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US 12,689,411 B2Granted
Wearable device with conductive coil for wireless charging and communicating
AssigneeShure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.
InventorsArjun Krishnakumar, Christopher Zachara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wearable device, such as an earphone, may include a conductive coil which may be used in several modes, including a first mode for harvesting power for charging an internal battery, a second mode for communicating via near field communications (NFC), and a third mode for communicating via near field magnetic induction (NFMI). Additionally, the wearable device may include a controller, configured to adapt or configure the conductive coil for each of the operational modes.
Claims16
A wireless earphone comprising:
- a conductive coil;
- an inductor positioned in an ear hook and adjacent to the conductive coil;
- a battery;
- a controller configured to adapt the inductor for communicating via Bluetooth communication, adapt the conductive coil for communicating via one or more of near field communications (NFC) and near field magnetic induction (NFMI), and operate in a plurality of operational modes, wherein the plurality of operational modes comprises at least:
- a first mode in which the controller is configured to adapt the conductive coil for wirelessly harvesting power for charging the battery,
- a second mode in which the controller is configured to adapt the conductive coil for communicating via NFC,
- a third mode in which the controller is configured to adapt conductive coil for communicating via NFMI, and
- a fourth mode in which the controller is configured to:
- adapt the inductor for wirelessly charging the battery, and
- adapt the conductive coil for communicating via one or more of NFC and NFMI;
- and
- a sound transducer positioned opposite the inductor in relation to the conductive coil, wherein the sound transducer is configured to provide an audio output based on an audio signal received from the conductive coil.
9 more elements
A wireless earphone system comprising:
- a first device configured to receive near field magnetic induction (NFMI) communications;
- a first wireless earphone comprising:
- a conductive coil;
- an inductor positioned in an ear hook and adjacent to the conductive coil;
- a battery;
- a controller configured to adapt the inductor for communicating via Bluetooth communication, adapt the conductive coil for communicating via one or more of near field communications (NFC) and near field magnetic induction (NFMI), and operate in a plurality of operational modes, wherein the plurality of operational modes comprises at least:
- a first mode in which the controller is configured to adapt the conductive coil for wirelessly harvesting power for charging the battery,
- a second mode in which the controller is configured to adapt the conductive coil for communicating via NFC,
- a third mode in which the controller is configured to adapt conductive coil for communicating via NFMI, and
- a fourth mode in which the controller is configured to:
- adapt the inductor for wirelessly charging the battery,
- and adapt the conductive coil for communicating via one or more of NFC and NFMI to the first device;
- and
- a sound transducer positioned opposite the inductor in relation to the conductive coil, wherein the sound transducer is configured to provide an audio output based on an audio signal received from the conductive coil.
11 more elements
A method for operating a wireless earphone, wherein the method comprises:
- alternating between a plurality of operational modes by a controller that is configured to:
- adapt an inductor, positioned in an ear hook and adjacent to a conductive coil, for communicating via Bluetooth communication, and
- adapt the conductive coil for communicating via one or more of near field communications (NFC) and near field magnetic induction (NFMI), wherein the plurality of operational modes comprises at least:
- a first mode in which the controller is configured to adapt a conductive coil for wirelessly harvesting power for charging a battery,
- a second mode in which the controller is configured to adapt the conductive coil for communicating via NFC,
- a third mode in which the controller is configured to adapt the conductive coil for communicating via NFMI, and
- a fourth mode in which the controller is configured to adapt an inductor for wirelessly charging the battery, wherein the fourth mode further comprises the controller being configured to adapt the conductive coil for communicating via one or more of NFC and NFMI;
- and
- providing, by a sound transducer located opposite the inductor in relation to the conductive coil, an audio output that is based on an audio signal received from at least one of the conductive coil.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.