Portable electronic device having an external speaker chamber

• US 20020099891A1
• Filed: 01/23/2001
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Brocklin, Andrew L., Cole, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,597,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/021 Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/15 Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers

Abstract

A portable electronic device, such as a portable notebook computer, that includes a case made up of a top portion and a bottom portion with a base surface. The case contains a speaker having a front portion and a back portion, where the back chamber is formed in association with the back portion of the speaker. A first aperture is disposed through the bottom portion of the case, and an acoustic insulator is attached to the base surface of the case such that the acoustic insulator encircles the first aperture forming an external chamber. The external chamber is defined by the base surface, and the acoustic insulator being adapted to rest upon a support surface upon which the portable electronic device rests. The external chamber is coupled to the back chamber by the first aperture.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a case having a top portion and a bottom portion having a base surface;

a speaker disposed inside the case, having a front portion and a back portion;

wherein a back chamber is formed in association with the back portion of the speaker; and

a first aperture disposed through the bottom portion of the case;

an acoustic insulator attached to the base surface of the case;

wherein the acoustic insulator encircles the first aperture and an external chamber is defined at least by the base surface, and the acoustic insulator being adapted to rest upon a support surface upon which the portable electronic device rests;

wherein the external chamber is coupled to the back chamber by the first aperture.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a port tube disposed on the case coupled to the back chamber, wherein sound is emitted from the back chamber through the port tube.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the speakers disposed inside the case.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a

a support disposed within the case, having a wall substantially encircling the front portion of the speaker;

and

a speaker grill defined in the bottom portion at the base portion of the case;

wherein the support within the case is located in proximity to the speaker grill for supporting the speaker between the top portion and bottom portion of the case, with the speaker oriented toward the speaker grill, and a front chamber is formed in association with the front portion of the speaker.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the front chamber is defined by the wall, the speaker grill and front portion of the speaker and the support acoustically decouples the front chamber from the back chamber.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 5, wherein the case further comprises:

a left side, a right side, a front side, and a back side,

wherein a sound chamber is defined at least by the base surface, the left side, the right side, the front side, and the back side of the case, excluding the area bounded by the acoustic insulator and the support surface upon which the portable electronic device rests.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the back chamber and external chamber form a combined volume, where the combined volume is determined from the resonant frequency of the speaker and the equivalent acoustic compliance of the speaker.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the acoustic insulator further comprises a geometric shape which is configured to optimize the frequency range of the speaker.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising foam seals between the speaker and the support for acoustically isolating sound waves from the front chamber from sound waves at the back chamber.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an audio level control having an audio level adjustment wherein the audio level control has a first volume state and a second volume state.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a portable computer.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a personal digital assistant.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the case further comprises footings which vary in height in a predetermined manner and the acoustic insulator smoothly varies in height to substantially match the height of the footings.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of transmitting sound from a port tube.

18. The apparatus manufactured in accordance with the steps of claim 17.

13. A portable electronic device comprising:

a case having a top portion and a bottom portion having a base surface;

a speaker disposed inside the case, having a front portion and a back portion;

wherein a back chamber is formed in association with the back portion of the speaker; and

an acoustic insulator attached to the base surface of the case;

wherein the acoustic insulator substantially encircles the front portion of the speaker on three sides and an acoustic horn is defined at least by the base surface, and the acoustic insulator being adapted to rest upon a support surface upon which the portable electronic device rests.

15. A method for transmitting sound from a portable electronic device, comprising the steps of:

generating acoustic energy from a speaker by way of a vibrating member;

transmitting a first portion of the acoustic energy from the vibrating member through a speaker grill located in proximity to the vibrating member;

coupling a second portion of the acoustic energy from a rear surface of the vibrating member through an aperture on a surface to an external chamber formed by the surface, a supporting surface on which the portable electronic device rests, and an acoustic insulator which encircles the aperture and separates the surface from the supporting surface on which the portable electronic device rests.

17. A method of manufacturing an external chamber for a speaker in a portable electronic device, comprising the steps of:

mounting a speaker in a case

forming a back chamber around a back portion of the speaker

forming an aperture in a base surface of a case where the aperture is coupled to the back chamber; and

attaching an acoustic insulator to the base surface of the case which encircles the aperture forming an external chamber where the external chamber is acoustically coupled to the back chamber through the aperture.

19. A system, comprising:

a portable electronic device;

a docking station,

wherein the docking station comprises;

a case having, a top portion and a bottom portion having a base surface;

a speaker having a front portion and a back portion;

wherein a back chamber is formed in association with the back portion of the speaker; and

a first aperture disposed through the bottom portion of the case;

an acoustic insulator attached to the base surface of the case;

wherein the acoustic insulator encircles the first aperture and an external chamber is defined at least by the base surface, and an acoustic insulator being adapted to rest upon a support surface upon which the portable electronic device rests;

wherein the external chamber is coupled to the back chamber by the first aperture.

20. A portable electronic device comprising:

a case having a top portion, a bottom portion, and side portions connecting the top portion and the bottom portion;

wherein the bottom portion defines a speaker grill at a base surface of the case; and

a speaker having a front portion and a back portion;

a support having an internal surface and an external surface located in proximity to the speaker grill within the case for supporting the speaker between the top portion and bottom portion of the case with the speaker oriented downward toward the speaker-grill, and the support acoustically isolates the front portion of the speaker from the back portion of the speaker;

a front internal speaker-chamber is defined by the base surface and the internal surface of the support and the front portion of the speaker;

wherein a back speaker-chamber is defined by the top portion and the external surface of the support and the back portion of the speaker;

a first aperture disposed on an exterior surface of the case to allow sound to be emitted from the back portion of the speaker;

a port tube disposed on the base surface;

an acoustic insulator attached to the bottom surface of the case;

wherein the acoustic insulator is formed around the port tube to form an external chamber coupled to the back speaker chamber by the port tube.