Headphone Circuits Patents (Class 381/74)
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11202142
    Abstract: A vibrator is fitted to a human body for use. A variable filter extracts a signal of a predefined frequency range from an input music signal. A driving controller drives the vibrator based on the signal of the frequency range extracted by the variable filter. It is possible to adjust the frequency range that is predefined by using a user operation interface. The frequency range that is predefined may be determined by a frequency determination interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: JVCKENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yutaka Tomoi
  • Patent number: 11202148
    Abstract: A communication system establishes a communication session with a communication device via a network and captures, via one or more cameras, a local area within a field of view of the one or more cameras. The local area includes one or more audio sources. The communication system receives, from the communication device, a selection of a respective audio source from the one or more audio source in the local area. The selection indicates that audio originating from the respective audio source is to be prioritized over other audio sources in the local area. The communication system tunes one or more microphones based on a depth of the respective audio source relative to the communication system to optimize reception of audio originating at the respective audio source by the one or more microphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Pratik Mukesh Kamdar, Subhash Chandra Bose Naripeddy, Vamsi Mynampati, Sridhar Pilli
  • Patent number: 11188721
    Abstract: A method and a system are disclosed for generating a voiced machine interpretation in a second language for theatre and movie entertainment. The method includes generating a machine translation from English into a second language and generating a machine interpretation from the machine translation into the second language. The method additionally includes broadcasting the machine interpretation to a channel for pickup by a user and storing the machine translation and the machine interpretation for subsequent use on multiple channels. The disclosure also includes performing the above steps in real time and in batch mode. The system includes a machine language translation (MT) module, a machine language interpretation (MI), broadcast transceivers, wireless stereophonic headphones, digital microprocessor(s), a second language dialer, MT and MI memory storage, an administrative module, a bypass module for human translation or human interpretation, a real time processing module, and a batch mode processing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Inventor: Andi D'oleo
  • Patent number: 11176925
    Abstract: A method for routing audio content through an electronic device that is to be worn by a user. The method obtains a communication and determines whether the communication is private. In response to determining that the communication is private, the method drives a bone conduction transducer of the electronic device with an audio signal associated with the communication. In response to determining that the communication is not private, however, the method drives a speaker of the electronic device with the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Robert D. Silfvast, Neal D. Evans, Nikolas T. Vitt, Jonathan D. Sheaffer
  • Patent number: 11166103
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a playing device and a playing method based on the playing device. The playing device includes a headphone interface circuit and a speaker circuit. Signal input terminals of the headphone interface circuit and the speaker circuit are directly connected to a sound source output terminal of the playing device. The signal input terminal of the speaker circuit is connected to a first enable signal output terminal when the first enable signal output terminal outputs a matched enable signal, a sound source signal output from the sound source output terminal is played by the speaker circuit. The signal input terminal of the headphone interface circuit is connected to a second enable signal output terminal. When a headphone is inserted and the second enable signal output terminal outputs a matched enable signal, a sound source signal output from the sound source output terminal is played by the headphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: HUIZHOU TCL MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Min Yao, Mingliang Liu, Chunxia Yan
  • Patent number: 11166094
    Abstract: The embodiments of present disclosure disclose a loudspeaker. The loudspeaker may include an ear hook including a first plug end and a second plug end. The ear hook may be surrounded by a protection sleeve, and the protection sleeve may be made of an elastic waterproof material. The loudspeaker may include an earphone core housing configured to accommodate the earphone core, and the earphone core housing may be fixed to the first plug end through plugging, and may be elastically abutted against the protection sleeve elastically. The loudspeaker may include a circuit housing configured to accommodate a control circuit or a battery. The circuit housing may be fixed to the second plug end through plugging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN VOXTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chaowu Li, Yongjian Li
  • Patent number: 11166104
    Abstract: An electronic device that can be worn by a user can include a processing unit and one or more sensors operatively connected to the processing unit. The processing unit can be adapted to determine an installation position of the electronic device based on one or more signals received from at least one sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Sorin V. Dusan
