US 10651866

Analysis of U.S. Patent 10,651,866

Washington, D.C. – May 1, 2026 – A technical analysis of United States Patent 10,651,866, titled "Beamforming using fractional time delay in digitally oversampled sensor systems, apparatuses, and methods," has been conducted. This patent details a method for improving the accuracy of signal processing, particularly for applications like beamforming in audio systems.

Key Patent Details:

• Title: Beamforming using fractional time delay in digitally oversampled sensor systems, apparatuses, and methods
• Assignee: Solos Technology Ltd.
• Inventors: Dashen Fan, Joseph Yong Kwon
• Filing Date: April 30, 2019
• Issue Date: May 12, 2020
• Abstract: The patent describes systems and methods for time-delaying a signal from an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The system includes a digital sensor that produces an oversampled digital signal. A time delay element receives this signal and outputs a time-delayed version. A filter then processes the delayed signal by low-pass filtering and decimating it to a lower sample rate. The final output is a filtered, decimated, and delayed digital signal.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

The core of the invention is protected by two independent claims, which are the broadest assertions of the patent.

• Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a physical system. In simple terms, it's about a device that takes a signal from a digital sensor (like a digital microphone) which is "oversampled" – meaning it's captured at a much higher rate than necessary for the final output. This highly detailed signal is then intentionally delayed by a very precise and controllable amount. After this delay, the signal is processed by a filter that cleans it up and reduces it to a standard digital signal. This ability to introduce a very fine "fractional" delay at the oversampled stage is key for applications like beamforming, where slight timing differences between multiple microphones are used to focus on a sound from a particular direction.

• Independent Claim 12: This claim outlines the method or process behind the system. It details the steps of receiving the oversampled signal, applying a precise time delay to it, and then filtering and reducing the sample rate (decimating) of the delayed signal to create the final output. This protects the specific sequence of actions that achieve the technical benefit described in the patent.

Litigation Status:

A search of the dockets for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) for the year 2026 was conducted. As of the current date, there is no publicly available information to indicate that US patent 10,651,866 is involved in any litigation before the CAFC. However, this is based on currently accessible data and could change.