US 12417756

Summary of U.S. Patent 12,417,756

As of the current date, April 30, 2026, the following is a summary of United States Patent number 12,417,756. This information is based on the authoritative patent text. A search of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) 2026 dockets yielded no results for this patent number.

Title: Systems and methods for real-time accent mimicking

Assignee: Sanas Ai Inc.

Inventors:

• Ankita Jha
• Lukas Pfeifenberger
• Piotr Dura
• David Braude
• Alvaro Escudero
• Shawn Zhang
• Maxim Serebryakov
• Sharath Kashava Narayana

Filing Date: January 17, 2025

Issue Date: September 16, 2025

Abstract:
The patent describes technology for real-time accent mimicking. The system uses trained machine learning models to extract the accent features from a first user's speech. It then analyzes the speech of a second user to identify characteristics specific to their natural voice. A modified version of the second user's speech is then synthesized, which preserves the natural voice characteristics of the second user while mimicking the accent of the first user. This modified audio is then provided for output.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims

U.S. Patent 12,417,756 has three independent claims, which define the core scope of the invention:

Claim 1: This claim protects a physical speech processing system. This system includes an audio interface, microphone, audio output, memory, and processors. The processors are instructed to:

1. Use trained machine learning models to analyze a first person's speech to extract their specific accent features.
2. Analyze a second person's speech to generate a profile of their unique "natural voice" characteristics (such as voice quality, phonetic patterns, and intonation).
3. Create a new, modified version of the second person's speech that combines the first person's accent with the second person's preserved natural voice.
4. Provide this modified speech as audio output.

Claim 7: This claim protects a method for real-time accent mimicking. This is a series of steps performed by a speech processing system, which includes:

1. Applying machine learning models to extract accent features from a first user's speech.
2. Analyzing a second user's speech to generate a "unique fingerprint" of their voice.
3. Synthesizing a modified version of the second user's speech based on the extracted accent and the voice fingerprint.
4. Providing the resulting audio data for output.

Claim 14: This claim protects a non-transitory computer-readable medium (such as a hard drive or other digital storage). This medium stores instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the accent-mimicking process. The steps are functionally the same as the other independent claims: extracting a first user's accent features, generating characteristics of a second user's natural voice, synthesizing a modified version of the second user's speech that mimics the first accent while preserving the second user's voice, and providing the modified audio for output.

Legal Status Notes

The patent document indicates that a Post-Grant Review (PGR) proceeding has been initiated before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). The case number is cited as PGR2026-00033, and its status is listed as "Pending". This indicates that the validity of the patent's claims is currently under review by the USPTO.