Wireless earphone

US10110984B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Apple Inc. · US

Inventors

• Zachary C. Rich · San Francisco, US
• Kurt Stiehl · Los Gatos, US
• Arun D. Chawan · San Francisco, US
• Michael B. Howes · Mountain View, US
• Jonathan S. Aase · Redwood City, US
• Esge B. Andersen · Campbell, US
• Yacine Azmi · San Jose, US
• Jahan Minoo · San Jose, US
• David John Shaw · San Diego, US
• Aarti Kumar · Los Altos, US
• Augustin Prats · San Francisco, US
• Robert D. Watson · Tijeras, US
• Baptiste P. Paquier · Saratoga, US
• Axel D. Berny · Los Gatos, US
• Benjamin W. Cook · San Francisco, US
• Jerzy S. Guterman · Sunnyvale, US
• Benjamin A. Cousins · Cupertino, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 20, 2015
• Grant date: Oct 23, 2018
• Expiry date: Apr 20, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04R2420/07
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The wireless earphone (1) comprises a housing (2) having a bud portion abutting an elongated stem portion. The bud portion is to fit within an ear. The bud portion has a primary sound outlet (5) at its far end that is to be inserted into an outer ear canal, and abuts the stem portion at its near end. A speaker driver (6) is inside the bud portion. Electronic circuitry (7,24) inside the housing (2) includes a wireless communications interface (4) to receive audio content over-the-air and in response provides an audio signal to the speaker driver. A rechargeable battery (3) as a power source for the electronic circuitry is located inside a cavity of the stem portion.