Smart Speaker Interactive Grille Sensor Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smart wireless speakers face challenges in integrating indirect input sensors with speaker elements, as the size of the speaker element impedes the performance of these sensors, and existing solutions often compromise on either sound quality or sensor performance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an environmental-sensing faceplate subassembly with a circuit board in the path of sound transmission, featuring a grille with openings that align with those on the circuit board, allowing indirect input sensors to sense the environment while maintaining sound transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the speaker element size is increased to improve sound quality, then sound transmission is improved, but the sensor field of view is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The faceplate is segmented into multiple regions: a first region with a grille pattern for sound transmission and a second region without the grille pattern for sensor access. This segmentation allows the speaker element to be larger while maintaining both sound quality and sensor field of view by distributing different functions across different faceplate regions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the grille pattern covers the entire faceplate to protect the speaker, then speaker protection is improved, but sensor access to the environment is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The grille pattern is applied selectively to different regions of the faceplate based on local functional requirements. The first region has the grille pattern for speaker protection, while the second region lacks the grille pattern to provide unobstructed sensor access. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between protection and sensing.
3Ease of manufacture
If the circuit board is placed behind the grille to support sensors, then sensor mounting is improved, but sound transmission is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board is positioned in a different spatial region (behind the first region with grille pattern) rather than directly in the sound transmission path. This dimensional repositioning allows the circuit board to support sensors while the grille openings in the first region maintain sound transmission by not blocking the acoustic path.
Data Source
AI summary
A smart speaker is disclosed with an interactive speaker grille. In one embodiment a smart speaker comprises a housing with a speaker grille comprising a plurality of openings. Circuitry coupled to the speaker grille is configured to sense direct user interaction with one or more of a plurality of regions of the speaker grille and to generate corresponding electrical signals indicative of the one or more regions of the speaker grille experiencing direct user interaction. The circuitry can include portions in the path of sound transmission to detect user interaction with regions of the grille and portions outside the path of sound transmission for controlling aspects of the smart speaker (e.g. speaker volume, radio station or media stream selection) based on the particular regions touched.