Electronic apparatus with detachable speakers, a body unit and a control unit

• US 9,386,367 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2011
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Onishi, Yasuharu, Kishinami, Yuichiro, Satou, Shigeo, Kuroda, Jun, Murata, Yukio, Komoda, Motoyoshi, Kawashima, Nobuhiro, Uchikawa, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasraian, Allahyar
• Application Number:
  US13/995,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20130267275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 381/322, 381/324, 381/332, 381/386, 381/387, 381/395, 455/90.3, 455/149, 455/350, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/569.1, 455/575.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/323 for loudspeakers H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence
• 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 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's

Abstract

An electronic apparatus (100) includes a first detachable speaker unit (120) including a first speaker having a relatively high directivity, and a second detachable speaker unit (130) including a second speaker having a relatively low directivity. The electronic apparatus (100) further includes a body unit (an electronic apparatus body (110)) provided with a slot (113) in which any one of the first detachable speaker unit (120) and the second detachable speaker unit (130) is detachably installed therein in an alternative way, and a control unit that is provided in the body unit and controls the first and second speakers.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a first detachable speaker unit that comprises a first surface and includes a first speaker having a first directivity;

a second detachable speaker unit that comprises a second surface and includes a second speaker having a second directivity that is lower than the first directivity;

a body unit that is provided with a slot in which any one of the first detachable speaker unit and the second detachable speaker unit is detachably installed therein in an alternative way; and

a control unit that is provided in the body unit and controls the first speaker and the second speaker, the control unit including a first sound control unit that controls the first speaker and a second sound control unit that controls the second speaker, the first sound control unit controls the first speaker in a state where the first detachable speaker unit is installed in the slot, the second sound control unit controls the second speaker in a state where the second detachable speaker unit is installed in the slot;

a first terminal that is formed on the first surface of the first detachable speaker unit and electrically connected to the first speaker;

a second terminal that is formed on the second surface of the second detachable speaker unit and electrically connected to the second speaker;

a third terminal that is formed on a bottom surface of the slot;

a changeover switch that causes the third terminal to be electrically connected to any one of the first sound control unit and the second sound control unit in an alternative way; and

a detection unit that detects which one of the first detachable speaker unit and the second detachable speaker unit is installed in the slot, the detection unit comprises a detection switch formed on the bottom surface of the slot,

when the first terminal comes into contact with the third terminal by installing the first detachable speaker unit in the slot such that the first surface of the first detachable speaker unit and the bottom surface of the slot face each other, the changeover switch causes the third terminal to be electrically connected to the first sound control unit, and when the second terminal comes into contact with the third terminal by installing the second detachable speaker unit in the slot such that the second surface of the second detachable speaker unit and the bottom surface of the slot face each other, and the changeover switch causes the third terminal to be electrically connected to the second sound control unit,

wherein one of the first surface of the first detachable speaker unit and the second surface of the second detachable speaker unit comprises a part to be detected, and the detection unit detects which one of the first detachable speaker unit and the second detachable speaker unit is installed in the slot, based on whether or not the detection switch detects the part to be detected, and the changeover switch switches a connection destination of the third terminal to the first sound control unit or the second sound control unit according to a detection results through the detection unit; and

wherein the control unit oscillates the first speaker to output an ultrasonic wave from each of a plurality of regions that are arranged in an array, and the control unit further oscillates an audible sound from the second speaker.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first detachable speaker unit and the second detachable speaker unit have a same exterior shape.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first speaker is a parametric speaker.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first speaker includes a plurality of piezoelectric vibrators that are arranged in an array.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second speaker has a single piezoelectric vibrator.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second speaker is an electrodynamic speaker.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first speaker comprises a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured to vibrate at an ultrasound frequency of 20 kHz or more.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the ultrasound frequency is demodulated to produce an audible sound.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second detachable speaker comprises a single piezoelectric element configured to oscillate at a frequency of 100 Hz to 10 kHz.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the part to be detected is a convex portion, and

the detection unit detects which one of the first detachable speaker unit and the second detachable speaker unit is installed in the slot, based on whether or not the convex portion is inserted into the detection switch.

11. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a first detachable speaker unit that comprises a first surface and includes a parametric speaker having a first directivity;

a second detachable speaker unit that comprises a second surface and includes a single piezoelectric element having a second directivity that is lower than the first directivity;

a body unit that is provided with a slot in which any one of the first detachable speaker unit and the second detachable speaker unit is detachably installed therein in an alternative way; and

a control unit that is provided in the body unit and controls the parametric speaker and the single piezoelectric element, the control unit including a first sound control unit that controls the parametric speaker and a second sound control unit that controls the single piezoelectric element, the first sound control unit controls the parametric speaker in a state where the first detachable speaker unit is installed in the slot the second sound control unit controls the single piezoelectric element in a state where the second detachable speaker unit is installed in the slot;

a first terminal that is formed on the first surface of the first detachable speaker unit and electrically connected to the parametric speaker;

a second terminal that is formed on the second surface of the second detachable speaker unit and electrically connected to the single piezoelectric element;

a third terminal that is formed on a bottom surface of the slot;

a changeover switch that causes the third terminal to be electrically connected to any one of the first sound control unit and the second sound control unit in an alternative way; and

a detection unit that detects which one of the first detachable speaker unit and the second detachable speaker unit is installed in the slot, the detection unit comprises a detection switch formed on the bottom surface of the slot,

when the first terminal comes into contact with the third terminal by installing the first detachable speaker unit in the slot such that the first surface of the first detachable speaker unit and the bottom surface of the slot face each other, the changeover switch causes the third terminal to be electrically connected to the first sound control unit, and when the second terminal comes into contact with the third terminal by installing the second detachable speaker unit in the slot such that the second surface of the second detachable speaker unit and the bottom surface of the slot face each other, and the changeover switch causes the third terminal to be electrically connected to the second sound control unit,

wherein one of the first surface of the first detachable speaker unit and the second surface of the second detachable speaker unit comprises a part to be detected, and the detection unit detects which one of the first detachable speaker unit and the second detachable speaker unit is installed in the slot, based on whether or not the detection switch detects the part to be detected, and the changeover switch switches a connection destination of the third terminal to the first sound control unit or the second sound control unit according to a detection results through the detection unit; and

wherein the control unit oscillates the parametric speaker to output an ultrasonic wave from each of a plurality of regions that are arranged in an array, and the control unit further oscillates an audible sound from the piezoelectric element.

12. The electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first detachable speaker unit and the second detachable speaker unit have a same exterior shape.

13. The electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the parametric speaker comprises a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured to vibrate at an ultrasound frequency of 20 kHz or more.

14. The electronic apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the ultrasound frequency is demodulated to produce an audible sound.

15. The electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the part to be detected is a convex portion, and

the detection unit detects which one of the first detachable speaker unit and the second detachable speaker unit is installed in the slot, based on whether or not the convex portion is inserted into the detection switch.