Patents by Inventor Steve W. Hanawalt

Steve W. Hanawalt 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: 8023918
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that mitigate stereo noise in FM broadcast receivers by assessing L?R (left-minus-right) and L+R (left-plus-right) levels within tuned FM channels. These assessments are used to facilitate control of a blend from stereo output signals to mono output signals in order to reduce and mitigate stereo noise and distortion in the audio outputs. The side effects of the disclosed systems and methods are unobtrusive as compared to prior blend-to-mono techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve W. Hanawalt, Dana Taipale
  • Publication number: 20090247101
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for automatic detection of channel spacing for broadcast bands in different regions that use different channel spacing. Using the described embodiments, channel spacing at a users' current location can be automatically detected so that manual settings by the user are not necessary, especially when a user travels with his/her radio across regions that use different channel spacing for radio broadcasting bands. This auto-detected channel spacing can then be used for later channel searching by the radio. More particularly, methods and systems are disclosed for auto-detection of channel spacing for AM broadcasts using different channel spacings, such as the standard 9 kHz and 10 kHz spacings, used today in different geographic regions of the world for AM broadcast bands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Ligang Zhang, Steve W. Hanawalt, Greg Hodgson, Liang Wu
  • Publication number: 20090203344
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that mitigate stereo noise in FM broadcast receivers by assessing L?R (left-minus-right) and L+R (left-plus-right) levels within tuned FM channels. These assessments are used to facilitate control of a blend from stereo output signals to mono output signals in order to reduce and mitigate stereo noise and distortion in the audio outputs. The side effects of the disclosed systems and methods are unobtrusive as compared to prior blend-to-mono techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Steve W. Hanawalt, Dana Taipale