# US 12,010,475 B2 · Acoustic output device and components thereof

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- Number: US 12,010,475 B2
- Document ID: US12010475B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/933,472
- Filed: 2022-09-19
- Published: 2023-01-12
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-30
- Assignees: Shenzhen Shokz Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Shenzhen Shokz Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Lei Zhang; Junjiang Fu; Bingyan Yan; Fengyun Liao; Xin Qi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010475B2

## CPC

- H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type}
- G02C 11/00: Non-optical adjuncts; Attachment thereof (G02C7/16 takes precedence)
- G02C 11/10: {Electronic devices other than hearing aids}
- G06F 3/16: Sound input; Sound output (speech processing G10L)
- G06F 3/162: {Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs}
- G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path}
- G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback}
- G10L 21/0208: Noise filtering
- G10L 21/038: using band spreading techniques
- H04M 1/03: Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
- H04M 1/035: {Improving the acoustic characteristics by means of constructional features of the housing, e.g. ribs, walls, resonating chambers or cavities}
- H04M 1/6016: {in the receiver circuit}
- H04M 1/78: Circuit arrangements in which low-frequency speech signals proceed in one direction on the line, while speech signals proceeding in the other direction on the line are modulated on a high-frequency carrier signal
- H04R 1/02: Casings; Cabinets {; Supports therefor;} Mountings therein (H04R1/28 takes precedence {; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075})
- H04R 1/026: {Supports for loudspeaker casings}
- H04R 1/028: {associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles}
- H04R 1/10: Earpieces; Attachments therefor {; Earphones; Monophonic headphones (H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033)}
- H04R 1/1008: {Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type}
- H04R 1/1025: Accumulators specially adapted for earpieces; Arrangements specially adapted for charging thereof
- H04R 1/1041: {Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H)}
- H04R 1/105: {Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks (for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335)}
- H04R 1/1075: {Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones}
- 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 1/22: for obtaining desired frequency characteristic only {(circuit for combining transducers having different responses H04R3/00; for hearing aids H04R25/407)}
- H04R 1/24: Structural combinations of separate transducers or of two parts of the same transducer and responsive respectively to two or more frequency ranges
- H04R 1/245: {of microphones}
- H04R 1/26: Spatial arrangements of separate transducers responsive to two or more frequency ranges
- H04R 1/28: Transducer mountings or enclosures modified by provision of mechanical or acoustic impedances, e.g. resonator, damping means {(combinations of transducers with horns, i.e. front-loaded horns H04R1/30)}
- H04R 1/2803: {for loudspeaker transducers}
- H04R 1/2807: {Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements (for the reduction of undesired resonances or vibrations H04R1/2869)}
- H04R 1/2811: {for loudspeaker transducers}
- H04R 1/2842: {for loudspeaker transducers}
- H04R 1/2857: {for loudspeaker transducers}
- H04R 1/2896: {for loudspeaker transducers}
- H04R 1/34: by using a single transducer with sound reflecting, diffracting, directing or guiding means {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/402)}
- H04R 1/342: {for microphones}
- H04R 1/345: {for loudspeakers}
- H04R 1/347: {for obtaining a phase-shift between the front and back acoustic wave}
- H04R 1/38: in which sound waves act upon both sides of a diaphragm and incorporating acoustic phase-shifting means, e.g. pressure-gradient microphone
- H04R 1/44: Special adaptations for subaqueous use, e.g. for hydrophone
- H04R 3/00: Circuits for transducers (arrangements for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08; amplifiers H03F)
- H04R 3/005: {for combining the signals of two or more microphones (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)}
- H04R 3/02: for preventing acoustic reaction {, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/453)}
- H04R 3/12: for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)}
- H04R 3/14: Cross-over networks
- H04R 5/02: Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
- H04R 5/033: Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)}
- H04R 5/0335: {Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests (for monophonic headphones H04R1/105)}
- H04R 9/06: Loudspeakers
- H04S 7/304: {For headphones}
- H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
- G02C 11/06: Hearing aids (construction of electric hearing aids H04R25/00)
- G10L 2021/02166: {Microphone arrays; Beamforming}
- H04M 1/6058: {involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone}
- H04R 1/2873: {for loudspeaker transducers}
- H04R 3/04: for correcting frequency response
- H04R 2201/103: Combination of monophonic or stereophonic headphones with audio players, e.g. integrated in the headphone
- H04R 2201/401: 2D or 3D arrays of transducers
- H04R 2410/05: Noise reduction with a separate noise microphone
- H04R 2420/07: Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
- H04R 2430/03: Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing
- H04R 2430/21: Direction finding using differential microphone array [DMA]
- H04R 2430/23: Direction finding using a sum-delay beam-former
- H04R 2460/13: Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
- H04R 2499/11: Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
- H04S 2400/11: Positioning of individual sound objects, e.g. moving airplane, within a sound field (H04S2420/13 takes precedence)
- 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)
- G02C: SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES (trial frames for testing the eyes A61B3/04; goggles or eyeshields not having the same features as spectacles A61F9/00)
- 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
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an acoustic output device. The acoustic output device may include an earphone core, a controller, a power source, and a flexible circuit board. The earphone core may include at least one low-frequency acoustic driver configured to output sounds from at least two first guiding holes and the at least one high-frequency acoustic driver configured to output sounds from at least two second guiding holes. The controller may be configured to direct the at least one low-frequency acoustic driver to output the sounds in a first frequency range and direct the at least one high-frequency acoustic driver to output the sounds in a second frequency range. The power source may be configured to provide power supply for the earphone core. The flexible circuit board may be configured to connect the earphone core with the power source.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An acoustic output device, comprising:
an earphone core including at least one acoustic driver, the at least one acoustic driver configured to output sounds from at least two guiding holes;
a power source configured to provide power supply for the earphone core; and
a flexible circuit board configured to connect the earphone core with the power source, wherein
the flexible circuit board includes one or more first bonding pads and one or more second bonding pads,
at least one of the one or more first bonding pads is connected with at least one component of the acoustic output device,
at least one of the one or more first bonding pads is connected with at least one of the one or more second bonding pads, and
at least one of the one or more second bonding pads is connected with at least one component of the acoustic output device that is different from the at least one component of the acoustic output device connected with the at least one of the one or more first bonding pads.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The acoustic output device of claim 1, wherein the at least one acoustic driver includes at least one low-frequency acoustic driver and at least one high-frequency acoustic driver, the at least one low-frequency acoustic driver configured to output sounds from at least two first guiding holes, the at least one high-frequency acoustic driver configured to output sounds from at least two second guiding holes; and
the acoustic output device further includes a controller configured to direct the at least one low-frequency acoustic driver to output the sounds in a first frequency range and direct the at least one high-frequency acoustic driver to output the sounds in a second frequency range, the second frequency range including one or more frequencies higher than one or more frequencies in the first frequency range.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The acoustic output device of claim 2, wherein
a first distance is between the two first guiding holes, a second distance is between the two second guiding holes, and the first distance exceeds the second distance.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The acoustic output device of claim 3, wherein the first distance is not greater than 40 millimeters, and the second distance is not greater than 7 millimeters.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The acoustic output device of claim 3, wherein the first distance is at least twice of the second distance.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The acoustic output device of claim 2, wherein
the first frequency range includes frequencies lower than 650 Hz, and the second frequency range includes frequencies higher than 1000 Hz.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The acoustic output device of claim 2, wherein
the controller includes an electronic frequency division module configured to divide an audio source signal to generate a low-frequency signal corresponding to the first frequency range and a high-frequency signal corresponding to the second frequency range, the low-frequency signal driving the at least one low-frequency acoustic driver to generate the sounds in the first frequency range, and the high-frequency signal driving the at least one high-frequency acoustic driver to generate the sounds in the second frequency range.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The acoustic output device of claim 2, wherein
the at least one low-frequency acoustic driver includes a first transducer,
the at least one high-frequency acoustic driver includes a second transducer, and
the first transducer and the second transducer have different frequency response characteristics.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The acoustic output device of claim 2, wherein
at least two first acoustic routes are formed between the at least one low-frequency acoustic driver and the at least two first guiding holes,
at least two second acoustic routes are formed between the at least one high-frequency acoustic driver and the at least two second guiding holes, and
the at least two first acoustic routes and the at least two second acoustic routes have different frequency selection characteristics.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The acoustic output device of claim 2, further comprising:
a supporting structure configured to support the at least one high-frequency acoustic driver and the at least one low-frequency acoustic driver and keep the at least two second guiding holes closer to the user's ears than the at least two first guiding holes when the user wears the acoustic output device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The acoustic output device of claim 10, wherein the supporting structure includes a first housing, the low-frequency acoustic driver is encapsulated by the first housing, and the first housing defines a front chamber and a rear chamber of the low-frequency acoustic driver.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The acoustic output device of claim 11, wherein the front chamber of the low-frequency acoustic driver is acoustically coupled to one of the at least two first guiding holes, and the rear chamber is acoustically coupled to the other first guiding hole of the at least two first guiding holes.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The acoustic output device of claim 10, wherein the supporting structure includes a second housing, the high-frequency acoustic driver is encapsulated by the second housing, and the second housing defines a front chamber and a rear chamber of the high-frequency acoustic driver.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The acoustic output device of claim 13, wherein the front chamber of the high-frequency acoustic driver is acoustically coupled to one of the at least two second guiding holes, and the rear chamber of the high-frequency acoustic driver is acoustically coupled to the other second guiding hole of the at least two second guiding holes.

### Claim 15 (depends on 2)

The acoustic output device of claim 2, wherein the sounds output from the at least two first guiding holes have opposite phases.

### Claim 16 (depends on 2)

The acoustic output device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first bonding pads and at least one of the second bonding pads are connected via a flexible wire.

### Claim 17 (depends on 2)

The acoustic output device of claim 2, wherein a count of the one or more second bonding pads is two.

### Claim 18 (depends on 2)

The acoustic output device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more second bonding pads and the controller are connected via a flexible wire.

### Claim 19 (depends on 2)

The acoustic output device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more first bonding pads is configured to connect the power source and the controller.

### Claim 20 (depends on 2)

The acoustic output device of claim 2, wherein
the power source includes a battery,
the battery includes a body area and a sealing area, a thickness of the body area is greater than a thickness of the sealing area such that a stepped structure is formed between a side surface of the sealing area and a side surface of the body area.