Sound Effects Patents (Class 381/61)
  • Patent number: 8942836
    Abstract: A control signal generating means of a sound effect generating device sets the reference volume that is the reference value of the volume of a sound effect when a vehicle is in a predetermined travel state, compares the measured volume of the sound effect detected by a sound effect detecting means when the vehicle is in the predetermined travel state and the reference volume, and corrects the gain of a control signal on the basis of the result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Inoue, Yasunori Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8938079
    Abstract: Engine sound enhancement (ESE) for a vehicle includes determining a current rate of change (ROC) in a position of an acceleration device of the vehicle from sensor data received from at least one sensor in communication with the acceleration device and calculating an ESE value based on the current ROC in the position of the acceleration device. The ESE value reflects an intensity and tone quality of at least one of the exhaust and the engine of the vehicle. The ESE also includes receiving a current RPM value, comparing the RPM value and the ROC in the position of the acceleration device to corresponding pre-defined threshold values, the pre-defined threshold values mapped to ESE tunings, and activating one of the ESE tunings when each of the current RPM value and the current ROC in the position of the acceleration device meets a corresponding pre-defined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Frank C. Valeri, Scott M. Reilly, Larry G. Hartleip, William L. Hull, Stephane Richter, John Randall Yost
  • Patent number: 8933794
    Abstract: A vehicle presence notification apparatus notifying a presence of a vehicle includes an alarm device and a dynamic speaker. The alarm device includes an alarm generator generating an alarm sound and an acoustic tube through which the alarm sound is emitted outside of the vehicle. The dynamic speaker generates a notification sound with audible frequency. The dynamic speaker is fixed to the acoustic tube and emits the notification sound inside of the acoustic tube, such that the notification sound is generated outside of the vehicle through the acoustic tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Hamanakodenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Nakayama, Koji Suzuki, Keijirou Hanada
  • Patent number: 8934643
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a drive signal for a sound transducer (109) comprises a sound generator (101) which provides an input audio signal. A divider (101) divides the input audio signal into at least a low frequency signal and a high frequency signal and an expander (105) generates an expanded signal by applying a dynamic range expansion to the low frequency signal. A combiner (107) then generates the drive signal by combining the expanded signal and the higher frequency signal. The threshold for applying the dynamic range extension may be adjusted depending on the amplitude of the low frequency signal. The low frequency signal may furthermore be compressed into a narrow frequency band around a resonance frequency. The approach may allow improved audio quality especially from high Q low frequency sound transducers by attenuating decay parts of bass signals thereby reducing sustain or ringing for bass notes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Ronaldus Maria Aarts, Thomas Pieter Jan Peeters
  • Patent number: 8929566
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of processing an audio signal in a portable listening device, the audio signal comprising a low frequency part having an LF-bandwidth ?fLF and a high-frequency part having a HF-bandwidth ?fHF. The invention further relates to a listening device and to a listening system. The object of the present invention is to improve performance or save power in a portable listening device. The problem is solved in that the method comprises a) providing an audio input signal consisting of said low frequency part having an LF-bandwidth ?fLF; b) performing at least one signal processing step on the low frequency part of the audio signal; and c) performing a bandwidth extension process on said low frequency part of the audio signal to generate said high-frequency part of the audio signal, thereby generating or regenerating said audio output signal with a full bandwidth ?ffull comprising said LF-bandwidth ?fLF and said HF-bandwidth ?fHF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Thomas Kaulberg, Lars Skovby
  • Publication number: 20150003618
    Abstract: A method includes performing a harmonic decomposition on a target engine sound, thereby to extract each of N harmonics of the target engine sound over an RPM range; and out of the extracted harmonics, extracting phase and shape information for each of the N harmonics over the RPM range for reproducing the target engine sound. The method also includes configuring an engine harmonic enhancement (EHE) system to utilize the extracted phase and shape information to generate an engine harmonic enhancement signal, he(t), to be added on top of a baseline engine sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Cristian M. Hera
  • Patent number: 8908893
