14 DAY TRIAL // Today, Apple was granted two patents for enhancing space in portable devices. One of the patents was for outing high-quality sound from a panel acoustic system in thin enclosures, while the other was for woven displays on Apple Watch devices.
The two patents were awarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, as Apple Insider found. The first patent application is for an audio solution that can create high-quality sound using vibration of sub-panels in a flat arrangement.
The system would be able to create waves of pressure that result in sounds. The detailed system includes conical diaphragms, together with a voice coil wire which would create magnetic field when electric current is applied.
The coil would interact with the magnet and push and pull the diaphragm. The motion is then interpreted by built-in audio conversion components which create sound.
The new audio system was designed for thin devices
Apple currently uses micro speakers in some of its devices and they operate approximately in the same way as the system in this patent. However, the new system would allow for maximized volume and minimized distortion of sound.
The new system is comprised of divided sub-panels, which actually give different resonant frequency to each of them. Apple’s new system is focused on improved sound output in thin enclosures, which would make it suitable for the iPad and MacBook.
The patent application was first filed in November 2014 and it remains to be seen if and when Apple will actually incorporate the new technology in upcoming devices.
For the iPhone 5, Apple went with the award-winning portable speakers from JBL and had a different approach for the latest model, the iPhone 7. The phone released this year comes with stereo speakers at the bottom of the device and an improved speaker at the top, which provides clearer and louder sound.
