The described embodiments relate generally to electronic devices and component thereof. More particularly, the present embodiments relate to mesh components and assemblies of electronic devices.
Many electronic devices include internal components that communicate, interface, or interact with the environment external to the device in some way. Often, these internal components can do so through one or more apertures or ports formed in a housing of the electronic device. In order to protect the internal components from debris such as dust and water entering these apertures or ports, one or more mesh components and assemblies can be provided that occlude the apertures or ports to protect the internal components but still allow the internal components to interact with the external environment as need through the mesh component.
However, mesh components of the prior art are often not designed adequately to withstand external forces to protect the mesh or internal components from damage. In addition, current mesh designs make it difficult to eject water or other debris from the internal volume of the electronic device, which may enter from the external environment through the mesh. Also, current mesh designs tend to lack aesthetically and tactilely pleasing design features.
In a particular example of the present disclosure, an electronic device includes a housing that defines an internal volume, an aperture defined by the housing, an electronic component disposed within the internal volume and occluding the aperture, and a mesh component disposed against the electronic component.
In one example, the electronic device can further include an adhesive disposed between the electronic component and the mesh component. In one example, the electronic component includes a speaker module. In one example, the electronic device further includes an elastic barrier disposed between the mesh component and an inside surface of the housing. In one example, the elastic barrier is disposed against an internal surface of the housing around a perimeter of the aperture. In one example, the elastic barrier includes a foam material. In one example, the foam material is elastically compressed between the mesh component and the housing. In one example, the electronic device also includes an adhesive disposed between the elastic barrier and the mesh component.
In another particular example, an electronic device includes a housing that defines an internal volume, a port defined by the housing, a speaker module disposed within the internal volume and oriented to move air through the port, and an acoustically transparent mesh covering the port. The mesh can include a raised portion extending at least partially through the port and a flange extending from or along the raised portion, the flange secured against an internal surface of the housing.
In one example, the electronic device can further include a support bracket disposed against the flange such that the flange is disposed between the support bracket and the internal surface. In one example, the support bracket includes a support flange disposed against the flange of the mesh and a compliant mechanism that urges the mesh against the internal surface. In one example, the compliant mechanism includes an elastic protrusion pressing against the speaker module. In one example, the elastic protrusion extends outward and away from the support flange. In one example, the electronic device further includes an adhesive layer disposed between the flange and the internal surface of the housing. The adhesive layer can secure the flange to the internal surface of the housing. In one example, the raised portion defines an external surface disposed flush with an external surface of the housing.
In another example of the present disclosure, an electronic device can include a housing defining an aperture, a mesh component occluding the aperture, and an elastic member disposed against the mesh component and biased toward an internal surface of the housing.
In one example, the mesh component is disposed between the elastic member and the housing. In one example, the elastic member is disposed between the mesh component and the housing. In one example, the electronic device can further include an internal electronic component. In such an example, the mesh component can be disposed between the internal electronic component and the elastic member. In one example, the mesh component can be disposed directly against the internal electronic component and the elastic member can be elastically compressed between the housing and the mesh component.
The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following descriptions are not intended to limit the embodiments to one preferred embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the appended claims.
The following disclosure relates to mesh components and assemblies for electronic devices. In a particular example, an electronic device includes a housing that defines an internal volume, an aperture defined by the housing, an electronic component disposed within the internal volume and occluding the aperture, and a mesh component disposed against the electronic component.
In another particular example, an electronic device includes a housing that defines an internal volume, a port defined by the housing, a speaker module disposed within the internal volume and oriented to move air through the port, and an acoustically transparent mesh covering the port. The mesh can include a raised portion extending at least partially through the port and a flange extending from or along the raised portion, the flange secured against an internal surface of the housing.
Mesh components and assemblies described herein provide improved water and debris ejection features over meshes of the prior art. Mesh components described herein are also strong, durable, and resistant to damage. In addition, the mesh components and assemblies described herein can be uniquely designed, colored, and arranged to form an aesthetically pleasing mesh over a speaker or other internal component of an electronic device.
For example, mesh components described herein can include one or more stiff metal materials, including stainless steel and/or titanium, which minimize or substantially eliminate deflections in the mesh caused by water or debris moving through one or more perforation holes of the mesh. Also, for example, when disposed over an internal speaker of an electronic device, the meshes described herein can be constructed of stiff metal to reduce or substantially eliminate vibrations or deflections that may be caused by air and sound waves produced by the speaker and travelling through the mesh component. Thus, the stiff construction of the mesh components described herein improve sound quality and water ejection when subject to high pressures under water or other debris entering through the mesh form an external environment.
