Smart speaker with sensing through the speaker grille
OwnerJames Thomas O'Keeffeinventor
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Abstract
A smart speaker is disclosed with an interactive speaker grille. In one embodiment a smart speaker comprises a housing with a speaker grille comprising a plurality of openings. Circuitry coupled to the speaker grille is configured to sense direct user interaction with one or more of a plurality of regions of the speaker grille and to generate corresponding electrical signals indicative of the one or more regions of the speaker grille experiencing direct user interaction. The circuitry can include portions in the path of sound transmission to detect user interaction with regions of the grille and portions outside the path of sound transmission for controlling aspects of the smart speaker (e.g. speaker volume, radio station or media stream selection) based on the particular regions touched.
Claims19
A device comprising:
- a speaker;
- a speaker grille comprising a first plurality of openings;
- and
- circuitry, configured to sense user interaction with at least a portion of the speaker grille;
- wherein the circuitry is configured to alter an aspect of the device in response to sensing the user interaction;
- and
- wherein the circuitry comprises a sensor located on a surface between the speaker and the speaker grille and wherein the surface has at least one opening that functions to transmit sound from the speaker to the speaker grille.
A device comprising:
- a speaker,
- a speaker grille comprising a first surface having a first plurality of openings, and
- circuitry comprising a sensor to sense an electric field through at least some of the speaker grille
- wherein the circuitry is configured to alter an aspect of the device in response to sensing an aspect of a person using the electric field, and
- wherein the sensor is located on a surface between the speaker and the speaker grille and wherein the surface has at least one opening that functions to transmit sound from the speaker to the speaker grille.
A device comprising:
- a speaker;
- a speaker grille comprising a first plurality of openings;
- circuitry, configured to sense direct user interaction with one or more regions of the speaker grille and in response to sensing the direct user interaction with the one or regions to control a function of the device;
- and
- wherein the speaker grille further comprises a feature that functions to indicate the function of the device that is controlled by direct user interaction with the one or more regions of the speaker grille.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.