Earphone, portable listening device and earphone

Abstract

An earpiece, a portable listening device, and an earphone are provided. The earpiece comprises: a housing defining a cavity for accommodating an ear of a user; an active noise cancellation system; an annular ear pad coupled to the housing; and a textile layer covering the annular ear pad, the textile layer including a first region and a second region, the first region having a lower porosity than the second region of the textile layer.

Description

[0001] This divisional application is a divisional application based on the Chinese patent application with application number 201880071729.4, application date November 20, 2018, and invention name “Headphones”.

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 588,801, filed on November 20, 2017. Technical Field

[0004] Embodiments described herein generally relate to various headphone features. More specifically, the various features help improve the overall user experience by incorporating sensor arrays and new mechanical features into headphones. Background Art

[0005] Headphones have been in use for over 100 years now, but the design of the mechanical frame that holds the earpieces against the user's ears has stagnated somewhat. For this reason, some headphones are difficult to transport easily without using a bulky box or by wearing them visibly around the neck when not in use. Conventional interconnects between the earpieces and the band typically use a yoke around the perimeter of each earpiece, which increases the overall bulk of each earpiece. In addition, the earphone user is required to manually verify that the correct earpiece is aligned with the user's ear at any time the user wishes to use the headphones. Therefore, it is desirable to improve upon the above-mentioned deficiencies. Summary of the invention

[0006] This disclosure describes several improvements to over-the-ear and over-the-ear headphone frame designs.

[0007] A portable listening device is disclosed, which includes the following components: a first earpiece and a second earpiece; an adjustable length headband assembly, which connects the first earpiece to the second earpiece, and the adjustable length headband assembly includes: a shell component that defines an internal volume; and a hollow pole, which connects the first earpiece to the shell component and is configured to retract into and extend out of the internal volume; and a data synchronization cable, which extends through the hollow pole and the internal volume to electrically connect the first earpiece and the second earpiece, and the coiled portion of the data synchronization cable is arranged in the hollow pole.

[0008] A headset is disclosed, which includes the following components: a first earpiece and a second earpiece; an adjustable length headband assembly, which connects the first earpiece to the second earpiece, and the adjustable length headband assembly includes: a shell component that defines an internal volume; a hollow rod, which connects the first earpiece to the shell component and is configured to retract into and extend out of the internal volume; a first stabilizing element, which is disposed at the distal end of the hollow rod; a second stabilizing element, which is disposed at the distal end of the shell component; and a data synchronization cable, which extends through both the hollow rod and the internal volume to electrically connect the first earpiece and the second earpiece.

[0009] A portable listening device is disclosed, which includes the following components: an earpiece, the earpiece including: an earpiece housing; and a latch mechanism disposed in the earpiece housing, the latch mechanism having a switch and a latch plate defining a hole, the switch being configured to shift the position of the latch plate from a first position to a second position; and a headband assembly connected to the earpiece by the latch mechanism, the headband assembly including a pole base positioned at a first end of the headband assembly, the pole base extending through the hole.

[0010] A handset is disclosed, comprising the following components: a handset housing defining a pole opening; a speaker disposed in the handset housing; and a latch mechanism disposed in the handset housing, the latch mechanism having a switch and a latch plate defining an asymmetric hole, the switch being configured to shift the position of the latch plate from a first position in which a first portion of the asymmetric hole is aligned with the pole opening to a second position in which a second portion of the asymmetric hole is aligned with the pole opening, wherein the first portion of the asymmetric hole is smaller than the second portion.

[0011] Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example the principles of the described embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The present disclosure will be readily understood through the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like structural elements, and in which:

[0013] Figure 1A A front view of an exemplary set of over-ear or on-ear headphones is shown;

[0014] Figure 1B shows headphone stems extending different distances from a headband assembly;

[0015] Figure 2A showing a perspective view of a first side of an earphone having a synchronized earphone stem;

[0016] Figure 2B to Figure 2C They are shown respectively Figure 2A The earphone is shown in cross-section along section lines AA and BB;

[0017] Figure 2D Shows Figure 2A a perspective view of the opposite side of the headset shown;

[0018] Figure 2E Shows Figure 2D The earphone shown is a cross-sectional view according to the section line CC;

[0019] Figure 2F to Figure 2G showing a perspective view of a second side of an earphone having synchronized earphone stems and a single spring band;

[0020] FIG. 2H to FIG. 2I They are shown respectively Figure 2F to Figure 2G The earphone is shown in cross-section along section lines DD and EE;

[0021] Figure 3A An exemplary headset having a headband assembly configured to synchronize adjustment of the positions of its earpieces is shown;

[0022] Figure 3B shows a cross-sectional view of the headband assembly when the earphone is extended to its maximum size;

[0023] Figure 3C shows a cross-sectional view of the headband assembly when the headset is collapsed to a smaller size;

[0024] Figures 3D to 3F shows a perspective top view and a cross-sectional view of a headband assembly configured to synchronize earpiece positions;

[0025] Figure 3G to Figure 3H shows a top view of the handset synchronization assembly;

[0026] FIG. 3I to FIG. 3J Shown with Figure 3G to Figure 3H A flat schematic diagram of another earpiece synchronization system similar to that shown;

[0027] Figure 3K to Figure 3L Shows suitable for combining Figure 3G to Figure 3J A cross-sectional view of an earphone 360 ​​of any of the earphone synchronization systems shown in ;

[0028] Figure 3M to Figure 3N Shows Figure 3G to Figure 3H A perspective view of the handset sync system shown in a retracted position and an extended position and a data sync cable;

[0029] Fig.3O shows a portion of a head cover structure and how an earpiece synchronization system may be routed through a reinforcement member of the head cover structure;

[0030] Figure 3P to Figure 3Q shows gear transmissions at opposite ends of a headband assembly of another alternative earpiece synchronization system;

[0031] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4B A front view of a headset with an off-center pivoting earpiece is shown;

[0032] Figure 5A An exemplary pivot mechanism including a torsion spring is shown;

[0033] Figure 5B Shown is positioned behind the earpiece's cushion Figure 5A The pivot mechanism shown in ;

[0034] Fig. 6A shows a perspective view of another pivot mechanism including a leaf spring;

[0035] FIG. 6B to FIG. 6D Shows the use of Fig. 6A The range of motion of the earpiece of the pivot mechanism shown in ;

[0036] Fig. 6E Shows Fig. 6A An exploded view of the pivot mechanism shown in ;

[0037] Fig. 6F shows a perspective view of another pivot mechanism;

[0038] Figure 6G Yet another pivot mechanism is shown;

[0039] FIG. 6H to FIG. 6I Shows Figure 6G The pivot mechanism shown in , with one side removed to illustrate the rotation of the pole base in different positions;

[0040] Figure 6J The device is shown in the earpiece housing. Figure 6G a cutaway perspective view of a pivot assembly of;

[0041] Figures 6K to 6L shows a partial cross-sectional side view of the pivot assembly positioned within the earpiece housing with the coil spring in relaxed and compressed states;

[0042] Figures 6M to 6N side views showing two different rotational positions of a pole base isolated from its pivot assembly;

[0043] Fig. 7A shows various positions of a spring band suitable for use in a headband assembly;

[0044] Figure 7B shows a graph showing how the spring force varies based on the spring rate Fig. 7AThe displacement of the spring hoop shown in varies;

[0045] FIG. 8A to FIG. 8B A solution for preventing discomfort caused by headphones being too tight around a user's neck is shown;

[0046] FIG. 8C to FIG. 8D shows how a separate and distinct knuckle may be arranged along the underside of the spring band to prevent the spring band from returning to a neutral position;

[0047] FIG. 8E to FIG. 8F shows how the springs that engage the headband assembly to the earpieces can cooperate with the spring band to set the actual amount of force applied by the earphones to the user;

[0048] Figures 8G to 8H Another way of limiting the range of motion of a pair of headphones using a low elasticity ratio band is shown;

[0049] Fig. 9A An earpiece of a headset is shown positioned over an ear of a user;

[0050] Fig. 9B showing the location of a capacitive sensor below a surface and proximate an ear contour associated with an ear;

[0051] Fig. 10A shows a top view of an exemplary head of a user wearing headphones;

[0052] Fig. 10B Shows Fig. 10A Front view of the headset shown in;

[0053] FIG. 10C to FIG. 10D Shows Fig. 10A A top view of a headset shown in and how the earpieces of the headset can be rotated around respective yaw axes;

[0054] FIG. 10E to FIG. 10F A flow chart is shown which describes a control method that may be performed upon detecting roll and / or yaw of the earpiece relative to the headband;

[0055] Figure 10G shows a system-level block diagram of a computing device 1070 that can be used to implement the various components described herein;

[0056] FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C A foldable headset is shown;

[0057] FIG. 11D to FIG. 11F shows how the earpieces of a foldable headset can be folded toward the outwardly facing surface of the deformable band region;

[0058] FIG. 12A to FIG. 12BAn earphone embodiment is shown that can be transitioned from an arched state to a flat state by pulling on opposite sides of a spring band;

[0059] FIG. 12C to FIG. 12D side views showing the collapsible mast region in an arched state and a flat state, respectively;

[0060] Fig.12E Shows Fig.12D A side view of one end of the earphone shown in ;

[0061] FIG. 13A to FIG. 13B A partial cross-sectional view of an earphone using an off-axis cable to transition between a domed state and a flat state is shown;

[0062] FIG. 14A to FIG. 14C shows a partial cross-sectional view of an earphone having a foldable stem region at least partially constrained by an extension pin that delays flattening of the earphone through a first portion of its travel through the earpiece;

[0063] FIG. 15A to FIG. 15F Various views of the headband assembly 1500 from different angles and in different states are shown;

[0064] FIG. 16A to FIG. 16B The headband assembly is shown in a folded state and an arched state;

[0065] Figure 17 to Figure 18 A view showing another foldable headset embodiment;

[0066] Fig.19 showing one side of a headband housing and a telescoping member extending from that end of the headband housing;

[0067] Fig. 20A Shows Fig. 20A An exploded view of the side of the headband housing shown in FIG.

[0068] Fig. 20B Shown according to Fig. 20A A cross-sectional view of a first end of the lower housing component along the section line FF shown in FIG.

[0069] Fig. 20C Shown according to Fig. 20A A cross-sectional view of a second end of the lower housing member along the section line GG shown in FIG.

[0070] Fig.20D shows a perspective view of a bushing defining a plurality of contact blade channels radially spaced about an inwardly facing surface of the bushing;

[0071] Fig.21A A perspective view showing one end of a spring member and a telescopic member;

[0072] Fig.21B showing spring contacts of the spring member engaged within a first set of openings defined by the end of the telescoping member;

[0073] Fig. 21C showing the spring member biased so that the spring contacts are engaged within a second set of openings defined by the end of the telescoping member;

[0074] FIG. 21D to FIG. 21G Various locking mechanisms are shown positioned at an opening defined by a lower housing assembly through which the telescoping assembly extends;

[0075] FIG. 22A to FIG. 22E Various extension and retraction coil configurations of a portion of a synchronization cable disposed within a lower housing member are shown;

[0076] Fig.23A shows an exploded view of components associated with the data plug;

[0077] Fig. 23B shows a telescoping member fully assembled with a threaded fastener fully engaged within the threaded opening to hold the data plug securely in place;

[0078] Fig.23C Shown according to Fig. 23B A cross-sectional view of the telescopic member taken along section line HH;

[0079] Fig.23D A perspective view showing a portion of a data plug;

[0080] Fig.23E showing a cross-sectional side view of the portion of the data plug and illustrating a plurality of adhesive channels positioned on opposite sides of the body of the data plug;

[0081] Fig.23F shows a data plug glued to a pole base which in turn is positioned within a recess defined by the handset;

[0082] Figure 23G shows a cross-sectional view of a data plug disposed within a recess defined by a pole base, which in turn is positioned within a recess of a handset;

[0083] Fig.24A A perspective view of the earpiece and ear pads is shown;

[0084] Fig. 24B shows how the earpieces of a pair of headphones can have thin ear pads without sacrificing user comfort;

[0085] Fig.24C shows how the posts connect the flexible substrate supporting the ear pads to the earpiece yoke;

[0086] Fig.24D shows an earpiece and an axis of rotation about which the ear cushion is configured to flex to accommodate the cranial contours of a user's head;

[0087] FIG. 24E to FIG. 24G Another earpiece is shown in a configuration designed to take into account the cranial contours of the user's head;

[0088] FIG. 25A to FIG. 25C showing various views of another ear pad configuration formed from multiple layers of material;

[0089] Fig.25D shows how the heat-treated area of ​​the textile layer is in direct contact with this side of the user's head when the headset is in active use;

[0090] FIG. 26A to FIG. 26B showing perspective views of the ear pads in different orientations;

[0091] FIG. 26C to FIG. 26G The various manufacturing operations for forming an ear pad from a piece of foam are shown;

[0092] Fig.27A shows a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary acoustic configuration within an earpiece, which acoustic configuration may be applied to many of the earpieces previously described;

[0093] Fig.27B The exterior of the handset is shown with the input panel removed to illustrate the shape and size of the interior volume associated with the speaker assembly;

[0094] Fig.27C A microphone mounted within the earpiece is shown;

[0095] Fig.28 An earpiece having an input panel which may form an outwardly facing surface of the earpiece is shown;

[0096] FIG. 29A to FIG. 29B A perspective view and a cross-sectional view showing the outline of the handset showing the location of the distributed battery assembly within the handset;

[0097] Fig.29C shows how more than two discrete battery assemblies can be incorporated into a single earpiece housing;

[0098] Fig. 30A An exemplary headset is shown, the headset comprising earpieces joined together by a headband;

[0099] Fig. 30B An exemplary carrying / storage case well suited for use with the circumaural and over-the-ear headphone designs discussed herein is shown; and

[0100] Fig. 30C The earphone 3000 is shown positioned within a recessed portion of the case; and

[0101] Fig.30D Shown according to Fig. 30C A cross-sectional view of the earpiece with section line KK;

[0102] Fig.30E showing a stowage box with earphones positioned therein;

[0103] FIG. 31A to FIG. 31B An illuminated button assembly suitable for use with the headset is shown;

[0104] FIG. 31C to FIG. 31D The device is shown in the non-actuated and actuated positions, respectively, within the device housing. FIG. 31A to FIG. 31B A side view of the illuminated button assembly is shown;

[0105] Fig.31E A perspective view of an illuminated window is shown;

[0106] FIG. 32A to FIG. 32B showing a perspective view of a pivot assembly associated with a removable earpiece engaged with a stem base of an earphone band;

[0107] FIG. 33A to FIG. 33C showing different views of the latch mechanism of the pivot assembly;

[0108] Fig.34A A headset is shown, the headset comprising earpieces mechanically coupled together by a headband assembly;

[0109] Fig.34B A close up view of the post area of ​​the headband assembly is shown;

[0110] Fig.34C A close up view of the distal end of the telescoping member is shown;

[0111] Fig.34D It shows that according to Fig.34B A cross-sectional view of the distal end of the telescopic member along the section line LL shown in FIG.

[0112] Fig.34E It shows that according to Fig.34B A sectional view of the distal end of the lower housing component along the section line MM shown in FIG.

[0113] FIG. 34F to FIG. 34H Several alternative embodiments are shown that allow for greater or lesser amounts of play to be established between the lower housing member and the telescoping member; and

[0114] FIG. 34I to FIG. 34J A configuration is shown that includes a telescoping member disposed within an interior volume defined by a lower housing member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0115] Representative applications of the methods and apparatus according to the present application are described in this section. These examples are provided only to add context and aid in understanding the described embodiments. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other cases, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments, well-known processing steps are not described in detail. Other applications are possible, so that the following examples should not be considered restrictive.

[0116] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and in which specific embodiments according to the described embodiments are shown by way of example. Although these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments, it should be understood that these examples are not limiting; other embodiments may be used and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the described embodiments.

[0117] Earphones have been produced for many years, but there are still many design problems. For example, the function of the headband associated with the earphone is generally limited to a mechanical connection, which is only used to keep the earphone of the earphone above the user's ear and provide an electrical connection between the earphones. In addition, due to the reluctance to adapt the earphone to a new and improved form factor, it is also slow to incorporate the earphone into other types of portable listening devices (such as augmented reality and virtual reality headsets). The headband tends to significantly increase the volume of the earphone, making the storage of the earphone very tricky. The poles that connect the headband to the earphone and are designed to adapt to the adjustment of the earphone relative to the orientation of the user's ear also increase the volume of the earphone. The poles that connect the headband to the earphone and adapt to the elongation of the headband generally allow the center portion of the headband to be offset to one side of the user's head. The offset configuration may look a bit strange, and depending on the design of the earphone, it may also make the earphone uncomfortable to wear.

[0118] While some advances such as wirelessly delivering media content to headphones have alleviated the problem of cord entanglement, this type of technology introduces its own set of problems. For example, because wireless headphones require battery power to operate, a user who leaves the wireless headphones on may inadvertently drain the batteries of the wireless headphones, rendering the wireless headphones unusable until new batteries can be installed or the device is recharged. Another design problem with many headphones is that the user typically must figure out which earpiece corresponds to which ear to prevent the situation where the left audio channel is provided to the right ear and the right audio channel is provided to the left ear.

[0119] The solution to the asynchronous positioning of the earpiece is to combine the earpiece synchronization component, which takes the form of a mechanical mechanism arranged in the headband and synchronizes the distance between the earpiece and the corresponding end of the headband. This type of synchronization can be performed in a variety of ways. In some embodiments, the earpiece synchronization component can be a cable extending between two poles, which can be configured to synchronize the movement of the earpiece. The cable can be arranged in a loop, wherein the different sides of the loop are attached to the corresponding poles of the earpiece so that the movement of one earpiece away from the headband causes the other earpiece to move the same distance away from the opposite end of the headband. Similarly, pushing one earpiece toward one side of the headband will translate the other earpiece toward the opposite side of the headband by the same distance. In some embodiments, the earpiece synchronization component can be a rotating gear embedded in the headband, which can be configured to engage the teeth of each pole to keep the earpieces synchronized.

[0120] A solution to the conventional bulky connection between the earphone stem and the earpiece is to use a spring-driven pivot mechanism to control the movement of the earpiece relative to the hoop. The spring-driven pivot mechanism can be positioned near the top of the earpiece, thereby allowing it to be incorporated in the earpiece rather than outside the earpiece. In this way, the pivoting function can be built into the earpiece without increasing the overall volume of the earpiece. Different types of springs can be used to control the movement of the earpiece relative to the headband. The specific examples including torsion springs and leaf springs are described in detail below. The spring associated with each earpiece can cooperate with the spring in the headband to set the amount of force applied to the user wearing the earphone. In some embodiments, the spring in the headband can be a low elastic rate spring, which is configured to minimize the force applied across a wide range of users with different head sizes. In some embodiments, the travel of the low rate spring in the headband can be limited to prevent the headband from being clamped too tightly around the user's neck when worn around the neck.

[0121] One solution to the problem of large headband form factor is to design the headband to flatten against the earpieces. Flattening the headband allows the arched geometry of the headband to be compressed into a flat geometry, allowing the earpieces to achieve a size and shape suitable for more convenient storage and transportation. The earpieces can be attached to the headband by a foldable pole region, allowing the earpieces to fold toward the center of the headband. The force applied to fold each earpiece toward the headband is transmitted to a certain mechanism, which pulls the corresponding end of the headband to flatten the headband. In some embodiments, the pole may include an over-center locking mechanism that prevents the earpieces from accidentally returning to the arched state, without the need to add a release button to convert the earpieces back to the arched state.

