Abstract: An installation structure for an acoustic transducer for vibrating a vibrated body in a first direction includes a magnetic-path forming portion; a movable unit having an electromagnetic coupling portion and configured to vibrate in the first direction; an attachment portion which attaches the magnetic-path forming portion to a fixed portion; a connector connected to the vibrated body and connecting the movable unit to the vibrated body; and a displacement permitting mechanism configured to permit electromagnetic coupling between the magnetic-path forming portion and the electromagnetic coupling portion to be maintained and to permit the vibration of the movable unit to be transmitted to the vibrated body when the connector is displaced with respect to the fixed portion within a predetermined range in an intersecting direction that intersects the first direction. The displacement permitting mechanism is provided at at least one of the attachment portion, the movable unit, and the connector.

Abstract: A cartridge receiver for a tone effects system used with an electric instrument that allows for reduced or eliminated signal loss before sound effects are applied. The cartridge receiver is integrated into the body of a desired electric instrument, while an effects cartridge is attached to the electric instrument via the cartridge receiver; the cartridge receiver providing electronic connections between the electric instrument and the effects cartridge. The effects cartridge provides an effects circuit for manipulating the received electronic signal, as well as an at least one effects control for adjusting the extent to which the effect is applied to the electronic signal. The cartridge receiver can be internally mounted within the electric instrument, wherein the cartridge receiver is fully recessed, or the cartridge receiver can be externally mounted to the electric instrument.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vibration plate for a striking mechanism of musical watches or music boxes. According to the invention, the vibration plate includes at least two parts, joined to each other, manufactured in at least two materials, a first part forming a first set of strips made of a first material so as to produce sounds in a first frequency range, and at least a second part forming a second set of strips made of a second material so as to produce sounds in a second frequency range.

Abstract: An earphone including at least one microphone, an analog pre-emphasis filter for pre-emphasis of the microphone signal, an AD-converter for digitizing the output signal of the pre-emphasis filter, an active noise compensation unit for performing active noise compensation based on the pre-emphasized and digitized output signal of the microphone and for outputting a counter sound signal, and a DA-converter for performing analog/digital conversion of the counter sound produced by the active noise compensation unit.

Abstract: A system may be configured to interact with a user through speech using a first and second audio devices, where the first device produces audio and the second device captures audio. The second device may be configured to perform acoustic echo cancellation with respect to a microphone signal based on a reference signal provided by the first device. The reference and microphone signals may have the same nominal signal rates. However, the signal rates may drift from each other over time. In order to synchronize the rates of the signals, each of the devices maintains a signal index. The second device compares the values of the two signal indexes over time to determine rate differences between the reference and microphone signals and then corrects for the rate differences.

Abstract: A device is provided for influencing the passenger compartment noise in a motor vehicle includes, but is not limited to a noise signal generator for generating an offsetting noise signal, which includes, but is not limited to a control input for receiving a control signal that is representative of the engine load of the motor vehicle, and a loudspeaker for receiving the offsetting noise signal and emitting an offsetting noise into the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. The noise signal generator furthermore includes, but is not limited to an input for a temperature signal of a temperature sensor and is equipped to generate the offsetting noise signal as a function of a signaled temperature.

Abstract: Systems and methods facilitating removal of content from audio files are described. A method includes identifying a sound recording in a first audio file, identifying a reference file having at least a defined level of similarity to the sound recording, and processing the first audio file to remove the sound recording and generate a second audio file. In some embodiments, winner-take-all coding and Hough transforms are employed for determining alignment and rate adjustment of the reference file in the first audio file. After alignment, the reference file is filtered in the frequency domain to increase similarity between the reference file and the sound recording. The frequency domain representation (FR) of the filtered version is subtracted from the FR first audio and the result converted to a time representation of the second audio file. In some embodiments, spectral subtraction is also performed to generate a further improved second audio file.

