Particular Transducer Or Enclosure Structure Patents (Class 381/71.7)
  • Patent number: 8111836
    Abstract: A performance venue with a main speaker system is provided having a target coverage area within the performance venue. A performance area is located within the performance venue outside the target coverage area of the main speaker system. A low frequency directed audio source is positioned with respect to the performance area for active cancellation of low frequency sound spilling over into the performance area from the main speaker system. Control of the low frequency directed audio source is effected by an audio sensor is located in the performance area for generating an output correlated with low frequency spill over into the performance area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Inventor: Curtis E. Graber
  • Patent number: 8103013
    Abstract: An acoustic transducer device is provided. The device includes a body, a speaker, a microphone, and a processor. The body has a cavity, a sound exit, and a sound entrance. The cavity interflows with the sound exit and accommodates the speaker. The microphone is disposed within the body beside the speaker. The microphone interflows selectively with the cavity or the sound entrance. The processor is electrically connected to the speaker and the microphone. When the microphone interflows with the cavity, the microphone receives a sound signal generated from the cavity and transmits the sound signal to the processor for cancelling noise in the cavity. When the microphone interflows with the sound exit, the microphone receives an external sound signal and transmits the external sound signal to the processor for cancelling noise from the external.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Merry Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Po-Hsun Sung, Hong-Ching Her
  • Patent number: 8103033
    Abstract: An audio system has an enclosure and a transducer that is mounted to the enclosure. The transducer creates a vibration of the enclosure in response to being driven by an audio signal. A cradle assembly mechanically couples a portable device to the enclosure through one or more isolators such that only a portion of the vibration is coupled to the portable device. The enclosure is supported substantially entirely by the cradle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R Drake, Jeffery P. Copeland, K. Venkat Subramaniam, Daniel Harmon, Todd Charter Brown, Jacky Chi-Hung Chan
  • Patent number: 8085948
    Abstract: A system comprises a plurality of storage drives coupled to logic. The logic implements a noise-reducing feature selected from a group consisting of a first feature that limits system performance based on a level of ambient noise, a second feature that staggers access transactions among said storage drives, a third feature that staggers spin up among the storage drives, a fourth feature that at least partially cancels noise generated by the system, a fifth feature that limits fan speed, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Fred C. Thomas, Paul Boerger
  • Patent number: 8085942
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for presenting high-quality auditory stimuli, receiving patient communication and providing noise cancellation within the environment of magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) equipment. A microphone is positioned in a noise attenuated channel for recording of the patient's voice. A microphone is disposed outside of a noise attenuated channel to directly record the sounds of MRI equipment during its operation. The signals generated by the microphones are employed to reduce the output of noise generated by MRI equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: NordicNeurolab AS
    Inventor: Svein Reidar Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 8085962
    Abstract: An audio system includes an enclosure having a transducer. The transducer creates a vibration in the enclosure in response to being driven by an audio signal having a frequency range. A cradle assembly mechanically couples a portable device to the enclosure through an isolator. A portion of the vibration is coupled into the cradle assembly. The isolator reduces an amplitude of the coupled vibration so that an operation of the portable device within a portion of the frequency range is uninterrupted when the portable device is coupled to the cradle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Venkat Subramaniam, Jeffery P. Copeland, Daniel Harmon
  • Publication number: 20110305348