[0122] A solution to the power management problem associated with wireless headsets includes incorporating an orientation sensor into the earpiece that can be configured to monitor the orientation of the earpiece relative to the cuff. The orientation of the earpiece relative to the cuff can be used to determine whether the earpiece is worn over the user's ear. This information can then be used to place the earpiece in standby mode or shut down the earpiece completely when the earpiece is not determined to be positioned over the user's ear. In some embodiments, the earpiece orientation sensor can also be used to determine which ear of the user is currently covered by the earpiece. The circuitry within the earpiece can be configured to switch the audio channels routed to each earpiece in order to match the determination of which earpiece is located on which ear of the user.

[0123] Refer to Figures 1 to Fig.31E to discuss these and other embodiments; however, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting.

[0124] Symmetrical retractable handset

[0125] Figure 1A A front view of an exemplary pair of over-ear or supra-aural headphones 100 is shown. The headphones 100 include a band 102 that interacts with stems 104 and 106 to allow adjustability of the size of the headphones 100. Specifically, stems 104 and 106 are configured to be independently offset relative to band 102 to accommodate a plurality of different head sizes. In this way, the position of earpieces 108 and 110 can be adjusted to position earpieces 108 and 110 directly above the ears of the user. Unfortunately, as shown in Figure 1B As can be seen in FIG. 1 , this type of configuration allows the posts 104 and 106 to become mismatched relative to the cuff 102 . Figure 1B The configuration shown may be uncomfortable for the user and also lacks aesthetics. To address these issues, the user will be forced to manually adjust the poles 104 and 106 relative to the cuff 102 in order to achieve a desired appearance and comfortable wear. Figure 1A to Figure 1B Also shown is how the stems 104 and 106 extend downwardly to the center portion of the earpiece 108 to allow the earpiece 108 to rotate to accommodate the curvature of the user's head. As mentioned above, the portion of the stems 104 and 106 extending downwardly around the earpiece 108 increases the diameter of the earpiece 108.

[0126] Figure 2A shows a configuration that solves Figure 1A to Figure 1B200 with the headband 202 in question. The headband 202 is shown without a decorative covering to show the internal features. Specifically, the headband 202 can include a wire loop 204 configured to synchronize the movement of the poles 206 and 208. The wire guide 210 can be configured to maintain a curvature of the wire loop 204 that matches the curvature of the leaf springs 212 and 214. The leaf springs 212 and 214 can be configured to define the shape of the headband 202 and to apply a force on the user's head. Each wire guide 210 can include an opening through which the opposite sides of the wire loop 204 and the leaf springs 212 and 214 can pass. In some embodiments, the opening for the wire loop 204 can be defined by a low friction bearing to prevent significant friction from hindering the movement of the wire loop 204 through the opening. In this way, the wire guide 210 defines a path along which the wire loop 204 extends between the pole housings 216 and 218. The wire loop 204 is coupled to both the pole 206 and the pole 208 and functions to maintain the distance 120 between the earpiece 122 and the pole housing 116 substantially the same as the distance 124 between the earpiece 126 and the pole housing 118. A first side 204-1 of the wire loop 204 is coupled to the pole 206, and a second side 204-2 of the wire loop 204 is coupled to the pole 208. Since opposite sides of the wire loop are attached to the poles 206 and 208, movement of one of these poles results in movement of the other pole in the same direction.

[0127] Figure 2B A cross-sectional view of a portion of the rod column housing 116 according to section line AA is shown. Specifically, Figure 2B 204. As shown, the protrusion 228 of the stem 206 engages a portion of the wire loop 204. Since the protrusion 228 of the stem 206 is coupled to the wire loop 204, when the user of the headset 100 pulls the earpiece 222 further away from the stem housing 216, the wire loop 204 is also pulled, causing the wire loop 204 to loop through the headband 202. The looping of the wire loop 204 through the headband 202 adjusts the position of the earpiece 226, which is similarly coupled to the wire loop 204 by the protrusion of the stem 208. In addition to forming a mechanical connection with the wire loop 204, the protrusion 228 can also be electrically coupled to the wire loop 204. In some embodiments, the protrusion 228 can include a conductive path 230 that electrically couples the wire loop 204 to an electrical component within the earpiece 222. In some embodiments, the wire loop 204 can be formed of a conductive material so that signals can be transmitted between components within the earpieces 222 and 226 by means of the wire loop 204.

[0128] Figure 2C Another cross-sectional view of the rod column housing 116 according to the section line BB is shown. Specifically, Figure 2CIt is shown how the wire loop 204 engages a pulley 232 within the pole housing 216. The pulley 232 minimizes any friction created by the earpiece 222 moving closer to or further away from the pole housing 216. Alternatively, the wire loop 204 can be routed through a static support within the pole housing 216.

[0129] Figure 2D Another perspective view of the headset 200 is shown. In this view, it can be seen that the first side 204-1 and the second side 204-2 of the wire loop 204 are offset laterally as it crosses from one side of the headband 202 to the other side. This can be accomplished by gradually offsetting the opening defined by the wire guide 210 so that when the sides 204-1 and 204-2 reach the post housing 218, the second side 204-2 is centered and aligned with the post 208, as shown in FIG. Figure 2E as shown in .

[0130] Figure 2E It is shown how the second side 204-2 is engaged by the protrusion 234. Because the poles 206 and 208 are attached to the respective first and second sides of the wire loop 204, pushing the earpiece 226 toward the pole housing 218 also causes the earpiece 222 to be pushed toward the pole housing 216. FIG. 2A to FIG. 2E Another advantage of the configuration shown in is that the wire loop 204 is always under stress regardless of the direction of travel of the poles 206 and 208. This keeps the amount of force required to extend or retract the earpieces 222 and 226 consistent, regardless of the direction.

[0131] Figure 2F to Figure 2G A perspective view of earphone 250 is shown. Earphone 250 is similar to earphone 200, except that only a single leaf spring 252 is used to connect pole housing 254 to pole housing 256. In this embodiment, wire loop 258 can be positioned to either side of leaf spring 252. Instead of being positioned directly below one side of wire loop 258, poles 262 and 260 can be positioned directly between the two sides of wire loop 258 and connected to one side of wire loop 258 via the arms of poles 260 and 262.

[0132] Figure 2H and Fig.2I A cross-sectional view of the interior of the mast housings 254 and 256 is shown. Figure 2H A cross-sectional view of the mast housing 254 according to section line DD is shown. Figure 2H It is shown how the post 260 may include a laterally protruding arm 268 that engages the wire loop 258. In this way, the laterally protruding arm 268 couples the post 260 to the wire loop 258 so that when the earpiece 264 is moved, the earpiece 266 is held in an equivalent position. Fig.2I A cross-sectional view of the mast housing 256 according to section line EE is shown. Fig.2IAlso shown is how the wire loop 258 may be routed within the pole housing 256 by pulleys 270 and 272. By routing the wire loop 258 above the pole 262, any interference between the wire loop 258 and the pole 206 may be avoided.

[0133] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C shows a configuration to solve Figure 1A to Figure 1B Another headphone implementation of the problem. Figure 3A Headphones 300 are shown including a headband assembly 302. Headband assembly 302 is coupled to earpieces 304 and 306 via posts 308 and 310. The size and shape of headband assembly 302 may vary depending on how much adjustability is desired for headphones 300.

[0134] Figure 3B 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the headband assembly 302 when the headset 300 is extended to its maximum size. Specifically, Figure 3B It is shown how the headband assembly 302 includes a gear 312 that is configured to engage teeth defined by the ends of each of the posts 308 and 310. In some embodiments, the posts 308 and 310 can be prevented from being completely pulled out of the headband assembly 302 by the spring pins 314 and 316 by engaging the openings defined by the posts 308 and 310.

[0135] Figure 3C 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the headband assembly 302 when the headset 300 is collapsed to a smaller size. Specifically, Figure 3C Gear 312 is shown to synchronize the positions of posts 308 and 310 based on any movement of post 308 or post 310 being transferred to the other post by gear 312. In some embodiments, the stiffness of the housing defining the exterior of headband assembly 302 can be selected to match the stiffness of posts 308 and 310 to provide a headband with a more consistent feel for the user of headphones 300.

[0136] Figure 3D An alternative embodiment of the posts 308 and 310 is shown. The cover that conceals the ends of the posts 308 and 310 has been removed to more clearly show the features of the mechanism that synchronizes the positions of the posts. The post 308 defines an opening 318 that extends through a portion of the post 308. One side of the opening 318 has teeth that are configured to engage the gear 320. Similarly, the post 310 defines an opening 322 that extends through a portion of the post 310. One side of the opening 322 has teeth that are configured to engage the gear 320. Since the opposite sides of the openings 318 and 322 engage the gear 320, any movement of one of the posts 308 and 310 will cause the other post to move. In this way, the earpieces positioned at the ends of each of the posts 308 and 310 are synchronized.

[0137] Figure 3EA top view of poles 308 and 310 is shown. Figure 3E Also shown is the outline of a cover 324 that is used to conceal the gear drive opening defined by the posts 308 and 310 and to control the movement of the ends of the posts 308 and 310. Figure 3F A cross-sectional side view of the posts 308 and 310 covered by a cover 324 is shown. The gear 320 may include a bearing 326 for defining an axis of rotation for the gear 320. In some embodiments, the top of the bearing 326 may protrude from the cover 324, thereby allowing a user to adjust the earpiece position by manually rotating the bearing 326. It should be understood that the user may also adjust the earpiece position by simply pushing or pulling on one of the posts 308 and 310.

[0138] Figure 3G A flat schematic diagram of another earpiece synchronization system is shown that utilizes a wire loop 328 within a headband 330 (the rectangular shape is merely used to illustrate the position of the headband 330 and should not be construed as being for exemplary purposes only) to synchronize the distance between each of the earpieces 304 and 306 and the headband 330. Pole wires 332 and 334 couple the respective earpieces 304 and 306 to the wire loop 328. The pole wires 332 and 334 may be made of metal and welded to opposite sides of the wire loop 328. Because the pole wires 332 and 334 are coupled to opposite sides of the wire loop 328, movement of the earpiece 306 in direction 336 causes the pole wire 332 to move in direction 338. Thus, moving the earpiece 306 to a position closer to the headband 330 also moves the pole wire 332, which results in bringing the earpiece 304 closer to the headband 330. In addition to showing the new position of earpieces 304 and 306 after being moved closer to headband 330, Figure 3H Also shown is how moving earpiece 304 in direction 340 automatically moves earpiece 306 further away from headband 330 in direction 342. Although not shown, it should be understood that headband 330 may include various reinforcement members to maintain wire loop 328 and pole wires 332 and 334 in the shape shown.

[0139] FIG. 3I to FIG. 3J Shown with Figure 3G to Figure 3H A similar flat schematic diagram of another earpiece synchronization system is shown. Fig. 3I328. It is shown how the ends of the posts 344 and 346 can be directly connected to each other without an intervening wire loop. By extending the posts 344 and 346 into a pattern having a shape similar to the wire loop 328, a similar result can be achieved without the need for an additional wire loop structure. The movement of the posts 344 and 346 is assisted by reinforcing members 348, 350 and 352, which help prevent buckling of the posts 344 and 346 when adjusting the position of the earpieces 304 and 306. The reinforcing members 348-352 can define channels through which the posts 344 and 346 pass smoothly. These channels can be particularly helpful in positions where the posts 344 and 346 are bent. Although not defining a curved channel, the reinforcing member 352 still plays the important role of limiting the direction of travel of the ends of the posts 344 and 346 to directions 354 and 356. Movement in direction 356 causes the earpieces to move toward the headband 330, as shown in FIG. Figure 3J Movement in direction 354 causes earpieces 304 and 306 to move further away from headband 330 .

[0140] Figure 3K to Figure 3L Shows suitable for combining Figure 3G to Figure 3J A cross-sectional view of an earphone 360 ​​of any of the earphone synchronization systems shown in FIG. Figure 3K Headphones 360 are shown with the earpieces retracted and stem lines 332 and 334 extended out of headband 330 to engage and synchronize the position of stem assembly 362 with the position of stem assembly 364. Stem 334 is illustrated as being coupled to a support structure 366 within stem assembly 364, which allows extension and retraction of stem 334 to keep stem assembly 362 synchronized with stem assembly 364. As shown, stem assembly 362 is disposed within a channel defined by headband 330, thereby allowing stem assembly 362 to move relative to headband 330. Figure 3K Also shown is how a data sync cable 368 may extend through the headband 330 and wrap around a portion of both the pole wire 334 and the pole wire 332. By wrapping around the pole wires 332 and 334, the data sync cable 368 can act as a reinforcement member to prevent buckling of the pole wires 332 and 334. The data sync cable 368 is generally configured to exchange signals between the earpieces 304 and 306 in order to keep the audio precisely synchronized during playback operation of the headset 360.

[0141] Figure 3L It is shown how the coil configuration of the data sync cable 368 accommodates the extension of the pole assemblies 362 and 364. The data sync cable 368 may have a coated outer surface, thereby allowing the pole wires 332 and 334 to slide through the central opening defined by the coil. Figure 3L It also shows how earpieces 304 and 306 remain the same distance from the center portion of headband 330.

[0142] Figure 3M to Figure 3N Shows Figure 3G to Figure 3H A perspective view of the handset sync system in retracted and extended positions and the data sync cable 368 is shown in FIG. Figure 3M It is shown how pole wire 332 includes an attachment feature 370 that at least partially surrounds a portion of wire loop 328. In this way, pole wire 332, pole wire 334, and support structure 366 move along with wire loop 328. Figure 3M Also shown are dashed lines illustrating how the covering of headband 330 may at least partially conform to wire loop 328 , pole line 332 , and pole line 334 .

[0143] Fig.3O A portion of a head cover structure 372 is shown and how the earpiece synchronization system can be routed through a stiffening member 374 of the head cover structure 372. The stiffening member 374 helps guide the wire loop 328 and the pole wire 332 along a desired path. In some embodiments, the head cover structure 372 may include a spring mechanism that helps keep the earpiece secured to the user's ear.

[0144] Figure 3P to Figure 3Q The gear transmission device at opposite ends of the headband assembly of another alternative earpiece synchronization system is shown. Specifically, Figure 3P It is shown how the post 262 has a first end coupled to an earpiece (not shown) and a second end coupled to a gear 380. By pulling on the earpiece, a force 382 can be applied to the post 262, causing the gear 380 to rotate due to its meshing with the rack gear 384. The gear 380 is rigidly coupled to a bevel gear member 386. The bevel gear member 386 in turn causes the rotation of the bevel gear member 388. The bevel gear member 388 is rigidly coupled to a gear 390. The rotation of the gear 390 in turn causes the rotation of an elongated gear 392. The gears 380, 386, 388 and 390 all move together and are guided by a support 394 along the periphery of the elongated gear 392. The elongated gear 392 is in turn coupled to a flexible rotation shaft that includes a cable 396 that is routed through the associated headband assembly. The cable 396 may include layers of high strength wire wound around each other at relative pitch angles configured to effectively transfer rotational motion from one end to the other end of the cable 396. Rotation of the other end of the cable 396 in turn causes a post at the other end of the headband assembly to move synchronously with the post 262. The diameter of the cable 396 may be between approximately 0.02 inches and 0.25 inches. Figure 3Q A second position of the gears 380 , 386 , 388 , and 390 is shown after the position of the post 262 has been adjusted.

[0145] Off-center pivoting earpiece

[0146] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4BA front view of an earphone 400 having an off-center pivoting earpiece is shown. Figure 4A A front view of a headset 400 including a headband assembly 402 is shown. In some embodiments, the headband assembly 402 may include an adjustable hoop and a pole for customizing the size of the headset 400. Each end of the headband assembly 402 is shown as being coupled to the top of an earpiece 404. This is different from conventional designs, which place a pivot point at the center of the earpiece 404 so that the earpiece can pivot naturally in the direction of allowing the earpiece 404 to move to an angle where the earpiece 404 is positioned parallel to the surface of the user's head. Unfortunately, this type of design typically requires a bulky arm extending to either side of the earpiece 404, thereby significantly increasing the size and weight of the earpiece 404. By positioning the pivot point 406 near the top of the earpiece 404, the associated pivot mechanism components can be encapsulated in the earpiece 404.

[0147] Figure 4B An exemplary range of motion 408 for each earpiece 404 is shown. The range of motion 408 can be configured to accommodate most users based on research performed on average head size measurements. This more compact configuration can still perform the same functions as the more traditional configuration described above, which includes applying force through the center of the earpiece and establishing an acoustic seal. In some embodiments, the range of motion 408 can be approximately 18 degrees. In some embodiments, the range of motion 408 may not have a clear endpoint, but becomes increasingly difficult to deform as it is further away from the neutral position. The pivot mechanism component can include a spring element that is configured to apply a moderate retention force to the user's ear when the earphone is in use. The spring element can also restore the earpiece to a neutral position once the earphone 400 is no longer worn.

[0148] Figure 5AAn exemplary pivot mechanism 500 for use in the upper portion of the earpiece is shown. The pivot mechanism 500 can be configured to accommodate movement around two axes, thereby allowing the roll and yaw of the earpiece 404 relative to the headband assembly 402 to be adjusted. The pivot mechanism 500 includes a post 502 that can be coupled to the headband assembly. One end of the post 502 is positioned within a support 504, thereby allowing the post 502 to rotate around a yaw axis 506. The support 504 also couples the post 502 to a torsion spring 508 that resists the rotation of the post 502 relative to the earpiece 404 around a roll axis 510. Each of the torsion springs 508 can also be coupled to a mounting block 512. The mounting block 512 can be fixed to the inner surface of the earpiece 404 by a fastener 514. The support 504 can be rotatably coupled to the mounting block 512 by a bushing 516, thereby allowing the support 504 to rotate relative to the mounting block 512. In some embodiments, the roll and yaw axes may be substantially orthogonal relative to each other. In this context, substantially orthogonal means that while the angle between the two axes may not be exactly 90 degrees, the angle between the two axes will remain between 85 and 95 degrees.

[0149] Figure 5A A magnetic field sensor 518 is also shown. The magnetic field sensor 518 can take the form of a magnetometer or a Hall effect sensor that is capable of detecting movement of a magnet within the pivot mechanism 500. Specifically, the magnetic field sensor 518 can be configured to detect movement of the post 502 relative to the mounting block 512. As such, the magnetic field sensor 518 can be configured to detect when an earphone associated with the pivot mechanism 500 is being worn. For example, when the magnetic field sensor 518 takes the form of a Hall effect sensor, rotation of a magnet coupled to the support 504 can cause the polarity of the magnetic field emitted by the magnet to saturate the magnetic field sensor 518. Saturation of the Hall effect sensor by the magnetic field can cause the Hall effect sensor to send a signal to other electronic devices within the earphone 400 via the flexible circuit 520.

[0150] Figure 5BA pivot mechanism 500 positioned behind the pad 522 of the earpiece 404 is shown. In this way, the pivot mechanism 500 can be integrated in the earpiece 404 without impacting the space that is usually kept open to accommodate the user's ears. A close-up view 524 shows a cross-sectional view of the pivot mechanism 500. Specifically, a close-up view 524 shows a magnet 526 positioned in a fastener 528. When the pole 502 rotates around the roll axis 510, the magnet 526 rotates therewith. The magnetic field sensor 518 can be configured to sense the rotation of the field emitted by the magnet 526 when rotating. In some embodiments, the signal generated by the magnetic field sensor 518 can be used to activate and / or deactivate the earphone 400. This is particularly effective in the following cases: the neutral state of the earpiece 404 corresponds to the bottom end of each earpiece 404 being oriented toward the user at a certain angle, so that the earpiece 404 rotates away from the user's head when worn by most users. By designing the earphone 400 in this manner, the rotation of the magnet 526 away from its neutral position can serve as a trigger that the earphone 400 is in use. Accordingly, the movement of the magnet 526 back to its neutral position can serve as an indicator that the earphone 400 is no longer in use. The power state of the earphone 400 can be matched with these indications to save energy when the earphone 400 is not in use.

