Patents by Inventor William S. Woods
William S. Woods 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).
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Patent number: 11966560Abstract: In some embodiments, an electronic device presents media items from different media applications in a unified media browsing application. In some embodiments, an electronic device facilitates browsing of media from different media applications based on category of media (e.g., movies, television shows, etc.). In some embodiments, an electronic device facilitates setup of a unified media browsing application that presents media items from different media applications in a unified media browsing user interface. In some embodiments, an electronic device displays multiple episodes of a collection of episodic content (e.g., a television series) in a user interface for the collection of episodic content. In some embodiments, an electronic device displays representations of, and provides access to, live-event media items accessible on the electronic device.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2017Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alexander W. Johnston, Dennis S. Park, Tito Lloyd Balsamo, Jonathan Lochhead, Yesmeen El-Shafey, Graham R. Clarke, Peter D. Anton, Jennifer L. C. Folse, William M. Bachman, Stephen O. Lemay, Gregg Suzuki, Alan C. Dye, Jeff Tan-Ang, Policarpo B. Wood
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Patent number: 10375487Abstract: Described herein are methods and devices for mixing input signals from multiple audio input sources in a hearing device such as a hearing aid. In one embodiment, a gain is applied to a telecoil signal where the gain is computed so as to depend on the level of a microphone signal. The technique does not depend on the user's audiogram and allows control of the gain for all environments with one adjustment.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2016Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: William S. Woods, Tarun Pruthi
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Patent number: 10129661Abstract: The signal processing functions of a hearing aid as described above necessarily cause some delay between the time the audio signal is received by the microphone or wireless receiver and the time that the audio is actually produced by the output transducer. In some situations, signal processing incorporating longer delays may be better able to improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or other functional parameters for a hearing aid wearer, but a balance should be struck between these positive effects of delay and other negative effects. The techniques described herein address the problem of balancing the positive and negative effects of delay.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2016Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: William S. Woods, Martin McKinney, Tao Zhang, Ivo Merks
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Publication number: 20180054681Abstract: Described herein are methods and devices for mixing input signals from multiple audio input sources in a hearing device such as a hearing aid. In one embodiment, a gain is applied to a telecoil signal where the gain is computed so as to depend on the level of a microphone signal. The technique does not depend on the user's audiogram and allows control of the gain for all environments with one adjustment.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2016Publication date: February 22, 2018Inventors: William S. Woods, Tarun Pruthi
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Patent number: 9875754Abstract: An audio system processes a speech signal to maintain a target value of the speech intelligibility index (SII) while minimizing the overall speech level so that speech intelligibility is preserved across different environmental sound levels while possible distortions and overall loudness are mitigated. In one embodiment, a hearing aid processes a speech signal received from another device to maintain a target value of the SII while minimizing the overall speech level before mixing the speech signal with a microphone signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2014Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: William S. Woods, Tarun Pruthi, Jinjun Xiao
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Publication number: 20160261963Abstract: The signal processing functions of a hearing aid as described above necessarily cause some delay between the time the audio signal is received by the microphone or wireless receiver and the time that the audio is actually produced by the output transducer. In some situations, signal processing incorporating longer delays may be better able to improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or other functional parameters for a hearing aid wearer, but a balance should be struck between these positive effects of delay and other negative effects. The techniques described herein address the problem of to balancing the positive and negative effects of delay.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2016Publication date: September 8, 2016Inventors: William S. Woods, Martin McKinney, Tao Zhang, Ivo Merks
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Patent number: 9264822Abstract: Method and apparatus for automatic reception enhancement of hearing assistance devices. The present subject matter relates to methods and apparatus for automatic reception enhancement in hearing assistance devices. It provides a power estimation scheme that is reliable against both steady and transient input. It provides a TSM estimation scheme that is effective and efficient both in terms of storage size and computational efficiency. The embodiments employing a decision tree provide a weight factor between the omnidirectional and compensated directional signal. The resulting decision logic improves speech intelligibility when talking under noisy conditions. The decision logic also improves listening comfort when exposed to noise. Additional method and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2013Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Tao Zhang, William S. Woods, Timothy Daniel Trine