In addition, one or more biasing members or supporting brackets can be disposed against the mesh component described herein to support the mesh components and maintain the proper position of the mesh component within or across a port of the electronic device. For example, a support bracket including a compliant mechanism can create a counterforce that acts against the mesh components described herein to bias the mesh component toward and against an internal surface of a housing of the electronic device. The counterforce of the compliant mechanism of the support bracket can resist forces that may act on the mesh component during use, which would otherwise cause the mesh component to fall into or towards the internal volume of the device or otherwise fall out of place.
In addition, mesh components of the present disclosure can be formed with raised features or external surfaces that are disposed flush with an external surface of a housing of an electronic device. This flush surface is aesthetically and tactilely pleasing. In addition, the metal materials of the mesh components described herein can be anodized or have added layers formed by physical vapor deposition methods in order to customize and tune the color of the mesh to be aesthetically pleasing.
In addition to the advantages described above, the mesh components of the present disclosure ensure that internal components can sufficiently interact with an environment external to the electronic device as needed without the risk of damage to the internal component. Such internal components that interact with the external environment can include, but are not limited to, speakers, microphones, pressure sensors and other sensors, and the like. These and other internal components can be disposed adjacent to or aligned below one or more apertures/ports of the electronic device, with a mesh component occluding the apertures/ports and disposed between the aperture/port and the internal electronic component. In this way, the mesh components described herein can act as a barrier between the internal component and the external environment while also enabling the proper functioning of the internal component.
These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to
In the present disclosure, a wearable electronic watch is used as an example of an electronic device that incorporates the meshes, mesh components, and mesh configurations described herein. This smart watch is used for illustrative purposes only to show an example implementation of the meshes and mesh configurations of the present disclosure but the meshes, mesh components, and mesh configurations can implemented in any number of electronic devices other than a wearable electronic watch, which includes an internal component interacting with the environment external to the device, for example speakers and sensors. Examples of meshes, mesh components, and mesh configurations disclosed herein can be included in any number of electronic devices, including but not limited to desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, smartphones, smart speakers, wearable electronic devices such as fitness trackers, smart watches, head-mountable-display devices or other alternate/virtual reality devices, and so forth.
Along these lines,
The display assembly 204 can include a glass, a plastic, or any other substantially transparent external layer, material, component, or assembly. The display assembly 204 can include multiple layers, with each layer providing a unique function, as described herein. Accordingly, the display assembly 204 can be, or can be a part of, an interface component. The display assembly 204 can define a front external surface of the device 200 and, as described herein, this external surface can be considered an interface surface. In some examples, the interface surface defined by display assembly 204 can receive inputs, such as touch inputs, from a user.
In some examples, the housing 202 can be a substantially continuous or unitary component and can define one or more openings to receive components of the electronic device 200. In some examples, the device 200 can include input components such as one or more buttons 206 and/or a crown 208 that can be disposed in the openings. In some examples, a material can be disposed between the buttons 206 and/or crown 208 and the housing 202 to provide an airtight and/or watertight seal at the locations of the openings. The housing 202 can also define one or more openings or apertures, such as aperture 210 that can allow for sound to pass into or out of the internal volume defined by the housing 202. For example, the aperture 210 can be in communication with a microphone component disposed in the internal volume. In some examples, the housing 202 can define or include a feature, such as an indentation to removably couple the housing 202 and a strap or retaining component.
The housing 302 can be a substantially continuous or unitary component, and can define one or more apertures 316, 338 to receive components of the electronic device 300 and/or to provide access to an internal portion of the electronic device 300. In some examples, the device 300 can include input components such as one or more buttons 306 and/or a crown 308 that can be disposed in the apertures 318, 320. In addition, at least one example of the housing 302 defines one or more apertures 318, 320, 338 that provide an internal component access to the environment external to the device 300 and housing 302.
The display assembly 304 can be received by and can be attached to the housing 302. The display assembly can include a cover including a transparent material, such as plastic, glass, and/or ceramic. The display assembly 304 can also include a display stack or display assembly that can include multiple layers and components, each of which can perform one or more desired functions. For example, the display stack can include a display layer 324 that can include a touch detection layer or component, a force sensitive layer or component, and one or more display layers or components that can include one or more pixels and/or light emitting portions to display visual content and/or information to a user. In some examples, the display layer or component 324 can include a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, and/or any other form of display. The display layer 324 can also include one or more electrical connectors to provide signals and/or power to the display layer 324 from other components of the device 300.
