Charger for group of devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016134141-A1
Application number	US-201414536564-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 7, 2014
Priority date	Nov 7, 2014
Publication date	May 12, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A charger is described that is adapted to simultaneously charge a pair of portable devices, such as an audio input/output earpiece and a portable host device with which the audio input/output earpiece communicates wirelessly. In some cases, the charger includes spaces that are sized and shaped to receive the portable devices of the pair.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A charger for electrically charging a portable device, the charger comprising:
a housing configured to be coupled to a power source, wherein the housing includes a first charging feature extending from a first side of the housing and a second charging feature extending from a second side of the housing, wherein the first and second charging features each include a plurality of electrical contacts configured to electrically connect to corresponding electrical contacts of first and second bodies of the device.

2 . The charger of claim 1 wherein the first body of the portable device is an audio input/output earpiece, and wherein the second body of the portable device is an audio signal processing unit that communicates wirelessly with the first body of the portable device.

3 . The charger of claim 1 wherein the first and second sides of the housing are opposite sides of the housing, and wherein the first and second charging features extend in opposite directions.

4 . The charger of claim 3 wherein the first and second charging features each have a largest dimension, and wherein the largest dimensions of the first and second charging features are substantially parallel, and wherein the first and second charging features are positioned so that there is at least one line that is substantially perpendicular to the largest dimensions of the first and second charging features.

5 . The charger of claim 1 wherein the first and second charging features are configured to slidably engage corresponding grooves within the first and second bodies, respectively, of the device.

6 . The charger of claim 1 wherein the first and second charging features are configured to magnetically attach to the first and second bodies, respectively, of the device.

7 . A charger for electrically charging a pair of portable devices configured to communicate wirelessly, the charger comprising:
a housing, wherein the housing includes a first charging feature and a second charging feature, wherein the first and second charging features are sized and shaped to receive corresponding members of the pair of portable devices, and wherein the first and second charging features include a plurality of electrical contacts configured to conductively engage both members of the pair of portable devices.

8 . The charger of claim 7 wherein the housing comprises a fabric pad, and wherein each of the first and second charging features comprises a void formed in the housing.

9 . The charger of claim 7 wherein the first charging feature is formed in an opening of the housing such that a first member of the pair of portable devices forms a lid of the housing when the first charging feature receives the first member of the pair of portable devices.

10 . The charger of claim 7 wherein the second charging feature is formed in an interior surface of an inner portion of the housing.

11 . The charger of claim 7 wherein the housing comprises a generally rectangular solid shape.

12 . The charger of claim 7 wherein the housing comprises a cube.

13 . The charger of claim 7 wherein the housing is electrically coupleable to a plurality of electrical conductors.

14 . The charger of claim 13 wherein at least one exterior surface of the housing is shaped to engage a cable incorporating a plurality of electrical conductors while the cable is wrapped around the housing.

15 . The charger of claim 7 wherein the housing contains a wireless power transfer element for generating current.

16 . The charger of claim 14 wherein the wireless power transfer element comprises an induction coil.

17 . The charger of claim 7 wherein each of the first and second charging features include a plurality of electrical contacts configured to conductively engage each of the pair of portable devices.

18 . The charger of claim 7 wherein the housing contains at least one wireless power transfer element configured to wirelessly drive current generation by at least one of the members of the pair of portable devices.

19 . A charger for a pair of portable devices, the charger comprising:
an openable enclosure that (1) can be manipulated to substantially fully contain the pair of portable devices, and (2) can be manipulated to provide access adequate to remove the pair of portable devices from the enclosure, the enclosure defining voids sized and shaped to receive the pair of portable devices.

20 . The charger of claim 19 wherein the enclosure includes a first plurality of electrical contacts positioned to engage electrical contracts of a first member of the pair of portable devices and a second plurality of electrical contacts positioned to engage electrical contacts of a second member of the pair of portable devices.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Jentz Lorenz Henric
• Bryan Philip
• Wolf Monika Romana
• Jasinski Kenneth Dennis
• Adams Ishmael
• Henry Emron
• Puhalla Dennis Matthew
• Wattles Richard James

Classifications

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J7/731 Primary

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/0044 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J50/00

  Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power · CPC title

• H02J50/10

  using inductive coupling · CPC title