Intellectual Property

Patent rights and licenses

The noise reduction method is applicable worldwide. It can be used in FM receiver chips, smartphones, car radios, rebroadcast receivers, Hi-Fi stereo receivers and as a standalone device, either hardware-based or as a software solution. The method is patent-protected in Germany, the U.S.A. and Canada.

U.S.A.

patent No. US 10,003,422

title „METHOD FOR PROCESSING AN FM STEREO SIGNAL“.

granted on 19 June 2018 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

US10003422 B2Download

Germany

patent No. DE 10 2016 107 799

title „Verfahren zur Verarbeitung eines FM-Stereosignals“.

granted on 1 February 2017 by the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA)

DE102016107799B3_all_pagesDownload

Canada

patent No. CA 3,021,918

title „PROCEDE DE TRAITEMENT D’UN SIGNAL STEREO FM“

title „METHOD FOR PROCESSING AN FM STEREO SIGNAL“

granted on 23 November 2021 by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)

specifications_3021918_2021-11-23Download

Companies that are interested in using the patented method, and that want to acquire patent utility rights, or get a license, are welcome.

C source code

The patented method is currently implemented as C source code.

Three applications are available:

  1. On Windows: The application reads a WAV file and creates another WAV file with the noise-reduced content.
  2. On Windows: A streaming application that uses a sound card as input/output.
  3. On Raspberry Pi: A streaming application that uses a sound card as input/output.

Prototype

The figure below shows a prototype for testing and measurement purposes based on the streaming application on a Raspberry Pi. The device can be connected to the left and right audio outputs of an FM stereo receiver/tuner. Noise reduction can be demonstrated in real time.

A selector switch can be used to route the regular stereo signal (L/R), the mono signal (sum) or the difference signal (diff) to the rear RCA outputs and the headphone output. The normal operating mode is HQ with maximum audio quality. The DX mode, currently under development, is reserved for reception below the FM threshold with improved speech intelligibility.

For further information, please feel free to contact me any time:

info@fm-stereo.com

Hans-Peter Hahn