    Abstract: Multi-stage filter bank systems with filter banks of different bandwidth frequently cause interference in hearing apparatuses and in particular in hearing devices. Therefore a hearing apparatus is proposed with a filter bank system having a multi-stage analysis filter bank and/or a multi-stage synthesis filter bank, to break down an input signal of the hearing apparatus into a number of partial band signals by way of a number of filter bank channels and/or to recombine partial band signals of a number of filter bank channels. The filter bank system is equipped with at least one equalization filter, to equalize differences in the complex frequency responses between filter bank channels. It is thus possible in particular to equalize group delay time differences as well as attenuation and/or amplification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Daniel Alfsmann, Robert Bäuml, Henning Puder, Wolfgang Sörgel
  • Patent number: 8897840
    Abstract: A plurality of frequencies are generated at a wireless device and a frequency which a user perceives as the loudest frequency is determined. A first frequency range is selected comprising a first minimum frequency and a first maximum frequency. A ringtone is processed to shift the second frequency range to within the first frequency range, wherein an average frequency of the processed ringtone is the determined loudest frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Caleb Hyde, Clark Halferty, Rajveen Narendran, Andrew Wurtenberger
  • Patent number: 8898568
    Abstract: An audio user interface that provides audio prompts that help a user interact with a user interface of an electronic device is disclosed. The audio prompts can provide audio indicators that allow a user to focus his or her visual attention upon other tasks such as driving an automobile, exercising, or crossing a street, yet still enable the user to interact with the user interface. An intelligent path can provide access to different types of audio prompts from a variety of different sources. The different types of audio prompts may be presented based on availability of a particular type of audio prompt. As examples, the audio prompts may include pre-recorded voice audio, such as celebrity voices or cartoon characters, obtained from a dedicate voice server. Absent availability of pre-recorded or synthesized audio data, non-voice audio prompts may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: William Bull, Ben Rottler, Jonathan A. Schiller
  • Patent number: 8897455
    Abstract: A disclosed method selects a plurality of fewer than all of the channels of a multichannel signal, based on information relating to the direction of arrival of at least one frequency component of the multichannel signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Erik Visser, Ernan Liu
  • Publication number: 20140334630
    Abstract: A method of adding sound effects to movies, comprising: opening a file comprising audio and video tracks on a computing device comprising a display and touch panel input mode; running the video track on the display; selecting an audio sound suitable to a displayed frame from an audio sounds library; and adding audio effects to said selected audio sound using hand gestures on displayed art effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Sound In Motion Ltd.
    Inventor: Zion HAREL
  • Patent number: 8885834
    Abstract: Method and devices for providing surround audio signals are provided. Surround audio signals are received and are binaurally filtered by at least one filter unit. In some embodiments, the input surround audio signals are also processed by at least one equalizing unit. In those embodiments, the binaurally filtered signals and the equalized signals are combined to form output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignees: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG, Sennheiser Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Markus Kuhr, Jurgen Peissig, Axel Grell, Gregor Zielinsky, Juha O Merimaa, Veronique Larcher, David Romblom, Bryan Austin Cook, Heiko Zeuner
  • Patent number: 8873763
    Abstract: This invention discloses a method and a plurality of compressive amplitude distortion units for enhancing the perceptibility of the low-frequency portion of a sound by introducing residue harmonics of low-frequency signal components into the sound, where the residue harmonics are generated by a nonlinear function emulating the middle-ear response of a human being. The low-frequency portion in the resultant sound is perceivable to a human listener even if this portion is removed from this sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Inventor: Wing Hon Tsang
  • Patent number: 8855325
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for synthesizing an engine noise, in particular of an internal combustion engine, wherein the engine noise is generated by at least one electromechanical transducer, in particular an actuator or a loudspeaker, by means of a signal value corresponding to an electrical transducer excitation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Friedemann Vogel, Lars Hinrichsen
  • Patent number: 8855332
