Patents by Inventor Stephen C. Thompson

Stephen C. Thompson 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: 20240221716
    Abstract: A sound system and a method for noise cancellation in a room is provided, the method comprising arranging a set of microphones at a distance from an opening in a wall of the room for provision of one or more microphone input signals including a first microphone input signal; arranging a set of speakers in a vicinity of the opening; determining, based on at least the first microphone input signal, one or more output signals for the set of speakers for matching of sound entering the room through the opening; generating the one or more output signals; and outputting sound signals based on the one or more output signals with the set of speakers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Applicant: GN Hearing A/S
    Inventors: Stephen C. THOMPSON, Andrew Dittberner
  • Patent number: 11516597
    Abstract: A force feedback actuator includes a pair of electrodes and a dielectric member. The pair of electrodes are spaced apart from one another to form a gap. The dielectric member is disposed at least partially within the gap. The dielectric member includes a first portion having a first permittivity and a second portion having a second permittivity that is different from the first permittivity. The dielectric member and the pair of electrodes are configured for movement relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Mohsin Nawaz, Stephen C. Thompson, Michael Pedersen, Peter V. Loeppert, Zouhair Sbiaa
  • Publication number: 20210176569
    Abstract: A force feedback actuator includes a pair of electrodes and a dielectric member. The pair of electrodes are spaced apart from one another to form a gap. The dielectric member is disposed at least partially within the gap. The dielectric member includes a first portion having a first permittivity and a second portion having a second permittivity that is different from the first permittivity. The dielectric member and the pair of electrodes are configured for movement relative to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Mohsin Nawaz, Stephen C. Thompson, Michael Pedersen, Peter V. Loeppert, Zouhair Sbiaa
  • Patent number: 8385583
    Abstract: An example apparatus comprises a drive coil energizable by a drive signal, at least one permanent magnet, and at least one magnetic return path element for flux induced by the drive signal, the magnetic return path element, such as a balanced armature, being configured to provide a variable reluctance, so as to reduce nonlinearities in a displacement versus drive signal relationship. Modifying the reluctance versus flux properties of the magnetic return path of a transducer, e.g. the armature of a balanced armature device, allows compensation for nonlinearity arising in another part of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventor: Stephen C. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20100054509
    Abstract: An example apparatus comprises a drive coil energizable by a drive signal, at least one permanent magnet and at least one magnetic return path element for flux induced by the drive signal, the magnetic return path element, such as a balanced armature, being configured to provide a variable reluctance, so as to reduce nonlinearities in a displacement versus drive signal relationship. Modifying the reluctance versus flux properties of the magnetic return path of a transducer, e.g. the armature of a balanced armature device, allows compensation for nonlinearity arising in another part of the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventor: Stephen C. Thompson
  • Patent number: 7415125
    Abstract: A receiver assembly includes a first diaphragm assembly having a diaphragm, and a second diaphragm assembly having a diaphragm. A linkage assembly is coupled to an armature of the receiver. The linkage assembly is also coupled to the first diaphragm assembly and to the second diaphragm assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel M. Warren, Stephen C. Thompson, David E. Schafer
  • Patent number: 7336797
    Abstract: A receiver assembly includes a housing having a fixed housing portion and a shiftable housing portion cooperating to define a hollow cavity. A flexible membrane secured between the fixed housing portion and the shiftable housing portion and adapted to allow relative motion between the fixed and shiftable housing portions. The receiver assembly further includes a magnetic motor assembly including a displaceable drive rod; and a link assembly having a first end fixedly attached to an inner surface of the shiftable housing and a second end coupled to the drive rod. The link assembly translates the shiftable housing portion relative to the fixed housing portion in response to the displacement of the drive rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC.
    Inventors: Stephen C. Thompson, David E. Schafer, Daniel M. Warren
  • Patent number: 7113604
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for matching the response of a pair of microphones. The two microphones provide a first and second output, respectively, in response to an audible input. The microphone outputs are subtract from each other to produce a gain control output for operably controlling the gain of the first microphone output, resulting in a gain compensated microphone output. A phase adjustment circuit also is provided responsive to the gain compensated microphone output and a rolloff control output for producing a matching output. The rolloff control output is generated by a phase difference subtractor circuit responsive to both the matching output and the second microphone output. Moreover, the output of at least one of the microphones has a resonance frequency that is shifted to a desired preselected frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC.
