an output signal for the listening space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GMBH
    Inventors: Friedrich Von Tuerckheim, Stefan Finauer, Adrian Von Dem Knesebeck, Tobias Muench
  • Publication number: 20230078170
    Abstract: A method comprises outputting at least one test signal to a listening environment via a loudspeaker, receiving each of the at least one test signal via a microphone arranged in the listening environment, determining at least one of a position and an orientation of the microphone in the listening environment with respect to the loudspeaker at the time of receipt of each of the at least one test signal, evaluating the test signals received by the microphone, and determining at least one aspect related to at least one transfer function based on the evaluation of the test signal and on at least one of the position and the orientation of the microphone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Applicant: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Friedrich VON TUERKHEIM, Stefan FINAUER, Adrian VON DEM KNESEBECK, Stefan VARGA, Tobias MUENCH
  • Publication number: 20220322020
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, an audio system is provided. At least one controller is programmed to encode a first and second audio component and to generate a first and a second encoded audio component. The at least one controller is programmed to apply a first gain to at least one of the first encoded audio component and the second encoded audio component to generate at least one of a first and second increased encoded audio component and to decode the at least one of the first and the second increased encoded audio component to generate at least one of a first and second decoded audio component. The at least one controller is further programmed to amplitude pan the at least one of the first and the second decoded audio component to increase a stereo width for an audio output transmitted by a first loudspeaker and a second loudspeaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Friedrich VON TURCKHEIM, Stefan FINAUER, Adrian von dem KNESEBECK
  • Patent number: 11238882
    Abstract: A method for separating an audio input signal into a dry signal component and an ambient signal component is provided. The method includes generating a transferred input signal including transferring the audio input signal into frequency space and applying a smoothing filter to the transferred input signal to generate an estimated ambient signal component. The method includes determining the dry signal component based on the estimated ambient signal component and determining the ambient signal component based on the determined dry signal component and the audio input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Finauer, Friedrich Von Turckheim, Tobias Muench, Christopher Lee
  • Publication number: 20210383819
    Abstract: Techniques for regenerating reverberation include generating a reverberation signal based on a source signal and a response of a listening space, generating a compressed reverberation signal by increasing output levels of a first portion of the reverberation signal having output levels below a threshold level more than output levels of a second portion of the reverberation signal having output levels above the threshold level, and combining the compressed reverberation signal with the source signal to form an output signal for the listening space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Friedrich VON TUERCKHEIM, Stefan FINAUER, Adrian VON DEM KNESEBECK, Tobias MUENCH
  • Patent number: 11133017
    Abstract: A system for enhancing artificial reverberation in a noisy listening space includes a sensor configured to generate a signal indicating a current noise level in a listening space, a loudspeaker configured to output sound in the listening space based on an output signal, and at least one processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GmbH
    Inventors: Friedrich Von Tuerckheim, Stefan Finauer, Adrian Von Dem Knesebeck, Tobias Muench
  • Publication number: 20200388296
    Abstract: A system for enhancing artificial reverberation in a noisy listening space includes a sensor configured to generate a signal indicating a current noise level in a listening space, a loudspeaker configured to output sound in the listening space based on an output signal, and at least one processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Friedrich VON TUERCKHEIM, Stefan FINAUER, Adrian VON DEM KNESEBECK, Tobias MUENCH
  • Publication number: 20190362736
    Abstract: A method for separating an audio input signal into a dry signal component and an ambient signal component is provided. The method includes generating a transferred input signal including transferring the audio input signal into frequency space and applying a smoothing filter to the transferred input signal to generate an estimated ambient signal component. The method includes determining the dry signal component based on the estimated ambient signal component and determining the ambient signal component based on the determined dry signal component and the audio input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Applicant: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan FINAUER, Friedrich VON TURCKHEIM, Tobias MUENCH, Christopher LEE
  • Patent number: 9913036
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a stereo output signal includes a manipulation information generator being adapted to generate manipulation information depending on a first signal indication value of a first input channel and on a second signal indication value of a second input channel, and a manipulator for manipulating a combination signal based on the manipulation information to obtain a first manipulated signal as a first output channel and a second manipulated signal as a second output channel. The combination signal is a signal derived by combining the first input channel and the second input channel. Furthermore, the manipulator is configured for manipulating the combination signal in a first manner, when the first signal indication value is in a first relation to the second signal indication value, or in a different second manner, when the first signal indication value is in a different second relation to the second signal indication value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Christian Stoecklmeier, Stefan Finauer, Christian Uhle, Peter Prokein, Oliver Hellmuth, Ulrik Heise
  • Patent number: 9883307
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a stereo side signal having a first side channel and a second side channel from a stereo input signal having a first input channel and a second input channel is provided. The apparatus has a modification information generator for generating modification information based on mid-side information. Furthermore, the apparatus has a signal manipulator being adapted to manipulate the first input channel based on the modification information to obtain the first side channel and being adapted to manipulate the second input channel based on the modification information to obtain the second side channel. The modification information generator has a spectral weights generator for generating the modification information by generating a first spectral weighting factor based on a mono mid signal and on a mono side signal of the stereo input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Christian Uhle, Stefan Finauer, Patrick Gampp, Oliver Hellmuth, Peter Prokein, Christian Stoecklmeier