  • Patent number: 11159871
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a signal transmission circuit, a signal transmission system, a signal transmission method, and an intelligent terminal. The signal transmission circuit includes an earphone interface circuit, a comparison circuit, and a control circuit. The earphone interface circuit is configured for connection to an audio receiving device. The comparison circuit is configured to acquire a voltage value corresponding to an impedance of the audio receiving device via the earphone interface circuit, the voltage value is compared with a reference voltage of the comparison circuit, to output a comparison result to the control circuit. The control circuit judges whether the audio receiving device is a digital audio device according to the comparison result, and switches the earphone interface circuit to digital output when the audio receiving device is determined to be a digital audio device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: HUIZHOU TCL MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chunxia Yan, Mingliang Liu, Min Yao
  • Patent number: 11153674
    Abstract: Provided is a sound reproduction device that includes a cradle that functions as a GUI of a wireless earphone, and does not need additional use of a display terminal. The sound reproduction device includes a wireless earphone 1, and a cradle 50 that houses the wireless earphone, wherein the cradle 50 includes a chargeable battery for charging the wireless earphone 1, and a touch panel 51 that functions as an input/output interface of the wireless earphone 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: EARFREDO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shuichi Tasaka
  • Patent number: 11134354
    Abstract: A method is used of detecting whether a device is being worn, when the device comprises a first transducer and a second transducer. It is determined when a signal detected by at least one of the first and second transducers represents speech. It is then determined when said speech contains speech of a first acoustic class and speech of a second acoustic class. A first correlation signal is generated, representing a correlation between signals generated by the first and second transducers during at least one period when said speech contains speech of the first acoustic class. A second correlation signal is generated, representing a correlation between signals generated by the first and second transducers during at least one period when said speech contains speech of the second acoustic class. It is then determined from the first correlation signal and the second correlation signal whether the device is being worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: John P. Lesso
  • Patent number: 11128944
    Abstract: A proximity detecting headphone device is provided, with a proximity sensor, plurality of output devices, data store having predetermined heat signatures, and a control circuit communicatively coupled to the proximity sensor, output device, and data store. The control circuit is configured to: capture, via the proximity sensor, proximity data within a threshold distance of the proximity detecting headphone device; determine, using the proximity data, a presence of a person within the threshold distance; generate an audio notification when the presence of the person within the threshold distance is determined; and transmit, via the plurality of output devices, the audio notification. The proximity detecting headphone device communicates with a computing device. The proximity sensor comprises a laser rangefinder that captures time-of-flight data. The predetermined heat signatures comprise the heat signatures of vehicles and persons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Inventors: Patricia Williams Smith, Neva Thompson, Carl Edward Williams, Kelvin DeWayne King
  • Patent number: 11112848
    Abstract: A VR headset and a method for controlling a VR headset are provided. The VR headset comprises a wakeup/sleep control circuit, at least one pressure sensor and at least one distance sensor, the pressure sensor and the distance sensor each being electrically connected with the wakeup/sleep control circuit, wherein the pressure sensor is provided at an upper frame and/or a lower frame of the VR headset, and the distance sensor is provided at an inner side of the VR headset, the inner side of the VR headset referring to a side of the VR headset that is adjacent to a face of a user wearing the VR headset. The VR headset provides a hardware basis for an automatic wakeup/sleep control of the VR headset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: GOERTEK TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventor: Shaoxiang Li
  • Patent number: 11109136
    Abstract: Ear buds are provided that communicate wirelessly with an electronic device. To determine the current status of the ear buds and thereby take suitable action in controlling the operation of the electronic device and ear buds, the ear buds may be provided with sensor circuitry. The sensor circuitry may include proximity sensors. The ear buds may each have a housing with a main body portion that is configured to be inserted into the ear of the user and an elongated stem portion that extends from the main body portion. The proximity sensors may include sensors on the main body and sensors on the stem. The proximity sensors may be light-based sensors that emit light that passes through the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ashley N. Saulsbury, Travis J. McQueen