Abstract: A method, system and tangible computer readable medium for generating one or more wake-up words are provided. For example, the method can include receiving a text representation of the one or more wake-up words. A strength of the text representation of the one or more wake-up words can be determined based on one or more static measures. The method can also include receiving an audio representation of the one or more wake-up words. A strength of the audio representation of the one or more wake-up words can be determined based on one or more dynamic measures. Feedback on the one or more wake-up words is provided (e.g., to an end user) based on the strengths of the text and audio representations.

Abstract: A method for training a system is provided. The method may include storing one or more backend communication logs, each of the one or more backend communication logs including a user query and a corresponding backend query. The method may further include parsing the one or more backend communication logs to extract statistical information and generating a mapping between each user query and a corresponding set of language tags. The method may also include sorting the one or more backend communication logs based upon, at least in part, the extracted statistical information.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable storage media for generating a natural language spoken dialog system. The method includes nominating a set of allowed dialog actions and a set of contextual features at each turn in a dialog, and selecting an optimal action from the set of nominated allowed dialog actions using a machine learning algorithm. The method includes generating a response based on the selected optimal action at each turn in the dialog. The set of manually nominated allowed dialog actions can incorporate a set of business rules. Prompt wordings in the generated natural language spoken dialog system can be tailored to a current context while following the set of business rules. A compression label can represent at least one of the manually nominated allowed dialog actions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for applying feature-space maximum likelihood linear regression (fMLLR) to correlated features are provided. A method for applying fMLLR to correlated features, comprises mapping the correlated features into an uncorrelated feature space, applying fMLLR in the uncorrelated feature space to obtain fMLLR transformed features, and mapping the fMLLR transformed features back to a correlated feature space.

Abstract: A method of accessing a dial-up service is disclosed. An example method of providing access to a service includes receiving a first speech signal from a user to form a first utterance; recognizing the first utterance using speaker independent speaker recognition; requesting the user to enter a personal identification number; and when the personal identification number is valid, receiving a second speech signal to form a second utterance and providing access to the service.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for a speech recognition application for directory assistance that is based on a user's spoken search query. The spoken search query is received by a portable device and portable device then determines its present location. Upon determining the location of the portable device, that information is incorporated into a local language model that is used to process the search query. Finally, the portable device outputs the results of the search query based on the local language model.

Abstract: A method for refining a search is provided. Embodiments may include receiving a first speech signal corresponding to a first utterance and receiving a second speech signal corresponding to a second utterance, wherein the second utterance is a refinement to the first utterance. Embodiments may also include determining a first quantity of search results based upon the first speech signal information and determining a second quantity of search results based upon the second speech signal information. Embodiments may also include comparing at least one of the first quantity of search results and the second quantity of search results with a third quantity of search results and determining an information gain from the comparison.

Abstract: A method for speech retrieval includes acquiring a keyword designated by a character string, and a phoneme string or a syllable string, detecting one or more coinciding segments by comparing a character string that is a recognition result of word speech recognition with words as recognition units performed for speech data to be retrieved and the character string of the keyword, calculating an evaluation value of each of the one or more segments by using the phoneme string or the syllable string of the keyword to evaluate a phoneme string or a syllable string that is recognized in each of the detected one or more segments and that is a recognition result of phoneme speech recognition with phonemes or syllables as recognition units performed for the speech data, and outputting a segment in which the calculated evaluation value exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes receiving an audio signal and initiating speech recognition tasks by a plurality of speech recognition systems (SRS's). Each SRS is configured to generate a recognition result specifying possible speech included in the audio signal and a confidence value indicating a confidence in a correctness of the speech result. The method also includes completing a portion of the speech recognition tasks including generating one or more recognition results and one or more confidence values for the one or more recognition results, determining whether the one or more confidence values meets a confidence threshold, aborting a remaining portion of the speech recognition tasks for SRS's that have not generated a recognition result, and outputting a final recognition result based on at least one of the generated one or more speech results.

