This application generally relates to transducer components configured for audio output. In particular, the application relates to a transducer design configurable for implementation in various electronic devices to facilitate audio output.
Various known electronic devices support audio playback or output through audio components such as built in speakers. For example, a user may use a built in speaker for audio playback in situations in which the user does not have or does not wish to use headphones or earbuds. In existing electronic devices, the built-in speakers lack substantial acoustic source strength. This is sometimes due to the generally small size of some electronic devices such as smart phones, whereby it is undesirable for the speakers to take up a large surface area of the electronic device. Further, existing speakers do not take advantage of the maximum amount of air volume in electronic devices, which impacts excursion ability and therefore the acoustic response.
Accordingly, there is an opportunity to implement acoustic components that allow for improved audio playback.
The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate embodiments of concepts that include the claimed embodiments, and explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments.
Embodiments as detailed herein enable an electronic device to play or output audio via a transducer and associated components that in combination leverage the design of an associated electronic device. In particular, the transducer and associated components leverage the surface area of the electronic device, which enables larger audio components and results in better acoustic source strength. In conventional devices, the speakers have to be specially designed to fit the associated device and, to produce adequate sound, often take up valuable space within the device. Further, the speakers often do not leverage an existing air volume of the device. According to embodiments, a “motor structure” of the transducer is designed to efficiently facilitate audio output while accounting for the space limitations. Further, the design of the transducer and associated motor structure eliminates the need for an amount of interior volume in the electronic device that is otherwise necessary in conventional speaker designs.
Generally, a motor structure of a transducer facilitates electromagnetic motion that results in audio output, where the motor structure may include at least a set of magnets, one or more voice coils, and gap(s) that enable motion resulting from generated magnetic fields. According to the present embodiments, the motor structure is designed to allow for space savings while also improving audio output quality. The orientation of the magnets of the motor structure enables the generation of a magnetic field and allows for suitable gaps. Dual voice coils affected by the magnetic field are disposed within the gaps of the magnet structure, whereby a diaphragm may be secured to the voice coils.
The transducer may be installed as part of an electronic device. In some implementations, the electronic device includes an exterior casing the encloses various interior components. For example, an exterior casing of a smartphone may include a front-side display screen or user interface and/or a back-side enclosure. The exterior casing includes a cutout area (e.g., a cutout rectangle that is formed on the exterior casing) in which a diaphragm of the transducer may be disposed. In particular, the diaphragm may be disposed in the exterior casing such that at least a portion of the diaphragm is substantially co-planar with at least the perimeter of the exterior casing surrounding the cutout area. Accordingly, the diaphragm does not protrude from the exterior casing. The diaphragm may be secured to the exterior casing via various techniques or implementations such as a roll-surround suspension that enables excursion of the diaphragm.
In operation, the transducer receives an audio signal from a power source, where the audio signal causes the voice coils to correspondingly vibrate. The vibrations from the voice coils cause the diaphragm to actuate (i.e., vibrate) and produce acoustic sound. The sound produced by the diaphragm may be enhanced by the air volume that is exposed to the diaphragm, which facilitates effective excursion of the diaphragm. In some embodiments, a port formed through the external casing may further enhance the frequency response of the sound produced by the diaphragm.
The embodiments as discussed herein offer many benefits. In particular, the diaphragm and transducer components can leverage a larger surface area of the electronic device which results in an air volume deflection that is greater than what is possible in a conventional device speaker. Further, the diaphragm and transducer do not require the extra volume of air that exists between the diaphragm and device housing in conventional diaphragm designs, which represents a space savings that enables more design possibilities. Of course, the embodiments further offer benefits to device users, as the transducer produces quality sound that is enhanced by leveraging the air volume already defined in the electronic device.
