Headphone Circuits Patents (Class 381/74)
  • Patent number: 11496824
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for acoustic device. The acoustic output device may include an earphone core including at least one acoustic driver for outputting sound though one or more sound guiding holes set on the acoustic output apparatus; the acoustic output device may include one or more sensors configured to detect status information of a user of the acoustic output apparatus; the acoustic output device may include a controller configured to cause the at least one acoustic driver to output sound based on the detected status information of the user; the acoustic output device may further include a power source assembly configured to provide electrical power to the earphone core, the one or more sensors, and the controller; and the acoustic output device may further include a flexible circuit board configured to connect at least the earphone core and the power source assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Junjiang Fu, Bingyan Yan, Fengyun Liao, Xin Qi
  • Patent number: 11483658
    Abstract: A system and method for determining an in-ear status of wearable audio devices includes determining that the devices are each proximate a portion of a body of a user. Each device determines its orientation; if both orientations correspond to ears of the user, the devices output corresponding audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Varn Khanna, Atif M Noori
  • Patent number: 11473898
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are wearable devices, their configurations, and methods of operation that use self-mixing interferometry signals of a self-mixing interferometry sensor to recognize user inputs. The user inputs may include voiced commands or silent gesture commands. The devices may be wearable on the user's head, with the self-mixing interferometry sensor configured to direct a beam of light toward a location on the user's head. Skin deformations or vibrations at the location may be caused by the user's speech or the user's silent gestures and recognized using the self-mixing interferometry signal. The self-mixing interferometry signals may be used for bioauthentication and/or audio conditioning of received sound or voice inputs to a microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mehmet Mutlu, Ahmet Fatih Cihan
  • Patent number: 11463796
    Abstract: An earphone includes a housing that defines a force input surface opposite a touch input surface. A spring member in the housing includes a first arm that biases a touch sensor toward the touch input surface. The spring member also includes a second arm that biases a first force electrode toward the housing and allows the first force electrode to move toward a second force electrode when a force is applied to the force input surface. A non-binary amount of the force is determinable using a change in a mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode. The mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode may be measured upon detecting a touch using the touch sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Brian R. Twehues, Teera Songatikamas
  • Patent number: 11458386
    Abstract: Controllers that allow for adjusting various features of the controller are disclosed. The controller may include may include one or more speakers for outputting sound or audio content. A user may contact one or more of the speakers with a finger(s) to adjust a characteristic of the audio content and/or to adjust audio settings. For example, a user may touch a speaker with his/her finger to change (e.g., increase or decrease) the volume or to mute the sound. In some instances, the speakers may be located on the controller body of the handheld controller for convenient and quick access by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Judson VanWyk, Lucas Allen Whipple, John Ikeda, Benoit Collette
  • Patent number: 11463821
    Abstract: An audio transmitter including an audio input interface receiving first audio signals indicative of input audio from an audio source, a wireless transmitter wirelessly streaming second audio signals indicative of the input audio to a first audio reproducing device, and an audio output interface connectable to a second audio reproducing device, the audio transmitter arranged to supply third audio signals indicative of the input audio to the audio output interface. The audio transmitter facilitates connection to the audio transmitter to control wireless streaming of the second audio signals. A characteristic of sound of the wirelessly streamed second audio signals is controllable independently of a characteristic of sound of the third audio signals. An initial connection is established between the audio transmitter and a computing device in response to detection that the location of the computing device relative to the audio transmitter is less than a defined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: NUHEARA IP PTY LTD
    Inventors: Alan Davis, Gregory Paul Breen, Clint Mathurine, Peter Mather Combes, Andrew Victor Cammell
  • Patent number: 11457307
    Abstract: A headphone driver is used to drive a headphone apparatus, which includes a first differential driver, a first positive output terminal, a first negative output terminal, and a second negative output terminal. The first positive output terminal is connected to the first terminal. A switch unit is disposed on a feedback path at the first negative output terminal and the second negative output terminal, to enable the first/second negative output terminal in feedback as a close loop to output to the third/fourth terminal and disable the second/first negative output terminal at a first/second operation state. The first differential driver includes a first positive voltage driving circuit, a first negative voltage driving circuit, and a second negative voltage driving circuit, respectively providing the first positive output terminal, the first negative output terminal, and the second negative output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: MACRONIX INIERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hsiao-Ming Lin
  • Patent number: 11457272
