# US 2020/0288229 A1 · Wireless earbud

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- Number: US 2020/0288229 A1
- Document ID: US20200288229A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/882,020
- Filed: 2020-05-22
- Published: 2020-09-10
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-30
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Arun D. Chawan; Kurt Stiehl; Benjamin A. Cousins; Jonathan S. Aase; Yacine Azmi; Paul Choiniere; Scott W. Slabaugh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200288229A1

## CPC

- A45C 11/00: Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 (specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48)
- A45C 11/24: Etuis for purposes not covered by a single one of groups A45C11/02 - A45C11/22, A45C11/26, A45C11/32 - A45C11/38
- A45C 13/005: {Hinges}
- A45C 13/02: Interior fittings; Means, {e.g. inserts,} for holding and packing articles
- A45C 13/1069: {magnetic}
- B65D 25/02: Internal fittings (of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44)
- B65D 43/16: hinged for upward or downward movement
- H01R 13/521: {Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert}
- H02J 7/731: {specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence)}
- H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling
- H04B 1/3888: Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
- H04B 5/79: for data transfer in combination with power transfer
- H04R 1/02: Casings; Cabinets {; Supports therefor;} Mountings therein (H04R1/28 takes precedence {; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075})
- H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type}
- H04R 1/1025: Accumulators specially adapted for earpieces; Arrangements specially adapted for charging thereof
- H04R 1/1041: {Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H)}
- H04R 1/1058: {Manufacture or assembly}
- H04R 1/1075: {Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones}
- H04R 1/2826: {for loudspeaker transducers}
- H04R 1/345: {for loudspeakers}
- H04R 5/033: Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)}
- H04R 9/025: {Magnetic circuit}
- H04R 9/06: Loudspeakers
- A45C 11/001: {for storing portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or digital music players}
- A45C 2013/026: {Inserts}
- F16B 2200/83: Use of a magnetic material
- H02J 7/42: with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones
- H04B 1/385: {Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets}
- H04M 1/6033: {for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets (arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08)}
- H04R 1/2857: {for loudspeaker transducers}
- H04R 2201/105: Manufacture of mono- or stereophonic headphone components
- H04R 2420/07: Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
- H04R 2460/03: Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
- H04R 2460/09: Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips (H04R2460/11 takes precedence)
- 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
- A45C: PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- 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)
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)

## Abstract

An earbud includes a housing that includes a driver assembly positioned within the housing forming a front volume in front of the driver and a back volume behind the driver. An acoustic insert is positioned behind the driver assembly and attached to an interior surface of the housing such that it forms a bass channel that is routed from the back volume to a vent in the housing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A portable listening device system comprising:
an earbud comprising:
an earbud housing having a speaker portion and a stem portion extending from the speaker portion;
a battery positioned within the earbud housing;
a speaker positioned within the speaker portion of the earbud housing and configured to direct sound into a user's ear; and
a wireless radio coupled to the battery and configured to be communicatively coupled to an electronic device via a wireless communications channel; and
a case for the earbud, the case comprising:
a case housing defining an interior space sized and shaped to receive the earbud;
a case battery positioned within the case housing; and
a logic circuit that initiates turning on the wireless radio.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The portable listening device system of claim 1 wherein the logic circuit initiates the turning on the wireless radio by transmitting a signal to the earbud.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The portable listening device system of claim 2 wherein the signal is transmitted to the earbud through an electrical connector that electrically couples the earbud to the case.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The portable listening device system of claim 1 wherein the case includes a lid and the logic circuit includes a lid position sensor that detects a position of the lid.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The portable listening device system of claim 4 wherein the logic circuit initiates the turning on the wireless radio in response to the lid position sensor detecting the lid moving from a closed position to an open position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The portable listening device system of claim 4 wherein the logic circuit initiates turning off the wireless radio in response to the lid position sensor detecting the lid moving from an open position to a closed position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The portable listening device system of claim 1 wherein the case includes a depressible button that when depressed initiates the wireless radio to enter a pairing mode in which the electronic device can be paired with the earbud.

### Claim 8

A portable listening device system comprising:
an earbud comprising:
an earbud housing having a speaker portion and a stem portion extending from the speaker portion;
a battery positioned within the earbud housing;
a speaker positioned within the speaker portion of the earbud housing and configured to direct sound into a user's ear; and
a wireless radio coupled to the battery and configured to be paired to an electronic device via a wireless communications channel; and
a case for the earbud, the case comprising:
a case housing defining an interior space sized and shaped to receive the earbud;
a case battery positioned within the case housing; and
a logic circuit that, in response to a user interaction with the case, communicates one or more signals that cause the wireless radio to transition from a first power state to a second power state.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The portable listening device system of claim 8 wherein the one or more signals includes a signal that is transmitted to the earbud through an electrical connector that electrically couples the earbud to the case.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The portable listening device system of claim 8 wherein the first power state is an off state and the second power state is an on state.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The portable listening device system of claim 8 wherein the case includes a lid and the logic circuit includes a lid position sensor that detects a position of the lid.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The portable listening device system of claim 11 wherein the logic circuit communicates the one or more signals that cause the wireless radio to enter the second power state in response to the lid position sensor detecting the lid moving from a closed position to an open position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The portable listening device system of claim 11 wherein the logic circuit communicates the one or more signals that cause the wireless radio to transition to an off state in response to the lid position sensor detecting the lid moving from an open position to a closed position.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The portable listening device system of claim 8 wherein the case includes a depressible button that when depressed transmits one or more signals that cause the wireless radio to enter a pairing mode.

### Claim 15

A portable listening device system comprising:
a portable listening device comprising:
a device housing;
a battery positioned within the device housing;
a speaker positioned within the device housing and configured to generate sound; and
a wireless radio coupled to the battery and configured to be communicatively coupled to an electronic device via a wireless communications channel; and
a case for the portable listening device, the case comprising:
a case housing defining a cavity for storing the portable listening device;
a case battery positioned within the case; and
a processor that initiates turning on the wireless radio.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The portable listening device system of claim 15 wherein the processor initiates the turning on the wireless radio by transmitting a signal to the portable listening device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The portable listening device system of claim 16 wherein the signal is transmitted through an electrical connector that electrically couples the portable listening device to the case.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The portable listening device system of claim 15 wherein the case includes a lid and the processor includes a lid position sensor that detects a position of the lid.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The portable listening device system of claim 18 wherein the processor initiates the turning on the wireless radio in response to the lid position sensor detecting the lid moving from a closed position to an open position.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The portable listening device system of claim 18 wherein the processor initiates turning off the wireless radio in response to the lid position sensor detecting the lid moving from an open position to a closed position.