Wireless sound equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10104463-B2
Application number	US-201715655499-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2017
Priority date	Dec 26, 2016
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A wireless sound equipment includes a cradle including a pair of earbuds and a pair of holders having the earbuds coupled thereto. Each earbud includes an ear housing; a sound passage extended from a first surface of the ear housing; a sound output unit outputting sound via the sound passage; a wireless communication unit located in the ear housing; an earbud controller driving the sound output unit based on a signal transmitted by using the wireless communication unit; a main battery supplying an electric power; a plurality of earbud terminals exposed to the first surface of the ear housing and connected with the earbud controller; and a control button located in a second surface of the ear housing. The cradle also includes a cradle case in which the holders are formed; a plurality of cradle terminals provided in the holder and configured to contact with the earbud terminals; a sub battery located in the cradle case; and a cradle controller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wireless sound equipment comprising:
a cradle comprising a pair of holders, and a pair of earbuds coupled to the pair of holders,
wherein each of the earbuds comprises:
an ear housing having a first portion and a second portion;
a sound passage extended from the first portion of the ear housing;
a sound output unit configured to output sound via the sound passage;
a wireless communication unit located in the ear housing;
an earbud controller configured to drive the sound output unit based on a signal transmitted by the wireless communication unit;
a plurality of earbud terminals connected to the earbud controller, the plurality of earbud terminals being located at the first portion of the ear housing;
a main battery for supplying electric power; and
a control button located at the second portion of the ear housing;

wherein the cradle comprises:
a cradle case in which the holders are located;
a plurality of cradle terminals provided to each of the holders, the plurality of cradle terminals being configured to contact the plurality of earbud terminals when the pair of earbuds is coupled to the pair of holders;
a sub battery located in the cradle case;
a switch; and
a cradle controller,

wherein the plurality of cradle terminals comprise:
a first cradle terminal configured to transmit electric power of the sub battery to the main battery of the earbud;
a second cradle terminal for sensing whether the earbud is coupled thereto; and
a third cradle terminal configured to transmit a state of the switch to the earbud,

wherein the cradle controller is configured to supply the electric power of the sub battery to the main battery via the first cradle terminal when the second cradle terminal senses the coupling of the earbud thereto, and
wherein the earbud controller is configured to convert an ON/OFF state of the earbud according to an ON/OFF state of the switch when the earbud is coupled to the holder.

2. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , wherein the holder comprises a magnet,
wherein the earbud comprises a hall sensor for sensing the magnet, and
wherein the earbud controller is configured to transmit a control signal for ending playing of music or connection of a call to an external terminal connected by the wireless communication unit when the hall sensor senses the magnet.

3. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , wherein the earbud controller comprises:
a first circuit board located adjacent to the first portion of the ear housing, the sound output unit and the plurality of earbud terminals being connected to the first circuit board;
a second circuit board located adjacent to the second portion of the ear housing, the second circuit board including a dome switch that is pressed when the control button is pressed; and
a flexible circuit board connecting the first circuit board and the second circuit board with each other, and
wherein the main battery is located between the first circuit board and the second circuit board.

4. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , wherein the ear housing has a longitudinal shape with a vertical length longer than a horizontal width,
wherein the sound passage extends toward a lower portion of the ear housing and is inclined in a first direction leftward or rightward with respect to a vertical direction of the first portion of the ear housing, and
wherein an antenna radiator is provided at an upper portion of the ear housing.

5. The wireless sound equipment of claim 4 , wherein an extent of the antenna radiator in a second direction opposite to the first direction in which the sound passage is inclined is less than an extent of the antenna radiator in the first direction.

6. The wireless sound equipment of claim 4 , further comprising a first microphone located at a lower corner of the ear housing in the first direction.

7. The wireless sound equipment of claim 6 , further comprising a second microphone located at the second portion of the ear housing, the second microphone being arranged to not overlap the antenna radiator.

8. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , wherein the pair of earbuds comprises:
a master earbud configured to connect with an external terminal for transceiving data; and
a slave earbud configured to receive data from the master earbud.

9. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , wherein the cradle case has a C-shaped curve to be wearable on a neck of a user, and
wherein the holders are arranged at ends of the C-shaped curve of the cradle case.

10. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , wherein each of the holders comprises:
a first accommodating portion configured to accommodate the ear housing; and
a second accommodating portion configured to accommodate the sound passage,
wherein the second accommodating portion is recessed further into the holder than is the first accommodating portion.

11. The wireless sound equipment of claim 10 , wherein the second accommodating portion includes a cut-away portion.

12. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hook projection configured to couple to the earbud; and
a hook lever including a hook button configured to be pressed by a user to decouple the hook projection from the earbud.

13. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , wherein the cradle further comprises a cover case covering the holders,
wherein the cover case has a cylindrical shape, and
wherein the cover case is slidingly coupled to the cradle case.

14. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , wherein the second cradle terminal is configured to transmit event information about an event received via the wireless communication unit of the earbud, and
wherein the cradle is configured to notify a user of the event information.

15. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , wherein the earbud controller is configured to convert a power state of the earbud when sensing the conversion of the ON/OFF state of the switch via the third cradle terminal in a state where the earbud is coupled to the holder.

16. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , wherein the cradle further comprises a charging connector,
wherein the cradle switches off power of the earbud when electric power is supplied via the charging connector, and
wherein the cradle converts the ON/OFF state of the earbud according to the ON/OFF state of the switch when the electric power supplied via the charging connector is stopped.

17. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , wherein the earbud controller is configured to convert a power state of the earbud into an ON state when the earbud is decoupled from a respective one of the pair of holders.

18. The wireless sound equipment of claim 1 , wherein the earbud controller is configured to switch off power of the earbud when the wireless communication unit is disconnected from an external terminal for a preset time period or more.

19. A wireless sound equipment comprising:
a cradle comprising a pair of holders, and a pair of earbuds coupled to the pair of holders,
wherein each of the earbuds comprises:
an ear housing having a first portion and a second portion;
a sound passage extended from the first portion of the ear housing;
a sound output unit configured to output sound via the sound passage;
a wireless communication unit located in the ear housing;
an earbud controller configured to drive the sound output unit based on a signal transmitted by the wireless communication unit;
a plurality of earbud terminals connected to the earbud co

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Donghan
• Choe Jihye
• Kim Jihye
• Nam Kyoungsu

Classifications

• H04R1/1041 Primary

  Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H) · CPC title

• H04R2201/109

  Arrangements to adapt hands free headphones for use on both ears · CPC title

• H04R1/1091

  Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083 · CPC title

• H04R1/105

  Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks (for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335) · CPC title

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title