Headphone Patents (Class 381/370)
  • Patent number: 11071615
    Abstract: This invention relates to a birthing sensor (1) for mounting on the tail of a pregnant animal. The birthing sensor comprises a casing (3) and an adjustable strap (5) for securing the casing to the tail of the pregnant animal. The casing houses monitoring equipment, communication equipment and a power supply. There is provided a padding insert (7, 37, 47) for location between the casing, the strap and the animal's tail. The padding insert comprises a sheet of resiliently deformable material, such as rubber, having a plurality of ventilation passageways formed therein. The ventilation passageways allow passage of air over the cow's tail underneath the sensor and further allow escape of urine and faeces from under the sensor. The passageways may be formed by having a plurality of upstanding bosses (9) on the surface of the padding insert and the passageways are the spaces between these upstanding bosses (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: MOOCALL LTD
    Inventor: Niall Austin
  • Patent number: 11064283
    Abstract: A convertible head wearable audio device is provided that may include a headband having a first earpiece at a first end and a receptacle at a second end. The convertible head wearable audio device may also include a wireless interface. The wireless interface may be configured to communicatively couple the convertible head wearable audio device to a remote device. The convertible head wearable audio device may further include an active noise cancellation module. The active noise cancellation module may be configured to reduce ambient noise from an audio output of the convertible head wearable audio device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: RM ACQUISITION, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen A. Fletcher, Venkatesh Rao, Wei Wu
  • Patent number: 11057695
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an in-ear headphone device including a loudspeaker having a loudspeaker diaphragm and a microphone, wherein the device is arranged to provide a noise cancelling audio signal to the loudspeaker. The loudspeaker and microphone are acoustically coupled within a device housing, and the device includes an acoustic tube coupling the device to an ear canal of a user. The acoustic tube is associated with an acoustic tube axis defining a projection plane perpendicular to the acoustic tube axis. The loudspeaker and microphone are arranged such that a projection area of the loudspeaker diaphragm onto the projection plane and a projection area of the microphone onto the projection plane are non-intersecting. The disclosure further provides an in-ear headphone device set including a first and a second in-ear headphone device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Tymphany Acoustic Technology (Huizhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rowan Dylan Gower Williams, Thomas Pieter J. Peeters, Chih-Hung Chen
  • Patent number: 11049519
    Abstract: A method for voice recording and an electronic device thereof are provided. The method includes determining a voice recording mode from among a plurality of voice recording modes, determining a voice beamforming direction according to the determined voice recording mode, and recording voice signals based on the determined voice beamforming direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joo-Hyun Moon, Eung-Ha Kim, Tai-Hyung Kim
  • Patent number: 11039238
    Abstract: A case for storing a mobile computing device and a wireless earbud includes a back panel; a front panel defining a viewing aperture which extends through the front panel; a plurality of sidewalls extending around a perimeter of the back panel and configured to couple the perimeter of the back panel to a perimeter portion of the front panel; a dividing layer between the front panel and the back panel, such that the front panel and the dividing layer together define a first housing configured to receive and restrain a mobile computing device, and the dividing layer and the back panel together define a second housing; and a wireless earbud charging contact disposed within the second housing and configured to contact and charge the wireless earbud when the wireless earbud is positioned in the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Royal Isle Design LLC
    Inventor: Paul Schrems
  • Patent number: 11019417
    Abstract: A hearing assistance device is described that includes: a behind-ear portion including a rechargeable energy source and a processor. The hearing assistance device further includes an in-ear portion including a processor, a microphone, and a speaker. The hearing assistant device further includes a tether configured to transmit electrical energy from the rechargeable energy source to the in-ear portion and communicatively couple the processor of the behind-ear portion with the processor of the in-ear portion. processor of the behind-ear portion and the processor of the in-ear portion communicate via the tether using a first communication protocol and the processor of the behind-ear portion and a processor of an external computing device communicate outside the tether using a second communication protocol that is different than or same as the first communication protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Paul Solum, Yoshi Kasahara, Christopher D. Young, Gregory John Haubrich, Preetham Varghese
  • Patent number: 10959007
