Electronic communication devices with integrated microphones

• US 9,065,901 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2012
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Global Communications, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mackey, Christopher D., Bartholomew, Scott E., Keane, Anthony R. A., Tennant, Bryce
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Application Number:
  US13/540,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20140010383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 379/390.01, 37943301-43307, 701/2, 324/207.25, 455/564, 455/550.1, 4555751-5758, 381/71.1, 343/702
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033

Abstract

Modern electronic devices are becoming smaller while the need to critically locate acoustic sensors or transducers, e.g., microphones, is increasing in order to provide improved intelligibility in adverse environments. The acoustic transducers can be used in arrays with their outputs processed in beam forming and noise cancellation algorithms. The use and creation of features on the surface of a small package to deal with the problem of achieving high performance solutions in a limited space are disclosed herein. For example, embodiments of electronic communication devices (10) include acoustic transducers (26) integrated with other features such as a volume control (34, 50), an antenna (87, 260, 280), an adapter (300) which can be coupled to an input/output jack (90) and an accessory connector, or a projection (98).

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a shell;

a rotary control input device comprising first and second minipulable portions that rotate independent of each other in relation to the shell and are co-located so as to be disposed over a common location of or a common aperture formed through the shell throughout use thereof, where

rotation of the first minipulable portion controls first operations of the electronic device, and

rotation of the second minipulable portion causes an adjustment of an acoustic transducer'"'"'s orientation in relation to a sound source; and

the acoustic transducer disposed on or in the second minipulable portion of the rotary control input device so as to be rotatable with the second minipulable portion of the rotary control in relation to the shell.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker; and

an amplifier communicatively coupled to the rotary control input device and the speaker, where the amplifier generates an electrical output that drives the speaker in response to an output of the rotary control input device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first minipulable portion comprises a knob fixed transmitting a rotational input to the rotary control input device.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the rotary control input device comprises a spindle, the knob rotates with a first end of the spindle, and the output of the rotary control input device is representative of an angular position of the spindle.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the rotary control input device is a rotary encoder comprising the spindle, a casing fixed to the shell, a disc positioned for rotation within the casing, and a plurality of contacts positioned within the casing the plurality of contacts contact the disc on a selective basis dependent upon an angular position of the spindle in relation to the casing.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the acoustic transducer is mounted on the knob.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the acoustic transducer is configured to rotate in relation to and independent of the knob.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

a rotating platform having a base; and

a carousel rotatable in relation to the base;

wherein the acoustic transducer rotates with the carousel.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the base rotates with the knob.

10. The device of claim 4, further comprising

a shaft fixed to the shell and extending through the spindle and the knob;

wherein the base of the rotating platform is fixed to the shaft.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

a shell; and

an input device mounted on or extending through the shell, the input device comprising

a first minipulable portion generating an output that causes a response in a component of the electronic communication device, and

a second minipulable portion mounted on or coaxially with the first minipulable portion and comprising a first acoustic transducer having an orientation relative to a sound source that is adjustable via rotation of the second minipulable portion;

wherein the first and second minipulable portions rotate independent of each other in relation to the shell and are co-located so as to be disposed over a common location of or a common aperture formed through the shell throughout use thereof.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein

the electronic device further comprises a speaker,

the component of the electronic device in which the response is caused is an amplifier generating an electrical output that drives the speaker, and

the first minipulable portion of the input device comprises a control communicatively coupled to the amplifier and generating an output in response a rotational input to the control.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first minipulable portion comprises a knob transmitting a rotational input to a rotary control.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein

the rotary control further comprises a spindle,

the knob rotates with a first end of the spindle, and

the rotary control is responsive to changes in an angular position of the spindle.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the rotary control is a rotary encoder comprising the spindle, a casing fixed to the shell, a disc positioned for rotation within the casing, and a plurality of contacts positioned within the casing the plurality of contacts contact the disc on a selective basis dependent upon an angular position of the spindle in relation to the casing.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the first acoustic transducer is mounted on the knob.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the first acoustic transducer rotates in relation to and independent of the knob.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, further comprising;

a rotating platform having a base, and

a carousel rotatable in relation to the base;

wherein the first acoustic transducer rotates with the carousel.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the base rotates with the knob.

20. The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising a shaft fixed to the shell and extending through the spindle and the knob, where the base of the rotating platform is fixed to the shaft.

21. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first minipulable portion is an antenna.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the second minipulable portion further comprises a collar mounted on the antenna where the first acoustic transducer is mounted on the collar.

23. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the collar is ring-shaped and has a centrally-located opening configured to receive the antenna.

24. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the collar comprises a cable and a connector, the connector electrically and mechanically connected to the cable and mates with another connector on the electronic device.

25. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the second minipulable portion further comprises

a second collar mounted on the antenna,

a second acoustic transducer mounted on the second collar, and

noise-cancellation circuitry communicatively coupled to the first and second acoustic transducers and operable to reduce background noise present in an output of the second acoustic transducer.

26. The electronic device of claim 22, further comprising;

a band positioned around the shell; and

a second acoustic transducer mounted on the band.

27. The electronic device of claim 26, further comprising noise-cancellation circuitry communicatively coupled to the microphones and reducing background noise present in an output of the second acoustic transducer.

28. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the first acoustic transducer is mounted directly on the antenna.

29. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein the first acoustic transducer is embedded within a cover or a body of the antenna, and the antenna further comprises an acoustical tube in acoustic communication with the first acoustic transducer and an ambient environment around the antenna.

30. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first minipulable portion comprises an input/output jack of the electronic device.

31. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein the first minipulable portion further comprises an adapter mating with the input/output jack and a connector.

32. A radio, comprising:

a shell;

an input device comprising first and second minipulable portions that rotate independent of each other in relation to the shell and are co-located so as to be disposed over a common location of or a common aperture formed through the shell throughout use thereof, where;

the first minipulable portion comprises

a rotary control that generates an electrical output responsive to a rotational input thereto, and

a knob mounted on the rotary control which provides the rotational input to the rotary control; and

the second minipulable portion comprises an acoustic transducer such that rotation of the second minipulable portion causes an adjustment of the acoustic transducer'"'"'s orientation relative to a sound source; and

a rotating platform having a base and a carousel rotatable in relation to the base and the rotary control, where the acoustic transducer rotates with the carousel;

a speaker mounted on or within the shell; and

an amplifier communicatively coupled to the first minipulable portion of the input device and the speaker, where the amplifier generates an electrical output that drives the speaker in response to an electrical output of the first minipulable portion of the input device.

33. The radio of claim 32, wherein the base of the rotating platform rotates with the knob.

34. The radio of claim 32, wherein

the rotary control is a rotary encoder comprising a spindle and a shaft extending through the spindle and the knob, and

the base of the rotating platform is fixed to the shaft.