# US 9,438,986 B2 · In-ear headphone with sound pick-up capability > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,438,986 B2 - Document ID: US9438986B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/324,280 - Filed: 2014-07-07 - Published: 2015-01-29 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-25 - Assignees: AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd. - Applicants: Qi Tang - Inventors: Qi Tang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438986B2 ## CPC - H04R 1/1091: {Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083} - H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type} - H04R 17/00: Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers (piezoelectric or electrostrictive elements in general H10N30/00; details of piezoelectric or electrostrictive motors, generators or positioners {H10N30/00}) - H04R 17/025: {using a piezoelectric polymer} - H04R 25/606: {acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window} - 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 An in-ear headphone with sound pick-up capability is disclosed. The in-ear headphone includes a pair of ear pieces. Each of the ear pieces includes an ear tip, an audio receiver and an acoustic-to-electric transducer. The ear tip is capable of being inserted into an ear canal. The audio receiver is configured for recovering sound signals from audio electrical signals and transmitting the sounds signals to the ear canal via the ear tip. The acoustic-to-electric transducer is disposed on the ear tip, and configured for sensing vibration of an inner wall of the ear canal and generating an electrical signal in accordance with the vibration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An in-ear headphone, comprising: an earpiece comprising: an ear tip for being inserted into an ear canal; an audio receiver for generating sounds from audio electrical signals and transmitting the sounds to the ear canal via the ear tip; and an acoustic-to-electric transducer disposed on an external surface of the ear tip, a groove formed on the external surface of the ear tip and the acoustic-to-electric transducer received in the groove, an external surface of acoustic-to-electric transducer coplanar with the external surface of the ear tip, the acoustic-to-electric transducer being configured for sensing vibration of an inner wall of the ear canal and generating electrical signals corresponding to the vibration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The in-ear headphone of claim 1, wherein the acoustic-to-electric transducer is a piezoelectric film. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The in-ear headphone of claim 2, wherein the acoustic-to-electric transducer has a ring-shaped structure and the groove is an annular groove. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The in-ear headphone of claim 2, wherein the acoustic-to-electric transducer comprises at least two transducer units, and the groove comprises at least two sub-grooves for respectively receiving the at least two transducer units. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The in-ear headphone of claim 2, wherein a total thickness of the acoustic-to-electric transducer is in a range from 95 micrometers to 105 micrometers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The in-ear headphone of claim 1, wherein the acoustic-to-electric transducer comprises a piezoelectric film layer, a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer, the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are respectively disposed at opposite sides of piezoelectric film layer and electrically contact the piezoelectric film layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The in-ear headphone of claim 6, wherein the acoustic-to-electric transducer further comprises a first shielding layer and a second shielding layer, the first shielding layer and the second shielding layer are respectively disposed adjacent to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The in-ear headphone of claim 7, wherein the first shielding layer and the second shielding layer cooperatively form a one-piece U-shape structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The in-ear headphone of claim 6, wherein the ear piece further comprises a preamplifier module, the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are electrically connected to the preamplifier module via a first connecting wire and a second connecting wire respectively. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The in-ear headphone of claim 1, further comprising a headphone connector for receiving the audio electrical signal from an audio source, and a headphone wire for electrically connecting the pair of ear pieces with the headphone connector. ### Claim 11 An earphone, comprising: an ear piece, comprising: an audio receiver for converting audio electrical signals into sounds; an ear tip for being communicated with an ear canal; and an acoustic-to-electric transducer disposed on an external surface of the ear tip for providing sound pick-up capability by sensing vibration of an inner wall of the ear canal and generating an electrical signal in accordance with the vibration, a groove formed on the external surface of the ear tip, the acoustic-to-electric transducer received in the groove, and an external surface of acoustic-to-electric transducer level with that of the ear tip. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The earphone of claim 11, wherein the acoustic-to-electric transducer is a piezoelectric film. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The earphone of claim 12, wherein the acoustic-to-electric transducer has a ring-shaped structure and the groove is an annular groove. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The earphone of claim 12, wherein the acoustic-to-electric transducer comprises at least two transducer units, and the groove comprises at least two sub-grooves for respectively receiving the at least two transducer units. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The earphone of claim 11, wherein the acoustic-to-electric transducer comprises a piezoelectric film layer, a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer, the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are respectively disposed at opposite sides of piezoelectric film layer and electrically contact the piezoelectric film layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The earphone of claim 15, wherein the acoustic-to-electric transducer further comprises a first shielding layer and a second shielding layer, the first shielding layer and the second shielding layer are respectively disposed adjacent to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The earphone of claim 15, wherein the ear piece further comprises a preamplifier module, the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are electrically connected to the preamplifier module via a first connecting wire and a second connecting wire respectively.