Battery charging control for wireless headphones

Abstract

A method for controlling the charging of a wireless earphone device includes estimating a usage time value that corresponds to an expected future occurrence of use of the wireless earphone device and estimating a resumption time value that corresponds to the time it takes for charging to begin and complete from a first predetermined state of charge to a second predetermined state of charge, according to the usage time value. The method also includes determining that the wireless earphone device has been placed in a charging case. A battery of the wireless earphone device is charged to the first predetermined state of charge and then enters an off mode, in which the charging case is configured to return the wireless earphone device to an on mode according to the resumption time value. Figure for the abstract: Figure 9

Description

Title of the invention: Battery charging control for wireless earphones Technical field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the charging of rechargeable batteries.

[0002] BACKGROUND

[0003] Electronic devices may be powered by rechargeable batteries. The batteries may be recharged by supplying electrical power to the rechargeable batteries using a charging device.

[0004] SUMMARY

[0005] One aspect of the disclosure is a method for controlling charging of a wireless earphone device. The method includes estimating a usage time value that corresponds to an expected future occurrence of using a wireless earphone device for audio output, and estimating a resume time value that corresponds to a time for charging to begin to allow completion of charging from a first predetermined state-of-charge value to a second predetermined state-of-charge value according to the usage time value. The method also includes determining that the wireless earphone device has been placed in a charging case.The method also includes charging a battery of the wireless earphone device using electrical power supplied by the charging case until a current state of charge of the battery reaches the first predetermined state of charge value, entering, by the wireless earphone device, into a deactivated mode after the current state of charge reaches the first predetermined state of charge value. The charging case is configured to return the wireless earphone device to an activated mode according to the resume time value.

[0006] In some implementations of the method, the method also includes entering, by the wireless earphone device, into an activated mode in response to a wake-up signal from the charging case to the wireless earphone device after a current time value reaches the resume time value, and charging the battery of the wireless earphone device using electrical power supplied by the charging case until the current state of charge of the battery reaches the second predetermined state of charge value.

[0007] In some implementations of the method, the estimation of the usage time value is implemented by a host device based in part connection history information regarding wireless communications between the wireless headset device and the host device.

[0008] In some implementations of the method, the estimation of the usage time value is implemented using a machine learning-based model that receives the connection history information as input.

[0009] In some implementations of the method, the usage time value is transmitted from the host device to a controller of the wireless earphone device, the resume time value is determined by the controller of the wireless earphone device, and the resume time value is transmitted from the wireless earphone device to the charging case.

[0010] In some implementations of the method, no electrical power from the battery of the wireless headset device is used by the wireless headset device in the off mode.

[0011] In some implementations of the method, the first predetermined state of charge value is between seventy percent and ninety percent of a fully charged state of charge value of the battery of the wireless earphone device, and the second predetermined state of charge value is at least ninety-five percent of a fully charged state of charge value of the battery of the wireless earphone device.

[0012] The method may also include outputting a notification at a host device in response to detecting an attempt to use the wireless headset device before the current state of charge of the battery reaches the second predetermined state of charge value.

[0013] The method may also include disabling entry into the disabled mode if the battery of the wireless earphone device is completely discharged before charging the battery of the wireless earphone device using electrical power supplied by the charging case until the current state of charge of the battery reaches the first predetermined state of charge value.

[0014] Another aspect of the disclosure is a computer-readable storage device, which may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage device, including program instructions executable by one or more processors that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include estimating a usage time value that corresponds to an expected future occurrence of use of a wireless headphone device for audio output, and estimating a resume time value that corresponds to a time for charging to begin to allow completion of charging from a first predetermined state-of-charge value to a second predetermined state-of-charge value according to the usage time value. operations also include determining that the wireless earphone device has been placed in a charging case. The operations also include charging a battery of the wireless earphone device using electrical power supplied by the charging case until a current state of charge of the battery reaches the first predetermined state-of-charge value, and entering, by the wireless earphone device, into a disabled mode after the current state of charge reaches the first predetermined state-of-charge value. The charging case is configured to return the wireless earphone device to an enabled mode according to the resume time value.

[0015] In some implementations of the computer-readable storage device, the operations also include entering, by the wireless earphone device, an activated mode in response to a wake-up signal from the charging case to the wireless earphone device after a current time value reaches the resume time value, and charging the battery of the wireless earphone device using electrical power supplied by the charging case until the current state of charge of the battery reaches the second predetermined state of charge value.

[0016] In some implementations of the computer-readable storage device, the estimation of the usage time value is implemented by a host device based in part on connection history information regarding wireless communications between the wireless headset device and the host device.

[0017] In some implementations of the computer-readable storage device, the estimation of the usage time value is implemented using a machine learning-based model that receives the connection history information as input.

[0018] In some implementations of the computer-readable storage device, the usage time value is transmitted from the host device to a controller of the wireless earphone device, the resume time value is determined by the controller of the wireless earphone device, and the resume time value is transmitted from the wireless earphone device to the charging case.

[0019] In some implementations of the computer-readable storage device, no electrical power from the battery of the wireless headset device is used by the wireless headset device in the off mode.

[0020] In some implementations of the computer-readable storage device, the first predetermined state of charge value is between seventy percent and ninety percent of a fully charged state of charge value of the battery of the wireless earphone device, and the second predetermined state of charge value is at least ninety-five percent of a fully charged state of charge value of the battery of the wireless earphone device.

[0021] In some implementations of the computer-readable storage device, the operations further include outputting a notification to a host device in response to detecting an attempt to use the wireless headset device before the current state of charge of the battery reaches the second predetermined state of charge value.

[0022] In some implementations of the computer-readable storage device, the operations further include disabling entry into the disabled mode if the battery of the wireless headset device is completely discharged before charging the battery of the wireless headset device using electrical power supplied by the charging case until the current state of charge of the battery reaches the first predetermined state of charge value.

