Wireless pairing of earbuds and case

• US 9,769,558 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2016
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chandramohan, Chandrahas Aralaguppe, Zrkendrfer, Rico L., Watson, Robert Doran, Coffman, Patrick L., Rich, Zachary C., Brinsfield, Jason W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhao, Eugene
• Application Number:
  US15/275,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 360 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 wireless earbuds includes a lid and a lid sensor configured to generate a detect signal when the lid is moved from a closed position to an open position. The case further includes circuitry configured to, in response to receiving the detect signal, send a signal to the wireless earbuds to turn them on and to initiate a pairing sequence between the wireless earbuds and an electronic device.

Claims

1. A case for a pair of wireless earbuds having a wireless radio, the case comprising:

a housing having a first cavity configured to receive a first earbud in the pair of wireless earbuds and a second cavity configured to receive a second earbud in the pair of wireless earbuds;

a lid attached to the housing and operable between a closed position where the lid conceals the pair of wireless earbuds within the case and an open position that allows a user to remove the pair of wireless earbuds from the case;

a connector configured to couple to each of the first and second earbuds, the connector including a first contact positioned in the first cavity and a second contact positioned in the second cavity;

a lid sensor configured to generate a first signal when the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position;

an input device configured to generate a second signal in response to detecting a user-generated action; and

circuitry coupled to at least one of the first or second contacts and configured to (1) detect the first and the second signals and (2) in response to detecting at least one of the first or the second signals, send an instruction to the pair of wireless earbuds to turn ON the wireless radio and to initiate pairing of the pair of wireless earbuds to an electronic device.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein the circuitry includes a processor operatively coupled to a computer-readable memory that stores instructions that can be executed by the processor to send the instruction.

3. The case of claim 1 wherein the connector includes a first set of power contacts for the first earbud of the pair of wireless earbuds and a second set of power contacts for the second earbud of the pair of wireless earbuds, and wherein the first set of power contacts is configured to transmit both power and data to the first earbud and the second set of power contacts is configured to transmit both power and data to the second earbud.

4. A case for a portable listening device that includes a wireless radio and one or more device electrical contacts, the case comprising:

a housing having a receiving area for the portable listening device;

a lid attached to the housing and operable between a closed position where the lid conceals the portable listening device within the case and an open position that allows a user to remove the portable listening device from the receiving area;

an electrical connector positioned within the receiving area, the electrical connector having one or more case electrical contacts that electrically connect to the one or more device electrical contacts when the portable listening device is received in the receiving area;

a first input device configured to generate a first signal in response to detecting movement of the lid from the closed position to the open position;

a second input device configured to generate a second signal in response to detecting a user-generated action; and

a processor coupled to the first and second input devices and the electrical connector, the processor configured to send an instruction to the portable listening device through the electrical connector to initiate wireless pairing of the portable listening device to a host electronic device in response to receiving the first signal or the second signal.

5. The case of claim 4 wherein the first input device comprises a lid sensor that generates the first signal in response to movement of the lid from the closed position to the open position.

6. The case of claim 4 wherein the second input device comprises a depressible button on the case that generates the second signal in response to depressing the depressible button.

7. The case of claim 4 wherein the first input device comprises a lid sensor, the second input device comprises a depressible button on the case, and the first and second signals are distinguishable by the processor.

8. The case of claim 7 wherein the portable listening device comprises first and second wireless earbuds and the electrical connector includes a first case electrical contact for transmitting power to the first wireless earbud and a second case electrical contact for transmitting power to the second wireless earbud.

9. The case of claim 8 further comprising circuitry positioned within the housing and configured to communicate data signals between the case and the first and second wireless earbuds over the first and second case electrical contacts, respectively.

10. The case of claim 4 further comprising a rechargeable battery that is coupled to the one or more case electrical contacts and configured to provide recharging energy to the portable listening device.

11. The case of claim 4 wherein the processor is further configured to send an instruction to the portable listening device through the electrical connector to turn ON the wireless radio of the portable listening device in response to receiving the first signal or the second signal prior to sending the instruction to the portable listening device to initiate wireless pairing of the portable listening device to the host electronic device.

12. A method of wirelessly pairing a first electronic device to a second electronic device using a third electronic device, the method comprising:

generating a first input signal or a second input signal at the third electronic device, wherein the first input signal is generated in response to detecting movement of a lid of the third electronic device from a closed position to an open position and the second input signal is generated in response to detecting a user-generated action at the third electronic device;

in response to the first input signal or the second input signal, generating a pairing instruction at the third electronic device and communicating the pairing instruction from the third electronic device to the first electronic device through an electrical connector that electrically couples the third and the first electronic devices;

in response to receiving the pairing instruction at the first electronic device, broadcasting an initiate pairing request from the first electronic device; and

in response to receiving the initiate pairing request at the second electronic device, wirelessly pairing the second electronic device with the first electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first electronic device is a wireless headphone set, the second electronic device is a mobile electronic device and the third electronic device is a case for the wireless headphone set.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the user-generated action at the third electronic device includes depressing a button on the case for the wireless headphone set.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein a processor within the third electronic device receives and can distinguish between the first input signal and the second input signal and, in response, generate a first pairing instruction that causes the wireless headphone set to automatically pair with a known and previously paired host device or a second pairing instruction that causes the wireless headphone set to enter a discovery mode that enables the wireless headphone set to be selectively paired with a new host device, and wherein:

in response to the processor receiving the first input signal, the third electronic device generates and communicates the first pairing instruction to the wireless headphone set, and

in response to the processor receiving the second input signal, the third electronic device generates and communicates the second pairing instruction to the wireless headphone set.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein, in response to receiving the first pairing instruction, the first electronic device checks a memory to determine if it has previously wirelessly paired with another device.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the electrical connector is also used to charge the first electronic device.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein in response to receiving the pairing instruction, the first electronic device broadcasts the initiate pairing request with a pre-determined signal strength that is less than a strength of its normal broadcasting power.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the second electronic device only wirelessly pairs with the first electronic device if a signal strength of a wireless signal broadcasting the initiate pairing request is above a predetermined threshold that is higher than a minimum signal strength required for normal wireless communication between the first and second electronic devices.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein, in response to receiving the initiate pairing request, the second electronic device authenticates the first electronic device prior to wirelessly pairing to the first electronic device.