Speaker Frame Microphone Assembly for ANC Feedback Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

It is challenging to implement speakers and microphones in the same compact audio devices, such as headphones or earbuds, particularly due to the difficulty in integrating a microphone within the front volume of a speaker.

Innovation Solution

A speaker assembly is designed with a microphone mounted to the speaker frame, where the microphone's sound-sensitive element is positioned within the front volume of the speaker, and its conductive contacts are disposed in a sealed second volume, allowing for efficient integration and fluid sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a microphone is integrated within the front volume of a speaker in compact audio devices, then the device can achieve effective feedback for active noise cancellation, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveactive noise cancellation feedbackVSAvoidintegration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the speaker and microphone into a single integrated assembly where the microphone is mounted directly on the speaker frame within the front volume. This merging of components achieves effective feedback for active noise cancellation while managing the complexity through unified design rather than separate integrated components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The microphone is nested within the front volume of the speaker assembly, with its sound-sensitive element positioned to sense sound at or near the user's ear while remaining part of the speaker's structural framework. This nesting approach allows the microphone to be embedded without adding external complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If the microphone's conductive contacts are disposed in a sealed second volume, then fluid sealing is improved, but the assembly process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid sealingVSAvoidassembly process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The speaker frame is pre-configured with a sealed second volume and integrated conductive contacts before the microphone is mounted. This preliminary preparation of the sealing structure and electrical connections simplifies the final assembly process while ensuring proper fluid sealing is achieved

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing structure and electrical connection paths are merged into the speaker frame itself, creating a unified component that provides both fluid sealing and electrical connectivity. This integration eliminates separate sealing and wiring steps in the assembly process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Measurement precision

If the microphone sound-sensitive element is positioned within the front volume of the speaker, then sound sensing capability is improved, but the device volume requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound sensing capabilityVSAvoiddevice volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The microphone's sound-sensitive element is nested within the front volume of the speaker assembly, utilizing the existing acoustic space. This nesting allows the microphone to sense sound at or near the user's ear without requiring additional external volume, as it shares the speaker's acoustic chamber

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The sound-sensitive element is positioned at a specific location within the front volume where it can optimally sense sound at or near the user's ear. This localized positioning achieves high measurement precision for noise cancellation without requiring the entire device to have increased volume

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design enables the microphone to sense sound at or near the user's ear, providing effective feedback for active noise cancellation and simplifying the assembly process by integrating both components in a single operation.

Implementation Method 1

the microphone to sense sound at or near the user's ear

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic detection: Sound

Implementation Method 2

its conductive contacts are disposed in a sealed second volume, allowing for efficient integration and fluid sealing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid sealing:

Data Source

PatentUS12495234B2Speaker and microphone for acoustic devices

Publication Date: 2025.12.09 APPLE INC

AI summary

Implementations of the subject technology provide for a microphone in the front volume of a speaker. The speaker and the microphone may be provided in a single speaker assembly. The microphone may be implemented as an error microphone or a feedback microphone. The microphone may be mounted to a speaker frame of the speaker, with a sound-sensitive element of the microphone in the front volume of the speaker on a first side of the speaker frame, and with conductive contacts for the microphone disposed on an opposing second side of the speaker frame.