Mikey Campbell
In a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday, Apple presented an invention for a "dual-mode headphone" that can transform from a normal set of earbuds to a more robust speaker system.
First filed for in 2011, the proposed system incorporates the usual in-ear headphone arrangement with specialized position-sensing circuitry and a power amplifier, allowing a user to dynamically switch from personal listening mode to speaker mode.
From the application's background:
Users typically listen to content on their portable devices using headphones, although there are speakers available that can be connected to the portable devices to enable multiple users to listen in at the same time. This approach, however, may require a user to carry both a headphone and speakers, or may require the user to rely on speakers built into the device, which may not be as powerful or have as high a sound quality as external speakers.
In operation, the headphones can detect its position and output sound in "headphone mode," where the amplifier is bypassed, or "speaker mode," which passes the audio signal through said amplifier. To prevent a user from being harmed by inadvertently activating the speaker mode while wearing the headphones, a separate sensor can be employed to detect when the unit is near a user's ears.
Any number of sensors can be implemented in the invention, including IR sensors, ambient light sensors, Hall effect sensors, and others. In one embodiment, a sensor that can detect contact with a user's ears is integrated into the headphone to prevent hearing damage.
In addition to automatically detecting positioning, users can manually activate speaker mode with physical buttons. An articulating arm or other design component can also be used to prop the headphones up when in speaker mode.
Various speaker listening positions.
Finally, one embodiment describes an implementation that allows the headphone to be used as an in-ear set as well as a speaker by positioning extra ports directed away from the user's ears.
As with many patent applications, the fate of the dual-mode headphone remains uncertain, though Apple's new EarPods illustrated the company is still researching new design techniques for its audio products.
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16 Comments
For the sake of anyone who's ever used public transport or flown on a plane, I hope this product doesn't happen.
What if you are by yourself in the privacy of your own home/office? Personally, Apple has better things to spend their R&D money. I would like to see them make speakers on their iMac/iPad products where the speakers face the user than facing downward or away from the user. If the speakers point towards the user, then they can hear them better. MId to High frequencies tend to travel in a more directional fashion, whereas bass doesn't. I know they would have to make perforations in the aluminum chassis for the iMac or in the glass in the iPads, etc. but that's about the only way they can get the sound facing the user.
Apple seems to be coming up with a lot of good ideas that improve on each piece of their systems. They continue to innovate and drive their products forward. I can only imagine where they will be in 5 years.
Sounds like a BAD idea. I'm sure some stoner is gonna forget he has his headphones on "loudspeaker" mode and will blow out his eardrums.
Not worth the lawsuits Apple.
Sounds like a BAD idea. I'm sure some stoner is gonna forget he has his headphones on "loudspeaker" mode and will blow out his eardrums.
Not worth the lawsuits Apple.
yea, this was my first thought. kind of.