[0151] Figure 5B The close-up view 524 of also shows how the post 502 can be twisted within the support 504. The post 502 is coupled to a threaded cap 530, thereby allowing the post 502 to twist within the support 504 about the yaw axis 506. In some embodiments, the threaded cap 530 may define a mechanical stop that limits the range of motion through which the post 502 can be twisted. The magnet 532 is disposed within the post 502 and is configured to rotate with the post 502. The magnetic field sensor 534 can be configured to measure the rotation of the magnetic field emitted by the magnet 532. In some embodiments, a processor that receives a sensor reading from the magnetic field sensor 534 can be configured to change an operating parameter of the headset 400 in response to the sensor reading indicating that a threshold amount of change in the angular orientation of the magnet 532 relative to the yaw axis has occurred.

[0152] Fig. 6AA perspective view of another pivot mechanism 600 is shown, which is configured to fit within the top of the earpiece 404 of the headset. The overall shape of the pivot mechanism 600 is configured to conform to the space available within the top of the earpiece. The pivot mechanism 600 utilizes a leaf spring instead of a torsion spring to resist the movement of the earpiece 404 in the direction indicated by the arrow 601. The pivot mechanism 600 includes a post 602 having one end disposed within a support 604. The support 604 allows the post 602 to rotate around a yaw axis 605. The support 604 also couples the post 602 to a first end of a leaf spring 606 via a spring rod 608. The second end of each leaf spring 606 is coupled to a corresponding one of the spring anchors 610. The spring anchors 610 are shown as transparent so that the location where the second end of each leaf spring 606 engages the central portion of the spring anchor 610 can be seen. This positioning allows the leaf spring 606 to bend in two different directions. A spring anchor 610 couples the second end of each leaf spring 606 to an earpiece housing 612. In this way, the leaf spring 606 forms a flexible connection between the post 602 and the earpiece housing 612. The pivot mechanism 600 may also include a cable 614 configured to route electrical signals between the two earpieces 404 via the headband assembly 402 (not shown).

[0153] FIG. 6B to FIG. 6D The range of motion of earpiece 404 is shown. Figure 6B The earpiece 404 is shown in a neutral state, wherein the leaf spring 606 is in an undeflected state. Figure 6C The leaf spring 606 is shown deflected in a first direction, and Fig.6D The leaf spring 606 is shown deflected in a second direction opposite to the first direction. FIG. 6C to FIG. 6D Also shown is how the area between the cushion 522 and the earpiece housing 612 can accommodate the deflection of the leaf spring 606.

[0154] Fig. 6E An exploded view of the pivot mechanism 600 is shown. Fig. 6E A mechanical stop is shown that controls the amount of rotation possible about the yaw axis 605. The post 602 includes a protrusion 616 that is configured to travel within a channel defined by an upper yaw bushing 618. As shown, the channel defined by the upper yaw bushing 618 has a length that allows for greater than 180 degrees of rotation. In some embodiments, the channel may include a detent that is configured to define a neutral position for the earpiece 404. Fig. 6E Also shown is a portion of the pole 602 that can accommodate a yaw magnet 620. The magnetic field emitted by the magnet 620 can be detected by a magnetic field sensor 622. The magnetic field sensor 622 can be configured to determine the rotation angle of the pole 602 relative to the rest of the pivot mechanism 600. In some embodiments, the magnetic field sensor 622 can be a Hall effect sensor.

[0155] Fig. 6E Also shown are a roller magnet 624 and a magnetic field sensor 626, which can be configured to measure the amount of deflection of the leaf spring 606. In some embodiments, the pivot mechanism 600 may also include a strain gauge 628, which is configured to measure the strain generated in the leaf spring 606. The strain measured in the leaf spring 606 can be used to determine how much and in which direction the leaf spring is being deflected. In this way, a processor receiving the sensor reading recorded by the strain gauge 628 can determine whether the leaf spring 606 is bent and in which direction it is bent. In some embodiments, the reading received from the strain gauge can be configured to change the operating state of the headphones associated with the pivot mechanism 600. For example, the operating state can be changed from a playback state in which the media is being presented by a speaker associated with the pivot mechanism 600 to a standby state or an inactive state in response to the reading from the strain gauge. In some embodiments, when the leaf spring 606 is in an undeflected state, this can indicate that the headphones associated with the pivot mechanism 600 are not worn by the user. In other embodiments, the strain gauge can be positioned on the headband spring. For this reason, stopping playback based on this input can be very convenient because it allows the user to maintain the position in the media file until the headset is placed back on the user's head, at which time the headset can be configured to resume playback of the media file. The seal 630 can close the opening between the stem 602 and the outer surface of the earpiece to prevent the ingress of foreign particles that might interfere with the operation of the pivot mechanism 600.

[0156] Fig. 6F A perspective view of another pivot mechanism 650 is shown that differs in some respects from the pivot mechanism 600. The leaf spring 652 has a different orientation than the leaf spring 606 of the pivot mechanism 600. Specifically, the leaf spring 652 is oriented approximately 90 degrees different from the leaf spring 606. This results in the thick dimension of the leaf spring 652 resisting rotation of the earpiece associated with the pivot mechanism 650. Fig. 6F Also shown are a flexible circuit 654 and a board-to-board connector 656. The flexible circuit can electrically couple the strain gauges positioned on the leaf spring 652 to a circuit board or other conductive pathway on the pivot mechanism 650. In some embodiments, the sensor data provided by the strain gauges can be configured to determine whether the headset associated with the pivot mechanism 650 is being worn by a user of the headset. Also shown is the pivot mechanism 650, which includes a portion 658 of a post that is configured to attach the pivot mechanism 650 to a headband.

[0157] Figure 6GAnother pivot assembly 660 is shown attached to the earpiece housing 612 by fasteners 662 and brackets 663. The pivot assembly 660 can include a plurality of coil springs 664 arranged side by side. In this way, the coil coils 664 can act in parallel to increase the amount of resistance provided by the pivot assembly 660. The coil springs 664 are held in place and stabilized by pins 666 and 668. The actuator 670 transfers any force received from the rotation of the pole base 658 to the coil springs 664. In this way, the coil springs 664 can establish the desired amount of resistance to the rotation of the pole base 658.

[0158] FIG. 6H to FIG. 6I The pivot assembly 660 is shown with one side removed to illustrate the rotation of the pole base 658 in different positions. Specifically, FIG. 6H to FIG. 6I It is shown how rotation of the post base 658 results in rotation of the actuator 670 and compression of the coil spring 664 .

[0159] Figure 6J A cutaway perspective view of a pivot assembly 660 disposed within the earpiece housing 612 is shown. In some embodiments, the post base 658 can include a bearing 674, as shown, for reducing friction between the post base 658 and the actuator 670. Figure 6J Also shown is how bracket 663 may define a support for securing pin 666 in place. Pins 666 and 668 are also shown defining a flat recess for securely holding coil spring 664 in place. In some embodiments, the flat recess may include a protrusion that extends into the central opening of coil spring 664.

[0160] Figures 6K to 6L A partial cross-sectional side view of the pivot assembly 660 positioned within the earpiece housing is shown with the coil spring 664 in a relaxed and compressed state. Figure 6K The movement experienced by the actuator 670 when it deflects from a first position in to a second position of maximum deflection. Figure 6K and Figure 6L Also shown is a mechanical stop 676 which helps limit the amount of rotation that can be achieved by the earpiece housing relative to the pole base.

[0161] Figures 6M to 6N A side view of two different rotational positions of a pole base 672 isolated from its pivot assembly is shown. Specifically, two permanent magnets 678 and 680 are shown rigidly coupled to the pole base 672. The permanent magnets 678 and 680 emit magnetic fields having polarities oriented in opposite directions. A magnetic field sensor 682 is mounted to the earpiece housing 612 such that the magnetic field sensor 682 remains stationary relative to the pole base 672 during rotation of the pole base 672 about the rotation axis 684. Thus, during rotation of the pole base 672 about the rotation axis 684, the magnetic field sensor 682 is rotated relative to the pole base 672. Figure 6M In the first position shown in FIG, the magnetic field sensor 682 is positioned near the permanent magnet 680 and Figure 6N At the second position shown in , the magnetic field sensor 682 is positioned near the permanent magnet 678. The opposite polarities of the permanent magnets 678 and 682 allow the magnetic field sensor 682 to distinguish between the two positions shown. In some embodiments, these positions can vary by about 20 degrees; however, the total range of motion of the pole base 672 can vary between about 10 and 30 degrees. In some embodiments, the magnetic field sensor 682 can take the form of a magnetometer or a Hall effect sensor. Depending on the sensitivity of the magnetic field sensor 682, the magnetic field sensor 682 can be configured to measure the approximate angle of the pole base 672 relative to the earpiece housing 612. For example, in the case where the rotational position shown differs by 20 degrees, the sensor reading from the magnetic field sensor 682 can be inferred to be a 10-degree intermediate position, where the magnetic field direction changes from one direction to another. In some embodiments, the magnetic field sensor 682 can be configured to operate only with a single permanent magnet, and is configured to determine the rotational position of the pole base 672 based solely on the magnetic field strength detected by the magnetic field sensor 682. It should be noted that in an alternative embodiment, the magnetic field sensor 682 may be coupled to the pole base 672 and the permanent magnets 678 and 680 may be coupled to the earpiece housing, thereby moving the magnetic field sensor 682 within the earpiece housing.

[0162] Low elasticity ratio band

[0163] Fig. 7AMultiple positions of a spring band 700 suitable for use in a headband assembly are shown. The spring band 700 may have a low elasticity rate so that the force generated by the band in response to deformation of the spring band 700 varies slowly with displacement. Unfortunately, the low elasticity rate also results in the spring having to go through a larger amount of displacement before it can apply a specific amount of force. The spring band 700 is illustrated in different positions 702, 704, 706, and 708. Position 702 may correspond to the spring band 700 being in a neutral state, in which the spring band 700 does not apply any force. At position 704, the spring band 700 may begin to apply a force that pushes the spring band 700 back toward its neutral state. Position 706 may correspond to the position where a user with a smaller head bends the spring band 700 when using headphones associated with the spring band 700. Position 708 may correspond to the position of the spring band 700 where a user with a larger head bends the spring band 700. The displacement between positions 702 and 706 can be large enough that the spring band 700 applies a force sufficient to keep the earphone associated with the spring band 700 from falling off the user's head. In addition, due to the low spring rate, the force applied by the spring band 700 at position 708 can be small enough so that the use of the earphone associated with the spring band 700 is not high enough to cause discomfort to the user. Generally speaking, the lower the spring rate of the spring band 700, the smaller the variation in the force applied by the spring band 700. In this way, the use of the low spring rate spring band 700 can allow the earphone associated with the spring band 700 to give a more consistent user experience for users with different sized heads.

[0164] Figure 7B A coordinate diagram is shown that illustrates how the spring force varies with the displacement of the spring band 700 based on the spring rate. Line 710 may represent that the spring band 700 has its neutral position equivalent to position 702. As shown, this allows the spring band 700 to have a relatively low spring rate, thereby still passing the desired force in the middle of the range of motion of a particular pair of headphones. Line 712 may represent that the spring band 700 has its neutral position equivalent to position 704. As shown, a higher spring rate is required to achieve the desired amount of force applied in the middle of the desired range of motion. Finally, line 714 represents that the spring band 700 has its neutral position equivalent to position 706. Setting the spring band 700 to have a profile consistent with line 714 will cause the spring band 700 to apply no force at the minimum position of the desired range of motion, and to apply more than twice the amount of force at the maximum position compared to a spring band 700 having a profile consistent with line 710. While configuring the spring band 700 to travel through a greater amount of displacement before the desired range of motion has obvious benefits when wearing an earphone associated with the spring band 700, it may not be desirable for the earphone to return to position 702 when worn around the user's neck. This may result in the earphone being uncomfortably snug against the user's neck.

[0165] FIG. 8A to FIG. 8B A solution to prevent discomfort caused by a headset 800 utilizing a low spring rate spring band being too tight around a user's neck is shown. The headset 800 includes a headband assembly 802 that engages an earpiece 804. The headband assembly 802 includes a compression band 806 that is coupled to an inwardly facing surface of the spring band 700. Fig. 8A The spring band 700 is shown in position 708, which corresponds to the maximum deflection position of the earphone 800. The force applied by the spring band 700 can act as a deterrent to stretching the earphone 800 beyond this maximum deflection position. In some embodiments, the outwardly facing surface of the spring band 700 may include a second compression band configured to resist deflection of the spring band 700 past position 708. As shown, the knuckle 808 of the compression band 806 has little effect when the spring band is in position 708 because all side surfaces of the knuckle 808 are not in contact with adjacent knuckles 808.

[0166] Figure 8B The spring band 700 is shown in position 706. At position 706, the knuckle 808 contacts the adjacent knuckle 808 to prevent further displacement of the spring band 700 toward position 704 or 702. In this way, the compression band 806 can prevent the spring band 700 from compressing the neck of the user of the headset 800 while maintaining the beneficial effects of the low elasticity rate elastic band 700. FIG. 8C to FIG. 8D It shows how a separate and distinct knuckle 808 may be arranged along the underside of the spring band 700 to prevent the spring band 700 from returning past the position 706 .

[0167] FIG. 8E to FIG. 8F It shows how using springs to control the movement of headband assembly 802 relative to earpiece 804 can change the amount of force applied by earphone 800 to the user when compared to the force applied by spring band 700 alone. Fig. 8E A force 810 exerted by the spring band 700 and a force 812 exerted by the spring are shown controlling the movement of the earpiece 804 relative to the headband assembly 802 . Figure 8F Exemplary curves are shown that illustrate how forces 810 and 812 provided by at least two different springs may vary based on spring displacement. Force 810 does not begin to act until just before the desired range of motion because the compression band prevents the spring band 700 from returning all the way to a neutral state. For this reason, the amount of force imparted by force 810 begins at a much higher level, resulting in a smaller change in force 810. Figure 8F Also shown is force 814, the result of forces 810 and 812 acting in series. By arranging the springs in series, the rate at which the forces change as the earphone 800 changes shape to accommodate the size of the user's head is reduced. In this way, the dual spring configuration helps provide a more consistent user experience to a user base that includes a wide variety of head shapes.

[0168] Figures 8G to 8H Another way of limiting the range of motion of a pair of earphones 850 using a low spring rate cuff 852 is shown. Figure 8G The cable 856 is shown in a relaxed state due to the earpieces 854 being pulled apart. The range of motion of the low elasticity rate cuff 852 can be limited by the cable 854, which performs a function similar to that of the compression band 806, which engages due to tension rather than compression. The cable 854 is configured to extend between the earpieces 856 and is coupled to each of the earpieces 856 by an anchoring feature 858. The cable 854 can be held above the low elasticity rate cuff 852 by a wire guide 860. The wire guide 860 can be similar to Figures 2A to 2G , except that the wire guide 860 is configured to lift the cable 854 above the low elastic rate band 852. The support of the wire guide 860 can prevent the cable 854 from getting tangled or undesirably tangled. It should be noted that the cable 854 and the low elastic rate band 852 can be covered by a decorative cover. It should also be noted that in some embodiments, the cable 854 can be connected to the low elastic rate band 852. Figures 2A to 2G The illustrated embodiments combine to produce a headset capable of synchronizing earpiece positions and controlling the range of motion of the headset.

[0169] Figure 8H It is shown how the cable 854 tightens and eventually stops further movement of the earpieces 856 closer together as the earpieces 856 are brought closer together. In this way, a minimum distance 862 between the earpieces 856 can be maintained, which allows the headset 850 to be worn around the necks of a wide range of user groups without overly compressing the user's neck.

[0170] Left / right ear detection

[0171] Fig. 9AThe earpiece 902 of the earphone positioned above the user's ear 904 is shown. The earpiece 902 includes at least proximity sensors 906 and 908. Proximity sensors 906 and 908 are positioned in the recessed portion defined by the earpiece 902, so that proximity sensors 906 and 908 return detectably different readings according to the earpiece 902 being positioned above that ear. This is possible because the geometric shape of most users' ears is asymmetric. In some embodiments, proximity sensor 906 includes a light transmitter and a light receiver, and the light transmitter is configured to emit infrared light, and the light receiver is configured to detect the emitted light reflected from the user's ear 904. The processor that is combined in proximity sensor 906 or electrically connected to the proximity sensor can be configured to determine the distance between proximity sensor 906 and the near part of ear 904 by measuring the infrared pulse emitted by the light transmitter and returning to the time amount used by the light detector. In some embodiments, proximity sensor 906 can also be configured to map the contour of a part of ear. This can be done with multiple transmitters, which are configured to emit light of different frequencies in different directions.Then the distance between proximity sensor 906 and different positions on the ear can be determined using sensor readings collected by one or more light receivers configured to detect and distinguish different frequencies.In some embodiments, when even more details about the shape of the ear and the position relative to the earpiece are needed, proximity sensor 906 can be distributed around the circumference of earpiece 902.For example, in some embodiments, it may be expected that in addition to identifying which ear the earpiece is positioned on, the rotational position of the ear relative to the earpiece is also identified.Sensor readings can have sufficiently high quality to identify certain features of ear 904, such as, for example, earlobe or auricle.In some embodiments and as shown in the figure, the angle at which infrared light is emitted from proximity sensor 908 can be different from the angle at which infrared light is emitted from proximity sensor 906.Like this, the possibility of detecting the side of an ear or a user's head can be increased.As shown in the figure, proximity sensor 908 will be able to achieve earlier detection, because it points farther outwards in the inside of earpiece 902.Proximity sensor 906 with a shallower angle will be able to cover a larger area of ​​user's ear 904. In some embodiments, the capacitive sensor array may be positioned directly below the surface of the earpiece 902 and configured to identify protruding features of the ear that are in contact with or in close proximity to the surface 912 of the earpiece 902 .

[0172] Fig. 9BThe location of capacitive sensor 910 is shown below surface 912 and proximate to ear contour 914 associated with ear 904. Ear contour 914 represents those contours of ear 904 that are most likely to protrude closest to the array of capacitive sensor 910. Capacitive sensor 910 can be configured to identify portions of the detected contour of ear 904 to determine which ear the earpiece 902 is positioned on and any rotation of the earpiece 902 relative to the ear 904. Fig. 9B Also indicated is how the surface 912 and the array of capacitive sensors 910 define openings 916 or perforations through which audio waves can pass substantially without attenuation. Although the array of capacitive sensors 910 is shown as being disposed only below the central portion of the surface 912, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the array of capacitive sensors 912 may be arranged in different patterns, thereby producing a greater or lesser amount of coverage. For example, in some embodiments, the capacitive sensors 910 may be distributed across most of the surface 912 to more completely characterize the shape and orientation of the ear 904. In some embodiments, the position and orientation data captured by the capacitive sensors 910 and / or proximity sensors 906 / 908 may be used to optimize the audio output from the speaker disposed in the earpiece 902. For example, an earpiece with an array of audio drivers may be configured to actuate only those audio drivers centered on or close to the ear 904.

[0173] Fig. 10A A top view of an exemplary head of a user 1000 wearing earphones 1002 is shown. Earpieces 1004 are depicted on opposite sides of the user 1000. The headband that engages the earpieces 1004 is omitted to show the features of the head of the user 1000 in more detail. As shown, the earpieces 1004 are configured to rotate around the yaw axis, so they can be positioned flush against the head of the user 1000 and slightly oriented toward the face of the user 1000. In a study conducted on a larger user group, it has been found that, on average, the earpieces 1004 are offset above the x-axis when located above the user's ears, as shown. In addition, for more than 99% of the users, the angle of the earpieces 1004 relative to the x-axis is above the x-axis. This means that only a statistically irrelevant portion of the users of the earpieces 1002 have a head shape that orients the earpieces 1004 forward from the x-axis. Fig. 10B A front view of the headset 1002 is shown. Specifically, Fig. 10B Shown is a yaw rotation axis 1006 associated with the earpiece 1004 and how both the earpiece 1004 are oriented toward the same side of the headband 1008 that engages the earpiece 1004 .

