Vehicle Patents (Class 381/86)
  • Patent number: 11064293
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for providing an output signal to an audio transducer, comprising: a first signal path for receiving a first digital audio input signal, applying a first digital gain, and outputting an amplified first digital audio input signal; a second signal path, for receiving a second digital audio input signal, applying a second digital gain, and outputting an amplified second digital audio input signal; converter circuitry, coupled to the first and second signal paths, for converting at least the amplified first and second digital audio input signals into the analogue domain, and outputting an analogue audio input signal; and an analogue gain element, for applying an analogue gain to the analogue audio input signal and outputting the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Ross Crawford Morgan, Robert David Rand, Richard Colin Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 11064291
    Abstract: A microphone array system or microphone array unit for a conference system is provided that includes a front board, side walls and a plurality of microphone capsules arranged in or on the front board mountable on or in a ceiling of a conference room. The microphone array system or unit is adapted for generating a steerable beam within a maximum detection angle range. The microphone array system or microphone array unit includes a processing unit which is configured to receive the output signals of the microphone capsules and to steer the beam based on the received output signal of the microphone array. The processing unit is configured to control the microphone array to limit the detection angle range to exclude at least one predetermined exclusion sector in which a noise source is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: J. Douglas Rollow, IV, Lance Reichert, Daniel Voss
  • Patent number: 11039250
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium that receive a first audio signal generated by a first microphone of a plurality of microphones having a sound inlet, detect an acoustic disturbance in the received first audio signal, the detected acoustic disturbance in the received first audio signal resulting from a tactile interaction proximate the sound inlet of the first microphone, determine whether the detected acoustic disturbance correlates to a pre-defined acoustic signature, and generate, based upon determining that the detected acoustic disturbance correlates to the pre-defined acoustic signature, a control signal corresponding to the pre-defined acoustic signature, the generated control signal controlling one or more of a plurality of speakers of an in-vehicle communication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Peiker acustic GmbH
    Inventors: Andrew Draper, Aaron Kubat
  • Patent number: 11029917
    Abstract: An example implementation involves a computing device transmitting, via a local area network, a command that instructs a playback device to play a particular audio signal. The example implementation also involves the computing device receiving data indicating a detected audio signal corresponding to playback of the particular audio signal by the playback device, where the detected audio signal includes a portion of the particular audio signal. The implementation further involves the computing device obtaining data indicating a predetermined audio characteristic and determining an audio processing algorithm based on the detected audio signal and the predetermined audio characteristic. The example implementation involves causing the playback device to apply the determined audio processing algorithm when playing audio via at least one speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy W. Sheen
  • Patent number: 11032646
    Abstract: An audio processor configured for generating, for each of a set of one or more loudspeakers, a set of one or more parameters, which determine a derivation of a loudspeaker signal to be reproduced by the respective loudspeaker from an audio signal, based on a listener position and loudspeaker position of the set of one or more loudspeakers. The audio processor is configured to base the generation of the set of one or more parameters for the set of one or more loudspeakers on a loudspeaker characteristic of at least one of the set of one or more loudspeakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Andreas Walther, Jürgen Herre, Christof Faller, Julian Klapp
  • Patent number: 11014508
    Abstract: Provided is a communication support system including: a microphone that is mounted in an interior of a vehicle; a sound output device that is mounted in the interior of vehicle; a recognizer configured to recognize spoken content included in sound data collected by the microphone; and a controller configured to generate a delivery message to be delivered from a passenger who has output the collected sound to another passenger on the basis of a result of the recognition performed by the recognizer, generates sound based on the generated delivery message, and causes the sound output device to output the generated sound toward the other passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Endo, Atsushi Sekiguchi, Hiroshi Sugihara
  • Patent number: 11012781
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image; a rear structure supporting the display panel and including a through hole in a thickness direction; a vibration generating device including at least one sound generating module in the through hole to vibrate the display panel; a vibration transfer member between the display panel and the vibration generating device, the vibration transfer member configured to transfer a vibration of the vibration generating device to the display panel; and a buffer member on one of the display panel and the rear structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Jin Kang, Jeonggoo Kang, JaiHyuk Lee
  • Patent number: 11003414
    Abstract: Disclosed is an acoustic control method for operating an acoustic control system and apparatus by executing artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and/or machine learning algorithms in a 5G environment connected for Internet of Things. An acoustic control method for adjusting a sound according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include collecting one or more acoustic signals in a vehicle through at least one microphone provided in the vehicle, analyzing the acoustic signals in the vehicle, and adjusting volume and equalizer settings of an acoustic service being outputted through a speaker provided in the vehicle in response to the analyzed acoustic signals in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyeon Sik Choi, Jae Pil Seo, Keun Sang Lee
  • Patent number: 10981516
    Abstract: To a hinge pillar including a hinge pillar inner and a hinge pillar outer that form a closed cross-section extending vertically, a speaker box configured to hold and house a speaker therein is joined and fixed. As necessary, the speaker box includes a box part formed of a sheet metal member including a bottom and side walls that form a housing space housing the speaker, together with the bottom. The box part is arranged in the opening, with the bottom located in the closed cross-section and with the housing space open inside a vehicle cabin, and is joined to an edge of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Kataoka, Hidenori Matsuoka, Takeshi Nakamura, Kiyoshi Mutsura, Akihiro Fujiwara, Yoshihiro Teshima, Koji Wakamatsu, Hiroshi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 10945060
    Abstract: A microphone assembly includes a printed circuit board that defines a tab that is configured to extend into an opening defined by a substrate layer of a headliner. The microphone assembly includes a microphone element mounted on the tab. The microphone assembly includes a sealing element that surrounds the tab and the microphone element and is configured to fill the opening and define an air path from a cabin side of the substrate layer to the printed circuit board or the microphone element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Marco Salvatore Riemann, Darin Krajewski, Viktor Dobos, Zoltan Giang-Son Kleinheincz, Florian Czinege
  • Patent number: 10945075
    Abstract: In the sound output control device, the sound output units arranged at left and right front parts and left and right rear parts output sound. The delay unit gives a delay to the sounds outputted by the sound output units arranged at the left and right rear parts. The control unit determines a delay amount based on acoustic characteristic of the sounds outputted by the sound output units and collected at each of left and right front listening positions and left and right rear listening positions, and sets the determined delay amount to the delay unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke Inoue, Nobuaki Tanoue
  • Patent number: 10924862
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a micro sound device. The micro sound device includes a basket having an accommodating space, a vibration system secured to the basket, and a magnetic circuit system accommodated in the basket and configured to drive the vibration system to vibrate and produce sound. The vibration system includes an upper diaphragm secured to the basket, a voice coil located below the upper diaphragm and configured to drive the upper diaphragm to vibrate and produce sound, and a support apparatus elastically supporting the voice coil. The support apparatus is disposed opposite to the upper diaphragm and separately from the upper diaphragm. The magnetic circuit system includes an upper clamping plate secured to the basket. One end of the support apparatus is fixed to one side of the upper clamping plate and the other end of the support apparatus is fixed to the voice coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: AAC Acoustic Technologies (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jiasheng Zhou, Dai Feng, Chenliang Kong
  • Patent number: 10922048
    Abstract: A sound input/output device for a vehicle includes: sound collecting portions that are provided within a vehicle cabin and that collect voices of vehicle occupants; outputting portions that are provided within the vehicle cabin, and that output sound or images to respective seats; an awakeness degree judging section that judges degrees of awakeness of the vehicle occupants; and an output control section that, in a case in which it is judged, based on a voice collected by the sound collecting portion, that content relating to the vehicle or a vehicle periphery has been spoken, causes information relating to the vehicle or the vehicle periphery to be outputted from each outputting portion that corresponds to a seat in which a vehicle occupant, whose degree of awakeness is higher than a predetermined value, sits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hiraiwa
  • Patent number: 10922045
