Audio and visual system including a mask functioning for a camera module and an audio transducer module

• US 10,616,453 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2017
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Vilermo, Miikka Tapani, Tossavainen, Antero, Kimmel, Jyrki Sakari
• Primary Examiner(s): Segura, Cynthia
• Application Number:
  US15/403,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20180198959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/52 Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/46 Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope throat mountings H04R1/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/02 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's

Abstract

An audio and visual system and a wearable device that incorporates an audio and visual system are provided. The audio and visual system may include a camera sensor and a mask overlying the camera sensor and spaced therefrom so as to at least in part define a first cavity between the camera sensor and the mask. The mask includes a plurality of areas including a plurality of opaque areas and a plurality of areas that are acoustically transparent. The audio and visual system also includes an audio transducer in acoustic communication with the first cavity and configured to generate or receive acoustic signals via the mask. The wearable device includes the audio and visual system as well as a housing in which the audio and visual system is at least partially disposed.

Claims

1. An audio and visual system comprising:

a camera sensor;

a mask overlying the camera sensor and spaced therefrom so as to at least in part define a first cavity between the camera sensor and the mask, wherein the mask comprises a plurality of areas including one or more visually transparent areas, one or more visually opaque areas and one or more areas that are acoustically transparent or that vibrate in response to acoustic signals, and wherein one or more of the visually opaque areas are positioned so as to at least partially overlie the camera sensor; and

an audio transducer in acoustic communication with the first cavity and configured to generate or receive acoustic signals via at least one of the one or more areas of the mask,

wherein the camera sensor is configured to receive optical signals and the audio transducer is configured to generate or receive acoustic signals via at least a same one of the one or more areas of the mask.

2. An audio and visual system according to claim 1 wherein the areas that are acoustically transparent define openings through the mask.

3. An audio and visual system according to claim 1 wherein the audio transducer is configured to generate or receive acoustic signals via one or more of the plurality of areas that are acoustically transparent through which the acoustic signals propagate or the plurality of opaque areas at which the mask vibrates in response to the acoustic signals.

4. An audio and visual system according to claim 1 further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the camera sensor and the audio transducer are carried by the printed circuit board.

5. An audio and visual system according to claim 1 wherein the audio transducer is disposed within one of:

a peripheral cavity offset from the mask but in acoustic communication with the first cavity or the first cavity such that the mask overlies the audio transducer.

6. An audio and visual system according to claim 1 wherein the audio transducer is positioned opposite the mask relative to the camera sensor such that the camera sensor overlies the audio transducer, and wherein the camera sensor defines an opening therethrough such that the audio transducer is in acoustic communication with the first cavity.

7. An audio and visual system according to claim 1 wherein the audio transducer is attached to the mask.

8. An audio and visual system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of visually opaque areas of the mask are configured to vibrate in response to acoustic signals, and wherein the acoustic transducer is configured to receive the acoustic signals via vibration of the mask including the plurality of visually opaque areas.

9. An audio and visual system according to claim 1 wherein the acoustic transducer is configured to generate or receive acoustic signals without any other opening to facilitate operation of the audio transducer other than provided by the mask overlying the camera sensor.

10. An audio and visual system comprising:

a camera sensor;

an audio transducer; and

a mask overlying the camera sensor and the audio transducer and spaced from the camera sensor so as to at least in part define a first cavity between the camera sensor and the mask, wherein the mask comprises a plurality of areas including one or more visually transparent areas, one or more visually opaque areas and one or more areas that are acoustically transparent or that vibrate in response to acoustic signals, and wherein one or more of the visually opaque areas are positioned so as to at least partially overlie the camera sensor,

wherein the audio transducer is in acoustic communication with the first cavity and the plurality of areas defined by the mask so as to generate or receive acoustic signals via the plurality of areas defined by the mask,

wherein the camera sensor is configured to receive optical signals and the audio transducer is configured to generate or receive acoustic signals via at least a same one of the one or more areas of the mask.

11. An audio and visual system according to claim 10 wherein the acoustically transparent areas define openings through the mask.

12. An audio and visual system according to claim 10 wherein the audio transducer is configured to generate or receive acoustic signals via one or more of the plurality of acoustically transparent areas through which the acoustic signals propagate or the plurality of opaque areas at which the mask vibrates in response to the acoustic signals.

13. An audio and visual system according to claim 10 wherein the plurality of opaque areas are both visually and acoustically opaque.

14. An audio and visual system according to claim 10 further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the camera sensor and the audio transducer are carried by the printed circuit board.

15. An audio and visual system according to claim 10 wherein the audio transducer is disposed within the first cavity such that the mask overlies the audio transducer.

16. An audio and visual system according to claim 10 wherein the audio transducer is positioned opposite the mask relative to the camera sensor such that the camera sensor overlies the audio transducer, and wherein the camera sensor defines an opening therethrough such that the audio transducer is in acoustic communication with the first cavity.

17. An audio and visual system according to claim 10 wherein the audio transducer is offset from a center of the mask, and wherein the mask defines the acoustically transparent areas in a non-uniform manner with a greater percentage of the acoustically transparent areas defined by a portion of the mask proximate the audio transducer than defined by a portion of the mask remote from the audio transducer.

18. An audio and visual system according to claim 10 wherein the plurality of visually opaque areas of the mask are configured to vibrate in response to acoustic signals, and wherein the acoustic transducer is configured to receive the acoustic signals via vibration of the mask including the plurality of visually opaque areas.

19. An audio and visual system according to claim 10 wherein the acoustic transducer is configured to generate or receive acoustic signals without any other opening to facilitate operation of the audio transducer other than provided by the mask overlying the camera sensor.

20. A wearable device comprising:

a housing; and

an audio and visual system at least partially disposed within the housing, the audio and visual system comprising;

a camera sensor;

a mask overlying the camera sensor and spaced therefrom so as to at least in part define a first cavity between the camera sensor and the mask, wherein the mask comprises a plurality of areas including one or more visually transparent areas, one or more visually opaque areas and one or more areas that are acoustically transparent or that vibrate in response to acoustic signals, and wherein one or more of the visually opaque areas are positioned so as to at least partially overlie the camera sensor; and

an audio transducer in acoustic communication with the first cavity and configured to generate or receive acoustic signals via at least one of the one or more areas of the mask,

wherein the camera sensor is configured to receive optical signals and the audio transducer is configured to generate or receive acoustic signals via at least a same one of the one or more areas of the mask.

21. A wearable device according to claim 20 wherein the audio transducer is configured to generate or receive acoustic signals via one or more of the plurality of acoustically transparent areas through which the acoustic signals propagate or the plurality of opaque areas at which the mask vibrates in response to the acoustic signals.

22. A wearable device according to claim 20 wherein the audio transducer is disposed within one of:

a peripheral cavity offset from the mask but in acoustic communication with the first cavity or the first cavity such that the mask overlies the audio transducer.

23. A wearable device according to claim 20 wherein the housing defines one or more apertures, and wherein the audio transducer is in acoustic communication both with the first cavity and with the one or more apertures defined by the housing and configured to radiate or receive audio signals therethrough.

24. A wearable device according to claim 20 wherein the plurality of visually opaque areas of the mask are configured to vibrate in response to acoustic signals, and wherein the acoustic transducer is configured to receive the acoustic signals via vibration of the mask including the plurality of visually opaque areas.

25. A wearable device according to claim 20 wherein the acoustic transducer is configured to generate or receive acoustic signals without any other opening to facilitate operation of the audio transducer other than provided by the mask overlying the camera sensor.