    Inventor: Stephen C. Thompson
  • Patent number: 7065220
    Abstract: A directional microphone system is disclosed, which comprises circuitry for low pass filtering a first order signal, and circuitry for high pass filtering a second order signal. The system further comprises circuitry for summing the low pass filtered first order signal and the high pass filtered second order signal. A method of determining whether a plurality of microphones have sufficiently matched frequency response characteristics to be used in a multi-order directional microphone array is also disclosed. For a microphone array having at least three microphones, wherein one of the microphones is disposed between the other of the microphones, a method of determining the arrangement of the microphones in the array is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Max Warren, Stephen C. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20040258260
    Abstract: A receiver assembly includes a housing having a fixed housing portion and a shiftable housing portion cooperating to define a hollow cavity. A flexible membrane secured between the fixed housing portion and the shiftable housing portion and adapted to allow relative motion between the fixed and shfitable housing portions. The receiver assembly further includes a magnetic motor assembly including a displaceable drive rod; and a link assembly having a first end fixedly attached to an inner surface of the shiftable housing and a second end coupled to the drive rod. The link assembly translates the shiftable housing portion relative to the fixed housing portion in response to the displacement of the drive rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Stephen C. Thompson, David E. Schafer, Daniel M. Warren
  • Patent number: 6654468
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for matching the response of a pair of microphones. The two microphones provide a first and second output, respectively, in response to an audible input. The microphone outputs are subtract from each other to produce a gain control output for operably controlling the gain of the first microphone output, resulting in a gain compensated microphone output. A phase adjustment circuit also is provided responsive to the gain compensated microphone output and a rolloff control output for producing a matching output. The rolloff control output is generated by a phase difference subtractor circuit responsive to both the matching output and the second microphone output. Moreover, the output of at least one of the microphones has a resonance frequency that is shifted to a desired preselected frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Stephen C. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20030198356
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for matching the response of a pair of microphones. The two microphones provide a first and second output, respectively, in response to an audible input. The microphone outputs are subtract from each other to produce a gain control output for operably controlling the gain of the first microphone output, resulting in a gain compensated microphone output. A phase adjustment circuit also is provided responsive to the gain compensated microphone output and a rolloff control output for producing a matching output. The rolloff control output is generated by a phase difference subtractor circuit responsive to both the matching output and the second microphone output. Moreover, the output of at least one of the microphones has a resonance frequency that is shifted to a desired preselected frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventor: Stephen C. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20030142836
    Abstract: A directional microphone system is disclosed, which comprises circuitry for low pass filtering a first order signal, and circuitry for high pass filtering a second order signal. The system further comprises circuitry for summing the low pass filtered first order signal and the high pass filtered second order signal. A method of determining whether a plurality of microphones have sufficiently matched frequency response characteristics to be used in a multi-order directional microphone array is also disclosed. For a microphone array having at least three microphones, wherein one of the microphones is disposed between the other of the microphones, a method of determining the arrangement of the microphones in the array is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Daniel Max Warren, Stephen C. Thompson
  • Patent number: 4996674
    Abstract: A direction selective transducer which includes a center mass fixed between two active transducer element stacks and two head masses. The center mass couples the two stacks and allows the ratio of radiation produced by each head mass to be selected as desired by varying the amplitude and phase of drive voltages applied to the stacks. The transducer can also be used as a directional receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Stephen C. Thompson
  • Patent number: 4633119
    Abstract: A broadband longitudinal vibrator transducer having a laminar head mass section including at least three layers coupled to electromechanical transducer elements. The head section includes a forward head mass, a compliant member abutting the forward head mass and a rear head mass abutting both the compliant member and the transducer elements. The compliant member allows the head mass section to mechanically resonate in at least two frequencies expanding the bandwidth of the transducer. The compliant member can be an active transducer element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1986
    Assignee: Gould Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen C. Thompson
  • Patent number: 4604542
    Abstract: A broadband radial vibrator transducer having at least two laminar resonant sections coupled to a radial electromechanical transducer element where each laminar section includes at least two layers. Each resonant section has a mass layer and a compliant member layer where the compliant member layer is fixed between the transducer element and the mass layer. The compliant member allows the resonant section to mechanically resonate along with the transducer element providing at least two resonant frequencies, thereby expanding the bandwidth of the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1986
    Assignee: Gould Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen C. Thompson