Patents by Inventor Hongdan Tao
Hongdan Tao has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10687146Abstract: A speaker assembly including a frame and a magnet assembly positioned within the frame. The magnet assembly may include a magnet and a top plate. The assembly further including a sound radiating surface suspended over the magnet assembly. The sound radiating surface includes a flexible circuit. A suspension suspending the sound radiating surface over the magnet assembly is further provided. The suspension may be over molded to the sound radiating surface and the frame. A voice coil extends from a bottom side of the sound radiating surface and electrically connects to the flexible circuit.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2018Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Anthony P. Grazian, Christopher Wilk, Hongdan Tao, Scott P Porter, Michael Asfaw
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Patent number: 10469940Abstract: A portable electronic device including an enclosure having an enclosure wall that forms an interior chamber. A speaker module is positioned within the interior chamber and includes a speaker and a module wall forming a back volume chamber of the speaker. The back volume chamber includes an acoustic vent port formed through the module wall to acoustically couple the back volume chamber to the interior chamber. The device further including an electromechanical valve for regulating the acoustic coupling of the back volume chamber to the interior chamber. The electromechanical valve is operable to transition between an open configuration in which the acoustic vent port is open to the interior chamber and a closed configuration in which the acoustic vent port is closed off from the interior chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2017Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Martin D. Taylor, Hongdan Tao, Claudio Notarangelo, Suzanne C. Brown, Benjamin J. Pope, Scott P. Porter, Tang Y. Tan, Christopher Wilk
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Publication number: 20190281381Abstract: An acoustic enclosure has a housing at least partially defining an acoustic chamber for an acoustic radiator. The housing defines an acoustic port from the acoustic chamber to a surrounding environment. An acoustic resonator has a first resonant chamber and a second resonant chamber. The acoustic resonator also has a first duct to acoustically couple the first resonant chamber with the acoustic chamber and a second duct to acoustically couple the second resonant chamber with the first resonant chamber. An electronic device can have an electro-acoustic transducer. Circuitry in the electronic device can drive the electro-acoustic transducer to emit sound over a selected frequency bandwidth. Damping provided by the first and the second resonant chambers can de-emphasize one or more frequencies and/or extend a frequency response of the acoustic enclosure to improve perceived sound quality emitted by the electronic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2018Publication date: September 12, 2019Inventors: Hongdan Tao, Anthony P. Grazian, Christopher Wilk, Matthew A. Donarski, Michael J. Newman, Onur I. Ilkorur
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Patent number: 10397693Abstract: An acoustic enclosure has a housing at least partially defining an acoustic chamber for an acoustic radiator. The housing defines an acoustic port from the acoustic chamber to a surrounding environment. An acoustic resonator has a first resonant chamber and a second resonant chamber. The acoustic resonator also has a first duct to acoustically couple the first resonant chamber with the acoustic chamber and a second duct to acoustically couple the second resonant chamber with the first resonant chamber. An electronic device can have an electro-acoustic transducer. Circuitry in the electronic device can drive the electro-acoustic transducer to emit sound over a selected frequency bandwidth. Damping provided by the first and the second resonant chambers can de-emphasize one or more frequencies and/or extend a frequency response of the acoustic enclosure to improve perceived sound quality emitted by the electronic device.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2018Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Hongdan Tao, Anthony P. Grazian, Christopher Wilk, Matthew A. Donarski, Michael J. Newman, Onur I. Ilkorur
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Patent number: 10299032Abstract: A micro-speaker assembly including an enclosure having an enclosure wall separating a surrounding environment from an encased space, wherein the enclosure wall defines an acoustic port from the encased space to the surrounding environment; a sound radiating surface positioned within the encased space and dividing the encased space into a front volume chamber and a back volume chamber, wherein the front volume chamber is acoustically coupled to a first surface of the sound radiating surface and the acoustic port, and the back volume chamber acoustically coupled to a second surface of the sound radiating surface; and a resonator acoustically coupled to the front volume chamber, wherein the resonator comprises a neck acoustically coupled to an acoustic cavity, and an opening to the neck is positioned at a distance from the acoustic port that corresponds to a quarter wavelength resonance of the front volume chamber.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2017Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Anthony P. Grazian, Christopher Wilk, Claudio Notarangelo, Hongdan Tao, Michael J. Newman, Onur I. Ilkorur, Thomas H. Tsang
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Publication number: 20190149925Abstract: A speaker assembly including a frame and a magnet assembly positioned within the frame. The magnet assembly may include a magnet and a top plate. The assembly further including a sound radiating surface suspended over the magnet assembly. The sound radiating surface includes a flexible circuit. A suspension suspending the sound radiating surface over the magnet assembly is further provided. The suspension may be over molded to the sound radiating surface and the frame. A voice coil extends from a bottom side of the sound radiating surface and electrically connects to the flexible circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2018Publication date: May 16, 2019Inventors: Anthony P. Grazian, Christopher Wilk, Hongdan Tao, Scott P. Porter, Michael Asfaw
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Publication number: 20190082252Abstract: A micro-speaker assembly including an enclosure having an enclosure wall separating a surrounding environment from an encased space, wherein the enclosure wall defines an acoustic port from the encased space to the surrounding environment; a sound radiating surface positioned within the encased space and dividing the encased space into a front volume chamber and a back volume chamber, wherein the front volume chamber is acoustically coupled to a first surface of the sound radiating surface and the acoustic port, and the back volume chamber acoustically coupled to a second surface of the sound radiating surface; and a resonator acoustically coupled to the front volume chamber, wherein the resonator comprises a neck acoustically coupled to an acoustic cavity, and an opening to the neck is positioned at a distance from the acoustic port that corresponds to a quarter wavelength resonance of the front volume chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2017Publication date: March 14, 2019Inventors: Anthony P. Grazian, Christopher Wilk, Claudio Notarangelo, Hongdan Tao, Michael J. Newman, Onur I. llkorur, Thomas H. Tsang
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Patent number: 10219057Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed that includes one or more sealed audio modules that are unaffected by changes in the internal pressure within the electronic device. The audio modules can also include one or more features that increase the audible bandwidth of the electronic device.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2017Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Thomas R. Luce, Anthony P. Grazian, Hongdan Tao, Christopher Wilk, Daniel W. Jarvis, David A. Pakula
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Patent number: 10194248Abstract: A speaker assembly including a frame and a magnet assembly positioned within the frame. The magnet assembly may include a magnet and a top plate. The assembly further including a sound radiating surface suspended over the magnet assembly. The sound radiating surface includes a flexible circuit. A suspension suspending the sound radiating surface over the magnet assembly is further provided. The suspension may be over molded to the sound radiating surface and the frame. A voice coil extends from a bottom side of the sound radiating surface and electrically connects to the flexible circuit.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2016Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Anthony P. Grazian, Christopher Wilk, Hongdan Tao, Scott P Porter, Michael Asfaw
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Patent number: 10149078Abstract: A speaker assembly including a sound radiating surface suspended over a magnet assembly, a suspension member for suspending the sound radiating surface over the magnet assembly, a voice coil extending from a bottom side of the sound radiating surface, and a capacitive displacement sensor for sensing a movement of the sound radiating surface. The capacitive displacement sensor including a first conductive plate fixedly positioned over the sound radiating surface and a second conductive plate coupled to the sound radiating surface and vertically aligned with the first conductive plate, and wherein the second conductive plate is confined to an area that is entirely radially inward of the voice coil.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2017Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Roderick B. Hogan, Anthony P. Grazian, Scott P. Porter, Christopher Wilk, Hongdan Tao
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Publication number: 20180192217Abstract: A speaker assembly including a sound radiating surface suspended over a magnet assembly, a suspension member for suspending the sound radiating surface over the magnet assembly, a voice coil extending from a bottom side of the sound radiating surface, and a capacitive displacement sensor for sensing a movement of the sound radiating surface. The capacitive displacement sensor including a first conductive plate fixedly positioned over the sound radiating surface and a second conductive plate coupled to the sound radiating surface and vertically aligned with the first conductive plate, and wherein the second conductive plate is confined to an area that is entirely radially inward of the voice coil.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2017Publication date: July 5, 2018Inventors: Roderick B. Hogan, Anthony P. Grazian, Scott P. Porter, Christopher Wilk, Hongdan Tao
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Patent number: 9967664Abstract: A micro speaker assembly including a micro speaker having a top plate, a bottom plate parallel to the top plate, a magnet assembly coupled to one of the top plate or the bottom plate, a compliant member positioned between the magnet assembly and the top plate or the bottom plate, the compliant member operable to be displaced in response to an acoustic input, and a voice coil coupled to the compliant member. The assembly further including an optical sensor coupled to the micro speaker, the optical sensor having a light emitter and a light detector, the light emitter and the light detector being fixedly coupled to the top plate or the bottom plate, and the optical sensor being operable to produce a displacement signal corresponding to a displacement of the compliant member and a temperature signal corresponding to a temperature of the magnet assembly.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2017Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Yang Boon Quek, Scott P. Porter, Roderick B. Hogan, Hongdan Tao, Suzanne C. Brown, Christopher Wilk, Nathan A. Johanningsmeier
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Publication number: 20180091892Abstract: A portable electronic device including an enclosure having an enclosure wall that forms an interior chamber. A speaker module is positioned within the interior chamber and includes a speaker and a module wall forming a back volume chamber of the speaker. The back volume chamber includes an acoustic vent port formed through the module wall to acoustically couple the back volume chamber to the interior chamber. The device further including an electromechanical valve for regulating the acoustic coupling of the back volume chamber to the interior chamber. The electromechanical valve is operable to transition between an open configuration in which the acoustic vent port is open to the interior chamber and a closed configuration in which the acoustic vent port is closed off from the interior chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2017Publication date: March 29, 2018Inventors: Martin D. Taylor, Hongdan Tao, Claudio Notarangelo, Suzanne C. Brown, Benjamin J. Pope, Scott P. Porter, Tang Y. Tan, Christopher Wilk
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Publication number: 20180084323Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed that includes one or more sealed audio modules that are unaffected by changes in the internal pressure within the electronic device. The audio modules can also include one or more features that increase the audible bandwidth of the electronic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2017Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventors: Thomas R. Luce, Anthony P. Grazian, Hongdan Tao, Christopher Wilk, Daniel W. Jarvis, David A. Pakula
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Publication number: 20170245057Abstract: A speaker assembly including a frame and a magnet assembly positioned within the frame. The magnet assembly may include a magnet and a top plate. The assembly further including a sound radiating surface suspended over the magnet assembly. The sound radiating surface includes a flexible circuit. A suspension suspending the sound radiating surface over the magnet assembly is further provided. The suspension may be over molded to the sound radiating surface and the frame. A voice coil extends from a bottom side of the sound radiating surface and electrically connects to the flexible circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2016Publication date: August 24, 2017Inventors: Anthony P. Grazian, Christopher Wilk, Hongdan Tao, Scott P Porter, Michael Asfaw