    Abstract: A sound enhancement apparatus and method which produce low IMD over a broadband frequency region and performs BSE to offer a sound which is natural to the human ears, are provided. The sound enhancement apparatus includes a preprocessor, a BSE signal generator, and a gain controller. The preprocessor divides a source signal into a high-frequency signal and a low-frequency signal and analyzes the low-frequency signal to obtain prediction information regarding a degree of distortion that will be generated by the low-frequency signal. The BSE signal generator generates a higher harmonic signal for the low-frequency signal as a BSE signal to be substituted for the low-frequency signal, wherein the order of the higher harmonic signal is adjusted based on the prediction information regarding the degree of distortion. The gain controller adjusts a synthesis ratio of the low-frequency signal and the BSE signal adaptively depending on the prediction information regarding the degree of distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Woo Choi, Jung-Ho Kim, Young-Tae Kim, Sang-Chul Ko
  • Patent number: 8848947
    Abstract: A low-noise pre-amplifier with an active load element is integrated into a microphone. The microphone has an acoustic sensor coupled to the intrinsic pre-amplifier. A controllable current source is coupled to the intrinsic pre-amplifier and supplies a pre-amplifier bias current. A current source controller is coupled to the current source and controls the amplitude of the pre-amplifier bias current to maintain the intrinsic pre-amplifier at a bias point at which the intrinsic pre-amplifier amplifies microphone signals produced by the acoustic sensor. The intrinsic pre-amplifier may be actively regulated at the pre-determined bias point using negative feedback. Alternatively, the intrinsic pre-amplifier may be set to the pre-determined bias point by sweeping the pre-amplifier bias current for the intrinsic pre-amplifier over a range of currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Jens Kristian Poulsen
  • Patent number: 8843225
    Abstract: A portable audio device suitable for reproducing MPEG encoded data includes a plurality of inputs, a data storage, a display, an audio output, at least one processor, and a battery. The plurality of inputs includes a forward input, a play control input, and a random input. The data storage stores compressed digitized audio data. The at least one processor is responsive to selection of at least one of the plurality of inputs to convert selected compressed digitized audio data stored in the data storage for reproduction by the audio output and to provide information to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Mpman.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Kwang-su Moon, Jung-ha Hwang
  • Patent number: 8842847
    Abstract: The invention provides an audio signal processing system for simulating sound engineering effects. The audio signal processing system may simulate, emulate or model sound engineering effects that may be present in a sample audio signal contained in a sound recording. The audio signal processing system may include an input signal, a first filter system, a nonlinear effect simulator and a second filter system. The input signal may include an audio signal and the sample audio signal. The audio signal may be a signal generated with a musical instrument and the sample audio signal may be a previously processed signal for a sound recording. The first filter system may include a chain of filters configured to condition the audio signal. The nonlinear effect simulator may receive the audio signal processed by the first filter system and modify the audio signal nonlinearly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Jeremy Adam Geisler
  • Publication number: 20140270214
    Abstract: An audio effects chain sequencing apparatus alters the sequence of effects units in an effects chain so that different sequences of effects units can be connected. In one example the audio effects chain sequencing apparatus can have an external input port and an external output port, at least two component ports each having an internal input port and an internal output port, where the at least two component ports receive an input from the external input port, transfer that input in a component sequence to the component ports, and transfer the input to the external output port at the end of the component sequence and having a sequence selection module which selects the component sequence in which the at least two component ports transfer the input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Andrew John Brandt, Adam Edward Malone
  • Publication number: 20140270215
    Abstract: A method and device may color or modify the tone or sound quality of audio input signals. A processor such as a DSP, may apply two or more filters to the audio input signal, each filter comprising a set of filter coefficients. The processor may combine finite impulse response (FIR) filters of the two or more filters into a power-saving filter. A speaker or sound emitter may emitting an output audio signal from the filtered audio input signal. The output audio signal has a different tone quality than that of the input audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Fishman Transducers, Inc.
    Inventors: Ching-Yu LIN, Lawrence Fishman
  • Patent number: 8837752
    Abstract: In an automatic correction process, automatic correction processing portions 60 are connected to a set reference channel and target channels, respectively, so that test signals will be input to the automatic correction processing portions 60, respectively. A rise detection portion 60a detects a rise in a test signal input to a corresponding channel, so that a value counted by a sample counter 61 is latched by a latch 60b at the rising timing of this test signal. In accordance with a difference between the counted value latched to the reference channel and the counted value latched to the target channel, a time difference is calculated. In accordance with the time difference, a delay time set for a channel delay means of the target channel is automatically corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Fujita, Satoshi Sendoh
  • Patent number: 8831236
    Abstract: An absolute-value circuit outputs the absolute value of a signal SIN? that corresponds to an input signal SIN. A clipping circuit clips the signal SIN? that corresponds to the input signal, to a positive limit value and to a negative limit value. A first multiplier multiplies the signal SIN? that corresponds to the input signal, by a predetermined coefficient. A first adder subtracts the output signal of the first multiplier from the output signal of the clipping circuit. A second adder sums a signal that corresponds to the output signal of the first adder and a signal that corresponds to the output signal of the absolute-value circuit. A third adder sums the input signal SIN and a signal that corresponds to the output signal of the second adder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasutomo Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8824709
    Abstract: A system for generating 3D sound with adjustable source positioning includes a first stage and a second stage, which is coupled to the first stage and to a speaker array that includes a plurality of speakers. The first stage is configured to position a plurality of virtual sound sources through a positioner output. The second stage is configured to generate a 3D signal for the speaker array based on the positioner output. The speaker array is configured to generate a 3D sound stage including the virtual sound sources based on the 3D signal. The first stage may be further configured to reposition the virtual sound sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Yunhong Li
  • Publication number: 20140241538
    Abstract: Techniques for storing and retrieving processing properties for processing an audio signal in an audio processing system, such as, an audio mixing console are provided. The processing properties specify audio effects and/or audio mixing applied to the audio signal. Type information is established which relates to audio content properties of the audio signal. The type information allows classifying audio signals based on their audio content. Based on the type information, processing parameters are stored in a database and/or retrieved from the database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Harman International Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Richard AYRES
  • Patent number: 8817997
    Abstract: A stereophonic sound output apparatus and an early reflection generation method thereof. The stereophonic sound output apparatus includes an early reflection generator to implement an early reflection when a 5.1 channel audio signal is down-mixed to a 2-channel audio signal to play back a 5.1 channel audio signal through a 2-channel headphone. The early reflection generator generates early reflections in pairs in which there is an appropriate time difference between the left side reflections and the right side reflections by generating an interaural time difference between two input audio signals and filtering. It is possible to copy the characteristics of early reflections in a real listening room. It is also possible to implement an early reflection similar to a real reflection measured in an apparatus for playing back the 5.1 channel audio signal through 2-channel headphone. A natural 5.1 channel effect may also be obtained using little computation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Denis Kutuzov, Chul-min Choi
  • Publication number: 20140233744
    Abstract: A system and method for enhancing the audio experience on a consumer electronic device is disclosed. A system for enhancing the audio experience on a consumer electronic device including a parametrically configurable processing block is disclosed. An all-digital audio enhancement system suitable for embedding into a low cost, low power application specific integrated circuit is disclosed. A method for configuring an audio enhancement system on a consumer electronic device is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Pär Gunnars Risberg, Landy Toth
  • Publication number: 20140233745
    Abstract: An acceleration sound generation device for a vehicle using at least one of an acceleration operation of the vehicle, an acceleration force generated by the acceleration operation, and an acceleration state obtained by the acceleration force as a control parameter. The acceleration sound generation device includes a sound generation unit and an acceleration sound delay unit. The sound generation unit generates an acceleration sound in a vehicle passenger compartment in response to an acceleration sound signal that is generated based on the control parameter. The acceleration sound delay unit delays output of the acceleration sound by the sound generation unit such that the acceleration sound changes and is delayed with respect to a change in the control parameter. The acceleration sound delay unit sets a delay degree of the acceleration sound at a rising time of the control parameter separately from at a falling time of the control parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunichi Kanehara, Wataru Ogose, Koji Shionome
  • Patent number: 8811625
    Abstract: A headphone system, installed in a portable electronic device for outputting sounds, includes an audio wire for transmitting audio signals, a sound output device for receiving and demonstrating the audio signals transmitted by the audio wire, an audio processing unit for receiving audio data and outputting the audio signals corresponding to the audio data via the audio wire according to a control signal, an automatic reel wound around by the audio wire for rolling up the audio wire, a length detection unit for detecting a rotating distance and a rotating direction of the automatic reel, and a control unit for outputting the control signal to the audio processing unit according to a detection result of the length detection unit, to control operations of the audio processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventor: Xu-Hong Yao
  • Patent number: 8805561
    Abstract: An audio user interface is provided in which items are represented in an audio field by corresponding synthesized sound sources from where sounds related to the items appear to emanate. An audio cursor, in the form of a synthesised sound source from which a distinctive cursor sound emanates, is movable in the audio field under user control. Upon the cursor being moved close to an item-representing sound source, a related audible indication is generated by modifying the sounds emanating from at least one of that item-representing sound source and the cursor. In one embodiment, this audible indication also indicates the current distance between the cursor and item-representing sound source and also the direction of the latter from the cursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.P.
    Inventors: Lawrence Wilcock, Alistair Coles
  • Patent number: 8792647
    Abstract: A circuit device for a three-dimensional sound system is disclosed. The device circuit contains a plurality of resistors, capacitors and transistors. The circuit is an analog circuit creating an actual three-dimensional sound system where the listener can perceive sound coming from different spatial directions. The circuit device accomplishes this by sensing the amplitude and phase difference between the sound signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Inventor: Dalwinder Singh Sidhu
  • Patent number: 8787586
    Abstract: A controller device is provided whereby players can experience realistic sounds. The controller device is connected to the main body of an information processing apparatus, wherein the controller device comprises a first speaker for emitting a sound signal in a low frequency range, and a second speaker for emitting a sound signal in a frequency range that is higher in comparison with the first speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Hamada, Toru Akazawa
  • Publication number: 20140200887
    Abstract: A sound processing device includes a noise suppression unit configured to suppress a noise component included in an input sound signal, an auxiliary noise addition unit configured to add auxiliary noise to the input sound signal, whose noise component has been suppressed by the noise suppression unit, to generate an auxiliary noise-added signal, a distortion calculation unit configured to calculate a degree of distortion of the auxiliary noise-added signal, and a control unit configured to control an addition amount by which the auxiliary noise addition unit adds the auxiliary noise based on the degree of distortion calculated by the distortion calculation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro NAKADAI, Keisuke NAKAMURA, Daisuke KIMOTO
  • Patent number: 8767978
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for processing sound signals. The processing may include identifying individual harmonic sounds represented in sound signals, determining sound parameters of harmonic sounds, classifying harmonic sounds according to source, and/or other processing. The processing may include transforming the sound signals (or portions thereof) into a space which expresses a transform coefficient as a function of frequency and chirp rate. This may facilitate leveraging of the fact that the individual harmonics of a single harmonic sound may have a common pitch velocity (which is related to the chirp rate) across all of its harmonics in order to distinguish an the harmonic sound from other sounds (harmonic and/or non-harmonic) and/or noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: The Intellisis Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Bradley, Daniel S. Goldin, Robert N. Hilton, Nicholas K. Fisher, Rodney Gateau, Derrick R. Roos, Eric Wiewiora
  • Patent number: 8761410
    Abstract: The present technology provides robust, high quality dereverberation of an acoustic signal which can overcome or substantially alleviate the problems associated with the diverse and dynamic nature of the surrounding acoustic environment. The present technology utilizes acoustic signals received from a plurality of microphones to carry out a multi-faceted analysis which accurately identifies reverberation based on the correlation between the acoustic signals. Due to the spatial distance between the microphones and the variation in reflection paths present in the surrounding acoustic environment, the correlation between the acoustic signals can be used to accurately determine whether portions of one or more of the acoustic signals contain desired speech or undesired reverberation. These correlation characteristics are then used to generate signal modifications applied to one or more of the received acoustic signals to preserve speech and reduce reverberation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Audience, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Avendano, Carlo Murgia
  • Patent number: 8750529
    Abstract: A signal processing apparatus is provided. The signal processing apparatus comprises: an inputting section for inputting audio signals on a plurality of channels; an acoustic type acquiring section which is adapted to acquire an acoustic type of an audio signal on at least one channel of the audio signals; and a process controlling section which is adapted to control a characteristic of sound-field effect applied to the audio signals based on the acquired acoustic type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroomi Shidoji, Noriyuki Ohashii
  • Patent number: 8744065
    Abstract: A method and system for concurrently monitoring contact center agents. A user interface executes on a supervisor station and displays multiple agent identifiers, including a first agent identifier and a second agent identifier, on a display device. The supervisor station provides to a three-dimensional spatial audio engine (3DSAE) first audio attribute data identifying a location of the first agent identifier in the user interface with respect to a supervisor reference position, the first audio attribute data including first audio direction data and first audio distance data. The supervisor station receives from the 3DSAE first voice signals corresponding to the first agent identifier, wherein the first voice signals include aural characteristics based on the first audio attribute data, and presents the first voice signals to an output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Edholm, Keith Weiner
  • Patent number: 8737632
    Abstract: A mechanical acoustic energy control system to be located in a room in which one or more audio speakers are also located so that the audio output of the speakers can be distributed throughout the room to enable a listener in the room to be surrounded by sound. A master acoustic resonator attached to the front wall of the room is adapted to vibrate and thereby produce acoustic waves corresponding to the acoustic energy generated by the speakers. A low frequency (e.g., bass) acoustic resonator sits on the floor of the room below the master acoustic resonator. The low frequency acoustic resonator is adapted to vibrate to reflect low frequency acoustic waves produced by the speakers and the master acoustic resonator. A satellite acoustic resonator is located on each of the back and opposing side walls of the room. The satellite acoustic resonators are adapted to vibrate in response to the acoustic waves reflected thereto by the speakers, the master acoustic resonator, and the low frequency acoustic resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Inventor: Theodore W. Denney, III
  • Patent number: 8737645
    Abstract: One example embodiment increases perceived signal strength of a sound signal based on persistence of hearing. When the ear perceives a signal it takes a finite length of time to process it. During that time period the ear does not recognize input and is, in effect, “Turned Off”. In accordance with one aspect of the technology, these periods of “unheard” audio input are utilized so that they supplement the information which the ear sends to the brain. An exemplary system includes a switch, configured to route the audio alternatively to two signal paths—one which includes a delay circuit that delays that audio by an amount equal to the ear's persistence of hearing interval. The system also includes a signal combiner configured to combine outputs from the two signal paths, so as to provide the brain with a signal that it will perceive as being twice as loud as the original.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Inventor: Archibald Doty
  • Patent number: 8737647
    Abstract: A display, includes: a display section; a first output section; a second output section; and a housing containing the display section, the first output section, and the second output section, wherein, the display section has an aspect ratio with a width more than twice a height, the first output section is arranged along an upper side of the display section so as to face forward and is configured to output a plurality of channels of audio, and the second output section is arranged along a lower side of the display section so as to face forward and is configured to output a plurality of channels of audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Gen Fujiki
  • Patent number: 8725281
    Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a microphone, a semiconductor memory, an operating section and a controller. An output signal from the microphone is written in the semiconductor memory and the written signals are read out from the semiconductor memory. The operating section performs input processing for writing a digital signal outputted by an analog/digital converter, reading out the digital signal stored in the semiconductor memory and for erasing the digital signal stored in the semiconductor memory. The control section controls the writing of the microphone output signal in the semiconductor memory based on an input from the operating section and the readout of the digital signal stored in the semiconductor memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Iida
  • Patent number: 8724821
    Abstract: A sound field controller includes: a sound field generation section which generates an effect sound signal for giving a sound field effect sound to an audio signal; an acquisition section which acquires a measurement signal indicating sound pressure levels of a direct sound and a reflected sound which are collected when a test sound is emitted in a reproduction environment; an identification section which identifies a maximum reflected sound whose sound pressure level is the maximum in a given time period after a collecting timing of the direct sound from the measurement signal; an adjustment section which adjusts the effect sound signal based on a ratio of the sound pressure level of the direct sound to the sound pressure level of the maximum reflected sound; and an output section which outputs the audio signal input to the input section and the effect sound signal adjusted by the adjustment section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Noriyuki Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8712059
    Abstract: An apparatus for merging a first spatial audio stream with a second spatial audio stream to obtain a merged audio stream comprising an estimator for estimating a first wave representation comprising a first wave direction measure and a first wave field measure for the first spatial audio stream, the first spatial audio stream having a first audio representation and a first direction of arrival. The estimator being adapted for estimating a second wave representation comprising a second wave direction measure and a second wave field measure for the second spatial audio stream, the second spatial audio stream having a second audio representation and a second direction of arrival.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Giovanni Del Galdo, Fabian Kuech, Markus Kallinger, Ville Pulkki, Mikko-Ville Laitinen, Richard Schultz-Amling
  • Patent number: 8712080
    Abstract: It is expected to provide a display system, display control method and computer program for effectively outputting sound with plural display apparatuses in a two dimensional array. A control apparatus 2 is connected to a two dimensional array display apparatus unit made with display apparatuses 1, 1, . . . configuring a multivision system. A controlling unit 20 of the control apparatus 2 obtains position information for the display apparatus unit in the two dimensional array. Based on the position of each display apparatus 1 in the two dimensional array display apparatus unit, the controlling unit 20 decides the presence or absence of output sound and selects the channel for the output sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Tani, Taikoh Akashi