  • Patent number: 9866937
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a side wall, a ceiling and a speaker arrangement including at least one speaker. The speaker arrangement is positioned in or at the side wall and is configured such that a main sound emission direction of the speaker arrangement is directed to the ceiling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Andreas Silzle, Oliver Hellmuth, Ulrik Heise, Stefan Finauer, Christian Stoecklmeier
  • Patent number: 8812308
    Abstract: An apparatus for modifying an input audio signal has an excitation determiner, a storage device and a signal modifier. The excitation determiner determines a value of an excitation parameter of a subband of a plurality of subbands of the input audio signal based on an energy content of the subband. Further, the storage device stores a lookup table containing a plurality of spectral weighting factors. A spectral weighting factor of the plurality of spectral weighting factors is associated to a predefined value of the excitation parameter and a subband of the plurality of subbands. The storage device provides a spectral weighting factor corresponding to the determined value of the excitation parameter and corresponding to the subband, the value of the excitation parameter is determined for. Further, the signal modifier modifies a content of the subband of the audio signal, the value of the excitation parameter is determined for, based on the provided spectral weighting factor to provide a modified subband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Christian Uhle, Juergen Herre, Oliver Hellmuth, Stefan Finauer
  • Publication number: 20140133673
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a side wall, a ceiling and a speaker arrangement including at least one speaker. The speaker arrangement is positioned in or at the side wall and is configured such that a main sound emission direction of the speaker arrangement is directed to the ceiling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Schoppe, Zimmermann, Stockeler & Zinkler
    Inventors: Andreas Silzle, Oliver Hellmuth, Ulrik Heise, Stefan Finauer, Christian Stocklmeier
  • Publication number: 20140119545
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a stereo side signal having a first side channel and a second side channel from a stereo input signal having a first input channel and a second input channel is provided. The apparatus has a modification information generator for generating modification information based on mid-side information. Furthermore, the apparatus has a signal manipulator being adapted to manipulate the first input channel based on the modification information to obtain the first side channel and being adapted to manipulate the second input channel based on the modification information to obtain the second side channel. The modification information generator has a spectral weights generator for generating the modification information by generating a first spectral weighting factor based on a mono mid signal and on a mono side signal of the stereo input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventors: Christian UHLE, Stefan FINAUER, Patrick GAMPP, Oliver HELLMUTH, Peter PROKEIN, Christian STOECKLMEIER
  • Publication number: 20140072124
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a stereo output signal includes a manipulation information generator being adapted to generate manipulation information depending on a first signal indication value of a first input channel and on a second signal indication value of a second input channel, and a manipulator for manipulating a combination signal based on the manipulation information to obtain a first manipulated signal as a first output channel and a second manipulated signal as a second output channel. The combination signal is a signal derived by combining the first input channel and the second input channel. Furthermore, the manipulator is configured for manipulating the combination signal in a first manner, when the first signal indication value is in a first relation to the second signal indication value, or in a different second manner, when the first signal indication value is in a different second relation to the second signal indication value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Christian STOECKLMEIER, Stefan FINAUER, Christian UHLE, Peter PROKEIN, Oliver HELLMUTH, Ulrik HEISE
  • Publication number: 20130046546
    Abstract: An apparatus for modifying an input audio signal has an excitation determiner, a storage device and a signal modifier. The excitation determiner determines a value of an excitation parameter of a subband of a plurality of subbands of the input audio signal based on an energy content of the subband. Further, the storage device stores a lookup table containing a plurality of spectral weighting factors. A spectral weighting factor of the plurality of spectral weighting factors is associated to a predefined value of the excitation parameter and a subband of the plurality of subbands. The storage device provides a spectral weighting factor corresponding to the determined value of the excitation parameter and corresponding to the subband, the value of the excitation parameter is determined for. Further, the signal modifier modifies a content of the subband of the audio signal, the value of the excitation parameter is determined for, based on the provided spectral weighting factor to provide a modified subband.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Christian UHLE, Juergen HERRE, Oliver HELLMUTH, Stefan FINAUER
  • Patent number: 8126172
    Abstract: A spatial processing stereo system (“SPSS”) that receives audio signals and a limited number of user input parameters associated with the spatial attributes of a room, such as “room size”, “stage distance”, and “stage width”. The input parameters are used to define a listening room and generate coefficients, room impulse responses, and scaling factors that are used generate additional surround signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Ulrich Horbach, Eric Hu, Stefan Finauer, Yi Zeng
  • Publication number: 20090147975
    Abstract: A spatial processing stereo system (“SPSS”) that receives audio signals and a limited number of user input parameters associated with the spatial attributes of a room, such as “room size”, “stage distance”, and “stage width”. The input parameters are used to define a listening room and generate coefficients, room impulse responses, and scaling factors that are used generate additional surround signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Ulrich Horbach, Eric Hu, Stefan Finauer, Yi Zeng