Headset with microphone and connector co-location

• US 20080166001A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hankey, M. Evans, Prest, Christopher D., Sanford, Emery
• Granted Patent: US 8,311,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/364
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/083 Special constructions of mouthpieces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 31/006 Interconnection of transducer parts of diaphragm and outer suspension by moulding H04R31/003
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electronic device is provided that includes a housing and a connector assembly coupled to the housing. The connector assembly can include a microphone port. The electronic device can further include a microphone mounted within the housing and a channel that fluidically couples the microphone to the microphone port. A joint connector and microphone assembly is also provided. The assembly can include a microphone with a top surface and side surfaces. The top surface of the microphone can include a microphone input. The assembly can include a microphone boot mounted to the microphone such that the boot interfaces with a portion of the top surface and the side surfaces to form a seal around the microphone input. The microphone boot can include a connector sealing portion and an aperture for fluidically coupling the microphone input to a microphone port. The assembly can include a connector plate mounted to the connector sealing portion.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a connector assembly coupled to the housing, the connector assembly comprising a microphone port;

a microphone mounted within the housing; and

a channel that fluidically couples the microphone to the microphone port.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the microphone is mounted within the connector assembly.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the connector assembly further comprises:

a connector plate constructed to receive the microphone and include the microphone port.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the microphone port is located on the periphery of the connector plate.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the microphone port is adjacent to the housing.

6. The device of claim 3, further comprising:

a microphone boot, wherein the microphone is coupled to the microphone boot.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the microphone boot acoustically seals the microphone.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the microphone boot comprises:

a sealing portion that forms an acoustic seal with the connector plate; and

a roof portion constructed to form a portion of the channel.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the microphone boot is constructed substantially of silicone.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a circuit board electrically coupled to the connector assembly and the microphone.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the microphone port is recessed within the housing.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein a relatively air tight seal exists between the connector assembly and the housing.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the connector assembly is operative to electrically couple with another electronic device.

14. A joint connector and microphone assembly comprising:

a microphone including a top surface and side surfaces, the top surface comprising a microphone input;

a microphone boot mounted to the microphone such that the boot interfaces with a portion of the top surface and the side surfaces to form a seal around the microphone input, the microphone boot comprising;

a connector sealing portion; and

an aperture for fluidically coupling the microphone input to a microphone port; and

a connector plate mounted to the connector sealing portion.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the connector plate comprises:

a recessed step; and

a cut-out provided through a portion of the recessed step, the cut-out forming the microphone port.

16. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the connector plate comprises at least one aperture.

17. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising:

at least one contact that fits into the at least one aperture.

18. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising:

a circuit board;

a casing mounted to the connector plate and electrically coupled to the circuit board;

at least one contact that fits into the at least one aperture; and

a bracket that fixes the at least one contact to the connector plate and enables the connector plate to exert acoustic sealing pressure to at least the boot.

19. The assembly of claim 18, further comprising at least one screw to secure the bracket to the casing.

20. The assembly of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the circuit board is flexible.

21. An electronic device comprising:

an earbud assembly;

a primary housing assembly fixed to the earbud assembly, the primary housing assembly comprising an integrated connector and microphone assembly, the integrated connector and microphone assembly comprising;

a microphone port; and

a microphone operative to receive acoustic signals transmitted through the microphone port.

22. The device of claim of claim 21, further comprising a neck assembly for mounting the earbud assembly to the primary housing assembly.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the device is a headset.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the device is a Bluetooth headset.

25. The device of claim 21, wherein the integrated connector and microphone assembly comprises:

a microphone boot for acoustically sealing the microphone.

26. The device of claim 21, wherein the integrated connector and microphone assembly comprises:

a cavity extending from the microphone to the microphone port.

27. The device of claim 21, wherein the primary housing assembly comprises a circuit board coupled to the integrated connector and microphone assembly.

28. The device of claim 21, wherein the integrated connector and microphone assembly is recessed a predetermined distance within the primary housing assembly.

29. The device of claim 21, wherein a connector end of the primary housing assembly includes a planar region that is angled to a first predetermined angle with respect to a central axis passing lengthwise through the primary housing assembly.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the first predetermined angle is a non-perpendicular angle.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the integrated connector and microphone assembly includes an assembly planar region that is angled to a second predetermined angle with respect to the central axis passing lengthwise through the primary housing assembly.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the first and second predetermined angles are substantially the same.