Expandable acoustic chamber for computer systems

A computer system may include a keyboard housing that is capable of being moved at least partially into or out of a chassis. The chassis is associated with a transducer and an air chamber. Movement of the keyboard housing may cause size of the air chamber to be adjusted. When the size of the air chamber is increased, the transducer becomes more sensitive to sound in lower frequency ranges.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of sound design, and more specifically, to techniques for improving sound quality when used in computer systems.

BACKGROUND

Mobile computers today are becoming more powerful and more commonly used. To stay competitive, mobile computer manufacturers are continuously making design improvements to add more features to their mobile computers. Such improvements may include, for example, smaller form factor, larger storage capacity, faster performance, longer battery life, higher resolution and larger display, faster graphics controller, etc. It can probably be said that with these expanded features, some of the mobile computers available in the market today may compete well against some of their traditional desk top counterparts.

The expanded features of the mobile computers enable them to accommodate more complex applications. Some of these applications may include productivity applications, network communication applications, entertainment applications, etc. The entertainment applications (e.g., gaming applications) may include applications that require advanced graphics capabilities and advanced audio capabilities in order to improve user experience. Although there may be many available options to improve the graphics capabilities of the mobile computers, the same may not be said for options to improve the audio capabilities of the mobile computers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For some embodiments, a computer system may include a transducer and an air chamber. Size of the air chamber may be adjusted by sliding a keyboard housing partially into or out of an enclosure. Sound reproduced by the transducer may vary depending on the position of the keyboard housing relative to the enclosure.

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known structures, processes, and devices are shown in block diagram form or are referred to in a summary manner in order to provide an explanation without undue detail.

Computer System

FIG. 1is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer system, in accordance with some embodiments. Computer system100may be a mobile computer system. Computer system100may include an enclosure (not shown) and may receive its power from an electrical outlet, a battery (not shown), or any other power sources. The computer system100may include a keyboard housing (not shown). Within the keyboard housing, there may be a system board (not shown).

The system board may include a processor or central processing unit (CPU)102. The CPU102and chipset107may be coupled to bus105. The chipset107may include a memory control hub (MCH)110. The MCH110may include a memory controller112that is coupled to memory115. The memory115may store data and sequences of instructions that are executed by the CPU102or any other processing devices included in the computer system100. The MCH110may include a display controller113. Display130may be coupled to the display controller113. The chipset107may also include an input/output control hub (ICH)140. The ICH140may be coupled with the MCH110via a hub interface141. The ICH140may provide an interface to peripheral devices within the computer system100. The ICH140may include PCI bridge146that provides an interface to PCI bus142. The PCI bridge146may provide a data path between the CPU102and the peripheral devices. In this example, an audio device150, a disk drive155, communication device160, a keyboard165, and network interface controller158may be connected to the PCI bus142. The audio device150may be associated with a transducer (not shown). The disk drive155may include a storage media to store data and sequences of instructions that are executed by the CPU102or any other processing devices included in the computer system100.

Speaker Enclosure

FIGS. 2A and 2Billustrate an example of a top view and a side view of a speaker enclosure design, in accordance to some embodiments. Speaker200may include an enclosure215and a transducer205. The speaker200may be a closed-enclosure speaker which means air chamber210inside the enclosure215may generally be closed. Alternatively, the speaker200may be a vented-enclosure speaker when the air chamber210is associated with a vent220, illustrated inFIG. 2B. Some of the sound reproduced by the transducer205may be projected outward from the enclosure215, while some may be projected inward (from the back of the transducer205) to the enclosure215. This is illustrated in the current example by the directional arrows adjacent to the transducer205inFIG. 2B. In general, when designing the enclosure215, the bigger the enclosure215(and therefore size of the air chamber210), the better the frequency response, especially in the lower frequency ranges.

FIGS. 3A and 3Billustrate a top view and a side view example of a speaker enclosure design having an adjustable air chamber, in accordance with some embodiments. Speaker300includes an enclosure310and a transducer305. It may be noted that although only one transducer is illustrated, it may be possible to have more than one transducer. Furthermore, the location of the transducers may not be limited to the top portion of the enclosure310. The speaker300also includes a housing315, as illustrated inFIG. 3A. The housing315may at least partially slide in and out of the enclosure310along the respective directional arrow shown next to the housing315, as illustrated inFIG. 3B. The housing315in this example may enable the size of the air chamber320inside the enclosure310to be adjusted. For example, when the housing315is slid into the enclosure310, the air chamber320may be small. When the housing315is slid out of the enclosure310, the air chamber320may be large. This adjustment may enable the audio quality reproduced by the transducer305to vary.

Mobile Computer Speaker Enclosure

The design of the speaker enclosure when applying to mobile computers may affect audio quality reproduced by the mobile computers, especially when the mobile computers may become increasingly slim. The slim form factor does not allow for meaningful air chambers for the transducer to reproduce audio of satisfactory quality.

