Wireless Audio Output Devices

Figure 1 illustrates an example wireless ear bud case 100 according to some embodiments of the present technology. The wireless ear bud case 100 houses a pair of wireless ear buds 104 and connects the wireless ear buds 104 to each other while housed within the wireless ear bud case 100. The wireless ear bud case 100 can include a cover 102 that closes to cover the wireless ear buds within the wireless ear bud case 100, and the wireless ear bud case 100 can include a sensor 108 that detects when the cover 102 of the wireless ear bud case 100 is opened and/or closed. 

The wireless ear bud case 100 also includes a processor 112, memory 116, and a communication interface 114. As explained in greater detail below, the wireless ear buds 104 also include a communication interface, and the wireless ear bud case 100 can be used to create a communication link 110 between the wireless ear buds 104 via the communication interface 114 of the wireless ear bud case 100.

In some embodiments, the communication link 110 is used as a physical communication link between the wireless ear buds 104, and a shared secret is sent between the wireless ear buds 104 during a secure wireless communicative coupling to each other to prevent a bad actor from maliciously communicatively coupling to either of the wireless ear buds 104 over the air.

The wireless ear bud case 100 includes a battery 118 for re-charging the wireless ear buds 104 and a charging interface 120 for connecting the battery 118 to a power source. The wireless ear bud case 100 can also include an indicator 106 to show a charge status of the wireless ear buds 104 and/or of the wireless ear bud case 100. The wireless ear bud case 100 also can include an input mechanism 122, such as a button. As explained in greater detail below, the input mechanism 122 can be used to communicatively couple together the pair of wireless ear buds 104 housed within the wireless ear bud case 100. 

Figure 2 illustrates an example wireless ear bud 104 that can communicatively couple with another wireless ear bud to form a pair of untethered, wireless ear buds according to some embodiments of the present technology. The wireless ear bud 104 includes a communication interface 206 used to communicatively couple with another wireless ear bud and to pair with a source device, e.g., a companion communication device that can provide audio data that the wireless ear bud(s) 104 can reproduce as audio signals for a user of the wireless ear bud(s) 104. In some embodiments, a process of pairing the wireless ear bud 104 is initiated when the wireless ear bud 104 is contained within a housing/case, e.g., the wireless ear bud case 100. In some circumstances, once a pairing mode is enabled for the wireless ear bud 104, the wireless ear bud 104 remains in the enabled pairing mode until one or more of the following occurs: (i) the wireless ear bud 104 pairs with a companion communication device, (ii) a pairing mode of the wireless ear bud 104 times out (e.g., the wireless ear bud 104 does not pair with a companion communication device within a fixed time period, such as thirty seconds), (iii) the wireless ear bud 104 and/or another wireless ear bud with which the wireless ear bud 104 is paired is removed from the wireless ear bud case 100, (iv) the wireless ear bud case 100 commands one or more both of the wireless ear buds 104 to exit the pairing mode, or (v) the companion communication device commands the wireless ear bud 104 to exit the pairing mode. The wireless ear bud 104 can also include a battery 212 and one or more sensors 202 for detecting a wearing status of the wireless ear bud 104, e.g., when the wireless ear bud 104 is placed in and/or removed from an ear, whether the wireless ear bud 104 is in a user‘s ear, e.g., an in-ear wearing status, or is not in a user‘s ear, e.g., an out-of-ear wearing status. 

Additionally, the wireless ear bud 104 includes an audio output 204 for converting a received signal, e.g., which can include audio data, into audible sound. The signal can be received from a paired companion communication device (not shown) via the communication interface 206. The wireless ear bud 104 also includes a processor 208 and memory 210. The memory 210 in the wireless ear bud 104 stores firmware for operating the wireless ear bud 104 as well as data for coupling with other wireless ear buds and for pairing the wireless ear bud 104 with companion communication devices. For example, the memory 210 in the wireless ear bud 104 can store a connection history for companion communication devices with which the wireless ear bud 104 has previously paired. The connection history can include data for automatically pairing the wireless ear bud 104 with the companion communication device without having to configure a connection between the wireless ear bud 104 and the companion communication device (e.g., enter a password, exchange shared secrets, etc.). For example, the connection history can include one or more link keys for connecting to a wireless network (e.g., bluetooth link keys). The memory 210 of the wireless ear bud 104 can also store a MAC address that uniquely identifies the wireless ear bud 104 as well as store a paired partner MAC address of another wireless ear bud that has previously coupled with the wireless ear bud 104. The memory 210 also storesinstructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the wireless ear bud 104 to communicatively couple with another wireless ear bud.