In some examples, the device 300 can include a gasket or seal 326 that can be disposed between the display assembly 304 and the housing 302 to substantially define a barrier to the ingress of liquids or moisture into the internal volume from the external environment at the location of the seal 326. As described herein, the seal 326 can include polymer, metal, and/or ceramic materials. The device 300 can also include a seal 334 that can be disposed between the housing 302 and the back cover 312 to substantially define a barrier to the ingress of liquids or moisture into the internal volume from the external environment at the location of the seal 334. As described herein, the seal 334 can include polymer, metal, and/or ceramic materials. The seal 334 can be substantially similar to and can include some or all of the features of the seal 326.
The device 300 can also include internal components, such as a haptic engine 328, a battery 330, an audio module 336, and a logic board 332, also referred to as a main logic board 332 that can include a system in package (SiP) disposed thereon, including one or more integrated circuits, such as processors, sensors, and memory. The SiP can also include a package.
In some examples, the device 300 can include one or more wireless antennas that can be in electrical communication with one or more other components of the device 300. In some examples, one or more antennas can receive and/or transmit wireless signals at one or more frequencies and can be, for example, one or more of a cellular antenna such as an LTE antenna, a Wi-Fi antenna, a Bluetooth antenna, a GPS antenna, a multi-frequency antenna, and the like. The antenna or antennas can be communicatively coupled to one or more additional components of the electronic device 300. In some examples, one or more other components of the device 300 can include a portion or part of an antenna, such as a radiating element thereof.
The internal components can be disposed within the internal volume defined at least partially by the housing 302, and can be affixed to the housing 302 via adhesives, internal surfaces, attachment features, threaded connectors, studs, posts, or other features, that are formed into, defined by, or otherwise part of the housing 302 and/or the cover 322 and/or back cover 312.
In addition to those components and features of device 300, both internal and external to the housing 302, shown in
Some examples of materials that can be perforated to form the mesh component 440 and other mesh components described herein include rubbers, plastics, and other polymers. Other examples of meshes 440 can include metals such as steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and so forth. Ceramics can also be used to form the mesh component 440 and other meshes described herein. In at least one example, the mesh component 440 can be a porous material allowing air to pass through but preventing or substantially preventing dust and other debris particles from the external environment from passing through the mesh component 440 to an internal volume of the device. Some examples of such materials can include foams, knitted fabrics, other textiles, or other porous materials. In one example, the mesh component 440 can be formed as a square woven mesh or a wire mesh. Other materials can include fibers such as synthetic monofilament fibers and the like. The density of polymer meshes and other types of meshes, including porous and perforated meshes, can be tuned to be able to resist the ingress of water at high pressures. Typically, the higher the density, the higher the resistance.
In some examples, the mesh component 440 shown in
The size and spacing of the perforation holes 448 of the mesh component 440 or any other mesh component described herein can be tuned and adjusted to achieve an optimal balance of remaining acoustically transparent and/or permeable to air and acting as a barrier to water and debris from the external environment. In general, it has been found that the larger and more closely arranged the perforation holes are, the better the water ejection performance of the mesh will be. However, removing too much material to form the perforation holes can potentially weaken the mesh component 440 and reduce stiffness. Accordingly, in at least one example, the size of each perforation hole 448 can be at least about 100 microns or between about 100 microns and about 500 microns, for example at least about 140 microns or at least about 280 microns in diameter.
It is noted that while at least some of the figures described in the present application include mesh components having perforation holes, such as perforation holes 448, the same principles discussed with reference to the perforation holes 448, such as egress and ejection of water and debris through the mesh components, can be applied to porous features of non-perforated meshes. For example, woven wire meshes or porous materials can include features analogous to perforation holes, such as space between woven fibers and wires or pores present in porous materials, which allow water and debris to pass through the mesh component. That is, the examples of meshes having perforation holes are not meant as limiting. Rather, they are meant as exemplary only and the same advantages and principles discussed with reference to the size and spacing of perforation holes can be applied to the size and spacing of pores and other spaces and features of non-perforated meshes.
In addition to the material and the size, number, and configurations of the perforation holes described herein, any of the mesh component described herein can include a hydrophobic coating disposed on an external surface thereof to improve water repelling and ejection.
