EARPHONE AND A METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN IMPROVED SOUND EXPERIENCE

• US 20090103763A1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: PETEF, Andrej, KLINGHULT, Gunnar
• Granted Patent: US 8,199,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/380
• 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 17/005 using a piezoelectric polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/15 Determination of the acoustic seal of ear moulds or ear tips of hearing devices

Abstract

The present invention provides an earphone comprising an electro-active polymer that is adapted such that the outer circumference of a resilient member of the earphone is responsive to an electric voltage, enabling providing essentially sealing the ear canal when the resilient member of the earphone at least partly is inserted in an ear canal of a wearer. The electro-active polymer also enables an improved game and sound experience by providing by synchronizing the outer circumference of the resilient member with the electric signal provided to the earphone.

Claims

1. An earphone comprising:

a resilient member being adapted to at least partly be inserted in an ear canal, and

an electro active polymer adapted such that the outer circumference of the resilient member is responsive to an electric voltage when being applied to the electro active polymer,

so that the resilient member can substantially seal the ear canal when inserted.

2. The earphone according to claim 1, wherein the earphone further comprises a signal processing unit adapted to provide a first electric signal having an essentially constant voltage component to be applied to the electro-active polymer.

3. The earphone according to claim 2, wherein the signal processing unit further is adapted to provide a first electric signal having an essentially varying voltage component to be applied to the electro active polymer, upon connection of an input signal to the signal processing unit.

4. The earphone according to claim 1, wherein the earphone further comprises an electro-acoustic transducer adapted to transduce a second electric signal to be supplied to the transducer, into acoustic energy.

5. The earphone according to claim 2, wherein the signal processing unit further comprises a synchronizing unit that is adapted to synchronize the essentially varying voltage component of the first electric signal, and a second electric signal to be supplied to the transducer.

6. The earphone according to claim 1, wherein the resilient member and the electro-active polymer are tubular and co-axially oriented in relation to one another.

7. The earphone according to claim 1, wherein the electro-active polymer may comprise an ionic electro-active polymer.

8. Method for providing an electric voltage to an earphone comprising the steps of:

receiving a first electric signal having an essentially constant voltage component, and

applying said first electric signal to an electro-active polymer of an earphone,

said electro active polymer being adapted such that the outer circumference of a resilient member of the earphone is responsive to the first electric signal, causing the resilient member to substantially seal an ear canal of a wearer when the resilient member at least partly is inserted in the ear canal.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving the first electric signal having an essentially varying voltage component, enabling the outer circumference of the resilient member to vary.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising receiving an input electric signal enabling provision of a second electric signal to an electro-acoustic transducer.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of processing the input electric signal, forming the first and second electric signals.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of synchronizing the essentially varying voltage component of the first electric signal, and the second electric signal.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising providing the essentially varying voltage component of the synchronized first electric signal to the electro-active polymer, and the synchronized second electric signal to the electro-acoustic transducer, such that a physical pressure can be provided to a wearer'"'"'s ear canal when wearing the earphone, where the pressure is essentially synchronized with the synchronized second electric signal.