公开(公告)号：US20190189144A1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-20

申请号：US15847786

申请日：2017-12-19

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sorin V. Dusan

IPC: G10L21/02 ,  G10L25/84 ,  G10L21/0232 ,  G10L21/0364 ,  H04R1/40 ,  H04R3/00

CPC classification number: G10L21/0205 ,  G10L21/0232 ,  G10L21/0364 ,  G10L25/84 ,  H04R1/406 ,  H04R3/005

Abstract: Speech enhancers suppress impairments in an acoustic signal. An audio appliance has a first microphone and a second microphone. The first microphone provides a first signal, and the second microphone provides a second signal. A voice-activity detector can determine a presence of user speech responsive to a combination of voice-activity cues, including a first level difference between the first signal and the second signal within a first frequency band, and a second level difference between the first signal and the second signal within a second frequency band. A noise suppressor suppresses impairments originating from a direction of, e.g., up to about 75-degrees from an axis extending from the second microphone to the first microphone. An output device can output a noise-suppressed output-signal corresonding to a determined presence or absence of speech by the voice-activity detector. The impairments can be suppressed by, e.g., between about 3 dB and about 20 dB.

公开(公告)号：US10313782B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-04

申请号：US15587325

申请日：2017-05-04

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sorin V. Dusan ,  Aram M. Lindahl ,  Robert D. Watson

IPC: G10L15/24 ,  H04R1/10 ,  G10L25/06 ,  G10L15/08 ,  G10L25/78 ,  G10L15/22

Abstract: An automatic speech recognition (ASR) triggering system, and a method of providing an ASR trigger signal, is described. The ASR triggering system can include a microphone to generate an acoustic signal representing an acoustic vibration and an accelerometer worn in an ear canal of a user to generate a non-acoustic signal representing a bone conduction vibration. A processor of the ASR triggering system can receive an acoustic trigger signal based on the acoustic signal and a non-acoustic trigger signal based on the non-acoustic signal, and combine the trigger signals to gate an ASR trigger signal. For example, the ASR trigger signal may be provided to an ASR server only when the trigger signals are simultaneously asserted. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

公开(公告)号：US20180343514A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-29

申请号：US15607051

申请日：2017-05-26

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sorin V. Dusan ,  Tom-Davy W. Saux ,  Vladan Bajic

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  G10K11/178 ,  G10L21/0208

CPC classification number: H04R1/1083 ,  G10K11/178 ,  G10K2210/1081 ,  G10L21/0208 ,  G10L2021/02082 ,  H04R1/1008 ,  H04R5/033 ,  H04R2410/05 ,  H04R2410/07

Abstract: Method of wind and noise reduction for headphones starts by receiving acoustic signals from first external microphone included on the outside of earcup's housing. Acoustic signals are received from internal microphone included inside earcup's housing. ANC downlink corrector processes downlink signal to generate echo estimate of speaker signal. First summator removes echo estimate of speaker signal from acoustic signals from internal microphone to generate corrected internal microphone signal. Spectral combiner performs spectral mixing of corrected internal microphone signal with acoustic signals from first external microphone to generate mixed signal. Lower frequency portion of mixed signal includes corresponding lower frequency portion of corrected internal microphone signal, and higher frequency portion of mixed signal includes corresponding higher frequency portion of acoustic signals from first external microphone. Other embodiments are also described.

公开(公告)号：US20180324518A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-08

申请号：US15587325

申请日：2017-05-04

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sorin V. Dusan ,  Aram M. Lindahl ,  Robert D. Watson

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  G10L15/22 ,  G10L15/02 ,  G10L25/06 ,  G10L25/21

CPC classification number: H04R1/1091 ,  G10L15/08 ,  G10L15/22 ,  G10L25/06 ,  G10L25/78 ,  G10L2015/088 ,  H04R2460/13

Abstract: An automatic speech recognition (ASR) triggering system, and a method of providing an ASR trigger signal, is described. The ASR triggering system can include a microphone to generate an acoustic signal representing an acoustic vibration and an accelerometer worn in an ear canal of a user to generate a non-acoustic signal representing a bone conduction vibration. A processor of the ASR triggering system can receive an acoustic trigger signal based on the acoustic signal and a non-acoustic trigger signal based on the non-acoustic signal, and combine the trigger signals to gate an ASR trigger signal. For example, the ASR trigger signal may be provided to an ASR server only when the trigger signals are simultaneously asserted. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

公开(公告)号：US20180199138A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-12

申请号：US15721666

申请日：2017-09-29

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sorin V. Dusan ,  Raghunandan K. Pai ,  Scott Lopatin ,  Tommy Rochette ,  Navin Bindiganavile Suparna ,  Emmanuel Lalande ,  Siva Ganesh Movva ,  Robert Watson ,  Scott Grinker

IPC: H04R5/033 ,  G08B3/10 ,  H04W4/02 ,  G08B1/08 ,  H04W64/00

CPC classification number: H04R5/0335 ,  G08B1/08 ,  G08B3/1016 ,  G08B25/08 ,  G08B25/10 ,  H04M1/6008 ,  H04R1/1091 ,  H04R3/005 ,  H04R2499/11 ,  H04W4/02 ,  H04W64/006

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices and non-transitory, computer-readable storage mediums are disclosed for location-tracking wireless devices. In an embodiment, a method performed by an electronic device comprises: playing, or initiating the playing of, a sound through a loudspeaker of an accessory device via a communication link. The sound is played at a specified frequency that utilizes a frequency response of the loudspeaker (or loudspeaker plus speaker enclosure). The sound is received through two or more microphones of the electronic device and filtered by one or more filters. The one or more filters are configured to pass the sound at or around the specified frequency and to reduce masking of the sound by ambient noise. The filtered sound is associated with direction data generated from sensor data provided by one or more inertial sensors of the electronic device. In another embodiment, the specified frequency is higher than the maximum human hearing range.

公开(公告)号：US20180081621A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-22

申请号：US15269920

申请日：2016-09-19

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sorin V. Dusan ,  Aram M. Lindahl

IPC: G06F3/16 ,  G06F3/0346 ,  H04R1/10

CPC classification number: G06F3/167 ,  G06F3/0346 ,  G06F3/04842 ,  G06F9/453 ,  G06F2203/04806 ,  H04R1/1016 ,  H04R1/1041 ,  H04R2420/07 ,  H04R2460/13

Abstract: An assistive apparatus, and a method of providing an accessibility switch output by the assistive apparatus, is described. The assistive apparatus may include an accelerometer to be worn in an ear canal of a user, and a display having a graphical user interface. The accelerometer may generate an input signal representing an input command made by the user, and more particularly, the generated input command may represent one or more hums transmitted from vocal cords of the user to the accelerometer in the ear canal via bone conduction. The assistive apparatus may provide an accessibility switch output in response to the input signals representing the input command. For example, the accessibility switch output may cause a selection of a user interface element of the graphical user interface. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

公开(公告)号：US09532131B2

公开(公告)日：2016-12-27

申请号：US14187187

申请日：2014-02-21

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sorin V. Dusan ,  Baptiste P. Paquier ,  Aram M. Lindahl

IPC: A61F11/06 ,  H04R1/10 ,  G10L21/0208 ,  G10K11/178 ,  H04R5/033 ,  H04R3/00 ,  G10L21/0216

CPC classification number: H04R1/1083 ,  G10K11/178 ,  G10L21/0208 ,  G10L25/78 ,  G10L25/90 ,  G10L2021/02161 ,  H04R3/005 ,  H04R5/033 ,  H04R2420/07 ,  H04R2460/13

Abstract: Method of improving voice quality using a wireless headset with untethered earbuds starts by receiving first acoustic signal from first microphone included in first untethered earbud and receiving second acoustic signal from second microphone included in second untethered earbud. First inertial sensor output is received from first inertial sensor included in first earbud and second inertial sensor output is received from second inertial sensor included in second earbud. First earbud processes first noise/wind level captured by first microphone, first acoustic signal and first inertial sensor output and second earbud processes second noise/wind level captured by second microphone, second acoustic signal, and second inertial sensor output. First and second noise/wind levels and first and second inertial sensor outputs are communicated between the earbuds. First earbud transmits first acoustic signal and first inertial sensor output when first noise and wind level is lower than second noise/wind level. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract translation: 使用具有无阻塞耳塞的无线耳机来提高语音质量的方法首先从包括在第一无耳塞耳塞中的第一麦克风接收第一声信号并从第二无耳塞耳塞中包括的第二麦克风接收第二声信号。 从第一耳塞中包括的第一惯性传感器接收第一惯性传感器输出，并且从包括在第二耳塞中的第二惯性传感器接收第二惯性传感器输出。 第一耳塞处理由第一麦克风，第一声信号和第一惯性传感器输出捕获的第一噪声/风级，第二耳塞处理由第二麦克风，第二声信号和第二惯性传感器输出捕获的第二噪声/风级。 第一和第二噪声/风级和第一和第二惯性传感器输出在耳塞之间传递。 当第一噪声和风级低于第二噪声/风级时，第一耳塞传输第一声信号和第一惯性传感器输出。 描述其他实施例。

公开(公告)号：US20160133269A1

公开(公告)日：2016-05-12

申请号：US14536269

申请日：2014-11-07

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sorin V. Dusan ,  Aram M. Lindahl

IPC: G10L21/0208 ,  G10L15/20

CPC classification number: G10L21/0208 ,  B25J13/00 ,  G10L15/20 ,  H04N7/15

Abstract: Method for improving noise suppression for ASR starts with a microphone receiving an audio signal including speech signal and noise signal. In each frame for frequency band of audio signal, a noise estimator detects ambient noise level and generates noise estimate value based on estimated ambient noise level, variable noise suppression target controller generates suppression target value using noise estimate value and logistic function, a gain value calculator generates a gain value based on suppression target value and noise estimate value, and combiner enhances the audio signal by the gain value to generate a clean audio signal in each frame for all frequency bands. Logistic function models desired noise suppression level that varies based on ambient noise level. Variable level of noise suppression includes low attenuation for low noise levels and progressively higher attenuation for higher noise level. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract translation: 用于改善ASR噪声抑制的方法从接收包括语音信号和噪声信号的音频信号的麦克风开始。 在音频信号频带的每个帧中，噪声估计器基于估计的环境噪声电平来检测环境噪声电平并产生噪声估计值，可变噪声抑制目标控制器使用噪声估计值和逻辑函数产生抑制目标值，增益值计算器 基于抑制目标值和噪声估计值生成增益值，并且组合器通过增益值增强音频信号，以在所有频带的每个帧中产生干净的音频信号。 物流功能模型根据环境噪声水平而变化的所需噪声抑制水平。 噪声抑制的可变电平包括低噪声水平的衰减和逐渐增加的较高噪声水平的衰减。 还描述了其它实施例。

公开(公告)号：US20150245129A1

公开(公告)日：2015-08-27

申请号：US14187187

申请日：2014-02-21

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sorin V. Dusan ,  Baptiste P. Paquier ,  Aram M. Lindahl

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  H04R3/00

CPC classification number: H04R1/1083 ,  G10K11/178 ,  G10L21/0208 ,  G10L25/78 ,  G10L25/90 ,  G10L2021/02161 ,  H04R3/005 ,  H04R5/033 ,  H04R2420/07 ,  H04R2460/13

Abstract: Method of improving voice quality using a wireless headset with untethered earbuds starts by receiving first acoustic signal from first microphone included in first untethered earbud and receiving second acoustic signal from second microphone included in second untethered earbud. First inertial sensor output is received from first inertial sensor included in first earbud and second inertial sensor output is received from second inertial sensor included in second earbud. First earbud processes first noise/wind level captured by first microphone, first acoustic signal and first inertial sensor output and second earbud processes second noise/wind level captured by second microphone, second acoustic signal, and second inertial sensor output. First and second noise/wind levels and first and second inertial sensor outputs are communicated between the earbuds. First earbud transmits first acoustic signal and first inertial sensor output when first noise and wind level is lower than second noise/wind level. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract translation: 使用具有无阻塞耳塞的无线耳机来提高语音质量的方法首先从包括在第一无耳塞耳塞中的第一麦克风接收第一声信号并从第二无耳塞耳塞中包括的第二麦克风接收第二声信号。 从第一耳塞中包括的第一惯性传感器接收第一惯性传感器输出，并且从包括在第二耳塞中的第二惯性传感器接收第二惯性传感器输出。 第一耳塞处理由第一麦克风，第一声信号和第一惯性传感器输出捕获的第一噪声/风级，第二耳塞处理由第二麦克风，第二声信号和第二惯性传感器输出捕获的第二噪声/风级。 第一和第二噪声/风级和第一和第二惯性传感器输出在耳塞之间传递。 当第一噪声和风级低于第二噪声/风级时，第一耳塞传输第一声信号和第一惯性传感器输出。 描述其他实施例。

公开(公告)号：US09100756B2

公开(公告)日：2015-08-04

申请号：US13715422

申请日：2012-12-14

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Sorin V. Dusan ,  David T. Yeh ,  Aram M. Lindahl ,  Alexander Kanaris

IPC: H04R29/00 ,  H04R3/00

CPC classification number: H04R29/00 ,  H04R3/005 ,  H04R29/004 ,  H04R2410/05 ,  H04R2499/11

Abstract: Digital signal processing microphone occlusion detection is described that can be used with a noise suppression system that uses two types of noise estimators, including a more aggressive one based on two audio signals (such as for non-stationary noises) and a less aggressive one based on one audio signal (such as for stationary noises). Decisions are made on how to select or combine the outputs of the noise estimators into a usable noise estimate, based on an occlusion function. The occlusion detection may alternatively be used to trigger an alert to users of multi-microphone audio processing systems, such as smart phones, headsets, laptops and tablet computers. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract translation: 描述了可以与噪声抑制系统一起使用的数字信号处理麦克风闭塞检测，所述噪声抑制系统使用两种类型的噪声估计器，其包括基于两个音频信号（例如用于非固定噪声）的较为有侵蚀性的噪声估计器， 一个音频信号（如固定噪声）。 决定如何基于遮挡功能将噪声估计器的输出选择或组合成可用的噪声估计。 闭塞检测可以替代地用于触发对多麦克风音频处理系统（诸如智能电话，耳机，笔记本电脑和平板计算机）的用户的警报。 还描述和要求保护其他实施例。