Abstract: A method for performing speaker recognition comprises: estimating respective uncertainties of acoustic coverage of respective speech utterance(s) by first and second speakers, the acoustic coverage representing respective sounds used by the speakers when speaking; representing the respective uncertainties of acoustic coverage in a manner that allows for efficient memory usage by discarding dependencies between uncertainties of different sounds for the speakers; representing the respective uncertainties of acoustic coverage in a manner that allows for efficient computation by representing an inverse of the respective uncertainties of acoustic coverage and then discarding the dependencies between the uncertainties of different sounds for the speakers; and computing a score between the speech utterance(s) by the speakers in a manner that leverages the respective uncertainties of the acoustic coverage during the comparison, the score being indicative of a likelihood that the speakers are the same speaker.

Abstract: An error concealment method and apparatus for an audio signal and a decoding method and apparatus for an audio signal using the error concealment method and apparatus. The error concealment method includes selecting one of an error concealment in a frequency domain and an error concealment in a time domain as an error concealment scheme for a current frame based on a predetermined criteria when an error occurs in the current frame, selecting one of a repetition scheme and an interpolation scheme in the frequency domain as the error concealment scheme for the current frame based on a predetermined criteria when the error concealment in the frequency domain is selected, and concealing the error of the current frame using the selected scheme.

Abstract: Provided are a coding device, a decoding device, and methods thereof, with which it is possible to implement high sound quality coding and decoding in layered coding (scalable coding or embedded coding) wherein each layer comprises a plurality of bit rates (multi-rate). In the coding device (100), a feature analysis unit (101) extracts feature values of an input signal. Then a bit rate determination unit (102) determines, on the basis of the feature values of the input signal, a combination of a coding rate (low region coding rate) of a low region signal coding unit (104) which carries out coding of a low region part of the input signal and a coding rate (high region coding rate) of a high region signal coding unit (105) which carries out coding of a high region part of the input signal.

Abstract: A method for decoding an audio signal, receiving a downmix signal having at least one independent object and a background object downmixed therein receiving object information and enhanced object information, wherein the object information includes at least one of level information and correlation information between the independent object and the background object, wherein the enhanced object information includes a residual signal extracting the at least one independent object and the background object from the downmix signal using the object information and the enhanced object information receiving mix information from a user, the mix information being usable to control gain or panning of the independent object or the background object generating downmix processing information using at least one of the object information and enhanced object information processing at least one independent object and the background object using at least one of the downmix processing information and the mix information.

Abstract: A method including the steps of assessing at least two metadata parameters associated with an audio bitstream (e.g., an encoded Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby Digital Plus, or Dolby E bitstream), determining individual metadata parameter quality values, each of the individual metadata parameter quality values indicative of quality (e.g., correctness) of a different one of the at least two metadata parameters, and generating data indicative of a metadata score, where the metadata score is a value determined by a combination (e.g., a linear combination or other weighted combination) of the individual metadata parameter quality values. The metadata score is indicative of overall quality (e.g., correctness) of the at least two metadata parameters. Another aspect is a system (e.g., a test device or measurement device, or another test or measurement product, or a processor) configured (e.g., programmed) to perform any embodiment of the method.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed that can combine audio content from two encoded input signals into a new encoded output signal without requiring a decode or re-encode of audio content in either encoded input signal. Encoded data representing audio content and spatial location of audio objects in two different input encoded signals are combined to generate an encoded output signal that has encoded data representing audio objects from both of the input encoded signals.

Abstract: A method and device for performing audio recognition, including: collecting a first audio document to be recognized; initiating calculation of first characteristic information of the first audio document, including: conducting time-frequency analysis for the first audio document to generate a first preset number of phase channels; and extracting at least one peak value characteristic point from each phase channel of the first preset number of phrase channels, where the at least one peak value characteristic point of each phase channel constitutes the peak value characteristic point sequence of said each phase channel; and obtaining a recognition result for the first audio document, wherein the recognition result is identified based on the first characteristic information, and wherein the first characteristic information is calculated based on the respective peak value characteristic point sequences of the preset number of phase channels.