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the technical field of video processing, and disclosed therein are a video processing method, electronic device, and computer-readable medium. The method includes acquiring a video type of a video file scheduled for playing; determining whether the video type is a specified type; and if the video type is a specified type, controlling a graphics processor to process the video file scheduled for playing and then display same on a screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventor: Hai Yang
  • Patent number: 11451898
    Abstract: A method and device for detecting whether a headset is on ear. A probe signal is generated for acoustic playback from a speaker. A microphone signal from a microphone is received, the microphone signal comprising at least a portion of the probe signal as received at the microphone. The microphone signal is passed to a state estimator, to produce an estimate of at least one parameter of the portion of the probe signal contained in the microphone signal. The estimate of the at least one parameter is processed to determine whether the headset is on ear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Vitaliy Sapozhnykov, Thomas Ivan Harvey, Nafiseh Erfaniansaeedi, Robert Luke
  • Patent number: 11445291
    Abstract: The application belongs to the field of earphone technology, and discloses a type of noise-reducing earphones with adjustable voice. An audio processor processes voice signals. After a digital signal processor (DSP) completes noise reduction, the signals return to the audio processor, where two signals are combined, through another signal wire. Then the signals are transmitted to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that transmits the signals to an acoustic amplifier, where the signals are transmitted to a speaker to realize the adjustment of voice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Innovation Sound Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shun Ming Yuen, Wai Yin Mung, Shui Shing Choi, Ka Ming Wu
  • Patent number: 11445285
    Abstract: An interactive control method and device of an earphone case, and an earphone case are disclosed. The earphone case includes a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity. The method includes: acquiring taking-out sequential order information or putting-in sequential order information of a first earphone and/or a second earphone with respect to the first accommodating cavity and/or the second accommodating cavity; determining a corresponding functional instruction of a mobile terminal or a corresponding functional instruction of an earphone according to a preset correspondence between the taking-out sequential order information or the putting-in sequential order information and functional instructions of the mobile terminal or functional instructions of the earphone; and sending the functional instruction of the mobile terminal to the mobile terminal or to the earphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: GOERTEK INC.
    Inventor: Jifu Zhao
  • Patent number: 11437966
    Abstract: Workplace safety is a principal concern in many environments. Protecting user ears from damage due to extended exposure to unacceptably high sound volume serves as an important component to workplace safety. Monitoring a device, such as a phone, utilized by a user often provides an incomplete picture of the sound level presented to the user. As provided herein, monitoring a user's sound exposure on one device may cause the sound level presented to the user from a second device to become limited. Additionally, over time the sound level limits may be adjusted based on the cumulative historic sound exposure. As a result, the user may avoid exposure to unacceptably high sound levels originating from more than one source and/or over an extended period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Lynch, Miguel Dearaujo
  • Patent number: 11424720
    Abstract: A power amplifier provides reduction of click and pop in audio applications. The power amplifier includes a first amplifier and an auxiliary amplifier. The auxiliary amplifier is used to ramp the power amplifier output from ground to an offset voltage to reduce the “click and pop” sound. The first amplifier and the auxiliary amplifier having a shared feedback loop. An output of the first amplifier and an output of the auxiliary amplifier may be switchably coupled to the shared feedback loop. A wave generator controls a switch to couple the first amplifier output or the auxiliary amplifier output to the shared feedback loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Pradeep Silva, Ramkumar Sivakumar, Qubo Zhou, Xinwang Zhang, Hanil Lee, Dongyang Tang, Vijayakumar Dhanasekaran
  • Patent number: 11418892
    Abstract: A hearing device has an acceleration sensor that measure along three mutually perpendicular measurement axis. A movement of the hearing aid wearer is deduced from acceleration data of the acceleration sensor issued in an acceleration signal, a movement plane of the movement of the hearing aid wearer is derived from the acceleration data, a movement axis and a movement direction of the movement are ascertained from the acceleration data, and the presence of a rotational movement of the head is deduced on the basis of the movement plane, the movement axis and the movement direction. A direction of view probability distribution is created from the detected rotational movements, in particular on the basis of a yaw angle ascertained in the process. The direction of view probability distribution specifies a probability that the actual direction of view of the hearing aid wearer extends along an assigned angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Tobias Wurzbacher, Thomas Kuebert
  • Patent number: 11412335
    Abstract: A game headset receives a game audio during play of a particular game, monitors the game audio and detects an occurrence of one or more particular sounds in the game audio during the monitoring of the one or more of the plurality of audio channels. In response to the detecting, the game headset triggers playback of one or more of a plurality of voice commands that corresponds to the one or more particular sounds. The voice commands may be predefined and associated with the one or more particular sounds in a data structure. The voice commands may instruct the listener of the game headset to perform an action in the particular game. The characteristics of the one or more sounds may include direction, intensity, and/or frequency of the particular one or more sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Kulavik, Michael A. Jessup, Kevin Arthur Robertson