    Abstract: Zoom motor noise in a camera audio recording is reduced by detecting activity of the zoom motor, transforming a audio signal into the frequency domain during zoom motor activity, and scaling the frequency domain signal during zoom motor activity in each of a series of frequency bins by a scaling factor derived from a pre-stored zoom motor noise spectrum to produce a processed audio signal in the frequency domain. The processed audio signal is then transformed back to the time domain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: ZARLINK SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventor: Qu Gary Jin
  • Patent number: 8059827
    Abstract: A passive noise reduction apparatus for altering predetermined sound levels of a sound producing device, the noise reduction apparatus includes at least one piezoelectric foil sensor disposed relative to the sound producing device with the at least one piezoelectric foil sensor being operable to convert such sound wave energy into an electric sound signal and one or more electric circuits in electrical communication with the at least one piezoelectric foil sensor for receiving the electric sound signal and shunting the electric sound signal to a ground connection, thereby reducing sound heard outside the sound producing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventor: Uwe Klossowski
  • Publication number: 20110274283
    Abstract: An active noise cancellation device is described that is capable of cancelling an ambient sound wave in an open air environment via destructive interference. The active noise cancellation device comprises a directional microphone, a directional loudspeaker, and a signal processing module. The directional loudspeaker can comprise either one or two dipole loudspeakers in combination with a sealed loudspeaker. Multiple active noise cancellation devices can be arranged in arrays to create open air active noise cancellation systems. Each active noise cancellation device within the array, when combined with the outputs of the other devices within the array, produces a noise cancellation wavefront that actively cancels a portion of an ambient sound wavefront. Arrays of any geometry or spatial dimension are possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventor: Lewis Athanas
  • Patent number: 8040021
    Abstract: A device for damping of vibrations for an item of equipment comprising a structure to which a first element and a second fragile element having to be protected from the vibrations are coupled. The device comprises first piezoelectric transducer means inserted between the structure and the first element and charged with converting energy of vibration of the structure into electric energy, at least one sensor coupled to the structure and arranged to deliver measurement signals representative of vibrations, control means electrically supplied by the electric energy generated and charged with deducing at least one amplitude of movement to compensate at least partially for the vibration, and to deliver control signals representative of each determined amplitude, and second piezoelectric transducer means inserted between the structure and the second element and charged with converting the control signals into movement to damp at least partially for the second element the vibrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Laurent Blanchard, Jean Dupuis
  • Patent number: 8005235
    Abstract: A noise control system is operable within a box-like structure provided by the dual bulkhead plenum of the vehicle dashboard positioned within the transfer path along which the noise is being transmitted from the source of the generated noise to the receiver of the noise in the passenger compartment of an automobile. The plenum is divided into discrete chambers into each of which is provided a counter noise generating apparatus to create a counteracting noise offsetting the noise generated at the source. The acoustic resonance of the chambers amplifies the noise control energy. The geometry of the individual chambers can be varied to optimize the packaging and sound control or shaping strategy. The sound energy permitted to pass through the plenum to the driver's side of the passenger compartment can be tuned to be different than the noise received in the passenger's side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert G. Rebandt, II, Ming-te Cheng, Takeshi Abe
  • Patent number: 7986794
    Abstract: The invention provides a beam forming method for a small array microphone apparatus to generate cone beam pattern by processing a combined bi-directional beam pattern of two virtual bi-directional microphones formed through at least three omni-directional microphones arranged in an L-shape. The invention also provides a small array microphone apparatus using the beam forming method according to the invention to suppress noise by processing a combined bi-directional beam pattern of two virtual bi-directional microphones formed through at least three omni-directional microphones arranged in an L-shape, thereby outputting a clear audio signal with cone beam pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Fortemedia, Inc.
