Noise reducing headphone device, headphone system

Abstract

A noise reducing earphone device is provided, including a housing configured to be at least partially disposed within a user's ear, the housing including an internal acoustic conduit; a speaker configured to produce an audio output, the speaker at least partially disposed within the housing; and a microphone configured to capture sound and generate an output signal therefrom for active noise reduction. In certain embodiments, at least a portion of an internal acoustic conduit's inner wall can include a sloped portion on which the microphone is mounted, and the sloped portion can include an opening configured to expose an acoustic entrance aperture associated with the microphone through the opening to an open space of the internal acoustic conduit. An earphone system including the noise reducing earphone device is also provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to headphone devices. In particular, embodiments of this application include noise-canceling headphone devices and headphone systems with feedback microphones, which can be used in applications including noise cancellation. Background Technology

[0002] Headphone devices can be used to control the sound delivered to the user. In active noise cancellation applications, the feedback microphone is preferably positioned near the receiver and the entrance to the user's ear canal. However, due to space limitations in headphone devices, the placement of the microphone inside the headphones can present challenges. Considering the size constraints of headphone devices, a suitable location for the feedback microphone might be inside an acoustic conduit that acoustically connects the cavity in front of the receiver to the user's ear canal.

[0003] In active noise cancellation applications, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphones are more desirable due to their high tolerance to mechanical vibrations and small size. Among these microphone devices, bottom-port MEMS microphones offer superior headphone performance compared to other types. However, the acoustic entrance to a bottom-port MEMS microphone requires a hole to be formed in its mounting substrate, which may limit its application in certain systems, such as headphones. Embodiments of this application may include mounting features and structures that enable the use of bottom-port MEMS microphones in headphone systems. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application relates to a noise-canceling headphone device. The noise-canceling headphone device may include a housing configured to be at least partially placed inside a user's ear, the housing including an internal acoustic conduit; a speaker configured to output an audio signal, the speaker being at least partially located within the housing; and a microphone configured to capture sound and thereby generate an output signal for active noise cancellation.

[0005] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the inner wall of the internal acoustic duct may include a sloping portion on which a microphone is mounted; wherein the sloping portion includes an opening through which an acoustic inlet hole associated with the microphone is exposed to the open space of the internal acoustic duct.

[0006] This application also relates to headphone systems including the noise-canceling headphone device. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is an illustrative diagram of a noise-canceling headphone device, consistent with an embodiment of this application.

[0008] Figure 2 This is a schematic semi-perspective view showing an exemplary acoustic conduit, consistent with embodiments of this application.

[0009] Figure 3A This is a partial cross-sectional view of a bottom-opening microphone mounted on a portion of an exemplary acoustic duct, consistent with embodiments of this application.

[0010] Figure 3B This is a schematic diagram illustrating the directional arrangement of a bottom-opening microphone in an exemplary headphone device, consistent with embodiments of this application.

[0011] Figure 4 This is a partial perspective view of a noise-canceling headphone device viewed from the exit direction of the acoustic conduit, consistent with the embodiments of this application.

[0012] Figure 5 This is a top view showing the microphone mounted on the inclined wall of the internal acoustic duct, consistent with the embodiments of this application.

[0013] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components that may be included in a noise-canceling headphone device, consistent with embodiments of this application.