  • Patent number: 11412319
    Abstract: An earbud and a method for implementing a wearing detection and a touch operation are provided. The earbud includes: at least two capacitive wearing sensors arranged at different positions where a head of the earbud is in contact with skin tissues in an ear, and the earbud being determined whether to be in a worn state according to the detection values of the at least two capacitive wearing sensors; a capacitive touch sensor arranged on the head or a stem of the earbud away from the ear and being configured to detect a touch operation; and a detection processing circuit being configured to detect and process capacitance signals detected by the wearing sensors and touch sensor, and the wearing sensors and touch sensor being electrically connected with the detection processing circuit and sharing the detection processing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN GOODIX TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ming Yang, Shuqing Cheng
  • Patent number: 11382099
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of allocating time slots for a wireless headset in a communication period, the wireless headset comprising a first earpiece and a second earpiece that are independent from each other, wherein the method comprises: sending, by the first earpiece, a request message to a mobile device in a first time slot of the communication period; sending, by the mobile device, audio data to the first earpiece and the second earpiece in a plurality of time slots subsequent to the first time slot based on the request message; sending, by the first earpiece, a first control message to the second earpiece in a second time slot after the plurality of time slots; and sending, by the second earpiece, a second control message to the first earpiece in a third time slot subsequent to the second time slot based on the first control message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: TELINK SEMICONDUCTOR (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mingjian Zheng, Haipeng Jin
  • Patent number: 11366853
    Abstract: Example techniques relate to a playback device that facilitates queue identification. In an example implementation, a playback device receives, from a first controller, instructions representing a command to populate a playback queue with one or more first media items; the instructions are associated with a first application identifier corresponding to the first controller. Based on the received instructions, the playback device populates the playback queue with the one or more first media items and forms an association between the playback queue and the first application identifier. The playback device receives, from a second controller, instructions representing one or more first commands to access the playback queue; the instructions are associated with a second application identifier corresponding to the second controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur L. Coburn, IV
  • Patent number: 11364436
    Abstract: A gaming unit and producing a game-audio output of a varying volume level and a chat-voice output is connected to headphones adapted to be worn by a player of the unit and connected to the gaming unit for making the chat-voice output and the game-audio output audible to the player. A circuit or software associated with the headphones can increase the chat-voice volume level generally proportionately to the game-audio volume level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc.
    Inventor: Carmine J. Bonanno
  • Patent number: 11367426
    Abstract: A host device configured to be wirelessly coupled to an accessory device, the host device comprising noise reduction circuitry, wherein, in use of the host device: a signal generated by a microphone of the accessory device in response to ambient noise is supplied to the noise reduction circuitry; the noise reduction circuitry applies a noise reduction transfer function to the signal supplied thereto to generate a noise cancellation signal; and the noise cancellation signal is supplied to at least one loudspeaker of the accessory device; and wherein the noise reduction transfer function applied by the noise reduction circuitry is user selectable or user adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Alastair Sibbald
  • Patent number: 11363394
    Abstract: An electronic device may comprise audio processing circuitry and a universal serial bus (USB) connector having a first contact and a second contact. In a first mode of operation, the audio processing circuitry is configured to output one or more audio signals carrying music and/or voice via the first contact and the second contact. In a second mode of operation, the audio processing circuitry is configured to output a signal for delivering supply current via the first contact and the second contact. While the electronic device is in the first mode of operation, a gain and/or volume limit of the audio processing circuitry may be set to a first level, and while the electronic device is in the second mode of operation, the gain and/or volume limit of the audio processing circuitry may be set to a second level that is higher than the first level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Kulavik
  • Patent number: 11350206
    Abstract: A method and system for a headset with major and minor adjustments, where the headset comprises a headband, a headband endcap at each end of the headband, a headband slide coupled to each headband endcap, and ear cups operatively coupled to the headband slides. A major adjustment of the headset may include actuating a headband slide in a vertical direction. The ear cups may be operatively coupled to the headband slides utilizing ball detents that may hold the position of the ear cups with respect to the headband slides. The ball detents may comprise a portion of a ball on the headband slide and holes in the ear cup or may comprise a portion of a ball in the ear cup and holes in the headband slide. Each headband slide may be coupled to a headband endcap via a headband pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc.