In addition, stiff meshes 440, including meshes 440 made of metals such as stainless steel, can more effectively handle high pressures, including high pressures due to submersion of the device in water. The stiff, metal mesh component 440 can be structurally sound under high pressures without deforming or deflecting under the pressure. Also, a stainless steel mesh component 440, or other stiff metal mesh component 440, can improve the ejection of water that may enter through the perforation holes 448. That is, because a stainless steel mesh component 440 is less prone to flexing and deforming, water passing through the perforation holes 448 are more readily broken up into small droplets, which are more readily ejected back out due to air from the speaker or other movements and forces caused by the movement of the device during use.
In any case, the mesh component 440, including the perforation holes or pores thereof, can allow at least some air to pass there through, for example air moved by an internal speaker, while substantially preventing dust and other debris from the external environment from passing there through. In at least one example, the mesh component 440 is acoustically transparent so that sound waves can propagate from a speaker in the internal volume of the device, through the mesh component 440, and out to the external environment.
The housing 402 includes an external surface 442 and an internal surface 444 with a thickness extending between the external and internal surfaces 442, 444. In at least one example, the mesh component 440 can be sealed, adhered, or pressed against the internal surface 444 of the housing 402 around a perimeter of the port 418. In one example, as shown in the close-up view of
In at least one example, the elastic barrier 446 can include an elastic member or material such as a rubber, plastic, or other polymer. In one example, the elastic barrier 446 can include a foam material that can elastically compress and rebound. Other elastic materials can also be used. In at least one example, the elastic barrier 446 is secured in place by the pressing force between the mesh component 440 and the housing 402. In at least one example, the elastic barrier 446 can be secured to the mesh component 440 via an adhesive. The adhesive can include glues, pressure sensitive adhesives, or other adhesives. In at least one example, the elastic barrier 446 can be molded with or chemically bonded to the mesh component 440.
In at least one example, the elastic barrier 446 can be secured to the housing 402, specifically the internal surface 444 of the housing 402, via an adhesive. The adhesive can include glues, pressure sensitive adhesives, or other adhesives. In at least one example, the elastic barrier 446 can be molded with or chemically bonded to the housing 402.
In at least one example, the speaker module 450 includes a bracket or bracket assembly 452 that secures the speaker module 450 against an internal component of the electronic device, for example a portion of a housing, bracket, or other component of the device to which the bracket assembly 452 can be secured. In this way, the speaker module 450, which can include one or more speakers having one or more diaphragms, can be held up against the mesh component 440 and elastic barrier 446, pressing the elastic barrier against the housing 402 as described above. In addition, in at least one example where the mesh component 440 is adhered to the speaker module 450, the mesh component 440 can be adhered using an adhesive, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive, around a perimeter of the speaker module 450 and the mesh component 440 so as not to adhere directly to any speaker diaphragms or other speaker components. For example, the mesh component 440 can be adhered around a perimeter of a speaker diaphragm of the speaker module 450, including being adhered to a housing or other speaker component surrounding the diaphragm.
As noted above, examples shown in the figures and described herein can include mesh components, such as mesh component 440, which include perforation holes 448, but mesh components of the present disclosure are not limited as such. For example,
Also, as noted above, the speaker module 450 can be secured within the device such that the speaker module 450 presses upward on the elastic barrier 446 to elastically compress the elastic barrier 446 against the housing 402. In at least one example, the elastic barrier 446 is not adhered, bonded, or otherwise secured to the housing 402. Rather, the elastic barrier 446 is held against the housing in an elastically compressed configuration due to the force of the speaker module 450 and mesh component 440 pressing upward thereon.
In at least one example, the mesh component 440 is disposed within a plane parallel to a plane in which the upper surface of the speaker module 450 is disposed. That is, the mesh component 440 lies parallel to a speaker or speaker diaphragm of the speaker module 450 so that there is not angular mismatch between the mesh component 440 and the speakers of the speaker module. This improves speaker sound transmission of air and sound waves through the mesh 440. Also, as noted above, the mesh component 440 can be formed of one or more stiff materials such as metals, including stainless steel or titanium, which also improves the quality of sound produced by the speaker module 450 because the stiff mesh material is resistant to deflection from the sound waves and air moving through the perforation holes 442 as opposed to less stiff materials, for example polymer and fiber materials.