Abstract: A predictive pattern high-frequency reconstruction system and method that finds patterns in high-frequency components of an audio signal, encodes the audio signal into an encoded bitstream along with pattern information, and then uses the patterns to reconstruct the high-frequency components during decoding. The high-frequency components can be reconstructed using the pattern information alone. Embodiments of the system and method map normalized subband signals of the audio signal to a scaled representation of a time-frequency grid containing multiple tiles and perform statistical analysis on each tile to estimate subband parameters and determine whether a pattern exists. If a pattern does exist, it can be encoded in the encoded bitstream, transmitted, and used to reconstruct the high-frequency components at the decoder. A direct search technique and a fast Fourier transform (FFT) technique may be used to perform the statistical analysis.

Abstract: An automatic speech recognition engine receives an acoustic-echo processed signal from an acoustic-echo processing (AEP) module, where said echo processed signal contains mainly the speech from the near-end talker. The automatic speech recognition engine analyzes the content of the acoustic-echo processed signal to determine whether words or keywords are present. Based upon the results of this analysis, the automatic speech recognition engine produces a value reflecting the likelihood that some words or keywords are detected. Said value is provided to the AEP module. Based upon the value, the AEP module determines if there is double talk and processes the incoming signals accordingly to enhance its performance.

Abstract: A speech intelligibility enhancement (SIE) system and method is described that improves the intelligibility of a speech signal to be played back by an audio device when the audio device is located in an environment with loud acoustic background noise. In an embodiment, the audio device comprises a near-end telephony terminal and the speech signal comprises a speech signal received over a communication network from a far-end telephony terminal for playback at the near-end telephony terminal.

Abstract: The invention includes a method, apparatus, and computer program to selectively suppress wind noise while preserving narrow-band signals in acoustic data. Sound from one or several microphones is digitized into binary data. A time-frequency transform is applied to the data to produce a series of spectra. The spectra are analyzed to detect the presence of wind noise and narrow band signals. Wind noise is selectively suppressed while preserving the narrow band signals. The narrow band signal is interpolated through the times and frequencies when it is masked by the wind noise. A time series is then synthesized from the signal spectral estimate that can be listened to. This invention overcomes prior art limitations that require more than one microphone and an independent measurement of wind speed. Its application results in good-quality speech from data severely degraded by wind noise.

Abstract: Method for measuring level of speech determined by an audio signal in a manner which corrects for and reduces the effect of modification of the signal by the addition of noise thereto and/or amplitude compression thereof, and a system configured to perform any embodiment of the method. In some embodiments, the method includes steps of generating frequency banded, frequency-domain data indicative of an input speech signal, determining from the data a Gaussian parametric spectral model of the speech signal, and determining from the parametric spectral model an estimated mean speech level and a standard deviation value for each frequency band of the data; and generating speech level data indicative of a bias corrected mean speech level for each frequency band, including using at least one correction value to correct the estimated mean speech level for the frequency band, where each correction value has been predetermined using a reference speech model.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed towards a method for speech intelligibility. The method may include receiving, at one or more computing devices, a first speech input from a first user and performing voice activity detection upon the first speech input. The method may also include analyzing a spectral tilt associated with the first speech input, wherein analyzing includes computing an impulse response of a linear predictive coding (“LPC”) synthesis filter in a linear pulse code modulation (“PCM”) domain and wherein the one or more computing devices includes an adaptive high pass filter configured to recalculate one or more linear prediction coefficients.

Abstract: An audio signal with a temporal sequence of blocks or frames is received or accessed. Features are determined as characterizing aggregately the sequential audio blocks/frames that have been processed recently, relative to current time. The feature determination exceeds a specificity criterion and is delayed, relative to the recently processed audio blocks/frames. Voice activity indication is detected in the audio signal. VAD is based on a decision that exceeds a preset sensitivity threshold and is computed over a brief time period, relative to blocks/frames duration, and relates to current block/frame features. The VAD and the recent feature determination are combined with state related information, which is based on a history of previous feature determinations that are compiled from multiple features, determined over a time prior to the recent feature determination time period. Decisions to commence or terminate the audio signal, or related gains, are outputted based on the combination.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a read head in a magnetic recording head. The read head has side-by-side sensors that are formed of the same width by initially forming a single sensor and then removing selected portions of either the pinned or free magnetic layer of the sensor. Then, insulating material is filled into the area from where the selected portions have been removed. A hardmask may be necessary to properly define the side-by-side sensors to ensure that the selected portions of either the pinned or free magnetic layer are removed. The hardmask may be formed by blanket depositing hardmask material and then selectively removing the hardmask material such that the remaining hardmask material is equal to the width of the side-by-side sensors.

