Reproducing audio signals with a haptic apparatus on acoustic headphones and their calibration and measurement

• US 10,560,792 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2017
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics of Silicon Valley, Inc. (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics of Silicon Valley, Inc. (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lin, Rocky Chau-Hsiung, Yamasaki, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eljaiek, Alexander L
• Application Number:
  US15/669,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20170332162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 295921, 29594, 73 182, 73 405 A, 73579, 73584, 73585, 73587, 73646, 73649, 381 56, 381 58, 381 60, 381 74, 381151, 381162, 381190, 381309, 381312, 381322, 381328, 381370, 381371, 381374, 381380, 381384, 600 27, 600300, 600528, 600559, 601 47, 700 94, 702 56, 702 76, 702104, 702183, 702189
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 11/06 by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/22 for obtaining desired frequency characteristic only circuit for combining transducers having different responses H04R3/00; for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 31/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor manufacture of microstructural arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures in general B81C1/00182

Abstract

Method and devices for testing a headphone with increased sensation are provided. The headphone can filter and amplify low frequency audio signals, which are then sent to a haptic device in the headphone. The haptic device can cause bass sensations at the top of the skull and at both ear cups. The testing system can evaluate the haptic and acoustic sensations produced by the headphone to evaluate if they have been properly assembled and calibrate the headphones if necessary.

Claims

1. A headset, comprising:

a headband;

a right ear cup incorporating a first driver therein attached to one end of the headband;

wherein the first driver is configured to receive a first channel of an audio signal;

a left ear cup incorporating a second driver therein, attached to the opposite end of the headband and oriented to face back toward the right ear cup;

wherein the second driver is configured to receive a second channel of an audio signal;

a haptic device attached to the midpoint of the headband positioned to make contact with the crown of the skull of a user of the headphones;

a low-pass filter, configured to receive the first and second audio channels; and

an amplifier, wherein the input of the amplifier is connected to the output of the low-pass filter,

wherein the amplifier is further configured to amplify the first and second audio channels before they are received by the first and second drivers,

wherein the headset is substantially balanced by placing the low-pass filter and amplifier in one ear cup and batteries to power the low-pass filter and amplifier in the other ear cup.

2. The headset of claim 1, wherein the left ear cup and right ear cup are circumaural.

3. The headset of claim 1, wherein the haptic device is a mono, low-frequency driver, and vibrations from the haptic device are transmitted through the headband, the left ear cup, and the right ear cup.

4. The headset of claim 1, wherein the clamping force applied through the left ear cup and right ear cup is approximately 300 g to 600 g.

5. The headset of claim 1, wherein the haptic device is in a free floating housing which is attached directly to the headband.

6. A headset, comprising:

a rigid headband configured to be placed on the top of a head;

a right ear cup incorporating a first driver therein attached to one end of the rigid headband;

wherein the first driver is configured to receive a first channel of an audio signal;

a left ear cup incorporating a second driver therein, attached to the opposite end of the rigid headband and oriented to face back toward the right ear cup;

wherein the second driver is configured to receive a second channel of an audio signal;

a haptic device attached to the midpoint of the headband positioned to make contact with a crown of a user'"'"'s skull, and configured to receive a combination of the first and second audio channels; and

electronics configured to low-pass filter and amplify the combination of the first and second audio channels before they are received by the haptic device, wherein the electronics are further configured to receive a sound profile and modify the first audio channel, the second audio channel, and the combination of the first and second audio channels sent to the haptic device in accordance with the sound profile.

7. The headset of claim 6, wherein the haptic device is aligned perpendicularly to the left and right audio ear cups.

8. The headset of claim 6, wherein the left ear cup and right ear cup are circumaural.

9. The headset of claim 6, wherein the haptic device is a mono, low-frequency driver.

10. The headset of claim 6, wherein the haptic device is configured so vibrations from the haptic device are transmitted to the crown of the user'"'"'s skull and through the rigid headband, the left ear cup, and the right ear cup to the skull around each user'"'"'s ears.

11. The headset of claim 6, wherein the rigid headband provides a clamping force of approximately 300 g to 600 g.

12. The headset of claim 6, wherein the rigid headband provides a clamping force sufficient to substantially transmit vibrations down the headband and to the skull around each user'"'"'s ears.

13. The headset of claim 6, wherein the haptic device is in a free floating housing which is attached directly to the headband and is sized to prohibit a user from compressing the haptic device such that the haptic device is substantially dampened.