It should be noted that the disclosures in this specification are made and intended to be interpreted to their broadest extent under the patent laws, and that while the systems and methods described herein may be employed broadly in numerous applications and embodiments consistent with their capabilities, nothing in this disclosure is intended to teach, suggest, condone, or imply noncompliance with any other law or regulation that may be applicable to certain usages or implementations of the systems and methods. For example, while the systems and methods disclosed herein are technologically capable of playback of media files, such capabilities and functionalities should not be construed as a teaching, recommending, or suggesting use of such capabilities and functionalities in a manner that does not comply with all applicable existing laws and regulations, including without limitation, applicable national, state, and common law privacy or copyright laws. Again, such broad disclosure is intended for compliance with and interpretation under the patent laws and regulations.
At least a portion of the electronic device 105 may include an exterior casing 102 that takes up various portions or exterior surfaces of the electronic device 105. The exterior casing 102 may be designed to house or enclose various interior components of the electronic device 105. The exterior casing 102 may include one or multiple pieces or components, and may be composed of various materials (e.g., plastic, metal, glass, etc.) or combinations of materials. For example, an exterior casing 102 of a smartphone may include a front-side display screen or user interface and a back-side non-display screen surface. It should be appreciated that the external casing 102 of an electronic device may include all non-display screen components.
The left side of
The exterior casing 102 of the back side of the electronic device 105 may have a cutout area formed therethrough or thereon. The cutout area may be sized and adapted to fit a transducer 115 (sometimes referred to as a “driver”) that is configured to facilitate acoustic output originating as an audio signal within the electronic device 105. The transducer 115 may be secured to the electronic device 105 via various techniques or components, as described in further figures.
Generally, the transducer 115 is an electroacoustic transducer that acts as a loudspeaker that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input, whereby the transducer 115 may be composed of several parts or components. In particular, the transducer 115 may generally be composed of a magnet section, one or more voice coils, a diaphragm secured to the voice coils, a suspension mechanism, and/or other components. At least the magnet section and the voice coils are sometimes collectively referred to as a “motor structure.”
In operation, when an amplifier applies an electrical signal to a voice coil, a magnetic field is created by the electric current in the voice coil, effectively making it a variable electromagnet. The voice coil and the magnet section interact, generating a mechanical force that causes the voice coil to actuate back and forth. Because the diaphragm is secured to the voice coil, the diaphragm will also actuate back and forth, thereby reproducing sound according to the applied electrical signal from the amplifier. The suspension mechanism stabilizes the diaphragm (and also secures it to another component such as the exterior casing 102) and enables the displacement or vibration (i.e., excursion) capability of the diaphragm and therefore enhances the frequency response of the audio output.
Each of the magnets 216-222 may have the same or similar thickness. For example, the magnets 216-222 may have a thickness in a range of 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm. Generally, the two interior magnets 220, 221 may be substantially square-shaped, and the additional interior magnet 222 and the exterior magnets 216-219 may be substantially rectangle-shaped. However, it should be appreciated that other shapes for the magnets 216-222 are envisioned.
The magnets 216-222 of the magnet section 200 may be arranged in a magnetic orientation that facilitates the generation of a magnetic field. In particular, the magnetic poles or orientations of some of the magnets 216-222 may be opposite from others of the magnets 216-222. As illustrated in
The voice coil 325 is configured to be disposed in a motor structure 300 as depicted in
The dual voice coils 325 of the motor structure 300 are configured to be driven by electric signals of various power, but with greater efficiency than a single voice coil design. In particular, the motor conversion efficiency of the two options (single voice coil and dual voice coils) may be broadly equivalent; however, the reduced thermal losses of the dual coil design (due to the halved current) may result in the dual voice coil design being more efficient, particularly at higher input levels. For example, if a single voice coil having a resistance of 4 Ohms is driven with a 1 W input, the total current generated is 0.5 A. In a dual voice coil design, each of the voice coils 325 has a resistance of 8 Ohms (for a total parallel resistance of 4 Ohms) and are driven with a 1 W input, the total current generated is 0.5 A (0.25 A for each of the voice coils 325). However, if the current load through each voice coil 325 of the dual voice coil design is halved, the heating effect would be halved and the power handling potentially doubled, which could lead to a +3 dB maximum output advantage for the dual voice coil design. Additionally, the dual voice coil design offers improved thermal stability of the interior magnets 320, 321.
