Earbud case with charging system

• US 10,182,282 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2016
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: McPeak, James L., Chandramohan, Chandrahas Aralaguppe, Zorkendorfer, Rico L., Panecki, Lee M., Kasar, Darshan R., Wagman, Daniel C., Rich, Zachary C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaufman, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US15/275,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 843 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/24 Etuis for purposes not covered by a single one of groups A45C11/02 - A45C11/22, A45C11/26, A45C11/32 - A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/005 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/02 Interior fittings; Means, e.g. inserts, for holding and packing articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1069 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/001 for portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or MP3-players
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2013/026 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/02 Internal fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/16 hinged for upward or downward movement cigar or cigarette receptacles A24F15/00; suitcases, ètuis A45C; casings for cosmetic substances with hinged covers A45D40/22; toolboxes B25H3/02; hinges of door or similar type E05D ; boxes for switchboards with hinged covers H02B1/066
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/83 Use of a magnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/521 Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• 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 1/1058 : Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 : Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2826 : for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2857 : for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/345 : for loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/105 : Manufacture of mono- or stereophonic headphone components
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 : Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 : Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/09 : Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips H04R2460/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/17 : Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 : Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/025 : Magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/06 : Loudspeakers

Abstract

A case for a pair of earbuds includes a housing having cavities to receive the pair of earbuds and charging circuitry that is configured to initiate charging of the pair of earbuds when an earbud detector detects that the earbuds are inserted within the cavities.

Claims

1. A case for an earbud, the case comprising:

a housing having a cavity configured to receive the earbud;

a lid attached to the housing and operable between a closed position where the lid is aligned over the cavity and an open position where the lid is displaced from the cavity;

a lid sensor, at least a portion of which is affixed to the housing, configured to detect when the lid is in the closed position and when the lid is in the open position; and

a charging system including a case battery, and

charging circuitry configured to charge the earbud when the earbud is positioned in the cavity; and

circuitry coupled to the lid sensor and configured to turn off a wireless radio contained within the earbud when the lid sensor detects the lid is moved from the open position to the closed position.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein the housing includes an earbud sensor configured to detect when the earbud is placed in the cavity.

3. The case of claim 2 wherein the charging circuitry is configured to initiate charging of the earbud when the earbud sensor detects the earbud within the cavity.

4. The case of claim 2 wherein the earbud sensor periodically applies a voltage to an earbud charging contact positioned within the cavity to detect the earbud.

5. The case of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further configured to turn on the wireless radio contained within the earbud when the lid sensor detects the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position.

6. The case of claim 1 wherein the circuitry comprises a processor that generates instructions for the earbud to turn on and turn off the wireless radio contained within the earbud.

7. The case of claim 6 wherein the instructions are sent to the earbud through an electrical connector that couples the earbud to the circuitry.

8. A case for transporting and charging a portable listening device that includes a rechargeable battery and a power contact, the case comprising:

a housing configured to receive the portable listening device;

a lid attached to the housing and operable between a closed position where the lid conceals the listening device within the case and an open position where the lid is displaced from the housing such that a user can remove the listening device from the case;

a lid sensor, at least a portion of which is affixed to the housing, configured to detect when the lid is in the closed position and when the lid is in the open position;

charging circuitry configured to charge the rechargeable battery when the portable listening device is placed in the housing; and

circuitry coupled to the lid sensor and configured to turn off a wireless radio contained within the portable listening device when the lid sensor detects the lid is moved from the open position to the closed position.

9. The case of claim 8 wherein the circuitry is further configured to turn on the wireless radio contained within the portable listening device when the lid sensor detects the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position.

10. The case of claim 8 wherein the circuitry comprises a processor that generates instructions for the portable listening device to turn on and turn off the wireless radio contained within the portable listening device.

11. The case of claim 10 wherein the instructions are sent to the portable listening device through an electrical connector that couples the portable listening device to the circuitry.

12. The case of claim 8 wherein the housing includes a portable listening device sensor configured to detect when the portable listening device is placed in the cavity.

13. The case of claim 12 wherein the portable listening device sensor periodically applies a voltage to a portable listening device charging contact positioned within the cavity to detect the portable listening device.

14. The case of claim 12 wherein the charging circuitry is configured to initiate charging of the portable listening device when the portable listening device sensor detects the portable listening device within the cavity.

15. A case for an earbud, the case comprising:

a housing having a cavity configured to receive the earbud;

a lid attached to the housing and operable between a closed position where the lid is aligned over the cavity and an open position where the lid is displaced from the cavity;

a lid sensor, at least a portion of which is affixed to the housing, configured to detect when the lid is in the closed position and when the lid is in the open position; and

a charging system including a case battery and charging circuitry configured to charge the earbud when the earbud is positioned in the cavity; and

circuitry coupled to the lid sensor and configured to turn on a wireless radio contained within the earbud when the lid sensor detects the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position.

16. The case of claim 15 wherein the circuitry is further configured to turn off the wireless radio contained within the of earbud when the lid sensor detects the lid is moved from the open position to the closed position.

17. The case of claim 15 wherein the circuitry comprises a processor that generates instructions for the earbud to turn on and turn off the wireless radio contained within the earbud.

18. The case of claim 17 wherein the instructions are sent to the earbud through an electrical connector that couples the earbud to the circuitry.

19. The case of claim 15 wherein the housing includes an earbud sensor configured to detect when the earbud is placed in the cavity.

20. The case of claim 19 wherein the charging circuitry is configured to initiate charging of the earbud when the earbud sensor detects the earbud within the cavity.