ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH IMPROVED AUDIO

• US 20120082317A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pance, Aleksandar, Goel, Ruchi, Culbert, Daniel, Warren, Niel, Puskarich, Paul Gerard, Leong, Craig, Isaac, Ronald Nadim, Tenneboe, Jim Lynn, Johanningsmeier, Nathan Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,644,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/045 using the distributed mode principle, i.e. whereby the acoustic radiation is emanated from uniformly distributed free bending wave vibration induced in a stiff panel and not from pistonic motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/045 Mounting H04R9/043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/066 using the principle of inertia

Abstract

An electronic device having an enclosure including an upper panel and a bottom panel operably connected to the upper panel. A transducer is operably connected to the enclosure and the transducer is configured to mechanically vibrate the enclosure. The transducer includes an electromagnet, a magnet in communication with the electromagnet and a bracket substantially surrounding the electromagnet and the magnet, the bracket substantially secures the transducer to the bottom panel.

Claims

1. A electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a memory in electrical communication with the processor;

an audio transducer in electrical communication with the processor, wherein the audio transducer comprises;

a magnetic coil; and

a magnet in communication with the magnetic coil; and

an enclosure comprising a top panel and a bottom panel, the enclosure substantially surrounding the processor, the memory, and the audio transducer, wherein

the audio transducer is operably connected to the at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel of the enclosure.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is substantially waterproof.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising at least one speaker;

wherein

the speaker outputs a first frequency range; and

the audio transducer outputs an output having a second frequency range that is below the first frequency range.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the output of the audio transducer is non-linearly distorted.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein digital signal processing is applied by the processor to the audio transducer to non-linearly distort the output of the audio transducer.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the magnet is substantially prevented from vibrating.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the audio transducer further comprises a transmission material disposed between the magnetic coil and the enclosure.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising at least two feet disposed on a bottom surface of the enclosure.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the at least two feet are impedance matched to the audio transducer.

10. An electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

an enclosure comprising;

an upper panel; and

a bottom panel operably connected to the upper panel;

a transducer operably connected to the enclosure and electrically connected to the processor, wherein the transducer is configured to output a vibration that vibrates the enclosure, thereby producing an audio signal the transducer comprising;

an electromagnet;

a magnet in communication with the electromagnet; and

a bracket substantially surrounding the electromagnet and the magnet, wherein the bracket substantially secures the transducer to the bottom panel;

a first speaker electrically connected to the processor and operative to output a speaker audio signal;

wherein

the speaker audio signal and audio signal cooperate to produce a sound.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein a digital profile is applied to the transducer to pre-distort the vibration, thereby changing at least one characteristic of the audio signal.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the at least one characteristic is modified to account for a non-linear distortion introduced by the enclosure.

13. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the magnet is configured to alternate between a first position and a second position.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising at least two feet operably connected to a bottom surface of the bottom panel, wherein the at least two feet are configured to substantially match the impedance of the transducer.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the magnet is substantially prevented from moving in the vertical direction.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the enclosure is substantially air-tight.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising an external speaker operably connected to the enclosure.

18. A method for outputting a sound from an electronic device, comprising:

by a processor of the electronic device, determining a first and second audible portion of the sound;

electrically driving an audio transducer within an enclosure of the electronic device to produce a vibration;

through the vibration, moving the enclosure to produce the first audible portion of the sound; and

electrically driving a speaker within the enclosure to move an air mass, thereby producing the second audible portion of the sound.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

applying a digital profile to the vibration produced by the transducer, thereby distorting the vibration;

wherein

the motion of the enclosure is affected by the distortion, thereby producing the first audible portion of the sound.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

measuring at least one characteristic of an operating environment with a sensor, thereby producing a sensor measurement; and

choosing the digital profile is chosen from a plurality of digital profiles based on the sensor measurement.