  • Publication number: 20140112486
    Abstract: This disclosure shows methods and apparatus to emulate vacuum tube amplifiers that have output transformers, to deliver “tube sound”, where the output transformer nonlinearity is emulated. Prior arts that emulated vacuum tube amplifiers either did not include output transformer nonlinearity in their emulation, or did not do it correctly. The disclosed methods and apparatus have the advantage of low cost and flexibility, because the output transformers are included in the emulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventor: Shengchao Alfred Li
  • Patent number: 8705779
    Abstract: A surround sound virtualization apparatus and method. The surround sound virtualization apparatus may include an audio decoder to perform head-related transfer function (HRTF) filtering, and a time delay unit to provide a time delay to a plurality of output signals of the audio decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kang Eun Lee, Do-Hyung Kim, Chang Yong Son
  • Patent number: 8698758
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a sensor portion, a judgment portion, and an output portion. The sensor portion detects three-dimensional coordinates designated by a spatially-apart detection target object. The judgment portion determines an area designated in advance, that includes the three-dimensional coordinates detected by the sensor portion. The output portion outputs, based on a result of the judgment by the judgment portion, audio corresponding to audio information from a position corresponding to at least two-dimensional coordinates out of the three-dimensional coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Morimiya, Naoaki Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 8687818
    Abstract: A method for dynamically adjusting the spectral content of an audio signal, which increases the harmonic content of said audio signal, said method comprising translating an encoded digital signal into data bands, creating a psychoacoustic model to identify sections of said data bands that are deficient in harmonic quality, analyzing the fundamental frequency and amplitude of said harmonically deficient data bands, creating additional higher order harmonics for said harmonically deficient data bands, adding said higher order harmonics back to said encoded digital signal to form a newly enhanced signal, inverse filtering said newly enhanced signal, and converting said inverse filtered signal to an analog waveform for consumption by the listener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Inventors: J. Craig Oxford, Patrick Taylor, D. Michael Shields
  • Patent number: 8688249
    Abstract: A method of reproducing a stereo output signal (having a left field and a right field) represented as digital samples such that said stereo signal emulates the production of said audio signal from a specified audio source location relative to a listening source location (an indicated location). A left channel signal is produced by convolving an audio input signal with a broadband response file, selected from a plurality of stored files derived from empirical testing, dependant upon the indicated location. A right channel signal is also produced in this way. The left and right channel signals are each duplicated for playing through each of a plurality of displaced left field loudspeakers and displaced left field loudspeakers displaced right field loudspeakers respectively. Apparatus for reproducing a stereo output signal. A data storage facility having a stereo output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Sonita Logic Limted
    Inventor: Christopher David Vernon
  • Patent number: 8687829
    Abstract: A parameter transformer generates level parameters, indicating an energy relation between a first and a second audio channel of a multi-channel audio signal associated to a multi-channel loudspeaker configuration. The level parameter are generated based on object parameters for a plurality of audio objects associated to a down-mix channel, which is generated using object audio signals associated to the audio objects. The object parameters have an energy parameter indicating an energy of the object audio signal. To derive the coherence and the level parameters, a parameter generator is used, which combines the energy parameter and object rendering parameters, which depend on a desired rendering configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V., Dolby Sweden AB, Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Hilpert, Karsten Linzmeier, Juergen Herre, Ralph Sperschneider, Andreas Hoelzer, Lars Villemoes, Jonas Engdegard, Heiko Purnhagen, Kristofer Kjoerling, Dirk Jeroen Breebaart, Werner Oomen
  • Patent number: 8675882
    Abstract: In reverberant environments, reflected waves including an echoic sound and a muffled sound affect and disable recognition of sound arrival directions. As a result, the subjective clearness of the sounds deteriorates. In order to enhance the clearness of a reproduced sound in a reverberant environment, a pre-processing filter unit corrects an input sound signal portion having a frequency band relating to human auditory recognition on a sound wave arrival direction, and speakers reproduce the sound signal. The correction involves attenuating an input sound signal in the frequency band portion, based on the relationship between the frequencies of the input sound signal and the magnitude of influence to the recognition of the sound wave arrival direction. This attenuation is achieved by filtering using filter coefficients that are set by a first filter characteristic setting unit using hearing characteristic parameters that are set by a hearing characteristic setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Naoya Tanaka