    Abstract: A headset in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology includes a headpiece, an earpiece, an arm extending therebetween, and a cord extending through the arm. The arm includes elongate first and second segments through which the arm is operably connected to the earpiece and the headpiece, respectively. The first and second segments have a telescoping arrangement such that the arm is movable between a lengthened state and a shortened state. The arm further includes a hinge operable to rotate the arm about an axis and thereby move the arm relative to the headpiece between a folded state and an unfolded state. Increased slack in the cord preferentially gathers within an interior region of the second segment when the arm moves from the lengthened state toward the shortened state and when the arm moves from the folded state toward the unfolded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: New Audio LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Levine, Drew Stone Briggs, Marten Andersson, Thomas C. Wilson
  • Patent number: 10893352
    Abstract: Headphones are provided having virtual controls displayed on a circular touch screen and integrated memory, the headphones comprising a arcuate headband, a receiver, a transmitter, and computer-readable memory. The headphones are adapted to interact with a wearer through the virtual controls, permitting a wearer to share media wirelessly, assign playback settings, and to accept wireless input from a remote data processing (DPD) device. The headphones may perform a hearing screen test to determine using tones at predetermined frequencies then to amplify frequencies at which a user experiences hearing loss during playback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Inventors: Matthew Hawkes, Spencer Lifferth, Denarius Motes, David Tucker
  • Patent number: 10848846
    Abstract: A display system includes a head-mounted display unit and a detachable speaker unit. The head-mounted display unit outputs visual content to a user and provides a visual pass-through of a real environment to the user. The detachable speaker unit is detachably coupleable to the head-mounted display unit for providing aural content to the user. At least one of the visual content or the aural content is changed according to a position of the detachable speaker unit relative to the head-mounted display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Neal D. Evans, James W. VanDyke, Andrew M. Hulva, Robert D. Silfvast, Christopher T. Eubank
  • Patent number: 10834491
    Abstract: Acoustic attenuating ear muffs include a first ear pod having a first ear cup provide with a first acoustic attenuating member including an outer surface, and a first opening. A second ear pod includes a second ear cup having a second acoustic attenuating member including an outer surface portion, and a second opening. A first selectively deployable plug member is mounted to the outer surface of the first acoustic attenuating member. A second selectively deployable plug member mounted to the outer surface of the second acoustic attenuating member. An acoustic sensor is operable to detect ambient noise. An actuator system is operable to shift the first and second selectively deployable plug members into corresponding ones of the first and second openings based on ambient noise detected by the acoustic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William L. Brodsky, Byron S. Green, Robert K. Mullady, Jeffrey A. Newcomer, Arkadiy O. Tsfasman, John S. Werner
  • Patent number: 10823584
    Abstract: An intelligent device having detachable bodies, where a Hall effect sensor and a magnet are respectively disposed on two detachable bodies, and the Hall effect sensor detects a magnetic field of the magnet to determine whether the two bodies are in an attracted state. In addition, an attraction magnet pair is disposed on each of the two bodies to implement attraction of the two bodies. Each attraction magnet pair includes two magnets having opposite polarities and disposed side by side. Such an attraction magnet combination reduces strength of a magnetic field in a direction of a non-magnetic pole, thereby reducing impact on detection on the magnetic field by the Hall effect sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taian Li
  • Patent number: 10816812
    Abstract: A head-mounted display system is disclosed that includes a housing; a visual system associated with the housing to facilitate image and/or video display; a wearable support connectable to the housing; and an audio component pivotably connected to the support such that the audio component is movable between a first position in which the audio component is in general alignment with the support, and a second position in which the audio component is out of general alignment with the support. Movement from the first position to the second position transitions the audio component from a first mode (i.e., an extra-aural mode) in which sound is projected through a first port in communication with a driver to a user to a second mode (i.e., an intra-aural mode) in which sound is projected through a second port in communication with the driver to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Silfvast, James W. VanDyke, Jeremy C. Franklin, Neal D. Evans, Christopher T. Eubank
  • Patent number: 10812893
    Abstract: Various implementations include an arm for a napeband-style earphone system and a related earphone system. The arm has sections with distinct stiffness in order to flex over the top of a user's pinna for placement of an earphone proximate the ear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryan Joseph Wexler, Daniel P. Baker
  • Patent number: 10791391
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a headset may be provided. The headset may include: a speaker having a main sound emission direction; and a movement member configured to effect movement of the speaker along a pre-determined path at least substantially perpendicular to the main sound emission direction upon actuation of the movement member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: RAZER (ASIA-PACIFIC) PTE. LTD.
