Detection of earbud insertion in a case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12556013-B2
Application number	US-202217951996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2022
Priority date	Sep 23, 2022
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first and a second earbud and a case. The case is configured to provide an enclosure for the first and the second earbud and detect an insertion of either of the first earbud or the second earbud in the enclosure by using detection of a current provided to at least one of the first earbud and the second earbud.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a first earbud and a second earbud; and a case configured to provide an enclosure for the first and the second earbud; and a processor configured to:
receive, from a circuit, an input corresponding to a short-circuit event detected by the circuit, and
detect, based on the input, an insertion of either of the first earbud or the second earbud in the enclosure by using detection of a current provided to at least one of the first earbud and the second earbud.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of the first earbud and the second earbud includes a first interface circuit, and the case includes a second interface circuit configured to facilitate a connection to the first interface circuit.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first interface circuit includes a first port and a second port for connection to corresponding ports of the second interface circuit.

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the insertion of either of an earbud of first earbud or the second earbud that includes the first interface circuit into the enclosure causes connection of respective ports of first interface circuit and the second interface circuit.

5 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the case is configured to provide a positive voltage at a first port of the second interface circuit when a lid of the case is open and turn off the positive voltage after the lid is closed.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein each of the first earbud and the second earbud includes a capacitor to facilitate the detection of the insertion in the enclosure.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the insertion of either of the first earbud or the second earbud in the enclosure causes the positive voltage to be applied to the capacitor resulting in drawing the current.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the case is configured to detect the insertion of either of the first earbud or the second earbud in the enclosure by detecting the current drawn by the capacitor.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
at least the first earbud comprises a first communication circuit, the case comprises:
a battery,
a short-circuit protection circuit defined by the circuit,
a power management unit,
a second communication circuit configured to communicate with the first communication circuit, and
the processor is further configured to in response to electrical current from the battery to the first earbud being above a threshold electrical current:
receive, from the short-circuit protection circuit, an electrical signal corresponding to a short-circuit event;
determine, based on the electrical signal, the insertion of the first earbud into the case, and
provide, to the power management unit, a command to alter transmission power to at least one of the first communication circuit or the second communication circuit.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein either of the first earbud or the second earbud includes a detection mechanism that is configured to detect the current.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
either of the first earbud or the second earbud comprises a radio circuit, and upon detection of the current by the detection mechanism, a transmission power of the radio circuit.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the case is configured to limit a power to a transmitter circuit upon detection of the insertion of either of the first earbud or the second earbud in the enclosure to reduce intermodulation.

13 . A case comprising:
a housing configured to enclose a first earbud and a second earbud; interface chips configured, via respective ports, to communicate data and transfer power to either of the first earbud or the second earbud; a power management unit (PMU) configured to provide a direct current (DC) voltage at a respective port of either of the first earbud or the second earbud; and a current-sensing circuit configured to detect a current, wherein the current is drawn by a capacitor of the first earbud or the second earbud upon insertion of the first earbud or the second earbud in the housing.

14 . The case of claim 13 , further comprising a processor configured to receive a signal from the current-sensing circuit signaling detection of the current that indicates an instance of the insertion of the first earbud or the second earbud in the housing.

15 . The case of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the PMU to power down a transmitter circuit of the case, the first earbud or the second earbud upon receiving the signal from the current-sensing circuit.

16 . The case of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the PMU to turn off the DC voltage in response to detecting a closing of a lid of the housing.

17 . An earbud comprising:
a first interface circuit configured to mate with a second interface circuit of a case upon insertion of the earbud in an enclosure provided by the case; a capacitor coupled to an input port of the first interface circuit and configured to be charged by drawing a current from the first interface circuit of the case upon the insertion of the earbud into the enclosure; a battery separate from the capacitor; and a current detection circuit configured to detect the current to the capacitor and send a signal to a processor of the earbud or the case indicating the insertion of the earbud into the enclosure.

18 . The earbud of claim 17 , wherein the processor of the earbud is configured to cause a power down of a transmitter circuit of the earbud in response to receiving the signal to reduce an intermodulation.

19 . The earbud of claim 17 , wherein the first interface circuit comprises a dual-pin port configured to handle power transfer and communication with the second interface circuit of the case once mated.

20 . The earbud of claim 17 , further comprising:
a first communication circuit configured to communicate with a second communication circuit the case; and a power management unit, wherein the processor configured to in response to a command received via the first interface circuit and based on a charged state of the capacitor, provide, to the power management unit, a command to alter transmission power to the first communication circuit.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Ryan Calvin M
• De Lima Fernandes Antonio R
• Hollabaugh James M
• CHANDRAMOHAN Chandrahas Aralaguppe
• Panchal Mitul Mahendrakumar

Classifications

• G01V3/04 Primary

  using DC · CPC title

• H02J7/70 Primary

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J7/0042 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic