Circuitry Combined With Specific Type Microphone Or Loudspeaker Patents (Class 381/111)
  • Patent number: 11897762
    Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to microphone and vibration sensor assemblies (100) having a transducer (102), like a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, and an electrical circuit (103) disposed in a housing (110) configured for integration with a host device. The electrical circuit includes an output driver circuit, a low drop out (LDO) regulator circuit, and an over-voltage protection circuit with improved capacity and response time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: KNOWLES ELECTRONICS, LLC.
    Inventors: Deepak Bharadwaj, Payel Mukherjee, Balabrahmachari Matcha, Gururaj Ghorpade
  • Patent number: 11895462
    Abstract: A microphone device according to the present disclosure includes: two or more microphone elements for picking up sounds which are disposed in spatially different locations; a baffle that has a surface on which the two or more microphone elements are disposed, and interferes with, among the sounds, a passage of a sound other than a direct sound that travels from a frontal direction in which the two or more microphone elements face and directly reaches the two or more microphone elements; and a directionality synthesizer that produces a directionality synthesized signal by performing directionality synthesis on output signals outputted by the two or more microphone elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventor: Takeo Kanamori
  • Patent number: 11820295
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for use of a portable speaker system both as part of a vehicular audio system and as a stand-alone audio system. A speaker may be attached to an internal speaker receptacle of a vehicle and coupling to an audio amplifier of the vehicle. Audio performances received by the speaker from the audio amplifier may then be played by the speaker. The speaker may also be decoupling from the audio amplifier of the vehicle and detached from the internal speaker receptacle of the vehicle. Audio performances received by the speaker from a wireless interface coupled to the speaker may then be played by the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Naoki Hayashi, Craig LaMontagne, Kim Fiskbæk Andreasen, Matthew Christopher Marrocco, Mark Stephen Pisaneschi
  • Patent number: 11825267
    Abstract: A microphone has a MEMS device, a driver, and a control unit. The MEMS device outputs a first electrical signal according to an acoustic pressure. The driver vibrates the MEMS device by a drive signal. The control unit calculates a correction value for correcting the first electric signal based on a second electric signal output from the MEMS device when the MEMS device is vibrated by the drive signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, MIRISE Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoki Tanemura, Hideyuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 11800298
    Abstract: A micro-electro mechanical device includes a casing, a vibration sensor, a vibration membrane assembly, and a micro-electro mechanical microphone. The casing has a sound-receiving hole, and the vibration sensor is disposed in the casing. The vibration membrane assembly is disposed in the casing and corresponds to the vibration sensor. The micro-electro mechanical microphone is disposed in the casing and corresponds to the sound-receiving hole, and a back cavity of the micro-electro mechanical microphone is formed in the casing. The back cavity at least partially overlaps with areas corresponding to a vertical projection of the vibration membrane assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Merry Electronics(Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jen-Yi Chen, Yueh-Kang Lee, Chao-Sen Chang
  • Patent number: 11750988
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a microactuator including using (i) an ingress membrane mounting ring adhesive positioned on an ingress membrane mounting surface to mount an ingress membrane and (ii) a flexible encapsulation shield mounted on a support band and extending over the ingress membrane mounting ring and (iii) a first reed adhesive connecting the ingress membrane to a microactuator reed at an ingress membrane reed opening and (iv) a second reed adhesive positioned on and covering the first reed adhesive, the second reed adhesive extending from the ingress membrane to the microactuator reed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Earlens Corporation
    Inventors: Bryan Flaherty, Daniel Hallock, James Silver, Kyle Imatani, Eduardo Sager, Ketan Muni, Ohnmar Khin
  • Patent number: 11740199
    Abstract: A gas sensing device includes chemoresistive gas sensing elements, wherein a material composition of a first chemoresistive gas sensing element is similar to a material composition of a second chemoresistive gas sensing element, wherein the first chemoresistive gas sensing element is exposed to an ambient mixture of gases so that first sensing signals depend on a concentration of a first gas and on a concentration of a second gas, wherein the gas sensing device includes a gas filter so that the second sensing signals depend on the concentration of the first gas to a lesser degree than the first sensor signals and so that the second sensing signals depend on the concentration of the second gas, and wherein the gas sensing device estimates the concentration of the first gas and/or the concentration of the second gas based on the first sensing signals and the second sensing signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Caterina Travan, Alexandra Marina Roth
  • Patent number: 11736865
    Abstract: A transducer, a method of manufacturing a transducer, and a transducing device are provided. The transducer includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. The receiving unit includes a first receiving electrode, a first piezoelectric film, and a second receiving electrode which are sequentially stacked, and the receiving unit is configured to convert a first acoustic wave signal into an electrical signal by using a piezoelectric effect of the first piezoelectric film. The transmitting unit is configured to receive a control signal, which is based on the electrical signal, to transmit a second acoustic wave signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhao Cui, Feng Zhang, Wenqu Liu, Liwen Dong, Zhijun Lv, Xiaoxin Song, Detian Meng, Libo Wang, Qi Yao
  • Patent number: 11706579
    Abstract: Examples described herein involve validating motion of a microphone during calibration of a playback device. An example implementation involves a mobile device detecting, via one or more microphones, audio signals emitted from one or more playback devices as part of a calibration process. After the one or more playback devices emit the audio signals, the mobile device determines whether the detected audio signals indicate that sufficient horizontal translation of the mobile device occurred during the calibration process. When the detected audio signals indicate that insufficient horizontal translation occurred, the mobile device displays a prompt to move the mobile device more while the one or more playback devices emit one or more additional audio signals as part of the calibration process. When the detected audio signals indicate that sufficient horizontal translation occurred, the mobile device calibrates the one or more playback devices with a calibration based on the detected audio signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Downing, Timothy Sheen, Daniel Valente
  • Patent number: 11659344
    Abstract: A sound signal processing method includes receiving a sound signal, generating an early reflection sound control signal that reproduces an early reflection sound and a reverberant sound control signal that reproduces a reverberant sound from the sound signal, controlling a volume of the sound signal and distributing the sound signal to generate a direct sound control signal, and mixing the direct sound control signal, the early reflection sound control signal that reproduces a direct sound, and the reverberant sound control signal to generate an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dai Hashimoto, Takayuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11596085
    Abstract: Electrical equipment comprising a cover, a circuit board, and a heatsink arranged to dissipate heat produced by the circuit board outwards from the electrical equipment, the heatsink comprising at least one free fin and at least one fastener fin, the electrical equipment being such that, when the electrical equipment is assembled, the free fin(s) extend(s) outwards from the electrical equipment without being covered by the cover, and the cover is snap-fastened to the fastener fin(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SAGEMCOM BROADBAND SAS
    Inventor: Hugo Chusseau
  • Patent number: 11516594
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement is provided, including a first capacitive sensor and a second capacitive sensor. A charge pump is coupled to the first capacitive sensor and to the second capacitive sensor, the charge pump being operable to deliver a positive bias voltage. A differential output has a first terminal coupled to the first capacitive sensor and a second terminal coupled to the second capacitive sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Mark Niederberger
  • Patent number: 11405725
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide an electronic device and a method, the device comprising: an audio module; a display; a connection terminal connected to earphones; a communication interface; and a processor electrically connected to the audio module, the display, the connection terminal, or the communication interface, wherein the processor is set to display execution screens associated with a first application and a second application through a multi-window, respectively, and output an audio signal corresponding to the first application and an audio signal corresponding to the second application to a left terminal or a right terminal of the earphones separately based on a window position corresponding to each execution screen. In addition, other embodiments are also possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sangwoo Park, Eunkyu Lee, Wonbae Lim, Eujin Ha, Sunmoek Jung, Meeryung Choi
  • Patent number: 11317204
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for a phase array directed speaker are disclosed. One system includes a phase array and a controller. The controller is configured to determine an area to send directed sound. The controller is also configured to generate input instructions for the phase array to send directed sound to the area. The input instructions indicate that at least one speaker in the phase array is to delay outputting an audio signal relative to at least one other speaker in the phase array. The phase array is configured to generate, using the input instructions and ultrasonic signals emitted by the speakers in the phase array, the directed sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
    Inventors: Jia-En Marcus Pan, Alfred Charles Murabito, III, Daniel Dongyuel Lee
  • Patent number: 11308928
