Tracking device audio circuit

• US 10,568,035 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2018
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TILE, INC. (Life360 Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: TILE, INC. (Life360 Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tong, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, K.
• Application Number:
  US16/143,458
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/00 Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers piezoelectric or electrostrictive elements in general H10N30/00; details of piezoelectric or electrostrictive motors, generators or positioners H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A tracking device may produce audio signals for a variety of reasons. However, tracking devices typically have a limited power supply and contain additional components that require power, such that directing too much power to produce an audio signal may interfere with the functionality of other components. A tracking device determines an amount of power available to produce an audio signal based on a first amount of power available from a battery or power source and a second amount of power required by other components of the tracking device.

Claims

1. A tracking device comprising:

a power source;

a transceiver configured to;

periodically transmit beacon signals identifying the tracking device; and

receive requests to emit an audio signal;

an audio component configured to produce the audio signal;

an audio driver circuit configured to drive the audio component to produce the audio signal based on a control signal; and

a boost regulator circuit configured to produce the control signal by;

identifying a first amount of power available from the power source;

determining a second amount of power required by the transceiver; and

generate the control signal based on a difference between the first amount of power and the second amount of power.

2. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises a battery, and wherein the first amount of power comprises a voltage of the battery.

3. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein the audio component comprises a piezoelectric speaker.

4. The tracking device of claim 3, wherein the audio driver circuit comprises an H-bridge circuit, and wherein the H-bridge circuit is configured to drive the piezoelectric speaker with current in alternating directions.

5. The tracking device of claim 4, wherein the audio signal comprises a song stored by the tracking device, and wherein the H-bridge circuit is configured to drive the piezoelectric speaker based on the song.

6. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein the boost regulator circuit comprises a switch, and wherein the boost regulator circuit generates the control signal by driving the switch.

7. The tracking device of claim 6, wherein driving the switch comprises adjusting a pulse-width modulation signal provided to a gate node of the switch.

8. The tracking device of claim 7, wherein a duty cycle of the pulse-width modulation signal corresponds to a volume of the audio signal produced by the audio component.

9. The tracking device of claim 8, wherein a first duty cycle of the pulse-width modulation signal corresponds to a first volume of the audio signal, and wherein a second duty cycle of the pulse-width modulation signal less than the first duty cycle corresponds to a second volume of the audio signal less than the first volume of the audio signal.

10. The tracking device of claim 7, wherein the boost regulator circuit comprises a controller configured to produce the pulse-width modulation signal.

11. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein the boost regulator circuit produces a second control signal after generating the control signal by:

determining a third amount of power required by the transceiver; and

generating the second control signal based on a difference between the first amount of power and the third amount of power.

12. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein the control signal is generated such that an amount of power used by the audio component to produce the audio signal is equal to the difference between the first amount of power and the second amount of power.

13. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein the control signal is generated such that an amount of power used by the audio component to produce the audio signal is greater than a threshold percentage of the difference between the first amount of power and the second amount of power.

14. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein the boost regulator circuit is further configured to periodically re-determine the second amount of power required by the transceiver and, in response, to re-generate the control signal based on the difference between the first amount of power and the re-determined second amount of power.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by a tracking device, a request to emit an audio signal;

identifying a first amount of power available from a power source of the tracking device;

determining a second amount of power required by a transceiver of the tracking device;

generating, by an audio component, the audio signal based on a difference between the first amount of power and the second amount of power.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the power source comprises a battery, and wherein the first amount of power comprises a voltage of the battery.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the audio signal is generated such that an amount of power used by the audio component to produce the audio signal is equal to the difference between the first amount of power and the second amount of power.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the audio signal is generated such that an amount of power used by the audio component to produce the audio signal is greater than a threshold percentage of the difference between the first amount of power and the second amount of power.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising periodically re-determining the second amount of power required by the transceiver and, in response, re-generating the audio signal based on the difference between the first amount of power and the re-determined second amount of power.

20. An electronic device comprising:

a power source;

a transceiver configured to;

periodically transmit beacon signals identifying the electronic device; and

receive requests to emit an audio signal;

an audio component configured to produce the audio signal;

an audio driver circuit configured to drive the audio component to produce the audio signal based on a control signal; and

a boost regulator circuit configured to produce the control signal by;

identifying a first amount of power available from the power source;

determining a second amount of power required by the transceiver; and

generate the control signal based on a difference between the first amount of power and the second amount of power.