[0174] FIG. 10C to FIG. 10D A top view of headset 1002 is shown and how earpiece 1004 can rotate about yaw rotation axis 1006 . FIG. 10C to FIG. 10DAlso shown are the earpieces 1004 joined together by the headband 1008. The headband 1008 may include a yaw position sensor 1010 that may be configured to determine the angle of each earpiece 1004 relative to the headband 1008. The angle may be measured for a neutral position of the earpiece relative to the headband 1008. The neutral position may be a position where the earpiece 1004 is oriented directly toward the center area of ​​the headband 1008. In some embodiments, the earpiece 1004 may have a spring that returns the earpiece 1004 to the neutral position when no external force is applied. The angle of the earpiece relative to the neutral position may change in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. For example, in Fig. 10C 1, earpiece 1004-1 is offset in a counterclockwise direction about rotation axis 1006-1, and earpiece 1004-2 is offset in a clockwise direction about rotation axis 1006-2. In some embodiments, sensor 1010 may be a time-of-flight sensor configured to measure angular changes in earpiece 1004. The associated illustrated pattern indicated as sensor 1010 may represent an optical pattern that allows accurate measurement of the amount of rotation of each earpiece in the earpiece. In other embodiments, sensor 1010 may be a combination of a Figure 5B and Figure Fig. 6E In some embodiments, sensor 1010 can be used to determine which ear of the user each earpiece is covering. Since earpieces 1004 are known to be oriented behind the x-axis for almost all users, when sensor 1010 detects two earpieces 1004 oriented toward one side of the x-axis, earphone 1002 can determine which earpieces are on which ear. For example, Fig. 10C A configuration is shown in which earpiece 1004-1 may be determined to be on the user's left ear and earpiece 1004-2 may be on the user's right ear. In some embodiments, circuitry within earphone 1002 may be configured to adjust the audio channels so that the correct channel is delivered to the correct ear.

[0175] Similarly, Fig. 10D The configuration of earpiece 1004-1 on the right ear of the user and earpiece 1004-2 on the left ear of the user is shown.In some embodiments, when the earpiece is not oriented towards the same side of the x-axis, earphone 1002 can request further input before changing the audio channel.For example, when earpiece 1004-1 and 1004-2 are all detected as biased in the clockwise direction, the processor associated with earphone 1002 can determine that earphone 1002 is not currently in use.In some embodiments, for the user wishing to flip the situation of audio channel independently of the L / R audio channel layout logic associated with yaw position sensor 1010, earphone 1002 may include an override switch.In other embodiments, one or more other sensors may be activated to confirm the position of earphone 1002 relative to the user.

[0176] FIG. 10E to FIG. 10F A flow chart is shown that describes a control method that may be performed when roll and / or yaw of the earpiece relative to the headband is detected. Fig.10E A flow chart is shown, which describes the response to detecting the rotation of the earpiece around the yaw axis relative to the headband of the headset. The yaw axis may extend through a point near the interface between each earpiece and the headband. When the user is using the earphone, the yaw axis may be substantially parallel to the vector defining the intersection of the user's sagittal and coronal anatomical planes. At 1052, the rotation of the earpiece around the yaw axis may be detected by a rotation sensor associated with the pivot mechanism. In some embodiments, the pivot mechanism may be similar to the pivot mechanism 500 or the pivot mechanism 600 showing the yaw axes 506 and 605. At 1054, it may be determined whether the threshold associated with the rotation around the yaw axis has been exceeded. In some embodiments, the yaw threshold may be met at any time when the earpiece passes through the ear-facing surfaces of the two earpieces and can directly face each other. At 1056, in the case where at least one of the earpieces passes through the threshold and both earpieces are determined to be oriented in the same direction, the audio channels arranged to the two earpieces may be exchanged. In some embodiments, the user may be notified of the change of the audio channel. In some implementations, the amount of roll detected by the pivot mechanism can be factored into the determination of how to allocate audio channels.

[0177] Fig.10FA flow chart is shown, which describes a method for changing the operating state of a headset based on sensor readings from one or more sensors of the headset. At 1062, before the final packaging operation, the headset can be placed in a dormant state, in which little or no power is consumed. In this way, the headset 1062 can have a large amount of battery power left when it is delivered. The delivery personnel can perform special procedures to remove the headset from the dormant state. For example, the data connector engaged with the charging port of the headset can be removed, thereby triggering the dormant state to be removed. At 1063, whenever the headset is not used for a threshold amount of time, the headset can be in a suspended state. In the suspended state, the sensor polling rate can be greatly reduced to further save power. In some embodiments, the headset may take longer than normal to identify the user who is trying to use the headset. At 1064, a strain gauge or capacitive sensor can be used to identify the placement of the headset on the user's head. In some embodiments, the method may include returning to the suspended state at 1063 when a motion timeout occurs or the strain gauge indicates that the headset is not being worn. At 1065, a capacitive or proximity sensor can be used to sense the presence and / or orientation of the ear in the earpiece. Once the orientation of the earphone on the user's head is identified, the input control may be activated at 1066. Media playback may begin with routing the audio channels received wirelessly or via a wired line to the corresponding earpiece at 1067. Removing the earphone from the user's ear may result in a return to 1064, where the sensor may go back through various steps to correctly identify the earpiece position and orientation.

[0178] Figure 10G 1070 is a system-level block diagram of a computing device 1070 that can be used to implement the various components described herein according to some embodiments. In particular, this detailed view shows that the FIG. 10A to FIG. 10D Various components of the earphone 1002 are shown. Figure 10GAs shown, the computing device 1070 may include a processor 1072 representing a microprocessor or controller for controlling the overall operation of the computing device 1070. The computing device 1070 may include a first earpiece 1074 and a second earpiece 1076 joined by a headband assembly, and these earpieces include speakers for presenting media content to the user. The processor 1072 may be configured to transmit the first audio channel and the second audio channel to the first earpiece 1074 and the second earpiece 1076. In some embodiments, the first orientation sensor 1078 may be configured to transmit the orientation data of the first earpiece 1074 to the processor 1072. Similarly, the second orientation sensor 1080 may be configured to transmit the orientation data of the second earpiece 1076 to the processor 1072. The processor 1072 may be configured to exchange the first audio channel with the second audio channel based on the information received from the first orientation sensor 1078 and the second orientation sensor 1080. The data bus 1082 can facilitate data transfer between at least the battery / power supply 1084, the wireless communication circuit 1084, the wired communication circuit 1082, the computer-readable memory 1080, and the processor 1072. In some embodiments, the processor 1072 can be configured to instruct the battery / power supply 1084 based on information received by the first orientation sensor 1078 and the second orientation sensor 1080. The wireless communication circuit 1086 and the wired communication circuit 1088 can be configured to provide media content to the processor 1072. In some embodiments, the processor 1072, the wireless communication circuit 1086, and the wired communication circuit 1088 can be configured to transmit information and receive information from the computer-readable memory 1090. The computer-readable memory 1090 can include a single disk or multiple disks (e.g., a hard disk drive) and include a storage management module that manages one or more partitions within the computer-readable memory 1090.

[0179] Foldable headphones

[0180] FIG. 11A to FIG. 11B An earphone 1100 is shown having a deformable form factor. Fig.11AA headset 1100 is shown that includes a deformable headband assembly 1102 that can be configured to mechanically and electrically couple earpieces 1104. In some embodiments, the earpieces 1104 can be ear cups, and in other embodiments, the earpieces 1104 can be on-ear earpieces. The deformable headband assembly 1102 can be coupled to the earpieces 1104 through a foldable stem region 1106 of the headband assembly 1102. The foldable stem region 1106 is arranged at opposite ends of a deformable cuff region 1108. Each foldable stem region 1106 may include an eccentric locking mechanism that allows each earpiece 1104 to maintain a flat state after rotating against the deformable cuff region 1108. The flat state refers to a change in the curvature of the deformable cuff region 1108 to become flatter than in the arched state. In some embodiments, the deformable cuff region 1108 can become very flat, but in other embodiments, the curvature can be more variable (as shown in the following figures). The over-center locking mechanism allows the earpiece 1104 to remain in the flat state until the user rotates the over-center locking mechanism back away from the deformable band region 1108. In this way, the user does not need to search for a button to change states, but simply performs the intuitive action of rotating the earpiece back to its arched state position.

[0181] Fig. 11B One of the earpieces 1104 is shown rotated into contact with the deformable cuff region 1108. As shown, rotation of only one earpiece 1104 against the deformable cuff region 1108 causes half of the deformable cuff region 1108 to flatten. Fig. 11C The second of the earpieces is shown rotated relative to the deformable band region 1108. In this way, the earphone 1100 can be easily moved from the arched state (ie, Fig.11A ) into a flat state (i.e., Fig. 11C ). In the flat state earphone, the size of the earphone 1100 can be reduced to a size equivalent to that of two earphones arranged end to end. In some embodiments, the deformable band area can be pressed into the cushion of the earphone 1104, thereby substantially preventing the headband assembly 1102 from adding to the height of the earphone 1100 in the flat state.

[0182] FIG. 11D to FIG. 11F It is shown how the earpiece 1104 of the headset 1150 may be folded towards the outwardly facing surface of the deformable band region 1108 . Fig.11D The earphone 11D is shown in the arched state. Fig.11E , one of the earpieces 1104 is folded toward the outwardly facing surface of the deformable band region 1108. Once the earpiece 1104 is in position as shown, the force applied to move the earpiece 1104 into position can place one side of the deformable headband assembly 1102 in a flat state while the other side remains in an arched state. Fig.11F, the second earpiece 1104 is also shown as being folded against the outwardly facing surface.

[0183] FIG. 12A to FIG. 12B An earphone embodiment is shown in which the earphone can be transitioned from a domed state to a flat state by pulling on opposite ends of a spring band. Fig. 12A The headset 1200 in a flat state is shown, which can be, for example, the headset 1100 shown in FIG. 11. In the flat state, the earpieces 1104 are aligned in the same plane so that each ear pad 1202 faces substantially the same direction. In some embodiments, the headband assembly 1102 contacts opposite sides of each ear pad 1202 in the flat state. The deformable band region 1108 of the headband assembly 1102 includes a spring band 1204 and a segment 1206. The locking components of the foldable post region 1106 apply tension to each end of the spring band 1204, thereby preventing the spring band 1204 from returning the headset 1200 to the arched state. The segment 1206 can be connected to an adjacent segment 1206 by a pin 1208. The pin 1208 allows the segments to rotate relative to each other so that the shape of the segment 1206 can be kept together, but can also change shape to adapt to the arched state. Each of the segments 1206 may also be hollow to accommodate the spring band 1204 passing through each of the segments 1206. The center or base key segment 1206 may include a fastener 1210 that engages the center of the spring band 1204. The fastener 1210 isolates the two sides of the spring band 1204, thereby allowing the earpiece 1104 to be rotated sequentially to a flat state, such as Fig. 11B shown.

[0184] Fig. 12A Also shown is each of the foldable post regions 1106, which include three rigid links joined together by a pin that pivotally couples the upper link 1212, the middle link 1214, and the lower link 1216. The movement of these links relative to each other may also be at least partially controlled by a spring pin 1218, which may have a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to a pin 1220 that couples the middle link 1214 to the lower link 1216, and the second end engaged within a channel 1222 defined by the upper link 1212. The second end of the spring pin 1218 may also be coupled to the spring band 1204 so that when the second end of the spring pin 1218 slides within the channel 1222, the force applied to the spring band 1204 changes. Once the first end of the spring pin 1218 reaches the over-center locking position, the earphone 1200 may snap into a flat state. The over-center locking position keeps the earpiece 1104 in a flat position until the first end of the spring pin 1218 moves far enough to release from the over-center locking position. At that time, the earpiece 1104 returns to its arched state position.

[0185] Fig. 12BThe earphone 1200 is shown arranged in an arched state. In this state, the spring band 1204 is in a relaxed state storing a minimum amount of force within the spring band 1204. As such, the neutral state of the spring band 1204 can be used to define the shape of the headband assembly 1102 in the arched state when not being actively worn by a user. Fig. 12B Also shown is the resting state of the second end of the spring pin 1218 within the channel 1222, and how the corresponding reduction in force on this end of the spring band 1204 allows the spring band 1204 to assist the earphone 1200 in assuming the arched state. Figures 12A to 12B , substantially all of the spring band 1204 is shown, but the spring band 1204 would generally be hidden by the segment 1206 and the upper link 1212 .

[0186] FIG. 12C to FIG. 12D Side views of the foldable mast region 1106 are shown in an arched state and a flat state, respectively. Fig. 12C Shown is how the force 1224 applied by the spring pin 1218 operates to maintain the links 1212, 1214, and 1216 in an arcuate state. Specifically, the spring pin 1218 maintains the links in an arcuate state by preventing the upper link 1212 from rotating around the pin 1226 and away from the lower link 1216. Fig.12D It is shown how the force 1228 applied by the spring pin 1218 operates to maintain the links 1212, 1214, and 1216 in the flat state. This bistable behavior is made possible by the spring pin 1218 being displaced to the opposite side of the rotation axis defined by the pin 1226 in the flat state. In this way, the links 1212 to 1216 can operate as an over-center locking mechanism. In the flat state, the spring pin 1218 resists the transition of the earphone from the flat state to the arched state; however, a sufficiently large rotational force applied by the user on the earpiece 1104 can overcome the force applied by the spring pin 1218 to transition the earphone between the flat state and the arched state.

[0187] Fig.12E A side view of one end of the earphone 1200 is shown in a flat state. In this view, the ear pad 1202 is shown as having a contour configured to conform to the curvature of the user's head. The contour of the ear pad 1202 can also help prevent the headband assembly 1102, and particularly the segments 1206 that make up the headband assembly 1102, from protruding significantly further vertically than the ear pad 1202. In some embodiments, the depression of the central portion of the ear pad 1202 can be caused at least in part by the pressure exerted thereon by the segments 1206.

[0188] FIG. 13A to FIG. 13B A partial cross-sectional view of an earphone 1300 is shown using an off-axis cable to transition between a domed state and a flat state. Fig.13AA partial cross-sectional view of the earphone 1300 in the arched state is shown. The earphone 1300 differs from the earphone 1200 in that when the earpiece 1104 is rotated toward the headband assembly 1102, the cable 1302 is tightened to flatten the deformable band region 1108 of the headband assembly 1102. The cable 1302 can be made of a highly elastic cable material such as Nitinol. TM , nickel-titanium alloy. Close-up view 1303 shows how the deformable band region 1108 can include a number of segments 1304 fastened to the spring band 1204 by fasteners 1306. In some embodiments, the fasteners 1306 can also be secured to the spring band 1204 by O-rings to prevent the fasteners 1306 from rattling when the earphone 1300 is in use. The center segment of the segments 1304 can include a sleeve 1308 that prevents the cable 1302 from sliding relative to the center segment of the segments 1304. Other segments 1304 can include metal pulleys 1310 that prevent the cable 1302 from experiencing a lot of friction when the cable 1302 is pulled to flatten the earphone 1300. Fig.13A Also shown is how each end of the cable 1302 is secured to a rotation fastener 1312. The rotation fastener 1312 prevents the ends of the cable 1302 from twisting when the foldable pole region 1106 is rotated.

[0189] Fig. 13B A partial cross-sectional view of the earphone 1300 in the flat state is shown. The rotational fastener 1312 is shown in another rotational position to accommodate the change in orientation of the cable 1302. The new position of the rotational fastener 1312 also creates an over-center locking position that prevents the earphone 1300 from inadvertently returning to the arched state, as described above with respect to the earphone 1200. Fig. 13B Also shown is how the curved geometry of each segment 1304 allows the segments 1304 to rotate relative to each other to transition between the arched and flat states. In some embodiments, the cable 1302 can also be operated to move in a manner similar in some respects to FIG. 9A to FIG. 9B The range of motion of the spring band 1204 is limited in a manner of an embodiment of the present invention. The headset 1300 also includes an input panel 1314, which is attached to the outward-facing surface of the headset 1300 in the flat state. The input panel 1314 can define a touch-sensitive input surface, thereby allowing the user to input operating instructions into the headset 1300 when the headset 1300 is in the flat state. For example, the user may want to continue media playback when the headset 1300 is in the flat state. Convenient access to the input panel 1314 will make the control operation of the headset 1300 in this state simple and convenient.

[0190] Fig.14AAn earphone 1400 is shown that is similar to earphone 1300. Specifically, earphone 1400 also uses cable 1302 to flatten deformable cuff region 1108. In addition, the center portion of cable 1302 is held by center section 1304. In contrast, lower link 1216 of foldable stem region 1106 is flattened relative to Fig. 12A As the earpiece 1104 rotates about the axis 1402 toward the deformable cuff region 1108, the spring pin 1404 is configured to extend during a first portion of the rotation, as shown in FIG. Fig. 14B In some embodiments, the extension of the spring pin 1404 may allow the earpiece to rotate approximately 30 degrees from the initial position. Once the spring pin 1404 reaches its maximum length, further rotation of the earpiece 1104 about the axis 1402 causes the cable 1302 to be pulled, thereby changing the deformable cuff region 1108 from an arched geometry to a flat geometry, such as Fig. 14C The delayed pulling action changes the angle at which the cable 1302 is initially pulled. The changed initial angle can make the cable 1302 less likely to get tangled when the earphone 1400 transitions from the arched state to the flat state.

[0191] FIG. 15A to FIG. 15F Various views of the headband assembly 1500 are shown from different angles and in different states. The headband assembly 1500 has a bi-stable configuration that accommodates transitions between a flat state and a domed state. FIG. 15A to FIG. 15C The headband assembly 1500 is shown in an arched state. Bistable wires 1502 and 1504 are illustrated within a flexible headband housing 1506. The headband housing can be configured to change shape to accommodate at least a flat state and an arched state. The bistable wires 1502 and 1504 extend from one end of the headband housing 1506 to the other end and are configured to apply a clamping force to the user's head through earpieces attached to opposite ends of the headband assembly 1500 to keep an associated pair of earphones firmly in place during use. Fig. 15C Specifically shown is how the headband housing 1506 can be formed from a plurality of hollow connectors 1508 that can be hinged together and cooperatively form a cavity within which the bistable wire 1502 can transition between configurations corresponding to an arched state and a flat state. Because the connector 1508 is hinged on only one side, the connector can only move to the arched state in one direction. This helps avoid the unfortunate situation of the headband assembly 1500 being bent in the wrong direction, thereby positioning the earpiece in the wrong direction.

[0192] FIG. 15D to FIG. 15FThe headband assembly is shown in a flat state. The bistable line 1502 now helps to maintain the headband assembly 1500 in a flat state because the ends of the bistable lines 1502 and 1504 have passed an off-center point that is higher than the center portion of the bistable lines 1502 and 1504. In some embodiments, the bistable line 1502 can also be used to carry signals and / or power from one earpiece to another earpiece through the headband assembly 1500.

