Patents by Inventor Steven Carl Pletcher

Steven Carl Pletcher 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: 11705100
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for closed-loop sleep protection and/or sleep regulation. According to an aspect, sleep disturbing noises are predicted and a biosignal parameter is measured to dynamically mask predicted disturbing environmental noises in the sleeping environment with active attenuation. Environmental noises in a sleeping environment of a subject are detected, input, or predicted based on historical data of the sleeping environment collected over a period of time. The biosignal parameter is used to determine sleep physiology of a subject. Based on the environmental noises in the sleeping environment and the determined sleep physiology, the noises are predicted to be disturbing or non-disturbing noises. For predicted disturbing noises, one or more actions are taken to regulate sleep and avoid sleep disruption by using sound masking prior to or concurrently with the occurrence of the predicted disturbing noises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kathleen Elizabeth Kremer, Jeffrey M. Ellenbogen, Matthew Chace Carpenter, Steven Carl Pletcher, Chia-Ling Li
  • Patent number: 11282492
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for a personalized wake-up system. A sleep assistance device outputs a sound. In response to detecting a sound that exhibits one or more predetermined sound properties, actions are taken to adjusting the sound in an effort to wake the subject. Examples of predetermined sound properties include any sound detected over a threshold decibel level, sounds detected at a certain frequency spectrum. According to aspects, subject may further configure the system to alert the subject based on a set of personalized sounds the subjects considers to be important. According to aspects, the audio device or system is configured to determine the subject is awake based on collected biosignal parameters. The audio device or system takes further actions to disrupt the subject's sleep until the subject is determined to be awake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kathleen Elizabeth Kremer, Jeffrey M. Ellenbogen, Matthew Chace Carpenter, Steven Carl Pletcher, Chia-Ling Li
  • Patent number: 11197974
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that provide respiration entrainment cues to a user to encourage relaxation or a sleep state. The entrainment cues may be audible, visible, or tactile (or any combination). The entrainment cues include a rhythmic component associated with a target respiration rate and may include sub-components associated with a target breath architecture, such as an inhale-exhale cycle. The systems and methods detect the user's respiration to determine whether the user's respiration matches the entrainment cues or whether the user has fallen asleep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kathleen E. Kremer, Steven Carl Pletcher, Matthew Carpenter, Danielle Hicks, Marc Labbe, Brian David Mulcahey
  • Publication number: 20210241745
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for closed-loop sleep protection and/or sleep regulation. According to an aspect, sleep disturbing noises are predicted and a biosignal parameter is measured to dynamically mask predicted disturbing environmental noises in the sleeping environment with active attenuation. Environmental noises in a sleeping environment of a subject are detected, input, or predicted based on historical data of the sleeping environment collected over a period of time. The biosignal parameter is used to determine sleep physiology of a subject. Based on the environmental noises in the sleeping environment and the determined sleep physiology, the noises are predicted to be disturbing or non-disturbing noises. For predicted disturbing noises, one or more actions are taken to regulate sleep and avoid sleep disruption by using sound masking prior to or concurrently with the occurrence of the predicted disturbing noises.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Kathleen Elizabeth KREMER, Jeffrey M. ELLENBOGEN, Matthew Chace CARPENTER, Steven Carl PLETCHER, Chia-Ling LI
  • Patent number: 11071843
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for dynamically masking audible breathing noises determined to be generated by one or more sleeping partners. According to aspects, a subject's sleep is protected by detecting audible breathing noises in a sleeping environment, determining the audible breathing noises are not generated by the subject, and mitigating the perception of the audible breathing noises that are determined to originate from another subject, such as a bed partner, pet, etc. The dynamic masking reduces the subject's exposure to unnecessary sounds and reduces the chances of masking sounds disturbing the subject's sleep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kathleen Elizabeth Kremer, Jeffrey M. Ellenbogen, Matthew Chace Carpenter, Steven Carl Pletcher, Chia-Ling Li
  • Patent number: 10991355
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for closed-loop sleep protection and/or sleep regulation. According to an aspect, sleep disturbing noises are predicted and a biosignal parameter is measured to dynamically mask predicted disturbing environmental noises in the sleeping environment with active attenuation. Environmental noises in a sleeping environment of a subject are detected, input, or predicted based on historical data of the sleeping environment collected over a period of time. The biosignal parameter is used to determine sleep physiology of a subject. Based on the environmental noises in the sleeping environment and the determined sleep physiology, the noises are predicted to be disturbing or non-disturbing noises. For predicted disturbing noises, one or more actions are taken to regulate sleep and avoid sleep disruption by using sound masking prior to or concurrently with the occurrence of the predicted disturbing noises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kathleen Elizabeth Kremer, Jeffrey M. Ellenbogen, Matthew Chace Carpenter, Steven Carl Pletcher, Chia-Ling Li
  • Patent number: 10887684
