EP4258688A2 - Dispositif d'écoute sans fil portable - Google Patents

Dispositif d'écoute sans fil portable Download PDF

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Publication number
EP4258688A2
EP4258688A2 EP23157342.9A EP23157342A EP4258688A2 EP 4258688 A2 EP4258688 A2 EP 4258688A2 EP 23157342 A EP23157342 A EP 23157342A EP 4258688 A2 EP4258688 A2 EP 4258688A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
earphone
user
ear
control circuitry
sensor control
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP23157342.9A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP4258688A3 (fr
Inventor
Benjamin A. COUSINS
Travis Owens
Karan Jain
Lee M. Panecki
Mei Zhang
Julia Canning
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Apple Inc
Original Assignee
Apple Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US17/895,025 external-priority patent/US20230269509A1/en
Application filed by Apple Inc filed Critical Apple Inc
Publication of EP4258688A2 publication Critical patent/EP4258688A2/fr
Publication of EP4258688A3 publication Critical patent/EP4258688A3/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
    • H04R1/10—Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones
    • H04R1/1016—Earpieces of the intra-aural type
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
    • H04R1/10—Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones
    • H04R1/1025—Accumulators or arrangements for charging
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
    • H04R1/10—Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones
    • H04R1/1041—Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
    • H04R1/10—Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones
    • H04R1/1083—Reduction of ambient noise
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/60—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles
    • H04R25/603—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/60—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles
    • H04R25/609—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of circuitry
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2225/51—Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2225/61—Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2460/00—Details of hearing devices, i.e. of ear- or headphones covered by H04R1/10 or H04R5/033 but not provided for in any of their subgroups, or of hearing aids covered by H04R25/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2460/01—Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2460/00—Details of hearing devices, i.e. of ear- or headphones covered by H04R1/10 or H04R5/033 but not provided for in any of their subgroups, or of hearing aids covered by H04R25/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2460/11—Aspects relating to vents, e.g. shape, orientation, acoustic properties in ear tips of hearing devices to prevent occlusion
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2460/00—Details of hearing devices, i.e. of ear- or headphones covered by H04R1/10 or H04R5/033 but not provided for in any of their subgroups, or of hearing aids covered by H04R25/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2460/17—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

Definitions

  • wireless portable listening devices have many advantages over wired portable listening devices and have become a very popular with consumers, improved wireless portable listening devices are desirable.
  • the sensor control circuitry can be operatively coupled to excite and capture signals from both the touch pixels and the force pixel.
  • the sensor control circuitry can include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that is operatively coupled to excite the touch pixels and the force pixel at a common frequency.
  • ASIC application specific integrated circuit
  • the sensor control circuitry can include one or more of the following features.
  • the sensor control circuitry can be responsive to at least first, second and third operating modes that differ from each other in an amount of power consumed by the sensor control circuitry and force and touch sensors.
  • the first operating mode can be activated upon receiving one or more signals indicating that the earphones are not within a charging case and not within an ear of a user.
  • the second operating mode can be activated upon a receiving one or more signals that the earphones are detected within an ear of a user while not being actively used.
  • the third operating mode can be activated upon a receiving one or more signals that the earphones are detected within an ear of a user while being actively used.
  • the ear tip can include one or more of the following features.
  • the outer flange can have a first radius of curvature and the inner flange can have a second radius of curvature greater than the first radius of curvature.
  • the ear tip can be formed with a double shot injection molding process in which one shot forms the outer flange and an upper portion of the inner ear tip body and a second shot forms the inner flange and a lower portion of the inner ear tip body.
  • the inner flange can extend fully around a perimeter of the inner ear tip body.
  • the inner flange can physical contacts the inner surface of the outer flange.
  • an earphone charging case can include: a housing having a peripheral wall that defines a shell; a frame insert coupled to the housing and extending into the shell, the frame insert having one or more insert walls that define first and second pockets sized and shaped to accept first and second wireless earphones, respectively, wherein the one or more insert walls cooperate with the housing primary wall to define a sealed chamber within the charging case; a lid coupled to the housing and operable between a closed position in which the lid covers the first and second pockets and an open position in which the first and second pockets are exposed; a speaker module disposed within the sealed chamber, the speaker module comprising an audio driver having a diaphragm that separates a front volume of the audio driver from a back volume of the audio driver and a speaker vent disposed within the back volume; one or more first openings formed through the peripheral wall and opening into the front volume, wherein the audio driver is positioned and aligned to emit sound into the front volume and through the one or more acoustic opening
  • an earphone charging case can include one or more of the following features.
  • the charging case can include a multi-layer mesh spanning across the acoustic vent.
  • the multi-layer mesh can include an outer cosmetic mesh, an inner clad layer, and an acoustic mesh disposed between the cosmetic mesh and the clad layer.
  • the inner clad layer can include a non-woven thermoplastic layer and a hydrophobic layer, and in some implementations the inner clad layer can include a non-woven polyethylene terephthalate (PET) mesh layer and a hydrophobic Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) layer.
  • PET polyethylene terephthalate
  • PTFE Polytetrafluoroethylene
  • earphones which can also be referred to as ear-fitting headphones, includes both small headphones, sometimes referred to as “earbuds”, that fit within a user's outer ear facing the ear canal without being inserted into the ear canal, and in-ear headphones, sometimes referred to as canal phones, that are inserted in the ear canal itself.
  • earphones can be another type of portable listening device that are configured to be positioned substantially within a user's ear.
  • the term "ear tip”, which can also be referred to as earmold includes pre-formed, post-formed, or custom-molded sound-directing structures that at least partially fit within an ear canal. Ear tips can be formed to have a comfortable fit capable of being worn for long periods of time. They can have different sizes and shapes to achieve a better seal with a user's ear canal and/or ear cavity.
