TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This disclosure relates to microphone assemblies for use in electronic devices.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Water may obstruct the passage of soundwaves to a microphone to produce a muffled sound. Typical drain microphones include complex geometries that aid in the flow of water away from the microphone after submersion to allow passage of soundwaves. Once uncovered, audio can be received by the microphone that is unmuffled by the presence of water. These geometries are susceptible to variation in surface finish, drain channel dimensions, and device form. Many design iterations and rounds of testing are often required to create a working solution. It would therefore be desirable to have a drain microphone design that eliminates the need for a complex drain channel that facilitates water flow away from the microphone after submersion.

SUMMARY

[0003] Disclosed herein are implementations of a drain microphone configured to eliminate the need for a complex drain channel that facilitates water flow away from a microphone after submersion. In an aspect, an image capture device may include a housing, a microphone, a membrane, a microphone port, and a mesh. The microphone may be disposed in an internal portion of the housing. The membrane may include an active portion, a non active portion, or both. A first surface of the non-active portion of the membrane may be configured to couple to an outer surface of the housing. The microphone port may be disposed between the active portion of the membrane and the microphone. The mesh may be configured to couple to the outer surface of the housing, the non-active portion of the membrane, or both.

[0004] In an aspect, an image capture device may include a camera housing, a microphone, a membrane, a microphone port, and a mesh insert. The camera housing may include a microphone housing. The microphone housing may be a drain microphone housing, and it may be inset in the camera housing. The microphone may be disposed in an internal portion of the camera housing. The membrane may be configured to protect the microphone from environmental elements. The microphone port may be disposed between the membrane and the microphone. The mesh insert may include a frame portion, a mesh portion, or both. The mesh portion may be positioned such that it is sub-flush relative to the camera housing. [0005] An aspect may include a microphone system configured to interface with a mesh insert. The microphone system may include an outer ridge portion, a glue channel, a membrane inset, a microphone port, and an inner ridge portion. The outer ridge portion may be formed from an outer surface of a camera housing. The glue channel may be disposed in the outer surface of the camera housing. The membrane inset may be disposed in the outer surface of the camera housing. The microphone port may be disposed in the membrane inset. The inner ridge portion may be formed from the outer surface of the camera housing.

[0006] In one or more aspects, the housing may include a drain microphone housing. In one or more aspects, the drain microphone housing may be configured as an inset in the housing. In one or more aspects, the drain microphone housing may include an outer ridge portion. The outer ridge portion may be disposed along a perimeter of the drain microphone housing. In one or more aspects, the drain microphone housing may include a glue channel. The glue channel may be disposed along a portion of a perimeter of the drain microphone housing. In one or more aspects, the drain microphone housing may include an inner ridge portion. The inner ridge portion may be disposed along a portion of a perimeter of the glue channel. In one or more aspects, the mesh may include a frame. In one or more aspects, the frame may be configured to interface with the drain microphone housing. In one or more aspects, the mesh may include a flexible stainless steel fabric. In one or more aspects, the mesh may include a hydrophobic coating. In one or more aspects, the hydrophobic coating may be a physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating, a ceramic coating, a nanotechnology coating, or any combination thereof. In one or more aspects, the frame may include one or more chamfered edges. In one or more aspects, the frame may include a flange portion. The flange portion may be configured to interface with an outer ridge portion of the inset drain microphone housing. In one or more aspects, the frame may include a ridge portion. The ridge portion may be configured to interface with a glue channel of the inset drain microphone housing. In one or more aspects, a height of the outer ridge portion or a height of the inner ridge portion may be configured to position the mesh relative to a membrane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] The disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to-scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. [0008] FIGS. 1 A-B are isometric views of an example of an image capture device.

[0009] FIGS. 2A-B are isometric views of another example of an image capture device.

[0010] FIG. 2C is a top view of the image capture device of FIGS. 2A-B.

[0011] FIG. 2D is a partial cross-sectional view of the image capture device of FIG. 2C.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of electronic components of an image capture device.

[0013] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a partial cross-sectional view of a drain microphone architecture.

[0014] FIG. 5 A is a front isometric view of an example of a mesh insert.

[0015] FIG. 5B is a rear isometric view of the example mesh insert of FIG. 5 A.

[0016] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an example of a drain microphone housing.

[0017] FIG. 7A is an isometric view of an example of the drain microphone housing of FIG. 6 with a membrane.

[0018] FIG. 7B is an isometric view of an example of the drain microphone housing of FIG. 6 with a mesh insert.

[0019] FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of an example of a drain microphone housing assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any electronic device. For simplicity, the electronic device is referred to as a camera or image capture device. One or more embodiments disclosed herein may include the use of a hydrophobic acoustic mesh in combination with a membrane. The mesh may include a hydrophobic coating to facilitate the shedding of water away from the microphone. The mesh may be flush with the outer camera housing surface. In one or more embodiments, the mesh may be recessed below the outer camera housing surface to prevent damage during camera use, transport, or storage.