[0023] Another aspect of the disclosure is a charging system. The charging system includes a host device, a wireless earphone device that includes a battery, and a charging case. The host device is configured to estimate a usage time value that corresponds to an expected future occurrence of use of the wireless earphone device for audio output in response to placing the wireless earphone device in the charging case. The battery of the wireless earphone device is charged by electrical power supplied from the charging case until a current state of charge of the battery reaches a first predetermined state of charge value. The wireless earphone device enters a deactivated mode after the current state of charge reaches the first predetermined state of charge value.The charging case is configured to return the wireless earphone device to an activated mode according to a resume time value. The resume time value is an estimated time for charging to begin to allow completion of charging from the first predetermined state-of-charge value to a second predetermined state-of-charge value according to the usage time value.

[0024] In some implementations of the charging system, the wireless earphone device enters an activated mode after a current time value reaches a resume time value. The battery of the wireless earphone device is charged using electrical power supplied by the charging case until the current state of charge of the battery reaches the second predetermined state of charge value.

[0025] In some implementations of the charging system, the usage time value is estimated by the host device based in part on connection history information regarding wireless communications between the wireless headset device and the host device.

[0026] In some implementations of the charging system, the usage time value is estimated using a machine learning-based model that receives connection history information as input.

[0027] In some implementations of the charging system, the usage time value is transmitted from the host device to a controller of the wireless earphone device, the resume time value is determined by the controller of the wireless earphone device, and the resume time value is transmitted from the wireless earphone device to the charging case.

[0028] In some implementations of the charging system, no electrical power from the battery of the wireless headset device is used by the wireless headset device in the off mode.

[0029] In some implementations of the charging system, the first predetermined state of charge value is between seventy percent and ninety percent of a fully charged state of charge value of the battery of the wireless earphone device, and the second predetermined state of charge value is at least ninety-five percent of a fully charged state of charge value of the battery of the wireless earphone device.

[0030] In some implementations of the charging system, a notification is output to a host device in response to detecting an attempt to use the wireless headset device before the current state of charge of the battery reaches the second predetermined state of charge value.

[0031] In some implementations of the charging system, entry into the disabled mode is disabled if the battery of the wireless earphone device is completely discharged before the battery of the wireless earphone device is charged by electrical power supplied by the charging case until the current state of charge of the battery reaches the first predetermined state of charge value. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0032] [Fig.l] is an illustration showing an example of a loading system.

[0033] [Fig.2] is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration hardware for a host device.

[0034] [Fig.3] is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration for a wireless headset device.

[0035] [Fig.4] is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration for a charging case.

[0036] [Fig.5] is a graph showing the order of magnitude of a state of charge value of the battery of the wireless earphone device versus a time during a charging procedure implemented using the charging system.

[0037] [Fig.6] is an illustration showing the operation of the loading system.

[0038] [Fig.7] is a flowchart that shows an example of a process for generating a usage forecast model.

[0039] [Fig.8] is a flowchart showing an example of a process for estimating a time-of-use value.

[0040] [Fig.9] is a flowchart showing an example of a process for a loading order. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The systems and methods described herein relate to charging a battery of a wireless headphone device. The battery is initially charged to a first predetermined state-of-charge value (e.g., an eighty percent state-of-charge). Charging is resumed later to charge to a second state-of-charge value (e.g., one hundred percent). By maintaining the battery at the first predetermined state-of-charge value, maintaining the battery at a high state-of-charge value for an extended period of time is avoided to extend the useful life and performance of the battery. Charging is resumed according to an estimated time at which the user will next use the wireless headphone device.

[0042] [Fig. 1] is an illustration showing an example of a charging system 100 that is configured to control the charging of a rechargeable battery. The charging system 100 includes a host device 101, a wireless earphone device 102, and a charging case 103.

[0043] The host device 101 is an electronic device that is capable of communicating wirelessly with the wireless headset device 102. The host device 101 may be, by way of example, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, or a smartphone.

[0044] The wireless earphone device 102 is an audio output device. In the illustrated example, the wireless earphone device 102 is a pair of wireless earbuds (e.g., a first wireless earbud and a second wireless earbud). In other implementations, the wireless earphone device may be a pair of in-ear headphones, a pair of on-ear headphones, a single wireless earbud, a wireless earmold, or a hearing aid. In the illustrated example, the two individual wireless earbuds may communicate wirelessly with each other. In another structural configuration (e.g., as a pair of earphones), a wired connection between two earmolds may be used. In implementations with two independent devices that are part of a pair, each device (e.g., each earbud) may communicate separately with other devices, such as the host device 101 and the charging case 103, or the devices (e.g., the earbuds) may be linked to each other in a master-slave configuration in which only one of them communicates with other devices such as the host device 101 and the charging case 103.

[0045] The charging case 103 is a device that is configured to charge the battery or batteries of the wireless earphone device 102. The charging case 103 includes a housing 104, a receptacle 105 (e.g., a single receptacle or two receptacles) formed in the housing 104, a cover 106 that allows access to the receptacle 105 in an open position and blocks access to the receptacle 105 in a closed position and is movable between the open position and the closed position (e.g., by a hinge that connects the cover 106 to the housing 104), and a cover position sensor 107, such as a mechanical switch or a non-mechanical sensor (e.g., a Hall effect sensor or a reed switch).

[0046] The host device 101 may communicate with the wireless headphone device 102 using a first wireless communication connection. The first wireless communication connection between the host device 101 and the wireless headphone device 102 may be connected and disconnected, for example, by establishing wireless communications to enter a connected state from a disconnected state, and terminating the wireless communications to enter the disconnected state from the connected state. The first wireless communication connection enables the host device 101 to use the wireless headphone device 102 as an audio output device, for example, by transmitting an audio signal (for example, as an encoded data stream) from the host device 101 to the wireless headphone device 102, where the audio signal is used to generate sound (for example, using a speaker).

