# US 11,114,081 B2 · Device agnostic audio path sealing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,114,081 B2 - Document ID: US11114081B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/747,049 - Filed: 2020-01-20 - Published: 2020-08-20 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-15 - Assignees: Ppip, LLC - Applicants: Ppip LLC - Inventors: Michael Fong; Neric Hsin-wu Fong; Teddy David Thomas; Haydn Bennett Taylor - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114081B2 ## CPC - G10K 11/175: using interference effects; Masking sound - G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path} - G10K 11/162: Selection of materials - G10K 11/1754: {Speech masking} - G10L 25/51: for comparison or discrimination - H04B 1/3888: Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers - H04K 3/43: {characterized by the control of the jamming power, signal-to-noise ratio or geographic coverage area} - H04K 3/68: {using passive jamming, e.g. by shielding or reflection (shielding of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic field H05K9/00)} - H04K 3/825: {by jamming} - H04K 3/86: {related to preventing deceptive jamming or unauthorized interrogation or access, e.g. WLAN access or RFID reading (record carriers with integrated circuit chips including means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or to record carriers by hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07318; arrangements for sensing record carriers including arrangements for protecting the interrogation against piracy attacks G06K7/10257)} - H04M 1/04: Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers - H04M 1/19: Arrangements of transmitters, receivers, or complete sets to prevent eavesdropping, to attenuate local noise or to prevent undesired transmission; Mouthpieces or receivers specially adapted therefor (circuit arrangements for preventing eavesdropping H04M1/68; telephone cabinets E04H1/14) - H04R 1/028: {associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles} - H04R 29/001: {for loudspeakers (H04R29/007 takes precedence)} - H05K 9/0007: {Casings (standardised racks H05K9/0062)} - G10L 25/21: the extracted parameters being power information - H04K 3/45: {characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"} - H04K 2203/12: for acoustic communication - H04K 2203/16: for telephony - H04K 2203/18: for wireless local area networks or WLAN - H04K 2203/34: involving multiple cooperating jammers - G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04K: SECRET COMMUNICATION; JAMMING OF COMMUNICATION - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract In accordance with some embodiments, an apparatus that seals the audio path of an enclosed device is provided. The apparatus includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion, when mated, are arranged to enclose a device, where a surface of the second housing portion is arranged to impart pressure on the device toward the first housing portion. The apparatus further includes a first supporting portion disposed along one side of the first housing portion and arranged to support the device. The apparatus also includes a first liner disposed in the first housing portion and arranged to form a first cavity, where the first cavity is adjacent to the first supporting portion. The apparatus further includes a noise generator operable to provide noise signal stream and a first audio output device coupled to the noise generator operable to output first masking signals to the first cavity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a first housing portion and a second housing portion, when mated, are arranged to enclose a personal communication device, and a surface of the second housing portion is arranged to impart pressure on the personal communication device toward the first housing portion; a first supporting portion disposed along one side of the first housing portion and arranged to support the personal communication device; a first liner disposed in the first housing portion and arranged to form a first cavity, wherein the first cavity is adjacent to the first supporting portion; a noise generator operable to provide noise signal stream; and a first audio output device coupled to the noise generator, at least partially supported by the first housing portion, operable to output first masking signals to the first cavity, wherein the first masking signals are generated based at least in part on the noise signal stream, the first liner includes at least one opening allowing passing of sound from the first audio output device to the first cavity, and the at least one opening is positioned proximate to an input device on the personal communication device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a surface of the first liner includes sound reflective material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first supporting portion and the first liner include reconfigurable modules. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second supporting portion disposed in the second housing portion, wherein the second supporting portion provides the surface of the second housing portion arranged to impart pressure on the personal communication device toward the first housing portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second liner disposed in the second housing portion arranged to form a second cavity, wherein when the first housing portion and the second housing portion are mated, the first cavity is positioned on a first side of the personal communication device and the second cavity is positioned on a second side of the personal communication. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein when the first housing portion and the second housing portion are mated, the first cavity and the second cavity form one chamber enclosing openings of one or more input devices on the personal communication device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a controller, coupled to the noise generator, operable to control the noise signal stream and a magnitude of the output masking signals; and a power supply, coupled to one or more of the controller, the noise generator, and the first audio output device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: a circuitry coupled to the controller and the power supply, operable to generate RF signals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the RF signals generation is turned on when the first housing portion and the second housing portion are mated and turned off when the first housing portion and the second housing portion are not mated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: an input receiving device, coupled to the controller and operable to receive a user input, wherein the controller received the user input directs the first audio output device to adjust the magnitude of the output masking signals in response to the user input. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: an envelope detector, coupled to the controller, operable to detect a level of ambient sound, wherein the controller directs the first audio output device to adjust the magnitude of the output masking signals in accordance with the level of ambient sound. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller selectively couples the noise signal stream and audio tracks to the first audio output device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a second liner disposed in the first housing arranged to form a second cavity, wherein: the second cavity is adjacent to a second supporting portion, the first cavity is proximate a first input device on the personal communication device, and the second cavity is proximate a second input device on the personal communication device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a second audio output device coupled to the noise generator, at least partially supported by the first housing portion, operable to output second masking signals to the second cavity, wherein: the second masking signals are generated based at least in part on the noise signal stream, and the first masking signals and the second masking signals are uncorrelated. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first housing portion and the second housing portion include one or more of RF shielding material, light shielding material, and sound attenuation material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second supporting portion disposed along the one side of the first housing portion and arranged to support the personal communication device along with the first supporting portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first supporting portion is malleable. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first supporting portion is rigid. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an indicator indicating a level of the first masking signals. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first housing portion and the second housing portion provide a seal, including a groove structure with flexible material covering the groove structure.