Adjacent Ear Patents (Class 381/71.6)
  • Patent number: 10204616
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling noise in a cabin of a vehicle. In various embodiments, a method for controlling noise in a cabin of a vehicle includes measuring a first sound via a microphone in the cabin; obtaining a second sound from a loudspeaker of the cabin; estimating, via a processor, a third sound at a virtual location that is remote from both the microphone and the loudspeaker, using the first sound, the second sound, and one or more transfer functions; and applying active noise cancellation for the cabin based on the third sound at the virtual location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ilan Malka, Eli Tzirkel-Hancock, Scott M. Reilly, Frank C. Valeri
  • Patent number: 10187719
    Abstract: According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method of recording a signal from a headphone. The method may comprise instructing an audio processing integrated circuit of a client terminal to connect an electrical resistance component between an electrical ground of a client terminal and an electrical ground of one or more electro-acoustic output transducer of a headphone. The method may further comprise instructing the audio processing integrated circuit of the client terminal to accept as microphone input a signal from the one or more electro-acoustic output transducer of the headphone. The method may further comprise recording a signal from the one or more electro-acoustic output transducer of the headphone using the audio processing integrated circuit of the client terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Bugatone Ltd.
    Inventors: Edmund Ben-Ami, Noam Petrank
  • Patent number: 10148240
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided in order to coordinate the control of the volume levels of both the playback sound and the ambient sound delivered to a user via headphones. In the context of a method for controlling sound reproduction from an electronic device, a control signal is received in response to user actuation of a single input. The method also receives both playback sound and ambient sound around the electronic device. In response to the control signal, the method controls volume levels of both the playback sound and the ambient sound provided to an output channel configuration of a headphone device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Miikka Tapani Vilermo, Riitta Vaananen
  • Patent number: 10123137
    Abstract: A wearable acoustic device with a microphone is provided. The wearable acoustic device includes a first housing forming a first acoustic emission path, a second housing combined with the first housing in a first direction that is substantially parallel to the first acoustic emission path, an acoustic component part arranged within the second housing and emitting sound through the first acoustic emission path, and at least one microphone arranged adjacent to the first acoustic emission path within the first housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electonics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Juhee Chang, Je-Ok Lee, Taiyong Kim, Sukhyun Lee, Byoung-Hee Lee, Seonmi Kim, Sangju Lee, Ho-Chul Hwang
  • Patent number: 10123140
    Abstract: Technologies pertaining to calibration of filters of an audio system are described herein. A mobile computing device is configured to compute values for respective filters, such as equalizer filters, and transmit the values to a receiver device in the audio system. The receiver device causes audio to be emitted from a speaker based upon the values for the filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Desney S. Tan, Daniel Morris, Andrew D. Wilson, Yong Rui, Nikunj Raghuvanshi, Jeannette M. Wing
  • Patent number: 10096313
    Abstract: Technology described in this document can be embodied in a method that includes receiving an input signal captured by one or more sensors associated with an active noise reduction (ANR) device, processing the input signal using a first filter disposed in an ANR signal flow path to generate a first signal for an acoustic transducer of the ANR device, and processing the input signal in a pass-through signal flow path disposed in parallel with the ANR signal flow path to generate a second signal for the acoustic transducer. The pass-through signal flow path is configured to allow at least a portion of the input signal to pass through to the acoustic transducer in accordance with a variable gain associated with the pass-through signal flow path. The method also includes generating an output signal for the acoustic transducer based on combining the first signal with the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan terMeulen, John Allen Rule, Dale McElhone
  • Patent number: 10096312
    Abstract: An adaptive noise canceling system can include a noise cancellation processor having an audio input for receiving an input audio signal, a microphone input structured to receive one or more microphone signals from a monitored environment, and a filter processor structured to produce a filtering function based on one or more filter parameters. The system can also include an adaptivity processor structured to change the one or more filter parameters in the noise cancellation processor based on a changing operating environment of the adaptive noise canceling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: AVNERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Amit Kumar, Wai Laing Lee, Jianping Wen
  • Patent number: 10080078
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a battery-less, noise-cancellation headset compatible with 4-pin audio jack are generally described herein. An example head device to support a noise cancellation function may include a first microphone associated with a first speaker, and a second microphone associated with a second speaker. The example headset device may further include an audio plug having a single microphone contact, and a controller circuit to oscillate back and forth between coupling the first microphone and the second microphone to the single microphone contact at a predetermined frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Meenakshisundaram Gurunathan
  • Patent number: 10074354