    Inventors: Scot Robert Cochran, Tim Wiley, Andy Logan
  • Patent number: 11350202
    Abstract: A Bluetooth headset applicable to different head shapes is provided, which comprises: a flexible belt body (1) looped around the head, and two headset bodies (2); wherein an interior of each headset body (2) comprises a base (23) with a circuit board or a battery therein, a sound output part (21) with a loudspeaker therein, and the sound output part (21) and the base (23) are connected by a position adjustment rod (22), and wherein two bases (23) of the headset body are respectively fixed to the flexible belt body (1). The Bluetooth headset has the characteristics of not compressing the ears and ear canals and falling off during exercise, and being applicable to users of different head shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN XIWXI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiuhong Deng
  • Patent number: 11337484
    Abstract: A communication accessory may include an ear cup configured to at least one of send and receive an audio communication. The ear cup may be detachably coupleable to a first accessory coupling system configured to couple to a helmet and a second accessory coupling system configured to couple to a headband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ross Fade Barber, Zoltan S. Brutler, Michael Pearson Blundell
  • Patent number: 11336991
    Abstract: A loudspeaker apparatus may include a circuit housing accommodating a control circuit or a battery; an ear hook and a rear hook connected to both ends of the circuit housing, respectively. The ear hook may be at least partially covered by a first protective housing. The rear hook may be at least partially covered by a second protective housing. The first protective housing and the second protective housing at least partially cover a periphery of the circuit housing from both ends of the circuit housing in a sleeve manner, respectively. The loudspeaker apparatus can avoid damage to the control circuit or the battery caused by high temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yongjian Li, Haofeng Zhang, Fen You
  • Patent number: 11336987
    Abstract: A method and device for detecting a wearing state of an earphone and an earphone are disclosed. The method includes that: a source audio signal input into a loudspeaker of an earphone and a feedback audio signal collected by a prepositive microphone are acquired; a transfer function between the source audio signal and the feedback audio signal is acquired according to the source audio signal and the feedback audio signal; and a wearing state of the earphone is acquired according to the transfer function, and audio compensation processing is performed on the source audio signal according to the wearing state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaoniao Tingting Technology Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Song Liu, Bo Li, Na Li
  • Patent number: 11335362
    Abstract: A wearable for capturing self-voice using a mixed sensor array, including a microphone generating a microphone signal and positioned to capture a user's voice; an accelerometer generating an accelerometer signal and positioned to capture the user's voice; and a controller receiving the microphone signal and the accelerometer signal and configured to generate a mixed output signal, wherein the mixed output signal comprises a microphone signal component and an accelerometer signal component, wherein a ratio of the microphone signal component and the accelerometer signal component is related to a value of a noise metric representing a magnitude of ambient noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Aric J. Wax, Michael Shay
  • Patent number: 11327576
    Abstract: Provided is an information processing apparatus including an information request unit, in a case in which a predetermined trigger signal is detected in a first sensor, requesting second detection information based on a signal detected in a second sensor located at a different position from that of the first sensor, a local communication unit receiving the second detection information, and a processing determination unit determining processing to be executed based on first detection information based on a signal detected in the first sensor and the second detection information. Power consumption can be further suppressed in an information processing apparatus in which sensors are provided at different positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kei Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11330388
    Abstract: An audio customization system operates to enhance a user's audio environment. A user may wear headphones and specify what portion the ambient audio and/or source audio will be transmitted to the headphones or the personal speaker system. The audio signal may be enhanced by application of a spatialized transformation using a spatialization engine such as head-related transfer functions so that at least a portion of the audio presented to the personal speaker system will appear to originate from a particular direction. The direction may be modified in response to movement of the personal speaker system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: STAGES LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin D. Benattar
  • Patent number: 11321912
    Abstract: A system and method for generating a full three-dimensional (3D) digital geometry for an ear provides a 3D reconstruction model that not only includes the outer area of an ear, but also the inner canal area up to the second bend. The system includes at least one remote server and a PC device. The remote server manages and processes data needed for the 3D model for an ear. The PC device allows a user to access the system and method. The remote server processes a series of video frames to generate outer ear 3D data points. Full ear geometry 3D data points are generated by comparing the outer ear 3D data points with a plurality of ear impressions. Canal 3D data points are then adjusted with a tragus angle for accuracy. The 3D reconstruction model that includes the outer ear area and inner canal area is finally generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: XYKEN, LLC
    Inventor: Steven Yi
  • Patent number: 11322129
    Abstract: A sound reproducing apparatus includes a speaker, a microphone, and at least one processor. The at least one processor performs a process that includes hear-through processing and noise cancellation processing. The process also includes a storage task and a reading task. When detecting an occurrence of the trigger, the reading task reads control information of the event information of which execution is instructed by the trigger. The reading task also executes the hear-through processing and the noise cancellation processing in the signal processing task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuki Tanaka, Yukio Tada, Kazuya Kumehara
  • Patent number: 11322131
    Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to a signal processing device for on ear detection for a headset. The device comprises a first microphone input for receiving a microphone signal from a first microphone, the first microphone being configured to be positioned inside an ear of a user when the user is wearing the headset; a second microphone input for receiving a microphone signal from a second microphone, the second microphone being configured to be positioned outside the ear of the user when the user is wearing the headset; and a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Brenton Steele
  • Patent number: 11303998
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for determining a wearing position of a boomless headset. An earpiece of the boomless headset can include at least one local talker (LT) microphone and a reference microphone. The LT microphone(s) are disposed substantially in a first end of the earpiece closest to a mouth of a LT when the LT wears the earpiece. The reference microphone is disposed substantially in a second end of the earpiece, furthest from the mouth of the LT when the LT wears the earpiece. A signal strength measurement (SSM) for a local talker audio signal to the LT microphone(s) and a SSM for a signal to the reference microphone are obtained. Signal processing logic can determine whether the earpiece is worn at an incorrect ear based on whether a difference between the SSM for the LT microphone(s) and the SSM for the reference microphone is below a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Feng Bao, Jian Zou, Faisal Haq
  • Patent number: 11301058
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining a user input of a user of a first element and of a second element, the first element and the second element being electronic media devices or components of electronic media devices or of an electronic media device, the first element including an inertial sensor unit, in particular a rotation rate sensor unit. The method includes: outputting a sensor signal, by the inertial sensor unit, as a function of a motion of the first element; ascertaining a relative motion of the first element with reference to the second element by utilizing the output sensor signal, an overall motion of the first element being composed of an absolute motion and the relative motion, and the absolute motion of the first element being at least partially compensated for by utilizing the output sensor signal; and ascertaining the user input as a function of the ascertained relative motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Torsten Ohms
  • Patent number: 11297454
    Abstract: A public address method for live broadcast, in a helmet, of an audio signal conditioned from a plurality of raw audio channels, includes a pre-processing phase including the operations that consist of taking into account characteristics of the auditory perception of the listener; correcting each channel as a function of the characteristics of the auditory perception of the listener; a mixing phase including the production, from the channels thus pre-processed, of a mixed audio signal; a post-processing phase including the operations that consist of: measuring the sound level of a background noise; correcting the mixed audio signal as a function of the sound level of the background noise; a phase of reproducing, in the helmet, the conditioned audio signal resulting from post-processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: AUGMENTED ACOUSTICS
    Inventor: Laurent Said
  • Patent number: 11290839
    Abstract: A headphone including right and left ear pieces and a connecting portion which connects the right and left ear pieces to each other. The headphone includes a control part which changes a position at which a sound image is localized in accordance with an orientation of a user's head, with respect to at least one of a first musical sound and a second musical sound different from the first musical sound, the first musical sound and the second musical sound being input to the headphone, and a speaker which is included in each of the right and left ear pieces and to which a signal of a mixed sound of the first musical sound and the second musical sound is connected in a case where the position at which at least one sound image is localized is changed by the control part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Ueno