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Patent number: 9204227Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for binaural noise reduction for hearing assistance devices using information generated at a first hearing assistance device and information received from a second hearing assistance device. In various embodiments, the present subject matter provides a gain measurement for noise reduction using information from a second hearing assistance device that is transferred at a lower bit rate or bandwidth by the use of coding for further quantization of the information to reduce the amount of information needed to make a gain calculation at the first hearing assistance device. The present subject matter can be used for hearing aids with wireless or wired connections.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2014Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventor: William S. Woods
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Publication number: 20150325250Abstract: An audio system processes a speech signal to maintain a target value of the speech intelligibility index (SII) while minimizing the overall speech level so that speech intelligibility is preserved across different environmental sound levels while possible distortions and overall loudness are mitigated. In one embodiment, a hearing aid processes a speech signal received from another device to maintain a target value of the SII while minimizing the overall speech level before mixing the speech signal with a microphone signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2014Publication date: November 12, 2015Inventors: William S. Woods, Tarun Pruthi, Jinjun Xiao
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Patent number: 9031242Abstract: This application relates to a system for fitting a hearing aid by testing the hearing aid patient with a three-dimensional sound field having one or more localized sound sources. In one embodiment, a signal processing system employing head-related transfer functions is used to produce audio signals that simulate a three-dimensional sound field when a sound source driven by such audio signals is coupled directly to one or both ears. By transmitting the audio signals produced by the signal processing system to the hearing aid by means of a wired or wireless connection, the hearing aid itself may be used as the sound source.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2007Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Brent Edwards, William S. Woods
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Publication number: 20150036852Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, is a system for customizing a hearing assistance device for a wearer. According to various embodiments, data corresponding to the wearer's acoustic environment is logged using the hearing assistance device. In various embodiments, the hearing assistance device is fitted by an adaptive fitting process controlled by the wearer, the adaptive fitting process having access to the data logged by the hearing assistance device to customize settings of the hearing assistance device for the wearer. In an embodiment, data related to fitting the hearing assistance device is sent via a network connection to a location accessible by the wearer's audiologist and/or device manufacturer. The sent data is used to create an interactive database, and the database is used for fitting hearing assistance devices for one or more wearers, in various embodiments.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2014Publication date: February 5, 2015Applicant: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: William S. Woods, Brent Edwards
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Publication number: 20150023537Abstract: A beacon device adapted to wirelessly communicate with a hearing assistance device, the beacon device comprising a sensor to sense a signal related to determination of an acoustic environment, a memory to store information relating to the signal, a processor in communication with the memory and the sensor, the processor adapted to process the information, a wireless transmitter in communication with the memory and an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver to transmit information to the hearing assistance device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2014Publication date: January 22, 2015Applicant: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: William S. Woods, Jeffrey Paul Solum
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Patent number: 8918524Abstract: A method and system for flexibly transferring data from one or more data sources to one or more data destinations within an information network where each of the one or more data sources have data in a particular source format and each of the one or more data destinations have data in the same or another particular destination format using a parameter database that includes parameters to control the transfer of data, a scheduler that initiates the transfer of data, and a data loader in communications with the parameter database and scheduler that, upon initiation by the scheduler, extracts data from the one or more data sources, manipulates the extracted source data into one or more destination formats associated with the one or more data destinations, and inserts the data into one or more data destinations according to the parameters within the parameter database.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2012Date of Patent: December 23, 2014Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Nicholas James Clark, William S. Woods
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Publication number: 20140348359Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for binaural noise reduction for hearing assistance devices using information generated at a first hearing assistance device and information received from a second hearing assistance device. In various embodiments, the present subject matter provides a gain measurement for noise reduction using information from a second hearing assistance device that is transferred at a lower bit rate or bandwidth by the use of coding for further quantization of the information to reduce the amount of information needed to make a gain calculation at the first hearing assistance device. The present subject matter can be used for hearing aids with wireless or wired connections.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2014Publication date: November 27, 2014Applicant: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventor: William S. Woods
