Patents by Inventor Tobe Z. Barksdale

Tobe Z. Barksdale 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: 11661016
    Abstract: A vehicle audio system includes a loudspeaker configured to be acoustically coupled to an interior of a vehicle and to be ducted to an exterior of the vehicle as well as a controller coupled to the loudspeaker. The controller is configured to (i) detect one or more vehicle operating parameters of the vehicle that would result in a pressure differential condition between the interior and the exterior, and (ii) adjust an audio signal provided to the loudspeaker in response to detecting the vehicle operating parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignees: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Bradford Kyle Subat, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Simon Bender, Stephan Bayer, Lorenz Kulf
  • Publication number: 20220289119
    Abstract: A vehicle audio system includes a loudspeaker configured to be acoustically coupled to an interior of a vehicle and to be ducted to an exterior of the vehicle as well as a controller coupled to the loudspeaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicants: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft, Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Bradford Kyle Subat, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Simon Bender, Stephan Bayer
  • Patent number: 11377041
    Abstract: Audio systems and assemblies provide for a loudspeaker acoustically coupled to an interior of a vehicle and externally ducted to an exterior of the vehicle. The loudspeaker may therefore be subject to a pressure differential existing between the interior and the exterior that may cause undesirable operation, such as an altered acoustic response and/or damage to the loudspeaker. The systems and assemblies provide for various mitigating actions that may include altering an audio signal to change the acoustic response, turning off the loudspeaker, and/or isolating the loudspeaker from the pressure differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Bradford Kyle Subat, Tobe Z. Barksdale
  • Patent number: 11299080
    Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in a vehicle seat that includes a seat headrest portion for supporting the head of an occupant, and a seat backrest portion for supporting the back of the occupant in a seated position. The backrest portion includes an enclosure for receiving at least a portion of an acoustic transducer. The vehicle seat also includes an acoustic channel having a first end that is configured to be fitted around a driver of the acoustic transducer in an acoustically sealed configuration, and a second end. The second end is opposite the first end and disposed at a location closer to the seat headrest portion than the seat backrest portion. The acoustic channel is configured to radiate acoustic energy from the acoustic transducer through the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Oswald, Bradford Kyle Subat, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Muhammad Haris Usmani
  • Patent number: 11044556
    Abstract: An audio system, including an echo canceler being configured to receive a first reference signal and a microphone signal, and to minimize an echo signal of the microphone signal, according to the first reference signal, the echo signal being a component of the microphone signal correlated to the first reference signal, to produce a residual signal; a post filter configured to receive a second reference signal and the residual signal, and to suppress at least one residual component correlated to the second reference signal, according to the second reference signal, to produce an estimated voice signal, wherein the first reference signal is received from a first location of an audio processing chain and the second reference signal is received from a second location of the audio processing chain, the first location and the second location being separated by at least one audio processing module of the audio processing chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Cristian M. Hera, Elie Bou Daher, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Vigneish Kathavarayan, Ankita D. Jain
  • Patent number: 11017792
    Abstract: An audio system includes: a head unit comprising at least a first processor, the head unit being configured to generate a plurality of program content signals, one of the plurality of program content signals being a phone program content signal being received from a phone, wherein the plurality of program content signals are transduced by an acoustic transducer into an acoustic signal within a vehicle cabin; a microphone disposed within the vehicle cabin such that the microphone receives the acoustic signal and produces a microphone signal comprising a plurality of echo signals; and a multichannel echo-cancellation unit being implemented by a second processor, the multichannel echo-cancellation unit being configured to receive a plurality of reference signals and to minimize the plurality of echo signals, according to the plurality of reference signals, to produce an estimated voice signal, and to provide the estimated voice signal to the head unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Cristian M. Hera, Elie Bou Daher, Jeffery R. Vautin, Vigneish Kathavarayan, Ankita D. Jain, Tobe Z. Barksdale
  • Patent number: 10926678
    Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in a headrest for a vehicle-seat, the headrest including a first acoustic assembly and a second acoustic assembly. The first acoustic assembly includes a first set of one or more acoustic transducers, and is configured to radiate acoustic energy from a first portion of the headrest in a first radiation pattern. The second acoustic assembly includes a second set of one or more acoustic transducers, and is configured to radiate acoustic energy from a second portion of the headrest in a second radiation pattern. The first acoustic assembly and the second acoustic assembly are configured such that the first radiation pattern and the second radiation pattern are substantially different from one another, and generate an asymmetric radiation pattern for the headrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Oswald, Muhammad Haris Usmani, Tobe Z. Barksdale
  • Publication number: 20210039561
    Abstract: Audio systems and assemblies provide for a loudspeaker acoustically coupled to an interior of a vehicle and externally ducted to an exterior of the vehicle. The loudspeaker may therefore be subject to a pressure differential existing between the interior and the exterior that may cause undesirable operation, such as an altered acoustic response and/or damage to the loudspeaker. The systems and assemblies provide for various mitigating actions that may include altering an audio signal to change the acoustic response, turning off the loudspeaker, and/or isolating the loudspeaker from the pressure differential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Bradford Kyle Subat, Tobe Z. Barksdale
  • Publication number: 20200413191
    Abstract: An audio system, including an echo canceler being configured to receive a first reference signal and a microphone signal, and to minimize an echo signal of the microphone signal, according to the first reference signal, the echo signal being a component of the microphone signal correlated to the first reference signal, to produce a residual signal; a post filter configured to receive a second reference signal and the residual signal, and to suppress at least one residual component correlated to the second reference signal, according to the second reference signal, to produce an estimated voice signal, wherein the first reference signal is received from a first location of an audio processing chain and the second reference signal is received from a second location of the audio processing chain, the first location and the second location being separated by at least one audio processing module of the audio processing chain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Cristian M. Hera, Elie Bou Daher, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Vigneish Kathavarayan, Ankita D. Jain
  • Publication number: 20200395030
    Abstract: An audio system, comprising: a head unit comprising at least a first processor, the head unit being configured to generate a plurality of program content signals, one of the plurality of program content signals being a phone program content signal being received from a phone, wherein the plurality of program content signals are transduced by an acoustic transducer into an acoustic signal within a vehicle cabin; a microphone disposed within the vehicle cabin such that the microphone receives the acoustic signal and produces a microphone signal comprising a plurality of echo signals, each echo signal of the plurality of echo signals being a component of the microphone signal correlated to at least one program content signal of the plurality of program content signals; a multichannel echo-cancellation unit being implemented by a second processor, the multichannel echo-cancellation unit being configured to receive a plurality of reference signals, each of the plurality of reference signals being correlated to at
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Cristian M. Hera, Elie Bou Daher, Jeffery R. Vautin, Vigneish Kathavarayan, Ankita D. Jain, Tobe Z. Barksdale
  • Patent number: 10863269
    Abstract: Double-talk detection systems and methods are provided that include a plurality of microphones and array processing to detect when a vehicle occupant is speaking. One or more array processors combine the microphone signals to provide a primary signal and a reference signal. The responses of the primary signal and the reference signal are different in the direction of an occupant location. A comparison of energy content is made between the primary signal and reference signal to selectively indicate double-talk based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Elie Bou Daher, Cristian M. Hera, Vigneish Kathavarayan, Tobe Z. Barksdale
  • Publication number: 20200317104
    Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in a vehicle seat that includes a seat headrest portion for supporting the head of an occupant, and a seat backrest portion for supporting the back of the occupant in a seated position. The backrest portion includes an enclosure for receiving at least a portion of an acoustic transducer. The vehicle seat also includes an acoustic channel having a first end that is configured to be fitted around a driver of the acoustic transducer in an acoustically sealed configuration, and a second end. The second end is opposite the first end and disposed at a location closer to the seat headrest portion than the seat backrest portion. The acoustic channel is configured to radiate acoustic energy from the acoustic transducer through the second end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Oswald, Bradford Kyle Subat, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Muhammad Haris Usmani
  • Patent number: 10730422
    Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in a vehicle seat that includes a seat headrest portion for supporting the head of an occupant, and a seat backrest portion for supporting the back of the occupant in a seated position. The backrest portion includes an enclosure for receiving at least a portion of an acoustic transducer. The vehicle seat also includes an acoustic channel having a first end that is configured to be fitted around a driver of the acoustic transducer in an acoustically sealed configuration, and a second end. The second end is opposite the first end and disposed at a location closer to the seat headrest portion than the seat backrest portion. The acoustic channel is configured to radiate acoustic energy from the acoustic transducer through the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Oswald, Bradford Kyle Subat, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Muhammad Haris Usmani
  • Patent number: 10723250
    Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in a system that includes a seat headrest enclosing at least one first acoustic transducer that generates audio output in a first frequency range. The system also includes an adjustable headrest wing disposed in front of the seat headrest, the headrest wing being pivotally coupled to the seat headrest and adjustable to one of multiple positions. The headrest wing includes at least one second acoustic transducer that generates audio output in a second frequency range that includes frequencies higher than the upper end of the first frequency range. The system further includes a controller configured to adjust, for a given position of the headrest wing, one or more parameters of at least one of: (i) the first acoustic transducer and (ii) the second acoustic transducer in accordance with a target acoustic distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Oswald, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Michael S. Dublin, Ryan C. Struzik
  • Publication number: 20190263304
    Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in a system that includes a seat headrest enclosing at least one first acoustic transducer that generates audio output in a first frequency range. The system also includes an adjustable headrest wing disposed in front of the seat headrest, the headrest wing being pivotally coupled to the seat headrest and adjustable to one of multiple positions. The headrest wing includes at least one second acoustic transducer that generates audio output in a second frequency range that includes frequencies higher than the upper end of the first frequency range. The system further includes a controller configured to adjust, for a given position of the headrest wing, one or more parameters of at least one of: (i) the first acoustic transducer and (ii) the second acoustic transducer in accordance with a target acoustic distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Charles Oswald, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Michael S. Dublin, Ryan C. Struzik
  • Publication number: 20190193612
    Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in a headrest for a vehicle-seat, the headrest including a first acoustic assembly and a second acoustic assembly. The first acoustic assembly includes a first set of one or more acoustic transducers, and is configured to radiate acoustic energy from a first portion of the headrest in a first radiation pattern. The second acoustic assembly includes a second set of one or more acoustic transducers, and is configured to radiate acoustic energy from a second portion of the headrest in a second radiation pattern. The first acoustic assembly and the second acoustic assembly are configured such that the first radiation pattern and the second radiation pattern are substantially different from one another, and generate an asymmetric radiation pattern for the headrest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Charles Oswald, Muhammad Haris Usmani, Tobe Z. Barksdale
  • Patent number: 10306388
    Abstract: An automobile audio system includes a signal processor configured to receive and process audio signals from a source and provide processed audio signals to an amplifier, a first headrest including a headrest speaker and coupled to a driver's seat, a first fixed speaker positioned near a left corner of the vehicle's cabin forward of the headrest, a second fixed speaker positioned near a right corner of the vehicle's cabin forward of the headrest, and a headrest accessory port located in a passenger's seat. The port is configured to connect the audio system to a second headrest speaker. The processor uses a first set of parameters for processing the received audio signals when the first headrest speaker is connected and the second headrest speaker is not connected, and a second set of parameters for processing the received audio signals when both the first and second headrest speaker are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Tobe Z. Barksdale, Michael S. Dublin, Charles Oswald
  • Patent number: 10293728
    Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in a system that includes a seat headrest enclosing at least one first acoustic transducer that generates audio output in a first frequency range. The system also includes an adjustable headrest wing disposed in front of the seat headrest, the headrest wing being pivotally coupled to the seat headrest and adjustable to one of multiple positions. The headrest wing includes at least one second acoustic transducer that generates audio output in a second frequency range that includes frequencies higher than the upper end of the first frequency range. The system further includes a controller configured to adjust, for a given position of the headrest wing, one or more parameters of at least one of: (i) the first acoustic transducer and (ii) the second acoustic transducer in accordance with a target acoustic distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Oswald, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Michael S. Dublin, Ryan C. Struzik
  • Patent number: 10257613
    Abstract: A signal input module receives at least one of an entertainment audio signal and a telephony audio signal from vehicle sound circuitry. A level control module executes gain level control logic to balance the entertainment audio signal and a telephony audio signal according to a ratio. A gain control signal is applied to at least one of the entertainment audio signal and the telephony audio signal. A routing module mixes the entertainment audio signal and the telephony audio signal and routes the mixed signal to an output channel associated with a speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffery R. Vautin, Eduardo T. Salvador, Ryo Maiguma, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Douglas J. Holmi, Charles Oswald, Zukui Song, Shiufun Cheung, Michael S. Dublin
  • Publication number: 20190104360
    Abstract: Double-talk detection systems and methods are provided that include a plurality of microphones and array processing to detect when a vehicle occupant is speaking. One or more array processors combine the microphone signals to provide a primary signal and a reference signal. The responses of the primary signal and the reference signal are different in the direction of an occupant location. A comparison of energy content is made between the primary signal and reference signal to selectively indicate double-talk based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Elie Bou Daher, Cristian M. Hera, Vigneish Kathavarayan, Tobe Z. Barksdale