    Inventor: Lawrence Xian Jie Ong
  • Patent number: 10778021
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a charging case for headphones. The charging case for headphones includes cable management features that allow headphones to be recharged while securely held in the charging case. The headphone charging case may switch between a docked mode and a charging mode. In the docked mode, cable management features help secure the charging cable and charging cable connector in place. In the charging mode, the charging cable is extended so that the charging cable connector attaches to the headphones while the headphones are positioned in the charging case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Elizabeth Victoria Alexander, Yi Chang Lin, Ya Hsuan Sun
  • Patent number: 10771885
    Abstract: A headphone device includes a head pad, a band, and a sleeve. The head pad has a curved shape with a first radius of curvature. The band extends from an edge of the head pad into a curved shape with a second radius of curvature different from the first radius of curvature, and supports a housing, via a hanger, housing a speaker unit. The sleeve has a curved shape with the first radius of curvature and is slidable along the head pad to cover the band so as to change the radius of curvature at a part of the band covered with the sleeve to approximate to the first radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: JVC KENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji Kamimura
  • Patent number: 10764708
    Abstract: Sound is produced through headphones in a manner that improves user experience and increases safety. In some circumstances, such as when the user is moving during exercise, commuting, etc., an audio safety spatialization mode of the headphones is automatically activated. In this mode, sound is spatialized such that when the user turns his head, the sound appears to be generated from a same position in space as before the user turned his head. If the user's head remains in the turned position, the spatialized sound will return to an initialized position with respect to the user's head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan Moeller
  • Patent number: 10764665
    Abstract: A microphone according to an embodiment includes: an ear chip including a cylindrical part with a hollow part formed therein, and a contact part disposed outside the cylindrical part and configured to come into contact with an inner wall surface of an ear canal; a cable lead out to a gap between the cylindrical part and the contact part; and a microphone element disposed in the hollow part and connected to the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: JVCKENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Nagai, Hiroshi Uchida, Kenji Ejima, Hisako Murata, Masaya Konishi
  • Patent number: 10743106
    Abstract: Various implementations include headphone systems. In one implementation a headband for a headphone system includes: a continuous spring section sized to extend over a head of a user; an earcup mount coupled with an end of the continuous spring section, where the continuous spring section and the earcup mount form an arcuate joint, and where the earcup mount is configured to rotate relative to the continuous spring section at the arcuate joint; and a friction assembly spanning between the continuous spring section and the earcup mount, the friction assembly linearly arranged across the arcuate joint and configured to provide a substantially constant resistance to the rotation of the earcup mount relative to the continuous spring section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bennett P. Daley, Eric Douglas Curtiss, Allen Timothy Graff, Richard Arthur Grebe
  • Patent number: 10687136
    Abstract: The disclosure provides for an audio accessory that includes earbuds or earphones, an input device, and a processor. The input device includes a first button and optionally includes additional buttons or touch sensors. The processor is configured to initiate an action when a first input is received at the first button, provide audio updates when a second input is received at the first button, and prepare the input device to receive audio input when a third input is received at the first button. Also, the processor is configured to silence a currently playing audio message and initiate playing a next audio message when a fourth input is received at one of the buttons or the touch sensors, and silence and mark the currently playing audio message for no further playback when a fifth input is received at one of the buttons or the touch sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Tom Jenkins, Henry Holland, Nicole Kobilansky
  • Patent number: 10639201
    Abstract: A hearing protector (1) having an ear cup (11) forming a space for a wearer's ear. The ear cup has a shell (13) with an ear facing inner side (22) and a passageway extending through the shell between the ear facing inner side and an outer side (16) of the shell. The ear cup further has a loudspeaker assembly which seals the passageway from the outer side. The loud speaker assembly further has a seal member (18) and a loudspeaker module (17). A portion of the seal member is arranged between the shell and a fastener (25), and the fastener retains the loudspeaker assembly at the shell. The hearing protector facilitates manufacturing and maintenance and provides for maximize wearing comfort and technical reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Johan HÃ¥kansson
