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US 10,219,062 B2Granted
Wireless audio output devices
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsRobert D. Watson, David John Shaw, Ganesh Adkasthala Ganapathi Batta, Chandrahas Aralaguppe Chandramohan, Gregory Robert Burns, Benjamin Huth Byer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for determining when to wirelessly communicatively couple together a pair of untethered wireless audio output devices and for determining when to erase a connection history stored on one or both of the wireless audio output devices.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- determining that a first audio output device is not wirelessly communicatively coupled to a second audio output device;
- detecting a user action associated with a housing configured to store the first audio output device and the second audio output device;
- in response to detecting the user action:
- allowing the first audio output device to become discoverable by a source communication device, and
- detecting a pairing request to wirelessly communicatively couple the first audio output device to the source communication device within a threshold period of time from detecting the user action;
- and
- in response to detecting the pairing request within the threshold period of time:
- causing one or more wireless link keys stored on the first audio output device and the second audio output device to be erased, and
- wirelessly communicatively coupling the first audio output device with the second audio output device.
6 more elements
A wireless ear bud case comprising:
- a housing for storing a first wireless ear bud and a second wireless ear bud;
- a processor;
- a network interface configured to allow the processor to inspect a first memory location on the first wireless ear bud and a second memory location on the second wireless ear bud and to determine that the first wireless ear bud is not communicatively coupled to the second wireless ear bud;
- and
- an input configured for detecting a user action indicating a request to communicatively couple the first wireless ear bud with the second wireless ear bud,
- wherein the processor is configured to:
- in response to detecting the user action via the input:
- cause, via the network interface, the first wireless earbud to become discoverable by a companion communication device, and
- in response to detecting a pairing request to wirelessly communicatively couple the first wireless earbud to the companion communication device within a threshold period of time from detecting the user action:
- cause, via the network interface, one or more wireless link keys stored on at least one of a memory of the first wireless ear bud or a memory of the second wireless ear bud to be erased, and
- cause, via the network interface, the first wireless ear bud to communicatively couple with the second wireless ear bud.
8 more elements
A method comprising:
- detecting a predetermined event associated with a wireless ear bud housing;
- in response to detecting the predetermined event:
- causing a primary wireless ear bud to become discoverable, and
- detecting a pairing request from a companion device within a threshold period of time from the predetermined event;
- and
- in response to detecting the pairing request, pairing the primary wireless ear bud with the companion device, the pairing further including:
- disconnecting the primary wireless ear bud from any existing wireless connections by erasing any user history data, including previously paired wireless ear bud data, from a memory of the primary wireless ear bud;
- and
- wirelessly connecting the primary wireless ear bud to a secondary wireless ear bud.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.