# US 11,308,933 B2 · Noise cancellation enabled audio device and noise cancellation system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,308,933 B2 - Document ID: US11308933B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/772,962 - Filed: 2018-12-14 - Published: 2021-06-03 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-20 - Assignees: Ams AG - Applicants: ams AG - Inventors: Peter McCutcheon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308933B2 ## CPC - G10K 11/17881: {the reference signal being an acoustic signal, e.g. recorded with a microphone} - H04R 1/1083: {Reduction of ambient noise (active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06)} - H04R 1/023: {Screens for loudspeakers} - H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type} - H04R 1/1075: {Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones} - G10K 2210/1081: Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets - G10K 2210/3026: Feedback - G10K 2210/3027: Feedforward - H04R 3/04: for correcting frequency response - H04R 2410/05: Noise reduction with a separate noise microphone - H04R 2460/01: Hearing devices using active noise cancellation - H04R 2460/09: Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips (H04R2460/11 takes precedence) - 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 - 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) ## Abstract A noise cancellation enabled audio device, in particular a headphone, comprises a speaker which is arranged within the audio device and which has a preferential side for sound emission. The audio device further comprises a first cavity enclosing a first volume of air, where the first cavity is arranged at the preferential side for sound emission of the speaker, and an error microphone which is arranged within a second cavity within the audio device. The first cavity comprises a first opening to the outside of the audio device and the second cavity comprises a second opening to the outside of the audio device. The first and the second opening are both arranged on a side of the audio device which is arranged to face an ear canal of a user. Furthermore, a noise cancellation system is provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A noise cancellation enabled audio device, the audio device comprising a speaker which is arranged within the audio device and which has a preferential side for sound emission, a first cavity enclosing a first volume of air, where the first cavity is arranged at the preferential side for sound emission of the speaker, and an error microphone which is arranged within a second cavity within the audio device, wherein: the first cavity comprises a first opening to an outside of the audio device and the second cavity comprises a second opening to the outside of the audio device, the first and the second opening are both arranged on a side of the audio device which is arranged to face an ear canal of a user, the error microphone is directly coupled to the volume of air within the ear canal, and the second cavity is separated from the first cavity by a separating wall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein once the audio device is placed in the ear canal of a user a channel remains in places between the audio device and the ear canal of the user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 2, wherein the channel is permeable for air and sound waves. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein the second opening is the only opening in the second cavity. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein the second cavity encloses a second volume of air which is directly coupled to a volume of air within the ear canal of a user in case that the audio device is placed within the ear canal of the user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein a mesh is arranged over the first opening. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein a mesh is arranged over the second opening. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein the error microphone is arranged to primarily record sound within the ear canal of a user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein the error microphone acts as a feedback microphone. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein the error microphone is arranged within the second opening at least partially such that the error microphone terminates flush with a housing of the audio device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second opening are arranged adjacent to each other. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein the first opening and the second opening are parallel to one another. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein the first opening and the second opening are not parallel to one another. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein the error microphone is arranged at a shorter distance to the side of the audio device than the speaker. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein a feed-forward microphone is arranged at a side of the audio device which faces away from the side where the error microphone is arranged. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 15, wherein the feed-forward microphone is arranged to record sound from the environment of the audio device and to provide a noise signal related to the recorded sound. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein the noise cancellation enabled audio device is a headphone. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein the second cavity is delimited by the separating wall, a housing of the audio device, and the second opening. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The noise cancellation enabled audio device according to claim 1, wherein the error microphone is directly coupled to the second cavity. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The noise cancellation system comprising the audio device according to claim 15, wherein the noise cancellation system comprises a filter which is coupled between the feed-forward microphone and the speaker. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The noise cancellation system according to claim 20, wherein the filter is arranged to provide a noise cancellation signal based on the noise signal to the speaker. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The noise cancellation system according to claim 21, wherein the noise cancellation signal is further based on an error signal provided by the error microphone where the error signal is related to the sound recorded by the error microphone.