    Abstract: In an active noise reducing headphone, a signal processor applies filters and control gains of both the feed-forward and feedback active noise cancellation signal paths. The signal processor is configured to apply first feed-forward filters to the feed-forward signal path and apply first feedback filters to the feedback signal path during a first operating mode providing effective cancellation of ambient sound, and to apply second feed-forward filters to the feed-forward signal path during a second operating mode providing active hear-through of ambient sounds with ambient naturalness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel M. Gauger, Jr., Ricardo F. Carreras, Jason Harlow, Neil Adam Ranney, Martin David Ring, Roman Sapiejewski, Vishu Singh
  • Patent number: 10075783
    Abstract: A headphone including a circumaural or supra-aural ear cup having an ear cup housing wall which forms an interior chamber within the ear cup. A transducer is positioned within the interior chamber for producing an acoustic output to a user and an active noise control assembly positioned within the interior chamber. The active noise control assembly including a reference microphone, the reference microphone is acoustically coupled to a plurality of reference input ports spaced around the ear cup housing wall such that a sound input from each of the different spacial locations around the ear cup housing wall is received by the reference microphone and acoustically summed to provide a reference audio signal indicative of the sound input at the different spacial locations. The headphone further including a processing circuit operable to generate an anti-noise signal from the reference audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Michael B. Howes, Miikka O. Tikander
  • Patent number: 10034087
    Abstract: A method of mitigating effects of alternating or changing pneumatic pressures within a substantially sealed ear canal includes providing an indication of ear canal sound pressure level associated with sound for an audio program produced by a corresponding audio listening device substantially sealing an ear canal to form a substantially trapped volume; and performing audio signal processing on the audio program based on the indication of ear canal sound pressure level using a predetermined frequency response curve for the audio listening device to mitigate effects of pneumatic pressure within the ear canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: ASIUS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen D. Ambrose, Samuel P. Gido
  • Patent number: 10034092
    Abstract: Digital audio signal processing techniques used to provide an acoustic transparency function in a pair of headphones. A number of transparency filters can be computed at once, using optimization techniques or using a closed form solution, that are based on multiple re-seatings of the headphones and that are as a result robust for a population of wearers. In another embodiment, a transparency hearing filter of a headphone is computed by an adaptive system that takes into consideration the changing acoustic to electrical path between an earpiece speaker and an interior microphone of that headphone while worn by a user. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ismael H. Nawfal, Joshua D. Atkins, Stephen J. Nimick, Guy C. Nicholson, Jason M. Harlow
  • Patent number: 10021478
    Abstract: Automatic noise-reduction (ANR) headsets include circuitry that cancels or suppress undesired noises. Recent years have seen the emergence of in-the-ear (ITE) earphones that incorporate ANR technology; however, designing them to function well usually entails many design tradeoffs, such as using larger ear nozzles that are uncomfortable to obtain desired noise reduction or that require added structures to hold the earphones to a user ear. To avoid these tradeoffs, the present inventors devised, among other things, an exemplary ITE ANR earphone that places its error measurement microphone in the ear nozzle that connects the driver front acoustic volume to a user ear canal. This placement allows use of a narrower more comfortable ear nozzle without compromising noise reduction and without requiring added holding structures. Moreover, the narrower ear nozzle also lowers the likelihood that the ANR circuitry will become unstable and produce undesirable noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Jon Wurtz, Eric Sorensen
  • Patent number: 10008808
    Abstract: An extension cord system includes an electronic device that may store audio data. A case is provided and the electronic device is removably positioned therein. A pair of headphones is provided. The headphones are selectively electrically coupled to the electronic device. An extension cord is selectively electrically coupled between the electronic device and the pair of headphones. The extension cord engages the case when the extension cord is electrically coupled to the electronic device. Thus, the extension cord is inhibited from being unplugged from the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Inventor: Stephen Veluz
  • Patent number: 9998839
    Abstract: Disclosed in the present specification are a multimedia apparatus for servicing an optimized sound depending on the surrounding environment and a method for processing an audio signal thereof. The method for processing an audio signal of the multimedia apparatus, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: receiving an external test sound; analyzing the frequency properties of the received test sound; calculating a compensation value of the test sound according to the analyzed frequency properties; compensating an audio signal to be output, according to the calculated compensation value; and outputting the compensated audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sungtae Lee, Jinhong Shin
  • Patent number: 9986321
    Abstract: The present invention provides a speaker module including a housing with an inner cavity. The housing includes a side wall and a sounding hole formed through the side wall. The speaker module further has a speaker unit mounted in the inner cavity; a cover plate arranged in the inner cavity for dividing the inner cavity into a front cavity communicating with the sounding hole and a back cavity opposite to the front cavity; and a case with a volume covering the cover plate and arranged in the back cavity. The cover plate is provided with a through hole communicating the front cavity with the volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: AAC TECHNOLOGIES PTE. LTD.
