US 12,010,477 B2
Force-activated earphone
Nahid Harjee, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Brian R. Twehues, Campbell, CA (US); Teera Songatikamas, San Jose, CA (US); Aonan Li, Berkeley, CA (US); Travis N. Owens, Lakeway, TX (US); and Kyle J. Campiotti, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 29, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/216,219.
Application 18/216,219 is a continuation of application No. 17/897,148, filed on Aug. 27, 2022, granted, now 11,910,149.
Application 17/897,148 is a continuation of application No. 17/219,799, filed on Mar. 31, 2021, granted, now 11,463,797, issued on Oct. 4, 2022.
Application 17/219,799 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/539,515, filed on Aug. 13, 2019, granted, now 11,070,904, issued on Jul. 20, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/734,389, filed on Sep. 21, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0345166 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04R 1/10 (2006.01); G06F 3/044 (2006.01)
CPC H04R 1/1041 (2013.01) [G06F 3/044 (2013.01); H04R 1/1016 (2013.01); H04R 1/1075 (2013.01); G06F 2203/04105 (2013.01); H04R 2420/07 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An earphone, comprising:
a speaker housing;
a speaker positioned in the speaker housing;
a stem extending from the speaker housing, the stem defining a curved interior surface and at least one input surface;
a flexible circuit coupled to the curved interior surface;
a touch sensor at least partially disposed within the flexible circuit facing the curved interior surface; and
a force sensor at least partially disposed within the flexible circuit facing an interior of the stem.
 
8. An earphone, comprising:
a speaker housing;
a speaker positioned in the speaker housing;
a stem extending from the speaker housing, the stem defining an interior surface and at least one input surface;
a flexible circuit coupled to the interior surface;
a touch sensor coupled to the flexible circuit facing the interior surface; and
a force sensor coupled to the flexible circuit facing an interior of the stem.
 
15. An earphone, comprising:
a speaker housing;
a speaker positioned in the speaker housing;
a stem extending from the speaker housing, the stem defining an interior surface and at least one input surface;
a flexible circuit coupled to the interior surface;
a touch sensor coupled to the flexible circuit; and
a force sensor coupled to the flexible circuit.