Use of an earpiece acoustic opening as a microphone port for beamforming applications
First Claim
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1. A mobile device, comprising:
- a mobile multi-function handset device housing that contains;
a speaker to produce sound for an audio application that is to execute in the mobile device;
first, second, and third microphones for capturing audio proximate to the mobile multi-function handset device housing;
a programmed processor configured to execute a plurality of applications, including (1) a telephony application, (2) a multimedia/video call application, (3) a voice dictation/activation application, or (4) a video recording application; and
a beamformer processor for performing directional signal reception of audio using the first and second microphones during performance of at least one of the plurality of applications,where the housing has a first acoustic opening located on a front face and at a top end of the housing, and designed to be held to an ear of a user when the device is being used like a telephone handset during a phone call, the first acoustic opening to provide shared acoustic input and output paths for the first microphone and the speaker,wherein the housing further includes a second acoustic opening located on a rear face and at the top end of the housing that is used by the second microphone as an input acoustic port,wherein the housing further includes a third acoustic opening located on a bottom side of the housing that is near the mouth of the user when the device is being used like a telephone handset during the phone call, wherein the third acoustic opening is used by the third microphone as an input acoustic port.
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Abstract
A mobile multi-function device that includes a speaker, two or more microphones, and a beamformer processor is described. The beamformer processor uses the microphones to perform beamforming operations. One of the microphones shares a receiver acoustic opening with the speaker while the other microphone uses a separate acoustic opening. The receiver acoustic opening may be an earpiece opening that is held to the ear of a user while conducting a phone call with the device and provides acoustic input and output paths for the microphone and the speaker, respectively.
12 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A mobile device, comprising:
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a mobile multi-function handset device housing that contains; a speaker to produce sound for an audio application that is to execute in the mobile device; first, second, and third microphones for capturing audio proximate to the mobile multi-function handset device housing; a programmed processor configured to execute a plurality of applications, including (1) a telephony application, (2) a multimedia/video call application, (3) a voice dictation/activation application, or (4) a video recording application; and a beamformer processor for performing directional signal reception of audio using the first and second microphones during performance of at least one of the plurality of applications, where the housing has a first acoustic opening located on a front face and at a top end of the housing, and designed to be held to an ear of a user when the device is being used like a telephone handset during a phone call, the first acoustic opening to provide shared acoustic input and output paths for the first microphone and the speaker, wherein the housing further includes a second acoustic opening located on a rear face and at the top end of the housing that is used by the second microphone as an input acoustic port, wherein the housing further includes a third acoustic opening located on a bottom side of the housing that is near the mouth of the user when the device is being used like a telephone handset during the phone call, wherein the third acoustic opening is used by the third microphone as an input acoustic port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for operating a mobile multi-function device, comprising:
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running an application on the mobile multi-function device, wherein the mobile multi-function device includes a first microphone and a speaker located in a first acoustic opening on a front face and top end of the mobile multi-function device such that the first acoustic opening is designed to be held to an ear of a user during a phone call, wherein the mobile multi-function device includes a second microphone located in a second acoustic opening on a rear face and the top end of the mobile multi-function device, and wherein the mobile multi-function device further includes a third microphone located in a third acoustic opening on a bottom side of the mobile multi-function device; and performing beamforming operations while the application is running using the first microphone installed in the first acoustic opening of the mobile multi-function device and the second microphone installed in the second acoustic opening. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for constructing a mobile multi-function device, comprising:
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forming a speaker opening on a front face and top end of a housing of the mobile multi-function device; installing a first microphone and a speaker to use the speaker opening as an acoustic input and output port; forming a first microphone opening on a rear face and the top end of the housing of the mobile multi-function device; installing a second microphone to use the first microphone opening as an acoustic input port; forming a second microphone opening on a bottom side of the housing of the mobile multi-function device; installing a third microphone to use the second microphone opening as an acoustic input port and configuring a beamformer processor in the mobile multi-function device to perform directional signal reception of sound using the first and second microphones while the mobile multi-function device is running an application. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification