Patents by Inventor Wilf LeBlanc

Wilf LeBlanc 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: 9491561
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for performing acoustic echo cancellation with internal upmixing that allow for a more effective handling of acoustic echo cancellation of audio components that are provided via different channels. In an embodiment in which audio is played back using two loudspeakers, audio components that are panned equally among the loudspeakers form a “phantom center image.” Acoustic echo cancellation is performed by initially upmixing the different channels to internally create modified versions of these channels and a virtual channel representative of the phantom center image. Each of these channels is passed through a respective adaptive filter that is configured to estimate an acoustic echo produced by each respective channel. These estimates are then subtracted from the signal received from one or more microphones (or from a signal obtained by combining multiple microphone signals) to suppress or eliminate the acoustic echo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wilf LeBlanc, Franck Beaucoup
  • Publication number: 20150325245
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprising receiving at a microphone located at a first location audio received from plural speakers, the audio received at a first amplitude level; and responsive to moving the microphone away from the first location to a second location, causing adjustment of the audio provided by the plural speakers to target the first amplitude level at the microphone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Ike IKIZYAN, Wilf Leblanc
  • Patent number: 9119012
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprising receiving at a microphone located at a first location audio received from plural speakers, the audio received at a first amplitude level; and responsive to moving the microphone away from the first location to a second location, causing adjustment of the audio provided by the plural speakers to target the first amplitude level at the microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ike Ikizyan, Wilf LeBlanc
  • Patent number: 8879432
    Abstract: Complementary band-splitter and band-combiner devices and methods of operation of both are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention may allow wideband and narrowband functions and services to operate seamlessly by band-splitting wideband data into low-band data and high-band data. Narrowband data may include only low-band data. Wideband services may operate on both low-band and high-band data, while narrowband services may operate only on low-band data. Another embodiment may include computer-readable storage having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a processor for causing the processor to perform the foregoing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wilf LeBlanc, Phil Houghton, Kenneth Cheung
  • Publication number: 20140307882
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for performing acoustic echo cancellation with internal upmixing that allow for a more effective handling of acoustic echo cancellation of audio components that are provided via different channels. In an embodiment in which audio is played back using two loudspeakers, audio components that are panned equally among the loudspeakers form a “phantom center image.” Acoustic echo cancellation is performed by initially upmixing the different channels to internally create modified versions of these channels and a virtual channel representative of the phantom center image. Each of these channels is passed through a respective adaptive filter that is configured to estimate an acoustic echo produced by each respective channel. These estimates are then subtracted from the signal received from one or more microphones (or from a signal obtained by combining multiple microphone signals) to suppress or eliminate the acoustic echo.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wilf LeBlanc, Franck Beaucoup
  • Publication number: 20140003622
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprising receiving at a microphone located at a first location audio received from plural speakers, the audio received at a first amplitude level; and responsive to moving the microphone away from the first location to a second location, causing adjustment of the audio provided by the plural speakers to target the first amplitude level at the microphone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ike Ikizyan, Wilf LeBlanc
  • Patent number: 8588073
    Abstract: A voice queue includes a primary queue and a secondary queue. The secondary queue is operable to store voice packets and generate timestamps for the voice packets. The primary queue is operable to receive the voice packets from the secondary queue, store the timestamps for the voice packets, and store sequence numbers for the voice packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Henry Li, David M. Enns, Jordan J. Nicol, Kenny C. Kwan, Ross Mitchell, Wilf LeBlanc, Ken Unger, John Payton, Shawn Stevenson, Bill Boora, Onur Tackin
  • Patent number: 8515054
    Abstract: A signal processing system which discriminates between voice signals and data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier. The signal processing system includes a voice exchange, a data exchange and a call discriminator. The voice exchange is capable of exchanging voice signals between a switched circuit network and a packet based network. The signal processing system also includes a data exchange capable of exchanging data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier on the switched circuit network with unmodulated data signal packets on the packet based network. The data exchange is performed by demodulating data signals from the switched circuit network for transmission on the packet based network, and modulating data signal packets from the packet based network for transmission on the switched circuit network. The call discriminator is used to selectively enable the voice exchange and data exchange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wilf LeBlanc, Shawn Stevenson, Bill Boora