[0014] Component designation explanation

[0015] 100: Headphones (noise-canceling headphone device); 101: Microphone; 103: Internal acoustic duct; 105: Sealed structure; 107: Ear; 109: Speaker; 111: Housing; 113: Audio cavity; 120: Ear canal; 213: Internal audio space; 221: Printed circuit board assembly (PCBA); 225: Adhesive layer; 231: Acoustic duct outlet; 233: Acoustic inlet hole; 301: Sloping wall portion; 303: Opening; 305: Inlet channel; 307: Inlet channel wall; 309: Acoustic mesh; 320: Wall; 330: Plane; 332: Central axis; 334: Projected area; 601: Microphone; 609: Speaker; 611: Electronic components; 613: Power supply unit; 615: Interface; 617: Audio signal feed; 619: Noise-canceling audio signal; 621: Microphone output signal. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The following detailed description is provided with reference to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals are used in the drawings and description to denote the same or similar parts. While several exemplary embodiments are described herein, modifications, adjustments, or other implementations are possible. For example, components and steps shown in the figures may be replaced, added, or modified; the described methods may also be adjusted by replacing, reordering, deleting, or adding steps. Therefore, the following detailed description is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and examples, but is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

[0017] In this document, unless otherwise expressly stated, the word "or" includes all possible combinations, unless impractical. For example, if a component may include A or B, then unless otherwise stated or impractical, the component may include A, B, or A and B. As another example, if a component may include A, B, or C, then the component may include A, B, C; A and B; A and C; B and C; or A, B, and C.

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a headphone 100 is shown, consistent with exemplary embodiments of this application. The headphone 100 is the noise-canceling headphone device referred to in the embodiments of this application. In some cases, the headphone 100 may be an over-ear headphone or an on-ear headphone. In other cases, such as Figure 1 As shown, the headphones 100 may be in-ear headphones configured to be worn by placing the device at least partially into the user's ear (e.g., at least partially into the outer ear or auricle). In some embodiments, the headphones 100 may be earbud headphones and are part of a pair of earbud systems (e.g., a first headphone device and a second headphone device).

[0019] The earphone 100 may include a housing 111 configured to be at least partially placed within a user's ear 107 (e.g., at least partially entering the outer ear and near the entrance of the ear canal 120). The housing 111 may be made of any suitable material. In some cases, the housing 111 may include one or more moldable materials, such as polymers, which can be molded into a shape suitable for partial placement in the ear.

[0020] The housing 111 may contain or associate multiple components. For example, the housing 111 may include a microphone 101 and a speaker 109, as well as other components. In some embodiments, the microphone 101 and speaker 109 may be acoustically coupled within the housing 111 via an audio cavity 113. The earphone 100 may include a sealing structure 105 for acoustically coupling the housing 111 (and the audio cavity 113) to the ear canal 120 when the earphone 100 is inserted into the ear 107. In some embodiments, the sealing structure 105 may be at least partially made of silicone. When the earphone 100 is inserted into the ear 107, and the sealing structure 105 contacts the ear 107 and / or the walls of the ear canal 120, an acoustic barrier is formed between the outside of the earphone 100 (e.g., ambient surround sound) and the ear cavity formed by the inside of the earphone 100 (e.g., including the audio cavity 113) and the ear canal 120 of the ear 107. The earphone 100 may also include other structures for ease of use. In some embodiments, for example, the earphone 100 may be secured to the ear 107 by a headband, strap, clip, or wraparound structure (not shown).

[0021] Microphone 101 can be configured to record sound, such as sound outside the earphone 100, or sound existing in a closed or sealed space in front of the user's ear canal (e.g., in the audio cavity 113). Such sound recording can be used in telecommunications applications or other applications such as active noise control. After capturing sound, microphone 101 can generate one or more corresponding output signals, waveforms, etc. In some embodiments, these signals can be used in the active noise cancellation process. For example, a noise-canceling frequency signal can be generated based on the sound captured by microphone 101 and the output signal generated in response. This noise-canceling frequency signal can be configured to cancel unwanted sound in the ear canal 120 based on the principle of "cancellation interference." For example, the noise-canceling frequency signal can be an additive inverse of the unwanted sound captured by microphone 101, generated by inverting the phase, inverting the polarity, and / or taking the additive inverse of the output signal. This noise-canceling frequency signal can be transmitted to speaker 109, causing it to emit sound that cancels out the unwanted sound. Speaker 109 can also simultaneously play other sounds (e.g., music or speech) that are not affected by the active noise cancellation process.