  • Patent number: 11102580
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a headset including one or more earphones and a connector configured to couple data and charge between the headset and a user equipment (UE). The headset also includes a charge node. The charge node includes a charge port for receiving UE charge from a charge source. The charge node also includes a downstream port for coupling audio data toward the earphones. The charge node further includes an upstream port for coupling the audio data toward the earphones via the downstream port and coupling UE charge from the charge port toward the UE via the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: AVNERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manpreet S. Khaira, David McNeill, Eric Sorensen, Sydney Newton
  • Patent number: 11102604
    Abstract: An apparatus, a method and a computer program product are provided for use in rendering audio. An apparatus is configured for: receiving a first audio signal representative of a virtual sound scene, wherein the first audio signal is configured for rendering on an arrangement of loudspeakers to a user; determine a first portion of the virtual sound scene to be rendered on headphones of the user; generating a second audio signal representative of the first portion of the virtual sound scene; determining a second portion of the virtual sound scene to be rendered on the arrangement of loudspeakers; generating a third audio signal, representative of the second portion of the virtual sound scene; and wherein the second and third audio signals are generated such that, when rendered, an augmented version of the virtual sound scene is rendered to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Antti Johannes Eronen, Mikko-Ville Ilari Laitinen, Arto Juhani Lehtiniemi, Miikka Tapani Vilermo
  • Patent number: 11095970
    Abstract: In one aspect, a first device may include at least one processor and storage accessible to the at least one processor. The storage may include instructions executable by the at least one processor to determine, while the first device is not in communication with a second device and/or while the second device is in an inactive state, an estimated current charge level of a battery in the second device. The instructions may also be executable to provide a notification to charge the battery in the second device responsive to a determination that the estimated current charge level does not meet a predetermined threshold charge level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Scott Wentao Li, Robert Norton, Russell Speight VanBlon, Robert J. Kapinos
  • Patent number: 11095985
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes: a first earpiece to be positioned proximate a first ear of a user and including: a first microphone to transduce ambient sound external to the first earpiece into a first ambient audio signal, the ambient sound including sound indicative of a potential danger; and a first speaker to transduce a first input audio signal into music and the first ambient audio signal into the sound indicative of the potential danger; and a second earpiece to be positioned proximate a second ear of the user and including: a second microphone to transduce the ambient sound external to the second earpiece into a second ambient audio signal, the ambient sound including the sound indicative of the potential danger; and a second speaker to transduce a second input audio signal into the music and the second ambient audio signal into the sound indicative of the potential danger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Rajesh Poornachandran, David Gottardo, Swarnendu Kar, Saurabh Dadu, Mark MacDonald
  • Patent number: 11076217
    Abstract: A portable device includes a microphone structure for converting a received audio signal into an electronic signal representing the received audio signal and for transceiving an ultrasonic wave by transmitting the ultrasonic wave and by receiving a reflection of the ultrasonic wave. The portable device includes a control unit for evaluating the reflection of the ultrasonic wave to obtain an evaluation result and for controlling an operation of the portable device based on the evaluation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Daniel Neumaier, Christian Bretthauer, Dietmar Straeussnigg
  • Patent number: 11070905
    Abstract: In an example implementation, a self-cooling headset includes an ear cup to form an ear enclosure when placed over a user's ear. A first check valve on the ear cup is to open and release a volume of air from the ear enclosure when a positive pressure within the ear enclosure overcomes a cracking pressure of the first check valve. A second check valve on the ear cup is to open and admit a volume of air into the ear enclosure when a partial vacuum within the ear enclosure causes an external pressure to overcome a cracking pressure of the second check valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jon R. Dory, James Glenn Dowdy, David H. Hanes
  • Patent number: 11070930
    Abstract: A personalized room related transfer function (RRTF) for sound bars and speakers within a specific room is generated without the need for photographs of the listener's head or microphones in a headphone apparatus. A smart device aids the listener in creating his own RRTF by enabling the listener to select a general RRTF model based on the specific sound bar setup (e.g., sound bar; sound bar+subwoofer; sound bar+rear speakers+height; etc.) from a set of general RRTFs downloaded locally or from the cloud. A test signal is played from a specific driver of the sound bar, and the listener identifies a location at which he would like the perceived sound to originate. If the driver location signal and desired location are not the same, the app adjusts parameters and replays the test signal until the driver signal and the desired location are the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: James R. Milne, Bibhudendu Mohapatra, Gregory Carlsson, Tonni Sandager Larsen
  • Patent number: 11061464
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a key circuit, a first universal serial bus (USB) circuit coupled to the key circuit, where the key circuit outputs different signals when different keys on the key circuit are pressed. The first USB circuit is configured for USB communication, and a first power delivery (PD) circuit is coupled to the key circuit and configured to convert a signal output by the key circuit into a PD signal and transmit the PD signal to a second electronic device to enable the second electronic device to process the key operation when the first USB circuit is in a power-off state and a key operation is performed on the key circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Renjun Dai
  • Patent number: 11043980
    Abstract: A method for controlling earphone switching, an earphone, and an earphone system are provided. The method includes the following. A first earphone determines whether the first earphone is switched to a non-wearing state from a wearing state. The first earphone is coupled with a second earphone and an electronic device and serves as a master earphone, and the second earphone serves as a slave earphone. When the first earphone is determined to be switched to the non-wearing state from the wearing state, the first earphone switches the first earphone to serve as the slave earphone and the first earphone switches the second earphone to serve as the master earphone. Switching between master and slave earphones can be achieved according to changes between the wearing state and the non-wearing state of the master earphone, such that user experience can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Jinhua Gong, Baoti Li
  • Patent number: 11039239
    Abstract: Disclosed is a headset for audio transmission. The headset is configured to be worn by a user. The headset comprises a speaker for sound transmission into the user's ear. The headset comprises a wireless communication unit for communication with an external device. The headset comprises a connection to a location-based service software, the location-based service software is configured for controlling at least one headset feature based on location data of the headset. The headset comprises a processing unit. The processing unit is configured for obtaining current location data of the headset. The processing unit is configured for enabling the location-based service software to detect if the current location data of the headset corresponds to a geographic region for which a first geo-fence is defined by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: GN AUDIO A/S
    Inventor: Lisa Roerbaek Kamstrup
  • Patent number: 11036465
    Abstract: Various aspects include approaches for controlling audio playback based upon a detected user sleep state. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method of controlling playback of an audio file at a wearable audio device includes: receiving a first indicator about movement or a position of an audio gateway over a period; receiving a second indicator about movement or position of the wearable audio device over the period, wherein the wearable audio device is separate from the audio gateway; and in response to the first indicator deviating from the second indicator by less than a threshold for the period, inserting a marker in the audio file that enables a user to revert back to the playback at a time of the marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chiao Woon Lim, Lee Zamir
  • Patent number: 11038481
    Abstract: A system comprising audio processing circuitry is provided. The audio processing circuitry is operable to receive audio signals. The audio processing circuitry is operable to process the audio signals to detect strength of a chat component of the audio signals and strength of a game component of the audio signals. The audio processing circuitry is operable to automatically control a volume setting based on one or both of: the detected strength of the chat component, and the detected strength of the game component. The combined-game-and-chat audio signals may comprise a left channel signal and a right channel signal. The processing of the combined-game-and-chat audio signals may comprise measuring strength of a vocal-band signal component that is common to the left channel signal and the right channel signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Kulavik, Shobha Devi Kuruba Buchannagari, Carmine Bonanno
  • Patent number: 11030989
    Abstract: An active noise cancellation system includes a sensor operable to sense environmental noise and generate a corresponding reference signal, a fixed noise cancellation filter including a predetermined model of the active noise cancellation system operable to generate an anti-noise signal, and a tunable noise cancellation filter operable to modify the anti-noise signal in accordance with stored coefficients, wherein the tunable noise cancellation filter is further operable to modify the stored coefficients in real-time based on user feedback and generate a tuned anti-noise signal that models tunable deviations from the predetermined noise model. A graphical user interface is operable to receive user adjustments of tunable parameters in real-time, the tunable parameters corresponding to at least one of the stored coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Trausti Thormundsson, Govind Kannan, Ali Abdollahzadeh Milani, Ragnar Hlynur Jonsson
  • Patent number: 11029524
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a display device, including an optical imaging assembly and a neck wearable assembly. The optical imaging assembly is mounted on a head-mounted assembly, and is configured to present a virtual image to a user when the user wears the head-mounted assembly on the user's head. The neck wearable assembly is wearable on the user's neck, and is configured to obtain the virtual image and provide the virtual image to the optical imaging assembly for presenting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hao Jiang
  • Patent number: 11024282
    Abstract: An apparatus receives a background audio signal from an earpiece microphone. The earpiece microphone is configured to convert sound from a surrounding environment into the background audio signal. The apparatus outputs, to at least one speaker, a primary audio signal with an altered version of the background audio signal. The altered version is selectable, responsive to control by a user of a user interface, between an amount of active noise cancelation of the sound and an amount of reproduction of the sound. One example embodiment is a headset with microphones and speakers for the respective inputs and outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Matti Sakari Hamalainen
  • Patent number: 11007081
    Abstract: An example apparatus for hearing protection and communication includes safety glasses including a vibration sensor to capture speech from a user. The apparatus also includes hearing protectors communicatively coupled to the safety glasses and one or more other devices. The hearing protectors are to reduce a volume of an ambient sound and play back captured speech from the one or more other devices. The apparatus also further includes a number of wireless communication elements to communicatively couple the safety glasses, the hearing protectors, and at least a second apparatus for hearing protection and communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Willem M. Beltman, Hector A. Cordourier Maruri, Paulo Lopez Meyer, Jonathan Huang
  • Patent number: 11006202
    Abstract: An audio system and method directed to sensing whether a first headphone and a second headphone are engaged with, proximate to, or within a user's ear. In one example, if the system detects that the first and second headphones are engaged with or proximate to the user's ear, the first headphone provides a first set of user control settings and the second headphone provides a second set of user control settings. In one example, if the system detects that the first headphone is not engaged with or proximate to the user's ear and the second headphone is engaged with or proximate the user's ear, the second headphone provides controls which include at least one user control from the first set of user controls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Alexia Delhoume, Morgen J. Quintus, David R. Minich, Sarah Fecko, Denise P. Celuch
  • Patent number: 10966028
    Abstract: The mobile terminal includes a playback signal generation unit that generates a playback signal for playing back a music and outputs the playback signal to a first sound output unit; an interruption detection unit that detects interruption of an output of the sound from the first sound output unit during the playback of the music; an output detection unit that detects that the sound from a second sound output unit can be output; and a time measurement unit that measures a time period after interruption is detected until it is detected by the output detection unit that the output is possible. The playback signal generation unit outputs a playback signal for playing back the music from a playback position advanced forward from a playback position, in which the interruption has been detected, in correspondence to the time period measured by the time measurement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Junichiro Onaka
  • Patent number: 10957334
    Abstract: Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for signal enhancement are presented. One example of such an apparatus includes a receiver configured to produce a remote speech signal from information carried by a wireless signal; a signal canceller configured to perform a signal cancellation operation on a local speech signal to generate a room response; and a filter configured to filter the remote speech signal according to the room response to produce a filtered speech signal. In this example, the signal cancellation operation is based on the remote speech signal as a reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Lae-Hoon Kim, Sharon Kaziunas, Anne Katrin Konertz, Erik Visser, Cheng-Yu Hung, Shuhua Zhang, Fatemeh Saki, Dongmei Wang
  • Patent number: 10945069
    Abstract: A system for driving a loudspeaker having a plurality of coils, the system comprising: a modulator configured to receive an input signal and to output a pulse width modulated (PWM) output signal representative of the received input signal; a delay element for receiving and applying a delay to the PWM output signal to generate a first delayed signal; a first output configured to be coupled to a first coil of the plurality of coils of the loudspeaker, wherein the first output is coupled to the output of the modulator; and a second output configured to be coupled to a second coil of the plurality of coils of the loudspeaker, wherein the second output is coupled to the output of the delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: John P. Lesso
  • Patent number: 10945062
    Abstract: A headphone having a speaker, a feedforward microphone, a feedback microphone, and an OED processor. The speaker is configured to transmit an audio playback signal based on a headphone audio signal. The feedforward microphone is configured to sense an ambient noise signal and transmit a feedforward microphone signal based at least in part on the ambient noise signal. The feedback microphone is configured to sense a total audio signal and transmit a feedback microphone signal based at least in part on the total audio signal, in which the total audio signal is the sum of the audio playback signal and at least a portion of the ambient noise level. The OED processor is configured to determine whether the headphone is off ear or on ear, based at least in part on the headphone audio signal, the feedforward microphone signal, and the feedback microphone signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: AVNERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Amit Kumar, Eric Sorensen, Shankar Rathoud
  • Patent number: 10939193
    Abstract: Disclosed are an in-ear detection method for a wireless earphone and a wireless earphone. This method includes acquiring a position parameter sent by a position detection module; determining that the wireless earphone has left a charging box based on the position parameter; controlling an audio playback module to emit a detection acoustic wave; acquiring a detection signal and identifying acoustic parameters of the detection signal, the detection signal being generated from a reflected wave of the detection acoustic wave collected by an acoustic wave sensor; and determining whether the wireless earphone is worn in a user's ear based on the acoustic parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: IFORY LIMITED
    Inventors: Jiaoping Cao, Zhenhua Liu, Yun Feng
  • Patent number: 10939487
    Abstract: A headset communication device includes at least one processor configured to transmit, via a dedicated virtual communication channel of a wireless communication protocol, local beacon data to one or more remote headset communication devices within a work environment, to discover a remote headset communication device included in the one or more remote headset communication devices by receiving, via the dedicated virtual communication channel of the wireless communication protocol, remote beacon data that is transmitted by the remote headset communication device, to automatically synchronize, based on the remote beacon data, the headset communication device with the remote headset communication device, and, to transmit, via one or more additional virtual communication channels of the wireless communication protocol, local audio communication data to the one or more remote headset communication devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Roger Kihlberg, Marcus J. Ekblad
  • Patent number: 10938873
    Abstract: A portable communication device that is a first electronic device, the first electronic device comprising: an interface for electronic communication with a second electronic device; one or more digital processors; and at least one memory. The processors and memory are collectively configured to implement simultaneous radio frequency voice communication between a user and multiple other ones of the devices. Voice communication comprises: transmitting audio data corresponding to speech of the user to each of the other devices, receiving audio data from each of the other devices, mixing the received audio data, and transmitting the mixed audio data to the user so as to direct to the user combined and simultaneous speech of users of each of the other devices. The processors and memory are also collectively configured to implement transmission of at least one audio stream received from the second electronic device to each of the other devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Loose Cannon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Celinski, Aiden Riley Eller, Alwyn Joy George, Naresh Kumar Gupta
  • Patent number: 10924841
    Abstract: A Bluetooth sport earphone, including a left earphone and a right earphone and a controller. The controller comprises a casing, a main control circuit board, a battery and a Bluetooth module, the Bluetooth earphone further includes a left wire, a right wire and a cable antenna electrically connected to the main control circuit board; the cable antenna is mounted on at least one of the casing, the left wire and the right wire. The present application provides a cable antenna, and the cable antenna is mounted in the casing, or/and the left wire, or/and the right wire, which can facilitate the arrangement of the cable antenna and determine the size, length and arrangement position of the antenna, such that the stability and intensity of the signal transmitting is improved, and the signal intensity of the wireless communication of the Bluetooth earphone is improved, and the communication stability is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN GRANDSUN ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shiwen Guo, Haiquan Wu, Yuanfa Xin, Xin Yu, Ruiwen Shi
  • Patent number: 10917716
    Abstract: A method, comprising: obtain one or more accelerometer signals derived from an accelerometer; and determining one or more parameters of wind at the accelerometer based on the one or more accelerometer signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Vitaliy Sapozhnykov, Thomas I. Harvey, Hock Lim, David Watts
  • Patent number: 10904673