[0021] The mesh and membrane may be stacked so as to minimize the volume between an active portion of the membrane and the mesh. The mesh may serve as a protective layer for the membrane. The mesh and membrane may provide a layered approach to reduce or eliminate water ingress. In an example where the mesh alone may not provide a suitable waterproof barrier during submersion for an extended time and depth, the combination of the mesh and the membrane may provide a suitable waterproof barrier. For example, if water vapor breaches the mesh, the membrane may be configured to prevent water from entering the microphone port and damaging the microphone.

[0022] The mesh may be configured with a carrier to form a mesh insert. The mesh may be sealed to the carrier. For example, the carrier may be a frame to allow attachment to a device housing, such as a camera housing. The frame may be plastic, rubber, silicone, or any other suitable material. The frame may include chamfered edges to allow the flow of water away from a recessed mesh. The frame may be attached to the device housing in a water tight fashion to allow the mesh to be the first waterproof barrier. The embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to all microphone locations on the electronic device to achieve better audio performance in wet conditions. In this example, all the microphone could be considered drain microphones.

[0023] FIGS. 1 A-B are isometric views of an example of an image capture device 100. The image capture device 100 may include a body 102, a lens 104 structured on a front surface of the body 102, various indicators on the front surface of the body 102 (such as light- emitting diodes (LEDs), displays, and the like), various input mechanisms (such as buttons, switches, and/or touch-screens), and electronics (such as imaging electronics, power electronics, etc.) internal to the body 102 for capturing images via the lens 104 and/or performing other functions. The lens 104 is configured to receive light incident upon the lens 104 and to direct received light onto an image sensor internal to the body 102. The image capture device 100 may be configured to capture images and video and to store captured images and video for subsequent display or playback.

[0024] The image capture device 100 may include an LED or another form of indicator 106 to indicate a status of the image capture device 100 and a liquid-crystal display (LCD) or other form of a display 108 to show status information such as battery life, camera mode, elapsed time, and the like. The image capture device 100 may also include a mode button 110 and a shutter button 112 that are configured to allow a user of the image capture device 100 to interact with the image capture device 100. For example, the mode button 110 and the shutter button 112 may be used to turn the image capture device 100 on and off, scroll through modes and settings, and select modes and change settings. The image capture device 100 may include additional buttons or interfaces (not shown) to support and/or control additional functionality.

[0025] The image capture device 100 may include a door 114 coupled to the body 102, for example, using a hinge mechanism 116. The door 114 may be secured to the body 102 using a latch mechanism 118 that releasably engages the body 102 at a position generally opposite the hinge mechanism 116. The door 114 may also include a seal 120 and a battery interface 122. When the door 114 is an open position, access is provided to an input-output (EO) interface 124 for connecting to or communicating with external devices as described below and to a battery receptacle 126 for placement and replacement of a battery (not shown). The battery receptacle 126 includes operative connections (not shown) for power transfer between the battery and the image capture device 100. When the door 114 is in a closed position, the seal 120 engages a flange (not shown) or other interface to provide an environmental seal, and the battery interface 122 engages the battery to secure the battery in the battery receptacle 126. The door 114 can also have a removed position (not shown) where the entire door 114 is separated from the image capture device 100, that is, where both the hinge mechanism 116 and the latch mechanism 118 are decoupled from the body 102 to allow the door 114 to be removed from the image capture device 100.

[0026] The image capture device 100 may include a microphone 128 on a front surface and another microphone 130 on a side surface. In some embodiments, the microphone 130 may be configured as a drain microphone. The image capture device 100 may include other microphones on other surfaces (not shown). The microphones 128, 130 may be configured to receive and record audio signals in conjunction with recording video or separate from recording of video. The image capture device 100 may include a speaker 132 on a bottom surface of the image capture device 100. The image capture device 100 may include other speakers on other surfaces (not shown). The speaker 132 may be configured to play back recorded audio or emit sounds associated with notifications.

[0027] A front surface of the image capture device 100 may include a drainage channel 134. In some embodiments, the drainage channel 134 may be replaced by a mesh and membrane combination as described herein. A bottom surface of the image capture device 100 may include an interconnect mechanism 136 for connecting the image capture device 100 to a handle grip or other securing device. In the example shown in FIG. IB, the interconnect mechanism 136 includes folding protrusions configured to move between a nested or collapsed position as shown and an extended or open position (not shown) that facilitates coupling of the protrusions to mating protrusions of other devices such as handle grips, mounts, clips, or like devices.

[0028] The image capture device 100 may include an interactive display 138 that allows for interaction with the image capture device 100 while simultaneously displaying information on a surface of the image capture device 100.

[0029] The image capture device 100 of FIGS. 1 A-B includes an exterior that encompasses and protects internal electronics. In the present example, the exterior includes six surfaces (i.e. a front face, a left face, a right face, a back face, a top face, and a bottom face) that form a rectangular cuboid. Furthermore, both the front and rear surfaces of the image capture device 100 are rectangular. In other embodiments, the exterior may have a different shape. The image capture device 100 may be made of a rigid material such as plastic, aluminum, steel, or fiberglass. The image capture device 100 may include features other than those described here. For example, the image capture device 100 may include additional buttons or different interface features, such as interchangeable lenses, cold shoes, and hot shoes that can add functional features to the image capture device 100.

[0030] The image capture device 100 may include various types of image sensors, such as charge-coupled device (CCD) sensors, active pixel sensors (APS), complementary metal- oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensors, N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) sensors, and/or any other image sensor or combination of image sensors.

[0031] Although not illustrated, in various embodiments, the image capture device 100 may include other additional electrical components (e.g., an image processor, camera system- on-chip (SoC), etc.), which may be included on one or more circuit boards within the body 102 of the image capture device 100.

[0032] The image capture device 100 may interface with or communicate with an external device, such as an external user interface device (not shown), via a wired or wireless computing communication link (e.g., the I/O interface 124). Any number of computing communication links may be used. The computing communication link may be a direct computing communication link or an indirect computing communication link, such as a link including another device or a network, such as the internet, may be used.

[0033] In some implementations, the computing communication link may be a Wi-Fi link, an infrared link, a Bluetooth (BT) link, a cellular link, a ZigBee link, a near field communications (NFC) link, such as an ISO/IEC 20643 protocol link, an Advanced Network Technology interoperability (ANT+) link, and/or any other wireless communications link or combination of links.

[0034] In some implementations, the computing communication link may be an HDMI link, a USB link, a digital video interface link, a display port interface link, such as a Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) digital display interface link, an Ethernet link, a Thunderbolt link, and/or other wired computing communication link.

[0035] The image capture device 100 may transmit images, such as panoramic images, or portions thereof, to the external user interface device via the computing communication link, and the external user interface device may store, process, display, or a combination thereof the panoramic images.

[0036] The external user interface device may be a computing device, such as a smartphone, a tablet computer, a phablet, a smart watch, a portable computer, personal computing device, and/or another device or combination of devices configured to receive user input, communicate information with the image capture device 100 via the computing communication link, or receive user input and communicate information with the image capture device 100 via the computing communication link.

[0037] The external user interface device may display, or otherwise present, content, such as images or video, acquired by the image capture device 100. For example, a display of the external user interface device may be a viewport into the three-dimensional space represented by the panoramic images or video captured or created by the image capture device 100.

[0038] The external user interface device may communicate information, such as metadata, to the image capture device 100. For example, the external user interface device may send orientation information of the external user interface device with respect to a defined coordinate system to the image capture device 100, such that the image capture device 100 may determine an orientation of the external user interface device relative to the image capture device 100.

[0039] Based on the determined orientation, the image capture device 100 may identify a portion of the panoramic images or video captured by the image capture device 100 for the image capture device 100 to send to the external user interface device for presentation as the viewport. In some implementations, based on the determined orientation, the image capture device 100 may determine the location of the external user interface device and/or the dimensions for viewing of a portion of the panoramic images or video.

[0040] The external user interface device may implement or execute one or more applications to manage or control the image capture device 100. For example, the external user interface device may include an application for controlling camera configuration, video acquisition, video display, or any other configurable or controllable aspect of the image capture device 100.

[0041] The user interface device, such as via an application, may generate and share, such as via a cloud-based or social media service, one or more images, or short video clips, such as in response to user input. In some implementations, the external user interface device, such as via an application, may remotely control the image capture device 100 such as in response to user input.

[0042] The external user interface device, such as via an application, may display unprocessed or minimally processed images or video captured by the image capture device 100 contemporaneously with capturing the images or video by the image capture device 100, such as for shot framing or live preview, and which may be performed in response to user input. In some implementations, the external user interface device, such as via an application, may mark one or more key moments contemporaneously with capturing the images or video by the image capture device 100, such as with a tag or highlight in response to a user input or user gesture.

[0043] The external user interface device, such as via an application, may display or otherwise present marks or tags associated with images or video, such as in response to user input. For example, marks may be presented in a camera roll application for location review and/or playback of video highlights.

[0044] The external user interface device, such as via an application, may wirelessly control camera software, hardware, or both. For example, the external user interface device may include a web-based graphical interface accessible by a user for selecting a live or previously recorded video stream from the image capture device 100 for display on the external user interface device.

[0045] The external user interface device may receive information indicating a user setting, such as an image resolution setting (e.g., 3840 pixels by 2160 pixels), a frame rate setting (e.g., 60 frames per second (fps)), a location setting, and/or a context setting, which may indicate an activity, such as mountain biking, in response to user input, and may communicate the settings, or related information, to the image capture device 100.

[0046] FIGS. 2A-B illustrate another example of an image capture device 200. The image capture device 200 includes a body 202 and two camera lenses 204 and 206 disposed on opposing surfaces of the body 202, for example, in a back-to-back configuration, Janus configuration, or offset Janus configuration. The body 202 of the image capture device 200 may be made of a rigid material such as plastic, aluminum, steel, or fiberglass.