Abstract: A communication device includes a vibroscope or an accelerometer for detecting vibration or shock, a hard disk drive for storing data, and a wireless communication transceiver. In response to detecting vibration or shock, the communication device automatically broadcasts an alert message that identifies a physical location of the communication device at the time that the vibration or shock is sensed. In response to receiving an alert message from another communication device, the communication device automatically temporarily parks a read-write head of the hard disk drive to prevent damage from the vibration or shock.

Abstract: An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes a magnetic head having a plurality of servo writer elements, and an actuator, the actuator being sandwiched between first and second servo writer elements of the plurality of servo writer elements. The actuator is also configured to actively adjust a distance between the first and second servo writer elements. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein provide systems and methods for data write management in a storage device responsive to detection of a disturbance. Responsive to the detection of the disturbance, a write operation is paused and a transducer head is moved from a first position on the target data track to a second position separated from the first position by at least one data track. At the second position, the write operation is resumed.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes a storage layer and a heating assistance element. The heating assistance element is adjacent to the storage layer or doped into the storage layer. The heating assistance element is configured to enhance spatial confinement of energy from a field to an area of the storage layer to which the field is applied.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for relaxing design constraints on magnetic recording media through the use of two-dimensional magnetic recording in a storage device. A storage device comprises a magnetic recording surface comprising a plurality of discrete storage locations formatted in an ordered pattern, the magnetic recording surface configured so that a single bit of data is stored in two or more of the discrete storage locations. The storage device further includes a read-write channel configured to utilize two-dimensional magnetic recording to read and write data to the magnetic recording surface.

Abstract: An optical medium reproducing apparatus that optically reproduces an optical medium on which a plurality of tracks is formed in which a beam returning from the optical medium is divided into a first region of an outside portion and a second region of an inside region, according to the shape of the pupil of an object lens, and crosstalk between the tracks is reduced by using a first detection signal of the first region and a second detection signal of the second region.

Abstract: A system and method of operating a dual-beam detection system of a holographic data storage disc, including: impinging a data beam on a data layer of the holographic data storage disc; impinging a tracking beam on a tracking element of the holographic data storage disc; detecting a reflection of the tracking beam from the tracking element; and coordinating position of the data beam relative to the tracking beam.

Abstract: An optical information reproduction apparatus using holography can appropriately correct an angle and a wavelength of a reference beam in a direction perpendicular to multiplexing while data is reproduced. In the optical information reproduction apparatus which reproduces information from an optical information recording medium by using holography, an angular error signal in the direction perpendicular to multiplexing of the reference beam is generated by using a signal detected by a light detecting unit. A perpendicular angle adjustment element adjusts an angle of the reference beam in the direction perpendicular to multiplexing, based on the angular error signal. A wavelength error signal is generated from a signal detected by the light detecting unit, and a wavelength is adjusted based on the wavelength error signal.

Abstract: A technique for storage and retrieval of objects is provided. A holding structure is configured to hold the objects, and the objects are stored in the holding structure such that the objects can slide in and out of the holding structure. An elastic mechanism is at the back of the holding structure, and the elastic mechanism pushes the objects toward the front of the holding structure such that the objects are accessible at the front of the holding structure. A selector mechanism is positionable to push the objects that are adjacent to a selected object to be retrieved toward the back of the holding structure, and the selector mechanism exposes a portion of the selected object so that the selected object can be engaged at the exposed portion. A gripper is configured to engage the exposed portion of the selected object and pull the selected object from the holding structure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with protecting data during cold excursions are provided. A method for preventing unreliable data operations at cold temperatures may include determining whether a first internal temperature of a hard disk drive (HDD) is below a threshold temperature. The method may also include initiating an artificial seek operation if the first internal temperature is below the threshold temperature.