The voice coil posterior 426 includes a set of slots 427 formed therein, wherein the set of slots 427 are adapted to fit a suspension element. In particular,
The diaphragm 532 is configured to secure to a roll-surround suspension 534 as illustrated in
The roll-surround suspension 534 further includes a roll component 536 positioned between the interior edge 535 and the exterior edge 537, which is illustrated in more detail in
Accordingly, if the desired maximum excursion distance Xmas is 1.0 mm, the radius R of the roll component 536 is 0.413 mm.
The electronic device 705 further includes a pair of voice coils 740 that are secured or coupled to the interior side of the diaphragm 732. Each of the voice coils 740 may include a posterior portion and an anterior portion, where the anterior portion may be disposed as part of a motor structure 742 with interior and exterior magnets, and one or more support elements (such as the motor structure 300 discussed with respect to
In some implementations, the electronic device 705 can include a support component 727 disposed between the motor structure 742 and a portion of the exterior casing 702 (or another surface of the electronic device 705), wherein the support component 727 acts to physically support the transducer 715. The support component 727 may be composed of various materials or combinations of materials, such as foam, epoxy, and/or the like. In other embodiments, the transducer 715 may be physically supported by any internal component or surface of the electronic device 705. In further embodiments, there may be an air gap between the transducer 715 and the exterior casing 702 (or another surface of the electronic device 705).
As illustrated in
The electronic device 805 can further include a communication module 875 configured to interface with the one or more external ports 873 to communicate data via one or more networks 809. According to some embodiments, the communication module 875 can include one or more transceivers functioning in accordance with IEEE standards, 3GPP standards, or other standards, and configured to receive and transmit data via the one or more external ports 873. More particularly, the communication module 875 can include one or more WWAN, WLAN, and/or WPAN transceivers configured to connect the electronic device 805 to various devices and components.
The electronic device 805 can further include one or more sensors 882 such as, for example, imaging sensors, accelerometers, touch sensors, and other sensors. The electronic device 805 can include an audio module 877 including hardware components such as a transducer 815 for processing audio signals as discussed herein and a microphone 886 for detecting or receiving audio. In operation, the transducer 815 can receive an audio signal from a power source (e.g., via the processor 881) and mechanically vibrate according to the audio signal.
The electronic device 805 may further include a user interface 874 to present information to the user and/or receive inputs from the user. As shown in
In general, a computer program product in accordance with an embodiment includes a computer usable storage medium (e.g., standard random access memory (RAM), an optical disc, a universal serial bus (USB) drive, or the like) having computer-readable program code embodied therein, wherein the computer-readable program code is adapted to be executed by the processor 881 (e.g., working in connection with the operating system 879) to facilitate the functions as described herein. In this regard, the program code may be implemented in any desired language, and may be implemented as machine code, assembly code, byte code, interpretable source code or the like (e.g., via C, C++, Java, Actionscript, Objective-C, Javascript, CSS, XML, and/or others).
Thus, it should be clear from the preceding disclosure that the systems and methods offer improved audio playback implementations. The embodiments improve the user experience by enabling improved audio frequency response. Further, the embodiments advantageously leverage various features of electronic device design to improve audio playback while maintaining or improving the aesthetic appearance of the electronic devices.
This disclosure is intended to explain how to fashion and use various embodiments in accordance with the technology rather than to limit the true, intended, and fair scope and spirit thereof. The foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiment(s) were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principle of the described technology and its practical application, and to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the technology in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the embodiments as determined by the appended claims, as may be amended during the pendency of this application for patent, and all equivalents thereof, when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/664,442, filed Mar. 20, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14664442 | Mar 2015 | US |
Child | 15648169 | US |