Wireless headset having adaptive powering

• US 8,185,084 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Terlizzi, Jeffrey J
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, TAN H
• Application Number:
  US11/824,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.5, 455/573, 455/566.1, 455/41.2, 455/90.2, 455/73, 455/127.1, 455/575.1, 455/572, 455/343.5, 455/343.6, 455/342.2, 455/575.2, 455/568, 307/125, 307/10.1, 307/32, 306/679.32, 370/52, 323/271, 323/288, 323/282, 323/283, 323/262, 600/347, 600/377, 600/365
• US Class Current: 455/343.5
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 23/18 by impact extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/001 Combinations of extrusion moulding with other shaping operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/09 Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• 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 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/33 Aspects relating to adaptation of the battery voltage, e.g. its regulation, increase or decrease
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40
• 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: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system that includes a bus, a battery, core processing circuitry, radio frequency (RF) processing circuitry, first power regulating circuitry, second power regulating circuitry, and control circuitry is provided. The bus can be coupled to receive power from a source external to the system. The core processing circuitry and RF processing circuitry can be selectively coupled to each other via a switch. The switch can be operative to turn ON and OFF based on a signal level received on the bus. The first power regulating circuitry can be electrically coupled to the bus, the core processing circuitry, and the switch. The second power regulating circuitry can be electrically coupled to the battery, the RF processing circuitry, and the switch. The control circuitry can be operative to selectively turn ON and OFF the first power regulating circuitry and the second power regulating circuitry based on a number of monitored conditions.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a bus coupled to receive power from a source external to the system;

a battery;

core processing circuitry and radio frequency (RF) processing circuitry selectively coupled to each other via a switch, the switch operative to toggle between OPEN and CLOSED based on a signal level received on the bus;

first power regulating circuitry electrically coupled to the bus, the core processing circuitry and the switch;

second power regulating circuitry electrically coupled to the battery, the RF processing circuitry, and the switch; and

control circuitry operative to selectively turn ON and OFF the first power regulating circuitry and the second power regulating circuitry based on a number of monitored conditions.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising battery monitoring circuitry electrically coupled to the battery and the control circuitry.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first power regulating circuitry is low-dropout regulator circuitry.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second power regulating circuitry is switch mode power supply circuitry.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein when the bus receives power from the external power source, the control circuitry is operative to enable the first power regulating circuitry to provide power to the core processing circuitry.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein when the bus receives power from the external power source, the control circuitry is operative to:

enable the first power regulating circuitry to provide power to the core processing circuitry; and

enable the second power regulating circuitry to provide power to the RF processing circuitry when a battery power level is at, or above, a predetermined power level.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein when the bus receives power from the external power source, the battery is selectively charged with the received power.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein when the battery is the only source of power and the battery provides power at a power level at, or above, a predetermined power level, the control circuitry is operative to:

enable the second power regulating circuitry to provide power to the RF processing circuitry and the core processing circuitry.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry includes the core processor circuitry.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry comprises a plurality of logic gates operative to provide enable signals to the first power regulating circuitry and the second power regulating circuitry.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch is CLOSED when no power is received on the bus.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is provided in a wireless headset.

13. A system comprising:

a bus operative to receive power from a source external to the system;

a battery;

processing circuitry that comprises;

a first power consumption portion; and

a second power consumption portion;

a switch selectively coupling the first power consumption portion and the second power consumption portion, wherein the switch is operative to close when the system is not receiving any external power on the bus;

first power regulating circuitry electrically coupled to the bus, the first power consumption portion and the switch; and

second power regulating circuitry electrically coupled to the battery, the second power consumption portion, and the switch.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

control circuitry electrically coupled to the processing circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is operative to;

selectively enable the first power regulating circuitry based on a number of monitored conditions; and

selectively enable the second power regulating circuitry based on a number of monitored conditions.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is operative to enable the first power regulating circuitry to provide power to the first power consumption portion when the bus receives power from the external power source.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is operative to enable the second power regulating circuitry to provide power to the second power consumption portion when a power level of the battery is at, or above, a predetermined power level.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is operative to:

selectively disable the first power regulating circuitry based on a number of monitored conditions; and

selectively disable the second power regulating circuitry based on a number of monitored conditions.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

battery charging circuitry electrically coupled to the first power regulating circuitry and operative to selectively charge the battery when the bus receives power from the external power source.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the first power consumption portion is core processing circuitry.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the second power consumption portion is radio frequency (RF) processing circuitry.

21. A system comprising:

a bus operative to receive external power;

first power regulating circuitry electrically coupled to the bus and operative to output first regulated power on a first node when the bus receives external power;

first processing circuitry electrically coupled to the first node, wherein the first regulated power is operative to power the first processing circuitry;

a switch electrically coupled to the first node and a second node;

second processing circuitry electrically coupled to the second node;

second power regulating circuitry electrically coupled to the second node;

a battery electrically coupled to the second power regulating circuitry, wherein;

the second power regulating circuitry is operative to receive power from the battery and output second regulated power on the second node; and

the second regulated power is operative to power the second processing circuitry.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the switch is operative to close when the bus is not receiving external power.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first processing circuitry and the second processing circuitry are simultaneously powered by the second regulated power when the bus is not receiving external power.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising control circuitry operative to selectively enable the first processing circuitry and the second processing circuitry.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the first processing circuitry is activated before the second processing circuitry at the moment when the bus first receives external power.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the second processing circuitry is not activated until the battery has been charged to a power level at or above a predetermined power level.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the first processing circuitry is core processing circuitry.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the second processing circuitry is radio frequency (RF) processing circuitry.