Voice-activated electronic device assembly with separable base

• US 10,448,520 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Tak, Jung guen, Martin, Amy, McClellan, Willard
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayo, III, William H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Hiram E
• Application Number:
  US15/717,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20180098439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/08 Speech classification or search
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/088 Word spotting
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/24 Structural combinations of separate transducers or of two parts of the same transducer and responsive respectively to two or more frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0004 comprising several parts forming a closed casing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0217 Mechanical details of casings covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03

Abstract

A voice-activated electronic device including a first portion with a first internal surface having a first attachment structure, and a second portion with a second internal surface having a second attachment structure. The first and second internal surfaces have compatible shapes that permit the first and second portions to be moved from a separated position to a joined position, where when the first portion and the second portion are in the joined position the first and second internal surfaces form a nested arrangement. The first and second attachment structures form a secure but separable connection to one another when the first and second portions are in the joined position. The first and second portions are configured to be joined securely and separated through manual human manipulation of one or both of the first portion and the second portion to move the first and second portions between separated and joined positions.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first portion with a first internal surface having a first attachment structure and a first external surface that is attached to and extends beyond the first internal surface in a direction opposite the first attachment structure, wherein the first portion further includes one or more speakers that are enclosed by the first internal surface;

a second portion with a second internal surface having a second attachment structure and a circular opening;

the first and second internal surfaces having compatible shapes that permit the first and second portions to be moved from a separated position to a joined position by movement of the first internal surface through the circular opening of the second portion, such that when the first portion and the second portion are in the joined position the first and second internal surfaces form a nested arrangement that allows for interaction between the first and second attachment structures, wherein;

when the first portion and the second portion are in the joined position, the first portion abuts the second portion, and the one or more speakers protrude into and are concealed within the second portion, the one or more speakers facing an interior surface of the second portion and being configured to project sound towards the interior surface of the second portion;

the first and second attachment structures being configured to form a secure but separable connection to one another via magnetic attraction when the first and second portions are in the joined position; and

the first portion and the second portion being configured to be joined securely and separated through manual human manipulation of one or both of the first portion and the second portion to move the first and second portions between the separated and joined positions.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the secure but separable connection between the first and second attachment structures is formed by magnetic attraction between the first and second attachment structures.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the magnetic attraction between the first and second attachment structures is strongest when the first and second attachment structures are in a first preferred orientation with respect to one another, wherein the first preferred orientation is a subset of possible orientations of the first and second attachment structures with respect to one another.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the first and second attachment structures are in the first preferred orientation when the first and second portions are in a second preferred orientation with respect to one another.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein:

the first and second attachment structures have complimentary surface topologies that are configured to match when the first and second attachment structures are in the first preferred orientation.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the complimentary surface topologies are further configured to guide the first and second attachment structures into the first preferred orientation from a non-preferred orientation, the difference between the first preferred orientation and the non-preferred orientation being detectable by a human who is manually manipulating the first and second portions into the joined position.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein there is a visible gap between external surfaces of the first and second portions when the first and second attachment structures are in the non-preferred orientation and wherein the external surfaces of the first and second portions form a contiguous surface when the first and second attachment structures are in the first preferred orientation.

8. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the complimentary surface topologies comprise one of the first and second attachment structures having an indented polygonal structure and other of the first and second attachment structures having a projecting polygonal structure that is complimentary in shape to the indented polygonal structure, such that the indented and projecting structures mate with each other when the first and second portions are in the second preferred orientation.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the polygonal structures comprise ramp-shaped structures.

10. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the complimentary surface topologies are configured to guide the first and second attachment structures into the first preferred orientation in response to rotation of the first portion with respect to the second portion.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein when the first portion and the second portion are joined, the first external surface and the second external surface form a contiguous surface.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first portion can be joined separately with any number of third portions having third internal surfaces and third attachment structures that have same configuration respectively as the second internal surface and the second attachment structure, thereby enabling the electronic device to present a variety of cover portions in combination with the first external surface.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the human manipulation to move the first and second portions from the joined position to the separated position comprises a rotational motion of the first and second portions sufficient to separate the secure but separable connection between the first and second attachment structures followed by a separating motion of the first and second portions.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the human manipulation to move the first and second portions from the joined position to the separated position comprises a separating motion of the first and second portions sufficient to separate the secure but separable connection between the first and second attachment structures.

15. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the human manipulation to move the first and second portions from the separated position to the joined position comprises a closing motion of the first and second portions followed by a rotational motion of the first and second portions until the first and second attachment structures are in position to form the secure but separable connection.

16. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the human manipulation to move the first and second portions from the separated position to the joined position comprises a closing motion of the first and second portions until the first and second attachment structures are in position to form the secure but separable connection.

17. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first portion can be joined separately with any number of third surfaces having third internal surfaces and third attachment structures that have compatible configurations respectively with the second internal surface and the second attachment structure, thereby enabling the first portion to mate with a secure but separable connection with a variety of compatible surfaces.

18. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein a first opening in the second portion is circular and is annular with the circular opening of the second portion, and the first opening in the second portion is located at a bottom side of the second portion.

19. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second portion includes an acoustically transparent wall, and when the first portion and the second portion are in the joined position, the one or more speakers are configured to project sound towards the acoustically transparent wall of the second portion.

20. A cover portion for an electronic device, comprising:

a second portion with a second internal surface having a second attachment structure and a circular opening, the second portion being configured to join with a first portion of the electronic device with a first internal surface having a first attachment structure and a first external surface that is attached to and extends beyond the first internal surface in a direction opposite the first attachment structure;

the second internal surface being configured to permit movement of the first internal surface through the circular opening of the second portion, such that when the first portion and the second portion are moved into a joined position from a separated position the first and second internal surfaces form a nested arrangement that allows for interaction between the first and second attachment structures and the first portion abuts the second portion, and wherein the second portion is configured such that when the first portion and the second portion are in the joined position, one or more speakers of the first portion protrude into and are concealed within the second portion, the one or more speakers facing an interior surface of the second portion and being configured to project sound towards the interior surface of the second portion;

the second attachment structure being configured to form a secure but separable connection to the first attachment structure via magnetic attraction when the first and second portions are in the joined position; and

the second portion being configured to be joined securely to and separated from the first portion through manual human manipulation of one or both of the first portion and the second portion to move the first and second portions between the separated and joined positions.