Electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11218582-B2
Application number	US-201816484683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2018
Priority date	Feb 8, 2017
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention can comprise: a housing including a first plate, a second plate, and a side member surrounding the space between the first plate and the second plate; a processor arranged in the space; a display exposed through a part of the first plate; a communication circuit arranged in the space; a piezoelectric actuator arranged in the space and providing vibration to the first plate; a speaker arranged in the space near the edge of the first plate; an audio processing circuit arranged in the space and electrically connected to the piezoelectric actuator and the speaker; and a memory arranged in the space and electrically connected to the processor. According to various embodiments, when instructions, which can be included by the memory, are executed, the processor wirelessly connects to an external device by using the communication circuit, receives an audio signal through the communication circuit, and provides the audio signal to the audio processing circuit. According to various embodiments, the side member can be separated from or integrated with the second plate. According to various embodiments, the audio processing circuit can provide, to the piezoelectric actuator, a first signal having a first frequency band and can provide, to the speaker, a second frequency band lower than the first frequency band, on the basis of at least a part of the audio signal. Additional various embodiments are possible.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising a first plate disposed in a front direction of the electronic device, a second plate spaced apart from the first plate, and a side member surrounding a space between the first plate and the second plate, the side member being separated from or integrated with the second plate;
a display exposed through a part of the first plate;
a communication circuit arranged inside the space;
a piezoelectric actuator arranged inside the space so as to provide vibration to the first plate such that sounds by the vibration of the first plate are output in the front direction of the electronic device;
a speaker arranged inside the space in a position adjacent to a periphery of the first plate;
an audio processing circuit arranged in the space and electrically connected to the piezoelectric actuator and the speaker;
a processor arranged inside the space and electrically connected to the display, the communication circuit, and the audio processing circuit; and
a memory arranged inside the space and electrically connected to the processor,
wherein the memory comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
wirelessly connect to an external device by using the communication circuit,
receive an audio signal through the communication circuit, and
provide the audio signal to the audio processing circuit,

wherein the audio processing circuit is configured to:
provide a first signal having a first frequency band to the piezoelectric actuator at least partially on the basis of the audio signal, and
provide a second signal having a second frequency band, which is lower than the first frequency band, to the speaker,

wherein the piezoelectric actuator and the speaker are disposed between the display and the second plate,
wherein the housing includes an opening formed in the first plate or formed adjacent to the first plate and a structure configured to form a sound passage which extends from the opening to the speaker, and
wherein the sound passage has at least two perpendicular passageways that sound must travel through between the speaker and the opening.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the audio processing circuit comprises an analog codec, a first filter, and a second filter,
wherein the first filter is electrically connected between the analog codec and the piezoelectric actuator, and
wherein the second filter is electrically connected between the analog codec and the speaker.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first filter comprises a high-pass filter, and the second filter comprises a low-pass filter.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the audio processing circuit is configured to:
provide a signal, which is obtained by filtering the audio signal by using the first filter, to the piezoelectric actuator, and
provide a signal, which is obtained by filtering the audio signal by using the second filter, to the speaker.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric actuator is mounted on the display.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the piezoelectric actuator is mounted on one surface of the display, which faces the space.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the structure is configured to:
form a first sound passage, which extends from the opening in a first direction, and
form a second sound passage, which extends from a part of the first sound passage to the speaker in a second direction, and

wherein the second direction is different from the first direction.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the opening is formed on a part of a boundary between the first plate and the side member.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the opening is formed at an upper-end center of the first plate.

11. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the opening is formed to abut a center part of an upper-end boundary of the display.

12. The electronic device of claim 7 ,
wherein the electronic device further comprises a sensor arranged at an upper-end center inside the space, and
wherein the first sound passage and the second sound passage are connected from the opening to the speaker while avoiding an area in which the sensor is arranged.

13. An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising a first plate disposed in a front direction of the electronic device, a second plate spaced apart from the first plate, and a side member surrounding a space between the first plate and the second plate;
a display exposed through a part of the first plate;
a piezoelectric actuator arranged inside the space so as to provide vibration to the first plate such that sounds by the vibration of the first plate are output in the front direction of the electronic device;
a speaker arranged inside the space;
an audio processing circuit arranged inside the space and electrically connected to the piezoelectric actuator and the speaker;
a processor arranged inside the space and electrically connected to the display and the audio processing circuit; and
a memory arranged inside the space and electrically connected to the processor,
wherein the memory comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to provide an audio signal to the audio processing circuit,
wherein the audio processing circuit is configured to:
provide a first signal having a first frequency band to the piezoelectric actuator at least partially on the basis of the audio signal, and
provide a second signal having a second frequency band, which is lower than the first frequency band, to the speaker,

wherein the piezoelectric actuator and the speaker are disposed between the display and the second plate,
wherein the housing includes an opening formed in the first plate or formed adjacent to the first plate and a structure configured to form a sound passage which extends from the opening to the speaker, and
wherein the sound passage has at least two perpendicular passageways that sound must travel through between the speaker and the opening.

14. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a display arranged inside the housing and at least partially exposed in a front direction of the electronic device;
a piezoelectric actuator arranged on the display inside the housing so as to provide vibration to the display such that sounds by the vibration of the display are output in the front direction of the electronic device;
a speaker arranged inside the housing;
an audio processing circuit electrically connected to the piezoelectric actuator and the speaker;
a processor arranged inside the housing and electrically connected to the display and the audio processing circuit; and
a memory arranged inside the housing and electrically connected to the processor,
wherein the memory comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to provide a signal corresponding to an audio signal to the piezoelectric actuator and to the speaker by using the audio processing circuit,
wherein the piezoelectric actuator is configured to provide vibration in a first frequency band on the basis of the signal corresponding to the audio signal,
wherein the speaker is configured to output a sound in a second frequency band, which is lower than the first frequency band, on the basis of the signal corresponding to the audio signal,
wherein the piezoelectric actuator and the speaker are disposed between the display and a second plate,
wherein the h

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hwang Hochul
• Kang Janghoon
• Park Youngbae
• Park Hanbom
• Yoon Byounguk
• Lee Kyunghee
• Cho Joonrae

Classifications

• H04M1/0266 Primary

  for a display module assembly · CPC title

• H04R3/14

  Cross-over networks · CPC title

• H04M2250/06

  including a wireless LAN interface · CPC title

• H04R1/24

  Structural combinations of separate transducers or of two parts of the same transducer and responsive respectively to two or more frequency ranges · CPC title

• H04R3/002

  Damping circuit arrangements for transducers, e.g. motional feedback circuits · CPC title