In addition, using one or more metals to form the mesh component 440, for example stainless steel or titanium, allows for an addition metal layer to be applied to the mesh component 440, for example through a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method. Such a PVD layer can be used to impart a desired color for aesthetic reasons, for example a color matching the housing or other desirable color. In one example, titanium can be used to form mesh component 440 described herein. Titanium meshes can be anodized to achieve a desired color.
While a speaker module 450 is shown and described with reference to
Any of the features, components, parts, including the arrangements and configurations thereof shown in
In addition,
Any of the features, components, parts, including the arrangements and configurations thereof shown in
In one example, the mesh component 640 can include a perforated material. The size, locations, and number of perforations extending through such a mesh can vary from one example to another. Such perforations can include machined, laser cut, or otherwise manufactured openings defined by and extending through the material. Such openings can be sized and arranged to prevent a certain size particle from the external environment from passing through the mesh component 640. Such openings can also be sized to prevent water from passing through the mesh component 640 at certain pressures.
Some examples of materials that can be perforated to form the mesh component 640 as described herein include rubbers, plastics, and other polymers. Other examples of meshes 640 can include metals such as steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and so forth. Ceramics can also be used to form the mesh component 640 and other meshes described herein. In at least one example, the mesh component 640 can be a porous material allowing air to pass through but preventing or substantially preventing dust and other debris particles from the external environment from passing through the mesh component 640 to an internal volume of the device. Some examples of such materials can include foams, knitted fabrics, other textiles, or other porous materials. Other materials can include fibers such as synthetic monofilament fibers and the like. The density of polymer meshes and other types of meshes, including porous and perforated meshes, can be tuned to be able to resist the ingress of water at high pressures. Typically, the higher the density, the higher the resistance.
In addition, using one or more metals to form the mesh component 640, for example stainless steel or titanium, allows for an addition metal layer to be applied to the mesh component 640, for example through a PVD method. Such a PVD layer can be used to impart a desired color for aesthetic reasons, for example a color matching the housing or other desirable color. In one example, titanium can be used to form mesh component 640 described herein. Titanium meshes can be anodized to achieve a desired color.
In some examples, the mesh component 640 shown in
In addition, stiff meshes 640, including meshes 640 made of metals such as stainless steel, can more effectively handle high pressures, including high pressures due to submersion of the device in water. The stiff, metal mesh component 640 can be structurally sound under high pressures without deforming or deflecting under the pressure. Also, a stainless steel mesh component 640, or other stiff metal mesh component 640, can improve the ejection of water that may enter through the perforation holes 648. That is, because a stainless steel mesh component 640 is less prone to flexing and deforming, water passing through the perforation holes 648 are more readily broken up into small droplets, which are more readily ejected back out due to air from the speaker or other movements and forces caused by the movement of the device during use.
In any case, the mesh component 640, including the perforation holes or pores thereof, can allow at least some air to pass there through, for example air moved by an internal speaker, while substantially preventing dust and other debris from the external environment from passing there through. In at least one example, the mesh component 640 is acoustically transparent so that sound waves can propagate from a speaker in the internal volume of the device, through the mesh component 640, and out to the external environment.
In at least one example, the mesh component 640 also includes a lower flange 660 extending radially outward from and circumferentially around the raised portion 656. The flange 660 can be connected to the raised portion 656 via sidewalls 662 of the mesh component 640. The sidewalls 662 of the mesh component 640 can extend at least partially from an internal volume of the device, where the sidewalls 662 meet the flange 660, and upward into the port 618 defined by the housing 602 and extending through ha thickness of the housing 602 from an external surface 642 thereof to an internal surface 644 thereof. In this way, in at least one example, the raised portion 656 of the mesh component 640 can be situated at or near the outer surface 642 of the housing 602 such that the external surface 658 of the raised portion 656 of the mesh component 640 is substantially flush with the external surface 642 of the housing 602.
In another example, the external surface 658 of the raised portion 656 of the mesh component 640 can be recessed from the external surface 642 of the housing 602 such that the external surface 658 of the raised portion 656 of the mesh component 640 is disposed lower than the external surface 642 of the housing 602. In this way, the mesh component 640 is less likely to be contacted or damaged upon contact with external objects, such as during a drop event of the device and so forth.