[0047] The charging case 103 may communicate with the wireless earphone device 102 using a second wireless communication connection. The second wireless communication connection between the charging case 103 and the wireless earphone device 102 may be connected and disconnected, for example, by establishing wireless communications to enter a connected state from a disconnected state, and terminating the wireless communications to enter the disconnected state from the connected state. The second wireless communication connection enables the charging case 103 to use the wireless earphone device 102 as an audio output device, for example, by transmitting an audio signal (for example, as an encoded data stream) from the charging case 103 to the wireless earphone device 102, where the audio signal is used to generate sound (for example, using a speaker).The charging case 103 can communicate with the host device 101 via the earphone device. wireless 102 or directly via an independent wireless communication connection.

[0048] The first wireless communication connection and the second wireless communication connection may use any suitable wireless communication protocol. The communications may be direct (e.g., device-to-device without intermediate networking devices) or may be indirect via a wireless network. As examples, the first wireless communication connection and the second wireless communication connection may use lower-power, short-range radio communication protocols, such as Bluetooth®, Bluetooth® Low Power, or Zigbee.

[0049] [Fig.2] is an illustration showing an example of a hardware configuration for the host device 101. In the illustrated example, the host device 101 includes a processor 211, a memory 212, a storage device 213, one or more input devices 214, one or more output devices 215, a communications device 216, a battery 217, and host-side software 218. The hardware components of the host device 101 may be interconnected using conventional components such as a system bus.

[0050] The processor 211 is operative to execute computer program instructions and implement operations described by the computer program instructions. For example, the processor 211 may be a conventional device such as a central processing unit. The memory 212 may be a short-term, volatile, high-speed information storage device such as a random access memory module. The storage device 213 may be a non-volatile information storage device such as a hard drive or a solid-state drive.The input devices 214 may include any type of human-machine interface such as buttons, switches, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen input device, a gesture input device, an audio input device such as a microphone that is configured to output an audio signal that may be stored as an audio recording, and an image input device such as a camera that is capable of defining a raster image (e.g., consisting of pixels) that represents a scene or a video camera that is operable to define raster video images that represent a scene. The output device 215 may include any type of device operable to provide an indication to a user regarding an operational state, such as a display screen or an audio output.

[0051] The communications device 216 is a short-range wireless communications device. For example, the communications device 216 may transmit information using radio frequencies. The communications device 216 may use conventional short-range communication protocols or wireless network protocols. The communications device 216 may use lower-power, short-range radio communication protocols, such as Bluetooth®, Bluetooth® Low Power, or Zigbee. The communications device 216 may be used by the host device 101 to establish the first wireless communication connection with the wireless headset device 102.

[0052] Battery 217 is a power source (e.g., including battery cells) that is included in host device 101. Battery 217 is configured to supply electrical power to the various components of host device 101. Battery 217 is a rechargeable battery having a state of charge that decreases during use and increases during charging.

[0053] The host-side software 218 is software that controls aspects of the operation of the host device 101. The host-side software 218 may include computer program instructions that are stored in the storage device 213, may be loaded into the memory 212, and may be executed by the processor 211 of the host device 101. Functions implemented by the host-side software 218 include connecting and disconnecting wireless communications with the wireless headphone device 102 in order to output audio using the wireless headphone device 102. Functions implemented by the host-side software 218 include receiving information from the wireless headphone device 102 and storing that information for use in controlling battery charging. Functions implemented by the host-side software 218 include controlling battery charging of the wireless headphone device 102.These and other functions that may be implemented by host-side software 218 will be further described herein.

[0054] [Fig.3] is an illustration showing an example of a hardware configuration for the wireless headphone device 102. In the illustrated example, the wireless headphone device 102 includes a controller 321, a communications device 322, a battery 323, a charging interface 324, device-side software 325, and audio output components 326. The hardware components of the wireless headphone device 102 may be interconnected using conventional components such as a system bus.

[0055] Controller 321 is a computing device. Controller 321 may include an example, including a processor, memory, and storage. Controller 321 may be or include an application-specific integrated circuit. Controller 321 may be or include a system on a chip. Controller 321 is operative to execute computer program instructions and implement operations described by the computer program instructions.

[0056] The communications device 322 is a short-range wireless communications device. For example, the communications device 322 may transmit information using radio frequencies. The communications device 322 may use conventional short-range communications protocols or wireless network protocols. The communications device 322 may use lower-power, short-range radio communications protocols, such as Bluetooth®, Bluetooth® Low Power, or Zigbee. The communications device 322 may be used by the wireless headset device 102 to establish the first wireless communications connection with the host device 101. The communications device 322 may be used by the wireless headset device 102 to establish the second wireless communications connection with the charging case 103.

[0057] Battery 323 is a power source (e.g., including battery cells) that is included in wireless headphone device 102. Battery 323 is configured to supply electrical power to the various components of wireless headphone device 102. Battery 323 is a rechargeable battery having a state of charge that decreases during use and increases during charging.

[0058] The charging interface 324 is an electrical connector (e.g., including conductive contacts or including an inductive charging structure) that is formed on the wireless earphone device 102. The charging interface 324 is configured to allow electrical connection to corresponding components of the charging case 103 so that the charging case 103 can supply electrical power to the wireless earphone device 102 to charge the battery 323 of the wireless earphone device 102 when the wireless earphone device 102 is located in the receptacle 105 of the charging case 103.

[0059] The device-side software 325 is software that controls aspects of the operation of the wireless earphone device 102. The device-side software 325 may include computer program instructions that are stored by and executed by the controller 321 of the wireless earphone device 102. Functions implemented by the device-side software 325 include connecting and disconnecting wireless communications with the host device 101 and / or the charging case 103 in order to exchange information, instructions, responses, etc., between the wireless earphone device 102, the host device 101, and the charging case 103. Functions implemented by the device-side software 325 include controlling battery charging of the wireless earphone device 102. These and other functions that may be implemented by the device-side software 325 will be further described herein.

[0060] The audio output components 326 are components that output sound that can be heard by a user. Conventional components may be used, such as speakers (e.g., miniature speakers).

[0061] [Fig. 4] is an illustration that shows an example of a hardware configuration for the charging case 103. In the illustrated example, the wireless earphone device 102 includes a controller 431, a communications device 432, a battery 433, a charging interface 434, and case-side software 435. The hardware components of the charging case 103 may be interconnected using conventional components such as a system bus.

[0062] Controller 431 is a computing device. Controller 431 may include, for example, a processor, memory, and storage. Controller 431 may be or include an application-specific integrated circuit. Controller 431 may be or include a system-on-a-chip. Controller 431 is operative to execute computer program instructions and implement operations described by the computer program instructions.

[0063] The communications device 432 is a short-range wireless communications device. For example, the communications device 432 may transmit information using radio frequencies. The communications device 432 may use conventional short-range communications protocols or wireless network protocols. The communications device 432 may use lower-power, short-range radio communications protocols, such as Bluetooth®, Bluetooth® Low Power, or Zigbee. The communications device 432 may be used by the charging case 103 to establish the second wireless communications connection with the wireless headset device 102.

[0064] The battery 433 is a power source (e.g., including battery cells) that is included in the charging case 103. The battery 433 is configured to supply electrical power to the various components of the charging case 103. The battery 433 is also used by the charging case 103 as a power source (e.g., electrical power source) for charging the wireless earphone device 102. Additionally, or alternatively, the charging case 103 may use a wired connection to an external power supply as a power source for charging the wireless earphone device 102. The battery 433 is a rechargeable battery having a state of charge that decreases during use and increases when charged by an external power source that supplies electrical power to the charging case 103.

[0065] The charging interface 434 is an electrical connector (e.g., including conductive contacts or including an inductive charging structure) that is formed on the charging housing 103. By way of example, the charging interface 434 may be located in the receptacle 105 such that it is in contact with or adjacent to the charging interface 434 of the wireless earphone device 102 when the wireless earphone device 102 is located in the charging case 103.

[0066] The charging interface 434 is configured to allow electrical connection to corresponding components of the wireless earphone device 102, such as the charging interface 324 of the wireless earphone device 102. This allows the charging case 103 to supply electrical power to the wireless earphone device 102 from the battery 433 of the charging case 103 to the battery 323 of the wireless earphone device 102 in order to charge the battery 323 of the wireless earphone device 102 when the wireless earphone device 102 is located in the receptacle 105 of the charging case 103.

[0067] The case-side software 435 is software that controls aspects of the operation of the charging case 103. The case-side software 435 may include computer program instructions that are stored by and executed by the controller 431 of the wireless earphone device 102. Functions implemented by the case-side software 435 include connecting and disconnecting wireless communications with the wireless earphone device 102 to exchange information, instructions, responses, etc., between the charging case 103 and the wireless earphone device 102. Functions implemented by the case-side software 435 include controlling battery charging of the wireless earphone device 102. These and other functions that may be implemented by the case-side software 435 will be further described herein.

[0068] The charging system 100 controls the charging of the battery 433 of the wireless earphone device 102 by the charging case 103 when the wireless earphone device 102 is located inside the charging case 103. Control of the charging process may be implemented under the control of functions included in the host-side software 218, the device-side software 325, and the case-side software 435, as will be explained herein.

[0069] Charging is controlled, in part, based on the state of charge of the battery 433 of the wireless headset device 102. State of charge values ​​are used to represent the amount of electrical power that is stored in a battery, such as the battery 433 of the wireless headset device 102. The state of charge values ​​are estimated. As one example, the state of charge may be estimated based on voltage. As another example, the state of charge may be estimated based on an integration of current over time. The state of charge values ​​are typically expressed as percentage values, relative to set points for zero percent and one hundred percent, which may be predetermined values ​​or calculated values. A state of charge of zero percent is used to represent a charge state in which the battery 433 is unable to continue supplying power to the wireless headset device 102. A charge state of one hundred percent is used to represent a charge level at which further charging of the battery 433 is discontinued, and is therefore indicated to the user as a fully charged state.

[0070] [Fig. 5] is a graph that shows the order of magnitude of a state of charge value 540 of the battery 433 of the wireless earphone device 102 versus a time during a charging procedure implemented using the charging system 100.

[0071] The time point T_0 corresponds to the placement of the wireless earphone device 102 in the charging case 103 and the start of the charging operation. At the time point T_0, the state of charge value 540 is equal to an initial state of charge value SOC_0.

[0072] For example, charging may commence in response to placing the wireless earphone device 102 in the receptacle 105 of the charging case 103. When the wireless earphone device 102 is in the receptacle 105, the charging case 103 is operable to supply electrical power to the wireless earphone device 102. In particular, when the wireless earphone device 102 is in the receptacle 105, the charging interface 324 of the wireless earphone device 102 and the charging interface 434 of the charging case 103 are positioned so that they are operative to transfer electrical power, such as by engaging included electrical contacts or placing inductive charging coils in an operative positional relationship.

[0073] As another example, charging may begin in response to movement of the lid 106 of the charging case 103 from the open position to the closed position while the wireless earphone device 102 is in the receptacle 105 of the charging case 103. Movement of the lid 106 to the closed position may be determined by a signal output by the lid position sensor 107.

[0074] A first charging interval starts at time point T_0 and ends at time point T_1. Time point T_1 is reached when the state of charge value 540 reaches a first predetermined state of charge value SOC_1. At time point T_1, charging is stopped. The first charging interval from time point T_0 to time point T_1 has a first charging interval length which may be expressed in a unit of time such as minutes and / or seconds.

[0075] A first hold interval starts at time point T_1 and ends at time point T_2. The objective of the first hold interval is to maintain the state-of-charge value 540 at a value (e.g., the first value predetermined state of charge value SOC_1) that does not impose undue stress on the battery 433 in order to extend the functional life of the battery 433, which may be decreased if the state of charge value 540 is maintained at or near one hundred percent for extended periods of time. The first holding interval extends over a first holding interval time, which may be expressed in a unit of time such as minutes and / or seconds.