[0193] FIG. 16A to FIG. 16B The headband assembly 1600 is shown in a folded state and an arched state. Fig.16A The headband assembly 1600 is shown in an arched state. Fig. 15C and Fig.15F A headband assembly similar to the embodiment shown in includes a plurality of hollow connectors 1602 that cooperatively form a flexible headband housing that defines an interior volume. A passive coupling hinge 1604 may be positioned within a central portion of the interior volume and couples the bistable elements 1606 together. Fig.16A Bistable elements 1606 and 1608 are shown in an arched configuration to resist forces acting to squeeze opposite sides of headband assembly 1600. Once opposite sides of headband assembly 1600 are pushed together in the directions indicated by arrows 1610 and 1612 with a force sufficient to overcome the resistance created by bistable elements 1606 and 1608, headband assembly 1600 can be moved from Fig.16A The arched state shown in Fig. 16B The passive coupling hinge 1604 accommodates the earphone assembly 1600 being folded about a central region 1614 of the headband assembly 1600 . Fig. 16B Passive coupling hinge 1604 is shown flexing to accommodate the folded state of headband assembly 1600. Bistable elements 1606 and 1608 are shown configured in the folded configuration to bias opposite sides of headband assembly 1600 toward each other, thereby resisting inadvertent state changes. Fig. 16B The folded configuration shown in has the beneficial effect of taking up a substantially smaller amount of space by allowing the open area defined by the headband assembly 1600 for accommodating the user's head to collapse so that the headband assembly 1600 can take up less space when not in active use.

[0194] Figure 17 to Figure 18 Various views of a foldable headset 1700 are shown. Specifically, Fig.17 A top view of the headset 1700 in a folded state is shown. The headband 1702 extending between the earpieces 1704 and 1706 includes a wire 1708 and a spring 1710. In the folded state shown, the wire 1708 and the spring 1710 are straight and in a relaxed or neutral state. Fig.18A side view of the headset 1700 in an arched state is shown. The headset 1700 can be moved from the headband 1702 by rotating the earpieces 1704 and 1706 away from the headband 1702. Fig.17 The folded state shown is transformed to Fig.18 Earpieces 1704 and 1706 each include an eccentric mechanism 1802 that applies tension to the ends of wire 1708 to keep wire 1708 in a tensioned state so as to maintain the arched state of headband 1702. Wire 1708 helps maintain the shape of headband 1702 by applying force at multiple locations along spring 1710 via wire guides 1804 that are regularly spaced along headband 1702.

[0195] Telescopic pole assembly

[0196] Fig.19 Shown is a side of a headband housing 1902 and a telescoping member 1904 extending from that end of the headband housing 1902. The headband housing 1902 can be configured to accommodate telescoping movement of the telescoping member 1904. The headband housing 1902 defines a plurality of channels 1906 that help guide spring contacts 1908 associated with the telescoping member 1904 as the telescoping member 1904 slides into and out of the lower headband housing 1902. Fig.19 Also shown is a portion of a sync cable 1910 visible through channel 1906 and coiled within headband housing 1902. The coiled configuration of sync cable 1910 allows sync cable 1910 to accommodate changes in length caused by telescoping member 1904 relative to headband housing 1902.

[0197] Fig. 20A Shows Fig.19 1902. Specifically, the headband housing 1902 is shown to include an upper housing component 2002 and a lower housing component 2004. The lower housing component 2004 is configured to receive the telescopic member 1904. The lower housing component 2004 is shown to define a plurality of channels 1906, and an annular bushing 2006 is disposed within one end of the lower housing component 2004 and is configured to control the movement of the telescopic member 1904 relative to the lower housing component 2004 by generating friction during movement of the telescopic member 1904. Fig. 20A Also shown is a spring member 2008 as a single piece that includes a plurality of spring contacts 2010 configured to engage the channel 2006 .

[0198] Fig. 20B18. A cross-sectional view of a first end of lower housing component 2004 is shown according to section line FF. Lower housing component 2004 is shown engaged with telescoping member 1810, and bushing 2012 is positioned within telescoping member 1810. One of spring contacts 2008 is shown engaged within channel 2006 of lower housing component 2004. In some embodiments, channel 2006 does not extend completely through the wall of lower housing component 2004, such as Fig. 20C This allows the spring contact 2008 to engage within the channel 2006 without being visible from the outside of the lower housing component 2004.

[0199] Fig. 20C A cross-sectional view of the second end of the lower housing member 2004 is shown according to section line GG. The second end of the lower housing member 2004 is shown engaged with the upper housing member 2002. The sync cable 1910 is shown extending through an opening defined by both the upper housing member 2002 and the lower housing member 2004.

[0200] Fig.20D A perspective view of a bushing 2006 is shown defining a plurality of contact channels 2012 radially spaced about an inwardly facing surface of the bushing 2006. The contact channels 2012 can be configured to align the spring contacts 2010 with the contact channels 2012 of the lower housing component 2004.

[0201] Fig.21A A perspective view of one end of a spring member 2014 and telescoping member 1810 is shown. As shown, the spring member 2014 includes a single spring contact 2008. Each spring contact 2008 includes a locking feature 2102 that is configured to prevent the spring member 2014 from disengaging from the telescoping member 1810. The telescoping member 1810 defines a set of corresponding openings 2104 and 2106 separated by a bridging member 2108. When the spring contact 2008 is engaged within the opening 2104, the length of the opening 2104 allows each spring contact 2008 to deflect through the opening 2104 so that the telescoping member 1810 can be inserted into the lower housing component 2004.

[0202] Fig.21B The spring contact 2008 is shown engaged within the opening 2104, and Fig. 21C2106. When the locking feature 2102 is engaged in the opening 2106, the spring member 2014 cannot be removed and remains engaged in the channel 2006. In addition, the bridging member 2108 prevents the spring contact 2008 from deflecting any further into the interior volume 2110 defined by the telescoping member 1810. This keeps the protruding portion of the spring contact 2008 firmly engaged in the corresponding channel 2006. In some embodiments, once the spring contact 2008 is engaged in the channel 2006, the spring member 2014 can be moved out by pulling the telescoping member 1810 backward. Fig.21B In this way, the spring contact piece 2008 can be offset from the opening 2104 to the opening 2106.

[0203] FIG. 21D to FIG. 21G Various locking mechanisms are shown positioned at the opening defined by the lower housing component 2004 through which the telescoping member 1810 extends. FIG. 21D to FIG. 21E A locking mechanism 2112 is shown. Fig.21D , when the locking mechanism 2112 is rotated in a first direction 2114 , the telescoping member 1810 can translate into or out of the lower housing component 2004 , as indicated by the bidirectional arrow 2116 . Fig.21E It is shown how subsequent rotation of the locking mechanism 2112 in direction 2118 fixes the position of the telescoping member 1810 relative to the lower housing component 2004 . FIG. 21F to FIG. 21G A locking mechanism 2120 is shown. Fig.21F It is shown how when locking mechanism 2120 is pulled in direction 2122 away from lower housing member 2004 and toward telescoping member 1810 , telescoping member 1810 can translate into or out of lower housing member 2004 , as indicated by double-headed arrow 2124 . Figure 21G It is shown how when locking mechanism 2120 is subsequently pushed in direction 2126 toward lower housing component 2004 , the position of telescoping member 1810 relative to lower housing component 2004 is fixed.

[0204] Anti-buckling components

[0205] FIG. 22A to FIG. 22E Various extended and retracted coil configurations of a portion of a sync cable 2010 disposed within the lower housing member 2004 are shown. Fig.22AA partial cross-sectional view of a portion of a sync cable 2010 in a conventional helical coil configuration is shown. Unfortunately, as shown, this configuration can be susceptible to lateral misalignment of the individual wire loops 2202 when transitioning from the extended configuration 2204 to the retracted configuration 2206. Misalignment can cause the sync cable 2010 to rub against the interior of the lower housing component 2004 and wear over time, which can cause undesirable friction-induced failures due to sync cable 2010 fatigue.

[0206] Fig. 22B It is shown how the cross-sectional shape of the sync cable 2010 can be adjusted to include alignment features that help prevent misalignment of the wire loops 2212 of the sync coil 2010. Specifically, opposite sides of the wire loops 2212 can include alignment features with complementary geometries that help self-align the wire loops 2212 of the sync coil 2010 when retracted, as shown.

[0207] Fig. 22C It is shown how the cross-sectional shape of the sync cable 2010 can be adjusted to include alignment features that help prevent misalignment of the wire loops 2222 of the sync coil 2010. Specifically, the opposing sides of the wire loops 2222 can include alignment features in the form of concave channels 2224 and convex ridges 2226 that help self-align the wire loops 2212 of the sync coil 2010 when retracted, as shown.

[0208] Fig.22D It is shown how the cross-sectional shape of the sync cable 2010 can be adjusted to include connection features that help prevent misalignment of the loop 2232 of the sync coil 2010. Specifically, the opposite sides of the loop 2232 can include connection features in the form of complementary hooks 2234 and convex ridges 2226 that help self-align the loop 2212 of the sync coil 2010 when retracted, as shown. The connection features also help limit the maximum longitudinal extension of the sync cable 2010.

[0209] Fig.22E Another configuration is shown that can prevent misalignment of the sync cable 2010. By wrapping the sync cable 2010 around the shaft 2342, the sync cable can be prevented from misaligning even if the sync cable 2010 is arranged as a helical coil. The shaft 2342 should be formed of a rigid material that is unlikely to bend significantly while also allowing for slight changes in curvature to accommodate movement of the telescopic member 1810. In some embodiments, the shaft 2242 can be formed of NITINOL (a nickel-titanium alloy) wire.

[0210] Fig.23AAn exploded view of components associated with the data plug 2302 is shown. Specifically, the data plug 2302 extending from one end of the pole base 2304 is configured to engage a receptacle within the telescoping member 1810. Once engaged within the receptacle, the data plug 2302 can be securely held in place using a threaded fastener 2306 that is configured to pass through the threaded opening 2310 and engage a recess 2308 defined by the base portion of the data plug 2302. A sealing ring 2312 can also be used to further secure the data plug 2302 within the telescoping member 1810. Fig. 23B The telescoping member 1810 is shown fully assembled with the threaded fastener 2306 fully engaged within the threaded opening 2310 to hold the data plug 2302 securely in place.

[0211] Fig.23C Shown according to Fig. 23B 18 is a cross-sectional view of the telescopic member 1810 along the section line HH. Specifically, Fig.23C One end of a data plug 2302 is shown engaged within a plug receptacle 2314. Fig.23C Also shown is how the threaded fasteners cooperate with the recess 2308 to hold the data plug 2302 in place. Also shown is the location of the sealing ring 2312 relative to the data plug 2302. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the data plug 2302 may be omitted, with a cable terminating in a board-to-board connector instead, which engages a printed circuit board within the associated earpiece of the headset.

[0212] Fig.23D A perspective view of a portion of a data plug 2302 is shown. Specifically, the body of the data plug 2302 has a stepped geometry and defines a plurality of glue channels 2316 spaced at regular intervals. In some embodiments, the glue channels 2316 can be laser cut into the outside surface of the body of the data plug 2302. Fig.23E A cross-sectional side view of the portion of the data plug 2302 is shown and illustrates a plurality of adhesive channels 2316 positioned on opposing sides of the body of the data plug 2302 .

[0213] Fig.23F A data plug 2302 is shown glued to a pole base 2304 which in turn is positioned within a recess 2318 defined by an earpiece 2320 . Figure 23G A cross-sectional view of a data plug 2302 is shown disposed within a recess defined by a pole base 2304 , which in turn is positioned within a recess 2318 of an earpiece 2320 . Figure 23G Corresponding to Fig.23F23 and 24. The data plug 2302 is shown in FIG. 23 by the section line II, and also shows how the data plug 2302 is adhered to the pole base 2304 by the adhesive layer 2322. Because the adhesive layer 2322 is able to engage the adhesive channel 2316, the strength of the bond formed by the adhesive layer 2322 between the pole base 2304 and the body of the data plug 2302 is greatly increased. In some embodiments, the inwardly facing surface of the pole base 2304 may also include an adhesive channel similar to the adhesive channel 2316 to achieve even greater adhesion. In some embodiments, one or both surfaces contacting the adhesive layer 2322 may be roughened, thereby increasing the surface energy of these surfaces and improving the strength of the resulting adhesive connection. Figure 23G Also shown is a data synchronization cable 2324 that extends through a channel defined by both the data plug 2302 and the pole base 2304.

[0214] Ear pad configuration and optimization

[0215] Fig.24A A perspective view of an earpiece 2402 and an ear pad 2404 is shown. The ear pad 2404 is shown as having a flat shape, showing how the side of the user's head 2406 is not flat at all. One reason most ear pads are very thick is to accommodate the skull contours of the side of the user's head. Fig.24A The dashed arrows shown in show the distance difference that the ear pad needs to overcome in order to conform to the skull contour.

[0216] Fig. 24B It is shown how the earpieces 2412 and 2414 of the headset 2410 can have thin ear pads 2416 without sacrificing user comfort. The ear pads 2416 can include a flexible substrate that allows a predetermined amount of flex to accommodate changes in skull contours. The ear pads 2416 can be coupled to an earpiece yoke 2418 having two posts 2420 that are positioned in locations corresponding to typical low points on the user's head. In the configuration shown, the portion of the ear pads 2416 that encounters the prominent skull contour can be bent backwards to prevent pressure points on the user's head. In this way, a significant amount of weight and material costs can be saved because thinner pads can be utilized without sacrificing user comfort.

[0217] Fig.24C 24 shows how the post 2420 couples the flexible substrate 2422 to the earpiece yoke 2418. The flexible substrate 2422 is formed of a substrate having a certain flexibility sufficient to allow the ear pad 2416 mounted to the flexible substrate 2422 to deform. It should be noted that Fig.24C Many components have been removed from the earpiece 2414 to clearly illustrate how the flexible substrate 2422 is connected to the earpiece yoke 2418. Fig.24DShown are earpiece 2414 and rotation axis 2424, ear pad 2416 is configured to bend about the rotation axis to accommodate the skull contour of the user's head. Rotation axis 2424 is defined by the position where post 2420 is attached to the rear-facing surface of flexible substrate 2422 and thus to ear pad 2416.

[0218] Fig.24E 24H shows another earpiece in a configuration designed to take into account the cranial contours of the user's head. Fig.24E A side view of an earpiece 2430 is shown. The earpiece 2430 includes a convex input panel 2432, an earpiece housing 2434, and an ear pad assembly 2436. The convex input panel 2432 may be attached to a side of the earpiece housing 2434 and include a sensor for receiving touch input from an earpiece associated with the earpiece. Fig.24E Also shown is a compressible ear pad 2438 of the ear pad assembly 2436. The compressible ear pad 2438 can be formed of foam and have a substantially uniform thickness. By bending the compressible ear pad 2438 into a curved geometry as shown, the user-facing surface of the ear pad assembly 2436 can be shaped to match the skull contour of the user's head.

[0219] Fig.24F A cross-sectional view of the earpiece 2430 is shown, along with the shape of the cavity 2440 for accommodating the ear 2442. In the case of an earphone design that is not configured to accommodate placement of the earpiece 2430 over either ear, the speaker assembly 2444 can protrude into the cavity 2440 without affecting the amount of space available for the ear 2442. In some embodiments, pushing the speaker assembly 2444 forward in this manner can reduce the overall size of the earpiece 2430. Fig.24F It is also shown how the undercut geometry of the ear pad 2438 allows the earpiece 2430 to seal around a portion of the user's head that is closer to the ear 2442, thereby reducing the length of the circumference of the portion of the ear pad assembly 2436 that contacts the user's head. In some embodiments, this can improve passive noise isolation. The ear pad 2438 can be covered by a textile material 2446 to provide comfort to the portion of the ear pad assembly 2436 that contacts the user. In some embodiments, various treatments can be applied to the textile material 2446 to improve the acoustic isolation provided by the textile material 2446. For example, a heat treatment can be applied to at least the portion of the textile material 2446 that is most likely to contact the user's head in order to reduce the pore size of the textile material 2446, thereby enhancing acoustic resistance.

[0220] Figure 24GA perspective view of the earpiece 2430 is shown, and more clearly illustrates the varying curvature of the ear pad assembly 2436 around the perimeter of the ear pad assembly 2436. Specifically, region 2448 of the ear pad assembly 2436 is configured to contact a portion of the user's head below and behind the ear, where the head begins to tilt back toward the neck. For this reason, region 2448 protrudes significantly further outward from the earpiece 2430 than any other portion of the ear pad assembly 2436. To a slightly lesser extent, region 2450 of the ear pad assembly 2436 also protrudes away from the earpiece 2430 to accommodate another low point on the user's head that is typically located in front of and slightly above the user's ear.

[0221] FIG. 25A to FIG. 25C Various views of another ear pad configuration 2500 formed from multiple layers of material are shown. Fig.25A An exploded view of an ear pad configuration 2500 is shown, which includes three different component layers, namely a pad 2502, a compliant structural layer 2504, and a textile layer 2506. In some embodiments, the pad 2502 may be formed of foam and shaped during a machining process, which will be described in more detail below. The compliant structural layer 2504 may help define the shape of the periphery of the pad 2502 while imparting a certain amount of compliance to the outside of the earpiece. In some embodiments, the compliant structural layer 2504 may be formed of an ethylene-vinyl acetate rubber blend. The textile layer 2506 may be formed of a fabric sheet and include a plurality of different regions 2508 and 2510. The region 2510 that constitutes the majority of the fabric in direct contact with the user's head may be heat treated to seal any gaps in the fabric in order to improve passive sound isolation. This may be particularly important for headphones with an active noise cancellation system, because improved passive sound isolation reduces the amount of noise that needs to be eliminated by the active noise cancellation system. In some embodiments, region 2510 may be heat treated such that its porosity is substantially less than the porosity of region 2508. Textile materials with lower porosity are generally more effective in providing passive noise attenuation.

[0222] Fig.25B Shown is how a foam pad 2502, along with a compliant structural layer 2504 and a textile layer 2506, can be formed around an electronic device housing component 2512 that defines an internal volume 2514 that is configured to accommodate various electrical components that support playback of media files received by headphones associated with the ear pad configuration 2500. Fig.25BThe importance of aligning the textile layer 2506 with the opening defined by the electronics housing component 2512 is also shown, as the opening 2516 of the textile layer 2506 is configured to align with the opening 2518 of the electronics housing component 2512 to accommodate the I / O ports or input controls. In addition, the opening 2520 may also need to align with the post 2522 of the housing component 2512.

[0223] Fig.25C A cross-sectional side view of the ear pad configuration 2500 is shown. Specifically, Fig.25C It is shown how the textile layer 2506 includes two regions 2508 positioned on different sides of the heat treatment area 2510 and how the compliant structural layer 2504 extends below the region 2510 of the textile layer 2506. Fig.25D It is shown how the heat treated area 2510 of the textile layer 2506 is in direct contact with the side of the user's head when the headset is in active use. In this way, an effective barrier is formed by the heat treated area 2510 to block the passage of audio waves between the user's head and the ear pad configuration 2500, which is generally considered to be impractical for headphones that use textile materials to cover the ear pads. Although the area 2510 is shown as extending completely across the surface that contacts the user's face, it should be understood that in some embodiments, only the portion of the textile fabric that contacts the user is subjected to the heat treatment.

[0224] FIG. 26A to FIG. 26B A perspective view of an ear pad 2602 is shown, which may be formed from a conformable material, such as an open-cell foam. Conventional foam pads for headphones are formed from rectangular blocks and, if formed at all using machining methods, would be formed through a stamping process. By machining the ear pad 2602 from a larger block, a precise three-dimensional shape can be achieved. Machining is also advantageous over performing injection molding because while these types of processes may include a mold to achieve the desired shape, the surface consistency is typically substantially different due to the heating process that occurs during the molding process. For at least these reasons, the machined foam performs substantially better as an ear pad liner than alternatives because it allows for customized responsiveness to pressure and reduces the overall weight of each ear pad liner by allowing non-essential portions of the foam to be easily cut away. As shown, the ear pad 2602 has a gradually sloping geometry on both sides (such as FIG. 26A to FIG. 26B ), thereby giving the ear pad 2602 an undercut geometry, which helps to establish the desired firmness of the ear pad 2602.

