# US 11,910,149 B2 · Force-activated earphone > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,149 B2 - Document ID: US11910149B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/897,148 - Filed: 2022-08-27 - Published: 2022-12-29 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-21 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Nahid Harjee; Brian R. Twehues; Teera Songatikamas; Aonan Li; Travis N. Owens; Kyle J. Campiotti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910149B2 ## CPC - H03K 17/962: {Capacitive touch switches} - H04R 1/1041: {Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H)} - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - H03K 17/9625: {using a force resistance transducer} - H03K 17/975: using a capacitive movable element - H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type} - H04R 1/1075: {Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones} - G06F 2203/04105: Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position - H03K 2017/9613: {using two electrodes per touch switch} - H03K 2217/96076: with spring electrode - H03K 2217/960775: Emitter-receiver or "fringe" type detection, i.e. one or more field emitting electrodes and corresponding one or more receiving electrodes - H04R 2201/10: Details of earpieces, attachments therefor, earphones or monophonic headphones covered by H04R1/10 but not provided for in any of its subgroups - H04R 2420/07: Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - 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) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An earphone includes a speaker housing; a speaker positioned in the speaker housing; a stem extending from the speaker housing, the stem defining an input surface; a conductive object disposed within the stem; a flexible circuit positioned between the stem and the conductive object; a member positioned between the flexible circuit and the conductive object operable to allow the flexible circuit to move with respect to the stem; a force sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit; and a controller operable to determine an input to the earphone using a change in capacitance detected using the force sensor electrode, the change in capacitance corresponding to a non-binary amount of a force applied to the input surface. In some examples, the earphone further includes a touch sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An earphone, comprising: a speaker housing; a speaker positioned in the speaker housing; a stem extending from the speaker housing; a conductive object disposed within the stem; a flexible circuit positioned between the stem and the conductive object; a material positioned between the flexible circuit and the conductive object operable to move when a force is applied to the stem; a first sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit facing the stem; a second sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit facing the material; and a shield disposed between the first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The earphone of claim 1, further comprising a controller that is operable to determine a first input to the earphone using the first sensor electrode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The earphone of claim 2, wherein the controller is operable to determine a second input to the earphone using the second sensor electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The earphone of claim 1, further comprising a controller, wherein: the first sensor electrode comprises at least one touch sensor electrode; and the controller is operable to detect a touch moving along the stem using the at least one touch sensor electrode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The earphone of claim 1, further comprising a controller that is operable to determine an input to the earphone using a touch detected using the first sensor electrode and a non-binary amount of the force, the non-binary amount of the force determined according to a change in capacitance detected using the second sensor electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The earphone of claim 5, wherein the conductive object comprises the controller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The earphone of claim 6, wherein the controller is sputtered, plated, or deposited with a conductive material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The earphone of claim 1, further comprising an antenna assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The earphone of claim 8, wherein the flexible circuit extends between the conductive object and the antenna assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The earphone of claim 1, wherein the material is deformable. ### Claim 11 An earphone, comprising: a speaker housing; a speaker positioned in the speaker housing; a stem extending from the speaker housing; a conductive object disposed within the stem; a flexible circuit positioned between the stem and the conductive object; a spring member positioned between the flexible circuit and the conductive object operable to allow the flexible circuit to move toward the conductive object when a force is applied to the stem; and a force sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit facing the spring member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The earphone of claim 11, wherein the spring member is formed of metal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The earphone of claim 11, wherein a first end of the flexible circuit overlaps a second end of the spring member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The earphone of claim 11, further comprising an antenna assembly, wherein: the flexible circuit is coupled to the antenna assembly; and the spring member is coupled to the conductive object. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The earphone of claim 14, wherein the flexible circuit is positioned between the antenna assembly and the conductive object. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The earphone of claim 11, wherein the conductive object grounds the force sensor electrode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The earphone of claim 11, wherein a capacitance of the force sensor electrode is operable to change as the flexible circuit moves with respect to the conductive object. ### Claim 18 An earphone, comprising: a speaker housing; a speaker positioned in the speaker housing; a stem extending from the speaker housing; a conductive object disposed within the stem; a flexible circuit positioned between the stem and the conductive object; a moveable member positioned between the flexible circuit and the conductive object; a force sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit; and a controller operable to determine an input to the earphone using a change in capacitance detected using the force sensor electrode. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The earphone of claim 18, wherein the flexible circuit extends around at least two sides of the conductive object. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The earphone of claim 18, wherein the conductive object contacts the stem.