Patents by Inventor Scott C. Grinker

Scott C. Grinker 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).

  • Publication number: 20220217462
    Abstract: A portable acoustic device comprising: a device housing that defines an internal cavity, the device housing comprising a speaker housing portion and a stem portion extending away from the speaker housing portion; a first acoustic port formed through a wall of the speaker housing; an audio driver disposed within the speaker housing portion and aligned to emit sound through the acoustic first port; a battery disposed within the speaker housing portion and positioned an opposite side of the audio driver than the acoustic port; an antenna disposed in the stem; a user input region disposed along the stem; and a system in a chip disposed in the stem, the system in a chip comprising: a processor that controls operation of the portable wireless acoustic device, charging circuitry, an accelerometer, a wireless communication controller, support components for the antenna and support components for the user input region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Lee M. Panecki, Arun D. Chawan, Julia C. Canning, Michael B. Minerbi, Pengchuan Wang, Kyle Tse, Brian R. Twehues, Sean T. Bong, Eric X. Zhou, Ethan L. Huwe, Scott C. Grinker, Haochuan Sang, Martin Kuster, Sean J. Docherty, Ryan Buck, Yuta Kuboyama
  • Publication number: 20220217460
    Abstract: An earbud design is disclosed that is configured to sit securely within an ear of a user. The earbud can be secured within the ear by an anchoring feature formed from an elastomeric material. The anchoring feature has a size and shape in accordance with an interior geometry of an ear of a user. Because the anchoring feature positions the earbud with respect to the ear, geometries of the earbud can be focused upon audio performance and/or device aesthetics. In some embodiments, the earbud housing can have a linear design which allows an audio driver within the earbud housing to be positioned close to an opening defined by the earbud housing. In this way, acoustic degradation associated with a long audio path from the audio driver to the opening can be avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Craig M. Stanley
  • Patent number: 11336986
    Abstract: A user content audio signal is converted into sound that is delivered into an ear canal of a wearer of an in-ear speaker, while the in-ear speaker is sealing off the ear canal against ambient sound leakage. An acoustic or venting valve in the in-ear speaker is automatically signaled to open, so that sound inside the ear canal is allowed to travel out into an ambient environment through the valve, while activating conversion of an ambient content audio signal into sound for delivery into the ear canal. Both user content and ambient content are heard by the wearer. The ambient content audio signal is digitally processed so that certain frequency components have been gain adjusted, based on an equalization profile, so as to compensate for some of the insertion loss that is due to the in-ear speaker blocking the ear canal. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Scott C. Grinker
  • Publication number: 20220141566
    Abstract: A low-profile earbud is disclosed that sits securely within an ear of a user. The earbud includes a protruding portion that passes through a channel defined by the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can take the form of a cable configured to supply power and transfer data to the earbud. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can provide additional space for electrical components and sensors supporting the earbud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Ethan L. Huwe, Craig M. Stanley
  • Patent number: 11297410
    Abstract: An earbud design is disclosed that is configured to sit securely within an ear of a user. The earbud can be secured within the ear by an anchoring feature formed from an elastomeric material. The anchoring feature has a size and shape in accordance with an interior geometry of an ear of a user. Because the anchoring feature positions the earbud with respect to the ear, geometries of the earbud can be focused upon audio performance and/or device aesthetics. In some embodiments, the earbud housing can have a linear design which allows an audio driver within the earbud housing to be positioned close to an opening defined by the earbud housing. In this way, acoustic degradation associated with a long audio path from the audio driver to the opening can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Craig M. Stanley, Scott C. Grinker
  • Patent number: 11265638
    Abstract: A low-profile earbud is disclosed that sits securely within an ear of a user. The earbud includes a protruding portion that passes through a channel defined by the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can take the form of a cable configured to supply power and transfer data to the earbud. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can provide additional space for electrical components and sensors supporting the earbud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Ethan L. Huwe, Craig M. Stanley
  • Patent number: 11240591
