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US 12,556,013 B2Granted
Detection of earbud insertion in a case
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsCalvin M. Ryan, Antonio R. De Lima Fernandes, James M. Hollabaugh, Chandrahas Aralaguppe Chandramohan, Mitul Mahendrakumar Panchal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a first and a second earbud and a case. The case is configured to provide an enclosure for the first and the second earbud and detect an insertion of either of the first earbud or the second earbud in the enclosure by using detection of a current provided to at least one of the first earbud and the second earbud.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a first earbud and a second earbud;
- and
- a case configured to provide an enclosure for the first and the second earbud;
- and
- a processor configured to:
- receive, from a circuit, an input corresponding to a short-circuit event detected by the circuit, and
- detect, based on the input, an insertion of either of the first earbud or the second earbud in the enclosure by using detection of a current provided to at least one of the first earbud and the second earbud.
4 more elements
A case comprising:
- a housing configured to enclose a first earbud and a second earbud;
- interface chips configured, via respective ports, to communicate data and transfer power to either of the first earbud or the second earbud;
- a power management unit (PMU) configured to provide a direct current (DC) voltage at a respective port of either of the first earbud or the second earbud;
- and
- a current-sensing circuit configured to detect a current,
- wherein the current is drawn by a capacitor of the first earbud or the second earbud upon insertion of the first earbud or the second earbud in the housing.
3 more elements
An earbud comprising:
- a first interface circuit configured to mate with a second interface circuit of a case upon insertion of the earbud in an enclosure provided by the case;
- a capacitor coupled to an input port of the first interface circuit and configured to be charged by drawing a current from the first interface circuit of the case upon the insertion of the earbud into the enclosure;
- a battery separate from the capacitor;
- and
- a current detection circuit configured to detect the current to the capacitor and send a signal to a processor of the earbud or the case indicating the insertion of the earbud into the enclosure.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.