Directional speaker for portable electronic device

• US 7,801,570 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2004
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Inventors: Cheung, Kwok Wai, Tong, Peter P., Thomas, C. Douglass
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin; Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLAIR, KILE O
• Application Number:
  US10/826,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20040209654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,350 Days
• Field of Search: 381/77, 381/86, 381/303, 381/306, 381/387, 381/388, 381/334, 381/386, 381/79, 381/356, 455/569.2, 455/569.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/575.1, 455/575.9, 455/350, 455/90.1, 455/344, 455/66.1, 455/550.1, 455/90.3, 455/599.2, 280/735, 348/14.16, 379/420.04, 379/433.02, 367/137, 367/138
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/72 of terrestrial networks
• 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: H04M 1/19 Arrangements of transmitters, receivers, or complete sets to prevent eavesdropping, to attenuate local noise or to prevent undesired transmission; Mouthpieces or receivers specially adapted therefor circuit arrangements for preventing eavesdropping H04M1/68; telephone cabinets E04H1/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/403 loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/023 Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/401 2D or 3D arrays of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2217/03 Parametric transducers where sound is generated or captured by the acoustic demodulation of amplitude modulated ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/405 by combining a plurality of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/00 Two-channel systems H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/00 Systems employing more than two channels, e.g. quadraphonic H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence

Abstract

A directional speaker for an electronic device having audio output capabilities is disclosed. The directional speaker can thus be used with the electronic device to direct audio output in a directionally constrained manner. As a result, a certain degree of privacy with respect to the audio output is achieved for the user of the electronic device, yet the user need not wear a headset or ear phone, or have to hold a speaker against one'"'"'s ear. The directional speaker can be integral with the electronic device. Alternatively, the directional speaker can be an attachment (or peripheral) to the electronic device.

Claims

1. A peripheral apparatus for a personal, handheld wireless communication device, said peripheral apparatus comprising:

a directional speaker that provides ultrasonic sound output in a particular direction; and

a controller operatively connected to said directional speaker, said controller operating to supply signals to said directional speaker so that the ultrasonic sound is output by said directional speaker,

wherein the ultrasonic sound output by said directional speaker results in audio sound in the particular direction for a user of the personal, handheld wireless communication device, and

wherein said peripheral apparatus is configured to be removeably connected to the personal, hand-held wireless communication device,

wherein said peripheral apparatus is portable and able to be hand-held, and

wherein while said peripheral apparatus is connected to the personal, hand-held wireless communication device and in use, the personal, hand-held wireless communication device with said peripheral apparatus remain portable and hand-held.

2. A peripheral apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the personal, handheld wireless communication, device has a peripheral connection port, wherein said peripheral apparatus connects to the personal, handheld wireless communication device at the peripheral connection port, and wherein the peripheral connection port is an electronic card slot or a serial bus port.

3. A peripheral apparatus as recited in claim 2,

wherein said peripheral apparatus further comprises a housing for said peripheral apparatus, and

wherein said peripheral apparatus further comprises a mechanical mechanism that allows said directional speaker to move relative to said housing, thereby allowing repositioning of said directional speaker to direct the sound output towards different directions.

4. A peripheral device for a hand-held computing device, said peripheral device comprising:

a housing;

a directional speaker coupled to said housing, said directional speaker being configured to provide ultrasonic sound output in a particular direction, wherein the ultrasonic sound output by said directional speaker results in audio sound in the particular direction for a user of the computing device;

a controller within said housing and operatively connected to said directional speaker, said controller operating to supply signals to said directional speaker so that the ultrasonic sound is output by said directional speaker; and

a port connector configured to assist with coupling said peripheral device to the computing device to allow the computing device to drive said directional speaker to produce the audio sound,

wherein said peripheral device is a hand-held device and remains hand-held even when in use with the computing device.

5. A peripheral device as recited in claim 4, wherein said directional speaker is integral to said housing, and wherein when said peripheral device is operatively connected to the computing device, the said computing device directs audio signals to said peripheral device.

6. A peripheral device as recited in claim 4, wherein said peripheral device further comprises a cable that connects said peripheral device to the computing device via a connector or plug.

7. A peripheral device as recited in claim 4, wherein said peripheral device further comprises a camera.

8. A peripheral device as recited in claim 4, wherein said housing is configured as a peripheral bus plug-in card.

9. A peripheral device as recited in claim 4, wherein said port connector is a USB connector.

10. A peripheral apparatus for a personal, handheld wireless communication device, said peripheral apparatus comprising:

a directional speaker that provides ultrasonic sound output in a particular direction; and

a controller operatively connected to said directional speaker, said controller operating to supply signals to said directional speaker so that the ultrasonic sound is output by said directional speaker,

wherein the ultrasonic sound output by said directional speaker results in audio sound in the particular direction for a user of the personal, handheld wireless communication device, and

wherein said peripheral apparatus is configured to be removeably connected to the personal, hand-held wireless communication device,

wherein said peripheral apparatus is portable and able to be hand-held, and

wherein while said peripheral apparatus is connected to the personal, hand-held wireless communication device and in use said peripheral apparatus remains portable and able to be hand-held.

11. A peripheral apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the personal, handheld wireless communication device has a peripheral connection port, wherein said peripheral apparatus connects to the personal, handheld wireless communication device at the peripheral connection port, and wherein the peripheral connection port is an electronic card slot or a serial bus port.

12. A peripheral apparatus as recited in claim 10,

wherein said peripheral apparatus further comprises a housing for said peripheral apparatus, and

wherein said peripheral apparatus further comprises a mechanical mechanism that allows said directional speaker to move relative to said housing, thereby allowing repositioning of said directional speaker to direct the sound output towards different directions.