  • Host device 110 can also be wirelessly communicatively coupled with charging case 150 via wireless link 162 so that the host device 110 can exchange data with the charging case, such as data indicating the battery charge level data for case 150, data indicating the battery charge level for portable wireless listening devices 130, data indicating the pairing status of portable wireless listening devices 130.
  • Charging case 250 can also include a case computing system 255 and a case communication system 251.
  • Case computing system 255 can be one or more processors, ASICs, FPGAs, microprocessors, and the like for operating case 250.
  • Case computing system 255 can be coupled to earbud interface 252 and can control the charging function of case 250 to recharge batteries 238 of the portable wireless listening devices 230, and case computing system 255 can also be coupled to case communication system 251 for operating the interactive functionalities of case 250 with other devices, including portable wireless listening device 230.
  • case communication system 251 includes a Bluetooth component, or any other suitable wireless communication component, that wirelessly sends and receives data with communication system 234 of portable wireless listening device 230.
  • each of charging case 250 and portable wireless listening device 230 can include an antenna formed of a conductive body to send and receive such signals.
  • Case 250 can also include a user interface 256 that can be is operatively coupled to case computing system 255 to alert a user of various notifications.
  • the user interface can include a speaker that can emit audible noise capable of being heard by a user and/or one or more LEDs or similar lights that can emit a light that can be seen by a user (e.g., to indicate whether the portable listening devices 230 are being charged by case 250 or to indicate whether case battery 258 is low on energy or being charged).
  • Host device 210 to which portable wireless listening device 230 is an accessory, can be a portable electronic device, such as a smart phone, tablet, or laptop computer.
  • Host device 210 can include a host computing system 212 coupled to a battery 214 and a host memory bank (not shown) containing lines of code executable by host computing system 212 for operating host device 210.
  • Host device 210 can also include a host sensor system 215, e.g., accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor, and the like, for allowing host device 210 to sense the environment, and a host user interface system 216, e.g., display, speaker, buttons, touch screen, and the like, for outputting information to and receiving input from a user.
  • a host sensor system 215 e.g., accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor, and the like
  • a host user interface system 216 e.g., display, speaker, buttons, touch screen, and the like, for outputting information to and
  • host device 210 can also include a host communication system 218 for allowing host device 210 to send and/or receive data from the Internet or cell towers via wireless communication, e.g., wireless fidelity (WiFi), long term evolution (LTE), code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobiles (GSM), Bluetooth, and the like.
  • host communication system 218 can also communicate with communication system 234 in portable wireless listening device 230 via a wireless communication link 262 so that host device 210 can send audio data to portable wireless listening device 230 to output sound, and receive data from portable wireless listening device 230 to receive user inputs.
  • the communication link 262 can be any suitable wireless communication line such as Bluetooth connection.
  • FIGS. 3A-3C are simplified views of a wireless earphone 300.
  • FIG. 3A illustrates a front perspective view of a portable listening device according to an embodiment of the disclosure
  • FIG. 3B illustrates a rear perspective view of the portable listening device shown in FIG. 3A
  • FIG. 3C illustrates a front perspective view of the portable listening device shown in FIG. 3A with its ear tip removed.
  • Housing 310 can include a speaker housing 312 and a stem 314 extending from the speaker housing 312 at an angle.
  • Stem 314 can be substantially cylindrical in construction, but it can include a planar region 330 that does not follow the curvature of the cylindrical construction.
  • Planar region 330 can indicate an area where the wireless listening device is capable of receiving user input. For instance, a user input can be inputted by squeezing stem 314 at planar region 330 or sliding a finger along a portion of the planar region.
  • Stem 314 can also include electrical contacts 340 and 342 for making contact with corresponding electrical contacts in charging case that can store and charge a pair of earphones 300.
  • Electrical contacts 340, 342 provide a physical interface that can be electrically coupled with corresponding electrical contacts in a corresponding charging case (e.g., charging case 150). It is to be understood that embodiments are not limited to the particular shape and format of the housing 310 depicted in FIGS. 3A-3C .
  • the housing does not include a stem or similar structure and in some embodiments an anchor or other structure can be attached to or extend away from the housing to further secure the earbud to a feature of the user's ear.
  • cap 346 that is part of overall housing 310 and can be affixed to an end of stem 314 forming a water tight seal with the stem.
  • a bottom microphone (not shown) can be attached to an interior surface of cap 346 and the cap can include an acoustic port (not shown) that allows the microphone to capture sounds from the environment.
  • Cap 346 can also include two seats along its external surface on opposite sides of the cap for the two contacts 340, 342. The two seats can be recessed a sufficient amount such that the contacts 340, 342 can be secured to the seats and positioned flush with an outer surface of cap 346 creating a smooth, seamless structure that has an improved appearance and reliability.
  • An electrical connection to circuitry within stem 314 can be made to each of contacts 340, 342 through an appropriate cutout or opening in cap 346 that can be covered by the contacts.
  • housing 310 can be formed of a seemingly monolithic outer structure without any obvious seams or rough edges. Housing 310 can form a shell that defines an interior cavity (not shown) in which the various components of earphone 300 are positioned.
  • enclosed within housing 310 can be a processor or other type of controller, one or more computer-readable memories, wireless communication circuitry, an antenna, a rechargeable battery, power receiving circuitry and various sensors, such as an accelerometer, a photodetector, force and touch sensors and the like, none of which are shown in any of FIGS. 3A-3C .
  • Housing 310 can also house an audio driver (i.e., a speaker) and one or more microphones. The speaker and one or more microphones can each be positioned within housing 310 at locations adjacent to audio openings that extend through housing 310 to allow the speaker and the one or more microphones to transmit and receive audio waves through the housing.
  • a mesh 350 can be disposed over an audio port formed in speaker housing 312.
