Swapping roles between untethered wirelessly connected devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12015900-B2
Application number	US-202217657947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2022
Priority date	Apr 22, 2016
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for performing a role swapping operation between a pair of non-tethered wireless ear buds after detecting a triggering event. Further, state information can be coordinated between devices, including in connection with performing a role swap between buds in a pair of wireless, untethered ear buds, where one wireless ear bud is in a primary role and is responsible for a connection with a companion device, and another wireless ear bud in the pair is in a secondary role.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
by a wireless ear bud:
responsive to detecting a trigger event, performing a role swap to change a configured role of the wireless ear bud,
wherein:
the wireless ear bud connects directly with a companion device when in a primary role,
the wireless ear bud receives data indirectly from the companion device when in a secondary role, and
the role swap is performed in a coordinated manner when the wireless ear bud has a wireless connection to a second wireless ear bud and is otherwise performed in an uncoordinated manner.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the role swap is coordinated, the wireless ear bud sends state information to or receives state information from the second wireless ear bud for use in performing the role swap.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the role swap is coordinated and the configured role of the wireless ear bud is the primary role, the wireless ear bud sends a swap message to the second wireless ear bud to trigger the role swap.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the role swap is coordinated and the configured role of the wireless ear bud is the secondary role, the wireless ear bud uses a device address of the second wireless ear bud to establish a wireless connection directly with the companion device as part of the role swap.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the role swap is further performed in the coordinated manner when the wireless ear bud is wirelessly connected with the second wireless ear bud during at least a portion of the role swap.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless ear bud is not wirelessly connected with the second wireless ear bud when the role swap is performed in an uncoordinated manner.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the triggering event comprises receipt of an instruction from the companion device to perform the role swap.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the triggering event comprises detecting, by the wireless ear bud, a change from an out-of-ear state to an in-ear state while the configured role of the wireless ear bud is the secondary role.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the triggering event comprises receipt of an error message from the companion device indicating the companion device is connected to another wireless ear bud configured to operate in the primary role.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the triggering event comprises unsuccessfully attempting, by the wireless ear bud, to reconnect with the second wireless ear bud while the configured role of the wireless ear bud is the secondary role.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the triggering event comprises detecting a battery level of the wireless ear bud is below a threshold battery level.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the threshold battery level is based at least in part on a most recently obtained battery level of the second wireless ear bud.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the wireless ear bud, after detecting the triggering event and before performing the role swap, that no criterion disallowing a role swap is satisfied.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
disallowing the role swap when the wireless ear bud is attempting to wirelessly connect with the companion device while the configured role of the wireless ear bud is the primary role.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
disallowing the role swap when the wireless ear bud is in a process of updating firmware of the wireless ear bud.

16. A wireless ear bud comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are effective to cause the wireless ear to:
responsive to detecting a trigger event, performing a role swap to change a configured role of the wireless ear bud,
wherein:
the wireless ear bud connects directly with a companion device when in a primary role,
the wireless ear bud receives data indirectly from the companion device when in a secondary role, and
the role swap is performed in a coordinated manner when the wireless ear bud has a wireless connection to a second wireless ear bud and is otherwise performed in an uncoordinated manner.

17. The wireless ear bud of claim 16 , wherein:
the role swap is further performed in the coordinated manner when the wireless ear bud is wirelessly connected with the second wireless ear bud during at least a portion of the role swap; and
the wireless ear bud is not wireless connected with the second wireless ear bud when the role swap is performed in an uncoordinated manner.

18. The wireless ear bud of claim 16 , wherein:
when the role swap is coordinated, the wireless ear bud sends state information to or receives state information from the second wireless ear bud for use in performing the role swap.

19. The wireless ear bud of claim 16 , wherein:
the triggering event comprises receipt of an error message from the companion device indicating the companion device is connected to another wireless ear bud configured to operate in the primary role.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a wireless ear bud, cause the wireless ear bud to perform actions including:
responsive to detecting a trigger event, performing a role swap to change a configured role of the wireless ear bud,
wherein:
the wireless ear bud connects directly with a companion device when in a primary role,
the wireless ear bud receives data indirectly from the companion device when in a secondary role, and
the role swap is performed in a coordinated manner when the wireless ear bud has a wireless connection to a second wireless ear bud and is otherwise performed in an uncoordinated manner.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hariharan Sriram
• Ganapathi Batta Ganesha Adkasthala
• Dreier Tad J
• Wiebe Christopher S
• Saulsbury Ashley N
• Phan Duy N
• Shaw David J
• Watson Robert D
• Prats Augustin

Classifications

• H04R2460/17

  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 title

• H04R2460/03

  Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices · CPC title

• H04R5/033

  Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)} · CPC title

• H04R2420/03

  Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers · CPC title

• H04R2420/05

  Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers · CPC title