Patents Examined by Angelica M McKinney
  • Patent number: 11792585
    Abstract: A method of configuring a custom insert of a charger, wherein the custom insert is for aligning a first charging element of a hearing device and a transmitter charging element of a charger, includes: obtaining a digital three-dimensional hearing device model comprising a representation of the first charging element; obtaining a digital three-dimensional charger model comprising a representation of the transmitter charging element; obtaining a digital three-dimensional insert model; obtaining a digital cavity representing a cavity in the custom insert; and creating a custom digital three-dimensional insert model based on the digital cavity and the digital three-dimensional insert model, such that the representation of the first charging element in the digital three-dimensional hearing device model and the representation of the transmitter charging element in the three-dimensional charger model, are aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventors: Henrik Nielsen, Søren Davids, Thomas John Chappell, Anders Hjermø Michaelsen
  • Patent number: 11792575
    Abstract: An electronic device may be formed from acoustically permeable textile layers and voice coil layers. The voice coil layers may output sound through the textile layers. The textile layers and voice coil layers may be foldable or bent in one or more directions to allow the electronic device to be placed in expanded, collapsed, or folded configurations to allow for improved portability. Additionally, the textile layers and voice coil layers may be folded or bent to place the electronic device in cylindrical, conical, and other configurations to allow for improved sound output from the voice coil layers. The electronic device may also include light-emitting components between the textile layers that emit light through one of the textile layers to form indicators or images for a user of the device. The electronic device may have a plurality of sensors to allow user interactions to control the output of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yue Chen, Joshua A. Hoover, Daniel A. Podhajny, Nicholas R. Trincia, Seul Bi Kim, Chad J. Miller, Kristen L. Cretella, Yi Zou, William Leith
  • Patent number: 11785399
    Abstract: A device comprising a first printed circuit board (PCB); a second printed circuit board (PCB); a first flex board coupled to the first PCB and the second PCB; a first integrated device coupled to the first PCB; a speaker configured to be coupled to the first integrated device; a microphone configured to be coupled to the first integrated device; a second integrated device coupled to the second PCB, wherein the second integrated device is configured to be coupled to the first integrated device through the second PCB, the first flex board and the first PCB; and a power source configured to provide power to the first integrated device and the second integrated device. The first PCB is located between the power source and the first integrated device. The second PCB is located between the power source and the second integrated device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ravindra Shenoy, Rohit Sauhta, Elbert McLaren, Sidney Sitachitt, Donald William Kidwell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11770653
    Abstract: Provided is a speaker, including a frame; a vibration unit fixed to the frame; and a magnetic circuit unit driving the vibration unit to vibrate and produce sound. The vibration unit includes a diaphragm and a voice coil; the diaphragm includes a first suspension, a second suspension and a vibrating portion; the magnetic circuit unit is provided with a magnetic gap, and the voice coil is inserted in the magnetic gap; the magnetic circuit unit includes a yoke; and the yoke and the diaphragm are arranged at two opposite sides of the frame; and the vibration unit further includes a fixing ring connected to the magnetic circuit unit; the second suspension surrounds the fixing ring; and the inner peripheral side of the second suspension is fixed to an end of the fixing ring close to the yoke. With this structure, the acoustic performance of the speaker is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: AAC Microtech (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo Xiao, Chenliang Kong, Tong Zhang, Ronglin Linghu
  • Patent number: 11765510
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a magnetic circuit assembly of a bone conduction speaker. The magnetic circuit assembly may generate a first magnetic field. The magnetic circuit assembly may include a first magnetic element, and the first magnetic element may generate a second magnetic field. The magnetic circuit may further include a first magnetic guide element and at least one second magnetic element. The at least one second magnetic element may be configured to surround the first magnetic element and a magnetic gap may be configured between the second magnetic element and the first magnetic element. A magnetic field strength of the first magnetic field within the magnetic gap may exceed a magnetic field strength of the second magnetic field within the magnetic gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Fengyun Liao, Xin Qi
  • Patent number: 11765514
    Abstract: Provided is a speaker, including a frame, a vibration unit fixed to the frame, and a magnetic circuit unit including a magnetic gap. The magnetic circuit unit includes a yoke, and a magnet; the vibration unit includes a diaphragm, and a voice coil; the voice coil is inserted into the magnetic gap to drive the diaphragm to vibrate and produce sound; the speaker further includes a conductive lower diaphragm; the conductive lower diaphragm includes an inner connecting portion, an outer connecting portion, and an intermediate portion; the voice coil is electrically connected to the inner connecting portion; and the outer connecting portion is electrically connected to an external circuit. With this structure, internal space of the speaker is saved, reducing material cost and improving reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: AAC Microtech (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Huhu Yang
