Portable speaker system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9843851-B2
Application number	US-201514869897-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	May 22, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A portable audio input/output device may include one or more openings that extend through a cover of the device and allow acoustic signals outside a housing of the device to reach a microphone disposed within the housing. The opening(s) may be illuminated by a light guide disposed within the housing, which scatters light emitted from lights disposed within the housing. In some instances, a hole may pass through a printed circuit board to allow acoustic signals to be received by the microphone disposed below the printed circuit board. An input/output (I/O) interface module with multiple buttons and inputs may be installed in the hole. The multiple buttons and I/O ports of the I/O interface module may be aligned along an axis vertical relative to the housing and centered with respect to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable audio input/output device comprising:
a cylindrical housing having a top and a bottom;
a cover coupled to the top of the cylindrical housing, the cover having multiple openings, the multiple openings extending through the cover;
a microphone disposed within the cylindrical housing beneath the cover;
a light guide disposed within the cylindrical housing and interposed between the cover and the microphone, the light guide having multiple ports that extend through the light guide and are substantially aligned with the multiple openings in the cover, the multiple ports including:
a first port, aligned with the microphone, through which the microphone receives audio signals from outside the cylindrical housing; and
multiple false ports, acoustically insulated from the microphone; and

multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed within the cylindrical housing beneath the cover to emit light towards the light guide to illuminate the multiple openings in the cover.

2. The portable audio input/output device of claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within the cylindrical housing beneath the cover and having a top surface and a bottom surface, the PCB having an opening aligned with the first port of the light guide,
wherein the light guide and the multiple LEDs are coupled to the top surface of the PCB, and the microphone is coupled to the bottom surface of the PCB adjacent to the opening in the PCB.

3. The portable audio input/output device of claim 1 , wherein a number of the multiple openings is different than a number of the multiple LEDs.

4. The portable audio input/output device of claim 1 , further comprising an input/output (I/O) interface module coupled to a sidewall of the cylindrical housing, the I/O interface module comprising:
a substantially planar printed circuit board (PCB) defining a plane;
multiple buttons coupled to the PCB, the multiple buttons being actuatable in a direction parallel to the plane of the PCB; and
a first I/O port having a receptacle to receive a plug and a second I/O port having a receptacle to receive another plug, the first I/O port and the second I/O port coupled to the PCB such that their receptacles are oriented in a direction parallel to the plane of the PCB,
wherein the multiple buttons, the first I/O port, and the second I/O port are aligned vertically with respect to the cylindrical housing and centered with respect to each other.

5. An electronic device comprising:
a housing having a top and a bottom;
a cover coupled to the top of the housing, an opening formed in the cover and extending through the cover;
a light source disposed within the housing and below the cover;
a light guide disposed within the housing and interposed between the light source and the cover to illuminate the opening in the cover, the light guide having a port extending through at least a portion of the light guide; and
a microphone disposed within the housing and positioned to receive acoustic signals from outside the housing through the opening in the cover and the port of the light guide.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within the housing,
the PCB being interposed between the light guide and the microphone, and
the PCB having a hole formed there through, which allows passage of audio signals from outside the housing, through the opening and the port, to the microphone.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:
the light guide is coupled to a top surface of the PCB;
the microphone is coupled to a bottom surface of the PCB and positioned below the hole; and
the light source is coupled to the top surface of the PCB adjacent a face of the light guide.

8. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising an acoustic mesh positioned at least one of:
between the housing and the light guide covering a first opening of the port, or
between the light guide and the PCB covering a second opening of the port.

9. The electronic device of claim 5 , further comprising:
multiple other openings formed in the cover and extending through the cover; and
multiple other ports extending through the light guide and respectively aligned with the multiple other openings in the cover, the multiple other ports comprising false ports which are acoustically insulated from the microphone.

10. The electronic device of claim 5 , further comprising:
another opening formed in the cover and extending through the cover;
another port extending through at least a portion of the light guide and aligned with the other opening formed in the cover; and
another microphone disposed within the housing and positioned to receive acoustic signals from outside the housing through the other opening and the other port of the light guide.

11. An electronic device comprising:
a housing having a top and a bottom;
an I/O interface module disposed in an opening in a sidewall of the housing and acoustically sealing the opening in the sidewall of the housing, the I/O interface module comprising:
a substantially planar printed circuit board (PCB) defining a plane;
a button coupled to the PCB and actuatable in a direction parallel to the plane defined by the PCB; and
a first port and a second port coupled to the PCB, the first and second ports having receptacles oriented in a direction parallel to the plane defined by the PCB, the button, first port, and second port being aligned along an axis parallel to the plane defined by the PCB.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the button and the first port are coupled to the PCB by tabs of the PCB.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the tabs of the PCB align the button and the first port along the axis parallel to the plane defined by the PCB.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein:
the first port is further coupled to the PCB by a bracket comprising a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the PCB in parallel with the PCB, the second end extending at a substantially right angle from the first end; and
the first port is coupled to the second end of the bracket.

15. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the second port is coupled directly to the PCB.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the receptacle of the second port defines the axis parallel to the plane by which the button, first port, and second port are aligned.

17. The electronic device of claim 11 , the I/O interface module further comprising:
a top housing and a bottom housing fitted together to form an I/O module housing around the PCB;
a top seal disposed between the top housing and the PCB and a bottom seal disposed between the bottom housing and the PCB; and
a radial seal attached to a circumference of the I/O module housing.

18. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the I/O interface module substantially prevents acoustic signals exterior of the housing from entering the housing through the opening in the sidewall of the housing.

19. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein a shape of the housing comprises a substantially cylindrical shape.

20. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the button, the first port, and the second port are aligned vertically with respect to the housing.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Chamberlin Christopher Mann
• Kuo Chia Hung
• Beatty Jacob William
• Whyte Duane Everard
• Santos Adrian Roy Ramiscal
• Lewis Isabella Talley

Classifications

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title

• H04R1/028 Primary

  associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles · CPC title

• H05K1/189

  characterised by the use of flexible or folded printed circuits · CPC title

• H05K2201/053

  Tails · CPC title