    Inventor: Chunmei She
  • Patent number: 9978357
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for headphones are disclosed. In one example, a noise cancelling signal is generated with an active noise cancelling system, and the noise cancelling signal is output at a headphones speaker. An undesirable user effect resulting from the noise cancelling signal output at the headphones speaker is mitigated with a noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal output simultaneously with the noise cancelling signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Evan Harris Benway, Kwangsee Allen Woo
  • Patent number: 9961446
    Abstract: The present invention provides an earphone recognition method and an earphone recognition apparatus. The earphone recognition method includes: an acquisition step: when a user wears the earphone, acquiring left and/or right ear structure information, collected by the earphone, of the user; and a sending step: sending the left and/or right ear structure information to a terminal, so that the terminal determines whether the user correctly wears the earphone according to whether the left and/or right ear structure information matches left and/or right ear structure information acquired when the user correctly wears the earphone for the first time. By means of the solutions of the present invention, even though the user wears the earphone conversely, the user can still hear proper high-quality sound, and further, the listening experience of the user is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: YULONG COMPUTER TELECOMMUNICATION SCIENTIFIC (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gao Li, Jincun Lin, Sheng Yang, Yihua Liu
  • Patent number: 9953626
    Abstract: In an active noise reducing headphone, a signal processor applies filters and control gains of both the feed-forward and feedback active noise cancellation signal paths. The signal processor is configured to apply first feed-forward filters to the feed-forward signal path and apply first feedback filters to the feedback signal path during a first operating mode providing effective cancellation of ambient sound, and to apply second feed-forward filters to the feed-forward signal path during a second operating mode providing active hear-through of ambient sounds with ambient naturalness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel M. Gauger, Jr., Jason Harlow
  • Patent number: 9949042
    Abstract: An audio processing pipeline, for an auditory prosthesis, includes: a common stage, including a common frequency analysis filter bank, configured to generate a common set of processed signals based on an input audio signal; and first and second stimulator-specific stages, responsive to the common set of signals and including first and second frequency-analysis filter banks, configured to generate first and second sets of processed signals adapted for the first and second hearing stimulators, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Michael Goorevich, Paul Holmberg, Adam Hersbach
  • Patent number: 9949017
    Abstract: An earpiece includes a feed-forward microphone coupled to the environment outside the headphones, a feedback microphone coupled to an ear canal of a user when the earpiece is in use, a speaker coupled to the ear canal of the user when the earpiece is in use, a digital signal processor implementing feed-forward and feedback noise compensation filters between the respective microphones and the speaker, and a memory storing an ordered sequence of sets of filters for use by the digital signal processor. Each of the sets of filters includes a feed-forward filter that provides a different frequency-dependent amount of sound pass-through or cancellation, which in combination with residual ambient sound reaching the ear results in a total insertion gain at the ear of a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: John Allen Rule, Daniel M. Gauger, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9922636
    Abstract: The technology described in this document can be embodied in a computer-implemented method that includes receiving a portion of a feedback signal of an active noise control (ANC) system, and processing the portion of the feedback signal using an adaptive line enhancer (ALE) filter to detect a tonal signature. The method also includes determining, by one or more processing devices, that the tonal signature represents an unstable condition, and responsive to determining that the tonal signature represents an unstable condition, generating one or more control signals for adjusting one or more parameters of the ANC system, to mitigate the unstable condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Emery M. Ku
  • Patent number: 9894438
    Abstract: An audio system having low latency includes a digital audio processor as well as sensor inputs coupled to the processor. The sensor inputs may be microphone inputs. The audio processor operates at the same frequency as the sensor inputs, which is typically much higher than an audio signal provided to the audio processor. In some aspects the audio processor operates as a noise cancellation processor and does not include an audio input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: AVNERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Amit Kumar, Thomas Irrgang, Xudong Zhao
  • Patent number: 9881601
