Portable listening device with accelerometer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11690428-B2
Application number	US-202017131610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2020
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Jul 4, 2023
Grant date	Jul 4, 2023

Abstract

An earbud includes a housing that includes a driver assembly positioned within the housing forming a front volume in front of the driver and a back volume behind the driver. An acoustic insert is positioned behind the driver assembly and attached to an interior surface of the housing such that it forms a bass channel that is routed from the back volume to a vent in the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable listening system comprising:
a first housing having a first ear portion sized and shaped to support the portable listening device on a user's first ear;
a second housing separate from the first housing and having a second ear portion sized and shaped to support the portable listening device on a user's second ear;
a first accelerometer positioned within the first housing and configured to generate a first signal in response to detecting contact between a user's finger and the first housing;
a second accelerometer positioned within the second housing and configured to generate a second signal in response to detecting contact between the user's finger and the second housing;
a first processor positioned within the first housing and arranged to output a third signal to a separate electronic device in response to receiving the first signal; and
a second processor positioned within the second housing and arranged to output a fourth signal to the separate electronic device in response to receiving the second signal.

2. The portable listening system of claim 1 wherein the first accelerometer is configured to sense a sequence of taps of the user's finger on the first housing.

3. The portable listening system of claim 1 wherein the first accelerometer is further configured to detect an orientation of the first housing.

4. The portable listening system of claim 1 further comprising an in-ear sensor attached to the first housing and configured to detect when the first housing is at least partially inserted in an ear of the user.

5. The portable listening system of claim 4 wherein the in-ear sensor comprises a pair of optical sensors to detect a user's tragus and concha.

6. An earbud system comprising:
a first housing having a first ear portion sized and shaped to be at least partially inserted within a user's first ear;
a first accelerometer positioned within the first housing and configured to generate a first signal when the first accelerometer detects a contact between a user's finger and the first housing; and
a first processor positioned within the first housing and arranged to output a second signal to a separate electronic device in response to receiving the first signal;
a second housing having a second ear portion sized and shaped to be at least partially inserted within a user's second ear;
a second accelerometer positioned within the second housing and configured to generate a third signal when the second accelerometer detects a contact between the user's finger and the second housing; and
a second processor positioned within the second housing and arranged to output a fourth signal to the separate electronic device in response to receiving the third signal.

7. The earbud system of claim 6 wherein the first accelerometer is configured to sense a sequence of taps of the user's finger on the first housing.

8. The earbud system of claim 6 wherein the first accelerometer is further configured to detect an orientation of the first housing.

9. The earbud system of claim 6 further comprising an in-ear sensor attached to the first housing and configured to detect when the first housing is at least partially inserted in an ear of the user.

10. The earbud system of claim 9 wherein the in-ear sensor comprises a pair of optical sensors to detect a user's tragus and concha.

11. A portable listening system comprising:
a first housing having a first ear portion sized and shaped to support the first housing on a user's first ear;
a first rechargeable battery positioned within the first housing;
a first processor positioned within the first housing and coupled to the first rechargeable battery;
a first wireless radio positioned within the first housing and coupled to the first rechargeable battery;
a first antenna positioned within the first housing; and
a first accelerometer positioned within the first housing and configured to transmit a first signal to the first processor in response to detecting contact between a user's finger and the first housing, wherein in response to receiving the first signal the first processor transmits a second signal to a separate electronic device;
a second housing having a second ear portion sized and shaped to support the second housing on a user's second ear; and
a second rechargeable battery positioned within the second housing;
a second processor positioned within the second housing and coupled to the second rechargeable battery;
a second wireless radio positioned within the second housing and coupled to the second rechargeable battery;
a second antenna positioned within the second housing; and
a second accelerometer positioned within the second housing and configured to transmit a third signal to the second processor in response to detecting contact between a user's finger and the second housing, wherein in response to receiving the third signal the second processor transmits a fourth signal to the separate electronic device.

12. The portable listening system of claim 11 wherein in response to receiving the first signal, the first processor transmits the second signal to the separate electronic device via the first wireless radio and the first antenna.

13. The portable listening system of claim 11 wherein the first accelerometer is further configured to detect an orientation of the first housing.

14. The portable listening system of claim 11 further comprising an in-ear sensor attached to the first housing and configured to detect when the first housing is at least partially inserted in the user's first ear.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Chawan Arun D
• Stiehl Kurt
• Cousins Benjamin A
• Aase Jonathan S
• Azmi Yacine
• Choiniere Paul
• Slabaugh Scott W

Classifications

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• A45C11/001

  for storing portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or digital music players · CPC title

• A45C11/00 Primary

  Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 (specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48) · CPC title