Acoustic assembly for personal media device

• US 20080149417A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Barrentine, Derek Boyd, Tan, Tang Yew, Lee, Michael M., Dinh, Richard Hung Minh
• Application Number:
  US11/643,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20080149417A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 181/145
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2842 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for media devices including an acoustic source that emits a sound, a first chamber that receives the sound and couples a first portion of the sound outside of the media device, and a second chamber that receives a second portion of the sound from the first chamber.

Claims

1. a method for delivering sound from a media:

device comprising;

emitting sound from an acoustic source into a first chamber associated with the media device,

coupling a first portion of the sound from the first chamber to outside of the media device, and

coupling a second portion of the sound from the first chamber to a second chamber associated the media device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the first portion of the sound from the first chamber to outside of the media device is via at least a first aperture.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein coupling the second portion of the sound from the first chamber to the second chamber is via at least a second aperture.

4. The method of claim 3 comprising coupling a third portion of the sound from the second chamber to outside of the second chamber.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the coupling of the third portion of the sound from the second chamber is via at least a third aperture.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the coupling of the third portion of the sound from the second chamber includes coupling the third portion of the sound outside of the media device via a plurality of apertures.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the coupling of the third portion of the sound from the second chamber includes coupling the third portion of the sound from the second chamber to a third chamber associated with the media device, the third chamber including a plurality of apertures for coupling a forth portion of the sound outside of the media device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the acoustic source includes one of a transducer and a speaker.

9. The method of claim 1 comprising adjusting the volume of the first chamber in relation to the volume of the second chamber to tune the first portion of the sound.

10. The method of claim 3 comprising adjusting at least one of the area of the at least first aperture, the area of the at least second aperture, the volume of the first chamber, and the volume of the second chamber in relation to each other to tune the first portion of the sound.

11. The method of claim 3 comprising adjusting the area of the at least first aperture in relation to the area of the at least second aperture to tune the first portion of the sound.

12. The method of claim 5 comprising adjusting at least one of the area of the at least first aperture, the area of the at least second aperture, the area of the at least third aperture, the volume of the first chamber, and the volume of the second chamber in relation to each other to tune the first portion of the sound.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the emitting including emitting the sound via at least a fifth aperture from the acoustic source into the first chamber.

14. The method of claim 3 comprising sealing at least one of the at least first aperture and the at least second aperture using a medium.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the medium includes an acoustically permeable material.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising adjusting at least one of the acoustic permeability of the medium of the at least first aperture, the acoustic permeability of the medium of the at least second aperture, the area of the at least first aperture, the area of the at least second aperture, the volume of the first chamber, and the volume of the second chamber in relation to each other to tune the first portion of the sound.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the medium includes a mesh.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second chambers includes substantially air.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second chambers includes at least one of a gas other than air, a gas mixture other than air, and acoustically conductive matter.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the media device includes one of a wireless communications device, a personal digital assistant, a portable computer, a portable music player, a portable video player, and a portable multimedia device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second chambers are included within a peripheral element of the media device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the peripheral element includes one of a headphone, wireless headphone, and a ear-coupling housing.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the acoustic source is directly coupled to the second chamber.

24. A system for delivering sound from a media device comprising:

an acoustic source for emitting a sound,

a first chamber for receiving the sound and coupling a first portion of the sound outside of the media device, and

a second chamber for receiving a second portion of the sound from the first chamber.

25. The system of claim 24 comprising a first aperture for coupling the first portion of the sound from the first chamber to outside of the media device.

26. The system of claim 24 comprising a second aperture for coupling the second portion of the sound from the first chamber to the second chamber.

27. The system of claim 26 comprising a third aperture for coupling a third portion of the sound from the second chamber to outside of the second chamber.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the coupling of the third portion of the sound from the second chamber includes coupling the third portion of the sound outside of the media device via a plurality of apertures.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the coupling of the third portion of the sound from the second chamber includes coupling the third portion of the sound from the second chamber to a third chamber associated with the media device, the third chamber including a plurality of apertures for coupling a forth portion of the sound outside of the media device.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the acoustic source includes one of a transducer and a speaker.

31. The system of claim 24 wherein the volume of the first chamber is configured in relation to the volume of the second chamber to tune the first portion of the sound.

32. The system of claim 26 wherein at least one of the area of the at least first aperture, the area of the at least second aperture, the volume of the first chamber, and the volume of the second chamber are configured in relation to each other to tune the first portion of the sound.

33. The system of claim 26 wherein the area of the at least first aperture is configured in relation to the area of the at least second aperture to tune the first portion of the sound.

34. The system of claim 27 wherein at least one of the area of the at least first aperture, the area of the at least second aperture, the area of the at least third aperture, the volume of the first chamber, and the volume of the second chamber are configured in relation to each other to tune the first portion of the sound.

35. The system of claim 24 comprising a fifth aperture for coupling the sound from the acoustic source into the first chamber.

36. The system of claim 26 comprising a medium for sealing at least one of the at least first aperture and the at least second aperture.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the medium includes an acoustically permeable material.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the acoustic permeability of the medium of the at least first aperture, the acoustic permeability of the medium of the at least second aperture, the area of the at least first aperture, the area of the at least second aperture, the volume of the first chamber, and the volume of the second chamber are configured in relation to each other to tune the first portion of the sound.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the medium includes a mesh.

40. The system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first and second chambers includes substantially air.

41. The system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first and second chambers includes at least one of a gas other than air, a gas mixture other than air, and acoustically conductive matter.

42. The system of claim 24, wherein the media device includes one of a wireless communications device, a personal digital assistant, a portable computer, a portable music player, a portable video player, and a portable multimedia device.

43. The system of claim 24, wherein the first and second chambers are included within a peripheral element of the media device.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the peripheral element includes one of a headphone, wireless headphone, and a ear-coupling housing.

45. The system of claim 24, wherein a portion of the acoustic source is directly coupled to the second chamber.

46. A portable wireless communications device comprising:

a housing,

a speaker within the housing for emitting a sound,

a first chamber within the housing for receiving the sound and coupling a first portion of the sound outside of the housing, and

a second chamber within the housing for receiving a second portion of the sound from the first chamber via at least one aperture between the first and second chamber.