  • Patent number: 10645477
    Abstract: An audio system (10) has a headphone unit (12) and a speaker unit (14). The headphone unit is configured to receive wirelessly transmitted input signals from which an audio output is derived. The headphone unit is provided with a first connector unit (20) and the speaker unit is provided with a second connector unit (22). The speaker unit is configured to permit the headphone unit to be docked with the speaker unit so that the first connector unit and second connector unit connect to enable transmission of signals from the headphone unit to the speaker unit to enable the speaker unit to provide an audio output based on wireless input signals received by the headphone unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Binatone Electronics International Ltd.
    Inventor: Dino Lalvani
  • Patent number: 10638211
    Abstract: An in-ear headphone having an MMCX socket and a detachable in-ear headphone assembly are provided. The in-ear headphone includes a headphone housing and a speaker assembly disposed in the headphone housing. The headphone housing includes a first housing and a second housing to be connected with each other. The first housing has a first interface portion extending from one end thereof. The second housing has a second interface portion extending from one end thereof. The first interface portion and the second interface portion jointly form an interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: TRANSOUND ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tseng-Feng Wen, Weiguo Zeng, Haijuan Wu, Lin Cheng
  • Patent number: 10631077
    Abstract: A length-adjustable collapsible headphone includes a headband comprising an upper section, a right lower section, and a left lower section, the upper section comprising an inner headband arm and an outer headband arm, the right lower section and the left lower section each comprising a scissor arm assembly having an inner scissor arm and an outer scissor arm, each of the inner scissor arms and the outer scissor arms comprising slide adjustment sub-assemblies. A pivot joint connects the outer headband arm to the inner headband arm so that the outer headband arm and the inner headband arm can rotate freely around an axis of the pivot joint. A left and a right pivot assembly connects respective inner scissor arms to respective outer scissor arms that are aligned with the axis of the pivot joint so as to maintain a common centerpoint allowing the headphone to collapse in a spherical motion to a space efficient closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Inventors: Zach Cranfield, Eric Michael Bergman
  • Patent number: 10601373
    Abstract: A dynamic boost audio system includes a booster circuit having a dynamically sliding power supply unit (PSU) capable of outputting power among a plurality of different power levels. The booster circuit is configured to identify a real-time audio level of an audio signal, and automatically adjust the power to the power level such that the audio signal is output in response to the real-time audio level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: TYMPHANY HK LIMITED
    Inventor: Sebastiaan de Vries
  • Patent number: 10567864
    Abstract: The invention relates to a seamless pivot for a head-worn audio device. The seamless pivot includes a headband tube for interconnecting an earcup and a headband. The headband tube includes a channel extending from a top surface of the headband tube to an internal detent and an internal cavity of the headband tube. The seamless pivot also includes a spring member. A portion of the spring member is disposed within the channel of the headband tube and configured to allow rotation of the headband tube relative to the portion of the spring member. An end of the spring member terminates within at least one of the internal detent and the internal cavity of the headband tube. A range of the rotation of the headband tube, relative to the portion of the spring member within the channel, is limited by the internal detent of the headband tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik Henry Tews, John A Kelley, Nicholas W Paterson
  • Patent number: 10560792
    Abstract: Method and devices for testing a headphone with increased sensation are provided. The headphone can filter and amplify low frequency audio signals, which are then sent to a haptic device in the headphone. The haptic device can cause bass sensations at the top of the skull and at both ear cups. The testing system can evaluate the haptic and acoustic sensations produced by the headphone to evaluate if they have been properly assembled and calibrate the headphones if necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics of Silicon Valley, Inc.