[0076] The time point T_2 may be referred to herein as a resume time value. The time point T_2 represents a time value of a time at which charging is to resume that corresponds to a time for charging to begin to allow completion of charging from the first predetermined state-of-charge value SOC_1 to the second predetermined state-of-charge value SOC_2 before a usage time value, which is represented by the time point T_4. The usage time value is a time value that corresponds to an estimated future usage of the wireless headset device 102. The usage time value may be expressed as or may correspond to an absolute time measurement in a coordinated timekeeping system (e.g., UTC, another public coordinated timekeeping system, or a proprietary coordinated timekeeping system).The estimation of the value of time of use will be described further here.

[0077] The second predetermined state of charge value may correspond to a full charge of the battery 433 (e.g., a one hundred percent state of charge). Charging from the first predetermined state of charge value SOC_1 to the second predetermined state of charge value SOC_2 occurs during a second charging interval from time point T_2 to time point T_3, and has a second charging interval length that may be expressed in a unit of time such as minutes or seconds.

[0078] The time point T_2 is defined based on the usage time value. The usage time value represents an estimated time at which the user will next attempt to use the wireless earphone device 102, including completion of the charging operation, removal of the wireless earphone device 102 from the charging case 103, and connection (e.g., wirelessly) of the wireless earphone device 102 to another device for the purpose of audio output by the wireless earphone device 102.

[0079] Based on the usage time value, the recovery time value, represented by the time point T_2, is set such that charging can be implemented to increase the state of charge value 540 from the first predetermined state of charge value SOC_1 to the second predetermined state of charge value SOC_2 before the usage time value. The recovery time value can be calculated based on the usage time value, by setting the value recovery time such that charging will likely be complete before the user next uses the wireless earphone device 102.

[0080] In the illustrated example, the recovery time value is defined so that it is before the usage time value by subtracting the estimated length of the second charging interval (e.g., the duration between time point T_2 and time point T_3) from the usage time value and subtracting an additional duration (e.g., the duration between time point T_3 and time point T_4) to account for deviations from the actual time when the device is subsequently used relative to the usage time value. This additional duration may be, by way of examples, a fixed duration, or a variable duration calculated in any desired manner (e.g., based on a statistical analysis of user behavior variability). Thus, the recovery time value may be expressed as or may correspond to an absolute time measurement in a coordinated time-keeping system.

[0081] [Fig. 6] is an illustration that shows the operation of the charging system 100, including actions taken by and communications between the host device 101, the wireless earphone device 102, and the charging case 103. The operations and communications described in [Fig. 6] are implemented by the host device 101, the wireless earphone device 102, and the charging case 103, for example, using the host-side software 218, the device-side software 325, and the case-side software 435. Herein, the term "transmission" is used to refer to any kind of message, signal, or indication, received in any way, between any two of the host device 101, the wireless earphone device 102, and the charging case 103.

[0082] When the wireless earphone device 102 is placed in the charging case 103, the charging case 103 may send (e.g., via wireless communication) a transmission 651 to the wireless earphone device 102 indicating that the wireless earphone device 102 is located in the charging case 103. Placement of the wireless earphone device 102 in the charging case 103 may be determined, for example, by engaging the charging interface 434 of the charging case 103 with the charging interface 324 of the wireless earphone device 102. In response to the transmission 652, the wireless earphone device 102 sends a transmission 652 to the host device 101 requesting disconnection of the wireless communications link between the host device 101 and the wireless earphone device 102.In response, the host device 101 determines the usage time value and sends it to the wireless headset device 102 in a transmission 653.

[0083] The wireless earphone device 102 may send a transmission 654 to the charging case 103 requesting the charging case 103 to start charging. of the wireless earphone device 102. In response, the charging case 103 begins supplying electrical power to the wireless earphone device 102 in order to charge the battery 323 of the wireless earphone device 102. This action corresponds to the time point T_0 of [Fig.5], and begins the first charging interval. During the first charging interval, the wireless earphone device 102 monitors the state-of-charge value of the battery 323 of the wireless earphone device 102. When the state-of-charge value of the battery 323 of the wireless earphone device 102 reaches the first predetermined charging value (e.g., SOC_1 reached at time point T_1 of [Fig. 5]), the wireless earphone device 102 sends a transmission 655 to the charging case 103 requesting the charging case 103 to pause charging of the battery 323 of the charging case 103.The wireless earphone device 102 also sends a transmission 656 to the charging case 103 indicating the resume time value. The resume time value may be determined, for example, by the wireless earphone device 102 using the device-side software 325 based on the usage time value, as previously described.

[0084] In response to the transmissions 655 and 656 from the wireless earphone device 102, the charging case 103 sends a transmission 657 (e.g., a standby signal) to the wireless earphone device 102 to cause the wireless earphone device 102 to switch from an enabled mode to a disabled mode. The transmission 657 may be sent via wireless communication or may be sent via a direct electrical connection, for example, using the charging interface 324 of the wireless earphone device 102 and the charging interface 434 of the charging case 103.

[0085] The enabled mode is a normal operating state for the wireless headphone device 102, in which the battery 323 provides electrical power to other systems of the wireless headphone device 102, such as the controller 321 of the wireless headphone device 102. The disabled mode of the wireless headphone device 102 is provided to avoid discharging the battery 323 of the wireless headphone device 102 by disconnecting (e.g., by a relay) the battery 323 of the wireless headphone device 102 from some or all of the other components of the wireless headphone device 102. In some implementations, no electrical power from the battery 323 of the wireless headphone device 102 is used by the controller 321 of the wireless headphone device 102 in the disabled mode.In some implementations, no electrical power from the battery 323 of the wireless headset device 102 is used by the wireless headset device 102 in the off mode.