In at least one example, the flange 660 of the mesh component 640 can be secured to the internal surface 644 circumferentially adjacent to and surrounding the port 618. In at least one example, as shown in
In at least one example, in addition to or instead of the adhesive layer 664 securing the mesh component 640 to the housing 602, a support bracket 666 can press upward on the mesh component 640 to secure the mesh component 640 against the housing 602. For example, the adhesive layer 664 can include an adhesive used during manufacturing to aid in assembly of the mesh component 640 and housing 602 but which may be unsuitable to support the mesh component 640 against the internal surface 644 of the housing 602 during use, for example if the device is dropped and/or the mesh component 640 is pressed inwardly during contact and use. Thus, the support bracket 666 can act to stabilize and support the mesh component 640 in place during drops, contacts, or any other forces pressing on the external surface 658 of the mesh component 640 during use. In at least one example, the adhesive layer 664 is not present and the mesh component 640 is fixed in position as shown in
In at least one example, the support bracket 666 includes an outwardly extending support flange 668 disposed to press against the flange 660 of the mesh component 640, as shown in
In at least one example, on or more adhesive layers can be disposed between the support flange 668 and the flange 660 of the mesh component 640 to secure the support bracket 666 to the mesh component 640. In at least one example, the support flange 668 and the flange 660 of the mesh component 640 can be molded together, welded together, or otherwise secured together.
In any case, the support bracket 666 can include one or more features or components that press against one or more other components or housings within the internal volume of the device in order to create the counterforce against the mesh component 640.
In the illustrated example of
Any of the features, components, parts, including the arrangements and configurations thereof shown in
Any of the features, components, parts, including the arrangements and configurations thereof shown in
Any of the features, components, parts, including the arrangements and configurations thereof shown in
Any of the features, components, parts, including the arrangements and configurations thereof shown in
In the illustrated example of
Any of the features, components, parts, including the arrangements and configurations thereof shown in
In the various examples of complaint mechanisms shown in
Any of the features, components, parts, including the arrangements and configurations thereof shown in
Any of the features, components, parts, including the arrangements and configurations thereof shown in
To the extent applicable to the present technology, gathering and use of data available from various sources can be used to improve the delivery to users of invitational content or any other content that may be of interest to them. The present disclosure contemplates that in some instances, this gathered data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to contact or locate a specific person. Such personal information data can include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, TWITTER® ID's, home addresses, data or records relating to a user's health or level of fitness (e.g., vital signs measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other identifying or personal information.
The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data, in the present technology, can be used to the benefit of users. For example, the personal information data can be used to deliver targeted content that is of greater interest to the user. Accordingly, use of such personal information data enables users to calculated control of the delivered content. Further, other uses for personal information data that benefit the user are also contemplated by the present disclosure. For instance, health and fitness data may be used to provide insights into a user's general wellness, or may be used as positive feedback to individuals using technology to pursue wellness goals.
The present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and/or privacy practices. In particular, such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining personal information data private and secure. Such policies should be easily accessible by users, and should be updated as the collection and/or use of data changes. Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such collection/sharing should occur after receiving the informed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any needed steps for safeguarding and securing access to such personal information data and ensuring that others with access to the personal information data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures. Further, such entities can subject themselves to evaluation by third parties to certify their adherence to widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adapted for the particular types of personal information data being collected and/or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For instance, in the US, collection of or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and/or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); whereas health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Hence different privacy practices should be maintained for different personal data types in each country.
Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, in the case of advertisement delivery services, the present technology can be configured to allow users to select to “opt in” or “opt out” of participation in the collection of personal information data during registration for services or anytime thereafter. In another example, users can select not to provide mood-associated data for targeted content delivery services. In yet another example, users can select to limit the length of time mood-associated data is maintained or entirely prohibit the development of a baseline mood profile. In addition to providing “opt in” and “opt out” options, the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications relating to the access or use of personal information. For instance, a user may be notified upon downloading an app that their personal information data will be accessed and then reminded again just before personal information data is accessed by the app.
Moreover, it is the intent of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and handled in a way to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data once it is no longer needed. In addition, and when applicable, including in certain health related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect a user's privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, when appropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g., collecting location data a city level rather than at an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data across users), and/or other methods.
Therefore, although the present disclosure broadly covers use of personal information data to implement one or more various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that the various embodiments can also be implemented without the need for accessing such personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. For example, content can be selected and delivered to users by inferring preferences based on non-personal information data or a bare minimum amount of personal information, such as the content being requested by the device associated with a user, other non-personal information available to the content delivery services, or publicly available information.
The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the specific embodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not target to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/261,147, filed 13 Sep. 2021, entitled “ACOUSTIC MESH FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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