IP Library Granted Patent US 12,394,427
Granted Patent B2
US 12,394,427 · App. 18/456,216 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Method for selective noise suppression in audio playback

Inventors: Kee Seng Tan (Singapore, SG); Luen Kai Chan (Singapore, SG); Ariel Arellano De Castro (Singapore, SG)
Assignee: CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY LTD
G10L21/0216G10L25/78G10L2021/02163
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,394,427
App. No.
18/456,216
Granted
Aug 19, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for selective noise suppression in an audio playback is provided. The method includes providing a processor, obtaining a microphone state and a playback device state with the processor from an operating system, determining the audio playback is communication audio based on the microphone state and the playback device state, and enabling applying noise suppression to the audio playback if the audio playback is communication audio, is not music and noise is present, or otherwise disabling applying noise suppression to the audio playback.

Claims (27)

1. A method for selective noise suppression in an audio playback, comprising:

providing a processor;

obtaining a microphone state and a playback device state with the processor from an operating system;

determining the audio playback is communication audio based on the microphone state and the playback device state; and

enabling applying noise suppression to the audio playback if the audio playback is communication audio, is not music and noise is present, or otherwise disabling applying noise suppression to the audio playback.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the microphone state and the playback device state comprises querying audio functions of the operating system to check the microphone state and the playback device state.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the audio playback is communication audio only when the microphone state and the playback device state are both active.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the microphone state and the playback device state are active when acquired or opened by an audio application programming interface.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the microphone state and the playback device state comprises obtaining a first identifier and a second identifier from the operating system, the first identifier provided by a first software application/module which acquired a microphone and the second identifier provided by a second software application/module which acquired a playback device, and wherein determining the audio playback is communication audio based on the microphone state and the playback device state comprises determining that the microphone state and the playback device state are both active, and the first identifier and the second identifier are the same.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the microphone state and the playback device state comprises obtaining a first identifier and a second identifier from the operating system, the first identifier provided by a first software application/module which acquired a microphone and the second identifier provided by a second software application/module which acquired a playback device, and wherein determining the audio playback is communication audio based on the microphone state and the playback device state comprises determining that the microphone state and the playback device state are both active, and a truncated portion of the first identifier and the second identifier are the same.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining that the audio playback is not music and noise is present in the audio playback, wherein determining the audio playback is communication audio based on the microphone state and the playback device state is carried out before determining that the audio playback is not music and noise is present in the audio playback.

8. A software product for selective noise suppression in an audio playback, the software product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer executable instructions for:

obtaining a microphone state and a playback device state with a processor from an operating system;

determining the audio playback is communication audio based on the microphone state and the playback device state; and

enabling applying noise suppression to the audio playback if the audio playback is communication audio, is not music and noise is present, or otherwise disabling applying noise suppression to the audio playback.

9. The software product of claim 8 , wherein obtaining the microphone state and the playback device state comprises querying audio functions of the operating system to check the microphone state and the playback device state.

10. The software product of claim 8 , wherein the audio playback is communication audio only when the microphone state and the playback device state are both active.

11. The software product of claim 10 , wherein the microphone state and the playback device state are active when acquired or opened by an audio application programming interface.

12. The software product of claim 8 , wherein obtaining the microphone state and the playback device state comprises obtaining a first identifier and a second identifier from the operating system, the first identifier provided by a first software application/module which acquired a microphone and the second identifier provided by a second software application/module which acquired a playback device, and wherein determining the audio playback is communication audio based on the microphone state and the playback device state comprises determining that the microphone state and the playback device state are both active, and the first identifier and the second identifier are the same.

13. The software product of claim 8 , wherein obtaining the microphone state and the playback device state comprises obtaining a first identifier and a second identifier from the operating system, the first identifier provided by a first software application/module which acquired a microphone and the second identifier provided by a second software application/module which acquired a playback device, and wherein determining the audio playback is communication audio based on the microphone state and the playback device state comprises determining that the microphone state and the playback device state are both active, and a truncated portion of the first identifier and the second identifier are the same.

14. The software product of claim 8 , further comprising: determining that the audio playback is not music and noise is present in the audio playback, wherein determining the audio playback is communication audio based on the microphone state and the playback device state is carried out before determining that the audio playback is not music and noise is present in the audio playback.

15. A system for selective noise suppression in an audio playback, comprising:

a communication audio detection module configured for receiving a microphone state and a playback device state, and determining the audio playback is communication audio based on the microphone state and the playback device state;

a music detection module configured for determining the audio playback is not music;

a noise detection module configured for determining the audio playback has noise present;

an enable noise suppression module configured for enabling applying noise suppression to the audio playback if the audio playback is communication audio, is not music and noise is present; and

a disable noise suppression module configured for disabling applying noise suppression to the audio playback if the audio playback is not communication audio, and/or is music, and/or noise is not present.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 25, 2023
From: TAN, KEE SENG; CHAN, LUEN KAI; DE CASTRO, ARIEL ARELLANO
To: CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY LTD
Reel/Frame 064709/0316 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63409131 · Sep 22, 2022
Related Publication 20240105200A1 · Mar 28, 2024
References Cited (17)
US 8126706B2 · Ebenezer · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 8320974B2 · Nicholson · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 9363352B2 · Yew · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9398367B1 · Scott · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9741334B2 · Park · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 11240609B2 · Dehghani · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11729563B2 · Berthelsen · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11741935B2 · Sibbald · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 12302052B2 · Park · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 20120058803A1 · Nicholson · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20140213329A1 · Wu · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20180286423A1 · Nakadai · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20200105295A1 · Sereshki et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20220051652A1 · Winsvold et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220406285A1 · Neves · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20250078852A1 · Liu · 2025 [cited by examiner]
European Patent Office, European Office Action dated Jan. 19, 2024 in Application No. 23198990.6. [cited by applicant]