[0086] The wireless earphone device 102 remains in the off mode during the hold interval, which corresponds to the period of time between the first point of time T_1 and the second time point T_2 of [Fig. 5]. When it is determined that the resume time has been reached (e.g., a current time is equal to or later than the resume time value), the charging case 103 sends a transmission 658 (e.g., a wake-up signal) to the wireless earphone device 102 to cause the wireless earphone device 102 to enter the on mode from the off mode. The charging case 103 sends a transmission 659 to the wireless earphone device 102 to instruct the wireless earphone device 102 to resume charging. This corresponds to the second charging interval, represented by the time period between the second time point T_2 and the third time point T_3 of [Fig. 5]. Charging continues until the battery 323 reaches the second predetermined state-of-charge value (e.g., fully charged), at which point charging ends.

[0087] When the charging case 103 determines that the cover 106 has been opened and / or the wireless earphone device 102 has been removed from the receptacle 105 of the charging case 103, the charging case 103 sends a transmission 660 to the wireless earphone device 102 indicating that the wireless earphone device 102 can be removed from the charging case 103. In response, the wireless earphone device 102 sends a transmission 661 to the host device 101 requesting connection of the wireless communications link between the host device 101 and the wireless earphone device 102, and the wireless communications link is then established.

[0088] As described above, the usage time value is an estimated value that corresponds to a predicted future use of the wireless headphone device 102 by a user for audio output. The usage time value is estimated based in part on connection history information regarding wireless communications between the wireless headphone device 102, the host device 101, and / or other devices to which the wireless headphone device 102 has connected. Estimation of the usage time value is implemented by the host device 101, for example, using a model that receives the connection history information for the wireless headphone device 102 as input. Other inputs to the model may include the current time of day, the current day of the week, alarm clock settings, calendar events, and / or other types of inputs.

[0089] The connection history information is a record of wireless communication sessions during which the wireless headset device is connected to the host device 101 or another device. Each of the wireless communication sessions may be associated with a connection time value that describes when the session began and a disconnection time value that describes when the session ended. Other information may be included in the connection history information, such as information describing the charging status of the battery 323 of the wireless headset device 102 at the time of connection and disconnection, and information that indicates instances of complete discharge of the battery 323 of the wireless headset device 102. Since the wireless headset device 102 may connect to multiple devices, including the host device 101, the connection history information for the wireless headset device 102 may be aggregated across these devices (e.g., by transmission to a server) and made available to the host device 101 for use in estimating the usage time value.

[0090] [Fig. 7] is a flowchart that shows a process 770 for generating a usage forecast model. The process 770 may be implemented, for example, using a computing device that executes program instructions that implement the operations of the process 770. The process 770 may be implemented using a computer-readable storage device, which may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage device, having program instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to implement the operations of the process 770.

[0091] In operation 771, aggregated device usage information is obtained from a large number of devices. Each of the devices may be similar to the wireless headset device 102 in structure and / or function. The aggregated device usage information includes information from each of these devices, including, for example, information describing times at which wireless communication connections between the device and a host device were connected and disconnected. The aggregated device usage information is anonymized by removing any personally identifying information from the information when it is aggregated.

[0092] At operation 772, a usage prediction model is generated. The usage prediction model is a machine learning-based model that receives the connection history information as input and outputs the usage time value. The usage prediction model is trained using the aggregated device usage information that was obtained at operation 771. For example, the aggregated device usage information may be divided into two groups of information, with one of the groups being used as training samples and one of the groups being used as ground truth information for post-checking.

[0093] [Fig.8] is a flowchart that shows a process 880 for estimating the usage time value for use in a charging command when charging the wireless earphone device 102 using the charging case 103. The process 880 may be implemented, for example, using a device computer device that executes program instructions that implement the operations of process 880. Process 880 may be implemented using a computer-readable storage device, which may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage device, having program instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to implement the operations of process 880.

[0094] At operation 881 usage history information is obtained for the wireless headset device 102. Operation 881 may be implemented by the host device 101. As one example, the usage history information may be tracked and stored by the host device 101. As another example, the usage history information may be obtained by the host device 101 from a server that aggregates information regarding usage of the wireless headset device 102 from multiple devices.

[0095] At operation 882, a next usage time is predicted for the wireless headset device 102 based on the usage history information and a prediction model (e.g., the prediction model generated according to process 770). Other information may be used, such as a current time of day, alarm clock settings, and calendar information.

[0096] [Fig. 9] is a flowchart that shows a process 990 for a charging control when charging the wireless earphone device 102 using the charging case 103. The process 990 may be implemented, for example, using a computing device that executes program instructions that implement the operations of the process 990. The process 990 may be implemented using a computer-readable storage device, which may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage device, having program instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to implement the operations of the process 990.

[0097] Operation 991 includes estimating a usage time value that corresponds to an expected future occurrence of use of the wireless headphone device 102 for audio output. For example, estimating the usage time value may be implemented by the host device 101 based in part on connection history information regarding wireless communications between the wireless headphone device 102 and the host device 101. Estimating the usage time value may be implemented using a machine learning-based prediction model that receives the connection history information as input.

[0098] The estimation of the time-of-use value may be implemented periodically, or in response to certain events. For example, the estimation of the usage time value may be implemented according to predetermined time intervals. As another example, the estimation of the usage time value may be implemented in response to a connection of the wireless communications link between the host device 101 and the wireless earphone device 102. As another example, the estimation of the usage time value may be implemented in response to a request to disconnect the wireless communications link between the host device 101 and the wireless earphone device 102. As another example, the estimation of the usage time value may be implemented when the wireless earphone device 102 is placed in the charging case 103.

[0099] Operation 992 includes estimating a resume time value that corresponds to a time for charging to begin to allow completion of charging from a first predetermined state-of-charge value to a second predetermined state-of-charge value according to the usage time value. For example, the resume time value may be estimated by subtracting the expected charging time from the usage time value. The expected charging time represents a time required to charge the battery 323 of the wireless earphone device 102 from the first predetermined state-of-charge value to the second predetermined state-of-charge value.

[0100] The estimation of the recovery time value may be implemented periodically, or in response to certain events. As an example, the estimation of the recovery time value may be implemented each time the usage time value is estimated. As another example, the estimation of the recovery time value may be implemented when the wireless earphone device 102 is placed in the charging case 103.

