Abstract: Devices and methods involving distributed mode loudspeakers are provided. A representative device includes: a housing defining an interior; a display supported by the housing; a distributed mode loudspeaker supported by the housing, the distributed mode loudspeaker having a driver and a panel, the driver being mounted within the interior and being operative to vibrate the panel, the panel being movable between a stowed position, in which a first portion of the panel is positioned within the interior, and an extended position, in which the first portion of the panel is positioned outside the interior.

Abstract: Devices and methods involving distributed mode loudspeakers are provided. A representative device includes: a housing defining an interior; a display supported by the housing; a distributed mode loudspeaker supported by the housing, the distributed mode loudspeaker having a driver and a panel, the driver being mounted within the interior and being operative to vibrate the panel, the panel being movable between a stowed position, in which a first portion of the panel is positioned within the interior, and an extended position, in which the first portion of the panel is positioned outside the interior.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a substrate and an acoustic actuator mounted on a surface of the substrate. More particularly, the acoustic actuator may be configured to generate displacements along a direction parallel with respect to the surface of the substrate in response to an electrical signal applied thereto. A speaker box may define an acoustic volume, and the speaker box may include a speaker box wall with a speaker box opening therethrough adjacent the acoustic actuator. A speaker membrane may be provided across the speaker box opening adjacent the acoustic actuator, and the speaker membrane may be mechanically coupled to the acoustic actuator so that the speaker membrane is configured to deflect responsive to displacements generated by the acoustic actuator. Related methods are also discussed.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a printed circuit board and a speaker box defining an acoustic volume between spaced apart first and second speaker box walls with the first speaker box wall being between the second speaker box wall and the printed circuit board. A loudspeaker may be coupled to the first speaker box wall, and the loudspeaker may include an acoustic actuator that is configured to generate displacements in response to an electrical signal applied thereto. The loudspeaker may further include a speaker membrane that is mechanically coupled to the acoustic actuator and that is configured to deflect in directions toward and away from the second speaker box wall responsive to displacements of the acoustic actuator. Related assemblies and methods are also discussed.

Abstract: A piezo speaker pressure sensor that includes a bladder and a piezo speaker element. The bladder abuts the piezo speaker element. A pressure may be sensed from the piezo speaker element proportional to a pressure exerted on the bladder in a direction of the piezo speaker element. The piezo speaker element functions as a speaker when audio signals are received by the piezo speaker element.

Abstract: An integrated speaker and display that includes a display and a speaker assembly. The display is substantially integrated within the speaker assembly. The display is embedded between a coil of the speaker assembly and/or magnets of the speaker assembly. The speaker assembly may include a diaphragm located either on a side of the display facing a viewer of the display or opposite a side of the display facing a viewer of the display. The electronic device may be any type of device, for example, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an electronic game, a computer, an audio player, a video player, a television, or a display device. The display may be any type of display, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a digital light processing (DLP) display, a light-emitting diode display (LED), or a plasma display.

Abstract: A flat-panel speaker is attached to an exterior surface of a printed circuit board (PCB) housed within a consumer electronic device. Rather than place the flat-panel speaker within a sealed speaker box and then attach the speaker box to the PCB, as is conventional, the present invention attaches the flat-panel speaker to the exterior surface of the PCB without the speaker box. Removing the speaker box allows designers to reduce the dimensions of the device, and to minimize the complexity of the device.

Abstract: A mobile communication device includes first and second housing sections movably connected so as to move relative to one another between open and closed positions. The first and second housing sections each include protected surfaces that overlap when the first and second housing sections are in the open position. A distributed mode speaker is disposed on one of the protected surfaces to protect the distributed mode speaker from damage.

Abstract: A low-profile speaker assembly comprises a substrate and a substantially plan piezoelectric element disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate and mechanically connected to the substrate at one or more edges. A tuning mass is attached to a face of the piezoelectric element, to improve low-frequency performance of the speaker assembly. In some embodiments, the tuning mass is disposed on the surface of the piezoelectric element facing the substrate. The substrate, which may comprise a printed circuit board, may include a cut-out region arranged to allow movement of the tuning mass within the cut-out region.

Abstract: A mobile device includes a vibrator, an accelerometer that senses a parameter of rotation, and a processor. The vibrator includes a drive motor and a drive circuit. The accelerometer senses a speed of rotation of the vibrator. The processor analyzes the sensed speed of rotation and generates a drive voltage that is received by the drive circuit to adjust the drive motor to produce a pre-determined, desired rotational speed. In another embodiment, the accelerometer senses an amplitude of a vibration produced by the vibrator. The processor analyzes the sensed amplitude of a vibration and generates a drive voltage that is received by the drive circuit to adjust the drive motor to produce a pre-determined, desired vibration amplitude. The processor may also compare the sensed parameter with a pre-determined desired parameter of rotation and generate a signal responsive to a result of the comparison and based on stored vibrator calibration curves.

