# US 12,015,900 B2 · Swapping roles between untethered wirelessly connected devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,015,900 B2 - Document ID: US12015900B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/657,947 - Filed: 2022-04-04 - Published: 2022-07-21 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-22 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Sriram Hariharan; Ganesha Adkasthala Ganapathi Batta; Tad J. Dreier; Christopher S. Wiebe; Ashley N. Saulsbury; Duy N. Phan; David J. Shaw; Robert D. Watson; Augustin Prats - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015900B2 ## CPC - H04R 29/001: {for loudspeakers (H04R29/007 takes precedence)} - H04R 1/1041: {Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H)} - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04W 84/20: Leader-follower arrangements - H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type} - H04R 1/1025: Accumulators specially adapted for earpieces; Arrangements specially adapted for charging thereof - H04R 5/033: Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)} - H04R 2420/03: Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers - H04R 2420/05: Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers - H04R 2420/07: Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones - H04R 2460/03: Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices - H04R 2460/17: 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 - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering event comprises receipt of an instruction from the companion device to perform the role swap. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) 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. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) 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. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) 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. ### Claim 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.