Individually assignable transducers to modulate sound output in open ear form factor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11356757-B2
Application number	US-202117194986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2021
Priority date	Mar 9, 2020
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

A wearable audio device including first and second transducer modules is provided. The first transducer module may include a first transducer. The first transducer module may further include a first enclosure having a top side defining a first slit and a bottom side defining a second slit. The first enclosure may be configured to guide a first sound pressure through the first slit, and a second sound pressure through the second slit. The second transducer module may include a second transducer. The second transducer module may include a second enclosure having a top side defining a third slit and a bottom side defining a fourth slit. The second enclosure may be configured to guide a third sound pressure through the third slit, and a fourth sound pressure through the fourth slit. The third and fourths slit may be arranged diagonally opposite the first and second slits, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable audio device, comprising:
a multi-transducer assembly arranged on or in the wearable audio device and configured to receive an electronic audio signal, comprising:
a first transducer module, comprising:
a first dipole transducer having a first side and a second side, and
a first enclosure having a top side defining a first slit and a bottom side defining a second slit, comprising:
a first audio path configured to guide a first sound pressure generated by the first side of the first dipole transducer out of the first enclosure via the first slit; and
a second audio path configured to guide a second sound pressure generated by the second side of the first dipole transducer out of the first enclosure via the second slit; and

a second transducer module, comprising:
a second dipole transducer having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side of the second dipole transducer faces the same direction as the first side of the first dipole transducer, and
a second enclosure having a top side defining a third slit and a bottom side defining a fourth slit, comprising:
a third audio path configured to guide a third sound pressure generated by the second side of the second dipole transducer out of the second enclosure via the third slit; and
a fourth audio path configured to guide a fourth sound pressure generated by the first side of the second dipole transducer out of the second enclosure via the fourth slit.

2. The wearable audio device of claim 1 , wherein the multi-transducer assembly is further configured to:
generate a first transducer signal based on the electronic audio signal;
generate a second transducer signal based on the electronic audio signal;
provide the first transducer signal to the first dipole transducer; and
provide the second transducer signal to the second dipole transducer.

3. The wearable audio device of claim 2 , wherein the multi-transducer assembly further comprises a phase shift circuit configured to phase shift the first transducer signal relative to the second transducer signal.

4. The wearable audio device of claim 3 , wherein first transducer signal is phase shifted 180 degrees relative to the second transducer signal.

5. The wearable audio device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second dipole transducers are arranged vertically relative to the wearable audio device.

6. The wearable audio device of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth slits are defined horizontally relative to the wearable audio device.

7. The wearable audio device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second dipole transducers are vertically aligned relative to a horizontal axis of the wearable audio device.

8. The wearable audio device of claim 1 , further comprising a microphone configured to generate the electronic audio signal.

9. The wearable audio device of claim 8 , wherein the multi-transducer assembly is arranged on or in a temple area of the audio eyeglasses.

10. The wearable audio device of claim 1 , wherein the wearable audio device is a set of audio eyeglasses.

11. A method for generating audio via a multi-transducer assembly arranged on or in a wearable audio device, comprising:
receiving an electronic audio signal;
generating a first transducer signal based on the electronic audio signal;
generating a second transducer signal based on the electronic audio signal;
providing the first transducer signal to a first dipole transducer arranged in a first enclosure having a top side defining a first slit and a bottom side defining a second slit;
providing the second transducer signal to a second dipole transducer arranged in a second enclosure having a top side defining a third slit and a bottom side defining a fourth slit;
guiding, via a first audio path, a first sound pressure, generated by a first side of the first dipole transducer, out of the first enclosure via the first slit;
guiding, via a second audio path, a second sound pressure, generated by a second side of the first dipole transducer, out of the first enclosure via the second slit;
guiding, via a third audio path, a third sound pressure, generated by a second side of the second dipole transducer, out of the second enclosure, via the third slit; and
guiding, via a fourth audio path, a fourth sound pressure, generated by a first side of the second dipole transducer, out of the second enclosure via the fourth slit, wherein the first side of the second dipole transducer faces the same direction as the first side of the first dipole transducer.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising phase shifting the first transducer signal by 180 degrees relative to the second transducer signal.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising amplifying the first transducer signal.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising amplifying the second transducer signal.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising attenuating the first transducer signal.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising attenuating the second transducer signal.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising frequency filtering the first transducer signal.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising frequency filtering the second transducer signal.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating, via a microphone, the electronic audio signal.

Assignees

• Bose Corp

Inventors

• Bacon Cedrik
• Kelly Liam
• Struzik Ryan
• Daley Michael J
• Zonenshine Jonathan

Classifications

• H04R3/00

  Circuits for transducers (arrangements for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08; amplifiers H03F) · CPC title

• H04R1/2873 Primary

  for loudspeaker transducers · CPC title

• H04R2209/027

  Electrical or mechanical reduction of yoke vibration · CPC title

• H04R1/347

  for obtaining a phase-shift between the front and back acoustic wave · 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