  • a speaker can be positioned within the speaker housing and aligned to emit sound through the audio port, through mesh 350 and through a central channel 322 that extends through ear tip 320 into a user's ear canal.
  • a rear vent can be formed through speaker housing 312 and covered with a mesh 352. The rear vent can be acoustically coupled to a back volume of the speaker housing to provide improved acoustic performance of the earphone.
  • Earphone 300 can also include an optical sensor 356 that can be used to determine when the earphone is being worn within a user's ear.
  • the optical sensor 356 can be strategically positioned at a location along housing 310 that is likely to be in contact with or directly facing an inner surface of the average user's ears when the earphone is worn by the user. In this manner, the optical sensor can be used, sometimes in conjunction with other sensors, to determine whether earphone 300 is worn by a user and positioned within the user's ear as discussed in more detail below.
  • the optical sensor can be positioned behind an optically transparent window that is positioned along speaker housing 310.
  • Ear tip 320 can be made primarily from a deformable material and can be sized and shaped to fit within a user's ear canal In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 3A-3C , ear tip can be removably attached to speaker housing 310 and is shown in FIG. 3A in an attached state and in FIG. 3C in a detached stated.
  • a deformable ear tip such as ear tip 320
  • ear tip 320 provides a deformable ear tip when the ear tip is inserted into a user's ear canal, the ear tip can form a seal with the inner wall of the ear canal attenuating or blocking out external noises.
  • the seal between a deformable ear tip and the user's ear canal can form a closed acoustic architecture that enables the in-ear headphone to have improved noise cancellation features as opposed to earphones that have an open acoustic architecture.
  • FIG. 4 is a simplified cross-sectional illustration of an in-ear earphone 400.
  • Earphone 400 includes a housing 420 an ear tip 430. As shown in FIG. 4 , earphone 400 is being worn by a user with ear tip 430 inserted into an ear canal 410 of the user's ear and spaced apart from the user's ear drum 412. Earphone 400 represents a previously known earphone.
  • Microphone 424 can be employed in conjunction with circuitry (not shown) within the earphone 400 to implement an active noise canceling feature.
  • Microphone 424 can be attached to housing 420 by a bridge 428, which is positioned between microphone 424 and the distal end of nozzle 425.
  • An acoustic path 440 between ear drum 412 and microphone 424 extends through ear canal 410, ear tip 430 and meshes 432, 426, and around an outer periphery bridge 428 before reaching an audio opening of microphone 424, which can in itself be covered with a separate mesh or membrane as shown by the dotted line.
  • Earphone 500 can include many of the same features as earphone 400 including, among others, housing 420, audio driver 422, microphone 424, nozzle mesh 426, ear tip 430 and ear tip mesh 432.
  • housing 420 housing 420
  • audio driver 422 microphone 424
  • nozzle mesh 426 nozzle mesh 426
  • ear tip 430 nozzle mesh 426
  • ear tip 430 nozzle mesh 426
  • ear tip 430 can include many of the same features as earphone 400 including, among others, housing 420, audio driver 422, microphone 424, nozzle mesh 426, ear tip 430 and ear tip mesh 432.
  • FIG. 5 the same reference numbers are used in FIG. 5 as used in FIG. 4 to indicate like elements.
  • earphone 500 is depicted in FIG. 5 as being worn by a user with ear tip 430 inserted into an ear canal 410 of the user's ear and spaced apart from the user's ear drum 412.
  • the acoustic path 540 between microphone 424 and a user's earbud 412 is more direct and shorter in earphone 500 than the similar acoustic path 440 in earphone 400.
  • bridge 528 which couples microphone 424 to housing 420 in earphone 500, includes a passageway 542 that extends between opposing upper surfaces of the bridge.
  • acoustic pathway 540 extends directly through bridge 528 to get to microphone 422 rather than being diverted around an outer periphery of bridge 428 to get to the microphone as required in earphone 400.
  • Allowing the acoustic pathway 540 to traverse bridge 528 through passageway 542 enables microphone 424 to be joined directly to a lower surface of bridge 528 thereby eliminating the gap X present between microphone 424 and bridge 428 in earphone 400 and moving the microphone closer to ear drum 412 further shortening the acoustic pathway 540.
  • FIGS. 6A and 6B are simplified top plan and cross-sectional views of a portion of earphone 500 that includes nozzle 425.
  • the nozzle 425 defines an audio port 600 that opens to the interior cavity of earphone housing 420.
  • Mesh 426 which his not included in FIG. 6A to better illustrate other elements, extends across audio port 600 preventing debris and earwax from entering the interior of housing 420.
  • Bridge 528 is positioned directly beneath the mesh 426 and can be mechanically attached to the wall of nozzle 425.
  • Microphone 424 can be coupled to the bottom surface of bridge 528 such that an opening 610 to the microphone is aligned with passageway 542 through the bridge 528.
  • a hydrophobic mesh 620 can be positioned between the microphone 424 and the bridge 528 and extend over the microphone opening 610 to prevent moisture and other particles that get past mesh 426 from entering the microphone.
  • One or more adhesive layers (not shown), such as a PSA layer, can be disposed between the hydrophobic mesh and each of the bridge 528 and microphone 424 to secure the components together.
  • an airtight seal can be formed between microphone 424 and the bottom surface of bridge 528 to ensure that sounds that reach microphone 424 do so through passageway 540.
  • Earphones can include one or more openings that extend through an outer wall of the earphone housing. Different openings can serve different purposes. For example, a primary audio port can allow the speaker to transmit sound towards a user's ear, other openings can enable microphones to transmit and receive audio waves through the housing and still other openings can enable improved audio performance of the earphone. Some or all of such audio openings can be covered by a protective mesh as discussed with respect to FIGS. 3A-3C .