[0022] Microphone 101 can be any type of microphone suitable for recording sound in an environment. For example, microphone 101 can be a condenser microphone, electret microphone, dynamic microphone, ribbon microphone, piezoelectric microphone, or microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone, etc. In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3A As shown, microphone 101 can be a bottom-aperture MEMS microphone. Such bottom-aperture MEMS microphones offer higher performance compared to other types of devices, making them particularly suitable for headphone systems. For example, a bottom-aperture MEMS microphone package may contain a relatively large cavity, which helps to sense the movement of the sensing diaphragm when it receives sound waves. Therefore, a bottom-aperture MEMS microphone may be more sensitive than other devices, have a better signal-to-noise ratio, and perform better in low-frequency response.

[0023] The microphone hole of a bottom-opening microphone is located at the bottom of the device. Therefore, in order for the microphone hole to receive sound, the substrate on which the bottom-opening MEMS microphone is mounted (e.g., a rigid or flexible printed circuit board assembly (PCBA)) should contain an acoustic inlet. This inlet can be a circular opening on the substrate, the size of which can be the same as or slightly larger than the microphone hole.

[0024] Integrating a bottom-opening MEMS microphone inside a headphone device presents several challenges. For example, the acoustic ducts of headphones are typically narrow in diameter and space-constrained, making it difficult to accommodate a microphone. Furthermore, the bottom of a bottom-opening MEMS microphone requires sufficient space to allow sound to enter unobstructed (e.g., through an acoustic inlet on the mounting substrate). If the microphone and its substrate are mounted directly on the inner wall of the headphone, the microphone aperture may be blocked by the headphone wall, severely affecting sound entry. To address this issue, a structure can be designed around the microphone to allow the acoustic inlet on the microphone substrate to communicate with the microphone aperture. However, such a structure increases cost and reduces the open area of ​​the acoustic duct, which may lead to an increase in the acoustic impedance of the acoustic duct, potentially causing problems in headphone design.

[0025] To address the aforementioned issues, embodiments of this application employ a structure in which the substrate (e.g., PCBA) of the bottom-opening MEMS microphone is directly mounted on the inner wall of the acoustic conduit of the earphone 100. This mounting method avoids additional structural components, thereby minimizing the microphone's impact on the surface area of ​​the acoustic conduit. To enable the microphone hole at the bottom of the microphone package to receive sound, a slit, partial slit, or other type of opening can be formed on the wall of the acoustic conduit, allowing the microphone to form an acoustic connection with the internal acoustic space of the acoustic conduit through the opening on its substrate. This opening can expose only the portion of the microphone substrate containing the microphone hole, leaving the remaining surface area of ​​the substrate available for fixing it to the wall of the earphone acoustic conduit. This mounting method can be implemented using any suitable technology. In some cases, adhesives (e.g., glue), double-sided tape, etc., can be used to fix the MEMS microphone package to the inner wall of the acoustic conduit.

[0026] Back Figure 1 The internal acoustic conduit 103 can be a hollow channel inside the earphone 100, used to conduct the sound generated by the speaker 109 to the ear canal 120. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the internal acoustic conduit 103 is typically cylindrical. In some cases, the walls of the acoustic conduit may have an irregular structure, for example, consisting of multiple segments with different cross-sections. In some embodiments, the internal acoustic conduit 103 may include an acoustic conduit outlet 231 (see...). Figure 2 The sound produced by the speaker 109 can exit the housing of the headphone device through this outlet (e.g., Figure 1 The outer shell 111 is inserted into the ear canal 120.

[0027] like Figure 3AAs shown, in some embodiments, a portion of the inner wall of the internal acoustic duct 103 may include a sloping wall portion 301 to which the microphone 101 may be mounted. The sloping wall portion 301 may include an opening 303 to expose an acoustic inlet aperture 233 associated with the microphone 101 to the open space of the internal acoustic duct 103. The opening 303 allows the microphone 101 to receive sound waves from the internal acoustic duct 103. The acoustic inlet aperture 233 may penetrate the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 221 and have any suitable shape (e.g., circular).