    Abstract: Stability is provided in an active noise reduction (ANR) headphone by measuring a sound field to generate an input signal, filtering and applying a variable gain to the input signal to produce a first filtered signal using a first filter and a variable gain amplifier in an ANR signal pathway, outputting the filtered signal, and simultaneously with outputting the first filtered signal, sampling a signal at a point in the ANR signal pathway and filtering the sampled signal using a second filter to produce a second filtered signal. The second filtered signal is compared to a threshold, and if the comparison finds that the second filtered signal is greater than the threshold signal, the gain of the variable gain amplifier is changed to attenuate the first filtered signal. The second filter applies different gains, different by at least 10 dB, in different frequency ranges between 10 Hz and 10 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher A. Barnes, Ricardo F. Carreras, Daniel M. Gauger, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9864569
    Abstract: Sound-producing devices such as headphone sets or loudspeakers are disclosed that can removably mate with an external interface. The external interface may plug into a port on an exterior of the sound-producing device. The external interface includes conversion circuitry that is powered by a power source in the sound-producing device. The external interface receives a first audio-encoded signal from a source device such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, or the like, and converts such signal to a conditioned signal which is compatible with the sound-producing device. Connection between the source device and the external interface may be a first type of wired or wireless connection. The sound-producing device may operate with other source devices that produce different audio-encoded signals by replacing the external interface with a different external interface whose conversion circuitry converts the different audio-encoded signal to the same conditioned signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Princeton Audio, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Pelland, Howard M. Eglowstein
  • Patent number: 9854366
    Abstract: Provided is a speaker device configured so that a time lag between a sound signal and a noise cancellation signal can be prevented, worsening of high-frequency characteristics can be avoided, and acoustic characteristics can be improved. A plane diaphragm 11 includes a flexible circuit board 20. A sound voice coil pattern 21 to which drive current corresponding to a sound signal is supplied and a noise cancellation voice coil pattern 22 to which drive current corresponding to a noise cancellation signal is supplied are formed on the flexible circuit board 20 and are formed corresponding to a formed magnetic field of a magnet 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Keita Sakane
  • Patent number: 9854349
    Abstract: Disclosed is a signal processing apparatus including a surrounding sound signal acquisition unit, a NC (Noise Canceling) signal generation part, a cooped-up feeling elimination signal generation part, and an addition part. The surrounding sound signal acquisition unit is configured to collect a surrounding sound to generate a surrounding sound signal. The NC signal generation part is configured to generate a noise canceling signal from the surrounding sound signal. The cooped-up feeling elimination signal generation part is configured to generate a cooped-up feeling elimination signal from the surrounding sound signal. The addition part is configured to add together the generated noise canceling signal and the cooped-up feeling elimination signal at a prescribed ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunobu Murata, Kohei Asada, Yushi Yamabe
  • Patent number: 9824678
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to a method and a system for self-tuning active noise canceller (STANC) and a headset apparatus. The headset apparatus is placed on a measurement device to emulate user scenario where the user receives audio signal from the headset. The STANC system receives environmental noise signal from a microphone inside the headset. The output of the STANC system acts as reverse noise signal to suppress the environmental noise signal via a speaker unit. The corresponding mixture signal is defined as an error signal. In a calibration mode, the error signal received from the measurement device can be used to update the STANC parameters. The process will be done when the error signal is lower than a predefined threshold. The final parameters can be saved as default settings for the headset apparatus in a user mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: C-MEDIA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Kuen-Ying Ou
  • Patent number: 9818394
    Abstract: An apparatus for realizing an active noise cancellation control law transfer function between a sensing microphone and a speaker. The apparatus includes a multiplicity of filters. Each filter is operable over a different frequency range. At least one filter has an adjustable parameter whereby the filter can be adjusted such that the filters cumulatively realize a required control law transfer function. The adjustable parameter may in one embodiment be the amplitude. In other embodiments, it may be other parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Inventor: Graeme Colin Fuller
  • Patent number: 9812115
    Abstract: A noise-cancelling system includes headset for generating a feedback signal for noise-cancellation in response to sound externally generated from the headset. An encoded microphone signal is generated in response to the first feedback signal. An audio generator can be used to generate a noise-cancellation signal in response to the encoded microphone signal and to generate an electronic audio signal in response to the encoded microphone signal and a first output audio signal. An audio connector is provided to couple the encoded microphone signal from the headset to the audio generator and to couple the first electronic audio signal to the headset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Laurent Le Faucheur