  • a rear vent can be formed through speaker housing 312 and covered with a mesh 352 as shown in FIG. 3A .
  • the rear vent can be acoustically coupled to a back volume of the speaker housing 312 to provide improved acoustic performance of the earphone.
  • the protective mesh 352 can extend over the rear vent to prevent ear wax or particles from entering the housing through the rear vent.
  • the protective mesh can be formed as a multi-layered structure including a cosmetic mesh and an acoustic mesh where the cosmetic mesh forms an outer surface of earbud 300 and is formed of an interlaced network of stiff wire, while the acoustic mesh is positioned within acoustic port 314 beneath the cosmetic mesh and is formed of a porous fabric.
  • the cosmetic mesh can be formed of interlaced stainless steel and the acoustic mesh can be formed of polyester.
  • earphones are worn directly in a user's ear, earphones are susceptible to a build-up or collection of wax that can collect on any or all of the meshes. Such wax can be particularly problematic on the meshes that come in physical contact with a portion of the ear, such as the mesh 352 formed over the rear vent. Wax build-up on mesh 352 can occlude the rear vent opening which can adversely impact the sound quality of an earphone. Earphones in accordance with some embodiments include an improved multi-layer mesh structure that reduces the impact of any potential wax build-up.
  • FIG. 7 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a portion of an earphone 700 in accordance with some embodiments.
  • Earphone 700 includes a rear vent 710 formed through a wall of a housing 720.
  • a multi-layer protective mesh 730 which can be representative of mesh 352, covers rear vent 710.
  • Mesh 730 can include an outer cosmetic mesh 732 disposed over a separate acoustic mesh 734.
  • acoustic mesh 734 is spaced apart from cosmetic mesh 732 in a central portion of rear vent 710.
  • ear wax can collect around the outer periphery of cosmetic mesh 732. As wax builds-up on the mesh, the wax can spread inward and eventually completely occlude rear vent 710.
  • cosmetic mesh 732 can have a convex shape such that a center portion of the mesh protrudes further towards an exterior surface of earphone 700 than the peripheral portions of mesh 732.
  • cosmetic mesh 832 has a concave shape to it such that the central portion of mesh 832 is spaced further from an exterior surface of earphone 800 than the peripheral portions of mesh 832.
  • the concave shape creates a deeper, sub-flush mesh where the extra depth can further increase time to a possible occlusion event, which in turn can further reduce the frequency in which the multi-layer mesh 830 needs to be cleaned.
  • the central portion of mesh 550 can still be recessed from the exterior surface of speaker housing 310 by a distance X, which in some embodiments can be between 0.1 and 1.5 mm.
  • FIGS. 9A and 9B are simplified cross-sectional and exploded perspective views, respectively, of a multi-layer mesh 930 that can be representative of multi-layer mesh 830.
  • multi-layer mesh 930 is shown within a rear-vent 910 formed through a housing 920 of an earphone 900.
  • Multi-layer mesh 930 includes an outer cosmetic mesh 932 and an inner acoustic mesh 934.
  • a stiffener 938 provides support for the acoustic mesh, which can be bonded to stiffener 9386 by an adhesive layer 936, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) layer.
  • PSA pressure sensitive adhesive
  • An acoustic frame 922 sits within housing 920 and can provide an indirect, sealed path 940 between rear vent 910 and the back volume (not shown) of the audio driver.
  • the indirect path 940 can take the form of an elongated tubular acoustic passageway that can improve passive attenuation of earphone 900.
  • the sealed tubular passageway can take a tortuous path between rear vent 910 and the back volume with bends in the path having curved edges to improve acoustic airflow and reduce "choking".
  • the tube dimensions can maintain a ratio of 0.8 height ⁇ 2.0 width ⁇ 3.5 functional length, and in some particular implementations, the tube dimensions can have a minimum height of about 0.8 mm.
  • Earphones can include a user-input device positioned along an exterior surface of the earphone housing.
  • the user-input device can be a touch sensitive and pressure sensitive surface along a stem portion of the earphone housing, such as planar region 330 positioned along stem 312 of the earphones 300 depicted in FIGS. 3A-3C .
  • FIG. 10A is a simplified rear perspective view of an earphone 1000 according to some embodiments.
  • Earphone 1000 can be representative of earphone 300 and includes a housing 1010 having a speaker housing portion 1012 and a stem portion 1014.
  • Planar region 1030 can provide a tactile surface that indicates to a user an area where the earphone 1000 is capable of receiving user input. For instance, a user input can be inputted by squeezing stem 1014 at planar region 1030 or by sliding a finger along a portion of planar region 1030.
  • planar region 1030 can be replaced by or enhanced by one or more other features that provide additional and/or improved tactile feedback including, as examples, bumps, grooves, recesses, etc.
  • FIGS. 10B and 10C are simplified cross-sectional views of portions of stem 1030 along the different sections of the stem as indicated in FIG. 10A .
  • planar region 1030 is present in FIG. 10B but not in FIG. 10C.
  • FIG. 10B also shows a flex circuit board 1040 disposed adjacent to the planar surface 1030.
  • Circuit board 1040 can include both force and touch sensors as described in more detail in conjunction with FIGS. 11A-11C below.
  • Circuitry such as an antenna 1080 that can extend along a majority of a length of the stem and system in a package (SIP) 1082, can also be disposed within interior region 1045 of stem 1014.
  • SIP package
  • three separate and distinct capacitive touch pixels 1150, 1152 and 1154 are included in the touch region but embodiments are not limited to any particular number of touch pixels and other embodiments can include fewer than or more than three touch pixels.
  • the touch pixels can be built into copper layers formed in a flex circuit 1170 discussed below with respect to FIG. 11C .
