Wearable electronic pieces and organizer

• US 9,438,984 B1
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WFR IP LLC (Pueblo Nuevo LLC)
• Original Assignee: ThreadCharge, LLC (Effingo Wireless Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ryann, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eason, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US13/943,071
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 15/0015 Illuminated or sound-producing jewellery
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 15/005 Necklaces ornamental chains A44C11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 25/001 Pendants
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/0007 Bracelets specially adapted for other functions or with means for attaching other articles
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 7/00 Ear-rings; Devices for piercing the ear-lobes
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• 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 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• 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 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/02 adapted to be supported entirely by ear
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

An organizer for wearable electronic pieces or wireless communication jewelry. The pieces may be of an enhanced ergonomic form, particularly suitable for long-term wear. For example, a uniquely located actuator may be provided and each piece may be configured to distribute a significant portion of its bulk away from the isolated location of a user'"'"'s ear without sacrifice to audio or communicational integrity. Further, the securing extension that accommodates the actuator and secures the piece to the user'"'"'s ear may occupy less than about 0.25 inches in width behind the user'"'"'s ear. Additionally, the organizer manages unique protocols of recharge for a potential plurality of pieces. Additionally, charging takes place through a support mechanism which accommodates a discrete securing extension portion of a piece in a substantially matching fashion. Further, a casing of the piece is substantially displaced from the accommodating location. A charging device of the organizer is coupled to the support mechanism such that recharge of the piece may take place through a charge region of the discrete portion of the piece. Notably, the organizer is configured in such a manner that a plurality of pieces may be secured and recharged without the need for an individually dedicated and/or wire-based recharger for each and every piece in a collection of pieces.

Claims

1. An ergonomic single ear ear wear piece of enhanced comfort for long-term wear, the piece comprising:

a hook shaped securing extension for positioning behind a user'"'"'s ear and securing the piece thereat;

an actuator at a location of said extension to serve as a physically controlling interface for the user;

a speaker assembly for delivering sound to the user'"'"'s ear, said speaker assembly supported by said extension from a location at one side of the actuator location;

a distancing element coupling to said extension from a location at an opposite side of the actuator location; and

a casing coupled to said distancing element and of a bulk for housing a plurality of electronic components, the bulk exceeding that of said extension and said distancing element, said distancing element to displace said casing to a location between the ear and a neckline of the user when the piece is secured.

2. The ear wear piece of claim 1 wherein the plurality of electronic components includes one of a focused microphone and a rechargeable battery.

3. The ear wear piece of claim 2 wherein the rechargeable battery is inductively rechargeable.

4. The ear wear piece of claim 1 wherein said distancing element is between about 0.25 inches and about 5.0 inches in length and less than about 0.25 inches wide.

5. The ear wear piece of claim 1 wherein said securing extension is less than about 0.25 inches in width.

6. The ear wear piece of claim 1 wherein said securing extension is of a moisture resistant construction with an underside portion morphologically tailored to substantially match a surface of the position behind the ear at a concha thereof when the piece is secured.

7. The ear wear piece of claim 1 wherein the speaker location and the actuator location of said securing extension are at a front portion of said extension and the opposite side of said securing extension for the coupling of said distancing element is at a back portion of said extension.

8. The ear wear piece of claim 1 wherein the location of said securing extension for supporting said speaker assembly is configured to maintain a separation of up to about 0.5 inches between said speaker assembly and the user'"'"'s ear when the piece is secured.

9. The ear wear piece of claim 8 wherein said speaker assembly is equipped with hypersonic sound delivery capacity to direct the sound across the separation to the user'"'"'s ear during the delivering of the sound.

13. The wearable piece of claim 1 wherein said speaker assembly is accommodated by said extension from a first location thereof, said actuator is accommodated by said extension at a second location thereof and said distancing element is coupled to a third location of said extension, the second location being at a position between the first and third locations along said extension.

14. The wearable piece of claim 13 wherein the first and second locations are substantially at a front of said extension and the third location is substantially at the back of said extension.

15. The wearable piece of claim 13 wherein the first location is configured to maintain a separation between said speaker assembly and the user'"'"'s ear when the piece is secured, said speaker assembly equipped with hypersonic sound delivery capacity to direct the sound across the separation to the ear during the delivering of the sound.

10. An ergonomic wearable electronic ear wear piece of enhanced comfort for long-term wear, the piece comprising:

at least one hook shaped securing extension for positioning behind an ear of a user to at least partially secure the piece thereat;

at least one actuator accommodated by said extension, said actuator to serve as a physically controlling interface for the user;

a speaker assembly accommodated by said extension for delivering sound to the user'"'"'s ear;

a distancing element coupled to said extension; and

a casing coupled to said distancing element and of a bulk for housing a plurality of electronic components, the bulk exceeding that of said extension and said distancing element, said distancing element to locate said casing away from the ear to a position exclusively between the ear and a neckline of the user when the piece is at least partially secured.

11. The wearable piece of claim 10 wherein the plurality of electronic components includes an inductively rechargeable battery.

12. The wearable piece of claim 10 wherein said at least one securing extension is less than about 0.25 inches in width and said distancing element is between about 0.25 inches and about 5.0 inches in length and less than about 0.25 inches wide.

16. A method of utilizing an ergonomic wearable electronic ear wear piece of enhanced comfort for long-term wear, the method comprising:

at least partially securing the piece at a user'"'"'s ear with at least one hook shaped securing extension being positioned at least partially behind the ear;

manipulating an actuator at a front of the extension to electronically communicate with one of a plurality of electronic components in a casing coupling to the extension, the casing of a bulk exceeding that of the securing extension and a distancing element that provides the coupling and positions the casing at a location away from the ear and exclusively between the ear and a neckline of the user when the piece is secured; and

delivering sound to the user'"'"'s ear with a speaker assembly accommodated by the securing extension.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising inductively charging a battery of the plurality of electronic components prior to said securing.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising maintaining a user-defined separation between the speaker assembly and the user'"'"'s ear, said delivering further comprising employing hypersonic sound delivery capacity of the speaker assembly to direct the sound across the separation.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said delivering further comprises delivering stereo sound by directing sound to another of the user'"'"'s ears with another speaker assembly accommodated by another hook shaped securing extension positioned at least partially behind the other ear of the user.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the other hook shaped securing extension is coupled to another distancing element for coupling to one of the casing and another separate casing accommodating another plurality of electronic components, the other separate casing of a bulk exceeding that of the other securing extension and the other distancing element, the other distancing element positioning the other casing at a location away from the ear and exclusively between the ear and a neckline of the user.