Integrated microphone assembly for personal media device

• US 20080165999A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Tan, Tang Yew, Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Barrentine, Derek Boyd
• Granted Patent: US 8,306,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/361
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/035 Improving the acoustic characteristics by means of constructional features of the housing, e.g. ribs, walls, resonating chambers or cavities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for media devices including a housing, a frame disposed adjacent to the housing, and a microphone assembly that is integrated with the frame for receiving sound.

Claims

1. a media device comprising:

a housing,

a frame disposed adjacent to the housing, and

a microphone assembly being integrated with the frame for receiving sound from an aperture of the housing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein integrated with includes detachably connected to.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein integrated with includes unitarily formed with.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein integrated with includes mounted to.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame is disposed substantially within the housing.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a sidewall.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the sidewall includes the aperture in acoustic communication with the microphone assembly.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a backplane.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein a portion of the microphone assembly is positioned substantially on a top surface of the backplane.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein a portion of the microphone assembly is enclosed within an upper casing, the upper casing being attached to the frame.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the casing includes a rubber boot.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein a portion of the microphone assembly is positioned substantially on a bottom surface of the backplane.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein a portion of the microphone assembly is enclosed within an lower casing, the lower casing being attached to the frame.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame is connected to the housing using at least one gasket.

15. A method for receiving sound at media device comprising:

integrating a microphone assembly with a frame of the media device, and

receiving, at the microphone assembly, sound from an aperture of the housing.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein integrating includes detachably connecting to.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein integrating includes unitarily forming with.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein integrating includes mounting to.

19. The method of claim 15 comprising disposing the frame substantially within the housing.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the frame includes a sidewall.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the sidewall includes an aperture in acoustic communication with the microphone assembly.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the frame includes a backplane.

23. The method of claim 22 comprising positioning a portion of the microphone assembly substantially on a top surface of the backplane.

24. The method of claim 23 comprising enclosing a portion of the microphone assembly within an upper casing, the upper casing being attached to the frame.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the upper casing includes a rubber boot.

26. The method of claim 22, comprising positioning a portion of the microphone assembly substantially on a bottom surface of the backplane.

27. The method of claim 26 comprising enclosing a portion of the microphone assembly within an upper casing, the upper casing being attached to the frame.

28. The method of claim 22 comprising connecting the frame to the housing using at least one gasket.

29. A method for manufacturing a media device comprising:

providing a housing,

attaching a frame to the housing, and

integrating a microphone assembly with the frame.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein integrating includes inserting a microphone assembly within a recess of the frame.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein integrating includes mounting an upper casing to the frame proximate to the microphone assembly.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein integrating includes mounting a lower casing to the frame proximate to the microphone assembly.