[0047] The image capture device 200 includes various indicators on the front of the surface of the body 202 (such as LEDs, displays, and the like), various input mechanisms (such as buttons, switches, and touch-screen mechanisms), and electronics (e.g., imaging electronics, power electronics, etc.) internal to the body 202 that are configured to support image capture via the two camera lenses 204 and 206 and/or perform other imaging functions.

[0048] The image capture device 200 includes various indicators, for example, LEDs 208, 210 to indicate a status of the image capture device 100. The image capture device 200 may include a mode button 212 and a shutter button 214 configured to allow a user of the image capture device 200 to interact with the image capture device 200, to turn the image capture device 200 on, and to otherwise configure the operating mode of the image capture device 200. It should be appreciated, however, that, in alternate embodiments, the image capture device 200 may include additional buttons or inputs to support and/or control additional functionality.

[0049] The image capture device 200 may include an interconnect mechanism 216 for connecting the image capture device 200 to a handle grip or other securing device. In the example shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the interconnect mechanism 216 includes folding protrusions configured to move between a nested or collapsed position (not shown) and an extended or open position as shown that facilitates coupling of the protrusions to mating protrusions of other devices such as handle grips, mounts, clips, or like devices.

[0050] The image capture device 200 may include audio components 218, 220, 222 such as microphones configured to receive and record audio signals (e.g., voice or other audio commands) in conjunction with recording video. The audio component 218, 220, 222 can also be configured to play back audio signals or provide notifications or alerts, for example, using speakers. Placement of the audio components 218, 220, 222 may be on one or more of several surfaces of the image capture device 200. In the example of FIGS. 2A and 2B, the image capture device 200 includes three audio components 218, 220, 222, with the audio component 218 on a front surface, the audio component 220 on a side surface, and the audio component 222 on a back surface of the image capture device 200. Other numbers and configurations for the audio components are also possible.

[0051] The image capture device 200 may include an interactive display 224 that allows for interaction with the image capture device 200 while simultaneously displaying information on a surface of the image capture device 200. The interactive display 224 may include an I/O interface, receive touch inputs, display image information during video capture, and/or provide status information to a user. The status information provided by the interactive display 224 may include battery power level, memory card capacity, time elapsed for a recorded video, etc.

[0052] The image capture device 200 may include a release mechanism 225 that receives a user input to in order to change a position of a door (not shown) of the image capture device 200. The release mechanism 225 may be used to open the door (not shown) in order to access a battery, a battery receptacle, an I/O interface, a memory card interface, etc. (not shown) that are similar to components described in respect to the image capture device 100 of FIGS. 1 A and IB.

[0053] In some embodiments, the image capture device 200 described herein includes features other than those described. For example, instead of the I/O interface and the interactive display 224, the image capture device 200 may include additional interfaces or different interface features. For example, the image capture device 200 may include additional buttons or different interface features, such as interchangeable lenses, cold shoes, and hot shoes that can add functional features to the image capture device 200.

[0054] FIG. 2C is a top view of the image capture device 200 of FIGS. 2A-B and FIG.

2D is a partial cross-sectional view of the image capture device 200 of FIG. 2C. The image capture device 200 is configured to capture spherical images, and accordingly, includes a first image capture device 226 and a second image capture device 228. The first image capture device 226 defines a first field-of-view 230 and includes the lens 204 that receives and directs light onto a first image sensor 232. Similarly, the second image capture device 228 defines a second field-of-view 234 and includes the lens 206 that receives and directs light onto a second image sensor 236. To facilitate the capture of spherical images, the image capture devices 226 and 228 (and related components) may be arranged in a back-to-back (Janus) configuration such that the lenses 204, 206 face in generally opposite directions.

[0055] The fields-of-view 230, 234 of the lenses 204, 206 are shown above and below boundaries 238, 240 indicated in dotted line. Behind the first lens 204, the first image sensor 232 may capture a first hyper-hemispherical image plane from light entering the first lens 204, and behind the second lens 206, the second image sensor 236 may capture a second hyper-hemispherical image plane from light entering the second lens 206.

[0056] One or more areas, such as blind spots 242, 244 may be outside of the fields-of- view 230, 234 of the lenses 204, 206 so as to define a “dead zone.” In the dead zone, light may be obscured from the lenses 204, 206 and the corresponding image sensors 232, 236, and content in the blind spots 242, 244 may be omitted from capture. In some implementations, the image capture devices 226, 228 may be configured to minimize the blind spots 242, 244. [0057] The fields-of-view 230, 234 may overlap. Stitch points 246, 248 proximal to the image capture device 200, that is, locations at which the fields-of-view 230, 234 overlap, may be referred to herein as overlap points or stitch points. Content captured by the respective lenses 204, 206 that is distal to the stitch points 246, 248 may overlap.

[0058] Images contemporaneously captured by the respective image sensors 232, 236 may be combined to form a combined image. Generating a combined image may include correlating the overlapping regions captured by the respective image sensors 232, 236, aligning the captured fields-of-view 230, 234, and stitching the images together to form a cohesive combined image. [0059] A slight change in the alignment, such as position and/or tilt, of the lenses 204, 206, the image sensors 232, 236, or both, may change the relative positions of their respective fields-of-view 230, 234 and the locations of the stitch points 246, 248. A change in alignment may affect the size of the blind spots 242, 244, which may include changing the size of the blind spots 242, 244 unequally.