    Inventor: Ming Zhang
  • Patent number: 7970148
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing simultaneous enhancement of transmission loss and absorption coefficient using activated cavities is presented. A layer of material is provided, and a backing plate having a plurality of cavities on the top surface of said backing plate, is disposed adjacent a top surface of said layer of material. A screen is disposed along the top surface of said cavities on said backing plate and at least one cavity includes an actuator disposed within the cavity and a control system receiving a signal from the microphone and receiving a signal from the accelerometer and providing a drive signal to the actuator to provide an acoustic output to provide simultaneous insertion loss and absorption which serves to minimize a linear combination of the signal from the microphone and the signal from the accelerometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Paul James Remington, Alan Robert Douglas Curtis, Istvan L. Ver
  • Patent number: 7929295
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a computer system. The system includes an enclosure configured to house a plurality of electronic devices. The system also includes a fan coupled to the enclosure and configured to provide a flow of cooling air through the enclosure to cool the electronic devices. The system also includes a first airflow path configured to allow the cooling air to exit the enclosure and attenuate noise generated in the enclosure. The system also includes an auxiliary outlet configured to provide a second airflow path if the first airflow path is obstructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Inventor: Shailesh N. Joshi
  • Publication number: 20110044464
    Abstract: An earpiece of an ANR device incorporates one or more of feedforward-based ANR; feedback-based ANR; passive noise reduction (PNR) of environmental noise sounds in the environment external to the casing of the earpiece in higher audible frequencies; a controlled leak acoustically coupling the front cavity to the environment external to the casing of the ANR device where the coupling may be through another cavity that is closable to the environment external to the casing with a leaky cover; a combination of an acoustically resistive port and a mass port coupling a rear cavity to the environment external to the casing where the coupling may be through another cavity that is closable to the environment external to the casing with a leaky cover; a feedforward microphone given acoustic access to the environment external to the casing through an aperture that is overlain with a leaky cover or that is enclosed within a cavity that is acoustically coupled to the environment external to the casing with a leak.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Roman Sapiejewski, Jason Harlow, Martin David Ring
  • Patent number: 7894613
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method to control fan noise in a computer server room. An exemplary apparatus includes one or more transducers coupled to one or more walls of a plurality of system racks and one or more active noise control units, wherein the one or more active noise control units send control signals to the one or more transducers to emit a transducer acoustic wave. It also includes a microphone installed near a location in the computer server room where cooling fan noise needs to be controlled, wherein the microphone collects fan noise signals emitted from running fans on the plurality of system racks in the computer server room and sends the collected fan noise signals to the one or more active noise control units to allow the frequency and intensity of the transducer acoustic wave to be substantially equal to a frequency and an intensity of the fan noise and at about 180 degrees out of phase with the fan noise to reduce or to eliminate the fan noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Cheong-Wei Ong, Kenneth Clayton Gross, Jay Kevin Osborn
  • Patent number: 7891463
    Abstract: The present invention to an active muffler for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, in particular in a motor vehicle, includes a multi-shell housing having a pot-shaped top shell and a pot-shaped bottom shell, a funnel-shaped sound conducting body, which is inserted into the bottom shell and has a connection passing through the bottom shell and out of the housing, a loudspeaker, which is situated in the top shell and is attached to a flange section of the sound conducting body at a distance from the connection, such that a free inside cross section of the sound conducting body surrounded by the flange section is closed with an airtight seal, and a bypass through which an interior space of the top shell is connected to an interior space of the bottom shell so they communicate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: J. Eberspaecher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan Krüger, Frank Castor, Manfred Müller, Georg Wirth
  • Patent number: 7885415
    Abstract: The present application relates to a sound reduction device as well as to a corresponding method. The sound reduction device comprises a sound pickup for measuring an occurring error signal of a primary sound wave of the noise source and of a secondary sound wave of a narrow-band electroacoustic transducer. This error signal may be transmitted to a control unit, which receives a reference signal of the noise source and generates a control signal which is adapted to change the mechanical values of the electroacoustic transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Breitbach, Christian Gerner, Delf Sachau
