Audio processing device, information processing method, and earpiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026089430-A1
Application number	US-202318996414-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 4, 2023
Priority date	Jul 26, 2022
Publication date	Mar 26, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

An object is to reduce, for example, a sound leaking through a gap between an earphone or an earpiece and an ear canal.
Provided is an audio processing device including an audio output unit, a housing that houses the audio output unit, a sound guiding portion that guides a sound output from the audio output unit, and a sound deadening structure. The sound deadening structure includes an opening into which a leakage sound, of the sound output from the sound guiding portion, traveling around the outside of a pinna enters.

First claim

1 . An audio processing device comprising:
an audio output unit; a housing that houses the audio output unit; a sound guiding portion that guides a sound output from the audio output unit; and a sound deadening structure, wherein the sound deadening structure includes an opening into which a leakage sound, of the sound output from the sound guiding portion, traveling around an outside of a pinna enters.

2 . The audio processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
an earpiece is attachable to the sound conduit, and the sound deadening structure is arranged in a space formed between a base and an umbrella-shaped portion, both belonging to the earpiece, with the earpiece attached.

3 . The audio processing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the sound deadening structure is integrally formed with the earpiece attached to the sound conduit.

4 . The audio processing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the sound deadening structure is integrally formed with the sound conduit.

5 . The audio processing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the sound deadening structure is detachably attached to the space.

6 . The audio processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the sound deadening structure is integrally formed with the housing.

7 . The audio processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
a level of the leakage sound entering through the opening is reduced by the sound deadening structure.

8 . The audio processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the sound deadening structure includes a neck communicating with the opening, and a cavity having a volume equal to or larger than a volume of the neck.

9 . The audio processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the sound deadening structure includes a cavity communicating with the opening.

10 . The audio processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the sound deadening structure includes a structure that generates a sound different in phase from the leakage sound entering through the opening.

11 . The audio processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the sound deadening structure includes a main tube including the opening and a side branch tube connected to the main tube.

12 . The audio processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the sound deadening structure includes a structure adapted to each of the leakage sounds of different frequencies.

13 . The audio processing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the sound deadening structure includes a same material as of the earpiece or resin.

14 . The audio processing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the leakage sound includes a sound leaking from between the sound conduit or the earpiece and an ear canal.

15 . The audio processing device according to claim 1 , configured as a hearing aid or a sound collector.

16 . An information processing method comprising:
determining whether or not a sealing state is achieved, the sealing state corresponding to a state where a part of an ear canal is sealed by a housing included in an audio processing device or an earpiece attached to the audio processing device; and making a notification recommending use of a sound deadening structure that reduces a leakage sound leaking through an unsealed part in a case where the sealing state is not achieved.

17 . The information processing method according to claim 16 , wherein
the notification recommending use of a sound deadening structure includes at least one of a notification encouraging use of an audio processing device formed integrally with the sound deadening structure, a notification encouraging use of an earpiece formed integrally with the sound deadening structure, or a notification encouraging attachment of the sound deadening structure to the housing or the earpiece.

18 . An earpiece comprising:
a tubular base; an umbrella-shaped portion flared from a front end of the base; and a wall forming an opening communicating with a space between the base and the umbrella-shaped portion.

Assignees

• Sony Group Corp

Inventors

• Shinmen Naoki
• Kamata Masaki
• Yamamoto Atsushi

Classifications

• H04R2460/15

  Determination of the acoustic seal of ear moulds or ear tips of hearing devices · CPC title

• H04R29/001

  for loudspeakers (H04R29/007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• G10K11/172

  using resonance effects · CPC title

• H04R1/10

  Earpieces; Attachments therefor {; Earphones; Monophonic headphones (H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033)} · CPC title