公开(公告)号：US10692333B2

公开(公告)日：2020-06-23

申请号：US16355621

申请日：2019-03-15

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Camille Moussette ,  Duncan R. Kerr ,  Joshua B. Kopin ,  Miao He ,  Jules K. Fennis ,  Hugo D. Verweij ,  Matthew I. Brown ,  Marcos Alonso Ruiz ,  Afrooz Family

IPC: G08B21/00 ,  G08B3/10 ,  G06F3/01 ,  G06F3/16 ,  G08B6/00 ,  H04M1/725 ,  H04M19/04 ,  G06F3/0486 ,  G06F3/0488 ,  G06F3/0484 ,  G06F3/041

Abstract: An electronic device receives an incoming communication and determines that the device is in a first use context. In response to receiving the incoming communication, the device provides first feedback that includes a first ongoing audio output that corresponds to the first use context and a first ongoing tactile output with a first tactile output profile that corresponds to the first use context. While providing the first ongoing audio output and the first ongoing tactile output, the device detects that the electronic device is in a second use context, different from the first use context. In response to detecting that the electronic device is in the second use context, the device provides second feedback that includes a second ongoing tactile output that has a second tactile output profile that corresponds to the second use context.

公开(公告)号：US20200107122A1

公开(公告)日：2020-04-02

申请号：US16702484

申请日：2019-12-03

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Afrooz Family ,  Gary I. Butcher ,  Hugo D. Verweij ,  David C. Graham ,  Imran A. Chaudhri ,  Marcos Alonso Ruiz ,  Christopher J. Stringer

IPC: H04R3/12 ,  G10L15/07 ,  H04R5/02 ,  H04R5/04 ,  H04R1/40

Abstract: A method for adjusting audio being outputted through a beam forming loudspeaker array. Program audio is rendered to drive the loudspeaker array to produce sound beams having i) a main content pattern that is aimed at a listener, superimposed with ii) several diffuse content patterns that are aimed away from the listener. In response to receiving an alert message that refers to alert audio, the portion of the program audio in the main pattern is moved into the diffuse patterns, and the alert audio is rendered to drive the loudspeaker array so that the portion of the program audio in the main pattern is replaced with the alert audio. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

公开(公告)号：US10405125B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-03

申请号：US15593887

申请日：2017-05-12

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Afrooz Family ,  Mitchell R. Lerner ,  Sylvain J. Choisel ,  Tomlinson Holman

IPC: H04R5/02 ,  H04S7/00 ,  H04R1/40 ,  H04R5/04 ,  H04S3/00

Abstract: A process for reproducing sound using a loudspeaker array that is housed in a loudspeaker cabinet includes the selection of a number of sound rendering modes and changing the selected sound rendering mode based on changes in one or both of sensor data and a user interface selection. The sound rendering modes include a number of mid-side modes and at least one direct-ambient mode. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

公开(公告)号：US20190208347A1

公开(公告)日：2019-07-04

申请号：US16297342

申请日：2019-03-08

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： John J. Baker ,  Martin E. Johnson ,  Afrooz Family ,  Michael B. Howes ,  Craig M. Stanley ,  Brad G. Boozer

IPC: H04S7/00 ,  H04R1/08 ,  G10L17/04 ,  H04R1/40 ,  G10L17/06

CPC classification number: H04S7/302 ,  G10L17/04 ,  G10L17/06 ,  H04R1/08 ,  H04R1/403 ,  H04R2203/12 ,  H04R2430/23

Abstract: An audio system that adjusts one or more beam patterns emitted by one or more loudspeaker arrays based on the preferences of users/listeners is described. The audio system includes an audio receiver that contains a listener location estimator, a listener identifier, and a voice command processor. Inputs from the listener location estimator, the listener identifier, and the voice command processor are fed into an array processor. The array processor drives the one or more loudspeaker arrays to emit beam patterns into the listening area based on inputs from each of these devices. By examining the location, preferred usage settings, and voice commands from listeners, the generated beam patterns are customized to the explicit and implicit preferences of the listeners with minimal direct input. Other embodiments are also described.

公开(公告)号：US10306391B1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-28

申请号：US15846052

申请日：2017-12-18

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sylvain J. Choisel ,  Afrooz Family ,  Brandon J. Rice

IPC: H04S1/00 ,  H04S5/00 ,  H04S7/00

CPC classification number: H04S1/007 ,  H04S5/00 ,  H04S7/306 ,  H04S2400/03

Abstract: A transition between a stereophonic presentation and a monophonic presentation of a stereophonic input signal that includes a left channel signal and a right channel signal extracts content that is present at similar levels but not in-phase between the left and right channel signals to produce at least one of a left enhancement signal and a right enhancement signal. The left channel signal, the right channel signal, and only one of the left and right enhancement signals are combined to produce a monophonic signal for the monophonic presentation. Cross-fading between the left channel signal and the monophonic signal and between the right channel signal and the monophonic signal may be used to transition between the stereophonic presentation and the monophonic presentation. The stereophonic input signal may be up-mixed to produce enhancement signal. A similar transition between a multichannel presentation and a monophonic presentation of a multichannel signal is described.

公开(公告)号：US10306363B2

公开(公告)日：2019-05-28

申请号：US16033020

申请日：2018-07-11

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Afrooz Family ,  Daniel R. Borges ,  Daniel S. Naito ,  James M. Hollabaugh ,  Jay S. Nigen

IPC: H04R3/00 ,  H04R3/12 ,  H04R27/00 ,  H04R29/00

Abstract: A method for operating a distributed wireless audio system including several loudspeaker cabinets all of which can communicate with each other as part of a computer network. The method receives temperature data that is indicative of temperature of a first loudspeaker cabinet, which has a network master responsibility of obtaining an audio signal from an audio source and wirelessly transmitting some of the audio signal to a second loudspeaker cabinet of several loudspeaker cabinets, for playback by the second loudspeaker cabinet, while playing back some of the audio signal by the first loudspeaker cabinet. The method determines whether a thermal threshold of the first loudspeaker cabinet has been reached, based on the temperature data. The method, in response to the thermal threshold being reached, gives up the network master responsibility from the first loudspeaker cabinet to the second loudspeaker cabinet, where doing so reduces temperature in the first loudspeaker cabinet.

公开(公告)号：US10264355B2

公开(公告)日：2019-04-16

申请号：US15613107

申请日：2017-06-02

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Daniel C. Klingler ,  Afrooz Family ,  Brandon J. Rice ,  James M. Hollabaugh

IPC: H04R3/00 ,  G06F1/20 ,  H04R29/00 ,  H04R3/04 ,  H04R1/28

Abstract: An operating power level for a loudspeaker cabinet and a target power level for the loudspeaker cabinet are determined during output of an audio signal by the loudspeaker cabinet. The target power level is based on temperature data for the loudspeaker cabinet and varies as the temperature data changes. Based on the operating power level and the target power level, values of two or more control parameters for controlling audio output of the loudspeaker cabinet are generated, where at least one of the control parameters controls the gain of a specific audio frequency band. The audio signal is adjusted according to the generated values of the control parameters, where doing so reduces power consumption of the loudspeaker cabinet during the audio output. Other embodiments are also described.

公开(公告)号：US20180352334A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-06

申请号：US15967089

申请日：2018-04-30

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Afrooz Family ,  Gary I. Butcher ,  Hugo D. Verweij ,  David C. Graham ,  Imran A. Chaudhri ,  Marcos Alonso Ruiz ,  Christopher J. Stringer

IPC: H04R3/12 ,  H04R5/02 ,  H04R5/04 ,  G10L15/07

Abstract: A method for adjusting audio being outputted through a beam forming loudspeaker array. Program audio is rendered to drive the loudspeaker array to produce sound beams having i) a main content pattern that is aimed at a listener, superimposed with ii) several diffuse content patterns that are aimed away from the listener. In response to receiving an alert message that refers to alert audio, the portion of the program audio in the main pattern is moved into the diffuse patterns, and the alert audio is rendered to drive the loudspeaker array so that the portion of the program audio in the main pattern is replaced with the alert audio. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

公开(公告)号：US20180098172A1

公开(公告)日：2018-04-05

申请号：US15621732

申请日：2017-06-13

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Afrooz Family ,  Mitchell R. Lerner ,  Sylvain J. Choisel ,  Tomlinson Holman

IPC: H04S7/00 ,  H04R5/02 ,  H04R5/04 ,  H04R1/40 ,  H04S3/00

CPC classification number: H04S7/303 ,  H04R1/403 ,  H04R5/02 ,  H04R5/04 ,  H04S3/008 ,  H04S7/305 ,  H04S2400/01

Abstract: A process for reproducing sound using a loudspeaker array that is housed in a loudspeaker cabinet includes the selection of a number of sound rendering modes and changing the selected sound rendering mode based on changes in one or both of sensor data and a user interface selection. The sound rendering modes include a number of mid-side modes and at least one direct-ambient mode. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

公开(公告)号：US09883140B2

公开(公告)日：2018-01-30

申请号：US15311824

申请日：2014-09-26

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Martin E. Johnson ,  Tom-Davy William Jendrik Saux ,  Ronald N. Isaac ,  Sylvain Choisel ,  Afrooz Family

IPC: H04N7/15 ,  H04S7/00 ,  H04R3/12 ,  H04N7/14

CPC classification number: H04N7/15 ,  H04N7/141 ,  H04R3/12 ,  H04R27/00 ,  H04R2430/01 ,  H04S7/30 ,  H04S7/305 ,  H04S2400/13 ,  H04S2400/15

Abstract: A video conferencing system is described that includes a near-end and a far-end system. The near-end system records both audio and video of one or more users proximate to the near-end system. This recorded audio and video is transmitted to the far-end system through the data connection. The video stream and/or one or more settings of the recording camera are analyzed to determine the amount of a video frame occupied by the recorded user(s). The video conferencing system may directly analyze the video frames themselves and/or a zoom setting of the recording camera to determine a ratio or percentage of the video frame occupied by the recorded user(s). By analyzing video frames associated with an audio stream, the video conferencing system may drive a speaker array of the far-end system to more accurately reproduce sound content based on the position of the recorded user in a video frame.