  • Patent number: 11290803
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a headphone and a reproduction control method that enable external sound to be caught more easily and promptly, and a program. The headphone includes: a sound collecting unit configured to collect outer sound; a detection unit configured to detect a specific motion to a sensor unit for capture of the outer sound; and a reproduction control unit configured to cause, in a case where the specific motion is detected, the outer sound collected by the sound collecting unit to be reproduced and volume of audio under reproduction to be reduced or the reproduction of the audio to stop. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a headphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Mizuuchi, Naoki Watanabe, Makoto Yoshimura, Taeko Usui
  • Patent number: 11277709
    Abstract: A headphone including right and left ear pieces and a connecting portion which connects the right and left ear pieces to each other. The headphone includes a control part which changes a position at which a sound image is localized in accordance with an orientation of a user's head, with respect to at least one of a first musical sound and a second musical sound different from the first musical sound, the first musical sound and the second musical sound being input to the headphone, and a speaker which is included in each of the right and left ear pieces and to which a signal of a mixed sound of the first musical sound and the second musical sound is connected in a case where the position at which at least one sound image is localized is changed by the control part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Ueno
  • Patent number: 11272283
    Abstract: Rendering haptics in a haptically-enabled headphone system includes generating a haptic signal at the haptically-enabled headphone system based on non-audio data and rendering a haptic effect specified in the haptic signal using a haptic output device within the haptically-enabled headphone system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: IMMERSION CORPORATION
    Inventor: Juan Manuel Cruz-Hernandez
  • Patent number: 11272312
    Abstract: A headphone including right and left ear pieces and a connecting portion which connects the right and left ear pieces to each other. The headphone includes a control part which changes a position at which a sound image is localized in accordance with an orientation of a user's head, with respect to at least one of a first musical sound and a second musical sound different from the first musical sound, the first musical sound and the second musical sound being input to the headphone, and a speaker which is included in each of the right and left ear pieces and to which a signal of a mixed sound of the first musical sound and the second musical sound is connected in a case where the position at which at least one sound image is localized is changed by the control part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Ueno
  • Patent number: 11258908
    Abstract: A headphone can include plurality of exterior microphones, that generates corresponding exterior microphone signals, an accelerometer that generates an accelerometer signal; and an interior microphone, not directly exposed to the environment, that generates an interior microphone signal. A processor of the headphone can be configured to generate an audio signal containing voice of a user, based on a) the accelerometer signal, b) the interior microphone signal, and c) the plurality of exterior microphone signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Thanh P. Hua, Esge B. Andersen
  • Patent number: 11252495
    Abstract: A headphone may employ an ear pad mounted to a housing. Affixing a soft sticky or tacky non-adhesive polymer base to the underside of a headphone ear pad allows easy attachment of ear pads to a headphone with the ability to frequently and non-destructively swap pads, without the weight, bulk and fragility of other pad attachment mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Dan Clark Audio, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel William Clark, Robert Jason Egger
  • Patent number: 11249719
    Abstract: An audio playback control method of a mobile terminal comprises: collecting proximity information of a user's hand within a preset time period by using a plurality of proximity sensors of a wireless earphone; acquiring information about whether each proximity sensor is shielded at each moment within the preset time period according to the proximity information; determining the order in which different proximity sensors are shielded according to the information about each proximity sensor being shielded; acquiring an operation trajectory of the user's hand according to the order in which different proximity sensors are shielded; and acquiring a corresponding audio playback operation instruction according to the operation trajectory and a preset trajectory instruction library, to realize the control over the audio playback of the mobile terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: GOERTEK INC.