  • Patent number: 7885418
    Abstract: Disclosed is a loudspeaker assembly incorporating innovations resulting in an enclosure of very small volume to which is integrated a large area, shallow and lightweight acoustic diaphragm assembly capable of a natural resonant frequency of a few Hertz. This is achieved by incorporating a vacuum chamber in conjunction with a chamber containing compressed gas or vapor that acts against a movable pressure boundary of changeable area being mechanically coupled with the acoustic radiating diaphragm. In an alternative operating mode, the apparatus also serves as a passive low frequency acoustic attenuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Inventor: William Brian Hallman
  • Patent number: 7881480
    Abstract: A system for detecting noise in a signal received by a microphone array and a method for detecting noise in a signal received by a microphone array is disclosed. The system also provides for the reduction of noise in a signal received by a microphone array and a method for reducing noise in a signal received by a microphone array. The signal to noise ratio in handsfree systems may be improved, particularly in handsfree systems present in a vehicular environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Markus Buck, Tim Haulick
  • Patent number: 7856112
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an inventive microphone assembly for desktop communication systems. It utilises the advantages of placing the microphone in a desktop conferencing system as close as possible to the tabletop surface, without exposing the microphone for unfavourable mechanical or acoustic influence. This is achieved by building it into the footing in front of system, in a mechanically controlled and robust way. In this way, the high frequency response can be controlled to optimise sound quality, and at the same time the microphone assembly can be configured as a flexible unit that easily can be re-used in other systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Tandberg Telecom AS
    Inventors: Trygve Frederik Marton, Johan Ludvig Nielsen, Petter Muren
  • Publication number: 20100300444
    Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, computer program products, and circuits for conserving oxygen during the delivery of oxygen to a user. Embodiments of the invention use a microphone to detect breathing sounds indicative of different portions of a breathing cycle. Sounds not related to the breathing cycle are filtered out of the signal. Using the breathing sounds, a microprocessor differentiates inspiration from other portions of the breathing cycle. When inspiration is detected, a valve is transitioned to permit the flow of oxygen from an oxygen source to a user to deliver an appropriate bolus of oxygen. The microprocessor can also detect fault conditions, such as, for example, apnea, failure to deliver a bolus of oxygen, and restrictions in the flow of oxygen from the oxygen source to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: IPG, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas D. Decker, Patrick L. McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 7844068
    Abstract: A wall mounted speaker system which is arranged to alleviate problems of unwanted noise in the production and transmission of audio waves, particularly in the lower wave lengths from 20 to 200 hz. There is a speaker unit having a pair of vertically spaced speakers, and an inertial noise suppressing section positioned between the two speakers. The inertial noise suppressing section has an inertial mass which is moved in a back and forth motion to create an inertial offsetting force into a housing structure of the speaker section. The two speakers also create inertial forces which are also transmitted into the housing of the speaker unit, and these are substantially diminished by the interaction of the inertial forces of the speakers and those of the inertial noise suppressing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Linear Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Carver
  • Publication number: 20100296660
    Abstract: A sound focusing technique is provided to transfer sound to a particular direction. In a sound focusing apparatus, first and second speakers may be arranged to emit sound in opposite directions to form a sound zone. An amplitude and/or a phase of a received signal may be adjusted by a signal processing unit to assign the received signal and the adjusted signal to the first and second speakers, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventors: Young-tae KIM, Jung-woo Choi, Jung-ho Kim, Sang-chul Ko
  • Publication number: 20100232617
    Abstract: An acoustic apparatus including circuitry to correct for acoustic cross-coupling of acoustic drivers mounted in a common acoustic enclosure. A plurality of acoustic drivers are mounted in the acoustic enclosure so that motion of each of the acoustic drivers causes motion in each of the other acoustic drivers. A canceller cancels the motion of each of the acoustic drivers caused by motion of each of the other acoustic drivers. A cancellation adjuster cancels the motion of each of the acoustic drivers that may result from the operation of the canceller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Klaus Hartung, Roman Katzer