    Abstract: A device is provided for capturing vibrations produced by an object such as a musical instrument such as a cymbal of a drum kit. The device comprises a detectable element, such as a ferromagnetic element, such as a metal shim and a sensor spaced apart from and located relative to the musical instrument. The detectable element is located between the sensor and the musical instrument. When the musical instrument vibrates, the sensor remains stationary and the detectable element is vibrated relative to the sensor by the musical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Inventor: Tlacaelel Miguel Esparza
  • Patent number: 11310596
    Abstract: Array microphone systems and methods having adjustable lobe shapes are provided. The lobe shapes of pickup patterns in an array microphone may be adjusted by weighting the audio signals of subsets of the microphone elements that make up the array. The lobe shapes may be adjusted in a direction independent of a steering vector of the lobe. Users may have greater control of lobes which can result in more efficient and optimal coverage of audio sources in environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Robert Shumard, Mathew T. Abraham
  • Patent number: 11259104
    Abstract: A microphone can include an adapter housing. The adapter housing can include an opening and an outer acoustic port. The microphone can include an internal microphone assembly disposed at least partially within the adapter housing. The internal microphone assembly can include an internal housing having an internal acoustic port. The internal microphone assembly can include a plurality of contacts disposed on the internal housing. The contacts can be accessible through the opening of the adapter housing. An interior of the internal housing can be acoustically coupled to the outer acoustic port via the internal acoustic port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Janice LoPresti, Steve Kearey, Usha Murthy
  • Patent number: 11228847
    Abstract: A microphone can include a cover having a series of slits and a nest. The nest can be configured to receive a first diaphragm, a second diaphragm, and a PCB in a stacked arrangement, such that the PCB is positioned between the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm. Also, the first diaphragm can define a first plane, the second diaphragm can define a second plane, and the PCB can define a third plane and the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane can extend parallel to one another. The cover can also include slits having a first length and a second length, and the first length can be greater than the second length. The slits can extend both radially and axially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff Segota, Michael Alwicker, Daniel Pratt, John Miller, Elizabeth Cho
  • Patent number: 11197079
    Abstract: A MEMS microphone with a hybrid packaging structure is provided. The microphone comprises: a first circuit board; a second circuit board, spaced apart from the first circuit board and parallel to the first circuit board; a packaging cover, covering the second circuit board, and forming an acoustic cavity with the second circuit board; wherein the first circuit board and the second circuit board form an accommodating space in which a pressure sensor is disposed. In the present invention, the chip and electronics of the MEMS microphone are installed on two different circuit boards, respectively, so that an interior space of the microphone is fully utilized, a good heat dissipation is achieved, a better sound transmission effect is achieved, and the microphone can be widely used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Inventor: Jinghua Ye
  • Patent number: 11163521
    Abstract: A microphone assembly is disclosed including a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) transducer and an electrical circuit disposed in a housing having an external-device interface. The electrical circuit is configured to determine whether a speech characteristic is present in an electrical signal produced by the transducer, attempt to authenticate the speech characteristic, and provide an interrupt signal to the external device interface only upon successful authentication of the speech characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Roland K. Bowler, II
  • Patent number: 11112276
    Abstract: An arrangement (2) to calibrate a capacitive sensor interface (1) includes a capacitive sensor (10) having a capacitance (cmem, cmemsp, cmemsm) and a charge storing circuit (20) having a changeable capacitance (cdum, cdump, cdumm). A test circuit (30) applies a test signal (vtst) to the capacitive sensor (10) and the charge storing circuit (20). An amplifier circuit (40) has a first input connection (E40a) coupled to the capacitive sensor (10) and a second input connection (E40b) coupled to the charge storing circuit (20). The amplifier circuit (40) provides an output signal (Vout) in dependence on a first input signal (?Verr1) applied to the first input connection (E40a) and a second input signal (?Verr2) applied to the second input connection (E40b). A control circuit (60) is configured to trim the capacitance (cdum, cdump, cdumm) of the charge storing circuit (20) such that the level of the output signal (Vout) tends to the level of zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Colin Steele, Rene Scheuner, Thomas Christen, Mark Niederberger
  • Patent number: 11031028
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a sound source separation technology capable of improving the separation performance. [Solution] An information processing apparatus including: an acquisition section configured to acquire an observation signal obtained by observing a sound; and a sound source separation section configured to separate the observation signal acquired by the acquisition section into a plurality of separated signals corresponding to a plurality of assumed sound sources by applying a non-linear function to a matrix product of an input vector and a coefficient vector corresponding to each of the plurality of sound sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichi Osako, Yuhki Mitsufuji, Kohei Asada
  • Patent number: 10992311
    Abstract: Provided is a delta-sigma AD converter including a delta-sigma modulating section that outputs a digital signal obtained by performing delta-sigma modulation with an oversampling ratio on an input analog signal; a digital filtering section that filters the digital signal with the oversampling ratio; a control terminal into which an external control signal is input; an output control section that performs control to output an output signal based on the filtered digital signal, according to the external control signal; and a setting section that sets the oversampling ratio based on interval information of the external control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Miyahara
  • Patent number: 10979801
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for generating sound using a speaker mounted to an enclosure (e.g., speaker cabinet) wherein a gas pressure level (e.g., air pressure level) inside the enclosure is lower than an ambient air pressure level outside the enclosure. The reduced gas pressure level within the enclosure provides an environment with a reduced pressure level at a back side of a speaker cone of the speaker, which enhances a low frequency response for a given speaker size, while also minimizing resonant frequencies and phase cancellation issues which could otherwise occur with conventional speaker systems in which acoustic sound waves are generated at the back side of the speaker cone. A pressure compensation system is utilized counteract a force applied to the front side of the speaker cone as a result of the gas pressure level inside the enclosure being lower than the ambient air pressure level outside the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Inventor: James J. Fallon
  • Patent number: 10939192
    Abstract: An electret condenser microphone is provided. The electret condenser microphone comprises a diaphragm, a backplate with a metal layer on the side facing the diaphragm and an amplifier on the other side, the input of the amplifier electrically connecting the metal layer, a spacer separating the diaphragm and the backplate PWB; and a metal sleeve accommodating the diaphragm, the backplate and the spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Alan Michel, Sean Gao, Guangyue Lv
  • Patent number: 10887711
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sound recording circuit capable of adjusting microphone sensitivity and preventing sound cracks caused by overly loud sound. The sound recording circuit includes: a microphone bias circuit configured to provide a bias voltage for a microphone circuit; an AC coupling capacitor configured to output an analog input signal according to a microphone signal of the microphone circuit; an analog amplifier circuit configured to output an analog output signal according to the analog input signal; an analog-to-digital converter configured to output a digital input signal according to the analog output signal; a digital amplifier circuit configured to output a digital output signal according to the digital input signal; and a signal detector configured to control an analog gain of the analog amplifier circuit, a digital gain of the digital amplifier circuit, and the bias voltage of the microphone bias circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsung-Peng Chuang
  • Patent number: 10877469
    Abstract: Examples described herein involve a playback device performing one or more playback device actions based on locations of one or more physical contacts on an external surface of the playback device. A processor of the playback device may receive from an array of proximity sensors underlying an external surface of the playback device, location data indicating a physical contact at a location on the external surface. Based on at least the location, the processor may identify a playback device action from a plurality of playback device actions, and cause at least the playback device to perform the identified playback device action. The playback device may further include at least one orientation sensor from which the processor may also receive orientation data indicating an orientation of the playback device. The processor may identify the playback device action also based on the orientation of the playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Chris Bierbower, Matt Nelson, Paul Kafadar
  • Patent number: 10856080
    Abstract: Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for reducing echo in an audio signal. One representative embodiment involves obtaining an input signal, an estimate of a system-characterizing function, and a reference signal, each at a corresponding sample rate and each divided into a plurality of sub-bands; separately processing such sub-bands, where for a given sub-band the estimate of the system-characterizing function and the reference signal are processed to generate an echo-estimation signal and then the echo-estimation signal is subtracted from the input signal to provide an echo-corrected signal for such given sub-band; and combining the echo-corrected signal from each of different ones of the plurality of the sub-bands to provide a final output signal, with the echo-estimation signal generated using a processing sample rate that is lower than the sample rate for the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Guoguang Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Jimeng Zheng, Yuli You
  • Patent number: 10839822
    Abstract: Representative embodiments disclose mechanisms to separate and recognize multiple audio sources (e.g., picking out individual speakers) in an environment where they overlap and interfere with each other. The architecture uses a microphone array to spatially separate out the audio signals. The spatially filtered signals are then input into a plurality of separators, so each signal is input into a corresponding signal. The separators use neural networks to separate out audio sources. The separators typically produce multiple output signals for the single input signals. A post selection processor then assesses the separator outputs to pick the signals with the highest quality output. These signals can be used in a variety of systems such as speech recognition, meeting transcription and enhancement, hearing aids, music information retrieval, speech enhancement and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Zhuo Chen, Jinyu Li, Xiong Xiao, Takuya Yoshioka, Huaming Wang, Zhenghao Wang, Yifan Gong
  • Patent number: 10820126
    Abstract: A hearing aid device comprising a microphone, a processing unit and a receiver for compensating for a hearing loss in the auditory system of a human is disclosed. The hearing aid device is configured with a microphone inlet assembly which is optimized with regards to maintenance of the hearing aid and improved sound performance. That is, the microphone inlet assembly comprises an inlet element attached to a PCB and further configured to connect with a sound inlet structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Søren Wichmann, Oliver Sundberg, Rasmus Andersson, Peter Spragge, Martin Larsen, Peter H. Weis, Anders Hedelund Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10819300
    Abstract: An analog microphone and a control method thereof are disclosed. The analog microphone includes a sensor configured to sense an audio signal and convert the audio signal into an electrical signal; a charge pump configured to provide a bias voltage for the sensor to drive the sensor; a source follower configured to receive the electrical signal and convert the electrical signal into a source follower signal; a gain adjustable amplifier configured to receive the source follower signal, multiply the source follower signal by an amplifying factor, and output an amplified signal; and a detecting module configured to adaptively control the bias voltage of the charge pump and the amplified signal of the gain adjustable amplifier in response to the source follower signal of the source follower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: SILICON INTEGRATED SYSTEMS CORP
    Inventors: Wen-Chi Lin, Ssu-Che Yang, Keng-Nan Chen
  • Patent number: 10720939
    Abstract: Provided is a delta-sigma AD converter including a delta-sigma modulating section that outputs a digital signal obtained by performing delta-sigma modulation with an oversampling ratio on an input analog signal; a digital filtering section that filters the digital signal with the oversampling ratio; a control terminal into which an external control signal is input; an output control section that performs control to output an output signal based on the filtered digital signal, according to the external control signal; and a setting section that sets the oversampling ratio based on interval information of the external control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Miyahara
  • Patent number: 10715914
    Abstract: A signal processing apparatus that generates a reproducing signal from an input audio signal includes an information acquisition unit that acquires information about an arrangement of a plurality of speakers used for reproduction of a sound that is based on the reproducing signal, a specifying unit that specifies a target range for localization of a sound corresponding to the input audio signal, a setting unit that sets a plurality of virtual sound sources used for localization of a sound based on the specified target range based on the acquired information about the arrangement of the plurality of speakers, and a generation unit that generates the reproducing signal by processing the input audio signal based on setting of the plurality of virtual sound sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriaki Tawada
  • Patent number: 10701476
    Abstract: A speaker unit for a vehicle includes a subwoofer unit for outputting sound in a base sound region, an amplifier (AMP) circuit unit mounted on a side of the subwoofer unit for amplifying an acoustic current signal and supplying the amplified acoustic current signal to the subwoofer unit, and an amplifier protection cover unit coupled to the subwoofer unit at one side of the subwoofer unit and configured to cover the amplifier circuit unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keunsang Woo, Zhe Li, Min Wu, Jeongtae Lee
  • Patent number: 10674275
    Abstract: An electroacoustic transducer includes: a diaphragm; a frame that is disposed around the diaphragm so as to surround the diaphragm; an edge that closes a space between the diaphragm and the frame in a manner of forming a membrane so as to connect the diaphragm and the frame; a base body that supports the frame and has a through sound output hole in front of the diaphragm; a magnet that is attached to the frame; and a voice coil body that is attached to the diaphragm. The frame has an annular first fitting portion that is disposed around the diaphragm so as to surround the diaphragm. The base body has a second fitting portion that fits with the first fitting portion. The electroacoustic transducer further includes a sealing member that is made of a thermoplastic substance and seals a space between the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion fitted with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Senri Nakamoto, Yukiharu Wakiguchi, Katsuhiko Kotsugi, Kazutaka Goto
  • Patent number: 10659883
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a magnetic bowl, including: a main body made of a first magnetic material and a reinforcing portion made of a second magnetic material, wherein the reinforcing portion is superposed and fixed on the main body, and the second magnetic material has a higher magnetoconductivity than the first magnetic material. The present disclosure further provides a sounding device using the magnetic bowl. Compared with the related art, the magnetic bowl of the present disclosure has a simple forming process and low production cost, and the sounding device using the magnetic bowl has excellent acoustic performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo Xiao, Ronglin Linghu
  • Patent number: 10659878
    Abstract: A speaker device according to an embodiment includes a vibration element, a driving unit, and a panel. The driving unit applies, to the vibration element, a driving signal where a carrier wave in an ultrasonic wave band is modulated by a sound signal in an audible wave band. The panel is provided with the vibration element and arranged in such a manner that a driving signal is applied to such a vibration element by the driving unit to form a vibration region and first and second ultrasonic waves that are generated from such a vibration region and travel in mutually different directions travel toward respectively different users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO TEN LIMITED
    Inventor: Yohei Yokota
  • Patent number: 10587969
    Abstract: A method and circuit for testing an acoustic sensor are disclosed. In a first aspect, the method comprises using electro-mechanical features of the acoustic sensor to measure characteristic of the acoustic sensor. In a second aspect, the method comprises utilizing an actuation signal to evaluate mechanical characteristics of the acoustic sensor. In a third aspect, the method comprises using a feedthrough cancellation system to measure a capacitance of the acoustic sensor. In the fourth aspect, the circuit comprises a mechanism for driving an electrical signal into a signal path of the acoustic sensor to cancel an electrical feedthrough signal provided to the signal path, wherein any of the electrical signal and the electrical feedthrough signal are within or above an audio range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: James Salvia, Baris Cagdaser, Aleksey S. Khenkin
  • Patent number: 10582306
    Abstract: A capacitive MEMS device, a capacitive MEMS sound transducer, a method for forming a capacitive MEMS device and a method for operating a capacitive MEMS device are disclosed. In an embodiment the capacitive MEMS device includes a first electrode structure comprising a first conductive layer and a second electrode structure comprising a second conductive layer, wherein the second conductive layer at least partially opposes the first conductive layer, and wherein the second conductive layer includes a multiple segmentation which provides an electrical isolation between at least three portions of the second conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Alfons Dehe
  • Patent number: 10570007
    Abstract: A MEMS assembly includes a package, wherein the package includes a substrate and a cover element, wherein a through opening is provided in the cover element, a MEMS component within the package on the cover element, an integrated circuit arrangement within the package on the substrate, and a support component within the package on the substrate, wherein the support component on the substrate is electrically coupled, by first electrical connection lines, to the MEMS component on the cover element and is electrically coupled, by second electrical connection lines, to the circuit arrangement on the substrate in order to produce an electrical connection between the MEMS component and the integrated circuit arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Gunar Lorenz, Bernd Goller
  • Patent number: 10575088
    Abstract: A treble loudspeaker with an improved mounting structure for a phase plug, having a T-shaped iron, a magnet, a washer, a phase plug and a diaphragm. The magnet is located between the T-shaped iron and the washer. The T-shaped iron has a central hole. The phase plug is inserted into the central hole and fixedly connected to the T-shaped iron. A soft gasket is provided at a plane junction between the phase plug and the T-shaped iron. The diaphragm is located above the phase plug to cover the phase plug, and a sound guiding gap is provided between the diaphragm and the phase plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: TYMPHANY ACOUSTIC TECHNOLOGY (HUIZHOU) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhi Chen
  • Patent number: 10567887
    Abstract: A speaker (10) comprises an enclosure (8) defining an internal volume (11); and at least one sound generator (7), the sound generator (7) comprising one or more surfaces defining an air-path conduit (15) through which air operably passes in and out of the internal volume. The sound generator (7) further comprises a plurality of electrodes comprising at least one air-exposed electrode (1, 4) and at least one insulated electrode (2, 3). A voltage source (6) is configured to generate an electrical field between the at least one air-exposed electrode (1, 4) and the at least one insulated electrode (2, 3, 70) to operatively generate a plasma proximal (100) to the plurality of electrodes and within the air-path conduit (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Inventor: Paul Gilligan
  • Patent number: 10540085
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, including: detecting, using a touch surface, facial contact of a user with an electronic device; determining, based on the facial contact of the user, a position of the electronic device relative to user's face; and toggling, based on the identified position, a characteristic of the electronic device. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Scott Wentao Li, Timothy Winthrop Kingsbury, Robert James Kapinos, Russell Speight VanBlon
  • Patent number: 10536774
    Abstract: A thermal model system for estimating a voice coil temperature of a loudspeaker that has frequency dependent parameters to model thermal behavior of the loudspeaker may include a loudspeaker having a voice coil and a magnet, and a thermal model configured to have multiple frequency dependent thermal circuits including the voice coil and the magnet that determine a voice coil temperature which is used to limit input to the loudspeaker to prevent thermal overload of the loudspeaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Russell H. Lambert, Douglas J. Button
  • Patent number: 10499162
    Abstract: A bias circuit for a capacitive sensor may include a variable impedance element coupled to a capacitor of the capacitive sensor wherein an impedance of the variable impedance element is varied in accordance with a temperature associated with the bias circuit and an active feedback circuit coupled between the variable impedance element and an output of a processing circuit for processing a signal generated by the capacitive sensor and configured to drive the variable impedance element to force a direct-current (DC) voltage level of an output of the capacitive sensor to a desired voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Dupuis, Vivek Saraf, Axel Thomsen
  • Patent number: 10462580
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical loudspeaker may include: a plurality of elementary loudspeakers each including a drive unit and a diaphragm deflectable by the drive unit, and a controller configured to respectively supply control signals to the drive units. The drive units may be respectively configured to deflect the corresponding diaphragms according to the respective control signals supplied by the controller to generate acoustic waves. The control signal supplied to at least one control unit may have at least one local extremum and a global extremum of a curvature of the control signal with a highest absolute value of the curvature may be located at a position of the control signal preceding a position of the at least one local extremum of the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Alfons Dehe, Yauheni Belahurau, Manuel Dorfmeister, Christoph Glacer, Manfred Kaltenbacher, Ulrich Schmid, Michael Schneider, David Tumpold
  • Patent number: 10451661
    Abstract: A digital frequency measuring apparatus includes a frequency divider dividing an input frequency signal and providing a divided frequency signal; a period counter counting clock cycles in a period of the divided frequency signal using a clock signal and providing a period count value for each period; and a digital filter amplifying the period count value using an accumulated gain, converting an amplified period count value into a frequency, and providing a first digital output value. The digital filter determines the accumulated gain using a predetermined stage number and a predetermined decimator factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong Woo Lee, Joo Hyoung Lee, Je Hyuk Ryu, Woo Young Choi, Yong Woon Ji, Soo Woong Lee, Byung Joo Hong, Joo Yul Ko
  • Patent number: 10433054
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a protection system for protecting a MEMS transducer of a MEMS device from electrostatic capture, wherein the MEMS transducer is operable in a normal-sensitivity, mode and in a reduced-sensitivity mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Johnson Smith, James Thomas Deas, Vivek Saraf
  • Patent number: 10419857
    Abstract: Facilitating an enhanced linearity and acoustic overload point of a sensor is presented herein. A system can comprise a first conductive component that is biased at a first direct current (DC) voltage; a second conductive component that is biased at a second DC voltage that is opposite in polarity to the first DC voltage; a third conductive component that is capacitively coupled to the first conductive component and the second conductive component; and a feedback component that generates a non-inverted output signal, comprising a sum of buffered signals generated via capacitive coupling between the third conductive component and the first and second conductive components, generates an inverted output signal comprising an amplified inversion of the non-inverted output signal, and applies the inverted output signal to the third conductive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventor: Igor Mucha
  • Patent number: RE48402
    Abstract: A method is provided for encoding multiple microphone signals into a composite source-separable audio (SSA) signal, conducive for transmission over a voice network. The embodiments enable the processing of source separation of the target voice signal from its ambient sound to be performed at any point in the voice communication network, including the internet cloud. A multiplicity of processing is possible over the SSA signal, based on the intended voice application. The level of processing is adapted with the availability of the processing power at the chosen processing node in the network in one embodiment. An apparatus for separating out the target source voice from its ambient sound is also provided. The apparatus includes a directed source separation (DSS) unit, which processes the two virtual microphone signals in the SSA representation, to generate a new SSA signal including the enhanced target voice and the enhanced ambient noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Shridhar K Mukund