    Inventors: Tianrong Dai, Yuge Zhu
  • Patent number: 11240584
    Abstract: An earphone system (10) includes a first ear bud (12) having wireless communications circuitry, a second ear bud (14) having wireless communications circuitry and first electric cabling (16) having a first end provided with a first electrical connector element (18) releasably connectable with the first ear bud, a second end provided with a second electrical connector element (20) releasably connectable with the second ear bud and a third electrical connector element (22) disposed intermediate the first and second ends. The earphone system (10) has second electric cabling (24) having a first end provided with a fourth electrical connector element (26) releasably connectable with the third electrical connector element and a second end provided with a fifth electrical connector element (28) connectable an output connector element of an electronic device to receive an audio signal from the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Binatone Electronics International Ltd.
    Inventor: Dino Lalvani
  • Patent number: 11232777
    Abstract: [Object] To collect a target sound in a more suitable aspect even under an environment in which noise occurs at random. [Solution] An information processing device including: a sound collection unit; and a holding member configured to have a projection portion with a streamline shape in at least a part and hold the sound collection unit so that the sound collection unit is located at a front end or near the front end of the projection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Sekiya, Yuichiro Koyama, Yuya Hirano
  • Patent number: 11228853
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for determining if a BTE portion of a hearing assistance device is determined to be either a “good fit” (i.e. placed correctly) or “bad fit” (i.e. placed incorrectly). The hearing assistance device includes a sensor in the BTE portion of the device. The sensor measures acceleration due to gravity in one or more of the x, y, and z directions, or any combination thereof. The measured acceleration is input into a pre-trained classifier model that outputs whether the BTE portion is placed correctly or not placed correctly. At least one of the hearing assistance device or a user device in communication with the hearing assistance device provides feedback regarding the positioning of the hearing assistance device. In aspects, the hearing assistance device or the user device guides the user to properly adjust placement of the BTE portion of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher R. Paetsch, Tegan M. Ayers
  • Patent number: 11218793
    Abstract: An earphone includes a housing, a speaker unit disposed in the housing, a cover coupled with the housing and including a nozzle, a first space portion disposed in front of the speaker unit, and a second space portion disposed in the rear of the speaker unit and partitioned off from the first space portion. Here, the speaker unit includes a cylindrical yoke with an open top, a magnet fixed to a bottom surface of an inside of the yoke, a plate fixed to a top surface of the magnet, a voice coil disposed between an inner circumference of the yoke and outer circumferences of the magnet and the plate, a vibration plate disposed above the plate and to which the voice coil is fixed, a cap coupled with the yoke, and a frame coupled with the yoke and the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: ALMUS CORP.
    Inventors: Ju Heon Ko, Byung Il Min, Jeong Kwon Park, Yeong Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 11211694
    Abstract: One example discloses a near-field wireless device, configured to be coupled to a host conductive structure, including: an electric near-field antenna, having a first conductive antenna surface coupled to a first feed point, and a second conductive antenna surface coupled to a second feed point; wherein the first and second conductive surfaces are separated by an air-gap; wherein the first and second conductive surfaces are configured to be substantially equidistant from the host conductive structure; and wherein the first and second conductive surfaces geometrically conform to the host conductive structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Anthony Kerselaers, Pieter Verschueren, Liesbeth Gommé
  • Patent number: 11212607
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, an audio device is provided comprising a communications interface configured to be communicatively coupled to an audio source, at least one sensor, and a controller configured to control the audio device to be in a low-power mode, receive, from the sensor(s), information indicative of a presence of a user's body, initiate, via the communications interface responsive to receiving the information, a wireless communication pairing process to establish a wireless communication bond with the audio source prior to determining that the audio device is fully engaged with the user's body, determine, subsequent to initiating the wireless communication pairing process and based on information received from the sensor(s), that the audio device is fully engaged with the user's body, and control, responsive to determining that the audio device is fully engaged with the user's body, the audio device to be in an active mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Minich, Josue Malaver, Miriam Israelowitz, Alexia Delhoume, Michelle Gelberger
  • Patent number: 11206097
    Abstract: A wireless headphone that receives a device identifier of an electronic device communicatively coupled to the wireless headphone and determines that the electronic device supports dynamic rate switching between a first data rate and a second data rate. The wireless headphone receives data from the electronic device at the second data rate and determines a packet error rate (PER) value associated with receiving the data. The wireless headphone requests the electronic device to transmit data at the second data rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Milos Jorgovanovic, Ganesha Batta, Sai Prashanth Chinnapalli