Touch-Sensitive Smart Speaker Housing With Controlled Microphone Sound Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for compact voice-activated electronic devices with multiple user interface options that can perform reliably in smart home environments, particularly those without display screens, and require both audible and visual feedback, while maintaining a low cost and simple form factor.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of voice-activated electronic devices with touch sensors and a controlled sound path, incorporating capacitive touch sensors and acoustically porous covers to enhance user interaction and sound delivery, allowing for eyes-free and hands-free operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If touch sensors are integrated into the housing to provide additional user interface options, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touch sensor is integrated directly into the housing structure, merging the user interface function with the existing device body. This eliminates the need for separate touch sensor components and reduces overall device complexity while still providing enhanced user interaction capabilities through capacitive touch sensing on the housing surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, aesthetic appearance, and now also functions as the touch sensor interface. By making the housing itself touch-sensitive, the device achieves multi-functionality where a single component (the housing) performs both structural and user interface roles, reducing the need for additional dedicated components.
2Reliability
If multiple user interface functions are added to provide reliable performance, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple user interface functions are merged into the single housing structure through integrated touch sensors. Instead of adding separate buttons, switches, or other interface components that would increase complexity, the housing itself is made multi-functional through capacitive touch sensing zones that provide various user interactions while maintaining a simple unified structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If a compact form factor is maintained to reduce cost and simplify design, then ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to provide multiple user interface options is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Traditional mechanical user interface elements like physical buttons, switches, or dials that would require additional space and complex assembly are replaced with capacitive touch sensing integrated into the housing. This substitution allows multiple user interface functions to be implemented within the compact form factor without increasing manufacturing complexity, as the touch sensing is achieved through conductive materials already present in the housing structure.
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
Enables reliable and versatile user interaction through voice commands, providing audible responses and visual indicators, while maintaining a compact and cost-effective design suitable for smart home environments.
Implementation Method 1
Each touch sensor includes a capacitive sensing component
Implementation Method 2
The housing includes an acoustically porous cover that conceals the LED indicators and provides a controlled sound path to a microphone
Data Source
AI summary
A compact electronic device has a touch sensor and/or a microphone that are concealed within a housing at least partially wrapped by an acoustically porous cover. In some implementations, the touch sensor includes a sensing portion and a contact portion extending from the sensing portion. While the sensing portion is placed in proximity to an interior surface of the housing to detect a touch on the housing, the contact portion is bent to electrically couple the sensing portion to a circuit board via two distinct electrical paths. In some implementations, an exterior surface of the housing includes a sealing area surrounding an aperture on the housing, and the acoustically porous cover is affixed to the sealing area via an adhesive. The adhesive covers the sealing area and permeates a thickness of the acoustically porous cover, thereby enabling formation of a controlled sound path to access the microphone via the aperture.