[0101] In some implementations of the process 990, the usage time value is transmitted from the host device 101 to a controller 321 of the wireless earphone device 102, the resume time value is determined by the controller 321 of the wireless earphone device 102, and the resume time value is transmitted from the wireless earphone device 102 to the charging case 103.

[0102] Operation 993 includes determining that the wireless earphone device 102 has been placed in the charging case 103. For example, an electrical connection of the wireless earphone device 102 to the charging case 103 may be detected.

[0103] Operation 994 includes charging the battery 323 of the wireless earphone device 102 using electrical power supplied by the charging case until a current state of charge of the battery 323 reaches the first predetermined state of charge value. Charging the battery 323 of the device wireless earphone device 102 may include supplying electrical power from the battery 433 of the charging case 103 to the wireless earphone device 102 using the charging interface 324 of the wireless earphone device 102 and the charging interface 434 of the charging case 103.

[0104] Operation 995 includes entering, by the wireless headphone device, into a disabled mode. Operation 995 is implemented after the current state of charge reaches the first predetermined state of charge value. In some implementations, no electrical power from the battery 323 of the wireless headphone device 102 is used by the wireless headphone device 102 in the disabled mode. In some implementations, a minimal amount of electrical power from the battery 323 of the wireless headphone device 102 is used by the wireless headphone device 102 in the disabled mode, such as by powering down one or more components such as the controller 321 or the communications device 322 of the wireless headphone device 102.

[0105] The charging case 103 is configured to return the wireless earphone device 102 to the activated mode according to the resume time value so that charging of the wireless earphone device 102 can resume, for example, in the manner described with respect to operation 996, operation 997, and operation 998. Operation 996 includes waiting until a current time value reaches the resume time value. Operation 997 includes entering, by the wireless earphone device 102, into an activated mode. Operation 997 may be implemented in response to a wake-up signal that is output by the charging case 103 and is received by the wireless earphone device 102. For example, the charging case 103 may output the wake-up signal in response to determining that the current time is equal to or later than the resume time value.For example, the wake-up signal may be an electrical signal that is output by the charging case 103 to the wireless earphone device 102 through the charging interface 434 of the charging case 103 and the charging interface 324 of the wireless earphone device 102.

[0106] Operation 998 includes charging the battery 323 of the wireless earphone device 102 using the electrical power supplied by the charging case 103 until the current state of charge of the battery 323 of the charging case 103 reaches the second predetermined state of charge value.

[0107] For example, the first predetermined state of charge value may be between seventy percent and ninety percent of a fully charged state of charge value of the battery 323 of the wireless earphone device 102, and the second predetermined state of charge value may be at least ninety-five percent of a fully charged state of charge value of the battery 323 of the wireless earphone device 102.

[0108] Some implementations of the process 990 may warn the user if the user attempts to remove the wireless headphone device 102 from the charging case 103 before the wireless headphone device 102 is fully charged. For example, this may occur upon detecting that the lid 106 of the charging case 103 has been opened. For example, warning the user may include outputting a notification at the host device 101 in response to detecting an attempt to use the wireless headphone device 102 before the current state of charge of the battery 323 of the wireless headphone device 102 reaches the second predetermined state of charge value.

[0109] In some implementations, a determination may be made as to whether to use the optimized charging method of process 990. For example, optimized charging according to process 990 if the time between the current time and the usage time value is less than a time required for charging or does not exceed the time required for charging according to a threshold value. As another example, if the battery 323 of the wireless headset device 102 has been completely discharged (e.g., such that the wireless headset device 102 is no longer capable of being powered by the battery 323), optimized charging according to process 990 may be disabled the next time the battery is charged.This avoids using a usage time value (e.g., expressed using a relative measurement as opposed to an absolute measurement) without knowledge of the amount of time that elapsed while the wireless earphone device 102 was inoperative due to being fully discharged. Thus, entry into the off mode may be disabled if the battery of the wireless earphone device 102 is fully discharged before the battery 323 of the wireless earphone device 102 is placed in the charging case 103 and charged by electrical power supplied by the charging case 103 until the current state of charge of the battery 323 reaches the first predetermined state of charge value.

[0110] As described above, one aspect of the present technology is the gathering and use of data available from various sources for use in determining how to control the charging of devices. The present disclosure contemplates that, in some instances, such gathered data may include personal information that uniquely identifies or can be used to contact or locate a specific individual. Such personal data may include demographic data, location data, telephone numbers, email addresses, Twitter handles, home addresses, data or records relating to a user's health or fitness (e.g., vital sign measurements, information about medications, information about physical exercises), date of birth, or any other personal information.

[0111] The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data, in current technology, may be used to benefit users. For example, the personal information data may be used to store user activity information that allows device charging to be implemented in a manner that improves the battery life of devices. In addition, other uses of the personal information data that benefit the user are also contemplated by the present disclosure. For example, health and fitness data may be used to provide understandings of a user's overall well-being, or be used as positive feedback for individuals using the technology to achieve wellness goals.

[0112] The present disclosure contemplates that entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and / or privacy practices. In particular, such entities must consistently implement and utilize privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting, or exceeding, industry or government requirements for keeping personal information data private and secure. Such policies must be readily accessible by users, and must be updated as the collection and / or use of the data changes.Users' personal information must be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and must not be shared or sold outside of such legitimate uses. Furthermore, such collection / sharing must be done after obtaining informed consent from users. In addition, such entities must consider taking all necessary measures to safeguard and secure access to such personal information data and ensure that others with access to such data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures. In addition, such entities may submit to a third-party assessment to certify their adherence to widely accepted privacy policies and practices.In addition, policies and practices must be tailored to the particular types of personal information being collected and / or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For example, in the United States, the collection of or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and / or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. (HIPAA); while health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and must be treated accordingly. As a result, different privacy practices must be maintained for different types of personal data in each country.