Abstract: A speaker module for a consumer electronics device encloses a speaker. The speaker module is sized to fit within a housing of the consumer electronics device and below an input control of the consumer electronics device. The speaker module is oriented so that the speaker projects audible sound through one or more interstitial gaps between the input control and the housing, or one or more through-holes formed in the input control.

Abstract: An electronic device includes first and second speakers, a microphone, and circuitry configured to generate first and second audio signals in response to a source audio signal, to play the first audio signal over the first speaker, and to play the second audio signal over the second speaker. The first and second audio signals are configured, and the first and second speakers are positioned, so that the first audio signal output by the first speaker and the second audio signal output by the second speaker combine destructively at the microphone.

Abstract: A mobile communication device includes first and second housing sections movably connected so as to move relative to one another between open and closed positions. The first and second housing sections each include protected surfaces that overlap when the first and second housing sections are in the open position. A distributed mode speaker is disposed on one of the protected surfaces to protect the distributed mode speaker from damage.

Abstract: Mobile terminals include a housing, an electronic circuit and a speaker assembly positioned in the housing. The speaker assembly includes a first speaker positioned adjacent a first side of the electronic circuit and a second speaker positioned adjacent the first speaker on the first side of the electronic circuit. A grommet may be positioned in the housing that is configured to receive the first speaker and the second speaker and the first speaker and the second speaker are positioned in the grommet. The first speaker can be a receiver speaker and the second speaker can be a micro-speaker.

Abstract: Loudspeaker sounds in a communications handset may be amplified in predetermined frequency ranges through positioning the loudspeaker between ported and unported spaces. In one embodiment, an empty volume of space disposed in front of the loudspeaker is included to shape the frequency response of the loudspeaker. A port connecting this volume of space to the environment may be located at a longitudinal end of the handset. In one embodiment, the port may pass through a space formed by an antenna loop. An additional empty volume of space may be disposed behind the loudspeaker to further shape the frequency response of the loudspeaker.

Abstract: Micro-speaker assemblies and mobile terminals including micro-speaker assemblies are provided. The micro-speaker assemblies include a micro-speaker positioned in a housing. A first forward tuning volume is positioned adjacent a front face of the micro-speaker. A passageway extends from the first forward tuning volume to an opening in the housing. A second forward tuning volume in fluid communication with the passageway is positioned at a location between the first forward tuning volume and the opening in the housing. The second forward tuning volume, the first forward tuning volume and the passageway define a double-resonator that tunes a frequency response of the micro-speaker. Methods for tuning micro-speakers are also provided.

Abstract: Stands for a portable audio device include a housing and a mounting member. The mounting member is configured to couple the audio device to the housing at a location selected to reflect sounds generated by a speaker of the audio device away from the housing. Stands may include a resonator cavity in the housing with an outlet opening extending to the resonator cavity from an exterior surface of the housing and a volume of the resonator cavity and a size of the outlet opening extending thereto may be selected to provide a desired resonant frequency response of the resonator cavity to amplify sounds generated by the speaker of the audio device.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a printed circuit board and a speaker box defining an acoustic volume between spaced apart first and second speaker box walls with the first speaker box wall being between the second speaker box wall and the printed circuit board. A loudspeaker may be coupled to the first speaker box wall, and the loudspeaker may include an acoustic actuator that is configured to generate displacements in response to an electrical signal applied thereto. The loudspeaker may further include a speaker membrane that is mechanically coupled to the acoustic actuator and that is configured to deflect in directions toward and away from the second speaker box wall responsive to displacements of the acoustic actuator. Related assemblies and methods are also discussed.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a substrate and an acoustic actuator mounted on a surface of the substrate. More particularly, the acoustic actuator may be configured to generate displacements along a direction parallel with respect to the surface of the substrate in response to an electrical signal applied thereto. A speaker box may define an acoustic volume, and the speaker box may include a speaker box wall with a speaker box opening therethrough adjacent the acoustic actuator. A speaker membrane may be provided across the speaker box opening adjacent the acoustic actuator, and the speaker membrane may be mechanically coupled to the acoustic actuator so that the speaker membrane is configured to deflect responsive to displacements generated by the acoustic actuator. Related methods are also discussed.

Abstract: Portable electronic devices are provided including a housing and first and second audio transducers positioned in the housing. The first and second audio transducers are supported by the housing and driven out of phase relative to one another to provide a leak tolerant output from the portable electronic device. Related earspeakers and methods of operating portable electronic devices are also provided.