    Inventors: Rocky Chau-Hsiung Lin, Thomas Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 10555065
    Abstract: A headset may comprise at least one ear cup and an ear cup shaper configurable into at least two configurations. When the ear cup shaper is configured in a first of the configurations, the ear cup is shaped to contact the temple of a wearer of the headset. When the adjustable ear cup shaper is configured in a second of the configurations, the ear cup is shaped to accommodate the temple piece of a pair of eyeglasses of a wearer of the headset. The ear cup may comprise a filler material such as foam, and the adjustable ear cup shaper when configured in the second of the configurations may create a depression in the foam. The adjustable ear cup shaper may comprise a strap and/or a plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Kulavik, Andy Logan
  • Patent number: 10554800
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods to communicate audio data from either an active wireless device or a requesting wireless device to one or more audio reproduction devices that are simultaneously communicatively coupled to both the active wireless device and to the requesting wireless device are disclosed. Responsive to a request from the requesting wireless device to transmit audio data to the one or more audio reproduction devices, the active wireless device determines whether to transmit audio data from the requesting wireless device based at least in part on an audio status of the active wireless device and a set of predetermined arbitration criteria that prioritizes among applications and operating system processes that generate the audio data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Watson, Ganesha Adkasthala Ganapathi Batta, Anthony Guetta, David John Shaw, Craig Dooley, Chris Saari, Gregory Novick, Nathan De Vries, Sriram Hariharan, Patrick Ian Bernhard, Dana McLaughlin, Jeffrey Chandler Moore, Patrick Lee Coffman, Jonathan Anderson Bennett, Deepak Iyer, Albert Riley Howard, Jr., Jason Conn
  • Patent number: 10524038
    Abstract: A set of earphones enable a user to automatically activate and/or deactivate an electronic device. The earphones comprise an electronic device controller which controls the operation of an electronic device. The controller is configured to send a signal to an electronic device activation circuit which operates the electronic device based upon a coupling status of the earbuds with the one or more magnetically attractable surfaces and/or one or more magnets. The earphones are usable with an electronic device that is able to be customized to blend in with its background such as when worn with specific clothing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: SNIK LLC
    Inventor: Rob Honeycutt
  • Patent number: 10469946
    Abstract: An over-ear speaker system for a head mounted display includes a speaker, an impedance detection circuit, and a sound processor. The impedance of the speaker changes according to the temperature of the speaker. The sound processor coupled to the impedance detection circuit receives an impedance signal representing the impedance of the speaker and adjusts the boosting of frequency components in the sound signal based on the impedance signal. The adjusting of boosting of frequency components in the sound signal includes boosting of a frequency range of the sound signal below a resonance frequency of a speaker and may enable the protection of the speaker from damage by adjusting boosting of frequency components near a resonance frequency of the speaker at which maximum excursion of the speaker occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: David Tao
  • Patent number: 10425713
    Abstract: An example headphone arrangement includes at least one earphone. The at least one earphone includes a sealed housing having an aperture and a tube with a longitudinal axis. The tube is curved along its longitudinal axis to form a closed or open ring configured to totally or partly surround an ear of a user. A speaker is mounted to the housing at the aperture so that the housing in connection with the speaker encloses a closed acoustic volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Pfaffinger
  • Patent number: 10397682
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Arun D. Chawan, Kurt Stiehl, Benjamin A. Cousins, Jonathan S. Aase, Yacine Azmi, Paul Choiniere, Scott W. Slabaugh
  • Patent number: 10397689
    Abstract: A dual wireless earphones comprise two earphone bodies and a connecting cable assembly. The connecting cable assembly comprises a cable tube and two connectors fixedly connected to both ends of the cable tube respectively, one of the connectors is detachably connected to one of the earphone bodies, and the other connector is detachably connected to the other earphone body. In the dual wireless earphones according to the present disclosure, two earphone bodies are detachably connected by a connecting cable assembly, and when the dual wireless earphones are used, the two earphone bodies can be connected by the connecting cable assembly, thereby effectively avoiding the earphone bodies being dropped and lost when they are worn. Moreover, the user can choose whether to connect the two earphone bodies according to his preferences and usage scenarios, so the use of the dual wireless earphones is greatly facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: QINGDAO GOERTEK TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mingjun Tang