    Abstract: A driver assembly including a driver module having a driver frame and a diaphragm coupled to the driver frame, the driver frame defining a front volume chamber coupled to a first side of the diaphragm and a back volume chamber; an internal control leak formed through the driver frame to couple the front volume chamber to the back volume chamber; and a first driver vent and a second driver vent formed through the driver frame to couple a second side of the diaphragm to the back volume chamber, wherein a centroid of the first driver vent is aligned with a centroid of the second driver vent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Scott C. Grinker, Claudio Notarangelo, Cole A. McCaughan, Ethan L. Huwe, Brian R. Twehues
  • Patent number: 11159869
    Abstract: Embodiments describe an eartip including an eartip body having an attachment end and an interfacing end opposite from the attachment end, and an attachment structure coupled to the inner eartip body at the attachment end. The eartip body can include: an inner eartip body having a sidewall extending between the interfacing end and the attachment end, the sidewall defining a channel and having a first thickness near the attachment end and a second thickness different from the first thickness at the interfacing end; and an outer eartip body sized and shaped to be inserted into an ear canal and extending from the interfacing end, the outer eartip body extending toward the attachment end of the eartip. The attachment structure including a sidewall extending around a periphery of the attachment structure and defining an opening extending through the sidewall that fluidly couples the channel to an ambient environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott C. Grinker, Esge Andersen, Ethan L. Huwe, Benjamin A. Cousins, Samuel G. Parker, Sean T. McIntosh, Jason C. Della Rosa, Craig M. Stanley, Edward Siahaan, Ethan W. Juhnke
  • Publication number: 20210099791
    Abstract: A driver assembly including a driver module having a driver frame and a diaphragm coupled to the driver frame, the driver frame defining a front volume chamber coupled to a first side of the diaphragm and a back volume chamber; an internal control leak formed through the driver frame to couple the front volume chamber to the back volume chamber; and a first driver vent and a second driver vent formed through the driver frame to couple a second side of the diaphragm to the back volume chamber, wherein a centroid of the first driver vent is aligned with a centroid of the second driver vent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Scott C. Grinker, Claudio Notarangelo, Cole A. McCaughan, Ethan L. Huwe, Brian R. Twehues
  • Publication number: 20210037303
    Abstract: An earbud design is disclosed that is configured to sit securely within an ear of a user. The earbud can be secured within the ear by an anchoring feature formed from an elastomeric material. The anchoring feature has a size and shape in accordance with an interior geometry of an ear of a user. Because the anchoring feature positions the earbud with respect to the ear, geometries of the earbud can be focused upon audio performance and/or device aesthetics. In some embodiments, the earbud housing can have a linear design which allows an audio driver within the earbud housing to be positioned close to an opening defined by the earbud housing. In this way, acoustic degradation associated with a long audio path from the audio driver to the opening can be avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Craig M. Stanley, Scott C. Grinker
  • Publication number: 20210029438
    Abstract: A low-profile earbud is disclosed that sits securely within an ear of a user. The earbud includes a protruding portion that passes through a channel defined by the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can take the form of a cable configured to supply power and transfer data to the earbud. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can provide additional space for electrical components and sensors supporting the earbud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Ethan L. Huwe, Craig M. Stanley
  • Patent number: 10841683
    Abstract: A low-profile earbud is disclosed that sits securely within an ear of a user. The earbud includes a protruding portion that passes through a channel defined by the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can take the form of a cable configured to supply power and transfer data to the earbud. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can provide additional space for electrical components and sensors supporting the earbud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Ethan L. Huwe, Craig M. Stanley
  • Patent number: 10827252
    Abstract: An earbud design is disclosed that is configured to sit securely within an ear of a user. The earbud can be secured within the ear by an anchoring feature formed from an elastomeric material. The anchoring feature has a size and shape in accordance with an interior geometry of an ear of a user. Because the anchoring feature positions the earbud with respect to the ear, geometries of the earbud can be focused upon audio performance and/or device aesthetics. In some embodiments, the earbud housing can have a linear design which allows an audio driver within the earbud housing to be positioned close to an opening defined by the earbud housing. In this way, acoustic degradation associated with a long audio path from the audio driver to the opening can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Craig M. Stanley, Scott C. Grinker
  • Publication number: 20200288230
