Portable listening device with wireless charging case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023301408-A1
Application number	US-202318197646-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 15, 2023
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Sep 28, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An earbud includes a housing that includes a driver assembly positioned within the housing forming a front volume in front of the driver and a back volume behind the driver. An acoustic insert is positioned behind the driver assembly and attached to an interior surface of the housing such that it forms a bass channel that is routed from the back volume to a vent in the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A case for a portable listening device, the case comprising:
a housing having one or more cavities configured to receive the portable listening device; a lid attached to the housing and operable between a closed position where the lid is aligned over the one or more cavities and an open position where the lid is displaced from the one or more cavities; and a wireless power transmitter arranged to wirelessly transfer power to a wireless receiver of the portable listening device when the portable listening device is positioned in the one or more cavities.

2 . The case of claim 1 , wherein the wireless power transmitter includes a coil.

3 . The case of claim 1 , wherein the wireless power transmitter is arranged to wirelessly transfer data to the wireless receiver of the portable listening device.

4 . The case of claim 1 , wherein the portable listening device includes a first earbud arranged to be received by a user’s first ear and a second earbud arranged to be received by a user’s second ear.

5 . The case of claim 4 , wherein the first earbud includes a first wireless receiver and the second earbud includes a second wireless receiver.

6 . The case of claim 1 , wherein the case includes a case battery that is coupled to a case charging circuit.

7 . The case of claim 6 , wherein the case charging circuit is arranged to receive power from a wireless power source.

8 . The case of claim 1 , further comprising a logic circuit that initiates turning on a wireless radio of the portable listening device by transmitting a signal to the portable listening device.

9 . The case of claim 8 , wherein the signal is transmitted to the portable listening device through the wireless power transmitter.

10 . A portable listening device system comprising:
an earbud comprising:
an earbud housing having a speaker portion and a stem portion extending from the speaker portion;
a battery positioned within the earbud housing;
a speaker positioned within the speaker portion of the earbud housing and configured to direct sound into a user’s ear; and
a wireless radio coupled to the battery and configured to be communicatively coupled to an electronic device via a wireless communications channel a wireless power receiver arranged to receive power; and
a case for the earbud, the case comprising:
a case housing defining an interior space sized and shaped to receive the earbud;
a case battery positioned within the case housing;
a logic circuit that initiates turning on the wireless radio; and
a wireless power transmitter arranged to transmit power to the wireless power receiver.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the wireless power transmitter includes a coil.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the wireless power transmitter is arranged to wirelessly transfer data to the wireless power receiver.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the case includes a case battery that is coupled to a case charging circuit.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the case charging circuit is arranged to receive power from a wireless power source.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the logic circuit initiates the turning on the wireless radio by transmitting a signal to the earbud.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the signal is transmitted to the earbud through the wireless power transmitter.

17 . A portable listening device system comprising:
a portable listening device comprising:
a device housing;
a battery positioned within the device housing;
a wireless power receiver arranged to receive power;
a speaker positioned within the device housing and configured to generate sound; and
a wireless radio coupled to the battery and configured to be communicatively coupled to an electronic device via a wireless communications channel; and
a case for the portable listening device, the case comprising:
a case housing defining a cavity for storing the portable listening device;
a case battery positioned within the case;
a wireless power transmitter arranged to transmit power to the wireless power receiver; and
a processor that initiates turning on the wireless radio.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the wireless power transmitter is arranged to wirelessly transfer data to the wireless power receiver.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the processor initiates turning on the wireless radio by transmitting a signal to the portable listening device.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the signal is transmitted to the portable listening device via the wireless power transmitter.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Chawan Arun D
• Stiehl Kurt
• Cousins Benjamin A
• Aase Jonathan S
• Azmi Yacine
• Choiniere Paul
• Slabaugh Scott W

Classifications

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• H02J7/731

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

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• A45C11/001

  for storing portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or digital music players · CPC title

• H04R2499/11

  Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's · CPC title