  • Patent number: 7787636
    Abstract: A sound recording device includes a disk drive, a microphone, and a controller. The disk drive writes data on a rotatable data storage disk therein. The microphone generates a microphone signal which includes a desired sound component and a noise component from noise that is generated by the disk drive. The controller filters the microphone signal to reduce the noise component from the disk drive relative to the desired sound component, and writes the filtered microphone signal on the disk. Accordingly, noise from the disk drive can be attenuated during recording by the sound recording device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Seagate Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Liu Yanning, Ben Chang, Babu Rahman, Timothy Glassburn, Erhard Schreck
  • Publication number: 20100215198
    Abstract: An ambient sound control headset includes an external microphone and an earpiece with an internal speaker. A circuit acts upon a signal output by the external microphone to form a signal representative of a user's environment that is input to the internal speaker. Components of the signal output by the external microphone that have a corresponding volume level that are less than a predetermined threshold are allowed to pass to the internal speaker and components of the signal output by the external microphone that have a corresponding volume level that are greater than the predetermined threshold are compressed to have a volume that is less than the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Lester S. H. Ngia, Dong Lin
  • Patent number: 7753165
    Abstract: In a method and a device for canceling the noise in an exhaust gas channel of a vehicle, a noise signal is received from the exhaust gas channel using a sound sensor, and a frequency signal which has the same amplitude and the opposite phase as the noise signal is generated. The generated frequency signal is acoustically mixed with the noise signal in the exhaust gas channel using a sound converter, there by reducing the noise in the exhaust gas channel. In addition, the temperature in the exhaust gas channel is calculated based on the received sound signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe Kassner
  • Patent number: 7742746
    Abstract: A mobile audio device (for example, a cellular telephone, personal digital audio player, or MP3 player) performs Audio Dynamic Range Control (ADRC) and Automatic Volume Control (AVC) to increase the volume of sound emitted from a speaker of the mobile audio device so that faint passages of the audio will be more audible. This amplification of faint passages occurs without overly amplifying other louder passages, and without substantial distortion due to clipping. Multi-Microphone Active Noise Cancellation (MMANC) functionality is, for example, used to remove background noise from audio information picked up on microphones of the mobile audio device. The noise-canceled audio may then be communicated from the device. The MMANC functionality generates a noise reference signal as an intermediate signal. The intermediate signal is conditioned and then used as a reference by the AVC process. The gain applied during the AVC process is a function of the noise reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Pei Xiang, Song Wang, Prajakt V. Kulkarni, Samir Kumar Gupta, Eddie L. T. Choy
  • Publication number: 20100150359
    Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for determining a multi-dimensional sound signature for a location within a hypothetical space, comparing the multi-dimensional sound signature to a known multi-dimensional sound signature, and modifying the hypothetical space such that the similarity between the multi-dimensional sound signature for the location within the modified hypothetical space and the known multi-dimensional sound signature is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: CONSTELLATION PRODUCTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Glenn KnicKrehm, Alban Bassuet, George Ellerington, Andrew Neill Woodger
  • Patent number: 7711124
    Abstract: A method for attenuating the low-frequency noise generated at the outlet (18) of an exhaust line (14). A signal representing the noise to be attenuated is defined; a first high-frequency acoustic wave (F1) is emitted from a first transducer (22) into an attenuation region (26) of the exhaust line (14), the first acoustic wave having a carrier frequency higher than 50 kHz; and a second high-frequency acoustic wave (F1+?fcb) is emitted by a second transducer (24) into the attenuation region (26) of the exhaust line, the second acoustic wave having the carrier frequency of the first high-frequency acoustic wave (F1) and containing a low-frequency counter-noise signal (?fcb) which is out of phase with the signal representing the noise to be attenuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Faurecia Systemes d'Echappement
    Inventor: Christian Garabedian
  • Patent number: 7706546
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for computer-based onboard noise suppression devices with remote web-based management features. The present invention detects noise within a computer. A noise canceling signal is generated based on parameters. These parameters may include, for example, the percentage of noise to suppress. The noise canceling signal is broadcasted to reduce or eliminate noise. Additionally, the present invention provides the ability to remotely manage noise suppression within computers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Gordon John Delchar, Craig William Fellenstein
