公开(公告)号：US20190335263A1

公开(公告)日：2019-10-31

申请号：US16398043

申请日：2019-04-29

Applicant: AVNERA CORPORATION

Inventor： Michael Jon Wurtz ,  Amit Kumar ,  Jiajin An

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  H04R1/08

Abstract: A method of operating a headphone configured to be removed from and placed in close proximity to a user's ear can include generating an input signal by an input signal generating device. The method can also include determining whether an insertion event has occurred based on the generated input signal and causing the headphone to operate in a low power mode responsive to an absence of an insertion event determination after a first period of time. The method can also include causing the headphone to operate in an ultra-low power mode responsive to the absence of an insertion event determination after a second period of time that occurs after the first period of time, the ultra-low power mode having a lower power consumption than the low power mode.

公开(公告)号：US11614916B2

公开(公告)日：2023-03-28

申请号：US16730134

申请日：2019-12-30

Applicant: AVNERA CORPORATION

Inventor： Jiajin An ,  Michael Jon Wurtz ,  David Wurtz ,  Manpreet Khaira ,  Amit Kumar ,  Shawn O'Connor ,  Shankar Rathoud ,  James Scanlan ,  Eric Sorensen

IPC: G10L25/00 ,  G06F3/16 ,  G10L25/84 ,  H04R1/10 ,  H04R3/00 ,  G10L15/08 ,  G10L15/22 ,  H04R1/40 ,  G10K11/178 ,  H04R5/033 ,  G06F1/3206 ,  G06F1/3287

Abstract: Many headsets include automatic noise cancellation (ANC) which dramatically reduces perceived background noise and improves user listening experience. Unfortunately, the voice microphones in these devices often capture ambient noise that the headsets output during phone calls or other communication sessions to other users. In response, many headsets and communication devices provide manual muting circuitry, but users frequently forget to turn the muting on and/or off creating further problems as they communicate. To address this, the present inventors devised, among other things, an exemplary headset that detects the absence or presence of user speech, automatically muting and unmuting the voice microphone without user intervention. Some embodiments leverage relationships between feedback and feedforward signals in ANC circuitry to detect user speech, avoiding the addition of extra hardware to the headset. Other embodiments also leverage the speech detection function to activate and deactivate keyword detectors, and/or sidetone circuits, thus extending battery.

公开(公告)号：US20220312104A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-29

申请号：US17806295

申请日：2022-06-10

Applicant: AVNERA CORPORATION

Inventor： Michael Jon Wurtz ,  Amit Kumar ,  Jiajin An

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  H04R29/00 ,  H04R3/04 ,  G10K11/178 ,  H03F13/00 ,  H03G7/00 ,  H04R1/08

Abstract: A method of operating a headphone configured to be removed from and placed in close proximity to a user's ear can include generating an input signal by an input signal generating device. The method can also include determining whether an insertion event has occurred based on the generated input signal and causing the headphone to operate in 5 a low power mode responsive to an absence of an insertion event determination after a first period of time. The method can also include causing the headphone to operate in an ultra-low power mode responsive to the absence of an insertion event determination after a second period of time that occurs after the first period of time, the ultra-low power mode having a lower power consumption than the low power mode.

公开(公告)号：US11006201B2

公开(公告)日：2021-05-11

申请号：US16588108

申请日：2019-09-30

Applicant: Avnera Corporation

Inventor： Amit Kumar ,  Shankar Rathoud ,  Michael Jon Wurtz ,  Eric Etheridge ,  Eric Sorensen

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  H04R29/00 ,  G10K11/178 ,  H04R3/00

Abstract: Disclosed is a signal processor for headphone off-ear detection. The signal processor includes an audio output to transmit an audio signal toward a headphone speaker in a headphone cup. The signal processor also includes a feedback (FB) microphone input to receive a FB signal from a FB microphone in the headphone cup. The signal processor also includes an off-ear detection (OED) signal processor to determine an audio frequency response of the FB signal over an OED frame as a received frequency response. The OED processor also determines an audio frequency response of the audio signal times an off-ear transfer function between the headphone speaker and the FB microphone as an ideal off-ear response. A difference metric si generated comparing the received frequency response to the ideal off-ear frequency response. The difference metric is employed to detect when the headphone cup is disengaged from an ear.

公开(公告)号：US11611822B2

公开(公告)日：2023-03-21

申请号：US17806295

申请日：2022-06-10

Applicant: AVNERA CORPORATION

Inventor： Michael Jon Wurtz ,  Amit Kumar ,  Jiajin An

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  H04R29/00 ,  H04R3/04 ,  H04R1/08 ,  G10K11/178 ,  H03F13/00 ,  H03G7/00 ,  H03F3/181 ,  H03F3/60

Abstract: A method of operating a headphone configured to be removed from and placed in close proximity to a user's ear can include generating an input signal by an input signal generating device. The method can also include determining whether an insertion event has occurred based on the generated input signal and causing the headphone to operate in 5 a low power mode responsive to an absence of an insertion event determination after a first period of time. The method can also include causing the headphone to operate in an ultra-low power mode responsive to the absence of an insertion event determination after a second period of time that occurs after the first period of time, the ultra-low power mode having a lower power consumption than the low power mode.

