# US 12,114,131 B2 · Ear-worn electronic system employing in-ear device and battery charging using at-ear device battery charger > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,114,131 B2 - Document ID: US12114131B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/770,957 - Filed: 2020-09-30 - Published: 2022-12-08 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-31 - Assignees: Starkey Laboratories, Inc. - Applicants: Starkey Laboratories, Inc. - Inventors: Karrie LaRae Recker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12114131B2 ## CPC - H04R 1/1008: {Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type} - H04R 25/43: {Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics (H04R25/407 takes precedence)} - H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type} - H04R 1/1025: Accumulators specially adapted for earpieces; Arrangements specially adapted for charging thereof - H04R 25/453: {electronically} - H04R 25/505: {using digital signal processing} - H04R 2225/021: Behind the ear [BTE] hearing aids - H04R 2225/023: Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids - H04R 2225/025: In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids - H04R 2225/31: Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells - 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) ## Abstract An ear-worn electronic system comprises an inner device and an outer device configured for deployment at one ear of a wearer. The inner device comprises a first housing configured for placement at least partially within an ear canal of the wearer, a first rechargeable battery and first charging circuitry disposed in the first housing, and first electronic circuitry disposed in the first housing and coupled to the first rechargeable battery. The outer device comprises a second housing separate from the first housing and configured for placement at the wearer's ear proximal of the first housing in an outer ear direction, and a second rechargeable battery and second charging circuitry disposed in the second housing. The second charging circuitry is configured to cooperate with the first charging circuitry to charge the first rechargeable battery via a charging link between the first and second charging circuitry. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ear-worn electronic system comprising a plurality of discrete devices configured for deployment at one ear of a wearer, the system comprising: an inner device comprising: a first housing configured for placement at least partially within an ear canal of the wearer; a first rechargeable battery and first charging circuitry disposed in the first housing; and first electronic circuitry disposed in the first housing and coupled to the first rechargeable battery; and an outer device comprising: a second housing separate from the first housing and configured for placement at the wearer's ear proximal of the first housing in an outer ear direction; and a second rechargeable battery and second charging circuitry disposed in the second housing, the second charging circuitry configured to cooperate with the first charging circuitry to charge the first rechargeable battery via a charging link between the first and second charging circuitry; wherein the inner device is configured to operate independently of the outer device when the outer device is removed from the wearer's ear. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the inner device is configured for continuous use within the wearer's ear for a duration longer than a duration of inner device operation using a single charge of the first rechargeable battery; and the outer device is configured to charge the first rechargeable battery to support continuous use of the inner device within the wearer's ear for a duration longer than the duration of inner device operation using the single charge of the first rechargeable battery. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the inner device is configured as a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) device; and the outer device is configured as a behind-the-ear (BTE) device or an in-the-ear (ITE) device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein one or both of the inner device and the outer device is configured as a hearing device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the charging link comprises a wired charging link. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the housing of the inner device comprises compliant material configured to enhance wearer comfort. ### Claim 7 A method implemented using an ear-worn electronic system comprising an inner device and a separable outer device configured for deployment at one ear of a wearer, the method comprising: receiving, by a connection port of the inner device, an electrical connector disposed at a distal end of a wired charging link extending from the outer device, the inner device comprising: a first housing configured for placement at least partially within an ear canal of the wearer; a first rechargeable battery and first charging circuitry disposed in the first housing; and first electronic circuitry disposed in the first housing and coupled to the first rechargeable battery; and the outer device comprising: a second housing separate from the first housing and configured for placement at the wearer's ear proximal of the first housing in an outer ear direction; and a second rechargeable battery and second charging circuitry disposed in the second housing; and charging the first rechargeable battery using the second rechargeable battery via the charging link coupling the first charging circuitry and the second charging circuitry; wherein the inner device operates independently of the outer device when the outer device is removed from the wearer's ear. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein: the inner device is configured as a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) device; and the outer device is configured as a behind-the-ear (BTE) device or an in-the-ear (ITE) device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein one or both of the inner device and the outer device is configured as a hearing device.