    Abstract: A boat includes a dash positioned proximate a windshield at a first non-zero angle. A speaker is mounted under a top surface of the dash at a second non-zero angle. The speaker is positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker through an opening in the dash and the windshield is configured to reflect the sound emanating from the speaker as reflected sound in an aft direction. The boat may also include an enclosure having a reflective surface positioned within a cavity formed between the deck and hull of the boat. A speaker, mounted within the enclosure, and the reflective surface are configured to reflect sound emanating from the speaker off of the reflective surface and through an opening of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: MasterCraft Boat Company, LLC
    Inventors: Darren S. Sheedy, David F. Ekern
  • Patent number: 10916257
    Abstract: A method and a device for equalizing audio signals, where the method includes: obtaining an audio signal (S401); acquiring an echo estimate that is caused by a sound reflection off one or more objects (S403); acquiring correction data based on the audio signal and the echo estimate (S405); and equalizing the audio signal based on the correction data (S407). Accordingly, by virtue of the method and the device for equalizing audio signals, equalization can be performed automatically in real time to match an audio signal to a desired reference frequency response with consideration of spatial acoustics, such as indirect echoes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Alan Dean Michel, Jason Chen, Simon Liu, Po-Hsun Sung
  • Patent number: 10909969
    Abstract: Domain-specific language understanding models that may be built, tested and improved quickly and efficiently are provided. Methods, systems and devices are provided that enable a developer to build user intent detection models, language entity extraction models, and language entity resolution models quickly and without specialized machine learning knowledge. These models may be built and implemented via single model systems that enable the models to be built in isolation or in an end-to-end pipeline system that enables the models to be built and improved in a simultaneous manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jason Douglas Williams, Nobal Bikram Niraula, Pradeep Dasigi, Aparna Lakshmiratan, Geoffrey G. Zweig, Andrey Kolobov, Carlos Garcia Jurado Suarez, David Maxwell Chickering
  • Patent number: 10889221
    Abstract: There is provided a sound pickup device capable of satisfactorily picking up sound from a seated person side. A sound pickup device 1 includes a headrest 11 which is provided with an opening 29 on a seating surface 11a side, and has a recess 25 formed in the opening 29, and two or more sound pickup means, a first sound pickup means 31 and a second sound pickup means 32 are disposed in the recess 25 of the headrest 11, and the first sound pickup means 31 and the second sound pickup means 32 are disposed so that distances to the first sound pickup means 31 and the second sound pickup means 32 from a portion, closest to the seating surface 11a, of the opening 29 of the headrest 11 are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shingo Takei, Naoki Takada
  • Patent number: 10841691
    Abstract: A sound system for use with a non-acoustically transparent video screen (1) is disclosed, comprising at least one loudspeaker enclosure (10) comprising a loudspeaker (15) arranged so that the main direction of propagation of the sound (33) which it emits is directed towards said screen, the sound being reflected by the surface of the screen towards an audience (2). The enclosure (10) further comprises a second sound emitter (16/20) situated at the rear of said loudspeaker (15), whereby the loudspeaker enclosure has a directivity of the cardioid type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Screen Excellence Ltd.
    Inventor: Patrice Bernard François Congard
  • Patent number: 10824389
    Abstract: An acoustic system includes: a first terminal device including a first-terminal sound emitting unit, an earhole sound collecting unit configured to collect earhole echo sound, and a first-terminal control unit configured to perform authentication between the first terminal device and a user based on the echo sound collected by the earhole sound collecting unit; an onboard device including an onboard-device sound emitting unit and an onboard-device control unit configured to perform authentication between the onboard device and the user based on communication with the first terminal device; and a second terminal device includes a second-terminal control unit configured to set a destination of sound data to one of the first terminal device and the onboard device when the onboard-device control unit detects that a predetermined condition including a condition that the user has been authenticated is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki Okada, Ryuta Atsumi, Daisuke Hiroki, Shinpei Asai
  • Patent number: 10817001
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle, a method for detecting a flight state thereof, and a wearable device (500) are disclosed. The method comprises: disposing a propeller operation state collector (302) for collecting an operation state signal of a propeller (301) on at least one support arm (303) of the UAV (S101); acquiring the operation state signal of the propeller (301) collected by the propeller operation state collector (302) (S102); processing the operation state signal to obtain an operation state of the propeller (301) (S103); and determining the flight state of the UAV according to the operation state of the propeller (301) (S104).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: GOERTEK INC.
