System and method for prevention of LED light spillage

• US 10,234,133 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2016
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Hirsch, Eric Christian, Schlierenkamper, Karin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chiang, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/244,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20170059152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 381 74
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0056 Audio equipment, e.g. music instruments, radios or speakers
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication

Abstract

A method for designing an electronic device including at least one LED light source to reduce spillage of light from the at least one LED light source includes designing a housing, designing a printed circuit board for placement within the housing, positioning the at least one LED light source on the printed circuit board, and positioning a plurality of electronic components around the at least one LED light source on the printed circuit board to reduce spillage of the light from the at least one LED light source. The electronic device may be an in-ear device and the housing may be an ear piece housing.

Claims

1. A method for producing an in-ear device including at least one LED light source to reduce spillage of light from the at least one LED light source, the method comprising:

providing an earpiece housing;

providing a printed circuit board for placement within the earpiece housing;

positioning the at least one LED light source on the printed circuit board proximate to a side of the earpiece housing to reduce the spillage of the light toward a central area of the in-ear device from the at least one LED light source; and

positioning a plurality of electronic components around the at least one LED light source on the printed circuit board to reduce the spillage of the light toward the central area of the in-ear device from the at least one LED light source; and

providing a processor disposed of within the earpiece housing and configured to communicate information to a user through a light display of the in-ear device using the at least one LED light source.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of the electronic components around the at least one LED light source on the printed circuit board include an inertial sensor and a microphone.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising positioning a light guide in operative communication with the at least one LED light source.

4. An in-ear device, comprising:

an earpiece housing;

a printed circuit board disposed within the earpiece housing;

at least one LED light source mounted to the printed circuit board proximate to a side of the earpiece housing to block light and reduce spillage toward a central area of the in-ear device from the at least one LED light source;

a plurality of electronic components positioned around the at least one LED light source to block the light from the at least one LED light source and reduce the spillage toward the central area of the in-ear device; and

a processor disposed of within the earpiece housing and configured to communicate information to a user through a light display of the in-ear device using the at least one LED light source.

5. The in-ear device of claim 4 wherein the plurality of electronic components include an inertial sensor and a microphone.

6. The in-ear device of claim 5 wherein the in-ear device further comprises a light guide in operative communication with the at least one LED light source.