Abstract: The concept of the invention is to take the said top snare assembly of the said double snare system, and to configure the snare system inside of a drum head. By using the said invention, modifications to the said snare drum will not be required and will not compromise the integrity of the original design of the said drum manufacturers' marching snare drum.

Abstract: Mounting apparatus useable with instruments and mobile electronic devices are disclosed which may contain a base structure, an upper support structure and an intermediate member. The base structure may contain a lyre clip attachment plate configured to attach to a lyre clip, which may in turn be connected to a musical instrument such as a wind instrument. The upper support structure and the base structure may both be configured to be pinned in a fixed position along the intermediate member in a manner that can accommodate a significant variety of mobile electronic devices.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the invention, systems, methods and devices are directed to multifunctional media players that allow multiple musicians to play musical instruments at the same time in different locations. Various embodiments of the invention implement several novel features, including, in one embodiment, an orchestra system that includes a system configured to provide a plurality of multifunctional media players playing various songs. Each multifunctional media player includes a picture capturing device and a sound recorder as communication means to control synchronization among other said multifunctional media players.

Abstract: Systems and methods for collectively generating sound are provided. A sound composition can include multiple component pieces and those component pieces can be divided amongst devices so that the devices can collectively generate the sound composition. For example, each component piece may be assigned to a different device and the each device may provide its assigned component pieces in a synchronized manner so that the overall sound composition is collectively generated. By generating a sound composition in this manner, the network may create new and exciting spatial effects.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a plurality of pads, each of the plurality of pads including a touch sensor and an acceleration sensor, a sound output interface configured to output sounds that are set to the respective pads, a display configured to display visual feedback, and a processor configured to, in response to the touch sensor in a pad among the plurality of pads detecting a touch of the pad, and the acceleration sensor in the pad detecting an intensity of the touch that is greater than or equal to a value, determine that a beat is performed on the pad, control the sound output interface to output a sound that is set to the pad on which the beat is determined to be performed, with a magnitude corresponding to an intensity of the beat, and control the display to display the visual feedback corresponding to the beat determined to be performed.

Abstract: An audio processing system includes an audio receiving module, a sound source separation module and a noise suppression module. The audio receiving module receives at least two audio signals. The sound source separation module receives a plurality of space features of the audio signals and obtains a main sound source signal separated from the audio signals based on the space features. The noise suppression module processes the main sound source signal based on an averaged amplitude value of noise in the main sound source signal so as to suppress noise in the main sound source signal. Each audio signal of the at least two audio signals includes signals from a plurality of sound sources.

Abstract: The disclosed acoustic insulator mat includes a first absorber layer made of a non-woven fibrous material. The non-woven fibrous material comprises a mesh of intertwined fibers that defines a plurality of cavities. The first absorber layer has a first side and a second side. Peripheral cavities are arranged along the second side of the first absorber layer between peripheral fibers. A coating is disposed on the second side of the first absorber layer. The coating is adhered to the peripheral fibers and thus includes a plurality of discontinuities at the peripheral cavities such that the coating provides a partial barrier to noise at the second side of the first absorber layer. The acoustic insulator mat may optionally include a second absorber layer that is retained on the first absorber layer by the coating. A method of manufacturing the acoustic insulator mat is also disclosed.

Abstract: A mobile device vibrational sound system includes a processing circuit configured to activate a selectively vibratable element based on a triggering event, and control operation of a speaker to provide a mitigation sound configured to at least partially cancel a vibrational sound resulting from activation of the vibratable element.

Abstract: An acoustic panel assembly may have one or more panels adaptable for reflecting sound waves and a support member to which the one or more panels may be attached. The support member may be extendable and retractable. The one or more panels and the support member may be collapsible into a housing. The one or more panels may be configured in one or more substantially planar portions, one or more substantially curved portions, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Rather than using a coaxial cable, a twisted pair of wires is provided for each element-to-beamformer connection. Differential mode signals are transmitted between the transducer element and the respective channel. A multi-layer element is used for operation with the differential mode signals. In catheters or other probes, coaxial cables are not used. Using differential mode signals over twisted pairs allows reduction or rejection of common mode cross-talk and/or interference.

Abstract: An air, fuel, and inert fluid or liquid water mixture is injected into a resonance chamber forming micro-packets. The air and fuel mixture in the micro-packets form micro-explosions in a combustion chamber where acoustic and electromagnetic energy are absorbed by the inert fluid instead of thermal energy. A standing wave is created in the central resonance chamber by the micro-explosions. Interfering waves are in phase increasing energy in the air, fuel and water mixture. Acoustic energy is transferred from the hot combustion gases to the colder inert fluid or water. A thermal equilibrium is reached without substantial energy transfer from the hot body to the cold body. Efficient combustion is achieved with reduced carbon emissions. The heat generated from the combustion may be used to produce work by any conventional device, such as a steam engine or turbine or generate heat for a building.

Abstract: A method comprising: receiving an utterance, an original pitch contour of the utterance, and a target pitch contour for the utterance, wherein the utterance comprises a plurality of consecutive frames, and wherein at least one of said frames is a voiced frame; calculating an original intensity contour of said utterance; generating a pitch modified utterance based on the target pitch contour; calculating an intensity modification factor for each of said frames, based on said original pitch contour and on said target pitch contour, to produce a sequence of intensity modification factors corresponding to said plurality of consecutive frames; calculating a final intensity contour for said utterance by applying said intensity modification factors to said original intensity contour; and generating a coherently modified speech signal by time dependent scaling of the intensity of said pitch modified utterance according to said final intensity contour.

Abstract: A system for providing assistance to the visually impaired includes: a first image recognition sensor having a first focusing range; a database of images of everyday articles, objects and shapes, each image taken at a distance of about said first focusing range; means for searching and matching an image recognized by said image sensor with an image stored in said database; and an audio chip of an audio database for orally expressing the identity or subject of a first recognized image. The system further includes a second image recognition sensor having a second focusing range; a database of images of everyday articles and shapes, each image taken at a distance of about said second focusing range; means for searching and matching an image recognized by said image sensor at said second range with an image stored in the database of images for said range; and an audio chip of an audio database for orally expressing the identity or subject of an image recognized by the second database.

Abstract: A system and method of controlling an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system includes: determining the location of a vehicle; identifying terrestrial radio stations in a database that are within a range of the vehicle location based on geographic locations of the terrestrial radio stations stored in the database; and altering the content of a speech grammar used by the ASR system to process speech received in the vehicle that requests a terrestrial radio station.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments illustrate methods and systems for detecting plagiarism in a conversation. The method includes receiving first input corresponding to a query from a first user in said conversation. The first input corresponds to at least a first audio signal received from said first user. The method includes receiving second input corresponding to one or more responses received from a second user in response to said query. The second input corresponds to at least a second audio signal received from said second user. Thereafter, the method includes determining a first score for one or more websites, based on a comparison between said one or more responses and content obtained from said one or more websites in response to said query. The first score is a measure of a similarity between said one or more responses and said content. The method is performed by one or more microprocessors.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to using an unnormalized neural network language model in connection with a speech processing application. The techniques include obtaining a language segment sequence comprising one or more language segments in a vocabulary; accessing an unnormalized neural network language model having a normalizer node and an output layer comprising a plurality of output nodes, each of the plurality of output nodes associated with a respective language segment in the vocabulary; and determining, using the unnormalized neural network language model, a first likelihood that a first language segment in the vocabulary follows the language segment sequence.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to a new type of deep neural network (DNN). The new DNN is described herein as a deep neural support vector machine (DNSVM). Traditional DNNs use the multinomial logistic regression (softmax activation) at the top layer and underlying layers for training. The new DNN instead uses a support vector machine (SVM) as one or more layers, including the top layer. The technology described herein can use one of two training algorithms to train the DNSVM to learn parameters of SVM and DNN in the maximum-margin criteria. The first training method is a frame-level training. In the frame-level training, the new model is shown to be related to the multi-class SVM with DNN features. The second training method is the sequence-level training. The sequence-level training is related to the structured SVM with DNN features and HMM state transition features.

Abstract: Systems and processes for natural language processing are provided. In accordance with one example, a method includes, at a first electronic device with one or more processors and memory, receiving a plurality of words, mapping each of the plurality of words to a word representation, and associating the mapped words to provide a plurality of phrases. In some examples, each of the plurality of phrases has a representation of a first type. The method further includes encoding each of the plurality of phrases to provide a respective plurality of encoded phrases. In some examples, each of the plurality of encoded phrases has a representation of a second type different than the first type. The method further includes determining a value of each of the plurality of encoded phrases and identifying one or more phrases of the plurality of encoded phrases having a value exceeding a threshold.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a user intent or goal for contextual language understanding by utilizing information from one or more previous user natural language inputs and one or more previous system generated responses to the user natural language inputs are provided. More specifically, the systems and methods utilize a common schema for determining features from the responses and natural language inputs and provide carryover tracking between responses and the natural language inputs. Accordingly, the systems and methods for contextual language understanding provide for a more accurate, a more reliable, and a more efficient context carryover and goal tracking system when compared to systems and methods that do not utilized the responses in determining the user goal/intent.

Abstract: A system and method of controlling an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system includes: receiving speech at the ASR system from a vehicle occupant that includes a command to control a vehicle function; identifying a gate command from the speech; associating the identified gate command with the command to control the vehicle function; storing the associated gate command and vehicle command in a database; receiving additional speech at the ASR system from the vehicle occupant; detecting the gate command in the additional speech; and accessing the stored gate command and vehicle command from the database.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for presenting notifications in an enterprise system. In one aspect, a method include actions of obtaining a template that defines (i) trigger criteria for presenting a notification type and (ii) content rules for determining content to include in a notification of the notification type. Additional actions include accessing enterprise resources of an enterprise, the enterprise resources including data describing entities related to the enterprise and relationships among the entities. Further actions include, accessing user information specific to a user and determining that the trigger criteria is satisfied by the enterprise resources and the user information. Additional actions include generating a particular notification of the notification type based at least on the content rules and providing the particular notification to the user.

Abstract: A conversation processing apparatus includes a sound collection unit configured to collect voice signals of a plurality of speakers, a conversation recording unit configured to record the voice signals of the speakers collected by the sound collection unit, and a conversation analysis unit configured to calculate a degree to which a conversation between any two speakers is stimulated by analyzing the conversation between the two speakers from the voice signals recorded on the conversation recording unit.

Abstract: A conversation analysis device includes an utterance data acquisition unit that acquires utterance data representing a voice of each speaker and an utterance of the speaker, a speech state analysis unit that analyzes a speech state of each speaker on the basis of the voice, and a degree-of-contribution calculation unit that calculates a degree of contribution to the conversation of each speaker on the basis of the speech state.

Abstract: A method for estimating the reliability of a result of a speaker recognition system concerning a testing audio and a speaker model, which is based on one, two, three or more model audios, the method using a Bayesian Network to estimate whether the result is reliable. In estimating the reliability of the result of the speaker recognition system one, two, three, four or more than four quality measures of the testing audio and one, two, three, four or more than four quality measures of the model audio(s) are used.

Abstract: A voice-activated camera system for a computing device. The voice-activated camera system includes a processor, a camera module, a speech recognition module and a microphone for accepting user voice input. The voice-activated camera system includes authorized for only a specific user's voice, so that a camera function may be performed when the authorized user speaks the keyword, but the camera function is not performed when an unauthorized user speaks the keyword.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for verifying an identity of a user. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of receiving a request for a verification phrase for verifying an identity of a user. Additional actions include, in response to receiving the request for the verification phrase for verifying the identity of the user, identifying subwords to be included in the verification phrase and in response to identifying the subwords to be included in the verification phrase, obtaining a candidate phrase that includes at least some of the identified subwords as the verification phrase. Further actions include providing the verification phrase as a response to the request for the verification phrase for verifying the identity of the user.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus is provided, which includes an output, a voice collector configured to collect a user voice, and a controller configured to control the output to output a system response corresponding to the user voice, in which the controller is further configured to control the output such that a voice command guide applicable to a current situation of the electronic apparatus is outputted.

Abstract: A coding efficiency of coding spectral coefficients of a spectrum of an audio signal is increased by en/decoding a currently to be en/decoded spectral coefficient by entropy en/decoding and, in doing so, performing the entropy en/decoding depending, in a context-adaptive manner, on a previously en/decoded spectral coefficient, while adjusting a relative spectral distance between the previously en/decoded spectral coefficient and the currently en/decoded spectral coefficient depending on an information concerning a shape of the spectrum.

Abstract: A vector joint encoding/decoding method and a vector joint encoder/decoder are provided, more than two vectors are jointly encoded, and an encoding index of at least one vector is split and then combined between different vectors, so that encoding idle spaces of different vectors can be recombined, thereby facilitating saving of encoding bits, and because an encoding index of a vector is split and then shorter split indexes are recombined, thereby facilitating reduction of requirements for the bit width of operating parts in encoding/decoding calculation.

Abstract: A method, device, and apparatus provide the ability to predict a portion of a polyphonic audio signal for compression and networking applications. The solution involves a framework of a cascade of long term prediction filters, which by design is tailored to account for all periodic components present in a polyphonic signal. This framework is complemented with a design method to optimize the system parameters. Specialization may include specific techniques for coding and networking scenarios, where the potential of each enhanced prediction is realized to considerably improve the overall system performance for that application. One specific technique provides enhanced inter-frame prediction for the compression of polyphonic audio signals, particularly at low delay. Another specific technique provides improved frame loss concealment capabilities to combat packet loss in audio communications.

Abstract: Disclosed is an LPC residual signal encoding/decoding apparatus of an MDCT based unified voice and audio encoding device. The LPC residual signal encoding apparatus analyzes a property of an input signal, selects an encoding method of an LPC filtered signal, and encode the LPC residual signal based on one of a real filterbank, a complex filterbank, and an algebraic code excited linear prediction (ACELP).

Abstract: An audio processing unit (APU) is disclosed. The APU includes a buffer memory configured to store at least one frame of an encoded audio bitstream, where the encoded audio bitstream includes audio data and a metadata container. The metadata container includes a header and one or more metadata payloads after the header. The one or more metadata payloads include dynamic range compression (DRC) metadata, and the DRC metadata is or includes profile metadata indicative of whether the DRC metadata includes dynamic range compression (DRC) control values for use in performing dynamic range compression in accordance with at least one compression profile on audio content indicated by at least one block of the audio data.

Abstract: An audio rendering device enhances voice audio such that audible voice is not overwhelmed by other aspects of the soundtrack. The device attenuates right and left channels in an audio stream in response to a detected voice component in the audio stream, and boosts the voice component in the audio stream based on the level of attenuation of the right and left channels. Voice components are distinguished from the non-voice components by separating center channel and mono information from the left, right and surround channels. Non-voice components are attenuated down towards a non-voice threshold level based on an attenuation ratio. Voice components are boosted up toward a voice threshold level, so that the spoken voice is more audible to viewers and not overwhelmed or drowned out by the non-voice aspects of the soundtrack.

Abstract: System(s) and method(s) for classifying noise data of human crowd are disclosed. Noise data is captured from one or more sources and features are extracted by using computation techniques. The features comprise spectral domain features and time domain features. Classification models are developed by using each of the spectral domain features and the time domain features. Discriminative information with respect to the noise data is extracted by using the classification models. A performance matrix is computed for each of the classification model. The performance matrix comprises classified noise elements with respect to the noise data. Each classified noise element is associated with a classification performance score with respect to a spectral domain feature, a time domain feature, and fusion of features and scores. The classified noise elements provide the classification of the noise data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for retrieving information from a network such as the Internet. A user creates a user-defined record in a database that identifies an information source, such as a web site, containing information of interest to the user. This record identifies the location of the information source and also contains a recognition grammar based upon a speech command assigned by the user. Upon receiving the speech command from the user that is described within the recognition grammar, a network interface system accesses the information source and retrieves the information requested by the user.

Abstract: A novel automatic record player for playing a phonograph record includes a base, a turntable, upper and lower hubs, a tonearm, a drive unit, a pinion, a control cam, a main arm, an auxiliary arm, first and second micro-switches, a clutch member, a first clutch actuating member, a switch activating member, an actuating pin, a synchronizing unit, a position guide, and an elongated member. When the clutch member is actuated by the first clutch actuating member, the tonearm is automatically positioned on the phonograph record.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus, for recording data in a magnetic storage medium by a shingled magnetic recording, and a method of controlling this, when a rewrite of data stored in the magnetic storage medium is instructed, copy data of a zone in which rewrite target data is stored other than the rewrite target data into a vacant zone of the magnetic storage medium; store, to the vacant zone into which the data is copied, the rewrite target data, delete by overwriting an entirety of the zone in which the rewrite target data is stored with predetermined data, and register the overwritten zone as an unused area.

Abstract: A PMR writer is disclosed wherein a hot seed layer (HS) made of a 19-24 kilogauss (kG) magnetic material is formed between a gap layer and a 10-16 kG magnetic layer in the side shields, and between the leading gap and a 16-19 kG magnetic layer in the leading shield to improve Hy_grad and Hy_grad_x while maintaining write-ability. The HS is from 10 to 100 nm thick and has a first side facing the write pole with a height of ?0.15 micron, and a second side facing a main pole flared side that may extend to a full side shield height of ?0.5 micron. First and second sides may form a continuous curve or a double tapered design where first and second sides have different angles with respect to a center plane. The side shield design described herein is especially beneficial for side gaps of 20-60 nm.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a magnetic head having an amorphous ferromagnetic reference layer. The ferromagnetic reference layer may have amorphous structure as a result of an amorphous ferromagnetic underlayer that the ferromagnetic reference layer is deposited thereon. The amorphous ferromagnetic reference layer enhances magnetoresistance, leading to an improved magnetic head.

Abstract: An HGA loader provides HGAs, in succession, to a multiple workstation head tester. An HGAs carrier station receives HGAs to be tested. An alignment station on the base includes an alignment surface which selectively rotates about an alignment axis. A camera generates images of an HGA on the alignment surface, which is rotated so that the HGA has a desired spatial orientation which is maintained as the HGA is transferred to an HGA testing workstation. A received, oriented HGA is positioned to enable read/write test operations on a disk rotating on an adjacent spinstand. To effect the successive position operations, a transporter includes a track overlying the workstations, and a carriage movable along the track, to pass from workstation to workstations. The loader is automatically operative under the control of a controller.

Abstract: A hologram recording and playback device and a playback position deviation detection method to detect the relative position deviation between the hologram and reference light during playback with high sensitivity. The hologram recording and playback device records as a servo page, signal light added with two-dimensional pattern data having a cycle induced by the spatial modulator in a least a portion of the data. During playback, reference light is emitted onto the servo page, and an optical detector mounted on the periphery of a light transmittance unit of a spatial filter detects the playback light, and detects the position deviation versus the servo page. By utilizing a check pattern for example as the two-dimensional pattern, a diffraction peak can be generated on the periphery of the light transmittance unit and position deviation can be detected with high sensitivity.

Abstract: A current temperature of a data storage device having a heat assisted recording (HAMR) device is measured while in idle. A threshold laser diode power output of the HAMR device is calculated at the current temperature when there is a change between a previous temperature and the current temperature. A new laser diode current that produced the calculated threshold laser diode power output is applied to the HAMR device when there is a change between the currently applied laser diode current and the new laser diode current.

Abstract: Provided are an optical information reproduction device and a method therefor with which the influence of reference light reflected from the surface of a disk can be reduced, thereby enabling data to be reproduced in a stable manner in an optical information reproduction device that uses holography.

Abstract: A plasmon generator includes a main body, and a front protrusion protruding from the main body. The front protrusion has a proximal portion which is a boundary with the main body, and a near-field light generating surface located in the medium facing surface of a magnetic head. The main body has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface each facing toward the medium facing surface. The first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are at a distance from each other and aligned in the track width direction. The proximal portion of the front protrusion is located between the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface.

Abstract: In a playback method of a playback device that plays a system stream file including encrypted video information, the system stream file includes a first segment in which is repeated a first data unit that can be decrypted using a first decryption key that the playback device has and a second data unit of the same data size as the first data unit but cannot be decrypted by the first decryption key, and a second segment which can all be decrypted using a second decryption key that differs from the first decryption key. The playback method reads the system stream file, and performs conversion processing to convert the system stream file that has been read out into a post-conversion system stream, in which the second data unit in the first segment in the system stream file that has been read out is replaced with a plurality of continuous invalid packets, and outs the post-conversion system stream.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a controller of a magnetic disk device is configured to manage a first value representing the number of times of writing for each track on a magnetic disk. The controller detects a first off-track amount during writing for a first track that is a writing target track, calculates a second value exponentially increasing according to the detected first off-track amount, and adds the calculated second value to the first values of tracks adjacent to both sides of the first track.

Abstract: A storage device includes a data degradation management module that tracks a risk of data degradation by incrementing a track write counter of a first data track responsive to each data write command to a second data track, such as a data track directly adjacent to the first data track. If a count of the track write counter exceeds a count threshold, one or more post-write scan operations are performed to assess and/or repair data degradation of the first data track.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for thumbnail generation. In one embodiment, a thumbnail stream is generated where one or more bits are assigned to key frames and minimizes the number of bits assigned to delta frames. Each key frame may be used to extract a still image for use in thumbnails during trick mode operation (e.g., fast forward, rewind, pause, or random seek operation). When the encoded video file is given to a Just in Time Packager (JITP), the JITP extracts the image files (via the key frames). Information regarding how to reference these files is stored in generated manifest file and may be reformatted by the JITP to fit the needs of the current product. In a variant, the JITP reformats the image files extracted from the encoded video for operation on a number of devices.

Abstract: A log generator generates log data including a processing time and processing contents, as data indicating a history of each of processes including input of video data recorded in a storage of a case video management system by a video input unit, image processing including a masking process to be performed on the video data by an image processor, and output of the video data by an encoder and a video output unit, at the time of performing processing for the video data, and records the log data in the case video management system in association with the processed video data.

Abstract: One or more video cameras are used in conjunction with one or more data acquisition devices to record video and other data with a relationship to the video, respectively. The video and the other acquired data (such as sensor data) are recorded in such a manner that they are or can be synchronized with sufficient accuracy as to create a useful correlation. The sensor data may be used to identify content of interest within a video recording based upon the sensor data. The video may then be edited so as to provide summarized video content. The various embodiments described below show software and apparatuses that extract content of interest from an original video in order to create a highlights video.