  • Patent number: 11758339
    Abstract: A hearing device, such as a hearing aid, includes an antenna for wireless communication. The antenna is housed in the hearing aid with an orientation determined to approximately minimize change in performance of the wireless communication when the hearing aid goes onto a wearer's head from free space. In various embodiments, the orientation of the antenna can be optimized by considering various factors including head loading and performance of wireless communication with various other devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Trevor Webster, Brent Anthony Bauman
  • Patent number: 11716573
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel kinetic energy earphone speaker, comprising a speaker, a battery, and a PCBA circuit main board. A through-hole is provided in the middle of one side face of the speaker, the battery extends into the through-hole for mounting and arranging, the PCBA circuit main board is sleeve jointed on the extending end of the battery, and a second washer can form one T-type magnetizer with a magnetizer metal casing of the battery. The present invention incorporates part of the volume of the battery into the speaker as a magnetizer, which can reduce the combined use space, make the volume of the product small, and shorten the overall design time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Inventor: Wenzhong Chen
  • Patent number: 11706552
    Abstract: An open audio device including an acoustic radiator that emits front-side acoustic radiation from its front side, and emits rear-side acoustic radiation from its rear side. A front acoustic cavity receives front-side acoustic radiation and comprises at least one front sound-emitting opening, and a rear acoustic cavity receives rear-side acoustic radiation and comprises at least one rear sound-emitting opening. The front and rear acoustic cavities each have a fundamental frequency. The fundamental frequencies are within one octave of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryan C. Struzik
  • Patent number: 11700487
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides speaker device. speaker device includes frame, vibration unit fixed to frame and magnetic circuit unit fixed to the frame and driving vibration unit to vibrate and produce sound, where magnetic circuit unit is provided with magnetic gap; vibration unit includes diaphragm fixed to frame, holder fixed to diaphragm; holder includes bottom wall that is fixed to diaphragm and provided with pair of long edges and pair of short edges, and pair of side walls bending and extending from outer peripheries of pair of short edges of bottom wall to magnetic circuit unit; The disclosure effectively solves problem of material underflow during molding of diaphragm of speaker device. In this way, connection parts between side walls and elastic conductive assembly are prevented from being contaminated, thereby reducing risk of unstable gluing between side walls and elastic conductive assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: AAC Microtech (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ping Liang, Bin Zhao, Wei Song
  • Patent number: 11700477
    Abstract: A speaker device is provided. The speaker device may include a circuit housing, an ear hook, a rear hook, and a speaker assembly. The circuit housing may be configured to accommodate a control circuit or a battery. The ear hook may be connected to one end of the circuit housing and at least a part of the ear hook being covered by a first housing sheath. The rear hook may be connected to the other end of the circuit housing and at least a part of the rear hook being covered by a second housing sheath. The first housing sheath and the second housing sheath may cover at least a part of a periphery of the circuit housing from two ends of the circuit housing, respectively. The speaker assembly may include an earphone core and a core housing for accommodating the earphone core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yongjian Li, Haofeng Zhang, Fen You
  • Patent number: 11696077
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides speaker device. The speaker device includes frame, vibration unit and magnetic circuit unit, where vibration unit includes diaphragm, voice coil and holder; holder includes holder body and first connecting portion; voice coil includes pair of first sides and pair of second sides; first side is provided with elastic support member fixed to frame and fixed to first connecting portion; elastic support member and first side enclose an accommodating space; magnetic circuit unit includes main magnetic body and an auxiliary magnetic body; auxiliary magnetic body includes first magnetic portion that is respectively spaced apart from first side and located in accommodating space; elastic support member include an auxiliary diaphragm; auxiliary diaphragm is provided with an avoiding groove. The present disclosure can increase volume of magnetic circuit unit to increase BL value, and can effectively reduce weight of vibration unit to improve sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: AAC Microtech (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei Song, Xin Jin, Zhiwei Zhong
  • Patent number: 11682533
    Abstract: An earbud device having a user interface that incorporates a rotary switch is described. The rotary switch is part of a stem that extends from the main body of the earbud, and can provide file selection and/or volume control functions. The interface can include a pressure switch, which can provide switching between on, off, and sleep modes. The pressure switch can also be positioned on the stem, and in some embodiments the rotary switch can also act as the pressure switch when pressed. In some embodiments the user interface can utilize a combination of rotary switch and pressure switch inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Soniphi LLC
    Inventor: Wayne J. Powell
  • Patent number: 11678107
