Portable electronic device with a speaker assembly

• US 6,321,070 B1
• Filed: 05/14/1998
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clark, Joel A., Wilcox, Scott R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow, C.
• Application Number:
  US09/079,067
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550, 455/90, 455/347, 455/350, 455/351, 455/575, 381/337, 381/338, 381/345, 381/348, 381/349, 381/351, 381/352, 381/353-354, 381/159, 381/160-163, 381/145-146, 381/150, 381/188, 381/157, 381/168, 381/169, 381/183, 381/187, 381/155, 381/156, 379/433, 379/428, 379/420
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2811 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/02 Details

Abstract

A portable electronic device, such as a portable radiotelephone (100), with a speaker assembly is described. The portable radiotelephone (100) has a housing, which includes an upper housing (102) and a lower housing (108), configured to carry at least one of a receiver and a transmitter. A speaker (342) has a front side acoustically coupled to a first air space in front of an ear placement region (120) of the upper housing (102). The speaker (342) has a rear side acoustically coupled to a second air space. At least a first passage acoustically couples the first air space to a third air space that is substantially separated from the second air space.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device with a speaker assembly, said portable electronic device comprising:

a housing having an ear placement region forming an ear volume between the ear placement region and a user, the ear volume being external to the device and said housing configured to carry at least one of a receiver and a transmitter;

a speaker, said speaker having a front side acoustically coupled to the ear volume, said speaker having a rear side acoustically coupled to a second air space; and

at least a first passage in said housing, said at least a first passage acoustically coupling the ear volume to a third air space substantially separated from the second air space, wherein the acoustic coupling via said at least a first passage includes coupling an external signal, output from the front side of said speaker, from the ear volume back into the third air space.

2. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said housing has at least a first internal cavity comprising the second air space.

3. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said housing has at least a first internal cavity comprising the third air space.

4. The portable electronic device according to claim 3, further comprising:

at least a second passage formed in said housing, said at least a second passage acoustically coupling said at least a first internal cavity to a fourth air space.

5. The portable electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the fourth air space comprises open air.

6. The portable electronic device according to claim 4, wherein said housing has at least a second internal cavity comprising the second air space.

7. The portable electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the second air space comprises open air.

8. The portable electronic device according to claim 3, further comprising:

at least a second passage formed in said housing, said at least a second passage acoustically coupling said at least a first internal cavity to a fourth air space.

9. The portable electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the fourth air space comprises open air.

10. The portable electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said housing has at least a second internal cavity comprising the fourth air space.

11. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the third air space comprises open air.

12. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said housing has at least a first internal cavity comprising the second air space and at least a second internal cavity comprising the third air space.

13. The portable electronic device according to claim 12, further comprising:

at least a second passage formed in said housing, said at least a second passage acoustically coupling said at least a first internal cavity to a fourth air space.

14. The portable electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the fourth air space comprises open air.

15. The portable electronic device according to claim 13, wherein said housing has at least a third internal cavity comprising the fourth air space.

16. The portable electronic device according to claim 12, further comprising:

at least a second passage formed in said housing, said at least a second passage acoustically coupling said at least a second internal cavity to a fourth air space.

17. The portable electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the fourth air space comprises open air.

18. The portable electronic device according to claim 16, wherein said housing has at least a third internal cavity comprising the fourth air space.

19. The portable electronic device according to claim 12, further comprising:

at least a second passage formed in said housing, said at least a second passage acoustically coupling said at least a first internal cavity to a fourth air space; and

at least a third passage formed in said housing, said at least a third passage acoustically coupling said at least a second internal cavity to a fifth air space.

20. The portable electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the fourth air space comprises open air.

21. The portable electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the fifth air space comprises open air.

22. The portable electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the fourth and the fifth air spaces comprise open air.

23. The portable electronic device according to claim 19, wherein said housing has at least a third cavity comprising the fourth air space.

24. The portable electronic device according to claim 19, wherein said housing has at least a third cavity comprising the fifth air space.

25. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second air space comprises open air.

26. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the third air space comprises open air.

27. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second and the third air spaces comprise open air.

28. A portable electronic device with a speaker assembly, said portable electronic device comprising:

a housing having an ear placement region forming an ear volume between the ear placement region and a user, the ear volume being external to the device and said housing configured to carry at least one of a receiver and a transmitter;

a speaker;

at least a first opening, said at least a first opening leading from the ear volume to a front side of said speaker;

at least a first passage, said at least a first passage leading from a rear side of said speaker to a second air space; and

at least a second passage, said at least a second passage having at least a second opening positioned within said ear placement region, said at least a second passage leading from said at least a second opening to a third air space substantially separate from the second air space, wherein said at least a second passage acoustically couples an external signal, output from the front side of said speaker, from the ear volume back into the third air space.

29. The portable electronic device according to claim 28, wherein said housing forms at least a first internal cavity comprising the second air space.

30. The portable electronic device according to claim 28, wherein said housing forms at least a first internal cavity comprising the third air space.

31. The portable electronic device according to claim 28, wherein said housing forms at least a first internal cavity comprising the second air space and at least a second internal cavity comprising the third air space.

32. The portable electronic device according to claim 28, wherein said at least a first passage leads to at least a third opening positioned outside of said ear placement region, such that the second air space comprises open air.

33. The portable electronic device according to claim 28, wherein said at least a second passage leads to at least a third opening positioned outside of said ear placement region, such that the third air space comprises open air.

34. The portable electronic device according to claim 28, wherein said at least a first passage leads to at least a third opening positioned outside of said ear placement region, such that the second air space comprises open air, and wherein said at least a second passage leads to at least a fourth opening positioned outside of said ear placement region, such that the third air space comprises open air.

35. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing having an ear placement region forming an ear volume between the ear placement region and a user, the ear volume being external to the device and said housing configured to carry at least one of a receiver and a transmitter;

a speaker;

at least a first opening positioned within the ear placement region of said housing, said at least a first opening leading to a front side of said speaker;

at least a second opening positioned outside of said ear placement region, said at least a second opening leading to a rear side of said speaker; and

at least a third opening positioned within said ear placement region, said at least a third opening coupling the ear volume to an air space substantially separate from the rear side of said speaker, wherein the third opening couples an external signal, output from the front side of said speaker, from the ear volume back into the air space.

36. The portable electronic device according to claim 35, wherein said at least a second opening is positioned on a rear surface of said housing.

37. The portable electronic device according to claim 35, wherein said at least a second opening is positioned on at least one of a left side surface and a right side surface of said housing.

38. The portable electronic device according to claim 35, wherein said at least a second opening is positioned on a front surface of said housing.

39. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing having an ear placement region forming an ear volume between the ear placement region and a user, the ear volume being external to the device and said housing having a first internal cavity and configured to carry at least one of a receiver and a transmitter;

a speaker having a rear side acoustically coupled to the first internal cavity, said speaker carried by said housing;

at least a first opening positioned within said ear placement region of said housing, said at least a first opening leading to a front side of said speaker; and

at least a first passage, said at least a first passage having at least a second opening positioned within said ear placement region and at least a third opening positioned outside of said ear placement region, wherein said at least a second opening acoustically couples the ear volume to an air space substantially separate from the first internal cavity, and acoustically couples an external signal, output from the front side of the speaker, from the ear volume back into the air space substantially separate from the first internal cavity.

40. The portable electronic device according to claim 39, wherein said at least a third opening is positioned on a rear surface of said housing.

41. The portable electronic device according to claim 39, wherein said at least a third opening is positioned on at least one of a left side surface and a right side surface of said housing.

42. The portable electronic device according to claim 39, wherein said at least a third opening is positioned on a front surface of said housing.

43. A portable radiotelephone, comprising:

a housing, said housing configured to carry at least one of a receiver and a transmitter, said housing having an ear placement region on a front surface thereof, the ear placement region forming an ear volume, external to the radiotelephone, between the ear placement region and a user;

a separator, said separator configured to separate said housing into at least a first internal cavity and a second internal cavity substantially separate from the first internal cavity;

a speaker, said speaker disposed in said housing, said speaker having a rear side exposed to said first internal cavity;

at least a first opening, said at least a first opening positioned within said ear placement region, said at least a first opening leading to a front side of said speaker; and

at least a second opening, said at least a second opening positioned within said ear placement region, said at least a second opening leading to said second internal cavity, wherein said at least a second opening couples an external signal, output from the front side of said speaker, to the second internal cavity.

44. The portable radiotelephone according to claim 43, wherein said separator comprises a wall of said housing.

45. The portable radiotelephone according to claim 43, wherein said ear placement region comprises an earcup.

46. The portable radiotelephone according to claim 43, further comprising:

at least a third opening, said at least a third opening positioned outside of said ear placement region, said at least a third opening leading to said second internal cavity.

47. The portable radiotelephone according to claim 43, further comprising:

at least a third opening, said at least a third opening positioned on at least one of a left side surface and a right side surface of said housing, said at least a third opening leading to said second internal cavity.

48. The portable radiotelephone according to claim 43, further comprising:

at least a third opening, said at least a third opening positioned on a rear surface of said housing, said at least a third opening leading to said second internal cavity.

49. The portable radiotelephone according to claim 43, further comprising:

at least a third opening, said at least a third opening positioned outside of said ear placement region, said at least a third opening leading to said second internal cavity.

50. The portable radiotelephone according to claim 43, further comprising:

at least a third opening, said at least a third opening positioned outside of said ear placement region, said at least a third opening leading to said first internal cavity.

51. The portable radiotelephone according to claim 43, further comprising:

at least a third opening, said at least a third opening positioned on at least one of a left side surface and a right side surface of said housing, said at least a third opening leading to said first internal cavity.

52. The portable radiotelephone according to claim 43, further comprising:

at least a third opening, said at least a third opening positioned on a rear surface of said housing, said at least a third opening leading to said first internal cavity.

53. The portable radiotelephone according to claim 43, further comprising:

at least a third opening, said at least a third opening positioned on said front surface outside of said ear placement region, said at least a third opening leading to said first internal cavity.