  • FIG. 11B which represents a cross-sectional view of planar region 1130 below the cross-sectional view depicted in FIG. 11A
  • a single capacitive force pixel 1160 is also disposed along stem 1114 directly under the surface of the planar region 1130 and directly under the touch pixels. While the embodiment depicted in FIG. 11B includes just a single force pixel in the touch region, other embodiments are not limited to any particular number of force pixels and other embodiments can include more than one force pixels.
  • flex circuit 1170 is laminated to the inner surface of wall 1116 using a low temperature curable adhesive (e.g., adhesive 1172).
  • a low temperature curable adhesive e.g., adhesive 1172
  • the accuracy of the capacitive touch pixels 1150, 1152 and 1154 can be dependent on the lamination process.
  • the adhesive should be able to withstand internal stresses from spring back forces associated with squeezing the stem region to activate the force sensor. The inventors have found that a standard pressure sensitive adhesive can be inadequate in such circumstances as air bubbles can start to form over repeated use that can then interfere with the accuracy of the capacitive touch pixels.
  • the adhesive is cross-linking adhesive formulated as b-stage system in which a first low temperature cure step partially cures the adhesive material and is followed by a UV cure step to fully cure the adhesive and bond the laminate to the wall.
  • the flex circuit 1170 is a separate flex dedicated to the touch and force pixels. In this manner, flex 1170 can be inserted into stem 1114 and fully bonded to the inner surface of wall 1116 (e.g,. by adhesive layers 1172 and 1174) prior to mechanically attaching other components to the stem.
  • earphones can employ different modes of operation depending on whether the earphones are being worn in a user's ear, are inside their charging case or are out of the case but are off the user's ear and thus not being worn.
  • embodiments of earphones disclosed herein can include one or more sensors (e.g., photodiodes, magnets, hall effect sensors, an accelerometer, and the like) that can detect whether an earphone is within a charging case or within a user's ear.
  • sensors e.g., photodiodes, magnets, hall effect sensors, an accelerometer, and the like
  • a pair of earphones such as any of earphones described herein including, but not limited to, earphones 300, 1000 1100, have been stored in a charging case with the battery for each earphone fully charged overnight.
  • the earphones still in the charging case, will be in a deep-sleep sub-state 1214 in which both the touch and the force pixels are turned fully OFF.
  • the earphones switch from deep sleep sub-state 1214 to a normal sleep sub-state 1212 in which the touch pixels are maintained OFF but the force pixel is turn ON and sampled at a low, baseline rate to save power.
  • the baseline rate can be less than 10 Hz, less than 5 Hz, less than 2 Hz or less than 1 Hz. In one particular implementation, the baseline rate can be 0.5 Hz.
  • the standard rate can be at least five times the baseline rate, at least ten times the baseline rate, at least fifty times the baseline rate or at least 100 times the baseline rate. In one particular implementation where the baseline rate is 0.5 Hz, the standard rate can be 60 Hz.
  • the earphone While in a user's ear, the earphone will remain in the inactive sub-state unless the touch pixels detect the presence of a finger, which can be done, for example, when the capacitance on the touch pixels is greater than a predetermined inactive threshold value. Once a finger is detected, the earphones switch to active sub-state 1232 in which the capacitance on the touch pixels can be independently measured on each touch pixel and the touch pixels and force pixel are sampled at the standard rate.
  • the earphone can remain in active sub-state 1232 until either: (1) the capacitance on each touch pixel drops below a predetermined active threshold value and no touch was detected on any of the touch pixels for at least predetermined time period, which in some embodiments can be 500 msec, or (2) the earphone are removed from the user's ear in which case they are switched into off-ear state 1220.
  • inactive sub-state 1234 includes two separate steps where the force pixel is sampled (step 1302) and then the touch pixels (step 1304).
  • step 1302 the force pixel is sampled
  • step 1304 the touch pixels
  • the earphone can be switched into active sub-state 1232. If capacitance above the first predetermined threshold is not detected and the earphones are still within the ear of the user, the earphones will remain in the inactive sub-state and repeat sampling the force and combined touch pixels (steps 1302 and 1304) at the baseline frequency, which if 0.5 Hertz means the steps 1302 and 1304 are repeated every two seconds.
  • the frequency at which the force and touch pixels are sampled substantially increases as noted above. For example, if the inactive sub-state samples the force and touch pixels at a rate of 0.5 Hz (once every two seconds) and the active rate samples the force and touch pixels at a rate of 60 Hz (60 times per second), the sampling frequency increases 120 times between the two states.
  • each touch pixel is looked at individually so the earphone can determine the location of a user's touch within the user input region (e.g., planar region 330). The higher sampling rate in the active sub-state allows the earphone to determine the direction a finger is moved across the user input region when a swipe motion is performed.
  • active sub-state 1232 includes a noise detection routine.
  • the earphone applies a voltage signal at an appropriate frequency that can be, for example, in the kilohertz range to one of the capacitor plates of each sensor.
  • an external source can create interference on the capacitor that could be wrongly interpreted by the earphone as a detection event.
  • earphones look for noise on the sensors and can implement a noise hopping scheme in which the voltage signal applied to the sensor capacitor plates is switched from a first frequency to a second frequency if noise above a predetermined threshold is detected on the first frequency.
  • the touch pixels are driven (steps 1316-1322) at frequency 1.
  • the touch pixels can be temporarily blocked from controlling features of the earphone until the noise disappears from at least one of the two frequencies.
  • frequency 1 is 200 KHz and frequency 2 is 510 KHz.
  • the noise check steps 1310 and 1314 are sandwiched around sampling the force pixel (step 1312). The sequence of the steps shown in FIG. 13 for the inactive sub-state, active sub-state and the baseline update can be varied, however, and embodiments are not limited to any particular order of such steps.
  • FIG. 13 also illustrates the various steps associated with a baseline update process in which noise thresholds can be established for the sampling frequencies at which the touch sensors are driven.
  • an initial baseline update is performed when the earphones are still in their charging case upon detecting that the lid of the case is opened.
  • the baseline process will check for noise on frequency 1 (step 1330) and scan the touch sensors at frequency 1 (steps 1332-1338) and then do the same for frequency 2 (noise check at step 1342 and touch sensor scans at steps 1444-1450).
  • the amount of noise that is present on each frequency can then be taken into account when setting a threshold levels for registering a detection event on each frequency.
  • the baseline update can also include checking the force pixel (step 1340), which in FIG.
  • the baseline update can then be repeated during active sub-state 1332 at the slower, baseline rate in order to maintain a baseline for noise at the frequency that is not being used to drive the touch pixels at that time.
  • FIG. 14 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a typical deformable ear tip 1400.
  • Ear tip 1400 includes an inner ear tip body 1410 and an outer ear tip body (sometimes referred to as a flange) 1420 that together form a monolithic structure.
  • Inner ear tip body 1410 is centered along a central axis 1415 and defines a sound channel that extends through the entire length of ear tip 1400.
  • outer ear tip body 1420 When ear tip 1400 is inserted into an ear canal, outer ear tip body 1420 can bend into vacant space 1425 and conform to the contours of the ear canal to form an acoustic seal to prevent sound from entering the ear canal as ambient noise. Some surfaces of the ear canal can cause the outer ear tip body to unevenly press against the ear canal, which can create pressure points and cause discomfort. Additionally, only some portions of the outer ear tip body might make contact with the ear canal, thereby forming a weak seal that can allow noise from the environment to interfere with sound delivered by the earphone.
  • the earphones described herein can include a second flange structure between the outer ear tip body and the inner ear tip body to provide improved user comfort and improved acoustic performance.
  • the second flange structure can resist uneven deformation of the outer ear tip body so that pressure is spread evenly across the inner surface of the ear canal, thereby mitigating the creation of pressure points to improve comfort and acoustic seal.
  • FIG. 15 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a double flange ear tip 1500 according to some embodiments.
  • Ear tip 1500 can include an inner ear tip body 1510 and an outer ear tip body 1520 that is sometimes referred to herein as outer flange 1520.
  • Inner ear tip body 1510 is centered along a central axis 1515 and defines a sound channel that extends through the length of ear tip 1500.
  • Inner flange structure 1530 extends into gap 1525 between inner ear tip body 1510 and outer ear tip body 1520 and can include a second end 1534 that contacts a distal portion 1526 of outer ear tip body 1520.
  • second end 1534 is not fixedly attached to ear tip body 1520 and the lower portion 1528 of ear tip body 1520 can slide along the second end providing a force against the outer ear tip body 1520 that resists uneven deformation of outer ear tip body 1520.
  • inner flange 1530 can enable an improved acoustic seal of the ear tip 1500 within the user's ear and a passive attenuation gain for improved acoustic performance.
  • inner flange structure 1530 is a single continuous structure that fully surrounds an outer periphery of inner ear tip body 1510. In other embodiments, inner flange structure 1530 can instead include multiple portions spaced apart from each other and formed radially around the outer periphery of inner ear tip body 1510. Additionally, in some embodiments, such as the embodiment depicted in FIG. 15 , a radius of curvature of inner flange 1530 as it extends away from inner ear tip body 1510 is greater than a radius of curvature of outer ear tip body 1520 extending away from inner ear tip body 1510. The increased curvature of the inner flange 1530 minimizes potential sticking between the inner flange and outer ear tip body and also minimizes the possibility of inner flange 1530 becoming inverted.
  • Inner ear tip body portion 1610a flange and inner flange 1630 can be made from a higher durometer material to provide more structure to the ear tip, while inner ear tip body portion 1610b and outer ear tip body portion 1620 can be made from a lower durometer material that is more flexible to provide a better and more comfortable user fit.
  • ear tips can include one or more control leaks 1650 for preventing the trapping of pressure in the ear canal while still enabling the outer ear tip body to form an acoustic seal.
  • Control leak 1650 creates a pathway from the sound channel created within the inner ear tip body to the ambient environment that can reduce pressure build-up within the ear canal.
  • one or more control leaks 1650 can be formed in a rigid attachment structure 1640 as shown in FIG. 16 , but in other embodiments one or more control leaks can be formed through the inner ear tip body.
  • FIGS. 17A-17C are simplified plan views of a charging case 1700 that can store a pair of earbuds, such as earbuds 300, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • case 1700 can include a lid 1702 and a body 1704 that forms an internal cavity for housing a pair of wireless listening devices 300a, 300b that can be worn in a user's left and right ears, respectively.
  • FIGS. 17A and 17B are front plan views of charging case 1700 and FIG. 17C is a rear plan view of the charging case.
  • Charging case 1700 is depicted in FIG. 17A with lid 1702 in an open position while FIGS. 17B and 17C depict the charging case with the lid in a closed position.
  • Lid 1702 can be attached to body 1704 by a hinge 1710 (shown in FIG. 17C ) that enables the lid to be moved between an open position (in which the earbuds 300a, 300b can be inserted into or removed from case 1700) and a closed position (in which the lid 1702 covers the earbuds 300a, 300b thereby completely enclosing the earbuds within the charging case 1700).
  • a hinge 1710 shown in FIG. 17C
  • charging case 1700 can include an internal frame (not visible in any of FIGS. 17A-17C ) including portions designed to provide contours and surface features against which wireless listening devices 300a, 300b can rest in strategic positions discussed herein to minimize the size of case 1700.
  • Case 1700 can be configured to charge wireless listening devices 300a, 300b when they are housed in case 1700.