[0060] Incomplete or inaccurate information indicating the alignment of the image capture devices 226, 228, such as the locations of the stitch points 246, 248, may decrease the accuracy, efficiency, or both of generating a combined image. In some implementations, the image capture device 200 may maintain information indicating the location and orientation of the lenses 204, 206 and the image sensors 232, 236 such that the fields-of-view 230, 234, the stitch points 246, 248, or both may be accurately determined; the maintained information may improve the accuracy, efficiency, or both of generating a combined image.

[0061] The lenses 204, 206 may be laterally offset from each other, may be off-center from a central axis of the image capture device 200, or may be laterally offset and off-center from the central axis. As compared to image capture devices with back-to-back lenses, such as lenses aligned along the same axis, image capture devices including laterally offset lenses may include substantially reduced thickness relative to the lengths of the lens barrels securing the lenses. For example, the overall thickness of the image capture device 200 may be close to the length of a single lens barrel as opposed to twice the length of a single lens barrel as in a back-to-back lens configuration. Reducing the lateral distance between the lenses 204, 206 may improve the overlap in the fields-of-view 230, 234. In another embodiment (not shown), the lenses 204, 206 may be aligned along a common imaging axis.

[0062] Images or frames captured by the image capture devices 226, 228 may be combined, merged, or stitched together to produce a combined image, such as a spherical or panoramic image, which may be an equirectangular planar image. In some implementations, generating a combined image may include use of techniques including noise reduction, tone mapping, white balancing, or other image correction. In some implementations, pixels along the stitch boundary may be matched accurately to minimize boundary discontinuities.

[0063] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of electronic components in an image capture device 300. The image capture device 300 may be a single-lens image capture device, a multi-lens image capture device, or variations thereof, including an image capture device with multiple capabilities such as use of interchangeable integrated sensor lens assemblies. The description of the image capture device 300 is also applicable to the image capture devices 100, 200 of FIGS. 1 A-B and 2A-D. [0064] The image capture device 300 includes a body 302 which includes electronic components such as capture components 310, a processing apparatus 320, data interface components 330, movement sensors 340, power components 350, and/or user interface components 360.

[0065] The capture components 310 include one or more image sensors 312 for capturing images and one or more microphones 314 for capturing audio.

[0066] The image sensor(s) 312 is configured to detect light of a certain spectrum (e.g., the visible spectrum or the infrared spectrum) and convey information constituting an image as electrical signals (e.g., analog or digital signals). The image sensor(s) 312 detects light incident through a lens coupled or connected to the body 302. The image sensor(s) 312 may be any suitable type of image sensor, such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor, active pixel sensor (APS), complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) sensor, and/or any other image sensor or combination of image sensors. Image signals from the image sensor(s) 312 may be passed to other electronic components of the image capture device 300 via a bus 380, such as to the processing apparatus 320. In some implementations, the image sensor(s) 312 includes a digital-to-analog converter. A multi-lens variation of the image capture device 300 can include multiple image sensors 312.

[0067] The microphone(s) 314 is configured to detect sound, which may be recorded in conjunction with capturing images to form a video. The microphone(s) 314 may also detect sound in order to receive audible commands to control the image capture device 300.

[0068] The processing apparatus 320 may be configured to perform image signal processing (e.g., filtering, tone mapping, stitching, and/or encoding) to generate output images based on image data from the image sensor(s) 312. The processing apparatus 320 may include one or more processors having single or multiple processing cores. In some implementations, the processing apparatus 320 may include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). For example, the processing apparatus 320 may include a custom image signal processor. The processing apparatus 320 may exchange data (e.g., image data) with other components of the image capture device 300, such as the image sensor(s) 312, via the bus 380.

[0069] The processing apparatus 320 may include memory, such as a random-access memory (RAM) device, flash memory, or another suitable type of storage device, such as a non-transitory computer-readable memory. The memory of the processing apparatus 320 may include executable instructions and data that can be accessed by one or more processors of the processing apparatus 320. For example, the processing apparatus 320 may include one or more dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) modules, such as double data rate synchronous dynamic random-access memory (DDR SDRAM). In some implementations, the processing apparatus 320 may include a digital signal processor (DSP). More than one processing apparatus may also be present or associated with the image capture device 300. [0070] The data interface components 330 enable communication between the image capture device 300 and other electronic devices, such as a remote control, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, or a storage device. For example, the data interface components 330 may be used to receive commands to operate the image capture device 300, transfer image data to other electronic devices, and/or transfer other signals or information to and from the image capture device 300. The data interface components 330 may be configured for wired and/or wireless communication. For example, the data interface components 330 may include an I/O interface 332 that provides wired communication for the image capture device, which may be a USB interface (e.g., USB type- C), a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), or a FireWire interface. The data interface components 330 may include a wireless data interface 334 that provides wireless communication for the image capture device 300, such as a Bluetooth interface, a ZigBee interface, and/or a Wi-Fi interface. The data interface components 330 may include a storage interface 336, such as a memory card slot configured to receive and operatively couple to a storage device (e.g., a memory card) for data transfer with the image capture device 300 (e.g., for storing captured images and/or recorded audio and video).

[0071] The movement sensors 340 may detect the position and movement of the image capture device 300. The movement sensors 340 may include a position sensor 342, an accelerometer 344, or a gyroscope 346. The position sensor 342, such as a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, is used to determine a position of the image capture device 300. The accelerometer 344, such as a three-axis accelerometer, measures linear motion (e.g., linear acceleration) of the image capture device 300. The gyroscope 346, such as a three-axis gyroscope, measures rotational motion (e.g., rate of rotation) of the image capture device 300. Other types of movement sensors 340 may also be present or associated with the image capture device 300.

[0072] The power components 350 may receive, store, and/or provide power for operating the image capture device 300. The power components 350 may include a battery interface 352 and a battery 354. The battery interface 352 operatively couples to the battery 354, for example, with conductive contacts to transfer power from the battery 354 to the other electronic components of the image capture device 300. The power components 350 may also include an external interface 356, and the power components 350 may, via the external interface 356, receive power from an external source, such as a wall plug or external battery, for operating the image capture device 300 and/or charging the battery 354 of the image capture device 300. In some implementations, the external interface 356 may be the I/O interface 332. In such an implementation, the I/O interface 332 may enable the power components 350 to receive power from an external source over a wired data interface component (e.g., a USB type-C cable).

[0073] The user interface components 360 may allow the user to interact with the image capture device 300, for example, providing outputs to the user and receiving inputs from the user. The user interface components 360 may include visual output components 362 to visually communicate information and/or present captured images to the user. The visual output components 362 may include one or more lights 364 and/or more displays 366. The display(s) 366 may be configured as a touch screen that receives inputs from the user. The user interface components 360 may also include one or more speakers 368. The speaker(s)

368 can function as an audio output component that audibly communicates information and/or presents recorded audio to the user. The user interface components 360 may also include one or more physical input interfaces 370 that are physically manipulated by the user to provide input to the image capture device 300. The physical input interfaces 370 may, for example, be configured as buttons, toggles, or switches. The user interface components 360 may also be considered to include the microphone(s) 314, as indicated in dotted line, and the microphone(s) 314 may function to receive audio inputs from the user, such as voice commands.

[0074] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a partial cross-sectional view of a drain microphone architecture 400. As shown in FIG. 4, the drain microphone architecture 400 includes a housing 410, a membrane 420, a mesh 430, a gasket 440, a circuit board 450, and a microphone 460.

[0075] The housing 410 may be a device housing such as an outer housing of a camera. The housing 410 includes a port 470 to allow passage of soundwaves from an external area of the device to an internal area of the device.

[0076] The membrane 420 is attached to the outer surface of the housing 410. The membrane includes an active portion and a non-active portion. The active portion may be responsive to the vibrational energy of the soundwaves. The active portion of the membrane 420 may have a diameter that is substantially the same as the diameter of the port 470. In some examples, the diameter of the active portion of the membrane 420 may be larger or smaller than the diameter of the port 470. The non-active portion of the membrane 420 may be attached to the outer surface of the housing 410 using an adhesive tape or glue.

[0077] The mesh 430 is attached to the outer surface of the housing 410, the non-active portion of the membrane 420, or both. The mesh 430 may be attached to the outer surface of the housing via a frame. In some embodiments, a frame may not be required, and the mesh 430 may be attached directly to the outer surface of the housing. The mesh 430 may be flush with the outer surface of the housing 410, or in some implementations, the mesh 430 may be recessed within the outer surface of the housing 410 in a sub-flush implementation. The mesh 430 may be a flexible stainless steel mesh. The mesh 430 may have a hydrophobic coating. The hydrophobic coating may be a physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating, a ceramic coating, or any nanotechnology coating. The mesh 430 may be of any size or shape. The dimensions of the mesh 430 are such that the surface area of the mesh is large enough to not allow water to pool and obstruct the port 470. Accordingly, the surface area of the mesh 430 should be greater than a droplet of water, or greater than 1 mm in diameter.

[0078] The gasket 440 is attached to an inner surface of the housing 410 and the circuit board 450. The gasket 440 may be attached to the inner surface of the housing 410 and the circuit board 450 using an adhesive tape or glue. The gasket 440 may be made of a compressible material such as foam rubber, rubber, silicone, or plastic. The gasket 440 includes an opening 480. The opening 480 may have a diameter that is substantially similar to the diameter of the port 470. In some examples, the diameter of the opening 480 may be larger or smaller than the diameter of the port 470.

[0079] The circuit board 450 may be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a flexible printed circuit (FPC). The circuit board 450 includes a port 490 to allow passage of soundwaves from the port 470, through the opening 480, to the microphone 460.