FIG. 4Aillustrates an example of a mobile computer system configured with an audio system having an adjustable air chamber, in accordance with some embodiments. Computer system400may include an enclosure410. The enclosure410may include a chassis (not shown) and at least one transducer405. The transducer405may be attached to a screen cover (not shown) coupled to the top portion of the enclosure410. The enclosure410may also include a display420. Although the display420is illustrated in this example as being on the outside surface of the enclosure410, it may be possible that the display420may be located at some other location of the enclosure410. In the current example, a keyboard housing (not shown) is hidden from view because it may be completely inside the enclosure410. As such, the size of the air chamber associated with the transducer405may be at its smallest.

FIG. 4Billustrates the same mobile computer system example as illustrated inFIG. 4A. For some embodiments, the keyboard housing415may be moved inside or outside of the enclosure410(along the directional arrows shown) to create an air chamber inside the enclosure410. It may be noted that as the keyboard housing415is moved further out of the enclosure410, the transducer405may be more sensitive to lower frequency and the audio reproduced by the transducer405may cause undesirable vibration. The vibration may affect the operation of the components of the computer system400. For some embodiments, damping material may be incorporated into the chassis associated with the enclosure410and with the keyboard housing415.

FIG. 4Cillustrates a side view of keyboard housing, in accordance with some embodiments. The keyboard housing415may include a system board425located toward the bottom of the keyboard housing415and the keyboard430located toward the top portion of the keyboard housing415. The system board may include some of the electronic components as illustrated inFIG. 1. For example, the system board may include the CPU102, the MCH110, the ICH140, the memory115, and so on. Connection between the keyboard housing415and the enclosure410may be a wired connection or a wireless connection.

FIGS. 4D and 4Eillustrate side view and top view example of a computer system having multiple transducers, in accordance with some embodiments. In this example, the keyboard housing415may be positioned completely inside the housing410. The computer system450may include multiple transducers such as, for example, transducers455A and455B. The transducer455A may be associated with air chamber457A, while the transducer455B may be associated with air chamber457B. In the current example, the two air chambers457A and457B may be separated from one another by battery460, as illustrated inFIG. 4E. As illustrated inFIG. 4D, the keyboard housing415may include the keyboard430, a system board425and electronic components (e.g., processor, memory, etc.)480coupled to the system board425.

For some embodiments, when there are multiple transducers, some of the transducers may be activated based on the position of the keyboard housing415relative to the enclosure410. For example, when the keyboard housing415is in a first position relative to the enclosure410, only one set of transducer may be activated. When the keyboard housing415is in a second position relative to the enclosure410, a second set of transducers may be activated. The second set of transducers may be deactivated when the keyboard housing415is moved from the second position back to the first position.

FIGS. 4F and 4Gillustrate side view and top view example of the same computer system, but with the keyboard housing415extended outward from the enclosure410, in accordance with some embodiments. The air chambers457A and457B may be separated from one another by a collapsible or foldable separator461, as illustrated inFIGS. 4D to 4G. The sliding movement of the keyboard housing415may expand or compress the air chamber separator461and accordingly the size of both of the air chambers457A and457B at the same time. InFIGS. 4F and 4G, the air chamber separator461is illustrated as being uncompressed due to the position of the keyboard housing415. The combination of the transducers455A and455B, the air chambers457A and457B, and the enclosure410may be viewed as a speaker subsystem of the computer system450.

FIG. 5illustrates an example of a mobile computer system configured with an audio system having an adjustable air chamber and a vent, in accordance with some embodiments. Computer system550may include an enclosure535, at least one transducer530, and a keyboard housing525. The computer system550may be similar to the computer400illustrated inFIGS. 4A and 4B, except that the computer system550may include a vent540. The vent540may be connected to the air chamber inside the enclosure535. For some embodiments, the size of the vent540may be adjusted to change the quality of the sound reproduced by the transducer530. For example, the vent540may be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise to increase or decrease its size, respectively.

Process

FIG. 6is a block diagram illustrating an example of a process that may be used, in accordance with some embodiments. This process relates to adjusting an air chamber to change the sound quality of one or more transducers in a computer system having moveable keyboard housing, similar to the computer system400illustrated inFIGS. 4A and 4B. At block600, the transducer is activated. This may be activated automatically, or it may be manually activated by a user of the computer system. Depending on the current position of the keyboard housing relative to the enclosure of the computer system, the user may desire to adjust the sound reproduced by the transducer. When the user desires to increase the air chamber associated with the transducer, the user may move the keyboard housing further out of the housing, as shown in block605. When the user desires to decrease the air chamber, the user may move the keyboard housing further into the housing, as shown in block610.