  • Patent number: 9786264
    Abstract: A feedforward ambient noise reduction arrangement includes, within a housing, a loudspeaker device for directing sound energy into an ear of a listener. Disposed externally of the housing, and positioned to sense ambient noise on its way to the listener's ear, are plural microphone devices capable of converting the sensed ambient noise into electrical signals for application to the loudspeaker to generate an acoustic signal opposing the ambient noise. Importantly, the overall arrangement is such that the acoustic signal is generated by said loudspeaker means in substantial time alignment with the arrival of said ambient noise at the listener's ear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Alastair Sibbald
  • Patent number: 9779718
    Abstract: We disclose a control circuit for active noise control, ANC, coupled to a speaker generating a speaker signal based on an amplified audio signal and to an ANC microphone generating a disturbed audio signal based on ambient noise and the speaker signal. The control circuit has a first mixer generating an intermediate audio signal by superposing an audio signal and a first compensation signal, a first amplifier generating the amplified audio signal based on the intermediate audio signal and a compensation unit generating a second compensation signal based on the audio signal. A tuning unit generates a compensated audio signal based on the disturbed audio signal and the second compensation signal. An ANC filter coupled to the tuning unit generates the first compensation signal by applying filter operations to the compensated audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: ams AG
    Inventors: Horst Gether, Martin Schoerkmaier
  • Patent number: 9754577
    Abstract: The invention relates to an acoustic device capable of producing active noise reduction, which may be positioned on the head of a user, comprising at least one microphone capable of sensing a sound signal representative of ambient noise, including at least one active noise reduction acoustic module comprising an osteophonic transducer, capable of being positioned on a side flank of the head of the user and of transmitting a vibratory signal transformed by bone conduction into an acoustic signal which may be perceived by the user, connected to said microphone, while said at least one acoustic module includes an electronic circuit capable of generating a vibratory signal giving the possibility of attenuating perception of said ambient noise by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: ELNO
    Inventors: Thierry Pierre François Gaiffe, Patrick Jean François Robuchon, Julie Marie Anne Rosier, Eric Bernard Jacques Clowez
  • Patent number: 9747887
    Abstract: Active noise reduction (ANR) headphones and associated methods are provided. The ANR headphones may include a memory to store a plurality of profiles each including controller information and acoustic parameters in addition to a profile selection routine executable by a processor of the ANR headphone. The profile selection routine may be configured to identify acoustic characteristics of a subject wearing the ANR headphone, compare the acoustic characteristics of the subject with the acoustic parameters of the plurality of profiles, select a profile from the plurality of profiles based on the comparison between the acoustic characteristics of the subject with the acoustic parameters of the selected profile, and provide the controller information of the selected profile to a noise reduction circuit of the ANR headphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael O'Connell, Ryan Termeulen, Daniel M. Gauger, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9743170
    Abstract: Acoustic noise reduction (ANR) headphones described herein have current detection circuitry that is used to detect current consumed by ANR circuitry as a result of pressure changes due to a tapping of a headphone. Tapping may be performed to change an audio feature or operating mode. The current detection circuitry senses a characteristic of the current that can be used to determine an occurrence of a tap event. Examples of a characteristic include an amplitude, waveform or duration of the sensed current. Advantageously, the ANR headphones avoid the need for control buttons to initiate the desired changes to the audio feature or operating mode. Error detection circuitry included in the ANR headphones can distinguish between a valid tap events and an occurrence of a different type of event that may otherwise be improperly be interpreted as a tap event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Paul Yamkovoy
  • Patent number: 9736595
    Abstract: A two-port air pump speaker that includes at least two active, phase-modulated, bi-directional shutters and an ultrasonic pumping chamber having at least two ports; a first port facing towards the listener, the forward port, and a second port facing another direction, the backward port which may be behind an acoustic baffle or inside a speaker enclosure. A two-port speaker with two active steering shutters can create continuous bi-directional airflow which leads to low distortion reproduction of low audio frequencies. The same improved design can be used also for other applications where acoustic modulation is required, especially in ultrasonic frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: DSP Group Ltd.
