Method and apparatus for acoustics testing of a personal mobile device

• US 8,358,787 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Michael M., Seguin, Chad G., Burrough, Bob, Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Labidi, Cyril, Farrell, Daniel, Aghazarian, Tony, Tan, Tang Yew, Paez, Christian, Gregg, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Minh-Loan T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Erdem, Fazli
• Application Number:
  US11/961,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20090116656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,860 Days
• Field of Search: 381/58, 381/59, 381/60, 735/84, 73/11.82
• US Class Current: 381/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/004 for microphones H04R29/007 takes precedence

Abstract

A portable handheld test fixture has an acoustic port, e.g. a speaker port, a microphone, and/or an earpiece/receiver port. Once the media device has been installed onto the test fixture, the port becomes acoustically coupled to a respective acoustic aperture of the media device that is associated with a speaker, a microphone, or an earpiece/receiver as the case may be. A sound test tool, e.g. a reference sound source and/or a sound pressure level, SPL, meter, has an input or output sound port that can be removably coupled to the acoustic port of the test fixture. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Claims

1. A system for audio testing a portable media device, comprising:

a portable handheld test fixture having an acoustic port selected from the group consisting of a speaker port, a microphone port, and an earpiece port, wherein said port becomes acoustically coupled, through a first acoustic pathway ported all the way through a body of the test fixture to a respective acoustic aperture of the media device, which is associated with a speaker, a microphone, or an earpiece of the device, once the device has been installed onto the test fixture; and

a sound test tool selected from the group consisting of a reference sound source and a sound pressure level, SPL, meter, the sound test tool having an input or output sound port that is to be removably coupled to said acoustic port of the test fixture.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said acoustic port is the speaker port, which is acoustically coupled, through the first acoustic pathway formed in the body of the test fixture, to a respective acoustic aperture of the media device that is associated with a speaker of the device, and the sound test tool is the SPL meter to be removably coupled to the speaker port.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the test fixture further comprises an acoustic microphone port, which is acoustically coupled, through a second acoustic pathway distinct from the first acoustic pathway, formed in the body of the test fixture, to a respective acoustic aperture of the media device that is associated with a microphone of the device,

the system further comprising a reference sound source that is to be removably coupled to the acoustic microphone port.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the test fixture further comprises an acoustic earpiece port, which is acoustically coupled, through a third acoustic pathway, distinct form the first acoustic pathway and the second acoustic pathway, formed in the body of the test fixture, to a respective acoustic aperture of the media device that is associated with an earpiece of the device,

wherein the SPL meter is to be removably coupled to the acoustic earpiece port.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the test fixture further comprises a docking connector that mates with a corresponding connector of the device, once the device has been installed onto the test fixture.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a computer that is coupled to the docking connector of the test fixture through a cable, the computer having stored therein software that when executed by the computer checks for updates to user software in the device and downloads audio test code, to be used for testing acoustic functions of the device, into the device via the cable.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a computer that is communicatively coupled to the device through a wireless connection, the computer having stored therein software that when executed by the computer checks for updates to user software in the device and downloads audio test code into the device via the wireless connection.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a computer that is communicatively coupled to the device by a wired or wireless connection, the computer having stored therein software that when executed by the computer checks for updates to user software in the device using said connection.

9. The system of claim 3 further comprising the media device, the media device further comprising a display,

and wherein the media device implements a digital media player function that plays one of music through the speaker and video through the display,

and wherein the media device is to a) emit a first audio test signal by the speaker and simultaneously show a spectral and/or sound level characteristic of the first audio test signal on the display, and b) measure a second audio test signal being detected by the microphone and simultaneously show a spectral and/or sound level characteristic of the measured signal on the display.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising the media device having an earpiece, the media device further implements a wireless telephony function that allows a user to hear a telephone call through the earpiece,

and wherein the media device is to emit a third audio test signal by the earpiece and simultaneously show a spectral and/or sound level characteristic of the third audio test signal on the display.

11. The system of claim 3 further comprising the media device, the media device being a cellular telephone handset which includes a display and an earpiece,

and wherein the handset implements a wireless telephony function that allows a user to hear a telephone call through the earpiece,

and wherein the handset is to a) emit an audio test signal by the earpiece and simultaneously show a spectral and/or sound level characteristic of the audio test signal on the display, and b) measure another audio test signal being detected by the microphone and simultaneously show a spectral and/or sound level characteristic of the measured signal on the display.

12. An acoustic test fixture comprising:

a body having formed therein a) a pocket adapted to receive therein a personal media device docking connector, and b) an acoustic channel ported all the way through the body from a port in a surface of the body that is adapted to engage a sound test tool, to an aperture in the body that is positioned to be aligned with a speaker, microphone or earpiece of a personal media device when the media device is installed in the test fixture.

13. The acoustic test fixture of claim 12 wherein the body comprises a further pocket adapted to receive therein a personal media device earphone/headphone connector.

14. The acoustic test fixture of claim 12 wherein the body has a first cavity formed above its flat, exterior bottom surface, the cavity being adapted to receive therein a bottom end of the media device so as to support the media device in a substantially upright orientation.

15. The acoustic test fixture of claim 14 wherein the body has a second cavity formed above its flat, exterior bottom surface, the cavity being adapted to receive therein a top end of the media device so as to support the media device upside down in a substantially upright orientation.

16. An acoustic test fixture comprising:

a body having formed therein an acoustic channel ported all the way through the body from a port in a surface of the body, that is adapted to engage a sound test tool, to an aperture in the body that is positioned to be aligned with a speaker, microphone or earpiece of a personal media device when the media device is installed in the test fixture.

17. The acoustic test fixture of claim 16 wherein the body further comprises a pocket having embedded therein a connector that mates with a built-in earphone/headphone connector of the personal media device.

18. The acoustic test fixture of claim 16 wherein the body has a first upward facing cavity formed above its flat, exterior bottom surface, the first cavity being adapted to receive therein a bottom end of the media device so as to support the media device in a substantially upright orientation.

19. The acoustic test fixture of claim 18 wherein the body has a second upward facing cavity formed above its flat, exterior bottom surface, the second cavity being adapted to receive therein a top end of the media device so as to support the media device upside down in a substantially upright orientation.

20. A test fixture comprising:

first means for supporting a portable media device upside down such that an end of the media device having a receiver is supported by the first means;

first acoustic port means for coupling with an acoustic port of a sound test tool; and

means for acoustically coupling a first test signal, generated by the receiver of the media device while the media device is supported by the first means, to the first acoustic port means.

21. The test fixture of claim 20 further comprising:

second means for supporting the portable media device right side up;

second acoustic port means for coupling with an acoustic port of a sound test tool; and

means for acoustically coupling a second test signal, generated by the sound test tool, to the second acoustic port means, while the media device is supported by the second means.