[0028] In some embodiments, opening 303 allows microphone 101 to form acoustic coupling with the internal audio space 213 of the internal acoustic duct 103. It should be noted that the shape and size of opening 303 are not subject to any specific limitations. In some cases, the area of ​​opening 303 may be smaller than the acoustic inlet aperture 233; in other cases, such as... Figure 3A As shown, the area of ​​opening 303 may be larger than that of acoustic inlet aperture 233. In some cases, as will be further explained below, the shape and size of opening 303 may extend beyond the boundary associated with the outer edge of the PCBA 221 of microphone 101 (e.g., the periphery of the PCBA). In some embodiments, opening 303 may expose only a portion of the PCBA 221, including acoustic inlet aperture 233, so that the remaining surface of PCBA 221 can still be used to secure microphone 101 to the inclined wall portion 301.

[0029] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3A As shown, the microphone 101 can be directly mounted to the inclined wall portion 301 via the adhesive layer 225 (e.g., glue, double-sided tape, etc.) without additional structural mounting elements, thereby reducing the space occupied by the microphone 101 in the internal acoustic duct 103. This configuration also preserves the open surface area of ​​the internal acoustic duct 103, thereby reducing its acoustic impedance. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the air volume in the audio cavity in front of the internal acoustic duct 103 can be minimized, thereby reducing the size of the headphone device and the distance between the speaker and the eardrum, improving the sound quality experienced by the user.

[0030] In some embodiments, the acoustic inlet 233 can communicate directly with the open space 213 of the internal acoustic duct 103 through the opening 303. In other cases, such as Figure 3A As shown, the acoustic inlet 233 can communicate with the open space 213 through one or more other spaces (e.g., the space provided by the inlet channel 305). Figure 3AIn an exemplary embodiment, the inlet channel 305 is formed by one or more walls 307 extending from the inclined wall portion 301 to the acoustic duct outlet 231 of the internal acoustic duct 103. In this embodiment, the wall 307 constituting the inlet channel 305 extends and intersects with the internal support structure (or part of the wall) 320 of the internal acoustic duct 103, allowing the acoustic inlet hole 233 to communicate with the audio space 213 through the inlet channel 305. In some embodiments, the inclined wall portion 301 may be directly extended from and integrally formed with the internal acoustic duct 103, and manufactured using the same material. In another embodiment, the wall 307 of the inlet channel 305 may be directly extended from the inclined wall portion 301, and the wall 307, the inclined wall portion 301, and the internal acoustic duct 103 are all integrally formed and manufactured using the same material. Furthermore, the acute angle between the inclined wall portion 301 and the wall 307 may be between 25 degrees and 80 degrees.

[0031] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3B As shown, the inclined wall portion 301 on the inner wall of the internal acoustic duct 103 can be configured such that the acoustic inlet 233 of the microphone 101 has a non-zero area 334 when projected onto a plane 330 perpendicular to the central axis 332 of the internal acoustic duct 103. In some cases, the plane 330 can be parallel to the acoustic duct outlet 231 of the internal acoustic duct 103. Such a structural arrangement facilitates the transmission of sound waves from the internal acoustic duct 103 to the microphone 101.

[0032] In some embodiments, an acoustic mesh 309 may be disposed on at least a portion of the acoustic inlet aperture 233 of the microphone 101. The acoustic mesh 309 may be made of any suitable material. In some cases, the acoustic mesh 309 may comprise damping cloth or a mesh material, such as a synthetic breathable mesh. In some cases, the acoustic mesh 309 may increase acoustic impedance and / or provide a degree of foreign object protection for the microphone 101.