  • Patent number: 10368156
    Abstract: A configurable earbud retention and stabilization system is disclosed herein. The configurable earbud retention and stabilization system includes a bendable earloop configured to fit over an ear of a user, the bendable earloop having a first end and a second end oppositely disposed relative to the first end, the bendable earloop defining a clip aperture proximate to the first end, the bendable earloop configured to be deformed into a plurality of different positions so as to provide a customized fit for the user; and an earbud clip, the earbud clip forming a cavity configured to receive an earbud headphone therein, the earbud clip including a connecting member received within the clip aperture of the bendable earloop so as to detachably couple the earbud clip to the bendable earloop. In some embodiments, the bendable earloop includes an inner wire enabling the bendable earloop to be deformed into the different positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Inventor: Gordon Haggott Beckhart
  • Patent number: 10362387
    Abstract: An acoustic resistor for use in an audio device includes a resin film having air permeability in a thickness direction of the resin film, and the resin film is a non-porous film having through holes formed to extend straight through the resin film in the thickness direction. This acoustic resistor is used in an audio device including: a transducing part that performs conversion between sound and an electrical signal and that includes an acoustic element; a housing enclosing the transducing part and having at least one opening; and a passage for gas that is present inside the housing and communicates with the opening and in which the acoustic element is placed. The acoustic resistor is placed between the opening and the acoustic element in the passage. The variation in properties of the acoustic resistor of the present disclosure can be made smaller than that of conventional acoustic resistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bunta Hirai, Satoru Furuyama, Masaaki Mori, Hajime Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10327057
    Abstract: A headset in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology includes a headpiece, an earpiece, an arm extending therebetween, and a cord extending through the arm. The arm includes elongate first and second segments through which the arm is operably connected to the earpiece and the headpiece, respectively. The first and second segments have a telescoping arrangement such that the arm is movable between a lengthened state and a shortened state. The arm further includes a hinge operable to rotate the arm about an axis and thereby move the arm relative to the headpiece between a folded state and an unfolded state. Increased slack in the cord preferentially gathers within an interior region of the second segment when the arm moves from the lengthened state toward the shortened state and when the arm moves from the folded state toward the unfolded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: New Audio LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Levine, Drew S. Briggs, Marten Andersson, Thomas C. Wilson
  • Patent number: 10327056
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for an eyewear accommodating headset with adaptive and variable ear support. An example headset may comprise an ear cup with two or more distinct sections that differ in one or more characteristics. A first section is adaptively configured to accommodate a temple piece of a pair of eyeglasses of a wearer of the headset, and a second section is configured to maintain contact with a temple of the wearer of the headset. The different sections may comprise different foams (or different parts of foam, each with different characteristics). The characteristics may comprise hardness and/or density. Another example headset may comprise an ear cup with a divot that accommodates the temple piece of the eyeglasses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Kulavik, Thomas M. Schoene, David Zepp, Juergen Stark
  • Patent number: 10313822
    Abstract: An image sensor in a first earcup captures an image of a pinna. First sound is output by a transducer in a second earcup located at the pinna and respective second sound is detected by each of one or more microphones in the second earcup located at the pinna. Based on the captured image and the respective second audio sound from each of the one or more microphones, a non-linear transfer function is determined which characterizes how sound is transformed by the pinna. A signal is generated indicative of one or more audio cues for spatializing third sound based on the determined non-linear transfer function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: EmbodyVR, Inc.
