# US 9,883,277 B2 · Case with inductive charging system to charge a portable device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,883,277 B2 - Document ID: US9883277B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/273,693 - Filed: 2016-09-22 - Published: 2017-03-30 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-30 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Arun D. Chawan; Lee M. Panecki; Rico L. Zörkendörfer; Kurt Stiehl; Christopher S. Graham; Christopher J. Walton - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9883277B2 ## CPC - H04R 1/1041: {Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H)} - 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 13/02: 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 7/0044 - H02J 7/0047 - H02J 7/025 - H04B 1/3888: Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers - H04B 5/0037 - 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 1/1058: {Manufacture or assembly} - 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 2011/001 - A45C 2013/026: {Inserts} - F16B 2001/0035 - H02J 2007/0096 - 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 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 - 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) - 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 - 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 A case for a portable listening device includes a rechargeable battery and a first and a second charging system. The first charging system is configured to charge the portable listening device and the second charging system is configured to wirelessly charge a portable electronic device positioned outside of the case adjacent to an exterior charging surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A case for a portable listening device, the case comprising: a housing having one or more cavities configured to receive the portable listening device and an exterior charging surface; a lid attached to the housing and operable between a closed position where the lid is aligned over the one or more cavities and an open position where the lid is displaced from the one or more cavities; a battery; a first charging system configured to charge the portable listening device when positioned in the one or more cavities; and a second charging system including a transmitting coil positioned within the housing adjacent to the exterior charging surface, the transmitting coil configured to wirelessly transmit power to a power receiving coil of an electronic device positioned outside the housing adjacent to the exterior charging surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The case of claim 1 further comprising an alignment feature that aligns the transmitting coil on a mutual axis with the power receiving coil. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The case of claim 2 wherein the alignment feature is an alignment magnet in the case that magnetically mates with a mating alignment magnet in the electronic device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The case of claim 3 wherein the alignment magnet is centered within the transmitting coil. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The case of claim 2 wherein the alignment feature is a concave feature within the exterior charging surface that mates with a convex feature formed on a bottom surface of the electronic device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The case of claim 1 wherein a circuit within the case detects whether the portable listening device is within the one or more cavities and whether the electronic device is positioned adjacent the exterior charging surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The case of claim 6 wherein a circuit within the case preferentially charges the portable listening device before the electronic device if the portable listening device is within the one or more cavities while the electronic device is positioned adjacent the exterior charging surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The case of claim 1 wherein the first and the second charging systems receive power from a case battery. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The case of claim 1 wherein the first and the second charging systems receive power from a case connector. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The case of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of magnetic elements disposed within the housing and the lid, configured to secure the lid in the closed position and to resist the lid moving from the open position to the closed position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The case of claim 10 wherein the plurality of magnetic elements comprises a first pair of magnetic elements configured to repel each other and a second pair of magnetic elements configured to attract each other. ### Claim 12 A case for a pair of earbuds, the case comprising: a housing having an exterior charging surface and first and second cavities configured to receive first and second earbuds, respectively, in the pair of earbuds; a lid operable between a closed position where the lid is aligned over the first and second cavities and an open position where the lid is displaced from the first and second cavities; a battery; a first charging system configured to charge the first and second earbuds when the first and second earbuds are positioned within the first and second cavities; and a second charging system including a transmitting coil positioned within the housing adjacent to the exterior charging surface, the transmitting coil configured to wirelessly transmit power to a power receiving coil of an electronic device positioned outside the housing adjacent to the exterior charging surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The case of claim 12 wherein the case further comprises an alignment magnet configured to align the transmitting coil with the power receiving coil. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The case of claim 13 wherein the transmitting coil is an electromagnetic coil that produces a time-varying electromagnetic flux to induce a current within the power receiving coil. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The case of claim 12 wherein the lid is separable from the housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The case of claim 12 wherein the lid is attached to the housing with a hinge. ### Claim 17 A case for a pair of earbuds, each earbud having an ear interface portion, a stem, an earbud battery and a wireless radio, the case comprising: a housing having a first cavity configured to receive a first earbud in the pair of earbuds and a second cavity configured to receive a second earbud in the pair of earbuds; a lid operable between a closed position where the lid conceals the pair of earbuds within the case and an open position where the lid is displaced from the case such that a user can remove the earbuds from the case; a first charging system including: a case battery; a wireless power receiving coil positioned within the housing, and configured to wirelessly receive power from a wireless power source; a connector configured to couple to each of the first and second earbuds, the connector having at least one contact positioned in the first cavity and at least one contact positioned in the second cavity; and charging circuitry operatively coupled to charge the case battery and provide power to the connector to charge the first and second earbuds from wireless power received over the wireless power receiving coil; an earbud detector configured to detect when an earbud is placed in either of the first or second cavities; and a second charging system including a transmitting coil positioned within the housing and configured to wirelessly transmit power to a power receiving coil of an auxiliary electronic device positioned adjacent the case. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The case of claim 17 wherein the transmitting coil is positioned adjacent an exterior charging surface that is a portion of an exterior housing of the case. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The case of claim 17 wherein the auxiliary electronic device is a wearable electronic device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The case of claim 17 further comprising an alignment magnet configured to align the transmitting coil with the power receiving coil.