[0080] FIG. 5 A is a front isometric view of an example of a mesh insert 500. The mesh insert 500 is configured to be inset into a drain microphone housing, such as the drain microphone housing 600 shown in FIG. 6. In this example, the mesh insert 500 includes a frame 510 and a mesh 520. The mesh 520 may be any mesh, such as mesh 430 shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 5A, the frame 510 may include chamfered edges 530 to allow water to discharge from the surface of the mesh 520 via gravity or other means. The chamfered edges 530 may allow for a sub-flush implementation of the mesh 520.

[0081] FIG. 5B is a rear isometric view of the example mesh insert 500 of FIG. 5 A. The frame 510 may include a flange portion 540. The flange portion 540 may be configured to attach to an outer surface of a housing, such as housing 410 shown in FIG. 4. The flange portion 540 may be secured to the outer surface of the housing such that the outer face of the flange portion 540 is flush with the outer surface of the housing. The frame 510 includes a ridge portion 550 that protrudes above the mesh 520. The ridge portion 550 is configured to be inset into a glue channel to form a tongue-and-groove joint, as shown in FIG. 8. The height of the ridge portion 550 may be varied to adjust the spacing between the mesh 520 and a membrane, such as membrane 420 shown in FIG. 4.

[0082] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an example of a drain microphone housing 600.

The drain microphone housing 600 may be an inset in an outer surface of a device housing, such as housing 410 shown in FIG. 4. The drain microphone housing 600 may be configured to accept a mesh assembly, such as mesh insert 500 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. As shown in FIG. 6, the drain microphone housing 600 includes an outer ridge portion 610, a glue channel 620, a membrane inset 630, a microphone port 640, and an inner ridge portion 650.

[0083] The outer ridge portion 610 is formed from the outer surface of the housing and is configured to interface with a flange portion of a frame, such as the flange portion 540 of frame 510 shown in FIG. 5B. The height of the outer ridge portion 610 may be varied to adjust the space between a membrane and a mesh, such as membrane 420 and mesh 430 shown in FIG. 4. For example, increasing the height of the outer ridge portion 610 would increase the space between the membrane and the mesh. In some examples, the outer ridge portion 610 may be configured with a height such that the membrane is in contact with the non-active portion of the membrane. The outer ridge portion 610 may be disposed along the perimeter of the drain microphone housing 600. In some embodiments, the outer ridge portion 610 may be disposed along one or more portions of the drain microphone housing 600.

[0084] The glue channel 620 is formed from the outer surface of the housing and is configured to interface with a ridge portion of a frame, such as the ridge portion 550 of frame 510 shown in FIG. 5B, to form a joint. The joint may be any type of joint, for example, a tongue-and-groove joint. The glue channel 620 may be disposed along the perimeter of the drain microphone housing 600. In some embodiments, the glue channel 620 may be disposed along one or more portions of the drain microphone housing 600. The glue channel 620 may include a notch to accommodate excess glue at the starting glue point, the ending glue point, or both. In some embodiments, the starting glue point and the ending glue points may be the same. In some embodiments, the glue channel 620 may not be present and the frame may be secured to the housing using any other type of fastener, for example, one or more screws. [0085] The membrane inset 630 is a recess that is formed from the outer surface of the housing and is configured to interface with a membrane, such as membrane 420 shown in FIG. 4. The size and shape of the membrane inset 630 may may be substantially the same as the membrane. The depth of the membrane inset 630 may be adjusted to control the spacing between the membrane relative to the mesh. For example, as the depth of the membrane inset 630 increases, the spacing between the mesh and the membrane would increase. The non active area of the membrane may be attached to the membrane inset 630 using an adhesive tape or glue. The membrane inset 630 includes a microphone port 640, such as the port 470 shown in FIG. 4. Microphone port 640 is an opening in the housing that is configured to allow passage of soundwaves from an external area of the device to an internal area of the device.

[0086] The inner ridge portion 650 is formed from the outer surface of the housing and is configured to interface with a mesh, such as mesh 430 shown in FIG. 4. The inner ridge portion 650 may be of any size or shape, and may be disposed along a perimeter of the glue channel 620. In some embodiments, the inner ridge portion may be disposed along one or more portions of the perimeter of the glue channel 620. The height of the inner ridge portion 650 may be varied to adjust the space between the membrane and the mesh. For example, increasing the height of the inner ridge portion 650 would increase the space between the membrane and the mesh. In some examples, the inner ridge portion 650 may be configured with a height such that the membrane is in contact with the non-active portion of the membrane.

[0087] FIG. 7A is an isometric view of an example of the drain microphone housing 600 of FIG. 6 with a membrane 700. As shown in FIG. 7A, the membrane 700 includes an active portion 710 and a non-active portion 720. The active portion 710 is configured to allow passage of vibrational sound waves from an external area of the device housing towards the microphone internal to the device housing. The active portion 710 may have a diameter that is substantially similar to a diameter of a microphone port, such as microphone port 640 shown in FIG. 6. In some embodiments, the active portion 710 may have a diameter that is larger or smaller than the microphone port.