公开(公告)号：US10564925B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-18

申请号：US15711793

申请日：2017-09-21

Applicant: Avnera Corporation

Inventor： Jiajin An ,  Michael Jon Wurtz ,  David Wurtz ,  Manpreet Khaira ,  Amit Kumar ,  Shawn O'Connor ,  Shankar Rathoud ,  James Scanlan ,  Eric Sorensen

IPC: G10L25/00 ,  G06F3/16 ,  G10L25/84 ,  H04R1/10 ,  H04R3/00 ,  G10L15/08 ,  G10L15/22 ,  H04R1/40

Abstract: Many headsets include automatic noise cancellation (ANC) which dramatically reduces perceived background noise and improves user listening experience. Unfortunately, the voice microphones in these devices often capture ambient noise that the headsets output during phone calls or other communication sessions to other users. In response, many headsets and communication devices provide manual muting circuitry, but users frequently forget to turn the muting on and/or off, creating further problems as they communicate. To address this, the present inventors devised, among other things, an exemplary headset that detects the absence or presence of user speech, automatically muting and unmuting the voice microphone without user intervention. Some embodiments leverage relationships between feedback and feedforward signals in ANC circuitry to detect user speech, avoiding the addition of extra hardware to the headset. Other embodiments also leverage the speech detection function to activate and deactivate keyword detectors, and/or sidetone circuits, thus extending battery.

公开(公告)号：US20190335267A1

公开(公告)日：2019-10-31

申请号：US16398074

申请日：2019-04-29

Applicant: AVNERA CORPORATION

Inventor： Michael Jon Wurtz ,  Amit Kumar ,  Jiajin An

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  H03F13/00 ,  G10K11/178 ,  H03G7/00 ,  H04R29/00

Abstract: A method of operating an earbud configured to be removed from and inserted into a user's ear canal can include generating an input signal by an input signal generating device. The method can also include determining whether an insertion event has occurred based on the generated input signal and causing the earbud to operate in a low power mode responsive to an absence of an insertion event determination after a first period of time. The method can also include causing the earbud to operate in an ultra-low power mode responsive to the absence of an insertion event determination after a second period of time that occurs after the first period of time, the ultra-low power mode having a lower power consumption than the low power mode.

公开(公告)号：US10021478B2

公开(公告)日：2018-07-10

申请号：US15442619

申请日：2017-02-24

Applicant: Avnera Corporation

Inventor： Michael Jon Wurtz ,  Eric Sorensen

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  A61F11/08 ,  H04R23/00 ,  G10K11/178

CPC classification number: H04R1/1083 ,  A61F11/08 ,  G10K11/178 ,  G10K11/17857 ,  G10K11/17881 ,  G10K2210/1081 ,  G10K2210/3026 ,  G10K2210/3027 ,  G10K2210/3028 ,  G10K2210/3219 ,  G10K2210/3226 ,  H04R1/1016 ,  H04R23/006 ,  H04R2201/003 ,  H04R2410/05 ,  H04R2460/01

Abstract: Automatic noise-reduction (ANR) headsets include circuitry that cancels or suppress undesired noises. Recent years have seen the emergence of in-the-ear (ITE) earphones that incorporate ANR technology; however, designing them to function well usually entails many design tradeoffs, such as using larger ear nozzles that are uncomfortable to obtain desired noise reduction or that require added structures to hold the earphones to a user ear. To avoid these tradeoffs, the present inventors devised, among other things, an exemplary ITE ANR earphone that places its error measurement microphone in the ear nozzle that connects the driver front acoustic volume to a user ear canal. This placement allows use of a narrower more comfortable ear nozzle without compromising noise reduction and without requiring added holding structures. Moreover, the narrower ear nozzle also lowers the likelihood that the ANR circuitry will become unstable and produce undesirable noise.

公开(公告)号：US11463798B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-04

申请号：US17221125

申请日：2021-04-02

Applicant: AVNERA CORPORATION

Inventor： Michael Jon Wurtz ,  Amit Kumar ,  Jiajin An

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  H04R29/00 ,  H04R3/04 ,  G10K11/178 ,  H04R1/08 ,  H03F13/00 ,  H03G7/00 ,  H03F3/181 ,  H03F3/60

Abstract: A method of operating a headphone configured to be removed from and placed in close proximity to a user's ear can include generating an input signal by an input signal generating device. The method can also include determining whether an insertion event has occurred based on the generated input signal and causing the headphone to operate in 5 a low power mode responsive to an absence of an insertion event determination after a first period of time. The method can also include causing the headphone to operate in an ultra-low power mode responsive to the absence of an insertion event determination after a second period of time that occurs after the first period of time, the ultra-low power mode having a lower power consumption than the low power mode.

公开(公告)号：US20210227313A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-22

申请号：US17221125

申请日：2021-04-02

Applicant: AVNERA CORPORATION

Inventor： Michael Jon Wurtz ,  Amit Kumar ,  Jiajin An

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  H04R29/00 ,  H04R3/04 ,  G10K11/178 ,  H03F13/00 ,  H03G7/00 ,  H04R1/08

Abstract: A method of operating a headphone configured to be removed from and placed in close proximity to a user's ear can include generating an input signal by an input signal generating device. The method can also include determining whether an insertion event has occurred based on the generated input signal and causing the headphone to operate in 5 a low power mode responsive to an absence of an insertion event determination after a first period of time. The method can also include causing the headphone to operate in an ultra-low power mode responsive to the absence of an insertion event determination after a second period of time that occurs after the first period of time, the ultra-low power mode having a lower power consumption than the low power mode.