    Abstract: A low-profile earbud is disclosed that sits securely within an ear of a user. The earbud includes a protruding portion that passes through a channel defined by the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can take the form of a cable configured to supply power and transfer data to the earbud. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can provide additional space for electrical components and sensors supporting the earbud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Ethan L. Huwe, Craig M. Stanley
  • Publication number: 20200245052
    Abstract: A user content audio signal is converted into sound that is delivered into an ear canal of a wearer of an in-ear speaker, while the in-ear speaker is sealing off the ear canal against ambient sound leakage. An acoustic or venting valve in the in-ear speaker is automatically signaled to open, so that sound inside the ear canal is allowed to travel out into an ambient environment through the valve, while activating conversion of an ambient content audio signal into sound for delivery into the ear canal. Both user content and ambient content are heard by the wearer. The ambient content audio signal is digitally processed so that certain frequency components have been gain adjusted, based on an equalization profile, so as to compensate for some of the insertion loss that is due to the in-ear speaker blocking the ear canal. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventor: Scott C. Grinker
  • Patent number: 10694276
    Abstract: A low-profile earbud is disclosed that sits securely within an ear of a user. The earbud includes a protruding portion that passes through a channel defined by the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can take the form of a cable configured to supply power and transfer data to the earbud. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can provide additional space for electrical components and sensors supporting the earbud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Ethan L. Huwe, Craig M. Stanley
  • Publication number: 20200162806
    Abstract: A low-profile earbud is disclosed that sits securely within an ear of a user. The earbud includes a protruding portion that passes through a channel defined by the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can take the form of a cable configured to supply power and transfer data to the earbud. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can provide additional space for electrical components and sensors supporting the earbud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Ethan L. Huwe, Craig M. Stanley
  • Patent number: 10657950
    Abstract: A headphone has a driver, an internal microphone, an accelerometer, and an external microphone. An audio processor analyzes signals to detect wind noise. Gain of lower frequencies is reduced relative to higher frequencies, in a first filter that is operating on an audio signal from the external microphone in a feedforward path, responsive to detecting increased wind noise. A second filter in an audio signal feedback path may be adjusted to compensate for the gain change in the first filter that may mitigate occlusion effect. Outputs of the feedforward path in the feedback path are combined to produce an audio signal for the driver. The driver produces sound in the aural canal that has transparency with reduced wind noise, relative to sound external to the headphone. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Thanh Phong Hua, Esge B. Andersen, Tom-Davy W. Saux, Scott C. Grinker
  • Patent number: 10652646
    Abstract: A user content audio signal is converted into sound that is delivered into an ear canal of a wearer of an in-ear speaker, while the in-ear speaker is sealing off the ear canal against ambient sound leakage. An acoustic or venting valve in the in-ear speaker is automatically signaled to open, so that sound inside the ear canal is allowed to travel out into an ambient environment through the valve, while activating conversion of an ambient content audio signal into sound for delivery into the ear canal. Both user content and ambient content are heard by the wearer. The ambient content audio signal is digitally processed so that certain frequency components have been gain adjusted, based on an equalization profile, so as to compensate for some of the insertion loss that is due to the in-ear speaker blocking the ear canal. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Scott C. Grinker
  • Publication number: 20200107101
    Abstract: Embodiments describe an eartip including an eartip body having an attachment end and an interfacing end opposite from the attachment end, and an attachment structure coupled to the inner eartip body at the attachment end. The eartip body can include: an inner eartip body having a sidewall extending between the interfacing end and the attachment end, the sidewall defining a channel and having a first thickness near the attachment end and a second thickness different from the first thickness at the interfacing end; and an outer eartip body sized and shaped to be inserted into an ear canal and extending from the interfacing end, the outer eartip body extending toward the attachment end of the eartip. The attachment structure including a sidewall extending around a periphery of the attachment structure and defining an opening extending through the sidewall that fluidly couples the channel to an ambient environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott C. Grinker, Esge Andersen, Ethan L. Huwe, Benjamin A. Cousins, Samuel G. Parker, Sean T. McIntosh, Jason C. Della Rosa, Craig M. Stanley, Edward Siahaan, Ethan W. Juhnke