  • case 1700 can include two pairs of electrical contacts (not visible in FIGS. 17A-17C ) for making electrical contact with respective contacts on the stems of each earbud so that charge can flow from an internal battery (not shown) of case 1700 to internal batteries of the earbuds 300a, 300b.
  • the charging case internal battery can be charged by an external power supply that is electrically coupled to case 1700 via a connector 1706.
  • Connector 1706 can be any appropriate physical connector interface, such as a lightning connector port developed by Apple, a USB-C port, a mini USB port or the like.
  • charging case 1700 also includes a wireless power receiving coil (not shown) to wirelessly receive power that can be used to charge the internal battery as discussed in more detail below.
  • charging case 1700 is highly resistant to moisture ingression and can be designed to meet IPX4 water resistance standards.
  • electrical components within case 1700 e.g., the charging case battery, the circuit board on which the processor and other electronic circuitry that controls the operation of the charging case, etc.
  • electrical components within case 1700 can be sealed within an internal system volume that is sealed with external system seals. Additionally, each electrical component can be sealed individually with a conformal coating or adhesive.
  • Some embodiments can further include a barometric vent within the connector 1706 module that is permeable to air but not liquids. The barometric vent allows charging case 1700 to be tested, in the manufacturing line, immediately after manufacture of the case is completed to determine if the charging case is fully sealed in accordance with the manufacturer expectations, for example, in accordance with the IPX4 requirements.
  • Case 1700 can also include a visual indicator 1708 configured to emit different colors of light.
  • Visual indicator 1708 can change colors depending on the charge status of the case. As an example, indicator 1708 can emit green light when the case is charged, emit orange light when the charging case battery is charging and/or when the charging case battery has less than a full charge, and red light when the charging case battery is depleted.
  • visual indicator 1708 can have a circular shape, or any other suitable shape, such as square-like, rectangular, oval, and the like.
  • Case 1700 can also include a user-interface 1712, such as a button, that when activated and when the earbuds are stored within case 1700 with lid 1702 open, initiates a pairing routine that allows the earbuds to be paired with a host device. While indicator 1708 and button 1712 are shown in FIGS. 17B and 17C on front and rear case surfaces 1715 and 1720, respectively, embodiments are not limited to any particular location for such user interfaces and these and other user interfaces can be positioned at any suitable exterior or interior surface of charging case 1700.
  • a user-interface 1712 such as a button
  • FIG. 18 is a simplified cross-sectional illustration of an earphone charging case 1800 according to some embodiments.
  • Charging case 1800 which and can be representative of charging case 1700, includes a lid 1802 and a body 1804 that can be mechanically coupled to each other by a hinge (not shown).
  • each of lid 1802 and body 1804 can be hollow shells formed from a single continuous wall.
  • lid 1802 can a peripheral wall 1806 that defines both exterior and interior surfaces of the lid
  • body 1804 can includes a peripheral wall 1808 that defines both exterior and interior surfaces of the body.
  • a frame insert 1810 can fit within the peripheral wall 1808 and can include an insert wall 1812 that defines one or more cavities pockets for housing a pair of earphones, such as left and right earphones 300a and 300b or any of the earphones disclosed herein.
  • frame insert 1810 can include a peripheral wall 1812 that defines contoured cavities 1806 and 1808 sized and shaped to accept a lower portion of earphones 300a, 300b.
  • Frame insert 1810 can cooperate with peripheral wall 1808 to form a waterproof, sealed chamber 1815 within body 1804 in which various internal components of the charging case can be positioned.
  • charging case 1800 can also include circuitry 1820, an antenna 1822 and a speaker module 1830 within the sealed chamber 1815.
  • Circuitry 1820 and antenna 1822 can be formed on a common support substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB).
  • Circuitry 1820 can include, among other devices, a wireless communication circuitry and a controller mounted on the PCB.
  • Antenna 1822 can be formed within a corner of charging case 1800 and in some embodiments can be an ultra-wideband antenna.
  • the circuitry 1820 and antenna can cooperate to wirelessly send out a secure signal (e.g., a Bluetooth signal) that can be detected by nearby devices in the Find My network.
  • the nearby devices can then send the location of charging case 1800 to an iCloud or similar server via a wireless network (e.g., a cellular or WiFi network).
  • the server can then make charging case 1800 visible to approved devices that can display the location of charging case 1800 on a map.
  • the approved devices can also communicate with charging case 1800 via the various wireless networks to send a signal to circuitry 1820 that puts charging case 1800 in a lost mode and/or to play a sound through speaker module 1830 to help a user locate the charging case.
  • speaker module 1830 can generate a relatively loud beeping sound noise to assist as part of the Find My Device routine (or similar location-based find technique) and charging case 1800 includes a B-vent module 1840 to help ensure that air pressure within the speaker module 1830 is equalized to the air pressure external to charging case 1800 in order for speaker module 1830 to function properly. Further details of speaker module 1830 and B-vent module 1840 are discussed below with respect to FIGS. 19A and 19B , respectively.
  • FIG. 19A is a simplified cross-sectional illustration of a speaker module 1900 according to some embodiments that can be included in any of the earphone disclosed herein and can be representative of speaker module 1830.
  • speaker module 1900 includes an audio driver 1910 that has a speaker membrane 1912, which is the dividing line between a front volume 1920 of audio driver 1910 and a back volume 1930 of the audio driver.
  • Front volume 1920 is exposed to the outside air pressure through openings 1922 in a housing 1924 of the earphone in which speaker module 1900 is included.
  • openings 1922 can be, for example, three small circular holes formed through the housing 1924 but the openings are not limited to any particular shape or number.
  • a cosmetic mesh 1925 and a water proof membrane 1926 can be attached (e.g., by a PSA layer 1928) across the openings 1922 to protect against debris and moisture ingress.