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Patent number: 8824711Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for improving speech intelligibility for speech-in-noise in audio processing and hearing assistance devices. The present subject matter includes a method for improving speech intelligibility for speech-in-noise for audio processing and hearing assistance devices. The method includes receiving an audio signal using a microphone array and processing the received signal to improve speech intelligibility in noise. A barrier-type beamforming process is used to improve signal-to-noise ratio at the output of the microphone array. The beamforming process includes convex optimization using a logarithmic barrier function, according to various embodiments.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2011Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Eric A. Durant, Ivo Merks, William S. Woods, Jinjun Xiao, Tao Zhang, Zhi-Quan Luo
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Publication number: 20140177888Abstract: Method and apparatus for environment detection and adaptation in hearing assistance devices. Performance of feature extraction and environment detection to perform adaptation to hearing assistance device operation for a number of hearing assistance environments. The system detecting various noise sources independent of speech. The system determining adaptive actions to take place based on predicted sound class. The system providing individually customizable response to inputs from different sound classes. In various embodiments, the system employing a Bayesian classifier to perform sound classifications using a priori probability data and training data for predetermined sound classes. Additional method and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2013Publication date: June 26, 2014Applicant: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Tao Zhang, Kaibao Nie, Brent Edwards, William S. Woods, Jon S. Kindred
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Patent number: 8737654Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for improved noise reduction for hearing assistance devices. In various embodiments, a hearing assistance device includes a microphone and a processor configured to receive signals from the microphone. The processor is configured to perform noise reduction which adjusts maximum gain reduction as a function of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and which reduces the strength of its maximum gain reduction for intermediate signal-to-noise ratio levels to reduce speech distortion. In various embodiments, the hearing assistance device includes a memory configured to log noise reduction data for user environments. Also provided are methods to further adjust the noise reduction based on the logged information.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2011Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Ivo Merks, William S. Woods, Tao Zhang, Dominic Perz
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Patent number: 8737653Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for binaural noise reduction for hearing assistance devices using information generated at a first hearing assistance device and information received from a second hearing assistance device. In various embodiments, the present subject matter provides a gain measurement for noise reduction using information from a second hearing assistance device that is transferred at a lower bit rate or bandwidth by the use of coding for further quantization of the information to reduce the amount of information needed to make a gain calculation at the first hearing assistance device. The present subject matter can be used for hearing aids with wireless or wired connections.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2009Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventor: William S. Woods
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Patent number: 8718288Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, is a system for customizing a hearing assistance device for a wearer. According to various embodiments, data corresponding to the wearer's acoustic environment is logged using the hearing assistance device. In various embodiments, the hearing assistance device is fitted by an adaptive fitting process controlled by the wearer, the adaptive fitting process having access to the data logged by the hearing assistance device to customize settings of the hearing assistance device for the wearer. In an embodiment, data related to fitting the hearing assistance device is sent via a network connection to a location accessible by the wearer's audiologist and/or device manufacturer. The sent data is used to create an interactive database, and the database is used for fitting hearing assistance devices for one or more wearers, in various embodiments.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2007Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: William S. Woods, Brent Edwards
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Patent number: 8705782Abstract: A beacon device adapted to wirelessly communicate with a hearing assistance device, the beacon device comprising a sensor to sense a signal related to determination of an acoustic environment, a memory to store information relating to the signal, a processor in communication with the memory and the sensor, the processor adapted to process the information, a wireless transmitter in communication with the memory and an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver to transmit information to the hearing assistance device.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2009Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: William S. Woods, Jeffrey Paul Solum