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a speaker including a frame, a vibration system, and a magnetic circuit system, wherein the vibration system includes a first vibration diaphragm and a second vibration diaphragm which are fixed to two opposite sides of the frame, the magnetic circuit system includes a bobbin, a magnet fixed in the bobbin and spaced from an inner wall of the bobbin, a first pole plate fixed on one side of the magnet close to the first vibration diaphragm, a second pole plate fixed to one side of the magnet close to the second vibration diaphragm, and a third pole plate fixed outside the bobbin and spaced from an outer wall of the bobbin. The first voice coil assembly and the second voice coil assembly move inside and outside in a staggered manner, which saves a Z-directional space of the speaker and achieves higher magnetic field efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: AAC Microtech (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keyong Zhou, Xudong Yan
  • Patent number: 11678103
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to an audio system configured to provide enhancement of low audio frequencies. The audio system includes a tissue transducer and a speaker coupled to the tissue transducer. The tissue transducer is configured to be coupled to a tissue of a user (e.g., pinna of a user's ear). The speaker includes a diaphragm having a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface. The first surface is configured to generate a first set of airborne acoustic pressure waves, and the second surface is configured to generate a backpressure. The tissue transducer is driven by the backpressure to vibrate the tissue to form a second set of acoustic pressure waves. The first set of airborne acoustic pressure waves and the second set of acoustic pressure waves together form audio content that is presented to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Raymond Brodie, Morteza Khaleghimeybodi, Chuming Zhao, Drew Stone Briggs
  • Patent number: 11678123
    Abstract: An electrodynamic actuator for a speaker or an electrodynamic acoustic transducer in general is disclosed, which comprises at least one voice coil, a magnet system and an arm arrangement of a plurality of arms connecting the at least one voice coil and the magnet system or at least a movable part thereof so that a relative movement between these parts is allowed. The arms are made of metal with a fatigue strength of at least 370 N/mm2 or an ultimate tensile strength of at least 1100 N/mm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Sound Solutions International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gustav Otto, Markus Trampert, Stefan Gebhardt, Andreas Hintennach, Manuel Mefleh, Ernst Tomas
  • Patent number: 11671764
    Abstract: A microphone assembly includes a substrate, an acoustic transducer, an integrated circuit, and a cover couples to the substrate to enclose a back volume of the microphone assembly in which the acoustic transducer and the integrated circuit are disposed. The acoustic transducer includes a back plate and a diaphragm oriented parallel to the back plate disposed over an aperture in the substrate to receive acoustic signals. The cover is a metallic material with a thickness and a corresponding thermal diffusivity to attenuate incoming radio-frequency signals. The attenuation of the radio-frequency signals prevents ambient noise detectable by the microphone assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Pedersen, Joshua Watson, Adam Ariffin, Daniel J. Fairfield
  • Patent number: 11671761
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sounding device, including a frame, a vibration system, and a magnetic circuit system. The magnetic circuit system has a magnetic gap. The vibration system includes a diaphragm, a framework, a voice coil, and an elastic conductor. The elastic conductor includes an elastic conductor body, a first connecting piece and a second connecting piece, a first bending arm and a second bending aim, and a first pad and a second pad. The lead wires are connected to the first pad and the second pad, the first pad and the second pad are disposed on two sides of the framework, the first bending arm is spaced from the second bending arm, and a middle section is used to increase the volumes of first auxiliary magnets, thereby improving the acoustic performance of the sounding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: AAC Microtech (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xin Jin, Zhiwei Zhong, Fan Zhang
  • Patent number: 11665968
    Abstract: A microphone including a casing having a front wall, a back wall, and a side wall joining the front wall to the back wall, a transducer mounted to the front wall, the transducer including a substrate and a transducing element, the transducing element having a transducer acoustic compliance dependent on the transducing element dimensions, a back cavity cooperatively defined between the back wall, the side wall, and the transducer, the back cavity having a back cavity acoustic compliance. The transducing element is dimensioned such that the transducing element length matches a predetermined resonant frequency and the transducing element width, thickness, and elasticity produces a transducer acoustic compliance within a given range of the back cavity acoustic compliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Karl Grosh, Robert J. Littrell
  • Patent number: 11659310
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone and form-factor adapter can include an adapter housing including an opening and an outer acoustic port and can include a MEMS microphone disposed at least partially within the adapter housing. The MEMS microphone can include a microphone housing, a MEMS motor disposed in the microphone housing and acoustically coupled to the outer acoustic port of the adapter housing via an acoustic port of the microphone housing, and an electrical circuit disposed in the microphone housing and electrically coupled to the MEMS motor and to electrical contacts on an exterior of the microphone housing. The electrical contacts can be physically accessible through the opening of the adapter housing. The adapter housing can change a form-factor of the MEMS microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Janice LoPresti, Steve Kearey, Usha Murthy