Abstract: The disclosure is related to systems and methods of compensating for interference via a multi-reader system. A transducer or read/write head may include a write element and multiple read elements. A compensation circuit can be configured to process read signals from the multiple read elements to reduce noise within the read signals, such as caused by the writer being simultaneously active or for other reasons. The read signals may be combined to produce a compensated read signal that has less noise than the original read signals.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording and reproducing device includes a magnetic recording medium, a recording unit, and a reproducing unit. The magnetic recording medium includes a first track including first and second sub-tracks extending in a first direction. The second sub-track is arranged with the first sub-track in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The recording unit records information in the first and second sub-tracks. The reproducing unit reproduces the information recorded in the first and second sub-tracks while opposing the first, second sub-tracks, and a boundary between the first and second sub-tracks. The first sub-track includes first magnetic recording components including first and second components. The second sub-track includes second magnetic recording components including third and fourth components. A first recording symbol is formed of the first and third components. A second recording symbol is formed of the second and fourth components.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes logic configured to cause data, organized into a plurality of logical arrays including rows and columns of symbols, to be written to a first write section of a magnetic medium as a plurality of CWI-4 sets, each row of the logical arrays including four interleaved headerized C1? codewords (a headerized CWI-4), where each CWI-4 set includes M concurrently written rows of a logical array having M corresponding first headers, and cause some of the data to be written to a rewrite section of the magnetic medium as one or more rewritten CWI-4 sets, where a length of at least one rewritten row is greater than at least one of: a length of another rewritten row in the same rewritten CWI-4 set, and a length of at least one row in a CWI-4 set stored to the first write section of the magnetic medium.

Abstract: A media editing system includes one or more machines that are configured to support cloud-based collaborative editing of media by one or more client devices. A machine within the media editing system may be configured to receive a render request for generation of a media frame, determine whether a client device is to generate the media frame, and initiate generation of the media frame. Moreover, a machine within the media editing system may facilitate resolution of conflicts between edits to a particular piece of media. Furthermore, a machine within the media editing system may facilitate provision of convenient access to media from a particular client device to one or more additional client devices.

Abstract: A method for rendering text onto moving image content. The method comprises receiving a request to translate dialog associated with moving image content, transmitting an interface, transmitting a time-stamped transcription, and receiving a translation of the dialog.

Abstract: A method comprising using at least one hardware processor for receiving a video and metadata associated with the video, indicating, in a video player, a current time in the video, receiving an indication of a different time in the video and responsive to said receiving of the indication, displaying a datum of the metadata, wherein the datum is correlated with the different time in the video.

Abstract: A multi-stage sensor is situated on the head transducer and configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium. A first sensor stage of the multi-stage sensor has a temperature coefficient of resistance. A second sensor stage of the multi-stage sensor is coupled to the first sensor and has a temperature coefficient of resistance. The first sensor stage is configured to preferentially sense asperities of the media relative to the second sensor stage, and the second sensor stage configured to preferentially sense proximity to, and contact with, a surface of the media relative to the first sensor stage. The first and second sensor stages may be connected in series or in parallel.

Abstract: In accordance with the present disclosure, a system and method are herein disclosed for managing memory defects in an information handling system. In an information handling system, a first quantity of memory, such as RAM, may contain defective memory elements. A second quantity of memory is physically coupled to the first quantity of memory and is used to store a memory defect map containing information regarding the location of defective memory elements in the first quantity of memory. The memory defect map may then be referenced by the BIOS or the operating system to preclude use of regions of memory containing defective memory elements.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, a connector, a volatile semiconductor memory element, multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory elements, and a controller. A wiring pattern includes a signal line that is formed between the connector and the controller and that connects the connector to the controller. On the opposite side of the controller to the signal line, the multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory elements are aligned along the longitudinal direction of the substrate.