    Inventors: Wenbin Li, Tianrong Dai, Xin Zhao
  • Patent number: 10820101
    Abstract: An entertainment audio processing system includes a music limiter configured to receive an audio signal, volume control information for music, and volume control information for announcement. The music limiter is further configured to calculate a gain parameter based on a music-to-announcement ratio. In another aspect, an entertainment audio processing system includes a mixer configured to substantially match a left audio signal channel and a right audio signal channel. The entertainment audio processing system further includes an equalizer configured to introduce magnitude and phase changes between the left audio signal channel and the right audio signal channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffery R. Vautin, Michael S. Dublin
  • Patent number: 10803849
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sound pressure signal output apparatus capable of synthesizing and outputting a sound pressure signal that simulates the sound of a real engine with reduced processing load in real time while flexibly adapting to specification changes. The sound pressure signal output apparatus comprises: an interface that acquires single sound data corresponding to the sound generated by one cylinder of a vehicle-mounted internal combustion engine during one combustion cycle in the cylinder, acquires order sound data corresponding to order sound for a frequency corresponding to the engine rotation speed, and acquires random sound data generated corresponding to at least either the material or the shape of the structure that makes up an engine; and a synthesis unit that synthesizes and outputs the sound pressure signal of an engine sound using the single sound data and the like acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SOUND DESIGN LAB LLC
    Inventor: Osamu Maeda
  • Patent number: 10761803
    Abstract: A playback sound provision device includes: a surrounding information detection device configured to detect detection information including information on a three-dimensional object or a planar display around the vehicle; and a control device configured to determine a playback method for a playback sound based on a music piece based on the detection information when a predetermined target is included in the detection information, and provide the playback sound based on the playback method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Suzuki, Yukari Nakane, Chisato Komurasaki, Hiroshi Ishii
  • Patent number: 10726651
    Abstract: A device that either opens or closes the rear door of a vehicle depending upon the specific vocal commands of a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: RYDEEN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Philip Maeda
  • Patent number: 10674267
    Abstract: A method may include monitoring a sensor associated with a first location of an automobile seat, where the first location corresponds to a first transducer embedded within the automobile seat, and the automobile seat includes a second transducer at a second location within the automobile seat. The first and the second transducers may be configured to generate tactile feedback upon receiving an activating signal. The method may also include detecting an event triggering the activating signal to be sent to the first transducer, and based on a reading from the sensor indicating that an occupant of the automobile seat is not in contact with the first location, modifying the activating signal such that the first transducer primarily produces an audible sound rather than tactile feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SUBPAC, INC.
    Inventors: Louis-Pierre Guidetti, Sarosh Khwaja, Todd Chernecki
  • Patent number: 10634554
    Abstract: A vibration data collection system performs an integration or differentiation process on incoming digitized vibration data in real time. The system uses a digital Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filter running at the input data rate to provide the integration or differentiation function. With this approach, the system reduces hardware complexity and data storage requirements. Also, the system provides the ability to directly integrate or differentiate stored time waveforms without resorting to FFT processing methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Computational Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph C. Baldwin
  • Patent number: 10631081
    Abstract: A venting system for a vehicle speaker assembly includes an internal enclosure provided within a first vehicle component and having the vehicle speaker assembly disposed therein, a vent provided in the internal enclosure, and a port provided in a second vehicle component, wherein engagement of the vent with the port allows for an output generated by the vehicle speaker assembly to be transmitted from the internal enclosure to the second vehicle component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Brandon Michael Wheeler, Christopher Ludwig
  • Patent number: 10629182
    Abstract: A method and system for adaptive noise masking powertrain noise in a vehicle is described. The method comprises: determining frequency and amplitude characteristics of the powertrain noise; determining amplitude characteristics of background noise in the vehicle; dynamically generating a masking audio signal based on the determined characteristics of the powertrain noise and background noise; and outputting the masking audio signal in a cabin of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignees: BlackBerry Limited, 2236008 Ontario Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard Charles Layton, Mark Robert Every
  • Patent number: 10594283
    Abstract: Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to audio signal loudness control. A method for controlling loudness of an audio signal is disclosed. The method includes responsive to determining presence of a noise signal, deriving a target partial loudness adjustment based, at least in part, on at least one of a first factor related to the noise signal and a second factor related to the audio signal. The method further includes determining a target partial loudness of the audio signal based, at least in part, on the target partial loudness adjustment. Corresponding system, apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Guilin Ma, Xiguang Zheng
  • Patent number: 10587940
    Abstract: An acoustic device that provides a stereophonic effect to a driver of a mobile object includes: a plurality of speakers (an L channel speaker and an R channel speaker) mounted on a steering wheel that controls a traveling direction of the mobile object; a steering angle detection unit configured to detect a steering angle of the steering wheel; and a signal output unit configured to output a plurality of output signals obtained by performing, on a sound signal, a process relating to the stereophonic effect and depending on the steering angle, respectively to the plurality of speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: SOCIONEXT INC.
    Inventors: Shuji Miyasaka, Kazutaka Abe, Katsumi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10569709
    Abstract: A virtual engine sound control apparatus and method for a vehicle may include an output device configured to output a virtual engine sound while the vehicle is driven, a detector configured to detect state information related to at least one object positioned in front of the vehicle while the vehicle is driven, and a controller configured to control the output device to generate the virtual engine sound according to the detected state information, providing a silent indoor environment of a vehicle to a driver by determining a pedestrian state to generate a virtual engine sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Kyung Deuk Min
  • Patent number: 10555060
    Abstract: An acoustic device that provides a stereophonic effect to a driver of a mobile object includes: a plurality of speakers (an L channel speaker and an R channel speaker) mounted on a steering wheel that controls a traveling direction of the mobile object; a steering angle detection unit configured to detect a steering angle of the steering wheel; and a signal output unit configured to output a plurality of output signals obtained by performing, on a sound signal, a process relating to the stereophonic effect and depending on the steering angle, respectively to the plurality of speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: SOCIONEXT INC.
    Inventors: Shuji Miyasaka, Kazutaka Abe, Katsumi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10523683
    Abstract: An in-vehicle network system includes a plurality of first controllers; a plurality of first communication lines, the first communication lines being respectively connected to the first controllers; a connector that connects an external device or a wireless communication device; a connection communication line that is connected to the connector; and a first relay device that relays between the first communication lines and the connection communication line. The first relay device is configured to determine whether a security level in data communication between the first controllers is increased according to a type of the external device or a communication state of the wireless communication device in a state in which the external device or the wireless communication device is connected to the connector, and the first relay device is configured to increase the security level when the first relay device determines that the security level is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroya Ando, Shu Ishizuka, Masashi Amesara, Yutaka Ueda, Toshio Kawamura
  • Patent number: 10491998
    Abstract: Communication systems in a vehicle and methods of operating the same. The vehicle has a safety belt securable around a vehicle occupant. The system includes processor executable instructions for detecting, at a microphone, a first acoustic input and, in response, determining that the first acoustic input corresponds to audible speech at a speech time. The system detects vibration associated with a speaking vehicle occupant at a vibration time using a vibration sensor associated with the safety belt. The system determines whether the vibration time substantially corresponds to the speech time to identify whether the audible speech originates from the vehicle occupant on which the first safety belt is secured about. In response to identifying that the audible speech originates from the vehicle occupant associated with safety belt, the system adjusts loudspeaker output of at least one loudspeaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Jeremy Lawson Kominar
  • Patent number: 10492044
    Abstract: An entertainment system of a vehicle can include: a mobile terminal of a passenger, an audio output device of the passenger wirelessly connected with the mobile terminal, a rear seat entertainment unit wirelessly connected with the mobile terminal, and a control unit connected with the rear seat entertainment unit, the control unit configured to control the rear seat entertainment unit so as to automatically and wirelessly connect with the audio output device when pairing information of the audio output device is requested by the rear seat entertainment unit and the pairing information of the audio output device is received by the rear seat entertainment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Un Hwan Sol
  • Patent number: 10492115
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a mobility management method and apparatus. The method may include: receiving a plurality of uplink reference signals periodically transmitted by a user equipment; generating network indication information according to variation information of the plurality of uplink reference signals; delivering the network indication information to the user equipment, enabling the user equipment to perform a corresponding operation according to the network indication information and transmit operation information; and performing mobility management on the user equipment according to the operation information transmitted by the user equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jiangtao Huang
  • Patent number: 10481857
    Abstract: An auditory optimization system that provides a plurality of acoustic arrangements that can specify a plurality of acoustic parameters implementable by respective acoustic control systems of one or more vehicles. The acoustic parameters can be implemented by a controller of the vehicle(s) to control an audio characteristic of a sound emitted through the speaker(s) of the vehicle, such as a volume range, based on the acoustic category associated with the sound. Operation of the system can include the selection of one of the plurality of acoustic arrangements, as well as a selection of the vehicle(s) to receive the acoustic parameter(s) associated with the selected acoustic arrangement. The acoustic parameters of the selected acoustic arrangement can be transmitted via a telematics network to a controller of the identified vehicle(s), which can implement the transmitted acoustic parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Club Car, LLC
    Inventor: Robert H. Edwards
  • Patent number: 10460720
    Abstract: Domain-specific language understanding models that may be built, tested and improved quickly and efficiently are provided. Methods, systems and devices are provided that enable a developer to build user intent detection models, language entity extraction models, and language entity resolution models quickly and without specialized machine learning knowledge. These models may be built and implemented via single model systems that enable the models to be built in isolation or in an end-to-end pipeline system that enables the models to be built and improved in a simultaneous manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC.
    Inventors: Jason Douglas Williams, Nobal Bikram Niraula, Pradeep Dasigi, Aparna Lakshmiratan, Geoffrey G. Zweig, Andrey Kolobov, Carlos Garcia Jurado Suarez, David Maxwell Chickering
  • Patent number: 10462599
    Abstract: Systems and methods for adjusting bass levels of a multi-channel audio signal include, among other features, (i) receiving the multi-channel signal via a playback device; (ii) separating, from the multi-channel signal, low-frequency signals comprising frequencies less than a threshold frequency; (iii) determining electrical energies of the low-frequency signals; (iv) determining a first energy by summing the electrical energies of the low-frequency signals; (v) consolidating the low-frequency signals into a consolidated low-frequency signal; (vi) determining a second energy by determining an electrical energy of the consolidated low-frequency signal; (vii) generating a gain-adjusted low-frequency signal by adjusting a gain of the consolidated low-frequency signal based on both (a) the first energy and (b) the second energy; (viii) generating a gain-adjusted multi-channel signal by mixing the gain-adjusted low-frequency signal back into the multi-channel signal; and (ix) using the gain-adjusted multi-channel s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Hilmar Lehnert, Aurelio Ramos, Bob Dizon
  • Patent number: 10452243
    Abstract: A method of operation for a system incorporating a graphical user interface embedded in a knob disposed on a side ledge within a cabin of an aircraft includes displaying a menu for at least one controllable parameter, receiving a selection of the controllable parameter, displaying at least one control for the selected controllable parameter, receiving a control input for the selected controllable parameter, and adjusting the selected controllable parameter consistent with the control input. The controllable parameter comprises a plurality of controllable parameters selected from a group comprising light intensity, light color, temperature, media type, media content, media volume, and the degree of openness of at least one window shade. A knob and an executable computer program product also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER INC.
    Inventors: Tim Michael Fagan, Christian Sean Johnson, Brian Conner, Jeff Bartenbach, Linsey Nancarrow, Tom Hobbs, Erick Waldman, Sebastian Petry
  • Patent number: 10448193
    Abstract: The aspects disclosed herein are related to providing a stereoscopic audio environment that is based on speaker position and/or orientation. Once the speaker (or groups of speakers) are identified by the above-described techniques, the audio signal uniquely delivered to each of the speakers may be customized to produce an optimal sound environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Van Laack, Peter Wasserfuhr, Bertrand Stelandre
  • Patent number: 10440488
    Abstract: Embodiments for manipulating an audio environment by a processor. A noncalibrative stimulus is detected in the audio environment. In response to the detected noncalibrative stimulus, a component in the audio environment is caused to modify an audio characteristic in order to change a physical property of sound generated in the audio environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David B. Lection, Sarbajit K. Rakshit, Mark B. Stevens, John D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 10418022
    Abstract: A vehicle sound effect generation apparatus generates a sound effect of an engine based on a vibration sound database including a fundamental wave sound having a fundamental frequency component and a plurality of adjustment wave sounds having a frequency component other than the fundamental frequency component. The vehicle sound effect generation apparatus includes a running state detecting unit that detects a running state of a vehicle, a sound effect generation unit that synthesizes the fundamental wave sound with the adjustment wave sounds based on the running state of the vehicle, and a visual guidance direction setting unit that sets a visual guidance direction at which a vehicle occupant shoots a look. The sound effect generation unit causes output characteristics of a sound effect in the visual guidance direction to increase more than output characteristics of a sound effect in a direction other than the visual guidance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadayuki Niibe, Naoki Yamada
  • Patent number: 10418020
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for reducing noise caused by a vehicle brake system. An example vehicle includes an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system, a noise cancellation system, a brake system, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a deceleration request while the ACC is active, determine a braking characteristic based on the deceleration request, determine a noise signal based on the braking characteristic, and output the noise signal via the noise-cancellation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Denis Lewandowski, Jason Christopher Matthews, Grant Mayer, Kenneth Andrew Hanovich
  • Patent number: 10419868
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an interior cabin space and a sound system. The sound system includes one or more speakers and sensors configured to change sounds emitted from the speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC
    Inventor: James T. Hotary
  • Patent number: 10399490
    Abstract: A pedestrian warning system for an eco-friendly vehicle may include a warning sound controller including an alarm sound controller and a virtual engine sound system configured to inform a pedestrian of a behavior of the vehicle; and an alarm sound output device including not only an amplifier for amplifying a pedestrian alarm sound and a virtual engine sound, but also a directional speaker for outputting the amplified pedestrian alarm sound and the amplified virtual engine sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jung Keun You, Mun Hwan Cho, Jin Mo Lee
  • Patent number: 10377375
    Abstract: An architecture for an autonomous vehicle uses a top-down approach to enable fully automated driving. The architecture is modular and compatible with hardware from different manufacturers. Each modular component can be tailored for individual cars, which have different vehicle control subsystems and different sensor subsystems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignees: THE CHARLES STARK DRAPER LABORATORY, INC., VEONEER US INC.
    Inventors: Troy Jones, Scott Lennox, John Sgueglia, Jon Demerly, Nicholas Alexander Zervoglos, Hsin-Hsiang Yang
  • Patent number: 10351148
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided comprising a cabin area, a steering wheel, a plurality of microphones positioned in the cabin area and configured to have pick-up sensitivity in select directions, and a cue generator configured to provide a haptic cue on the steering wheel in response to a sound detected by the plurality of microphones. Also provided are systems and methods for indicating a detected sound direction in a vehicle. A plurality of microphones are positioned in a vehicle cabin and configured to have pick-up sensitivity in select directions. A comparator is configured to compare the detected audio signals to identify a highest amplitude signal. And a cue generator is configured to provide haptic feedback at a vehicle cabin location associated with the microphone detecting the highest amplitude signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohannad Abdullah Hakeem, Umer Khalid
  • Patent number: 10348880
    Abstract: The invention provides a novel way to generate audio data files with embedded messages. In particular, the system generates a plurality of permutations of audio input data provided by a user. The system then modifies the permutations of the audio input in various manners as described herein. As a result, the system is able to generate an audio file which includes a much greater number of embedded messages than audio files generated by traditional systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Cheerful Ventures LLC
    Inventor: Umut Gokmen Akbay
  • Patent number: 10343602
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a plurality of sensors including exterior sensors. Vehicle signals, such as those derived from sensors, are processed to detect alertable conditions and each alertable condition is represented by a created software object. A location is associated with each software object, such as corresponding to a location of an exterior feature that gave rise to the alertable condition. The software object is updated over time according to the vehicle signals, such as by updating the location according to movement of the obstacle. The software objects are processed to drive an array of speakers effective to simulate a sound originating from the location associated with the software object. The sound generated by the speakers may be repeated chimes having a volume and period determined according to the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Groh, Alan Norton, Casey Bryan Feldman, Prabhanjan Kadepurkar