  • Patent number: 8457182
    Abstract: Seamless wideband support is afforded by utilizing split-band data streams. For wideband signals, the 8 kHz bandwidth is divided into a low band, with approximately 0-4 kHz bandwidth, and a high band, with approximately 4-8 kHz bandwidth. Narrowband functions and services operate on the low band, while wideband functions and services operate on both low and high bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wilf LeBlanc, Phil Houghton, Kenneth Cheung
  • Patent number: 8442198
    Abstract: Techniques for multi-party conferencing are provided. A plurality of audio streams is received from a plurality of conference-enabled devices associated with a conference call. Each audio stream includes a corresponding encoded audio signal generated based on sound received at the corresponding conference-enabled device. Two or more of the audio streams are selected based upon an audio characteristic (e.g., a loudness of a person speaking). The selected audio streams are transmitted to each conference-enabled device associated with the conference call. At each conference-enabled device, the selected audio streams are decoded into a plurality of decoded audio streams, the decoded audio streams are combined into a combined audio signal, and the combined audio signal is played from one or more loudspeakers to be listened to by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Wilf LeBlanc
  • Patent number: 8428051
    Abstract: A switchboard device and methods of operation of same are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention may provide a flexible means of interconnecting wideband and narrowband communications interfaces, where wideband communications interfaces may transfer low-band data and high-band data, and narrowband communication interfaces may transfer low-band data. Low-band data may be combined and sent to a narrowband communications interface or a wideband communications interface. High-band data may be combined and sent to a wideband communications interface. The low-band data may represent audio signals below a predetermined frequency, while the high-band data may represent audio signals above the predetermined frequency. The predetermined frequency may be, for example, approximately 4 kHz. The spectral mask of the low-band data may meet the spectral mask of G.712. Methods of operating embodiments of the present invention are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wilf LeBlanc, Phil Houghton, Kenneth Cheung
  • Publication number: 20120236845
    Abstract: A signal processing system which discriminates between voice signals and data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier. The signal processing system includes a voice exchange, a data exchange and a call discriminator. The voice exchange is capable of exchanging voice signals between a switched circuit network and a packet based network. The signal processing system also includes a data exchange capable of exchanging data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier on the switched circuit network with unmodulated data signal packets on the packet based network. The data exchange is performed by demodulating data signals from the switched circuit network for transmission on the packet based network, and modulating data signal packets from the packet based network for transmission on the switched circuit network. The call discriminator is used to selectively enable the voice exchange and data exchange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henry Li, David M. Enns, Jordan J. Nicol, Kenny C. Kwan, Ross Mitchell, Wilf LeBlanc, Ken Unger, John Payton, Shawn Stevenson, Bill Boora, Onur Tackin
  • Patent number: 8229037
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for a multiple data rate communication system is presented herein. The communication system receives data samples that are either sampled at a narrowband rate or a wideband rate and provides various functions and services, such as echo cancellation, DTMF detection and generation, and call discrimination. For wideband signals, a down-sampled signal is provided for each of the foregoing function and service. The output of the function or services is then recombined with the wideband signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wilf LeBlanc, Phil Houghton, Kenneth Cheung
  • Patent number: 8199667
    Abstract: A signal processing system which discriminates between voice signals and data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier. The signal processing system includes a voice exchange, a data exchange and a call discriminator. The voice exchange is capable of exchanging voice signals between a switched circuit network and a packet based network. The signal processing system also includes a data exchange capable of exchanging data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier on the switched circuit network with unmodulated data signal packets on the packet based network. The data exchange is performed by demodulating data signals from the switched circuit network for transmission on the packet based network, and modulating data signal packets from the packet based network for transmission on the switched circuit network. The call discriminator is used to selectively enable the voice exchange and data exchange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Henry Li, David M. Enns, Jordan J. Nicol, Kenny C. Kwan, Ross Mitchell, Wilf LeBlanc, Ken Unger, John Payton, Shawn Stevenson, Bill Boora, Onur Tackin
