IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,604,139
Granted Patent B2
US 12,604,139 · App. 18/136,862 · Granted Apr 14, 2026

Adaptive resonance-controlled audio systems and methods

Inventors: David W. Robison (San Jose, CA); Charles C. Hoyt (Pacifica, CA); Justin D. Crosby (Cupertino, CA); Teemu P. Sipila (Campbell, CA); Thomas M. Jensen (San Francisco, CA); Bryce D. Wolfson (San Jose, CA); Kevin M. Lynch (Woodside, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04R3/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,604,139
App. No.
18/136,862
Granted
Apr 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices having speakers. An electronic device may operate the speaker to generate audio output at one or more resonance frequencies of the speaker and/or the electronic device. This can allow the electronic device to generate particularly loud audio outputs while reducing the power consumption used to generate those audio outputs. In order, for example, to help ensure that the audio output is generated at the resonance frequencies, the electronic device can determine the resonance frequencies prior to generating the audio outputs. For example, the electronic device may determine resonance frequencies by obtaining one or more electrical characteristics of an electronic component while operating the speaker, and determine the resonance frequencies based on the obtained electrical characteristics.

Claims (54)

1 . A method, comprising:

obtaining an electrical characteristic of an electronic component of an electronic device during operation of the electronic component;

determining, based on the electrical characteristic, a resonant frequency of a speaker of the electronic device; and

generating an audio output with the speaker at the resonant frequency to provide an enhanced loudness of the audio output.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting, by the electronic device, an emergency condition, wherein generating the audio output comprises generating the audio output responsive to the detecting.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical characteristic comprises at least one of a voltage, a current, or an impedance.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic component comprises a component of the speaker.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the component of the speaker comprises a voice coil of the speaker.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the audio output comprises:

synthesizing, by the electronic device, audio content at the resonant frequency; and

outputting the synthesized audio content with the speaker.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein synthesizing the audio content at the resonant frequency comprises synthesizing the audio content according to a coded recipe that defines a duration and a frequency of a tone, the frequency of the tone corresponding to a semitone bin corresponding to the resonant frequency.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the audio output comprises:

obtaining an audio file stored at the electronic device;

shifting a pitch of audio content in the audio file based on the resonant frequency; and

outputting, by the speaker, the audio content with the pitch shifted based on the resonant frequency.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a change in the electrical characteristic while generating the audio output with the speaker;

determining an updated resonant frequency different from the resonant frequency based on the detected change in the electrical characteristic; and

modifying the audio output based on the updated resonant frequency.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein:

determining the resonant frequency comprises determining a first resonant frequency and a second resonant frequency of the speaker; and

generating the audio output comprises generating the audio output based on the first resonant frequency and the second resonant frequency.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the updated resonant frequency different from the resonant frequency comprises determining a first change in the first resonant frequency and a second change in the second resonant frequency, the first change different from the second change, and wherein modifying the audio output based on the updated resonant frequency comprises modifying a first portion of the audio output based on the first change and modifying a second portion of the audio output based on the second change.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting, based on a change in the electrical characteristic, debris in a speaker port of the speaker; and

operating the speaker to purge the debris.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the resonant frequency of the speaker based on the electrical characteristic comprises adjusting a model based on the electrical characteristic and obtaining the resonant frequency from the adjusted model.

14 . An electronic device, comprising:

a speaker having a resonant frequency that changes over time during operation of the speaker while the speaker is un-occluded;

an electronic component; and

one or more processors configured to:

obtain an electrical characteristic of the electronic component during operation of the speaker while the speaker is un-occluded;

determine, based on the electrical characteristic, a resonant frequency of the speaker; and

generate an audio output with the speaker at an output frequency that is different from the resonant frequency by an amount that is based on a frequency of a prior output tone from the speaker.

15 . The electronic device of claim 14 , further comprising an enclosure having a port for the speaker, wherein a sound-generating component of the speaker is offset from the port.

16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the port has an additional resonant frequency, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine, based on the electrical characteristic, the additional resonant frequency of the port; and

update the audio output with the speaker using the resonant frequency and the additional resonant frequency.

17 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the electronic component comprises a voice coil of the speaker, and wherein the electrical characteristic comprises an impedance of the voice coil.

18 . The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

detect a change in the electrical characteristic while generating the audio output with the speaker;

determine an updated resonant frequency different from the resonant frequency based on the detected change in the electrical characteristic; and

modify the audio output based on the updated resonant frequency.

19 . An electronic device, comprising:

a speaker;

an electronic component; and

one or more processors configured to:

receive an emergency alert trigger;

determine, responsive to the emergency alert trigger, a resonant frequency of the speaker based on an electrical characteristic of a component of the speaker; and

generate, with the speaker, an emergency alert including audio content at a frequency corresponding to a semitone bin corresponding to the resonant frequency.

20 . The electronic device of claim 19 , further comprising a sensor, wherein the emergency alert trigger comprises a sensor-based trigger based on a sensor signal from the sensor.

21 . The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the emergency alert trigger comprises a user input.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2026
From: LYNCH, KEVIN M.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 073994/0338 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2023
From: ROBISON, DAVID W.; SIPILA, TEEMU P.; CROSBY, JUSTIN D.; JENSEN, THOMAS M.; HOYT, CHARLES C.; WOLFSON, BRYCE D.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 063521/0407 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63344526 · May 20, 2022
Related Publication 20230379625A1 · Nov 23, 2023
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