Sound tube tuned multi-driver earpiece
United States Patent 7317806
Inventors:
Harvey, Jerry J. (Newport Beach, CA, US)
Dyer, Medford Alan (San Diego, CA, US)
Assignee:
Ultimate Ears, LLC (Irvine, CA, US)
Publication Date:
01/08/2008
Filing Date:
01/17/2006
Abstract:
A method of optimizing the audio performance of an earpiece and the resultant device are provided. The disclosed earpiece combines at least two drivers within a single earpiece. If a pair of drivers is used, each driver has a discrete sound delivery tube. If more than two drivers are used, preferably the outputs from the two lower frequency drivers are merged into a single sound delivery tube while the output from the third driver is maintained in a separate, discrete sound tube. To compensate for the inherent phase shift of the earpiece the lengths of the sound delivery tubes, and thus driver offset, are regulated. Further audio performance optimization can be achieved through an iterative process of measuring the performance of the earpiece and making further, minor adjustments to the sound delivery tube lengths. The sound delivery tubes can include transition regions. The earpiece is configured to use removable/replaceable eartips. Acoustic filters can be interposed between one or both driver outputs and the earpiece output.