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a hearing aid charger case. The hearing aid charger case comprises a housing, a lining and a charger module. The housing comprises a lid body and a lower housing; the lid body and the lower housing body are pivoted to each other through a hinge; a back surface of the lower housing body is disposed with a USB interface that connects a power supply. The lining and the charger module are arranged in the lower housing body, and the lining is located above the charger module and is fixedly connected to the charger module, and the inside of the lining are provided with two charging bays. The bottom of each charging bay is disposed with two charging pins at intervals. The hearing aid charger case can charge and store two hearing aids at the same time, which is greatly convenient for the users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: XIAMEN RETONE HEARING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chengxiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 10896591
    Abstract: Eyewear includes a frame and one or more stems extending distally from the frame. One or more processors are disposed within one or more of the frame or the stems, and one or more proximity sensor components are disposed within the stems defining thermal reception beams oriented in a rearward facing direction. Each proximity sensor component can include an infrared signal receiver to receive an infrared emission from an object. The one or more processors can execute a control operation when the proximity sensor components receive the infrared emission from the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Rachid M Alameh, Paul Steuer
  • Patent number: 10893354
    Abstract: A headset includes: a microphone, a first transmission line that transmits a first electrical signal generated by the microphone to an external device; an operation switch that receives an operation for switching between (i) a non-mute state in which the first electrical signal is transmitted to the external device and (ii) a mute state in which the first electrical signal is not transmitted to the external device; an electronic switch that switches between (i) a conductive state in which the first electrical signal is transmitted and (ii) a non-conductive state in which the first electrical signal is not transmitted, on the basis of a control voltage which changes according to the state of the operation switch; and a voltage generator that generates the control voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: AUDIO-TECHNICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Irii, Mika Ito, Kosumo Miyauchi, Yutaka Akino
  • Patent number: 10887696
    Abstract: A wireless headphone including two wireless earphones and a charging band. In normal operation, the wireless earphones are each worn in an ear of a user and are not connected to each other via cables, and each include a first rechargeable battery. When the first rechargeable batteries are running low, the charging band can be connected to the wireless earphones so as to recharge the first rechargeable batteries on the go without interrupting the use of the wireless earphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co, KG
    Inventor: Thomas Trommer
  • Patent number: 10880634
    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: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.
    Inventors: Scot Robert Cochran, Tim Wiley, Andy Logan
  • Patent number: 10834567
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods broadcast a device state in a wireless communication network. A wireless audio output device is configured to be paired with a second wireless device via a first piconet connection, wherein the second wireless device comprises a source of audio data to be output by the wireless audio output device. The wireless audio output device includes a processor configured to detect a change in the state of the wireless audio output device and set a transmission parameter of a broadcast transmission based at least in part on the detected change in the state and a transceiver configured to broadcast an advertising message to the second wireless device including information describing the wireless audio output device via the broadcast transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Watson, Sriram Hariharan, Ganesha Adkasthala Ganapathi Batta, Jason Giles
  • Patent number: 10821361
    Abstract: A method of providing an enhanced gaming experience includes steps of sensing environmental audio with at least one microphone of an earpiece, combining a game sound with the environmental audio to provide a composite audio signal, and transducing the composite audio signal at the earpiece. The game sound may be positioned within a three-dimensional audio environment. The composite audio signal may be transduced to provide a three-dimensional audio experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: BRAGI GmbH
    Inventors: Maximilian Ilse, Peter Vincent Boesen
  • Patent number: 10823773
    Abstract: An impedance detection apparatus for an earphone plug, including: an earphone jack unit; a voltage sampling unit comprising a first resistor connected between a positive terminal of a power supply and a contact access point, a negative terminal of the power supply being in contact with the jack end ground wire contact; a contact selection unit comprising selection switches arranged in one-to-one correspondence with selected jack end connection contacts, each of the selection switches being connected between a corresponding connection contact and the contact access point; a processing unit configured to calculate an impedance value of an equivalent impedance between the selected connection contact and the jack end ground wire contact according to the voltage of the contact access point with respect to the jack end ground wire contact; and a display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: GOERTEK INC.
    Inventors: Jianbo Wang, Xinfang Cao, Yongjiang Lu