    Inventor: Kapil Jain
  • Patent number: 10313775
    Abstract: An in-ear hearing device having an ear interfacing portion integrally formed with an elongated stem portion, wherein the ear interfacing portion extends away from the elongated stem portion; a first acoustic port formed in the ear interfacing portion; a speaker disposed in the ear interfacing portion and aligned to emit sound from the acoustic port; a plurality of electrical contacts disposed at an end of the stem portion, the plurality of electrical contacts including first and second contacts; a second acoustic port formed at the end of the elongated stem portion between the first and second contacts; a microphone disposed in the stem portion; and a channel that fluidically couples the microphone to the second acoustic port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: M. Evans Hankey, Emery A. Sanford, Christopher D. Prest, Way Chet Lim
  • Patent number: 10277970
    Abstract: There is provided a microphone unit (1) for an action camera, comprising a microphone capsule (10) having at least one speaking hole (11), and a water-tight enclosure (20) which water-tightly encloses the microphone capsule (10). The water-tight enclosure (20) has a water-impermeable passive diaphragm (25) which can oscillate freely and which allows incoming sound to pass substantially undisturbed. The microphone unit has a head (30) having a plurality of holes (31), the head (30) being provided outside the enclosure (20) in front of the passive diaphragm (25). The microphone unit further has a foam portion (40) which is provided in front of the head (30) and has an open-pore foam. The foam portion (40) is in contact with the head (30). The passive diaphragm (25) has an oscillatable minimum area of 20 mm2; wherein the foam portion (40) has pores which are sufficiently small so that the foam portion (40) can suck water residues away from the holes (31) in the head (30) like a sponge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Horn, Manfred Kurbis, Lars Heine, Raimund Staat
  • Patent number: 10264374
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods to provide improved connections for components of hearing assistance devices. Various embodiments include an apparatus including a receiver case configured to house a hearing assistance device receiver, the receiver case including a spherical receiver spout having an opening. The apparatus also includes a receptacle housing having a spherical socket adapted to mate with the spherical receiver spout to form a ball and socket connection. An insert within the spherical socket is configured to establish a retained interference fit with the opening of the receiver spout when the connection is formed so as to create an acoustic seal therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Sidney A. Higgins, Wei Li Lin, David Tourtelotte
  • Patent number: 10257601
    Abstract: Open-air earbuds and methods for making the same are disclosed. The earbud has a neck, which is open to the ambient environment in order to improve bass response. In order to prevent debris from entering the interior of the earbud, a filter is incorporated into the neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Y. Hayashida
  • Patent number: 10244302
    Abstract: An earphone, comprising an earphone housing and a loudspeaker unit accommodated in the earphone housing, the loudspeaker unit dividing a cavity formed by the earphone housing into an earphone front sound cavity and an earphone rear sound cavity; wherein the earphone further comprises a tuning mechanism; wherein a rear sound cavity audio hole is provided on the loudspeaker unit rear sound cavity, and the loudspeaker unit rear sound cavity is in communication with the earphone rear sound cavity through the rear sound cavity audio hole; the tuning mechanism is provided between the rear sound cavity audio hole and the housing, and the tuning mechanism is used to adjust the size of the rear sound cavity audio hole of the loudspeaker unit. The present application allows for individual adjustment of the sound quality of the earphone in accordance with a middle and low frequency requirements of different users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: GOERTEK INC.