  • Publication number: 20090274320
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a noise canceling apparatus including: a microphone configured to pick up ambient sound as noise; a first signal generator configured to receive a signal from the microphone to generate a noise cancel signal that is inverted in phase to the signal received from the microphone and has an amplitude level considered with an attenuation in accordance with a distance from the microphone to an observation point separated away from the microphone; a first loudspeaker configured to be arranged in the proximity of the microphone and output the noise cancel signal; a second signal generator configured to receive the signal from the microphone to generate a positive-phase signal that has the same phase as that of the signal from the microphone; and a second loudspeaker configured to be arranged in the proximity of the microphone and output the positive-phase signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuyuki KINO, Yoshio SASAKI
  • Patent number: 7613532
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving the signal to noise ratio for audio input in a computing system are provided. Signal to noise ratio improvements are enabled for an input audio signal by incorporating a plurality of microphones into the PC environment, for example, to improve the processing of voice or speech input or other audio capture applications. In various embodiments, a plurality of microphones are spaced apart, e.g., attached to or within a PC housing, in such a way that noise from PC components can be “subtracted” or reduced from an input audio signal, which increases the signal to noise ratio and improves audio processing accuracy. The “subtraction” or reduction techniques applied by the present invention are unique to the PC environment wherein different noises having particular characteristics can be identified, including, but not limited to, rattle of device components, fan noise and disk noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jason M. Anderson, Theodore C. Tanner
  • Publication number: 20090141907
    Abstract: Provided is a method and apparatus for canceling noise from a sound signal input through a microphone. The method includes filtering a high-frequency signal having a frequency that is higher than a reference frequency and a low-frequency signal having a frequency that is lower than the reference frequency from input signals obtained through a microphone array, obtaining a high-frequency target signal by canceling a noise signal from the filtered high-frequency signal using a beamforming method, obtaining a low-frequency target signal by canceling a noise signal having a phase difference that is different from a phase difference of a target signal from the filtered low-frequency signal, and obtaining a sound source signal from which noise is cancelled, by synthesizing the obtained high-frequency target signal with the obtained low-frequency target signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyu-hong Kim, Kwang-cheol Oh, Jae-hoon Jeong, So-Young Jeong
  • Patent number: 7539459
    Abstract: Noise of a noise-producing object may be at least partially cancelled by a system that emits sound at a polarity substantially opposite to a polarity of detected noise and includes a member having elements disposed in the vicinity of a noise-producing object, some of the elements may be configured to emit noise, and some of the elements may be configured to detect noise and where a signal indicative of the detected noise may be received by a controller which sends a signal to cause at least some of the elements to emit sound at a polarity substantially opposite that of the detected noise, and includes an analyzer to determine when detected noise is indicative of one or more conditions of the noise producing object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Edwards Vacuum, Inc.
    Inventor: Clive Reginald Steer
  • Patent number: 7533759
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an active muffler for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, in particular in a motor vehicle, having at least one antinoise generator for applying antinoise to the exhaust gas, whereby the antinoise generator has a diaphragm drive with which it is coupled via at least one coupling element in a thermally conducting and noise-reducing manner to an outside wall of the muffler, which is in contact with the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: J. Eberspaecher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan Krueger, Frank Castor
  • Patent number: 7499555
    Abstract: Personal communication method and apparatus, such as telephone handsets and headsets, with acoustic stray field cancellation are disclosed. The personal communications device employs an echo canceling receiver generally including two displacement sources that are not in phase formed by at least one driver, an acoustic cavity corresponding to each displacement source, and an acoustic output port corresponding to and in acoustic connection with each displacement source via the corresponding acoustic cavity such that the acoustic length between the acoustic centers of the two ports is less than the distance between the acoustic center of each port and the acoustic center of the corresponding displacement source to which the port is acoustically connected. In another embodiment, the ports may be such that both ports are located on a same side of a surface of at least one of the displacement sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Osman K. Isvan
  • Patent number: 7366309
    Abstract: A robot includes first and second microphones and movable portions. The first microphone gathers a first sound reception signal by gathering mainly a target signal. The second microphone gathers a second reception sound signal by gathering mainly noise other than the target signal. The movable portions operate on the basis of the first sound reception signal output from the first microphone and the second sound reception signal output from the second microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Miki Sato, Akihiko Sugiyama, Shin'ichi Ohnaka
  • Patent number: 7352870
    Abstract: An active sound muffler for reducing a sound to be reduced as emitted from a sound source located at one of the opposite sides of a sound insulating wall and diffracted and transmitted to the other side, the muffler comprises a control loudspeaker arranged at the front end or the other side of the sound insulating wall and adapted to output a control sound with a predetermined amplitude and a predetermined phase, a control microphone arranged above the sound insulating wall and adapted to gauge the sound pressure or the acoustic intensity of the sound to be reduced and that of the control sound and a control circuit for controlling the output of the control loudspeaker so as to minimize the sound pressure or the acoustic intensity, whichever appropriate, based on the outcome of gauging of the control microphone, and the control loudspeaker showing a line sound source characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akihiko Enamito, Osamu Nishimura, Tsutomu Shioyama
  • Patent number: 7327849
    Abstract: A system and method of reducing noise in an enclosure is disclosed. The method includes receiving at least one reference signal; receiving pressure signals from no more than two substantially orthogonally placed pairs of acoustic sensors, where one pair of acoustic sensors is in the x-direction and one pair of acoustic sensors is in the y-direction, and where the acoustic sensors are placed in a plane which is substantially parallel and in proximity to an inner surface of the enclosure; using the pressure signals and the reference signal to generate an output signal to minimize energy density at a location of the acoustic sensors; and sending the output signal to an acoustic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Brigham Young University
    Inventors: Scott David Sommerfeldt, Benjamin Mahonri Faber
  • Patent number: 7315619
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an audio communication system and method with improved acoustic characteristics. The present invention utilizes the Haas effect to simulate a sound picture that gives a better subjective impression of stereo sound compared to the objective stereo image. It provides a system and a method for presenting the stereo image in an optimal way for an associated echo canceller without compromising with the subjective perception of stereo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Tandberg Telecom AS
    Inventors: Trygve Frederik Marton, Bjorn Winsvold, Tore Gravermoen
  • Patent number: 7293627
    Abstract: An active exhaust muffler for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, having a housing through which a pipe system passes, the pipe system designed to be permeable for airborne sound in a first space, having an antisound generator which is arranged in a second space and antisound acting upon a third space through a wall opening during operation, the wall opening being provided in a partition that separates the second space from the third space, whereby airborne sound is transmitted from the first space to the third space through a sound outlet. To increase the lifetime of the antisound generator and thus the exhaust muffler, a labyrinth is provided in the third space, blocking a direct path between the sound outlet and the wall opening, and providing at least one indirect bypass for the propagation of airborne sound between the sound outlet and the wall opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: J. Eberspeecher GmnH
    Inventors: Jan Krüger, Frank Castor
  • Publication number: 20070223715
    Abstract: An Active Muffler in the form of a duct having two open ends for conveying air from a within a cabinet to outside the cabinet. A fan or blower is incorporated in the duct. An Automatic Noise Control (ANC) unit is associated with the duct, and at least one microphone and at least one speaker are incorporated in to the duct for noise-reduction. An outer portion of the duct may be sound-absorbing material. the ANC unit may cause noise to be shifted to a frequency that can be absorbed by the sound-absorbing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Inventors: Yossi Barath, Micahel Surov, Alon Slapak
  • Patent number: 7272234
    Abstract: A multi-channel active noise control system and method of reducing tonal noise emanating from a tonal noise source are disclosed. The system may include an adaptive controller, a plurality of loudspeakers driven by the loudspeaker, one or more microphones for generating one or more error signals to feedback to the adaptive controller and optionally a reference signal source to provide the adaptive controller with frequency information associated with the tonal noise source. The system and method of the present invention are applicable to any tonal noise source, including but not limited to axial fans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Brigham Young University
    Inventors: Scott D. Sommerfeldt, Kent L. Gee
  • Patent number: 7248704
    Abstract: The device for the active sound attenuation of a sound signal propagated in a duct comprises: at least first sensor means for a first sound signal, attenuation actuating means supplying an active sound attenuation signal in response to a selected control signal, an electronic control means generating the active sound attenuation signal for the actuating means. The first sensor means and the actuating means are arranged completely inside the duct opposite one another and at a selected distance from the casing of the duct, the axis of symmetry of the radiation of the actuating means and the axis of symmetry of the first sensor means are substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of the sound signal in the duct, and the actuating means are arranged upstream of the first sensor means in the direction of propagation of the sound signal in the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignees: Technofirst, Aldes Aeraulique
    Inventors: Christian Carme, Virginie Delemotte, Pierre Chaffois, Patrick Damizet
  • Patent number: 7245726
    Abstract: A microphone housing improves the broadband noise canceling performance of an active noise canceling microphone system while also ensuring improved speech transmission through the system. First and second microphone elements are selected each having a diameter “d” and a thickness “t”. The two microphone elements are aligned axially with the back surfaces in contact and secured in an axially aligned cylindrical cavity within a cylindrically shaped housing. The cylindrically shaped housing has an outside diameter “D,” an interior cavity of diameter of “d,” and a height “2t”. The housing is exposed to an environment comprising both speech and noise. The first microphone element is adapted to receive a signal having both voice and noise components, while the second microphone element is adapted to receive a signal that is predominantly noise. A controller processes signals from the first microphone element and the second microphone element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Adaptive Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Du, Michael A. Vaudrey
  • Publication number: 20070154028
    Abstract: An audio transducer for use in a loudspeaker system. The transducer includes a rigid base, a pair of flexible, curved diaphragms and each diaphragm having a distal end and a proximal end. The curved diaphragms form hemi-cylindrical lobes being substantially tangent to one another at their proximal ends and are attached to energy absorbent dampers at their distal ends. The transducers can be employed in a line array as part of the loudspeaker system as well as some of the transducers facing forward while others rearward and, in doing so, their amplitudes and phases can be adjusted for fine tailoring the geometric coverage of acoustic energy radiating from the loudspeaker system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Inventors: J. Craig Oxford, D. Michael Shields
  • Patent number: 7209796
    Abstract: According to a disclosed embodiment, an auscultatory training apparatus includes a database of pre-recorded physiological sounds stored on a computer for playing on a playback system. A user-friendly, graphical user interface software program is stored on the computer for use with a conventional computer mouse. The program allows a user to select one of the pre-recorded sounds for playback. In addition, the program is operable to generate an inverse model of the playback system in the form of a digital filter. If employed by the user, the inverse model processes the selected sound to cancel the distortions of the playback system so that the sound is accurately reproduced in the playback system. The program also permits the extraction of a specific sound component from a pre-recorded sound so that only the extracted sound component is audible during playback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    Inventors: Walter G. McKinney, Jeff S. Reynolds, Kimberly A. Friend, William T. Goldsmith, David G. Frazer
  • Patent number: 7162041
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of a noise canceling microphone with acoustically tuned ports are disclosed herein. In one aspect of the invention, the noise canceling microphone may comprise a housing, a transducer for converting received energy received into electrical signals, where the transducer is located in the housing, a front and rear sound pathways to a front and rear sound openings in the transducer, where the front and rear sound pathways may be located on opposite sides of the housing and may be displaced 180 degrees off a vertical axis. The noise canceling microphone may further comprising a boom for supporting the noise canceling microphone, where the boom may be deformed to place the noise canceling microphone near the mouth of the user. For example, the boom may be deformed to place the noise canceling microphone at least ten millimeters away from the edge of the mouth of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Etymotic Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Haapapuro, Viorel Drambarean