    Inventor: Ori Elyada
  • Patent number: 9728179
    Abstract: A method of calibrating an earphone may include: securing an ANC earphone to a calibration fixture, the calibration fixture including an ear model configured to support the ANC earphone, the ear model having an ear canal configured to anatomically resemble a human ear canal and a concha configured to anatomically resemble a human ear concha, the ear canal extending from the concha to an inner end of the ear canal; generating, with the ANC earphone, an audio signal based on a reference tone; determining a characteristic of the audio signal; comparing the characteristic of the audio signal to a previously determined reference characteristic; and adjusting a gain value of the ANC earphone based on the comparing. Additional methods and apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: AVNERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Amit Kumar, Thomas Irrgang, Shankar Rathoud, Eric Sorensen
  • Patent number: 9711130
    Abstract: A personal audio device, such as a wireless telephone, includes an adaptive noise canceling (ANC) circuit that adaptively generates an anti-noise signal from a reference microphone signal that measures the ambient audio and an error microphone signal that measures the output of an output transducer plus any ambient audio at that location and injects the anti-noise signal at the transducer output to cause cancellation of ambient audio sounds. A processing circuit uses the reference and error microphone to generate the anti-noise signal, which can be generated by an adaptive filter operating at a multiple of the ANC coefficient update rate. Downlink audio can be combined with the high data rate anti-noise signal by interpolation. High-pass filters in the control paths reduce DC offset in the ANC circuits, and ANC coefficient adaptation can be halted when downlink audio is not detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: CIRRUS LOGIC, INC.
    Inventors: Jon D. Hendrix, Gautham Devendra Kamath, Nitin Kwatra, Ali Abdollahzadeh Milani, Jeffrey Alderson
  • Patent number: 9704509
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a vehicle active noise cancellation (ANC) apparatus including an ANC controller is disclosed. The ANC controller is operably coupled to at least one error microphone. The ANC controller is configured to receive a first signal indicative of environmental noise that propagates through a vehicle cabin and that is received at a voice recognition (VR) microphone and to generate a noise cancellation wave to remove the environmental noise, the noise cancellation wave being received at the VR microphone. The ANC controller is configured to receive an audio output from the at least one error microphone that is at least indicative of the environmental noise and the noise cancellation wave received at the VR microphone and to apply at least one correction filter to the audio output to remove the environmental noise and the noise cancellation wave that is received at the VR microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Srikanth Konjeti, Vallabha Vasant Hampiholi
  • Patent number: 9699542
    Abstract: A headset driver circuit is described which comprises a connector interface. The connector interface comprises a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal for establishing respective electrical connections to a first speaker, a microphone and a common ground node of a headphone, earphone or headset, respectively. A first power amplifier is coupled to the first terminal to supply a first audio output signal to the first speaker of the headset. A first switch arrangement comprises a first ground switch is configured for selectively connecting and disconnecting the second terminal and a ground node of the headset driver circuit. The headset driver circuit further comprises a second ground switch configured for selectively connecting and disconnecting the third terminal and the ground node. The headset driver circuit also comprises a differential preamplifier, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Analog Devices Global
    Inventors: Ulrik Sørensen Wismar, Sejun Kim
  • Patent number: 9654872
    Abstract: There is provided an input device including at least two microphones placed at different positions on a chassis to face different directions on one of space axes, a low-frequency bandwidth extracting part for extracting a low-frequency bandwidth signal from a signal input from the microphones, a phase difference calculating part for calculating a phase difference using the low-frequency bandwidth signal extracted by the low-frequency bandwidth extracting part; and a control signal generating part for generating a control signal based on the phase difference calculated by the phase difference calculating part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yuhki Mitsufuji
  • Patent number: 9646598
    Abstract: An audio device connected to an electronic device is provided. The audio device connected to an electronic device includes an audio side connector comprising a microphone terminal that outputs a microphone signal to the electronic device, at least one audio terminal that receives an audio signal from the electronic device, an active noise cancelling (ANC) terminal, and a ground terminal, an ANC block that is driven by power input from the electronic device to remove noise around the audio device, an ANC power source unit that is provided in the electronic device and applies power input via the ANC terminal to the ANC block as drive power, and an on/off switch unit that controls the ANC power source unit, wherein the ANC terminal is included in any one of the areas of the microphone terminal, the audio terminal, and the ground terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Elctronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byoung-Hee Lee, Min-Woo Oh, Dong-Yup Lee, Kwang-Min Kil
  • Patent number: 9621986