  • cosmetic mesh 1925 can includes one or more small protrusions that extend from within housing 1924 into the openings 1922. In some embodiments the protrusions can be flush with an exterior surface of housing 1924 or slightly recessed within the openings 1922.
  • Front volume 1920 is sealed from back volume 1930 by various walls 1932 of speaker module 1900 and by seals 1934, which can be, for example, an o-ring or a similar sealing structure.
  • Back volume 1930 extends into the sealed chamber 1815 of body 1804 through a speaker vent 1940, which can be covered with an acoustic membrane (not shown). Sealed chamber 1815 can be sealed with an airtight and waterproof seal to prevent moisture ingress into the body.
  • back volume 1930 can be a completely enclosed and sealed space except for an opening to the outside environment through B-vent module 1940 as described below.
  • FIG. 19B is a simplified cross-sectional illustration of a B-vent 1950 according to some embodiments that can be included in any of the earphones disclosed herein and can be representative of B-vent module 1840 shown in FIG. 18 .
  • B-vent 1950 can include one or more openings 1952 formed through the same housing 1924 in which openings 1922 are formed.
  • openings 1952 which can be on the right side of charging case 1800 can mirror openings 1922, which can be on the left side.
  • openings 1952 can also include three small circular openings having the same radius as openings 1922.
  • FIG. 18 shows three openings as part of the B-vent module 1840, only the center opening 1952 is depicted in FIG. 19B and the openings on the left and right of center opening 1952 can be sealed.
  • the B-vent opening 1952 provides an air path from speaker back volume 1930 through sealed chamber 1815 within body 1804 to the outside environment.
  • a multi-layer mesh 1960 can cover opening 1952 preventing moisture and particles from entering the interior cavity of charging case 1800 while allowing air to cross the mesh.
  • multi-layer mesh can include an outer cosmetic mesh 1962, which as an example, can be a stainless steel mesh and an acoustic mesh 1964. Similar to cosmetic mesh 1925, cosmetic mesh 1962 can includes one or more small protrusions that extend from within housing 1924 into the openings 1952. In some embodiments the protrusions can be flush with an exterior surface of housing 1924 or slightly recessed within the openings 1952.
  • the multi-layer mesh 1960 can also include a clad between multiple layers including a non-woven thermoplastic layer and a hydrophobic layer.
  • multi-layer mesh 1960 can include a clad between a non-woven polyethylene terephthalate (PET) mesh layer 1966 and a hydrophobic, waterproof layer 1968 formed from Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
  • PET polyethylene terephthalate
  • PTFE Polytetrafluoroethylene
  • Mesh layers 1962, 1964 and the clad of layers 1966, 1968 can be stacked on top of each other and bonded together by PSA layers 1970 and the multi-layer mesh 1960 can be mechanically attached to housing 1924 or other structural components of earphone 1800 by a hot melt bond 1972 formed around the perimeter of the multi-layer mesh 1960.
  • FIG. 20 is a simplified perspective view of a charging case 2000 that can store a pair of earbuds, such as earbuds 300, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • charging case 2000 includes a lid 2002 and a body 2004 that can be mechanically coupled to each other by a hinge (not shown).
  • the hinge allows lid 2002 to be moved between an open position (in which the earbuds 300a, 300b can be inserted into or removed from case 2000) and a closed position (in which the lid 2002 covers the earbuds 300a, 300b thereby completely enclosing the earbuds within the charging case 2000).
  • each of lid 2002 and body 2004 can be hollow shells formed from a single continuous wall.
  • Charging case 2000 can be representative of charging cases 1700 and 1800 and can include some or all of the same features as those charging cases. Additionally, charging case 2000 can include an eyelet 2010 that is mechanically attached body 2004. Eyelet 2010 can be made from metal, rigid plastic or another appropriate material and can include an outer surface that is generally flush with the outer surface of body 2004. Eyelet 2010 can also include first and second openings 2012, 2014 that connect to a common cavity (not labeled) behind a neck portion 2016 of the eyelet. The eyelet can serve as an attachment point for a lanyard (not shown) to be connected to charging case 2000 (e.g., by threading a small wire or strap of the lanyard behind neck portion 2016 through the openings 2012, 2014). The lanyard can then be wrapped around a user's wrist (or neck if the lanyard is sized sufficiently) so that a user can more easily carry charging case 2000 without worrying about losing the charging case.
  • a lanyard not shown
  • FIGS. 17A-19B discussed embodiments of an charging case that can store and charge a pair of wireless earphones, other embodiments can pertain to a charging case for wired earphones or other portable electronic devices.
  • personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining the privacy of users.
  • personally identifiable information data should be managed and handled so as to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly indicated to users.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Headphones And Earphones (AREA)
EP23157342.9A 2022-02-22 2023-02-17 Dispositif d'écoute sans fil portable Pending EP4258688A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US202263268356P 2022-02-22 2022-02-22
US17/895,025 US20230269509A1 (en) 2022-02-22 2022-08-24 Ear tip for portable wireless listening device
US17/895,019 US20230269514A1 (en) 2022-02-22 2022-08-24 Portable wireless listening device
US17/895,028 US20230269513A1 (en) 2022-02-22 2022-08-24 Charging case for portable wireless listening device

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EP4258688A2 true EP4258688A2 (fr) 2023-10-11
EP4258688A3 EP4258688A3 (fr) 2024-03-20

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20190098390A1 (en) * 2017-09-25 2019-03-28 Apple Inc. Earbuds With Capacitive Sensors
US11070904B2 (en) * 2018-09-21 2021-07-20 Apple Inc. Force-activated earphone
CN113810809B (zh) * 2020-06-16 2022-11-25 华为技术有限公司 一种传感器模组和耳机

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