Power control for battery powered personal area network device system and method

• US 10,117,014 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2017
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Hirsch, Eric Christian, Boesen, Peter Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Bernardi, Brenda C
• Application Number:
  US15/837,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20180109867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for managing wireless earpieces. Circuitry of the wireless earpieces are powered utilizing a high power mode in response to detecting a magnetic field is not applied to one or more of the wireless earpieces. The power sent to the circuitry of the wireless earpieces is altered to a low power mode in response to detecting the magnetic field is applied to one or more of the wireless earpieces.

Claims

1. A method for managing a wireless earpiece, comprising:

powering circuitry of the wireless earpiece utilizing a low power mode in response to detecting a magnetic field is applied to the wireless earpiece; and

altering the power sent to the circuitry of the wireless earpiece to a high power mode in response to detecting a magnetic field is not applied to one or more of the wireless earpieces.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating the wireless earpiece utilizing an onboard battery in response to detecting the magnetic field is not applied to the wireless earpiece.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

charging an onboard battery of the wireless earpiece in response to detecting a magnetic field is applied to the wireless earpiece.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is applied by a magnet of a smart case configured to receive the wireless earpiece.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is detected by a reed switch of the wireless earpiece.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling the wireless earpiece to a smart case, wherein the smart case applies a magnetic field to the wireless earpiece.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is detected by a reed switch integrated in magnetic contacts that interface with a smart case for securing the wireless earpiece.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

synchronizing data between the wireless earpiece and a smart case in response to detecting the magnetic field.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the low power mode is a power saver mode.

10. A system comprising:

a left earpiece and a right earpiece each of the left earpiece and the right earpiece comprising circuitry operating the earpiece, a battery powering the circuitry operating the earpiece, and a reed switch connecting the battery to the circuitry, wherein the reed switch connects the circuitry to the battery when a magnetic field is not detected and wherein the reed switch disconnects the circuitry from the battery when a magnetic field is detected;

a smart case housing for charging the left earpiece and the right earpiece;

a first receptacle for receiving the left earpiece disposed within the smart case housing;

a second receptacle for receiving a right earpiece disposed within the smart case housing;

a first interface associated with the first receptacle for electrically connecting the smart case to the left earpiece;

a second interface associated with the second receptacle for electrically connecting the smart case to the right earpiece;

an intelligent control disposed within the smart case housing and operatively connected to the first interface and the second interface.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the smart case further comprises a display.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the display is moveably connected to the smart case to transition from a first position to a second position.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the smart case further comprises at least one manual input for receiving user input to provide additional functionality.