[0033] Figure 4 A stereoscopic view is provided, viewed from the acoustic duct outlet 231. Figure 4 The wall 320 portion extends through the open space 213 of the internal acoustic duct 103. The internal channel 305 passes through the wall 320 and extends to the sloping wall portion 301 where the microphone 101 is mounted.

[0034] Figure 5 A top view is provided, showing the internal acoustic duct 103 portion as seen from above the microphone 101. Figure 5 In the example configuration shown, the opening 303 on the inclined wall portion 301 has a certain size and shape, such that the opening 303 extends on both sides of the PCBA 221 of the microphone 101.

[0035] Figure 6 A block diagram is provided illustrating exemplary components that may be included in headphones, specifically exemplary components included in headphones 100 with active noise cancellation. Active noise control, also known as active noise suppression or active noise cancellation, can be considered a feedback mechanism. In some embodiments, at least one microphone 601 (e.g., Figures 1 to 5 The microphone 601 can be used to detect or record sound. One or more electronic components 611 can be configured to receive an output signal 621 from the microphone 601 (e.g., representing unwanted noise captured by the microphone 601) and generate a noise-reduced frequency signal 619 upon receiving the output signal. The noise-reduced frequency signal 619 can be transmitted to the speaker 609 (e.g., Figure 1 The speaker 109 is configured to emit sound through the speaker to cancel out unwanted sounds in the user's ear using the principle of destructive interference.

[0036] In some embodiments, the noise-reduced frequency signal 619 may be an additive inversion of the unwanted sound (e.g., a phase reversal, polarity reversal, or additive inversion of the microphone output signal).

[0037] In some embodiments, the headset 100 may further include an interface 615 for receiving a feed audio signal 617 (e.g., voice, music, etc.) from an external source. This external audio source may be connected to the headset 100 via a wired or wireless connection (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc.).

[0038] One or more electronic components 611 may include any component suitable for generating a noise-reduced signal based on microphone output. In some cases, electronic component 611 may include at least one phase inverter, polarity inverter, adder inverter, and / or one or more processors, etc. In some embodiments, electronic component 611 may include a processing unit (e.g., a central processing unit, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), one or more application-specific integrated circuits, or any other logic-based device) that can generate a noise-reduced signal 619 based on microphone output 621. Processor 611 may transmit the noise-reduced signal 619 along with a feed audio signal 617 to speaker 609. Speaker 609 may thereby emit sound associated with signal 617 (e.g., speech, music, etc.), and also emit sound to actively cancel unwanted noise captured by microphone 601.

[0039] In some embodiments, the headphones 100 may further include a power source, such as an internal power supply unit 613 (e.g., a battery). The power supply unit 613 may power the electronic components 611 and other components of the headphones 100. In some embodiments, the headphone device may include at least one amplifier connected to the power supply unit 613. This amplifier may be used to amplify audio signals 617 and / or 619 transmitted to the speaker 609. In some embodiments, the power supply unit 613 may include a non-rechargeable battery, such as an alkaline battery, a zinc-air battery, or a silver oxide battery. In other embodiments, the battery may be rechargeable, such as a lithium-ion battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, etc. However, this application is not limited to these examples.

[0040] It is understood that the embodiments described in this specification are not limited to the specific forms shown in the above structure and figures, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope.

[0041] While this specification has been shown and described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it should be understood that this specification can be implemented in other environments without modification. The foregoing description is for illustrative purposes only and is not exhaustive, nor is it limited to the specific forms or implementations disclosed. Various modifications and adjustments may arise in those skilled in the art upon reading this specification and practicing the disclosed embodiments.

