Electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10979810-B2
Application number	US-201916358476-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2019
Priority date	Mar 19, 2019
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

An audio device having a housing including a first loudspeaker disposed in the housing and oriented to emit sound towards a top of the housing, a second loudspeaker disposed in the housing and oriented to emit sound towards a bottom of the housing, and a third loudspeaker disposed in the housing and oriented to emit sound radially outward from the housing of the audio device. Embodiments may include a microphone array disposed proximate the top of the audio device and encircling the first loudspeaker.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An audio device comprising:
a cylindrical housing including a top portion and a bottom portion;
a loudspeaker port disposed between the top portion and the bottom portion, the loudspeaker port including:
a first side defining a first opening;
a second side defining a second opening;
a channel extending between the first opening and the second opening;
a first surface adjacent to the top portion and defining a third opening connected to the channel; and
a second surface adjacent to the bottom portion;

a first mid-range loudspeaker disposed in the top portion and oriented to emit sound toward a top of the audio device;
a second mid-range loudspeaker disposed in the top portion and oriented to emit sound radially outward from the audio device in a first direction;
a third mid-range loudspeaker disposed in the top portion and oriented to emit sound radially outward from the audio device in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction;
a tweeter loudspeaker disposed in the top portion and oriented to emit sound radially outward from the audio device in a third direction, the third direction being different than the first direction and the second direction; and
a woofer loudspeaker disposed in the top portion and oriented to emit sound toward a bottom of the audio device, the woofer loudspeaker being axially aligned with the first mid-range loudspeaker, and wherein a portion of the woofer loudspeaker is disposed at least one of through or within the third opening.

2. The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the top portion further includes:
a first cavity providing a first back volume for the first mid-range loudspeaker;
a second cavity separate from the first cavity, the second cavity providing a second back volume for the second mid-range loudspeaker, the second back volume being less than the first back volume; and
a third cavity separate from the first cavity and the second cavity, the third cavity providing a third back volume for the third mid-range loudspeaker, the third back volume being less than the second back volume.

3. The audio device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light ring disposed proximate to a top of the top portion and visible from an exterior of the audio device;
multiple light sources disposed within the top portion below the light ring; and
a light diffuser interposed between the light ring and the multiple light sources, the light diffuser comprising:
a top including depressions equidistantly spaced around the top of the light diffuser to substantially uniformly disperse light from respective light sources; and
a bottom including ribs positioned above the respective light sources of the multiple light sources to substantially uniformly disperse the light from the respective light sources.

4. The audio device of claim 1 , wherein:
the top portion includes one or more first attachment mechanisms; and
the loudspeaker port includes one or more second attachment mechanisms that rotatably engage with the one or more first attachment mechanisms for coupling the loudspeaker port to the top portion.

5. The audio device of claim 1 , wherein:
the portion of the woofer loudspeaker comprises a first portion;
the loudspeaker port further defines a flange at least partially surrounding the third opening; and
at least a second portion of the woofer loudspeaker abuts the flange to dispose the first portion at least one of through or within the third opening.

6. An electronic device, comprising:
a cylindrical housing having a top and a bottom;
a cover coupled to the top of the cylindrical housing, the cover including microphone channels;
a first loudspeaker disposed within the cylindrical housing and oriented to emit sound towards the top of the cylindrical housing;
a second loudspeaker disposed within the cylindrical housing and oriented to emit sound towards the bottom of the cylindrical housing;
a third loudspeaker disposed within the cylindrical housing and oriented to emit sound radially outward from the cylindrical housing in a first direction;
a fourth loudspeaker disposed within the cylindrical housing and oriented to emit sound radially outward from the cylindrical housing in a second direction, the second direction being different than the first direction; and
a microphone array circumferentially disposed around the first loudspeaker and proximate the top of the cylindrical housing, wherein individual microphones of the microphone array are substantially aligned with individual microphone channels of the microphone channels for routing sound to the individual microphones.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising a fifth loudspeaker disposed within the cylindrical housing and oriented to emit sound radially outward from the cylindrical housing in a third direction, the third direction being different than the first direction and the second direction.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the cylindrical housing comprises:
a first back volume for the first loudspeaker;
a second back volume for the third loudspeaker, the second back volume being separate from the first back volume; and
a third back volume for the fifth loudspeaker, the third back volume being separate from the first back volume and the second back volume.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , further comprising a fourth back volume for the second loudspeaker and the fourth loudspeaker, the fourth back volume being separate from the first back volume, the second back volume, and the third back volume.

10. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:
the first loudspeaker comprises a mid-range loudspeaker;
the second loudspeaker comprises a woofer loudspeaker;
the third loudspeaker comprises a mid-range loudspeaker; and
the fourth loudspeaker comprises a tweeter loudspeaker.

11. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:
the electronic device includes a central longitudinal axis; and
the first loudspeaker and the second loudspeaker are axially aligned with the central longitudinal axis.

12. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:
the cylindrical housing comprises a first portion, a second portion, a loudspeaker port disposed between the first portion and the second portion, and a column coupling the first portion to the second portion;
the first loudspeaker, the second loudspeaker, the third loudspeaker, and the fourth loudspeaker are disposed in the first portion; and
the loudspeaker port provides an opening to emit sound from the second loudspeaker.

13. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:
the cylindrical housing comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a column extending between the first portion and the second portion; and
the column includes a channel through which one or more electrical connections are disposed, the one or more electrical connections connecting a first electrical component in the first portion with a second electrical component in the second portion.

14. An audio device, comprising:
a housing;
a first loudspeaker disposed in the housing and oriented to emit sound towards a top of the audio device;
a second loudspeaker disposed in the housing and oriented to emit sound towards a bottom of the audio device;
a third loudspeaker disposed in the housing and oriented to emit sound radially outward from the housing;
a microphone array disposed in the housing;
a channel disposed through the housing, from a first side of the housing to a second side of the housing, the channel radially emitting sound generated by the second loudspeaker outward from the audio device; and

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Mata Magana Giovanni
• Savello Alexander David
• Kuo Chia Hung
• Nguyen Thompson Quang-Tue
• Chan Danny
• Chua Albert John Yu Sam

Classifications

• H04R2201/401

  2D or 3D arrays of transducers · CPC title

• H04R1/02 Primary

  Casings; Cabinets {; Supports therefor;} Mountings therein (H04R1/28 takes precedence {; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075}) · CPC title

• H04R5/02 Primary

  Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R1/028

  associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles · CPC title

• H04R1/403

  loud-speakers · CPC title