  • Patent number: 8155285
    Abstract: A switchboard device and methods of operation of same are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention may provide a flexible means of interconnecting wideband and narrowband communications interfaces, where wideband communications interfaces may transfer wideband data sampled at a higher sampling rate, and narrowband communication interfaces may transfer narrowband data sampled at a lower sampling rate. Data streams sampled at different sampling rates can be combined and the sampling rate of the result adjusted as needed by the destination interface. Methods of operating embodiments of the present invention are included. An additional aspect of the present invention may include machine-readable storage having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the foregoing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wilf LeBlanc, Phil Houghton, Kenneth Cheung
  • Publication number: 20110243127
    Abstract: A signal processing system which discriminates between voice signals and data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier. The signal processing system includes a voice exchange, a data exchange and a call discriminator. The voice exchange is capable of exchanging voice signals between a switched circuit network and a packet based network. The signal processing system also includes a data exchange capable of exchanging data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier on the switched circuit network with unmodulated data signal packets on the packet based network. The data exchange is performed by demodulating data signals from the switched circuit network for transmission on the packet based network, and modulating data signal packets from the packet based network for transmission on the switched circuit network. The call discriminator is used to selectively enable the voice exchange and data exchange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henry Li, David M. Enns, Jordan J. Nicol, Kenny C. Kwan, Ross Mitchell, Wilf LeBlanc, Ken Unger, John Payton, Shawn Stevenson, Bill Boora, Onur Tackin
  • Publication number: 20110135038
    Abstract: Seamless wideband support is afforded by utilizing split-band data streams. For wideband signals, the 8 kHz bandwidth is divided into a low band, with approximately 0-4 kHz bandwidth, and a high band, with approximately 4-8 kHz bandwidth. Narrowband functions and services operate on the low band, while wideband functions and services operate on both low and high bands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Wilf LeBlanc, Phil Houghton, Kenneth Cheung
  • Patent number: 7933227
    Abstract: A signal processing system which discriminates between voice signals and data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier. The signal processing system includes a voice exchange, a data exchange and a call discriminator. The voice exchange is capable of exchanging voice signals between a switched circuit network and a packet based network. The signal processing system also includes a data exchange capable of exchanging data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier on the switched circuit network with unmodulated data signal packets on the packet based network. The data exchange is performed by demodulating data signals from the switched circuit network for transmission on the packet based network, and modulating data signal packets from the packet based network for transmission on the switched circuit network. The call discriminator is used to selectively enable the voice exchange and data exchange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Henry Li, David M. Enns, Jordan J. Nicol, Kenny C. Kwan, Ross Mitchell, Wilf LeBlanc, Ken Unger, John Payton, Shawn Stevenson, Bill Boora, Onur Tackin
  • Publication number: 20110091029
    Abstract: Techniques for multi-party conferencing are provided. A plurality of audio streams is received from a plurality of conference-enabled devices associated with a conference call. Each audio stream includes a corresponding encoded audio signal generated based on sound received at the corresponding conference-enabled device. Two or more of the audio streams are selected based upon an audio characteristic (e.g., a loudness of a person speaking). The selected audio streams are transmitted to each conference-enabled device associated with the conference call. At each conference-enabled device, the selected audio streams are decoded into a plurality of decoded audio streams, the decoded audio streams are combined into a combined audio signal, and the combined audio signal is played from one or more loudspeakers to be listened to by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wilf LeBlanc
  • Patent number: 7924752
    Abstract: A signal processing system which discriminates between voice signals and data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier. The signal processing system includes a voice exchange, a data exchange and a call discriminator. The voice exchange is capable of exchanging voice signals between a switched circuit network and a packet based network. The signal processing system also includes a data exchange capable of exchanging data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier on the switched circuit network with unmodulated data signal packets on the packet based network. The data exchange is performed by demodulating data signals from the switched circuit network for transmission on the packet based network, and modulating data signal packets from the packet based network for transmission on the switched circuit network. The call discriminator is used to selectively enable the voice exchange and data exchange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Onur Tackin, Scott Branden, Chad Griffiths, Wilf LeBlanc