[0225] FIG. 26C to FIG. 26G The various manufacturing operations for forming an ear pad from a piece of foam are shown. Fig.26C An open cell foam block 2604 is shown after being formed by an extrusion or molding process. Fig.26D, a forming tool 2606 and a ball end mill 2608 are shown, which use the foam block 2604 to form the opposite sides of the ear pad 2602. In some embodiments, the cutting and milling process can be performed more accurately by first soaking the foam block 2610 in water (such as Fig.26E ), then freeze the foam blocks (as Fig.26F 2608). In some embodiments, when the forming tool 2606 and the ball end mill 2608 are applied to the frozen foam block 2610, the machining operation can be slightly more precise because the foam material is less likely to move and deform under the amount of pressure applied by the machining tool. Although the annular ear pads are shown as having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional geometry, the CNC process allows for a much wider variety of shapes. For example, teardrop, circular, square, elliptical, polygonal, and other cross-sectional geometries can be achieved by varying the machining operations performed by the forming tool 2606 and the ball end mill 2608. Non-Euclidean surface shapes (such as spline geometries) are also fully achievable using the above-described machining techniques.

[0226] Speaker Components

[0227] Fig.27A A cross-sectional side view of an exemplary acoustic configuration within an earpiece 2700 is shown, which may be applied to any of the earpieces previously described. The acoustic configuration includes a speaker assembly 2702, which includes a diaphragm 2704 and a conductive coil 2706, which is configured to receive an electric current for generating a moving magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic field emitted by permanent magnets 2708 and 2710, thereby causing the diaphragm 2704 to oscillate and generate audio waves that exit the earpiece assembly through a perforated wall 2709. In some embodiments, the perforated wall 2709 may include a capacitive sensor array, such as FIG. 9A to FIG. 9B2708. A hole may be drilled through the central region of the permanent magnet 2708 to define an opening 2712 that allows the rear air volume behind the diaphragm 2704 to be in fluid communication with the internal volume 2714 through the mesh layer 2716, thereby increasing the effective size of the rear volume of the speaker assembly 2702. The internal volume 2714 extends all the way to the vent 2718. The vent 2718 may be configured to further increase the effective size of the rear volume of the speaker assembly 2702. For example, the vent 2718 may act as a bass reflex vent for enhancing the performance of the speaker assembly 2702. The rear volume of the speaker assembly 2702 may be further defined by a speaker frame member 2720 and an input panel 2722. In some embodiments, the input panel 2722 may be separated from the speaker frame member 2720 by approximately 1 mm. The speaker frame member 2720 defines an opening 2724 that allows audio waves to propagate through additional ducts that lay out the rear volume. The adhesive channel 2726 is defined by a protrusion 2728 of the speaker frame member 2720.

[0228] Fig.27B The exterior of the earpiece 2700 is shown with the input panel 2722 removed to illustrate the shape and size of the internal volume associated with the speaker assembly 2702. As shown, the central portion of the earpiece 2700 includes permanent magnets 2708 and 2710. The speaker frame member 2720 includes a recessed area that defines an internal volume 2714. The internal volume 2714 may have a width of approximately 20 mm and a height of approximately 1 mm, as shown in FIG. Fig.27A At the end of the interior volume 2714 is an opening 2724 defined by the speaker frame member 2720 that is configured to allow the rear volume to continue under the adhesive channel 2726 and extend to the vent 2718 leading out of the earpiece 2700.

[0229] Fig.27C A cross-sectional view of a microphone mounted within the earpiece 2700 is shown. In some embodiments, the microphone 2730 is secured across an opening 3732 defined by the speaker frame member 2720. The opening 3732 is offset from the microphone intake vent 2734, thereby preventing the user from viewing the opening 2732 from outside the earpiece 2700. In addition to providing an aesthetic improvement, this offset opening configuration also tends to reduce the incidence of the microphone 2730 picking up noise from air passing rapidly past the microphone intake vent 2734.

[0230] Fig.28An earpiece 2700 is shown with an input panel 2720, which may form an outward-facing surface of the earpiece 2700. A touch-sensitive area may be established by a touch sensor 2802, which may take the form of a flexible substrate attached to the inward-facing surface of the input panel 2720. The flexible substrate may define a plurality of notches 2804 that act as strain relief features, thereby allowing the flexible substrate to conform to the concave shape of the inward-facing surface of the input panel 2720. A passive radiator 2806 is shown adjacent to the touch sensor 2802 and also attached to the inward-facing surface of the radio-transparent input panel 2720. The passive radiator 2806 may be formed from a stamped metal sheet or formed along a flexible printed circuit. This configuration prevents interference between the passive radiator 2806 and the touch sensor 2802. The passive radiator 2806 may cooperate with an internal antenna 2808 (which is also positioned within the earpiece 2700) to improve wireless performance.

[0231] Distributed battery configuration

[0232] FIG. 29A to FIG. 29B A perspective view and a cross-sectional view of the outline of the earpiece 2900 are shown, which show the location of the distributed battery assemblies 2902 and 2904 within the earpiece 2900. Specifically, Fig.29A It shows how battery assemblies 2902 and 2904 may be positioned on opposite sides of the housing of earpiece 2900. Fig.29B A cross-sectional view of the earpiece 2900 according to section line JJ is shown. The battery assemblies 2902 and 2904 may also be diagonally tilted relative to the ear cavity defined by the earpiece 2900 (e.g., Fig.29B ) to maximize the size of the ear cavity 2906 defined by the earpiece 2900. Fig.29C 2900. Fig.29C In some embodiments, and as Fig.29C As shown, battery components 2908-2914 have a curvature that follows the curvature of the outer periphery of the earpiece housing and more generally the space available within the earpiece housing. Each discrete battery component may have its own input and output terminals that are configured to support the operation of various components within the earpiece 2900.

[0233] Fig. 30AShown is earphone 3000, it comprises earphone 3002 and 3004 that are joined together by headband 3006.Omitted the center part of headband 3006 to focus on the parts in earphone 3002 and 3004.Specifically, earphone 3002 and 3004 can comprise the mixing of Hall effect sensor and permanent magnet.As shown, earphone 3002 comprises permanent magnet 3008 and Hall effect sensor 3010.Permanent magnet 3008 generates the magnetic field that south pole extends away from earphone 3002.Earphone 3004 comprises Hall effect sensor 3012 and permanent magnet 3014.In the configuration shown, permanent magnet 3008 is positioned to output sufficiently strong magnetic field to saturate Hall effect sensor 3012.Sensor reading from Hall effect sensor 3012 can be enough to prompt earphone 3000 that earphone 3000 is not actively used and can enter energy saving mode. In some embodiments, this configuration can also be positioned in the box and should enter low power operation mode to save battery power to earphone 3000 prompting earphone 3000. Make earphone 3002 and 3004 each flip 180 degree will make the magnetic field that permanent magnet 3014 launches make Hall effect sensor 3010 saturated, thereby also will allow this equipment to enter low power mode.In some embodiments, may expect to confirm that earphone 3002 and 3004 face the ground before entering low power state using the accelerometer sensor in one or two earphones 3002, because the user may expect that earphone 3002 and 3004 are set to face upward to operate the earphone that breaks away from head configuration, and in this case should continue audio playback.

[0234] Fig. 30B An exemplary stowage / storage case 3016 is shown that is well suited for use with over-ear and over-ear headphone designs. Case 3016 includes a recess 3018 to accommodate the headband assembly and two earpieces. The portion of the recess 3018 that accommodates the earpieces may include protrusions 3020 and 3022 that will fill the recesses of the earpieces, which are sized to accommodate the user's ears. Fig. 30C The earphone 3000 is shown positioned within the recess 3018, and Fig.30D Shown according to Fig. 30C 2 is a cross-sectional view of the earpiece 3002 along section line KK. Fig.30D It is shown how the protrusion 3020 includes capacitive elements 3024 arranged in a predefined pattern along the upward facing surface of the protrusion 3020. Thus, when the earphone 3000 is placed within the case 3016 and the capacitive sensor 3026 senses the capacitive elements in the predefined pattern, the earphone 3000 can be configured to shut down or enter a low power mode to save power.

[0235] Fig.30EThe carrying case 3016 is shown with the earphones 3000 positioned therein. The earphones 3000 are shown as including an ambient light sensor 3028. In some embodiments, input from the ambient light sensor 3028 can be used to determine when to close the case 3016 when the earphones are disposed within the case 3016. Similarly, when the sensor reading from the ambient light sensor 3028 indicates an amount of light consistent with the carrying case 3016 being open, the processor within the earphones 3000 can determine that the carrying case 3016 has been opened. In some embodiments, when other sensors onboard the earphones 3000 indicate that the earphones 3000 are positioned within a recess defined by the carrying case 3016, sensor data from the ambient light source 3028 can be sufficient to determine when to open or close the carrying case 3016. Examples of other sensors include the description FIG. 30B to FIG. 30D Capacitive sensor discussed in the text of.Other examples of sensors may take the form of Hall effect sensors 3030 arranged in earpieces 3002 and 3004, which may be configured to detect the magnetic field emitted by the permanent magnet 3032 arranged in the loading box 3016.In some embodiments, one or more of the magnets 3032 may be configured to emit a magnetic field with one or more identifiable magnetic field characteristics.For example, the two permanent magnets 3032 shown may have opposite polarities interacting with the Hall effect sensors 3030.In addition, one or two permanent magnets may have a particularly strong magnetic field or a customized magnetic field with highly variable polarity.It is unlikely to accidentally encounter such a magnetic field outside the controlled environment of the box, and therefore, it is unlikely that the earphones configured to enter a low power state as a response enter a low power state accidentally.This second set of sensor data provided by the Hall effect sensor 3030 can significantly reduce the incidence of sensor data from the ambient light sensor 3028 being erroneously associated with the box opening and closing events. Sensor readings from other types of sensors, such as strain gauges, time-of-flight sensors, and other ear-mounted sensors, may also be used to make operational state determinations. Furthermore, these sensors may be activated at different frequencies depending on the determined operational state of the earphone 3000. For example, when the carrying case 3016 is determined to be closed around the earphone 3000, sensor readings may only be collected at a sparse frequency, whereas when in active use, these sensors may be operated more frequently.

[0236] Illuminated push button assembly

[0237] FIG. 31A to FIG. 31B An illuminated button assembly 3100 suitable for use with the headset is shown. Fig.31A3104, which can be configured to identify the operating state of the headset. The button 3102 is electrically coupled to other components within the headset via a flexible circuit 3106. At least a portion of the button assembly 3100 can be secured to the device housing by a mounting bracket 3108. Fig.31B A rear view of the illuminated button assembly 3100 is shown, and how the mounting bracket 3108 may be configured to receive a fastener 3110 to secure the illuminated button assembly to a device housing.

[0238] FIG. 31C to FIG. 31D A side view of the illuminated button assembly 3100 is shown in non-actuated and actuated positions, respectively, within the device housing 3111. Fig.31C 3104 of the button 3102 is shown as having a tapered shape that directs the light emitted by any one of the plurality of lighting elements 3114. The illuminated window 3104 may also include fixed features 3112 that protrude laterally from the illuminated window 3104 to prevent the illuminated window 3104 from detaching from the button 3102. The lighting elements 3114 may be positioned near the rearward-facing surface of the illuminated window 3104. The lighting elements 3104 may each take the form of a light emitting diode (LED) surface mounted to a flexible circuit 3106. In some embodiments, each lighting element 3114 may be configured to emit light of a different color, thereby allowing the light received by the illuminated window 3104 to change to reflect the state or operating state of the device associated with the illuminated button assembly 3100. In some embodiments, the lighting elements 3114 may include red, yellow, and blue colors. Selective illumination of two or more different colors at different intensity levels may allow a large number of different colors to be generated, thereby informing a user of the illuminated button assembly of many different operating conditions.

[0239] Fig.31D 1 shows how actuation of the button 3102 under the action of force 3115 causes a portion of the button 3102 to slide into the interior volume defined by the housing 3111. Since the lighting element 3114 is attached directly to the rear surface of the button 3102, the amount of light projected through the lighting window 3104 remains constant regardless of the amount of movement caused by the button 3104. This is different from conventional buttons, where the lighting element is located on a printed circuit board that includes an electrical switch. Therefore, in a conventional configuration, the amount of illumination increases during button actuation because the button moves closer to the lighting element during actuation. It should be noted that during FIG. 31C to FIG. 31DIn the design shown in , the electrical switch 3116 is attached to a bracket 3118 to hold the electrical switch 3116 in a fixed position. Thus, when the rearward-facing surface of the button 3104 makes contact with the electrical switch 3116, the bracket 3118 provides an amount of resistance sufficient to register the actuation. The electrical switch 3116 can take the form of a dome switch that also helps provide tactile feedback to the user of the illuminated button assembly 3100.

[0240] Fig.31E A perspective view of the illuminated window 3104 is shown. The illuminated window 3104 includes a fixing feature 3112 protruding from the tapered body of the illuminated window 3104. It should be understood that the laterally protruding fixing feature 3112 can take many forms. The fixing feature 3112 is at least engaged with the laterally oriented recess to prevent the illuminated window 3104 from shifting from the button 3102. In some embodiments, the illuminated window 3104 can be insert molded into the opening defined by the button 3102. In this type of insert molding operation, the opening defined by the button 3102 can determine the shape and size of the illuminated window 3104.

[0241] Removable handset

[0242] FIG. 32A to FIG. 32B A perspective view of a pivot assembly associated with a removable earpiece engaged with a stem base of an earphone band is shown. Specifically, pivot assembly 3202 is configured to accommodate rotation of the associated earpiece relative to the earphone band around rotation axes 3204 and 3206. Fig.32A The post base 3208 is shown engaged and locked into position within the pivot assembly 3202. The distal end 3210 of the post base 3208 is locked in position by a latch plate 3212. Specifically, the latch plate 3212 includes a wall defining a hole 3214 that engages the neck of the post base 3208 to prevent inadvertent removal of the post base 3208 from the pivot assembly 3202. Fig.32A Also shown is a portion of the earpiece housing 3216 that provides an opening to accommodate a switch mechanism 3218. The switch mechanism 3218 is configured to allow the post base 3208 to be released from the pivot assembly 3202. The switch mechanism 3218 includes a protruding engagement member 3220 that is configured to contact a force translation member 3222. In some embodiments, the switch mechanism 3218 can be hidden beneath the removable ear pad assembly.

[0243] Fig.32B3224 applied to the switch mechanism 3218 is shown to be applied to the translating member 3222 by the engagement member 3220. The angled end of the engagement member 3220 transfers the force 3224 to the first post 3226 of the force translating member 3222, which in turn causes the force translating member 3222 to rotate about an axis of rotation 3228. The axis of rotation 3228 is defined by a fastener 3227 that pivotally couples one end of the force translating member 3222 to a not shown portion of the earpiece housing 3216. The rotation of the force translating member 3222 about the axis of rotation 3228 causes the second post 3230 to apply a force 3232 to the wall of the latch plate 3212. The force 3232 applied to the latch plate 3212 causes the latch plate 3212 to shift laterally, thereby aligning the aperture 3214 with the distal end 3210 of the post base 3208. Once the aperture 3214 is aligned with the distal end 3210 of the post base 3208 , a force 3234 may be applied to the post base 3208 , thereby allowing the post base 3208 to be removed from the pivot assembly 3202 .

[0244] FIG. 33A to FIG. 33C Different views of the latch mechanism 3300 of the pivot assembly are shown. Fig.33A The pivot assembly is shown to include a latch body 3302 that defines a channel along which a latch plate 3304 is configured to slide. The latch body 3302 has a circular geometry that allows it to rotate with a pole base 3306 and its associated pole plug 3308. The pole plug 3308 includes a contact area 3310. The contact area 3310 may include a plurality of electrical contacts for docking with circuits and electrical components disposed within the same earpiece as the latch mechanism 3300. In some embodiments, the contact area 3310 includes a plurality of different electrical contacts, for example, two, three, or four different electrical contacts are possible electrical contact configurations. In some embodiments, both sides of the pole plug 3308 may include contact areas that include a plurality of electrical contacts for docking with circuits and electrical components of the earpiece. It should be noted that the latch mechanism 3300 is generally positioned within the earpiece housing such that the hole 3312 is aligned with the stem opening defined by the earpiece housing, thereby allowing the stem base 3306 to be inserted into the earpiece housing and the hole 3312 of the latch mechanism 3300.

[0245] Fig.33A Also shown is how the latch plate 3304 defines an asymmetric hole 3312. Fig.33A33, the latch plate 3304 is in a latched position in which a smaller portion of the hole 3312 engages the narrow neck, thereby separating the post plug 3308 from the remainder of the post base 3306. By engaging the narrow neck with the smaller portion of the hole 3312, the latch plate 3304 prevents the post base 3306 from being removed from the latch mechanism 3300. The latch mechanism also includes a latch bar 3314 that is configured to rotate about a rotation axis 3317. A torsion spring 3316 is coupled to the latch bar 3314 and resists rotation of the latch bar 3314. A first arm 3318 engages a portion of an earpiece housing (not shown), and a second arm 3320 engages a portion of the latch bar 3314. When force 3322 is applied to the latch bar 3314, the latch bar 3314 rotates in a counterclockwise direction and applies a force to the latch plate 3304 sufficient to slide the latch plate 3304 laterally within the latch body 3302. When force 3322 is released, the retaining spring 3324 is configured to apply a force to the post 3326 of the latch plate 3304 to return the latch plate 3304 to the latch body 3302. Fig.33A It should be noted that while the post plug 3308 is shown as exposed, this is for descriptive purposes only, and in some embodiments, a plug receptacle configured to mate with the post plug 3308 may be attached to the latch mechanism 3300 by one or more fasteners 3327.

[0246] FIG. 33B to FIG. 33C A bottom view of the latch mechanism 3300 is shown in locked and unlocked positions. A dashed outline is provided that illustrates the size and shape of an exemplary pivot mechanism suitable for carrying the latch mechanism 3300. Fig.33B A switch mechanism 3328 is shown that can slide along a channel or groove defined by an associated earpiece housing. The switch mechanism can take the form of a horizontal slider switch that allows engagement and rotation of the latch bar 3314. Fig.33C It is shown how rotation of the latch rod 3314 causes the latch plate 3304 to shift laterally so that a larger portion of the hole 3312 is aligned with the rod column plug 3308, thereby allowing the rod column plug 3308 to be removed from the latch mechanism 3300. Fig.33C It is also shown how the retaining spring 3324 can deform to accommodate the lateral movement of the latch plate 3304 when the switch mechanism 3328 is actuated. When the pressure is released from the switch mechanism 3328, the retaining spring 3324 and the torsion spring 3316 cooperate to bias the switch mechanism 3328 back to the position as shown in FIG. Fig.33B In some embodiments, it may be desirable to position the switch mechanism within the channel of the earpiece housing in a position such that the switch mechanism is hidden by the removable ear pad assembly. For example, in some embodiments, the ear pad assembly may be coupled to the earpiece housing by magnets or a series of snaps.

[0247] Telescopic rod mechanism

[0248] Fig.34A A headset 3400 is shown that includes earpieces 3402 and 3404 mechanically coupled together by a headband assembly 3406. The headband assembly includes a signal cable 3408 that electrically couples together electrical components within the earpieces 3402 and 3404. Portions of the signal cable 3408 near opposite ends thereof are arranged into coils 3410 that are configured to expand and contract to accommodate increases and decreases in the size of the headband assembly 3406. In some embodiments, it may be helpful to include a mechanism that helps prevent the coils 3410 from becoming tangled after undergoing multiple headband assembly extension and retraction operations.