[0042] Furthermore, while exemplary embodiments are described herein, any implementation with equivalent elements, modifications, omissions, combinations (e.g., feature combinations across different embodiments), adjustments, and / or alterations should be considered within the scope of what is disclosed in this specification. The claims in this specification should be interpreted broadly according to the language used, and not limited to the examples described in this specification or the application process. All examples should be considered non-exclusive. Therefore, this specification and its examples are for reference only, and their true scope and spirit should be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A noise reducing earphone device, characterized in that, Comprising: a housing configured to be at least partially placed in a user's ear, the housing comprising an internal acoustic conduit; a speaker configured to generate an audio output, the speaker being at least partially located within the housing; and a microphone configured to capture sound and generate an output signal therefrom for active noise reduction; wherein at least a portion of an inner wall of the internal acoustic conduit comprises a slanted portion, the microphone is mounted on the slanted portion, and the slanted portion comprises an opening configured to expose an acoustic entrance hole associated with the microphone to an open space of the internal acoustic conduit through the opening. The microphone is comprised in a bottom-open MEMS microphone package.

2. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 1, wherein, The bottom-open MEMS microphone package is directly mounted on the slanted portion of the inner wall of the internal acoustic conduit.

3. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 2, wherein, The bottom-open MEMS microphone package is directly mounted on the slanted portion by an adhesive layer comprising an adhesive or double-sided tape.

4. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 3, wherein, The microphone comprises a printed circuit board assembly, and the printed circuit board assembly is directly mounted on the slanted portion.

5. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 1, wherein, The printed circuit board assembly is directly mounted on the slanted portion by an adhesive layer comprising glue or double-sided tape.

6. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 5, wherein, Further comprising an acoustic mesh cover disposed on at least a portion of the acoustic entrance hole of the microphone.

7. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 1, wherein, The microphone is comprised in a bottom-open MEMS microphone package, and the opening of the slanted portion extends beyond a sidewall of the bottom-open MEMS microphone package.

8. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 1, wherein, The acoustic entrance hole of the microphone is further in communication with the open space of the internal acoustic conduit through an entrance channel formed by one or more walls extending from the slanted portion to the open space of the internal acoustic conduit.

9. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 1, wherein, The slanted portion is configured such that the acoustic entrance hole of the microphone has a non-zero area when projected onto a plane perpendicular to a central axis of the acoustic conduit.

10. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 1, wherein, Further comprising one or more electronic components configured to generate a noise reduction electronic signal upon receiving the output signal from the microphone.

11. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 1, wherein, The one or more electronic components comprise at least one phase inverter, polarity inverter, or addition inverter.

12. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 11, wherein, The one or more electronic components comprise at least one processor.

13. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 11, wherein, The noise reduction electronic signal comprises an addition inverse of the output signal from the microphone.

14. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 11, wherein, The speaker is configured to respond to the noise reduction electronic signal generated by the one or more electronic components such that the audio output generated by the speaker comprises a noise reduction audio signal component that at least partially cancels the sound captured by the microphone.

15. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 11, wherein, The audio output generated by the speaker further comprises a desired audio signal, the desired audio signal comprising music or speech, emitted together with the noise reduction audio signal.

16. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 15, wherein, Further comprising a sealing structure disposed on the housing so as to contact at least a portion of an ear canal of the user when the noise-cancelling earphone device is placed in the user's ear, thereby acoustically coupling the noise-cancelling earphone device with the ear canal.

17. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 1, wherein, Wherein the sealing structure comprises silicone.

18. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 17, wherein, Further comprising an interface configured to receive a feed audio signal.

19. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 1, wherein, Further comprising an internal power supply unit.

20. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 1, wherein, The internal power supply unit comprises a battery.

21. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 20, wherein, The slanted portion directly extends from the internal acoustic conduit and is integrally formed with the internal acoustic conduit, made of the same material.

22. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 9, wherein, ​ 23. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 22, wherein, One or more walls of the inlet channel are integrally formed with the inclined portion and made of the same material.

24. The noise reducing earphone device of claim 23, wherein, The acute angle between the inclined portion and the one or more walls is between 25 degrees and 80 degrees.

25. An earphone system, characterized by The earphone system comprises at least one noise reducing earphone device according to claim 1.

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