Microphone coupler for a communication device

• US 20070116261A1
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Mankaruse, George, Infanti, James, Hawker, Larry
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/035 Improving the acoustic characteristics by means of constructional features of the housing, e.g. ribs, walls, resonating chambers or cavities

Abstract

The invention provides a communication device and a microphone coupler. The device comprises: a microphone; a printed circuit board (PCB) to connect to the microphone; a boot assembly to enclose the microphone and to direct acoustic signals to the microphone; a platform; a housing to enclose the PCB, the microphone, the platform and the boot assembly and to provide an opening to access the microphone; and an acoustic channel connecting the microphone to the opening in the housing. In the device, part of the acoustic channel is formed by a channel formed when the above noted components are assembled together.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a microphone;

a printed circuit board (PCB) to connect to said microphone;

a boot assembly to enclose said microphone and to direct acoustic signals to said microphone;

a platform;

a housing to enclose said PCB, said microphone, said platform and said boot assembly, said housing providing an opening to access said microphone; and

an acoustic channel to connect said microphone to said opening in said housing,

wherein part of said acoustic channel is formed by a channel formed by said boot assembly and a bottom surface of said platform when

said boot assembly is mounted over said microphone;

said platform is mounted over said boot assembly; and

said housing is assembled to enclose said PCB.

2. The communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said platform comprises an aperture therein, said part of said acoustic channel connects to a bottom side of said aperture;

said acoustic channel also comprises a gasket having an internal conduit, said gasket mounted at one end to a top side of said aperture and at another end to said opening.

3. The communication device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said platform further comprises a frame shaped to hold said assembly underneath said platform.

4. The communication device as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said opening in said housing is located in a lower end of said housing.

5. The communication device as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

said microphone is mounted on said PCB with an aperture of said microphone facing upward from said PCB.

6. The communication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said boot assembly comprises

a coupling section shaped to hold said microphone with said aperture facing upward from said PCB;

a beam extending outwardly from said coupling section;

a wall extending above a perimeter of said beam, forming said channel within said wall and above said beam and with an air gap above said aperture of said microphone.

7. The communication device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said channel forms a first 90 degree turn from said microphone and a second 90 turn to said aperture in said support.

8. The communication device as claimed in claim 6, wherein an acoustic mesh is provided in said acoustic channel.

9. The communication device as claimed in claim 6, wherein digital signal processing is provided to adjust signals generated by said microphone to accommodate for acoustic characteristics of said acoustic channel.

10. The communication device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said coupling section comprises a lateral rib extending around its exterior to mate with an interior surface of said frame of said platform.

11. The communication device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a keypad is mounted on a top surface of said platform.

12. A microphone coupler for a microphone in a communication device, comprising:

a coupling section shaped to hold said microphone with said aperture facing upward from said PCB;

a beam extending outwardly from said coupling section;

a wall extending above a perimeter of said beam, forming a channel within said wall and above said beam and with an air gap above said aperture of said microphone and said volume.

13. The microphone coupler as claimed in claim 12, wherein said conduit forms a first 90 a degree turn from said microphone and a second 90 turn to said aperture in said platform.

14. The microphone coupler as claimed in claim 13, wherein said coupler is shaped to mate with a platform to hold said coupler underneath said frame and to seal against a bottom side of said platform to seal said channel.