[0249] Fig.34B A close up view of the pole region 3412 of the headband assembly 3406 is shown. In some embodiments, the pole region 3412 is composed of a plurality of different housing components. As shown, the pole region 3412 includes an upper housing component 3414, a lower housing component 3416, a telescoping member 3418, and a portion of a pole base 3420. In some embodiments, the telescoping member 3418 and the pole base 3420 may be welded together or otherwise permanently coupled together to form a hollow pole that defines a passageway through which the coiled portion of the cable 3408 is accommodated. The telescoping member 3418 is shown as being fully retracted within the internal volume defined by the lower housing component 3416. In this position, the coil 3410 of the signal cable 3408 is compressed together to accommodate the shortened length of the pole region 3412. The distal end of the telescoping member 3418 includes a funnel element 3422 that is configured to help guide the signal cable 3408 back to the illustrated configuration of the coil 3410. Directly behind the funnel element 3422 is a first stabilizing element 3424. The outer diameter of the first stabilizing element is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the lower housing member 3416. This helps to create a slightly interference fit between the first stabilizing element 3424 and the lower housing member 3416, thereby helping to keep the distal end of the telescoping member 3418 centered within the interior volume defined by the lower housing member 3416. Directly behind the first stabilizing element 3424 is a first support element 3426 that has a slightly smaller diameter than the first stabilizing element 3424, but is formed of a harder, less resilient material than the first stabilizing element 3424. In this way, the first support element 3426 can set a hard stop that prevents the telescoping member from getting too close to the interior of the inwardly facing surface of the wall that constitutes the lower housing member 3416.

[0250] Fig.34BAlso shown is how the distal end of the lower housing member 3416 includes a second support element 3428 and a second stabilizing element 3430. The second stabilizing element has a smaller inner diameter than the second support element 3428, thereby allowing the second stabilizing element 3430 to help bias the telescopic member 3418 toward the center portion of the lower housing member 3416, while the second support element 3428 forms a hard stop that keeps the remainder of the telescopic member 3418 from making direct contact with other portions of the lower housing member 3416. In this way, both the distal and proximal ends of the telescopic member 3418 are constrained. These constraints help to establish a desired amount of friction between the two components when the telescopic member 3418 extends out of the lower housing member and prevent any binding or scratching that could result in undesired operation or even damage to the headband assembly 3406. It should also be noted that Fig.34B Also shown is a pole plug 3308 positioned at the distal end of the pole base 3420. The pole plug 3308 may include two or more electrical contacts to interface / electrically couple with the circuits and electrical components of the earpiece 3402 or 3404.

[0251] Fig.34C A close-up view of the distal end of the telescopic member 3418 is shown. Specifically, the funnel element 3422 is shown as having a tapered protrusion extending through the end of the telescopic member 3418. The tapered geometry of the protrusion helps to align the adjacent coils 3410 when they pass through the funnel element 3422 into the telescopic member 3418. As shown, some adjacent coils are misaligned. This misalignment can be corrected at least in part by the tapered geometry of the funnel element 3422. The first stabilizing element 3424 is shown to be immediately behind the funnel element 3422. The first stabilizing element 3424 may include a series of axially aligned ribs that abut against the inwardly facing surfaces of the lower housing member 3416 and produce a small amount of friction with these inwardly facing surfaces. In some embodiments, a lubricant layer may be applied within the lower housing member 3416 to reduce the amount of resistance generated by the friction between these components. It should be noted that the number, thickness, and spacing between the axially aligned ridges may be adjusted to achieve the desired amount of friction between these components. The first stabilizing element 3424 and the funnel element 3422 each include radial stabilizing elements 3432 and 3434 that radially project from the telescoping member 3418 to engage an axially aligned channel defined by an inwardly facing surface of the lower housing member 3416. By engaging the channel, the radial stabilizing elements 3432 and 3434 can prevent undesired rotation of the telescoping member 3418 relative to the lower housing member 3416.

[0252] Fig.34CAlso shown is a first support element 3426, which may also include a radial stabilizing element 3436. In some embodiments, the radial stabilizing element 3436 may also include a spring that helps stabilize the telescoping member 3418 within the lower housing member 3416. It should be noted that the first support element has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the first stabilizing element 3424 and slightly larger than the outer diameter of the remainder of the telescoping member 3418, and thus may take the form of a hollow tube formed of aluminum, stainless steel, or other strong, lightweight material.

[0253] Fig.34D It shows that according to Fig.34B 14. A cross-sectional view of the distal end of the telescoping member 3418 is shown along section line LL in FIG. Specifically, the lower housing member 3416 is shown as defining a plurality of axially aligned channels that are configured to accommodate radial stabilization elements 3432. As shown, the telescoping member also includes ridges that support a portion of the radial stabilization elements 3432 and provide strong support for these radial stabilization elements. Fig.34D It is also shown how the ridges of the first stabilization element 3424 define a plurality of channels that reduce the overall surface area contact between the first stabilization element 3424 and the inward-facing surface of the lower housing component 3416 .

[0254] Fig.34E It shows that according to Fig.34B 4. A cross-sectional view of the distal end of the lower housing member 3416 is shown at section line MM shown in FIG. 4. Specifically, the lower housing member 3416 is shown as having a wider diameter at its distal end than the remainder of the length of the lower housing member 3416. The wider diameter end of the lower housing member 3416 allows the second stabilizing element 3430 to have a greater amount of compliant material positioned between the telescoping member 3418 and the lower housing member 3416. This greater amount of material can advantageously provide a greater amount of compliance when needed. By quickly reducing the cross-sectional area of ​​the lower housing member 3416, the large diameter of the second stabilizing element 3430 is prevented from being pushed too far into the lower housing member during use or assembly. In addition, the amount of friction between the second stabilizing element 3430 and the telescoping member 3418 can be reduced or adjusted by the number and size of the channels 3440 formed by the ridges arranged along the inner diameter of the stabilizing element 3430.

[0255] FIG. 34F to FIG. 34H Several alternative embodiments are shown that allow for greater or lesser amounts of play to be established between the lower housing member 3416 and the telescoping member 3418. Fig.34F3418. In this configuration, a wedge-shaped radial stabilizing element 3442 can be used to offset play in all degrees of freedom. A small gap can be established between radial stabilizing element 3442 and telescoping member 3418. This small gap can be used to create additional play in a single direction to add the additional play needed to accommodate any differences in the curvature of lower housing member 3416 and telescoping member 3418. In this configuration, the radial position of radial stabilizing element 3442 and its supporting channels corresponds to the direction of curvature of lower housing member 3416 and telescoping member 3418. Figure 34G The configuration shown accommodates a certain amount of rotation of the telescoping member 3418 relative to the lower housing member 3416, and also accommodates movement along the X-axis. Fig.34H The configuration shown illustrates how the telescoping member 3418 may be constrained in the radial and X-axis directions, thereby allowing the telescoping member 3418 to move only along the Y-axis.

[0256] FIG. 34I to FIG. 34J The telescoping member 3418 is shown disposed within the interior volume defined by the lower housing member 3416. Fig.34I In the embodiment of the present invention, the lower housing member includes a plurality of compliant members 3444 arranged at regular intervals along the inner surface of the lower housing member 3416. The compliant members 3444 can take many forms including compliant spring members that allow displacement without excessively increasing friction during movement of the telescopic member 3418. Fig.34J , telescoping member 3418 is shown compressing stabilizing element 3446 until it stops when it contacts supporting element 3448, which may be constructed of a substantially more rigid material than stabilizing element 3446. In some embodiments, stabilizing element 3446 may be formed of a material such as FKM (fluoroelastomer) and supporting element 3448 may be formed of a material such as PEEK (polyetheretherketone).

[0257] Although each of the above-mentioned improvements has been discussed in isolation, it should be understood that any of the above-mentioned improvements can be combined. For example, synchronous telescoping earpieces can be combined with low elasticity ratio cuff embodiments. Similarly, off-center pivoting earpiece designs can be combined with deformable form factor earphone designs. In some embodiments, each type of improvement can be combined together, thereby producing an earphone with the described advantages from the combined improvement types.

[0258] The various aspects, embodiments, specific implementations or features of the embodiments may be used individually or in any combination. The various aspects of the embodiments may be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of hardware and software. The embodiments may also be implemented as computer readable code on a computer readable medium for controlling production operations, or as computer readable code on a computer readable medium for controlling a production line. A computer readable medium is any data storage device that can store data that can be read by a computer system afterwards. Examples of computer readable media include read-only memory, random access memory, CD-ROM, HDD, DVD, magnetic tape, and optical data storage devices. Computer readable media may also be distributed in a network-coupled computer system so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed manner.

[0259] For the purpose of illustration, the foregoing description uses specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments can be practiced without specific details. Therefore, the foregoing description of specific embodiments is presented for the purpose of illustration and description. The foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments described to the precise form disclosed. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, in view of the above teachings, many modifications and variations are feasible.

[0260] The following paragraphs list the numbered claims that describe the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0261] 1. An earpiece comprising: a housing defining a cavity for accommodating an ear of a user; an active noise cancellation system; an annular ear pad coupled to the housing; and a textile layer covering the annular ear pad, the textile layer comprising a first region and a second region, the first region having a lower porosity than the second region of the textile layer.

[0262] 2. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the textile layer is formed from a single layer of material and the porosity of the first region is reduced by applying a heat treatment to the first region.

[0263] 3. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the annular ear pad has an undercut geometry.

[0264] 4. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the annular ear pad has an asymmetric geometry that conforms to the cranial contour of the user's head.

[0265] 5. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the active noise cancellation system comprises a microphone disposed within the earpiece, and wherein the housing defines an audio inlet opening for the microphone, the audio inlet opening being laterally offset from the microphone.

[0266] 6. The handset of claim 5, wherein the housing comprises an aluminum housing member defining the audio inlet opening.

[0267] 7. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the cavity has an undercut geometry cooperatively defined by the annular ear pad and the housing.

[0268] 8. A portable listening device comprising: an earpiece housing defining a cavity for accommodating an ear of a user; a headband assembly coupled to the earpiece housing; an active noise cancellation system; an ear pad assembly coupled to the earpiece housing; and a textile layer covering the ear pad assembly, the textile layer comprising a first region and a second region, the first region having a lower porosity than the second region of the textile layer.

[0269] 9. The portable listening device of claim 8, wherein the first region has an annular geometry positioned over a portion of the textile layer positioned along a perimeter of the ear pad assembly to improve passive noise attenuation properties of the ear pad.

[0270] 10. The portable listening device of claim 8, wherein the ear pad assembly comprises an annular ear pad formed by performing a trim machining operation on an open cell foam block.

[0271] 11. The portable listening device of claim 10, wherein the annular ear pad has a non-rectangular cross-sectional geometry.

[0272] 12. The portable listening device of claim 10, wherein the ear pad assembly comprises a compliant structural member coupling the annular ear pad to the earpiece housing.

[0273] 13. A portable listening device, comprising: a first earpiece; a second earpiece; a headband assembly, the headband assembly connecting the first earpiece to the second earpiece; a magnetic field sensor assembly, the magnetic field sensor assembly is disposed in the first earpiece and is configured to measure an amount of rotation of the first earpiece relative to the headband assembly; and a processor, the processor being configured to change an operating state of the portable listening device based on the amount of rotation measured by the magnetic field sensor assembly.

[0274] 14. The portable listening device of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the magnetic field sensor assembly is coupled to a portion of a stem of the headband assembly and is disposed within the first earpiece.

[0275] 15 . The portable listening device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to change the operating state when the measured amount of rotation exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0276] 16. The portable listening device of claim 14, wherein the magnetic field sensor assembly comprises: a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet, the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet being coupled to the portion of the pole; and a magnetic field sensor coupled to the housing of the first earpiece.

[0277] 17. The portable listening device of claim 14, wherein the magnetic field sensor assembly comprises: a magnetic field sensor coupled to the portion of the pole; and a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet coupled to a housing of the first earpiece.

[0278] 18. The portable listening device according to claim 16, wherein the polarity of the first magnetic field emitted by the first permanent magnet is oriented in a first direction, and the polarity of the second magnetic field emitted by the second permanent magnet is oriented in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0279] 19. The portable listening device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to control the operating state based on the amount of rotation measured by the magnetic field sensor assembly, the magnetic field sensor assembly being configured to identify three or more different positions of the headband assembly relative to the first earpiece.

[0280] 20. The portable listening device of claim 15, wherein the earphone enters a low power state when the amount of rotation detected by the magnetic field sensor assembly is below the predetermined threshold.

[0281] 21. The portable listening device of claim 13, further comprising an optical sensor assembly disposed within the first earpiece and configured to direct light waves to an ear of a user, wherein the processor is configured to confirm a change in operating state based on an output from the optical sensor assembly.

[0282] 22. The portable listening device according to claim 13, wherein the portable listening device comprises headphones.

[0283] 23. A loading box, comprising: a box shell, the box shell defining a first earpiece recess and a second earpiece recess, the first earpiece recess and the second earpiece recess being configured to receive a first earpiece and a second earpiece of a corresponding earphone; and a permanent magnet, the permanent magnet being positioned near a portion of the first earpiece recess corresponding to the first earpiece of the corresponding earphone, the permanent magnet being positioned to emit a magnetic field, the magnetic field interacting with a sensor within the first earpiece of the earphone.

[0284] 24. The cartridge of claim 23, wherein the magnetic field emitted by the permanent magnet includes one or more characteristics detectable by the sensor within the first earpiece.

[0285] 25. The carrying case of claim 23, wherein the first earpiece recess and the second earpiece recess are configured to receive respective first and second ear cups of the corresponding earphone.

[0286] 26. A system, comprising: a carrying case, the carrying case comprising: a case housing, the case housing defining a first ear cup recess and a second ear cup recess, the first ear cup recess and the second ear cup recess being configured to receive a first ear cup and a second ear cup of a corresponding headset, the carrying case comprising a permanent magnet positioned near a periphery of the first ear cup recess; and a headset, the headset comprising: a first earpiece and a second earpiece; a headband assembly, the headband assembly coupling the first earpiece and the second earpiece together;

[0287] a magnetic field sensor positioned along a perimeter of the first earpiece; and

[0288] A processor is configured to change an operational state of the headset in response to detecting the magnetic field emitted by the permanent magnet.

[0289] 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the headset further comprises an ambient light sensor, wherein the processor is configured to change the operating state of the headset to a low power state in response to detecting the magnetic field and receiving a low light reading from the ambient light sensor.

[0290] 28. An earpiece, comprising: an earpiece housing, the earpiece housing including a rear wall and side walls, the rear wall and the side walls cooperatively defining an internal volume; a speaker assembly disposed within the internal volume, the speaker assembly comprising: a permanent magnet, the permanent magnet defining a channel extending through it; a diaphragm; a conductive coil, the conductive coil coupled to the diaphragm and configured to generate a first magnetic field, the first magnetic field interacting with a second magnetic field emitted by the permanent magnet to cause oscillation of the diaphragm; and a speaker frame member extending across a portion of the rear wall of the earpiece housing to further define a rear air volume extending through the channel.

[0291] 29. The earpiece of claim 28, wherein the speaker frame member defines the rear air volume such that it extends to a peripheral portion of the earpiece housing, the peripheral portion defining a vent.

[0292] 30. The handset of claim 28, wherein the portion of the rear wall is a majority of the rear wall.

[0293] 31. The earpiece of claim 28, wherein an average distance between the speaker frame member and the rear wall of the earpiece housing is about 1 mm.

[0294] 32. The earpiece of claim 28, wherein a portion of the speaker frame member is glued to the rear wall of the earpiece housing, and wherein the rear air volume is disposed around the portion of the speaker frame member glued to the rear wall.

[0295] 33. The earpiece of claim 28, wherein the permanent magnet is a first permanent magnet, and the earpiece further comprises a second permanent magnet surrounding the first permanent magnet and cooperatively forming a channel shaped to accommodate the conductive coil.

[0296] 34. A portable listening device, comprising: a headband assembly; an earpiece housing defining an internal volume, the earpiece housing being connected to the headband assembly; a speaker assembly disposed within the internal volume, the speaker assembly comprising: a diaphragm; a permanent magnet, the permanent magnet defining a channel extending therethrough, the channel connecting a rear air volume disposed directly behind the diaphragm to another air volume extending radially outward from the diaphragm; and a conductive coil, the conductive coil being connected to the diaphragm and configured to generate a first magnetic field, the first magnetic field interacting with a second magnetic field emitted by the permanent magnet to cause oscillation of the diaphragm.

[0297] 35. The portable listening device according to claim 34, wherein the further air volume extends across a majority of a rear wall of the earpiece housing.

[0298] 36. The portable listening device of Claim 34, further comprising a speaker frame member defining the further air volume extending radially outwardly from the diaphragm.

[0299] 37. An earpiece comprising: a housing defining a cavity configured to accommodate an ear of a user; a speaker disposed within the housing; a first battery disposed within the housing; and a second battery disposed within the housing, the cavity being positioned between the first battery and the second battery.

[0300] 38. The handset of claim 37, wherein the first battery and the second battery are diagonally angled away from the cavity.

[0301] 39. The handset of claim 37, further comprising a third battery and a fourth battery disposed within the housing.

[0302] 40. The handset of claim 39, wherein the first battery, the second battery, the third battery, and the fourth battery are each discrete battery components.

[0303] 41. The system of claim 26, wherein the cartridge further comprises a second permanent magnet positioned about a perimeter of the second ear cup recess.

Claims

1. A handset, comprising: a housing defining a cavity for accommodating an ear of a user; Active noise cancellation system; an annular ear pad coupled to the housing; and A textile layer covers the annular ear pad, the textile layer comprising a first region and a second region, the first region having a lower porosity than the second region of the textile layer.

2. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the textile layer is formed from a single layer of material and the porosity of the first region is reduced by applying a heat treatment to the first region.

3. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the annular ear pad has an undercut geometry.

4. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the annular ear pad has an asymmetric geometry that conforms to the cranial contour of the user's head.

5. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the active noise cancellation system comprises a microphone disposed within the earpiece, and wherein the housing defines an audio inlet opening for the microphone, the audio inlet opening being laterally offset from the microphone.

6. The handset of claim 5, wherein the housing comprises an aluminum housing member defining the audio inlet opening.

7. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the cavity has an undercut geometry cooperatively defined by the annular ear pad and the housing.

8. A portable listening device comprising: an earpiece housing defining a cavity for accommodating an ear of a user; a headband assembly coupled to the earpiece housing; Active noise cancellation system; an ear pad assembly coupled to the earpiece housing; and A textile layer covers the ear pad assembly, the textile layer comprising a first region and a second region, the first region having a lower porosity than the second region of the textile layer.

9. The portable listening device of claim 8, wherein the first region has an annular geometry positioned over a portion of the textile layer positioned along a perimeter of the ear pad assembly to improve passive noise attenuation properties of the ear pad assembly.

10. The portable listening device of claim 8, wherein the ear pad assembly has a ring-shaped ear pad.

11. The portable listening device of claim 10, wherein the annular ear pad has a non-rectangular cross-sectional geometry.

12. The portable listening device of claim 10, wherein the ear pad assembly comprises a compliant structural member coupling the annular ear pad to the earpiece housing.

13. The portable listening device of claim 8, wherein the ear pad assembly has a teardrop-shaped cross-sectional geometry.

14. The portable listening device of claim 8, wherein the ear pad assembly covers a release switch configured to separate the earpiece housing from the headband assembly.

15. A headset, comprising: Headband assembly; Active noise cancellation system; and A first earpiece and a second earpiece, the first earpiece and the second earpiece are coupled to opposite ends of the headband assembly, each of the first earpiece and the second earpiece comprising: Handset housing; an ear pad assembly coupled to the earpiece housing; and A textile layer covers the ear pad assembly, the textile layer comprising a first region and a second region, the first region having a lower porosity than the second region of the textile layer.

