Wireless pairing of earbuds and case

• US 9,967,649 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2016
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• 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): TRAN, THANG V
• Application Number:
  US15/273,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 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 portable listening device that includes a wireless radio, 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 covers the portable listening device when positioned in the receiving area and an open position that allows a user to remove the portable listening device from the receiving area;

an input device including circuitry configured to detect a user interaction with the case and to generate a signal in response to the detected user interaction; and

a processor coupled to the input device, the processor configured to send an instruction to the portable listening device to initiate wireless pairing of the portable listening device to a host electronic device in response to the generated signal.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein the user interaction is a user moving the lid from the closed position to the open position.

3. The case of claim 1 wherein the instruction is sent to the portable listening device through an electrical connector that couples the portable listening device to the case.

4. The case of claim 3 wherein the electrical connector is disposed in the receiving area of the case and the portable listening device is coupled to the electrical connector when the portable listening device is placed within the receiving area of the case.

5. The case of claim 1 wherein the instruction is sent to the portable listening device using wireless communication.

6. The case of claim 1 wherein the user interaction is a user depressing a button.

7. The case of claim 1 wherein the wireless pairing of the portable listening device to the host electronic device is executed automatically in response to the portable listening device receiving the instruction.

8. The case of claim 1 further comprising a memory that stores a connection history for multiple host electronic devices enabling automatic pairing without requiring input from a user after sending the instruction.

9. The case of claim 8 wherein the memory stores one or more Bluetooth link keys.

19. The case of claim 1 wherein in response to the generated signal, the processor first determines that the portable listening device has not been paired before and in response sends the instruction to the portable listening device to initiate wireless pairing.

10. A case for a portable listening device, 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 covers the portable listening device when positioned within the receiving area and an open position that allows a user to remove the portable listening device from the receiving area;

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

a processor coupled to lid sensor and configured to send an instruction to the portable listening device to initiate wireless pairing of the portable listening device to a host electronic device in response to detecting the generated signal.

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

12. The case of claim 11 wherein the electrical connector is disposed in the receiving area of the case and the portable listening device is coupled to the electrical connector when the portable listening device is placed within the receiving area of the case.

13. The case of claim 10 wherein the instruction is sent to the portable listening device using wireless communication.

14. The case of claim 10 wherein the case includes a button that is depressible by a user and is coupled to the processor.

15. The case of claim 10 wherein the wireless pairing of the portable listening device to the host electronic device is executed automatically in response to the portable listening device receiving the instruction.

16. The case of claim 10 further comprising a memory that stores a connection history for multiple host electronic devices enabling automatic pairing without requiring input from a user after sending the instruction.

17. The case of claim 16 wherein the memory stores one or more Bluetooth link keys.

18. The case of claim 10 wherein when the processor detects the generated signal it first determines that the portable listening device has not been paired before and in response sends the instruction to the portable listening device to initiate wireless pairing.