[0113] Notwithstanding the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. In other words, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and / or software elements may be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, systems that utilize the present technology may be configured to allow users to choose to "opt in" or "opt out" of participating in the collection of personal information data during registration for services or anytime thereafter. In another example, users may choose not to provide personal information to services that utilize the present technology.In yet another example, users may choose to limit the length of time that personal information is retained by services that use this technology, or users may prohibit the use of personal information by systems that use this technology altogether. In addition to providing “opt-in” and “opt-out” options, this disclosure contemplates the provision of notifications regarding access to or use of personal information. For example, a user may be notified upon downloading an application that their personal data will be accessible, and then be reminded again just before the application accesses their personal data.

[0114] In addition, the present disclosure is intended to ensure that personal information data is managed and processed in a manner that minimizes the risk of unintended or unauthorized access or use. Risk may be minimized by limiting data collection and deleting data when no longer needed. In addition, and where appropriate, including in certain health-related applications, de-identification of data may be used to protect a user's privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, where appropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g., collecting location data at a city level rather than an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data across users), and / or by other methods.

[0115] Therefore, although the present disclosure broadly covers the use of personal information data to implement one or several embodiments disclosed, the present disclosure also contemplates that the various embodiments may also be implemented without the need to access such personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable due to the absence of all or part of such personal information data. For example, device charging may be controlled using a model based on non-personal information data or a bare minimum of personal information, other non-personal information available to services that use the present technology, or publicly available information.

Claims

Claims

1. A method for controlling charging of a wireless earphone device, comprising: estimating a usage time value that corresponds to an expected future occurrence of using the wireless earphone device for audio output; estimating a resume time value that corresponds to a time for charging to begin to allow completion of charging from a first predetermined state-of-charge value to a second predetermined state-of-charge value according to the usage time value; determining that the wireless earphone device has been placed in a charging case; charging a battery of the wireless earphone device using electric power supplied from the charging case until a current state of charge of the battery reaches the first predetermined state-of-charge value;and entering, by the wireless earphone device, into an off mode after the current charging state reaches the first predetermined charging state value, wherein the charging case is configured to return the wireless earphone device to an on mode according to the resume time value.;

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: entering, by the wireless earphone device, into the activated mode in response to a wake-up signal from the charging case to the wireless earphone device after a current time value reaches the resume time value; and charging the battery of the wireless earphone device using the electric power supplied from the charging case until the current state of charge of the battery reaches the second predetermined state of charge value.

3. The method of any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the estimation of the usage time value is performed by a host device based in part on connection history information regarding wireless communications between the wireless headset device and the host device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the estimation of the usage time value is implemented using a machine learning-based model that receives the connection history information as input.

5. The method of any one of claims 3 or 4, wherein the usage time value is transmitted from the host device to a controller of the wireless earphone device, the resume time value is determined by the controller of the wireless earphone device, and the resume time value is transmitted from the wireless earphone device to the charging case.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein no electrical power from the battery of the wireless earphone device is used by the wireless earphone device in the off mode.

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first predetermined state of charge value is between seventy percent and ninety percent of a fully charged state of charge value of the battery of the wireless earphone device, and the second predetermined state of charge value is at least ninety-five percent of a fully charged state of charge value of the battery of the wireless earphone device.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: outputting a notification at a host device in response to detecting an attempt to use the wireless headset device before the current state of charge of the battery reaches the second predetermined state of charge value.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: disabling entry into the disabled mode if the battery of the wireless earphone device is completely discharged before charging the battery of the wireless earphone device using the electric power supplied by the charging case until the current state of charge of the battery reaches the first predetermined state of charge value.

10. A computer-readable storage device including program instructions executable by one or more processors which, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations including: estimating a usage time value that corresponds to an expected future occurrence of use of a wireless earphone device for audio output; estimating a resume time value that corresponds to a time for charging to begin to allow completion of charging from a first predetermined state-of-charge value to a second predetermined state-of-charge value according to the usage time value; determining that the wireless earphone device has been placed in a charging case; charging a battery of the wireless earphone device using electrical power supplied from the charging case until a current state of charge of the battery reaches the first predetermined state-of-charge value;and entering, by the wireless earphone device, into an off mode after the current charging state reaches the first predetermined charging state value, wherein the charging case is configured to return the wireless earphone device to an on mode according to the resume time value.;

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, the operations further comprising: entering, by the wireless earphone device, into the activated mode in response to a wake-up signal from the charging case to the wireless earphone device after a current time value reaches the resume time value; and charging the battery of the wireless earphone device using the electric power supplied from the charging case until the current state of charge of the battery reaches the second predetermined state of charge value.

12. The computer-readable storage device of any one of claims 10 to 11, wherein the estimation of the usage time value is implemented by a host device based in part on connection history information regarding wireless communications between the wireless headset device and the host device.

13. A loading system, comprising: a host device; a wireless earphone device that includes a battery; and a charging case, wherein: the host device is configured to estimate a usage time value that corresponds to an expected future occurrence of use of the wireless earphone device for audio output in response to placing the wireless earphone device in the charging case, the battery of the wireless earphone device is charged by electric power supplied from the charging case until a current state of charge of the battery reaches a first predetermined state of charge value, the wireless earphone device enters a deactivated mode after the current state of charge reaches the first predetermined state of charge value, and the charging case is configured to return the wireless earphone device to an activated mode according to a resume time value,and the resumption time value is an estimated time for charging to begin to allow completion of charging from the first predetermined state-of-charge value to a second predetermined state-of-charge value according to the usage time value.,

14. The charging system of claim 13, wherein: the wireless earphone device enters the activated mode after a current time value reaches a resume time value, and the battery of the wireless earphone device is charged using the electric power supplied from the charging case until the current state of charge of the battery reaches the second predetermined state of charge value.

15. The charging system of any one of claims 13 or 14, wherein the usage time value is estimated by the host device based in part on connection history information regarding wireless communications between the wireless headset device and the host device.

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