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for supplying power to an audio device is provided. An electronic device includes an audio device connector comprising a microphone terminal configured to receive an audio signal of a microphone from an audio device, at least one audio terminal configured to output the audio signal to the audio device, a ground terminal, a power supply unit configured to selectively generate one of a first power and a second power to be supplied to the audio device through the microphone terminal, and a controller configured to identify whether the audio device has a type that includes an additional function unit based on a voltage at the microphone terminal, and to control the power supply unit to apply one of the first power and the second power to the microphone terminal correspondingly to the type of the audio device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min-Woo Oh, Byoung-Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 9615159
    Abstract: A method and device for supplying power for an ANC (Active Noise Cancelation) earphone by utilization of a power source of an electronic equipment. According to the power supplying method, power is supplied to a noise canceling circuit of the ANC earphone and its related circuits by the power source of the electronic equipment through a microphone contact, a left channel audio contact, or a right channel audio contact of an earphone jack of the electrical equipment. The power supplying device includes the ANC earphone and the electronic equipment. This invention enables the ANC earphone to directly obtain power from the power source of the electronic equipment, so that the ANC earphone is simple in structure, convenient to carry, suitable for mass production, low in production cost, and high in compatibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Anpac Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Fun Tak Wong, Kai Hon Ho, Kenneth Kin Keung Lee
  • Patent number: 9613615
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a noise cancellation system, a headset and an electronic device. The noise cancellation system may include a loudspeaker, a first microphone, a second microphone, a housing and a processing unit. The housing may be mounted at an ear of a user, wherein the loudspeaker, the first microphone and the second microphone are installed in the housing. The processing unit may be coupled to the loudspeaker, the first microphone and the second microphone, and may be configured to generate a noise cancelling signal based on at least one of a first audio signal from the first microphone or a second audio signal from the second microphone, wherein the noise cancelling signal, when being output via the loudspeaker, at least partially compensates for environmental noise in the ear of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Nystrom
  • Patent number: 9615168
    Abstract: An adaptive method and device of an audio interface and an electronic signature token are provided. The audio interface comprises a first pin and a second pin, and the method comprises: not implementing an identification operation on the first pin and the second pin of the audio interface when an absolute value of a voltage difference between the first pin and the second pin is less than a first threshold; determining a type of each of the first pin and the second pin according to a sign of the voltage difference between the first pin and the second pin when the absolute value of the voltage difference is greater than or equal to a second threshold, in which the second threshold is greater than or equal to the first threshold; and connecting the identified ground pin to a common ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: TENDYRON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Dongsheng Li
  • Patent number: 9613610
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for masking a sound incident on a person. The system comprises a microphone sub-system for capturing the sound. The system further comprises a spectrum-analyzer for determining a power attribute of the sound captured by the multiple microphone sub-system, and a spatial analyzer for determining a directional attribute of the captured sound representative of a direction of incidence on the person. The system further comprises a generator sub-system for generating a masking sound under combined control of the power attribute and the spatial attribute, for masking the incident sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Mun Hum Park, Armin Gerhard Kohlrausch, Arno Van Leest
  • Patent number: 9609428
    Abstract: A method and a device for automatically identifying a microphone pin and a ground pin of an audio interface and an electronic signature token are provided. The method comprises: not implementing an identification operation on the first pin and the second pin of the audio interface when an absolute value of a voltage difference between the first pin and the second pin is less than a first threshold; and determining a type of each of the first pin and the second pin according to a sign of the voltage difference between the first pin and the second pin when the absolute value of the voltage difference is greater than or equal to a second threshold, in which the second threshold is greater than or equal to the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TENDYRON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Dongsheng Li
  • Patent number: 9607602
    Abstract: An anti-noise signal is produced in accordance with an active noise cancellation process (ANC), at an input of a speaker so as to control how much background noise a user can hear. Strength of the anti-noise signal is adjusted gradually, rather than abruptly, in proportion to decreasing or increasing sound pressure level (SPL) of the background noise, during inactivation or activation of the ANC process. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce C. Po, Vladan Bajic
  • Patent number: 9596533
    Abstract: The orientation of the directional axis and the directionality of a microphone are adjusted through a simple configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino