Apple Inc.

Google Inc.

Stratio Inc.

Leland Stanford Junior University

Jae Hyung Lee

Janhavi S Agashe

Youngsik Kim

Yeul Na

Ruchir M Dave

Woo-Shik Jung

Anthony D Minervini

Leng Ooi

Guohua Sun

Priya Kasirajan

Roger T Howe

Jin Hyung Lee

Guy C Nicholson

Igor Bargatin

Bernard K Vancil

Juhyung Kang

Tiantian Xu

Manas Maheshwari

The present disclosure provides systems and method for adjusting the audio output of a wearable device based on an audio gain profile of a user. The wearable device may receive an audiogram indicating one or more frequency ranges associated with hearing loss. The wearable device may determine the audio gain profile based on the audiogram. The wearable device may use one or more adjustment modules to determine a gain to apply to the audio output based on the audio gain profile. The adjustment modules may include an active noise control module, a hearing assistance module, and a transparency control module. The wearable device may determine the amount of gain to apply using a least mean square algorithm and/or a machine learning model.

Adaptive active noise control system with hearing assistance mechanism

The present disclosure provides systems and method for determining a background noise level. The device may receive audio from two or more microphones. The audio may include a first signal and a second signal, such that each microphone receives its own signal. The time, loudness, frequency of the first and second signals may be compared to determine the source of the audio, such as whether the audio is the user's voice or background noise. Based on the source of the audio, the audio may be suppressed to reduce false estimations when calculating the background noise level.

Method to remove talker interference to noise estimator

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for applying a volume gain to change the playback volume of a device by calculating a smoothed noise estimate. The smoothed noise estimate may calculated using an exponential smoothing method. The exponential smoothing method may include applying a weight factor to both a background noise estimate and a historical smoothed noise estimate. The weight factor may place more emphasis on either the background noise estimate or the historical smoothed noise estimate depending on the value of the weight factor. The value of the weight factor may change based on the type of environment the device is in, the speed of the background noise transitions, and/or historical data. The calculated smoothed noise estimate may be used to calculate a volume gain. The volume gain may be applied over a period of time such that the playback volume of the device changes smoothly.

Smart background noise estimator

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for progressively transitioning the playback volume based on a background noise level. The device may have a predetermined quantity of volume levels between a minimum volume and a maximum volume. The volume levels may be spaced by predetermined increments, such that there is a predefined difference between adjacent volume levels. A digital gain may be used to adjust the volume level and an analog gain may allow for the playback volume to be adjusted to an amount between adjacent volume levels. The playback volume may progressively transition within the predefined volume levels by an amount less than the predetermined difference between adjacent volume levels. This smaller amount may be the analog gain.

Automatic progressive transition of volume adaptation to environmental noise

A hybrid ANC system that can allow a feedback microphone to receive the same external noise as a feedforward microphone. A processor can generate an anti-noise signal based on what both microphones received to cancel a broader range of frequencies of the external noise.

Noise control system

A device for sensing light includes a first semiconductor region doped with a dopant of a first type and a second semiconductor region doped with a dopant of a second type. The second semiconductor region is positioned above the first semiconductor region. The device includes a gate insulation layer; a gate, a source, and a drain. The second semiconductor region has a top surface that is positioned toward the gate insulation layer and a bottom surface that is positioned opposite to the top surface of the second semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region has an upper portion that includes the top surface of the second semiconductor region and a lower portion that includes the bottom surface of the second semiconductor region and is mutually exclusive with the upper portion. The first semiconductor region is in contact with both the upper portion and the lower portion of the second semiconductor region.

Gate-controlled charge modulated device for CMOS image sensors

The present disclosure provides for improved hot word detection in electronic devices, particularly small form factor devices such as wearables. The electronic device includes an accelerometer onboard to pick up voice in noisy conditions, and utilizes the accelerometer to confirm that a particular user intended to activate the hot word detection, thereby reducing false detection of other people's voices.

Personalized talking detector for electronic device

A system and method for dynamically adjusting the quantity of volume levels and/or the loudness delta are disclosed. The quantity of volume levels may the number of increments between a minimum and maximum volume. The loudness delta may be the difference between adjacent volume levels. The device may one or more microphones to determine a background noise level. Based on the determined background noise level, and after receiving a user input to adjust the volume, the device may adjust the quantity of volume levels and/or the loudness delta depending on if the background noise level is increased or low.

Background level dependent dynamic volume levels

A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphone assembly including an enclosure having a top side and a bottom side that define a first chamber having a first volume and an acoustic inlet port formed through one of the top side or the bottom side. The assembly further including a MEMS microphone mounted within the first chamber, the MEMS microphone defining a second chamber having a second volume and a diaphragm having a first side interfacing with the first chamber and a second side interfacing with the second chamber. The assembly also including an acoustically absorbent material within one of the first chamber or the second chamber, the acoustically absorbent material to cause a simulated acoustic enlargement of the first volume or the second volume, respectively.

MEMS mircophone with increased back volume

Methods for reducing surface roughness of germanium are described herein. In some embodiments, the surface roughness is reduced by thermal oxidation of germanium. In some embodiments, the surface roughness is further reduced by controlling a rate of the thermal oxidation. In some embodiments, the surface roughness is reduced by thermal annealing.

Reduction of surface roughness in epitaxially grown germanium by controlled thermal oxidation

An apparatus for analyzing light includes an input aperture for receiving light; a first set of one or more lenses configured to relay light from the input aperture; and a prism assembly configured to disperse light from the first set of one or more lenses. The prism assembly includes a plurality of prisms that includes a first prism, a second prism that is distinct from the first prism, and a third prism that is distinct from the first prism and the second prism. The first prism is mechanically coupled with the second prism and the second prism is mechanically coupled with the third prism. The apparatus also includes a second set of one or more lenses configured to focus the dispersed light from the prism assembly; and an array detector configured for converting the light from the second set of one or more lenses to electrical signals.

Spectrometers with self-compensation of rotational misalignment

A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) transducer including an enclosure defining an interior space and having an acoustic port formed through at least one side of the enclosure. The transducer further including a compliant member positioned within the interior space and acoustically coupled to the acoustic port, the compliant member being configured to vibrate in response to an acoustic input. A back plate is further positioned within the interior space, the back plate being positioned along one side of the compliant member in a fixed position. A filter is positioned between the compliant member and the acoustic port, and the filter includes a plurality of axially oriented pathways and a plurality of laterally oriented pathways which are acoustically interconnected and dimensioned to prevent passage of a particle from the acoustic port to the compliant member.

Integrated particle filter for MEMS device

Integrated particle and light filter for MEMS device

A mobile multi-function device that includes a speaker, two or more microphones, and a beamformer processor is described. The beamformer processor uses the microphones to perform beamforming operations. One of the microphones shares a receiver acoustic opening with the speaker while the other microphone uses a separate acoustic opening. The receiver acoustic opening may be an earpiece opening that is held to the ear of a user while conducting a phone call with the device and provides acoustic input and output paths for the microphone and the speaker, respectively.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Jae Hyung Lee