[0088] The membrane 700 may include a substantially circular film, referred to as the active portion 710, with an outside perimeter aligned with a membrane inset, such as membrane inset 630 shown in FIG. 6. The active portion 710 is configured to protect the microphone from dust, water, and other adverse materials and environments. The membrane 700 may have a front side and a back side. The front side of the microphone membrane may face towards an external surface of the housing and the backside may face an internal portion of the housing. The front side of the membrane 700 may be coupled to a mesh, such as mesh 520 shown in FIGS. 5 A and 5B. The active portion 710 of the membrane 700 may be configured to vibrate and translate sound waves from external to the device housing through the membrane 700 towards the microphone such that the microphone is able to detect audio signals from the external environment. The active portion 710 of the membrane 700 may vibrate in submerged, partially wet, and dry environments such that audio recording in all environments is possible. The non-active portion 720 of the membrane 700 may be attached to the outer surface of the housing using a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), adhesive tape, or glue. The membrane 700 may be constructed of a material that is impermeable to air, water, and particulate matter. In some embodiments the membrane 700 may be constructed from plastic, rubber, silicone, foils, or any other suitable material.

[0089] FIG. 7B is an isometric view of an example of the drain microphone housing 600 of FIG. 6 with a mesh insert, such as mesh insert 500 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. The mesh insert is configured to be inset into the drain microphone housing 600. In this example, the mesh insert includes a frame 730 and a mesh 740. The mesh 740 may be any mesh, such as mesh 430 shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 7B, the frame 730 may include chamfered edges 750 to allow water to discharge from the surface of the mesh 740 via gravity or other means. The chamfered edges 750 may allow for a sub-flush implementation of the mesh 740. [0090] FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of an example of a drain microphone housing assembly 800. As shown in FIG. 4, the drain microphone housing assembly 800 includes a housing 810, a membrane 820, a mesh 830, a gasket 840, a circuit board 850, and a microphone 860.

[0091] The housing 810 may be a device housing such as an outer housing of a camera. The housing 810 includes a port 870 to allow passage of soundwaves from an external area of the device to an internal area of the device. The housing 810 includes an outer ridge portion 810A, an inner ridge portion 810B, and a glue channel 810C. The inner ridge portion 810B may form a membrane inset, such as membrane inset 630 shown in FIG. 6.

[0092] The membrane 820 is attached to the outer surface of the housing 810. The membrane 820 includes an active portion 820 A and a non-active portion 820B. The active portion 820Amay be responsive to the vibrational energy of the soundwaves. The active portion 820A of the membrane 820 may have a diameter that is substantially the same as the diameter of the port 870. In some examples, the diameter of the active portion 820A of the membrane 820 may be larger or smaller than the diameter of the port 870. The non-active portion 820B of the membrane 820 may be attached to the outer surface of the housing 810 using a PSA, an adhesive tape, or glue.

[0093] The mesh 830 is attached to the inner ridge portion 810B the outer surface of the housing 810, the non-active portion 820B of the membrane 820, or both. The mesh 830 may be attached to the outer surface of the housing via a frame 877. In this example, the mesh 830 is recessed within the outer surface of the housing 810 in a sub-flush implementation. The frame 877 includes a ridge portion 877Athat is configured to be inset into a glue channel 8 IOC to form a tongue-and-groove joint. The height of the ridge portion 877A, the height of the inner ridge portion 810B, or both, may be varied to adjust the spacing between the mesh 830 and the membrane 820 shown in FIG. 4. In some embodiments, the non-active portion 820B may extend beyond the surface of the active portion 820A such that a space is created between the mesh 830 and the membrane 820 when the mesh 830 is in contact with the non active portion 820B of the membrane 820. To enhance audio quality, the space should be minimized while leaving enough space to allow the active portion 820A of the membrane 820 to vibrate.

[0094] The mesh 830 may be a flexible stainless steel mesh. The mesh 830 may have a hydrophobic coating. The hydrophobic coating may be a PVD coating, a ceramic coating, or any nanotechnology coating. The mesh 830 may be of any size or shape. The dimensions of the mesh 830 are such that the surface area of the mesh is large enough to not allow water to pool and obstruct the port 870. Accordingly, the surface area of the mesh 830 should be greater than a droplet of water, or greater than 1 mm in diameter.

[0095] The gasket 840 is attached to an inner surface of the housing 810 and the circuit board 850. The gasket 840 may be attached to the inner surface of the housing 810 and the circuit board 850 using an adhesive tape or glue. The gasket 840 may be made of a compressible material such as foam rubber, rubber, silicone, or plastic. The gasket 840 includes an opening 880. The opening 880 may have a diameter that is substantially similar to the diameter of the port 870. In some examples, the diameter of the opening 880 may be larger or smaller than the diameter of the port 870.

[0096] The circuit board 850 may be a PCB) or an FPC. The circuit board 850 includes a port 890 to allow passage of soundwaves from the port 870, through the opening 880, to the microphone 860.

[0097] While the disclosure has been described in connection with certain embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.