    Abstract: An omni-directional acoustic deflector includes an acoustically reflective body having a substantially conical outer surface, and an inner surface opposite the outer surface. The inner surface defines a region that is configured to be coupled to a first electronic component such that heat is transferred from the first electronic component to the outer surface of the acoustically reflective body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jason L. Katz, Richmond Andrew Real, Karl Edward Jacobson, Steven Carl Pletcher, George E. P. Chute, Christopher John Breen, Kyle Brian McNicholas
  • Publication number: 20200265824
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for a personalized wake-up system. A sleep assistance device outputs a sound. In response to detecting a sound that exhibits one or more predetermined sound properties, actions are taken to adjusting the sound in an effort to wake the subject. Examples of predetermined sound properties include any sound detected over a threshold decibel level, sounds detected at a certain frequency spectrum. According to aspects, subject may further configure the system to alert the subject based on a set of personalized sounds the subjects considers to be important. According to aspects, the audio device or system is configured to determine the subject is awake based on collected biosignal parameters. The audio device or system takes further actions to disrupt the subject's sleep until the subject is determined to be awake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Kathleen Elizabeth KREMER, Jeffrey M. ELLENBOGEN, Matthew Chace CARPENTER, Steven Carl PLETCHER, Chia-Ling LI
  • Publication number: 20200265823
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for closed-loop sleep protection and/or sleep regulation. According to an aspect, sleep disturbing noises are predicted and a biosignal parameter is measured to dynamically mask predicted disturbing environmental noises in the sleeping environment with active attenuation. Environmental noises in a sleeping environment of a subject are detected, input, or predicted based on historical data of the sleeping environment collected over a period of time. The biosignal parameter is used to determine sleep physiology of a subject. Based on the environmental noises in the sleeping environment and the determined sleep physiology, the noises are predicted to be disturbing or non-disturbing noises. For predicted disturbing noises, one or more actions are taken to regulate sleep and avoid sleep disruption by using sound masking prior to or concurrently with the occurrence of the predicted disturbing noises.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Kathleen Elizabeth KREMER, Jeffrey M. ELLENBOGEN, Matthew Chace CARPENTER, Steven Carl PLETCHER, Chia-Ling LI
  • Publication number: 20200261687
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for dynamically masking audible breathing noises determined to be generated by one or more sleeping partners. According to aspects, a subject's sleep is protected by detecting audible breathing noises in a sleeping environment, determining the audible breathing noises are not generated by the subject, and mitigating the perception of the audible breathing noises that are determined to originate from anther subject, such as a bed partner, pet, etc. The dynamic masking reduces the subject's exposure to unnecessary sounds and reduces the chances of masking sounds disturbing the subject's sleep.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Kathleen Elizabeth KREMER, Jeffrey M. ELLENBOGEN, Matthew Chace CARPENTER, Steven Carl PLETCHER, Chia-Ling LI
  • Publication number: 20190273985
    Abstract: An omni-directional acoustic deflector includes an acoustically reflective body having a substantially conical outer surface, and an inner surface opposite the outer surface. The inner surface defines a region that is configured to be coupled to a first electronic component such that heat is transferred from the first electronic component to the outer surface of the acoustically reflective body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Jason L. Katz, Richmond Andrew Real, Karl Edward Jacobson, Steven Carl Pletcher, George E.P. Chute, Christopher John Breen, Kyle Brian McNicholas
  • Patent number: 10306356
    Abstract: An omni-directional acoustic deflector includes an acoustically reflective body having a substantially conical outer surface, and an inner surface opposite the outer surface. The inner surface defines a region that is configured to be coupled to a first electronic component such that heat is transferred from the first electronic component to the outer surface of the acoustically reflective body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Jason L. Katz, Richmond Andrew Real, Karl Edward Jacobson, Steven Carl Pletcher, George E. P. Chute, Christopher John Breen, Kyle Brian Mcnicholas
  • Publication number: 20190030278
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that provide respiration entrainment cues to a user to encourage relaxation or a sleep state. The entrainment cues may be audible, visible, or tactile (or any combination). The entrainment cues include a rhythmic component associated with a target respiration rate and may include sub-components associated with a target breath architecture, such as an inhale-exhale cycle. The systems and methods detect the user's respiration to determine whether the user's respiration matches the entrainment cues or whether the user has fallen asleep.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Kathleen E. Kremer, Steven Carl Pletcher, Matthew Carpenter, Danielle Hicks, Marc Labbe, Brian David Mulcahey
  • Publication number: 20180288525
    Abstract: An omni-directional acoustic deflector includes an acoustically reflective body having a substantially conical outer surface, and an inner surface opposite the outer surface. The inner surface defines a region that is configured to be coupled to a first electronic component such that heat is transferred from the first electronic component to the outer surface of the acoustically reflective body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Katz, Richmond Andrew Real, Karl Edward Jacobson, Steven Carl Pletcher, George E.P. Chute, Christopher John Breen, Kyle Brian McNicholas