Patents by Inventor Stephen James Adams

Stephen James Adams 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: 8542844
    Abstract: A sound modification system and a method of managing sound in a vehicle. The system includes an active noise reduction (ANR) controller, an engine sound enhancement (ESE) controller and a sound modification controller. When the vehicle is in a steady state driving condition, the sound modification controller activates the ANR controller and deactivates the ESE controller. In contrast, when the vehicle is in a non-steady state driving condition, the sound modification controller activates the ESE controller and deactivates the ANR controller. Preferably, when the vehicle switches between the steady state and non-steady state driving conditions, the sound modification controller activates and deactivates the ANR and ESE controllers at a rate that is not noticeable to a human. In summary, the system utilizes the ANR and ESE controllers to achieve an optimal passenger cabin experience for the driver during any driving condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Upton Beall Bowden, David Ming Chi, David Alan Knechtges, Stephen James Adams
  • Publication number: 20120257763
    Abstract: A sound modification system and a method of managing sound in a vehicle. The system includes an active noise reduction (ANR) controller, an engine sound enhancement (ESE) controller and a sound modification controller. When the vehicle is in a steady state driving condition, the sound modification controller activates the ANR controller and deactivates the ESE controller. In contrast, when the vehicle is in a non-steady state driving condition, the sound modification controller activates the ESE controller and deactivates the ANR controller. Preferably, when the vehicle switches between the steady state and non-steady state driving conditions, the sound modification controller activates and deactivates the ANR and ESE controllers at a rate that is not noticeable to a human. In summary, the system utilizes the ANR and ESE controllers to achieve an optimal passenger cabin experience for the driver during any driving condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: VISTEON GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Upton Beall Bowden, David Ming Chi, David Alan Knechtges, Stephen James Adams
  • Publication number: 20040114771
    Abstract: A multi-channel audio system can be installed into any of a plurality of acoustically unique vehicle environments. A digital signal processing system for processing source audio signals generates a plurality of audio output signals to be coupled to audio transducers, wherein the digital signal processing system includes a multi-channel equalization filter. An equalization coefficient memory stores a plurality of equalization characteristic sets, each equalization characteristic set corresponding to a respective one of the vehicle environments. A controller couples a selected one of the equalization characteristic sets to the multi-channel equalization filter in response to a vehicle environment identification signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Mitchell Vaughan, Stephen James Adams, Karl Westhead, Alan Johnson