    Inventors: Yanpeng Zhao, Ping Xie, Xiaofei Fang
  • Patent number: 10231044
    Abstract: An in-ear hearing device having an ear interfacing portion integrally formed with an elongated stem portion, wherein the ear interfacing portion extends away from the elongated stem portion; a first acoustic port formed in the ear interfacing portion; a speaker disposed in the ear interfacing portion and aligned to emit sound from the acoustic port; a plurality of electrical contacts disposed at an end of the stem portion, the plurality of electrical contacts including first and second contacts; a second acoustic port formed at the end of the elongated stem portion between the first and second contacts; a microphone disposed in the stem portion; and a channel that fluidically couples the microphone to the second acoustic port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: M. Evans Hankey, Emery A. Sanford, Christopher D. Prest, Way Chet Lim
  • Patent number: 10178481
    Abstract: A sound producing device comprising: a speaker unit and a housing, wherein the speaker unit comprises a vibration system which comprises a vibrating diaphragm and a voice coil; a front and rear acoustic cavities are formed between the vibrating diaphragm and the housing, respectively; the side surface of the housing is provided with a sound hole communicating with the front acoustic cavity; the vibrating diaphragm comprises a dome portion and a suspension ring portion; the side of the suspension ring portion connected to the dome portion is provided with a dome connecting portion, and the side of the suspension ring portion combined with the housing is provided with a housing bonding portion; and a height difference exists between the housing bonding portion and the dome connecting portion. The present invention increases the size of the sound hole and the speaker unit, thus improving the acoustic performance of a product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: GOERTEK INC.
    Inventors: Minghui Shao, Jianbin Yang
  • Patent number: 10165346
    Abstract: An in-ear hearing device having an ear interfacing portion integrally formed with an elongated stem portion, wherein the ear interfacing portion extends away from the elongated stem portion; a first acoustic port formed in the ear interfacing portion; a speaker disposed in the ear interfacing portion and aligned to emit sound from the acoustic port; a plurality of electrical contacts disposed at an end of the stem portion, the plurality of electrical contacts including first and second contacts; a second acoustic port formed at the end of the elongated stem portion between the first and second contacts; a microphone disposed in the stem portion; and a channel that fluidically couples the microphone to the second acoustic port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: M. Evans Hankey, Emery A. Sanford, Christopher D. Prest, Way Chet Lim
  • Patent number: 10123108
    Abstract: An earbud assembly with separate, flexible overmold sections configured to cover a seam between adjacent portions of an underling earbud housing. The earbud assembly includes a first housing member and a second housing member attached to the first housing member and forming enclosure with the first housing member that houses an audio transducer. A first flexible overmold is formed on an first exterior surface of the first housing member, and a second flexible overmold is formed on an exterior surface of the second housing member. The flexible overmolds each include an edge portion along their perimeters. Each edge portion is configured to abut the other and thereby cover the seam of the earbud housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC
    Inventors: Quintin Morris, James Stocker Webb, Mark Shintaro Ando, Peter Wesley Bristol, David Tao, Daniel James Faulkner
  • Patent number: 10117013
    Abstract: A digitally driven headphone suppresses the occurrence of spurious radiation even when directly converting digital signals into sound waves. The digitally driven headphone includes a first sound emission unit, a second sound emission unit, and a signal line. The first sound emission unit includes at least one magnetic body into which the signal line is inserted, a signal processing circuit configured to process digital signals from a sound source, a circuit board on which the signal processing circuit is disposed, a driving part configured to drive the diaphragm in response to digital signals from the sound source, and a diaphragm configured to vibrate in response to driving of the driving part. The signal processing circuit has an output part disposed at an end portion of the circuit board. The signal line is inserted into the at least one magnetic body, and is connected to the output part and the second sound emission unit. The at least one magnetic body is disposed adjacent to the output part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: AUDIO-TECHNICA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenzo Tsuihiji
  • Patent number: 10110985
    Abstract: An earphone includes a housing arranged to receive a speaker, the housing having a front portion arranged to be inserted in a user's ear and a rear portion arranged to remain outside the user's ear. The rear portion has a channel formed therein which is sized to receive an earphone cord and secure it therein. The earphone may also include an earphone plug having a plug housing with a channel formed therein or a cord joint having a joint housing with a channel formed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Anna Grace Meyer