Orienting earbuds and earbud systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015117695-A1
Application number	US-201314069031-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 31, 2013
Priority date	Oct 28, 2013
Publication date	Apr 30, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments relate generally to wearable electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and to wearable/mobile computing devices configured to process audio, in view of noise, and communicate audio. More specifically, disclosed are wearable devices, platforms and methods directed to, for example, provide wearable communication devices, such as a headset. In various embodiments, a wearable communication device includes an array of microphone, an audio processor coupled to the array of microphones, and a vibration detector including, for example, a skin surface microphone (“SSM”).

First claim

1 . A system of earbuds comprising:
a first earbud having a first width and a first height; and a second earbud having a second width a second height, the first earbud and the second earbud each comprise:
an acoustic chamber enclosed substantially by a chamber wall;
an ear engagement member formed having a curved shape extending beyond a top side of the acoustic chamber to engage a portion of an ear,
an input port in a rear surface of a first portion of the chamber wall having a periphery;
an output port adjacent a front surface of a second portion of the chamber wall at a first side, the output port oriented to direct audio to an ear canal; and
a wearable device engagement member shaped to couple to an earbud engagement member of a wearable communication device to maintain an orientation of the wearable communication device relative to an orientation of the ear bud,
wherein the first height is different than the second height and the first width is different than the second width, and the volume of the acoustic chamber for the first earbud is substantially the same as the volume of the acoustic chamber for the second earbud.

2 . The earbud of claim 1 wherein the wearable device engagement member comprises:
one or more members arranged in a concave formation.

3 . The earbud of claim 1 wherein the one or more members comprise:
one or more walls to form a recess.

4 . The earbud of claim 1 wherein the concave formation is formed in the acoustic chamber.

5 . The earbud of claim 1 wherein the input port comprises:
a circular periphery through which the earbud receives a speaker channel housing of the wearable communication device, the speaker channel housing including the earbud engagement member,
wherein the wearable device engagement member couples to the earbud engagement member to prevent the speaker channel housing from rotating in the circular periphery.

6 . The earbud of claim 1 wherein the wearable device engagement member is a recess into which the earbud engagement member enters.

7 . The earbud of claim 1 wherein the ear engagement member having a first ear engagement portion at a bottom side of the acoustic chamber and a second ear engagement portion extending beyond the top side of the acoustic chamber.

8 . The earbud of claim 7 wherein the first ear engagement portion is configured to engage a concha portion and the second ear engagement member is configured to engage a tragus portion.

9 . A earbud comprising:
an acoustic chamber enclosed substantially by a chamber wall; an ear engagement member formed having a curved shape extending beyond a top side of the acoustic chamber to engage a portion of an ear, an input port in a rear surface of a first portion of the chamber wall having a periphery; an output port adjacent a front surface of a second portion of the chamber wall at a first side, the output port having a diameter and oriented to transfer audio to an ear canal; and a wearable device engagement member shaped to couple to an earbud engagement member of a wearable communication device to maintain an orientation of the wearable communication device relative to an orientation of the ear bud.

10 . The earbud of claim 9 wherein the wearable device engagement member comprises:
one or more members arranged in a concave formation.

11 . The earbud of claim 10 wherein the one or more members comprise:
one or more walls to form a recess.

12 . The earbud of claim 10 wherein the concave formation is formed in the acoustic chamber.

13 . The earbud of claim 9 wherein the wearable device engagement member comprises:
one or more members arranged in a convex formation.

14 . The earbud of claim 9 wherein the input port comprises:
a circular periphery through which the earbud receives a speaker channel housing of the wearable communication device, the speaker channel housing including the earbud engagement member,
wherein the wearable device engagement member couples to the earbud engagement member to prevent the speaker channel housing from rotating in the circular periphery.

15 . The earbud of claim 14 wherein the wearable device engagement member is a recess into which the earbud engagement member enters.

16 . The earbud of claim 9 wherein the ear engagement member has an arc shape and is configured to engage one or more of a tragus portion, an anti-helix and a concha portion.

17 . The earbud of claim 9 wherein the ear engagement member having a first ear engagement portion at a bottom side of the acoustic chamber and a second ear engagement portion extending beyond the top side of the acoustic chamber.

18 . The earbud of claim 17 wherein the first ear engagement portion is configured to engage a concha portion and the second ear engagement member is configured to engage a tragus portion.

Assignees

• Barrentine Derek Boyd
• Behar Yves
• Chang Diana
• Lee Qin
• Aliphcom

Inventors

• Barrentine Derek Boyd
• Behar Yves
• Chang Diana
• Lee Qin

Classifications

• H02J7/42

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

• H04R1/1025 Primary

  Accumulators specially adapted for earpieces; Arrangements specially adapted for charging thereof · CPC title

• H04R2420/09

  Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones · CPC title

• H04R2227/003

  Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet · CPC title

• H04R27/00

  Public address systems (circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; {monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007}; amplifiers H03F) · CPC title