IP Library Granted Patent US 10,945,087
Granted Patent B2
US 10,945,087 · App. 15/146,496 · Granted Mar 9, 2021

Audio device arrays in convertible electronic devices

Inventors: Jonathan Jen-Wei Yu (Raleigh, NC); Aaron Michael Stewart (Raleigh, NC); Jeffrey E. Skinner (Raleigh, NC); Lincoln Penn Hancock (Raleigh, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
H04R29/00H04R3/00H04R27/00H04R29/001H04R29/002H04R29/004
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,945,087
App. No.
15/146,496
Granted
Mar 9, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

One embodiment provides an apparatus, including: a device housing; a sensor disposed within the device housing; a plurality of audio devices disposed within the device housing; a processor operatively coupled to the plurality of audio devices; and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to: activate a first set of the plurality of audio devices; detect, using the sensor, a use mode; and change, using the processor, to a second active set of the plurality of audio devices based on the use mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims (32)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a device housing comprising an upper housing and a lower housing, the upper housing and the lower housing operatively connected by at least one hinge, wherein the at least one hinge allows rotation of the upper housing in a plane other than parallel to the plane of the lower housing, wherein the device housing comprises at least one micro-perforated surface, wherein the at least one micro-perforated surface provides an inlet and an outlet for sound;

a sensor disposed within the device housing;

a plurality of audio devices disposed within the device housing, at least one of the audio device being located beneath the at least one micro-perforated surface, wherein at least one set of the plurality of audio devices is disposed on a display side of the upper housing and wherein at least another set of the plurality of audio devices is disposed on a side substantially opposite the display side of the upper housing;

a processor operatively coupled to the plurality of audio devices; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

detect, using the sensor, a use mode of the apparatus, wherein the use mode is based upon an orientation of the display side of the upper housing with respect to the lower housing orientation, based upon user presence data, collected from at least one sensor, identifying a position of a user with respect to the device, and based upon an audio type being produced during the use mode; and

activate a set of the plurality of audio devices based on the use mode to achieve a desired sound production based upon the use mode, wherein to activate comprises leaving another set of the plurality of audio devices deactivated.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device sensor comprises a device orientation sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device sensor comprises a contact sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device sensor comprises a camera.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device sensor comprises a microphone.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one surface comprises a plurality of surfaces.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of audio devices is a speaker.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of audio devices comprises a speaker array.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of audio devices is a microphone.

10. A method, comprising:

detecting, using a sensor of an electronic device comprising an upper housing and a lower housing, the upper housing and the lower housing operatively connected by at least one hinge allowing rotation of the upper housing in a plane other than parallel to the plane of the lower housing, wherein at least one of the upper housing and the lower housing comprises at least one micro-perforated surface, wherein the at least one micro-perforated surface provides an inlet and an outlet for sound, a device use mode, wherein the device use mode is based upon an orientation of a display side of the upper housing with respect to the lower housing orientation, based upon user presence data, collected from at least one sensor, identifying a position of a user with respect to the device, and based upon an audio type being produced during the use mode;

the electronic device comprising a plurality of audio devices disposed within the device housing, at least one of the audio device being located beneath the at least one micro-perforated surface, wherein at least one set of the plurality of audio devices is disposed on the display side of the upper housing and wherein at least another set of the plurality of audio devices is disposed on a side substantially opposite the display side of the upper housing; and

activating a set of the plurality of audio devices based on the device use mode to achieve a desired sound production based upon the use mode, wherein to activate comprises leaving another set of the plurality of audio devices deactivated.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting a device orientation.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting physical contact between the electronic device and another object.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the detecting comprises user presence via optical imaging.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting directional audio using one or more microphones.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of audio devices produces audible output.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of audio devices comprises a speaker array.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of audio devices captures directional audio data.

18. A program product, comprising:

a program storage device comprising code, the code being executable by a processor and comprising:

code that detects, using a sensor of an electronic device comprising an upper housing and a lower housing, the upper housing and the lower housing operatively connected by at least one hinge allowing rotation of the upper housing in a plane other than parallel to the plane of the lower housing, wherein at least one of the upper housing and the lower housing comprises at least one micro-perforated surface, wherein the at least one micro-perforated surface provides an inlet and an outlet for sound, a device use mode, wherein the device use mode is based upon an orientation of a display side of the upper housing with respect to the lower housing orientation, based upon user presence data, collected from at least one sensor, identifying a position of a user with respect to the device, and based upon an audio type being produced during the use mode;

code that detects the electronic device comprising a plurality of audio devices disposed within the device housing, at least one of the audio device being located beneath the at least one micro-perforated surface, wherein at least one set of the plurality of audio devices is disposed on the display side of the upper housing and wherein at least another set of the plurality of audio devices is disposed on a side substantially opposite the display side of the upper housing; and

code that activates a set of the plurality of audio devices based on the device use mode to achieve a desired sound production based upon the use mode, wherein the code that activates comprises code that leaves another set of the plurality of audio devices deactivated.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2025
From: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 070269/0092 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2025
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD.
To: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 070268/0984 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2016
From: YU, JONATHAN JEN-WEI; STEWART, AARON MICHAEL; SKINNER, JEFFREY E.; HANCOCK, LINCOLN PENN
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 038457/0652 →
Continuity (1)
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