Speaker and microphone for acoustic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12495234-B2
Application number	US-202318144789-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2023
Priority date	May 23, 2022
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

Implementations of the subject technology provide for a microphone in the front volume of a speaker. The speaker and the microphone may be provided in a single speaker assembly. The microphone may be implemented as an error microphone or a feedback microphone. The microphone may be mounted to a speaker frame of the speaker, with a sound-sensitive element of the microphone in the front volume of the speaker on a first side of the speaker frame, and with conductive contacts for the microphone disposed on an opposing second side of the speaker frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An audio output device, comprising:
a speaker comprising a speaker frame and a diaphragm mounted in the speaker frame, the speaker frame separating a front volume of the speaker on a first side of the speaker frame from a second volume on a second side of the speaker frame; a microphone mounted to the speaker frame and including a sound-sensitive element disposed within the front volume on the first side of the speaker frame; a plurality of conductive contacts for the microphone, each conductively coupled to the microphone and disposed within the second volume on the second side of the speaker frame; and at least one conductive structure that extends through or around the speaker frame from the microphone to the plurality of conductive contacts.

2 . The audio output device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a slit in the speaker frame; and a flexible printed circuit, wherein the microphone is mounted to a first portion of the flexible printed circuit within the front volume, a second portion of the flexible printed circuit passes through the slit in the speaker frame, and a third portion of the flexible printed circuit within the second volume on the second side of the speaker frame comprises the plurality of conductive contacts.

3 . The audio output device of claim 2 , wherein the slit in the speaker frame is located away from a peripheral edge of the speaker frame.

4 . The audio output device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conductive structure comprises a plurality of conductive traces formed in the speaker frame, and wherein the microphone is mounted to the first side of the speaker frame and conductively coupled to the plurality of conductive traces formed in the speaker frame.

5 . The audio output device of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of conductive traces extend from the microphone, along a portion of the first side of the speaker frame, around an edge of the speaker frame, and along a portion of the second side of the speaker frame to the plurality of conductive contacts disposed within the second volume.

6 . The audio output device of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of conductive traces comprise a plurality of laser direct structured traces on a surface of the speaker frame.

7 . The audio output device of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of pins molded into the speaker frame on the second side and forming the plurality of conductive contacts.

8 . The audio output device of claim 7 , further comprising at least one additional conductive trace that runs along the second side of the speaker frame between drive circuitry for the speaker and at least a respective one of the plurality of pins.

9 . The audio output device of claim 1 , wherein microphone comprises a microphone package comprising a microphone module and a connector attached to the microphone module, wherein the microphone package is insert molded into the speaker frame with the microphone module disposed at least partially within the front volume and the connector disposed at least partially within the second volume.

10 . The audio output device of claim 1 , wherein the speaker frame comprises an opening, wherein the microphone comprises a microphone package comprising a microphone module and a connector attached to the microphone module, and wherein the microphone package is sealingly mounted within the opening in the speaker frame with the microphone module disposed at least partially within the front volume and the connector disposed at least partially within the second volume.

11 . The audio output device of claim 1 , wherein the front volume and second volume are at least partially defined by a housing of the audio output device, and wherein the second volume comprises a back volume for the speaker or an internal volume of the audio output device that is separate from the back volume of the speaker.

12 . The audio output device of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible printed circuit within the second volume on the second side of the speaker frame and coupled to the plurality of conductive contacts for the microphone and to drive circuitry of the speaker.

13 . A speaker assembly, comprising:
a speaker comprising a speaker frame and a diaphragm mounted in the speaker frame, the speaker frame arranged to separate a front volume of a speaker on a first side of the speaker frame from a second volume on a second side of the speaker frame; and a microphone mounted to the speaker frame and including a sound-sensitive element disposed within the front volume on the first side of the speaker frame; a plurality of conductive contacts for the microphone, the conductive contacts disposed within the second volume on the second side of the speaker frame; and at least one conductive structure that extends through or around the speaker frame from the microphone to the plurality of conductive contacts.

14 . The speaker assembly of claim 13 , wherein the at least one conductive structure comprises a plurality of conductive traces formed in the speaker frame, and wherein the microphone is mounted to the first side of the speaker frame and conductively coupled to the plurality of conductive traces formed in the speaker frame, and wherein the plurality of conductive traces comprise a plurality of laser direct structured traces that extend from the microphone, along a portion of the first side of the speaker frame, around an edge of the speaker frame, and along a portion of the second side of the speaker frame to the plurality of conductive contacts disposed within the second volume.

15 . The speaker assembly of claim 13 , wherein the microphone comprises a microphone package comprising a microphone module and a connector attached to the microphone module, wherein the microphone package extends through the speaker frame with the microphone module disposed at least partially within the front volume and with the connector disposed at least partially within the second volume.

16 . An audio output device, comprising:
a speaker comprising a speaker frame and a diaphragm mounted in the speaker frame, the speaker frame separating a front volume of the speaker on a first side of the speaker frame from a second volume on a second side of the speaker frame; a microphone within the front volume on the first side of the speaker frame; a support structure extending from the speaker frame into the front volume and over at least a portion of the diaphragm, wherein the microphone is mounted to the support structure at a location over at least a portion of the diaphragm and at least one conductive structure coupled to the microphone and extending from the microphone along the support structure and through or around a portion of the speaker frame into the second volume on the second side of the speaker frame.

17 . The audio output device of claim 16 , wherein the microphone is mounted to the support structure at a location that is substantially between a center of the diaphragm and an output port of the audio output device.

18 . The audio output device of claim 16 , wherein the support structure extends from the speaker frame at a location that is separated from a housing of the audio output device.

19 . The audio output device of claim 16 , further comprising a flexible printed circuit within the second volume on the second side of the speaker frame and coupled to the conductive structure and to drive circuitry of the speaker.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Grinker Scott C
• Ergun Ali N
• Minervini Anthony D
• Notarangelo Claudio
• Donarski Matthew A

Classifications

• H04R1/083

  Special constructions of mouthpieces · CPC title

• H04R2400/11

  Aspects regarding the frame of loudspeaker transducers · CPC title

• H04R2499/11

  Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's · CPC title

• H04R1/025

  Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture · CPC title

• H04R2460/01

  Hearing devices using active noise cancellation · CPC title