Mobile system with wireless earbud

• US 10,701,197 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2019
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pinn, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pinn, Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Seung Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, David L
• Application Number:
  US16/455,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20190320051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 381 74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• 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 2205/021 Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers for hearing aids H04R25/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's

Abstract

The disclosure herein provides a mobile system including a base station and a wireless earbud. The base station comprising a connection hole, a user input button, at least one processor, at least one memory, and circuitry. The wireless earbud is configured for plugging into the connection hole of the base station to form an integrated body with the base station. The system is capable of wirelessly pairing with a smartphone for the wireless earbud to receive audio data originated from the smartphone.

Claims

1. A mobile system comprising:

a base station comprising at least one connection hole, at least one processor, at least one light-emitting diode (LED) light indicator, at least one sensor for receiving user input, at least one memory, and circuitry; and

at least one wireless earbud configured for plugging into the at least one connection hole of the base station to form an integrated body with the base station,

wherein the mobile system is capable of wirelessly pairing with a smartphone for the at least one wireless earbud to receive audio data originated from the smartphone,

wherein, in response to receiving user input from the at least one sensor, the at least one processor is configured to execute computer program instructions stored in the at least one memory to initiate processing in the at least one wireless earbud, while plugged into the at least one connection hole, either enablement or disablement of wireless communication capability of the at least one wireless earbud,

wherein, in response to plugging the at least one wireless earbud into the at least one connection hole, the at least one processor is configured to execute computer program instructions stored in the at least one memory to initiate charging of a battery of the at least one wireless earbud,

wherein, when the at least one wireless earbud is plugged into the at least one connection hole of the base station, the at least one wireless earbud is configured to electrically connect with the circuitry of the base station and further configured to performing wired data communication with the base station,

wherein the mobile system is configured to generate sound when a mobile application installed on the smartphone is searching for the mobile system while the at least one wireless earbud is paired with the smartphone,

wherein a first communications module in the base station and a second communications module in the at least one wireless earbud communicate with each other using wired data communications, and wherein the second communications module in the at least one wireless earbud, and not the first communications module in the base station, communicates with the smartphone using wireless data communications.

2. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless earbud comprises two wireless earbuds and the at least connection hole comprises two connection holes.

3. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the LED light indicator on the base station displays a battery level.

4. The mobile system of claim 3, wherein the LED light indicator displays the battery level by blinking or flashing.

5. The mobile system of claim 3, wherein the LED light indicator displays a battery level of a battery of the base station.

6. The mobile system of claim 3, further comprising a second LED light indicator that displays a battery level of the battery of the at least one wireless earbud.

7. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the wired data communication is two-way, wherein the at least one wireless earbud transmits data to the base station, and the base station transmits data to the at least one wireless earbud.

8. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the wired data communication is one way, wherein the at least one wireless earbud transmits data to the base station.

9. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein a battery level of the base station is relayed through the second communication module to the smartphone.

10. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the base station further comprises a lid, wherein the user input from the sensor is opening or closing the lid of the base station, and wherein the user input is relayed through the wired data communication from the base station to the at least one wireless earbud signaling the at least one wireless earbud to turn off some or all components of the at least one wireless earbud while in the at least one connection hole.

11. The mobile system of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical clip integrated with the mobile base station and configured for clipping a person'"'"'s clothing.

12. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein, while the at least one wireless earbud is plugged into the at least one connection hole, the system is configured such that the smartphone wirelessly communicates with at least one of the mobile base station and the at least one wireless earbud.

13. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether the at least one wireless earbud is plugged into the at least one connection hole or unplugged out of the at least one connection hole of the mobile base station, wherein the mobile base station is configured such that battery charging of the at least one wireless earbud is performed while the at least one wireless earbud is plugged in the at least one connection hole of the mobile base station.

14. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the mobile base station further comprises a volume control button configured to control volume of the at least one wireless earbud.

15. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the base station further comprises an information display.

16. The mobile system of claim 15, wherein the information display is the LED light indicator.