Headset connector

• US 10,516,931 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2018
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hankey, M. Evans, Sanford, Emery A., Prest, Christopher D., Lim, Way Chet
• Primary Examiner(s): Joshi, Sunita
• Application Number:
  US16/212,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20190132665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• 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 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/105 Manufacture of mono- or stereophonic headphone components
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 : Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/556 : External connectors, e.g. plugs or modules H04R25/607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 : Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 : of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 : of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 : by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 : at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 : characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device including a housing having a socket to receive the portable wireless listening device; a battery; wireless circuitry that enables the apparatus to communicate wirelessly with a host device; power transmitting circuitry configured to provide power to the portable wireless listening device when the device is received in the socket to charge a battery within the portable wireless listening device; and a processor configured to configured to establish a wireless communication protocol between the portable wireless listening device and the host device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device that includes a first plurality of electrical contacts disposed at an exterior surface of the portable listening device, a first battery and a magnetic element, the apparatus comprising:

a housing including a socket to receive the portable wireless listening device;

a second battery;

wireless circuitry that enables the apparatus to communicate wirelessly with a host device;

a magnet positioned to, when the portable wireless listening device is received in the socket, magnetically couple with the magnetic element of the portable wireless listening device to secure the portable wireless listening device in the socket;

a second plurality of electrical contacts disposed within the socket and positioned to electrically couple with the first plurality of electrical contacts when the portable wireless listening device is received in the socket;

power transmitting circuitry coupled to the second plurality of electrical contacts and configured to provide power to the second plurality of electrical contacts when the portable wireless listening device is received in the socket to charge the second battery in the portable wireless listening device; and

a processor disposed within the housing and configured to initiate wireless pairing of the portable wireless listening device to the host device in response to a user interaction.

2. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to, during the wireless pairing, put the portable wireless listening device in a discoverable mode.

3. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 1 wherein the wireless pairing enables the host device to communicate with the portable wireless listening device via a Bluetooth protocol.

4. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 3 wherein the processor is further configured to provide a Bluetooth PIN of the portable wireless listening device to the host device.

5. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 1 wherein the portable wireless listening device further includes an elongated tube and a speaker housing integrally formed with and protruding away from the elongated tube and wherein the socket of the housing is configured to receive the elongated tube of the portable wireless listening device.

6. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to provide identity information for the portable wireless listening device to the host device.

7. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to identify the portable wireless device and the host device.

8. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured to authenticate the portable wireless device and the host device.

9. An apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device that includes a first battery, battery charging circuitry and a magnetic element, the apparatus comprising:

a housing including a socket to receive the portable wireless listening device;

a second battery;

wireless circuitry that enables the apparatus to communicate wirelessly with a host device;

a magnet positioned to, when the portable wireless listening device is received in the socket, magnetically couple with the magnetic element of the portable wireless listening device to secure the portable wireless listening device in the socket;

power transmitting circuitry configured to provide power to the battery charging circuitry when the portable wireless listening device is received in the socket to charge the first battery in the portable wireless listening device; and

a processor disposed within the housing and configured to initiate wireless pairing of the portable wireless listening device to the host device in response to a user interaction.

10. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 9 wherein the wireless communication is performed via a Bluetooth protocol and the processor is further configured to, during the wireless pairing, put the portable wireless listening device in a discoverable mode, in response to a user input.

11. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to provide a Bluetooth PIN of the portable wireless listening device to the host device.

12. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 9 wherein the portable wireless listening device further includes an elongated tube and a speaker housing integrally formed with and protruding away from the elongated tube and wherein the socket of the housing is configured to receive the elongated tube of the portable wireless listening device.

13. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 9 wherein processor is further configured to provide identity information for the portable wireless listening device to the host device.

14. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to identify the portable wireless device and the host device.

15. An apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device that includes a first battery and battery charging circuitry, the apparatus comprising:

a housing including a socket to receive the portable wireless listening device;

a second battery;

wireless circuitry that enables the apparatus to communicate wirelessly with a host device;

power transmitting circuitry configured to provide power to the battery charging circuitry when the portable wireless listening device is received in the socket to charge the first battery in the portable wireless listening device; and

a processor disposed within the housing and configured to establish a wireless communication protocol between the portable wireless listening device and the host device.

19. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 15 wherein the portable wireless listening device further includes an elongated tube and a speaker housing integrally formed with and protruding away from the elongated tube and wherein the socket of the housing is configured to receive the elongated tube portion of the portable wireless listening device.

16. An apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device that includes a first battery and battery charging circuitry, the apparatus comprising:

a housing including a socket to receive the portable wireless listening device;

a second battery;

wireless circuitry that enables the apparatus to communicate wirelessly with a host device;

power transmitting circuitry configured to provide power to the battery charging circuitry when the portable wireless listening device is received in the socket to charge the first battery in the portable wireless listening device; and

a processor configured to establish a wireless Bluetooth communication protocol between the portable wireless listening device and the host device.

17. The apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device set forth in claim 16 wherein the processor is further configured to put the portable wireless listening device in a discoverable mode in response to a user input.

18. An apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device that includes a first battery and battery charging circuitry, the apparatus comprising:

a housing including a socket to receive the portable wireless listening device;

a second battery;

wireless circuitry that enables the apparatus to communicate wirelessly with a host device;

power transmitting circuitry configured to provide power to the battery charging circuitry when the portable wireless listening device is received in the socket to charge the first battery in the portable wireless listening device; and

a processor configured to establish a wireless communication protocol between the portable wireless listening device and the host device, and further configured to provide a Bluetooth PIN of the portable wireless listening device to the host device.

20. An apparatus for charging a portable wireless listening device that includes a first battery and battery charging circuitry, the apparatus comprising:

a housing including a socket to receive the portable wireless listening device;

a second battery;

wireless circuitry that enables the apparatus to communicate wirelessly with a host device;

power transmitting circuitry configured to provide power to the battery charging circuitry when the portable wireless listening device is received in the socket to charge the first battery in the portable wireless listening device; and

a processor configured to establish a wireless communication protocol between the portable wireless listening device and the host device, and further configured to provide identity information for the portable wireless listening device to the host device.