16. The headset of claim 15, wherein the ear pad assembly comprises a pad formed from foam.

17. The headset of claim 15, wherein the active noise cancellation system comprises a first microphone disposed in the first earpiece and a second microphone disposed in the second earpiece.

18. The headset of claim 15, wherein the earpiece housing comprises an aluminum housing component.

19. The earphone of claim 15, wherein the ear pad assembly comprises a cushion and a compliant structural layer, the compliant structural layer coupling the cushion to the earpiece housing.

20. The earphone of claim 19, wherein the cushion has a non-rectangular geometry.

21. A handset, comprising: an earpiece housing, the earpiece housing comprising a rear wall and side walls, the rear wall and the side walls cooperatively defining an interior volume; A speaker assembly is disposed within the internal volume, the speaker assembly comprising: a permanent magnet defining a passage extending therethrough; Diaphragm; and a conductive coil coupled to the diaphragm and configured to generate a first magnetic field that interacts with a second magnetic field emitted by the permanent magnet to induce oscillation of the diaphragm; and A speaker frame member extends across a portion of the rear wall of the earpiece housing to further define a rear air volume extending through the passageway.

22. The earpiece of claim 21, wherein the speaker frame member defines the rear air volume such that it extends to a peripheral portion of the earpiece housing, the peripheral portion defining a vent.

23. The handset of claim 21, wherein the portion of the rear wall is a majority of the rear wall.

24. The earpiece of claim 21, wherein an average distance between the speaker frame member and the rear wall of the earpiece housing is about 1 mm.

25. The earpiece of claim 24, wherein a portion of the rear air volume defined by the speaker frame member has a width of approximately 20 mm.

26. The earpiece of claim 21, wherein a portion of the speaker frame member is glued to the rear wall of the earpiece housing, and wherein the rear air volume is disposed around the portion of the speaker frame member glued to the rear wall.

27. The earpiece of claim 26, wherein the earpiece housing defines a narrow vent that connects to the rear air volume of the speaker assembly and enhances the performance of the speaker assembly.

28. The earpiece of claim 21, wherein the permanent magnet is a first permanent magnet, and the earpiece further comprises a second permanent magnet surrounding the first permanent magnet and cooperatively forming a channel shaped to accommodate the conductive coil.

29. The earpiece of claim 21, wherein the speaker assembly further comprises a mesh layer extending across the channel of the permanent magnet.

30. A portable listening device comprising: Headband assembly; an earpiece housing defining an interior volume, the earpiece housing coupled to the headband assembly; A speaker assembly is disposed within the internal volume, the speaker assembly comprising: Diaphragm; a permanent magnet defining a passage extending therethrough, the passage connecting a rear air volume disposed directly behind the diaphragm to another air volume extending radially outward from the diaphragm; and A conductive coil is coupled to the diaphragm and is configured to generate a first magnetic field that interacts with a second magnetic field emitted by the permanent magnet to induce oscillation of the diaphragm.

31. A portable listening device according to claim 30, wherein the further air volume extends across a majority of a rear wall of the earpiece housing.

32. The portable listening device of claim 30, further comprising a speaker frame member defining the further air volume extending radially outwardly from the diaphragm.

33. A portable listening device according to claim 30, wherein the further air volume extending radially outwardly from the diaphragm extends and connects the rear air volume to a vent defined by the earpiece housing.

34. The portable listening device according to claim 33, wherein the further air volume has a width of approximately 20 mm and a height of approximately 1 mm.

35. The portable listening device of claim 30, further comprising a capacitive sensor disposed within the internal volume, wherein the earpiece housing defines a cavity sized to accommodate an ear of a user, the capacitive sensor being disposed between the speaker assembly and the cavity.

36. The portable listening device of claim 35, wherein the capacitive sensor defines a plurality of openings that facilitate passage of audio waves through the capacitive sensor.

37. A headset comprising: First receiver; Second handset; a headband assembly that electrically and mechanically couples the first earpiece and the second earpiece; and A speaker assembly is disposed in the first earpiece, the speaker assembly comprising: Diaphragm; a permanent magnet defining a passage extending therethrough, the passage connecting a rear air volume disposed directly behind the diaphragm to another air volume extending radially outward from the diaphragm; and A conductive coil is coupled to the diaphragm and is configured to generate a first magnetic field that interacts with a second magnetic field emitted by the permanent magnet to induce oscillation of the diaphragm.

38. The headset of claim 37, wherein the speaker assembly is a first speaker assembly and the headset further comprises a second speaker assembly disposed within the second earpiece.

39. The earphone of claim 37, wherein the speaker assembly includes a speaker frame member extending across a portion of a rear wall of an earpiece housing of the first earpiece to define the other air volume extending radially outward from the diaphragm.

40. The earphone of claim 37, wherein the permanent magnet is a first permanent magnet, and the speaker assembly further comprises a second permanent magnet surrounding the first permanent magnet.

41. A headset comprising: a first earpiece and a second earpiece; as well as A headband assembly connects the first earpiece to the second earpiece, the headband assembly including a rigid cable coupled to the first earpiece and a signal cable having at least a portion arranged in a spiral geometry around the rigid cable and electrically coupled to the first earpiece.

42. The headset of claim 41, wherein the signal cable electrically couples the first earpiece to the second earpiece.

43. The headset of claim 42, wherein the signal cable is configured to exchange signals between the first earpiece and the second earpiece to keep audio precisely synchronized during playback operation of the headset.

44. The headphones of claim 41, wherein the headband comprises a hollow housing extending along the length of the headband.

45. The earphone of claim 44, wherein the hollow housing comprises a central housing portion and first and second telescoping portions coupled to the central housing portion.

46. ​​The earphone of claim 45, wherein the first telescoping portion is slidably coupled to a first end of the central housing portion, and the second telescoping portion is slidably coupled to a second end of the central housing portion.

47. The headset according to claim 46, wherein The central housing portion includes an upper housing component coupled to and positioned between first and second lower housing components, wherein the first, second and upper housing components combine to form an elongated tube having a channel extending along a length of the elongated tube.

48. The headset of claim 46, wherein: The first earpiece is coupled to a first telescoping portion of the headband and the second earpiece is coupled to a second telescoping portion of the headband.

49. The headset of claim 45, wherein: The portion of the signal cable arranged in the spiral geometry is positioned within the first telescoping portion.

50. A headset comprising: a first earpiece and a second earpiece; as well as A headband assembly, the headband assembly connecting the first earpiece to the second earpiece, the headband assembly comprising: a hollow housing extending along the length of the headband and defining an elongated tubular cavity; a rigid cable extending through the elongated tubular cavity between the first earpiece and the second earpiece, the rigid cable including a first portion adjacent to the first earpiece and a second portion adjacent to the second earpiece; and A signal cable passes through the elongated tubular cavity to electrically couple the first earpiece to the second earpiece, the signal cable having a first portion arranged in a spiral geometry around a first portion of the rigid cable and a second portion arranged in a spiral geometry around a second portion of the rigid cable.

51. The headset of claim 50, wherein: The signal cable is configured to exchange signals between the first earpiece and the second earpiece to maintain audio synchronization during playback operation of the headset.

52. The headset of claim 50, wherein: The hollow housing includes a central housing portion and first and second telescoping portions coupled to the central portion.

53. The headset according to claim 52, wherein The first telescoping portion is slidably coupled to a first end of the central housing portion, and the second telescoping portion is slidably coupled to a second end of the central housing portion.

54. The headset according to claim 53, wherein The central housing portion includes an upper housing component coupled to and positioned between first and second lower housing components, wherein the first, second and upper housing components combine to form an elongated tube having a channel extending along a length of the elongated tube.

55. The headset of claim 54, wherein: The first earpiece is coupled to a first telescoping portion of the headband and the second earpiece is coupled to a second telescoping portion of the headband.

56. The headset of claim 55, wherein: The first and second earpieces are removably coupled to the first and second telescopic parts, respectively, via plug connectors that mate with corresponding jack connectors.

57. The headset according to claim 56, wherein The first and second earpieces each include a pole section, the plug connector is located at a distal end of the pole, and the first and second telescoping portions each include a jack connector configured to receive the plug connector.

58. A headset, comprising: a first earpiece and a second earpiece; as well as A headband assembly with adjustable length, the headband assembly connecting the first earpiece to the second earpiece, the headband assembly comprising: a hollow housing extending along the length of the headband and defining an elongated tubular cavity, the hollow housing including a central housing portion and first and second telescoping portions coupled to the central portion, the first and second telescoping portions enabling the length of the headband to be shortened and lengthened; a rigid cable passing through the elongated tubular cavity between the first earpiece and the second earpiece, the rigid cable comprising a first portion disposed within the first telescoping portion and a second portion disposed within the second telescoping portion; and A signal cable passes through the elongated tubular cavity to electrically couple the first earpiece to the second earpiece, the signal cable having a first portion arranged in a spiral geometry around the first portion of the rigid cable within the first telescopic portion, and a second portion arranged in a spiral geometry around the second portion of the rigid cable in the second telescopic portion.

59. The headset according to claim 58, wherein The first telescoping portion is slidably coupled to a first end of the central housing portion, and the second telescoping portion is slidably coupled to a second end of the central housing portion.

60. The headset according to claim 58, further wherein the first earpiece includes a first pole, the first pole connecting the first earpiece to a first end of an adjustable length headband assembly; and the second earpiece includes a second pole, the second pole connecting the second earpiece to a second end of the adjustable length headband assembly opposite to the first end.

61. An earpiece suitable for use with a headset, the earpiece comprising: an earpiece housing defining an interior space having a central region surrounded by an annular region, the earpiece housing comprising a cover plate disposed above the central region and formed with a plurality of holes; a capacitive sensor array disposed within the interior space and coupled to the cover plate; an annular ear pad coupled to the earpiece housing and surrounding the plurality of holes formed in the cover plate; as well as An acoustic driver is disposed within the interior space and aligned to emit sound through the plurality of holes formed in the cover plate.

62. The handset of claim 61, wherein: The capacitive sensor array extends across the plurality of apertures.

63. The handset of claim 62, wherein: in, The capacitive sensor array has a plurality of openings formed therein, each of the plurality of openings being aligned with one of the plurality of holes.

64. The handset of claim 61, wherein: The capacitive sensor array is configured to detect a pattern formed by one or more physical features.

65. The handset of claim 61, wherein: The capacitive sensor array is configured to detect whether the earpiece is worn on a left ear or a right ear when the earpiece is worn on a person's ear.

66. The handset of claim 61, wherein: The capacitive sensor array is configured to detect the contour of a person's ear when the earpiece is worn on the ear.

67. The handset of claim 61, wherein: The capacitive sensor array defines a plurality of openings that allow audio waves generated by the acoustic driver to exit the earpiece housing through the plurality of openings.

68. The earpiece of claim 61, further comprising a frame disposed within the interior space and coupling an acoustic driver to the earpiece housing.

69. The earpiece of claim 61, further comprising one or more proximity sensors arranged to emit infrared light toward an ear of a user when the earpiece is worn by the user.

70. An earpiece suitable for use with a headset, the earpiece comprising: an earpiece housing defining an interior space having a central region surrounded by an annular region, the earpiece housing comprising a cover plate disposed above the central region and formed with a plurality of holes; a capacitive sensor array coupled to the cover plate and arranged in a grid pattern extending across the plurality of apertures, the capacitive sensor array having a plurality of openings, each opening of the plurality of openings being aligned with one of the plurality of apertures; an annular ear pad coupled to the earpiece housing and surrounding the plurality of holes formed in the cover plate; as well as An acoustic driver is disposed within the interior space and aligned to emit sound through the plurality of holes formed in the cover plate and the opening of the capacitive sensor array.

71. The handset of claim 70, wherein: The capacitive sensor array is configured to detect whether the earpiece is worn on a left ear or a right ear when the earpiece is worn on a person's ear.

72. The handset of claim 70, wherein: The capacitive sensor array is configured to detect the contour of a person's ear when the earpiece is worn on the ear.

73. A headset comprising: a headband having opposing first and second ends; a first earpiece coupled to a first end of the headband; as well as a second earpiece coupled to a second end of the headband; Wherein, the first earpiece and the second earpiece each include: an earpiece housing defining an interior space having a central region surrounded by an annular region, the earpiece housing comprising a cover plate disposed above the central region and formed with a plurality of holes; a capacitive sensor array disposed within the interior space and coupled to the cover plate; an annular ear pad coupled to the earpiece housing and surrounding the plurality of holes formed in the cover plate; and An acoustic driver is disposed within the interior space and aligned to emit sound through the plurality of holes formed in the cover plate.

74. The headset of claim 73, wherein: In each of the first and second earpieces, the capacitive sensor array extends across the plurality of apertures.

75. The headset of claim 74, wherein: In each of the first and second earpieces, the capacitive sensor array is formed with a plurality of openings, each of the plurality of openings being aligned with one of the plurality of holes.

76. The headset of claim 73, wherein: In each of the first earpiece and the second earpiece, the capacitive sensor array is configured to detect whether the earpiece is worn on a left ear or a right ear when the earpiece is worn on a human ear.

77. The headset of claim 73, wherein: In each of the first and second earpieces, the capacitive sensor array is configured to detect a contour of an ear when the earpiece is worn on a human ear.

78. The headset of claim 73, wherein: In each of the first and second earpieces, the capacitive sensor array defines a plurality of openings that allow audio waves generated by the acoustic driver to exit an earpiece housing through the plurality of openings.

79. The headset of claim 73, further comprising one or more proximity sensors arranged to emit infrared light toward an ear of a user when the earpiece is worn by the user.

80. The headset of claim 73, wherein: In each of the first and second earpieces, the capacitive sensor array is arranged in a grid pattern extending across the plurality of apertures.

81. An earpiece adapted for use with a headset, the earpiece comprising: a housing defining an interior volume, the housing including an aperture formed through an outer wall of the housing such that a shape of the aperture is defined by an aperture sidewall portion of the outer wall; an annular ear pad coupled to the earpiece housing; an acoustic driver disposed within the interior volume; electronic components disposed within the interior volume; A button assembly is provided on the outer surface of the housing, the button assembly comprising: a button cap having a forward-facing surface protruding from the housing and a button sidewall surrounding the forward-facing surface, wherein the button sidewall is spaced from the aperture sidewall so that the button cap fits within the aperture and when depressed, the button cap partially slides into the interior volume of the housing; a window positioned on the forward facing surface; an illumination source coupled for movement with the button cap and positioned to direct light to the window; an actuator coupled to a back side of the button assembly; and a flexible circuit electrically coupling the illumination source to the electronic component; and An electrical switch coupled to the flexible circuit, wherein the button assembly is configured to move between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the actuator being spaced apart from the electrical switch in the unactuated position, and the button cap being partially slid into the interior volume until the actuator contacts the electrical switch in the actuated position.

82. The handset of claim 81, wherein: The window has a tapered body extending between a narrow end at a forward facing surface of the button cap and a wide end spaced apart from the illumination source.

83. The handset of claim 82, wherein: The button cap includes an inwardly facing, laterally oriented recess positioned between the forwardly facing surface and a rear portion of the button cap, and wherein the window includes a securing feature protruding from the tapered body that fits within the laterally oriented recess.

84. The handset of claim 81, wherein: The illumination source includes at least one light emitting diode.

85. The handset of claim 81, wherein: The illumination source includes a plurality of light emitting diodes, each of the plurality of light emitting diodes being configured to emit light of a different color than other light emitting diodes of the plurality of light emitting diodes.

86. The handset of claim 81, wherein: The housing includes an inwardly facing recess formed in the outer wall and having an opening facing the interior volume, and the button cap includes an arm extending away from the button sidewall, the arm fitting within the inwardly facing recess.

87. The handset of claim 81, wherein: The window is insert molded into an opening defined by the button cap.

88. The handset of claim 81, wherein: The electrical switch is a dome switch.

89. The handset of claim 81, further comprising a mounting bracket configured to couple the button assembly to the housing via one or more fasteners.

90. The handset of claim 61, wherein: The housing further includes a cover plate disposed above the central region and formed with a plurality of holes; the acoustic driver being aligned to emit sound through the plurality of apertures formed in the cover plate; and The annular ear pad surrounds the plurality of holes formed in the cover plate.

91. The earpiece of claim 81, further comprising a frame disposed within the interior space and coupling an acoustic driver to the earpiece housing.

92. The earpiece of claim 81 , further comprising one or more proximity sensors arranged to emit infrared light toward an ear of a user when the earpiece is worn by the user.

93. A headset, comprising: a headband having opposing first and second ends; a first earpiece coupled to a first end of the headband; as well as a second earpiece coupled to a second end of the headband; Wherein, the first handset comprises: a housing defining an interior volume, the housing including an aperture formed through an outer wall of the housing such that a shape of the aperture is defined by an aperture sidewall portion of the outer wall; an annular ear pad coupled to the earpiece housing; an acoustic driver disposed within the interior volume; electronic components disposed within the interior volume; A button assembly is provided on the outer surface of the housing, the button assembly comprising: a button cap having a forward-facing surface protruding from the housing and a button sidewall surrounding the forward-facing surface, wherein the button sidewall is spaced from the aperture sidewall so that the button cap fits within the aperture and when depressed, the button cap partially slides into the interior volume of the housing; a window positioned on the forward facing surface; an illumination source coupled for movement with the button cap and positioned to direct light to the window; an actuator coupled to a back side of the button assembly; and a flexible circuit electrically coupling the illumination source to the electronic component; and An electrical switch coupled to the flexible circuit, wherein the button assembly is configured to move between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the actuator being spaced apart from the electrical switch in the unactuated position, and the button cap being partially slid into the interior volume until the actuator contacts the electrical switch in the actuated position.

94. The handset of claim 93, wherein: The window has a tapered body extending between a narrow end at a forward facing surface of the button cap and a wide end spaced apart from the illumination source.

95. The handset of claim 94, wherein: The button cap includes an inwardly facing, laterally oriented recess positioned between the forwardly facing surface and a rear portion of the button cap, and wherein the window includes a securing feature protruding from the tapered body that fits within the laterally oriented recess.

96. The handset of claim 93, wherein: The illumination source includes at least one light emitting diode.

97. The handset of claim 93, wherein: The illumination source includes a plurality of light emitting diodes, each of the plurality of light emitting diodes being configured to emit light of a different color than other light emitting diodes of the plurality of light emitting diodes.

98. An electronic device comprising: a housing defining an interior volume, the housing including an aperture formed through an outer wall of the housing such that a shape of the aperture is defined by an aperture sidewall portion of the outer wall; electronic components disposed within the interior volume; A button assembly is provided on the outer surface of the housing, the button assembly comprising: a button cap having a forward-facing surface protruding from the housing and a button sidewall surrounding the forward-facing surface, wherein the button sidewall is spaced from the aperture sidewall so that the button cap fits within the aperture and when depressed, the button cap partially slides into the interior volume of the housing; a window positioned on the forward facing surface; an illumination source coupled for movement with the button cap and positioned to direct light to the window; an actuator coupled to a back side of the button assembly; and a flexible circuit electrically coupling the illumination source to the electronic component; and An electrical switch coupled to the flexible circuit, wherein the button assembly is configured to move between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the actuator being spaced apart from the electrical switch in the unactuated position, and the button cap being partially slid into the interior volume until the actuator contacts the electrical switch in the actuated position.

99. The handset of claim 98, wherein: The window has a tapered body extending between a narrow end at a forward facing surface of the button cap and a wide end spaced apart from the illumination source.

100. The handset of claim 99, wherein: The button cap includes an inwardly facing, laterally oriented recess positioned between the forwardly facing surface and a rear portion of the button cap, and wherein the window includes a securing feature protruding from the tapered body that fits within the laterally oriented recess.

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