Notebook Microphone Ports at Display Parting Line
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern notebook and Ultrabook designs without bezels face increased production costs and manufacturing fallout due to the need for drilling microphone ports directly into the front glass or clear plastic, which can lead to manufacturing complexities and costs.
Innovation Solution
The integration of microphone ports along the parting line between the display surfaces, allowing for fabrication as part of the molding process, combined with MEMS microphones and a microphone signal processing system that includes beam steering for enhanced directional sensitivity, eliminating the need for drilling through the glass or plastic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If microphone ports are drilled into the front glass or clear plastic, then microphone functionality is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the display assembly into separate components: the front glass/plastic layer and the microphone port layer. The microphone ports are positioned at the edges where the front surface meets the side surfaces, allowing sound to reach microphones without penetrating the front glass. This segmentation eliminates the need to drill through the front display surface while maintaining microphone functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure (the side surface or edge region of the display housing) that mediates between the front glass surface and the microphone components. Sound waves travel through this intermediary path from the front surface area to the microphones, eliminating the need for direct penetration of the front glass while still achieving audio capture.
2Reliability
If microphone ports are drilled into the front glass or clear plastic, then microphone functionality is achieved, but manufacturing fallout and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the microphone port location from the front glass surface, positioning ports at the edges where the front surface transitions to side surfaces. This allows the front glass to be manufactured and assembled without drilling operations, eliminating manufacturing fallout and simplifying the production process while maintaining microphone functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates microphone ports into the display housing structure during the initial molding or fabrication process, before the front glass or clear plastic is assembled. This preliminary integration eliminates the need for subsequent drilling operations and reduces manufacturing complexity and production costs.
3Shape
If bezel is removed for modern design, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but microphone port implementation becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the microphone port implementation from the traditional two-dimensional front surface (where bezel would have been) to the three-dimensional edge region where the front surface meets the side surfaces. This dimensional transition allows for bezel-less design while providing alternative pathways for sound to reach microphones without requiring front surface penetration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the microphone port function from the front display surface, relocating it to the edge region. This segmentation allows the front surface to remain intact and aesthetic while the edge region handles the functional requirements of microphone access, resolving the conflict between appearance and functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a display includes a housing comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The second surface comprises a transparent material covering the second surface and the housing includes two or more microphone ports disposed along a parting line between the first surface and the second surface exterior to the transparent material. The housing further includes two or more microphones coupled with the two or more microphone ports. A microphone signal processing system may be utilize to increase directional sensitivity of the two more microphones toward an audio source. An angle detector to detect an angle of the may be utilized to accommodate the directional sensitivity provided by the microphone signal processing system.