Wearable Audio Power Partitioning for Extended Standby Response

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wearable audio devices face issues of high power consumption and insufficient responsiveness due to short-term sleep or hibernate modes that require significant processing and battery power.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a wearable audio device with separate power supplies for a controller and an on-head detection system, allowing for multiple power states including an active, standby, and reserve mode, where the on-head detection system remains powered in standby mode by a separate power supply, enabling extended periods of low power consumption while remaining responsive to user interaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If conventional sleep or hibernate modes are used to reduce battery usage, then power consumption is reduced, but responsiveness to user interaction is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidresponsiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the power supply system into separate power supplies for different components (controller and on-head detection system), allowing independent power management. This enables the detection system to remain powered in standby mode while the controller enters deep sleep, resolving the contradiction between low power consumption and responsiveness by segmenting power distribution across components with different power requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If short-term sleep or hibernate modes are implemented, then device availability is maintained, but battery life is insufficiently extended

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice availabilityVSAvoidbattery life

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic power state management with multiple power states (active, standby, deep sleep, hibernate) that can be transitionally switched based on usage patterns. The system dynamically adjusts power consumption by entering deeper sleep modes during extended periods and quickly waking up for user interaction, thereby extending battery life while maintaining device availability through flexible, multi-level power states

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If separate power supplies are used for controller and detection system, then power management flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower management flexibilityVSAvoidpower supply structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by using separate power supplies for the controller and on-head detection system, allowing independent power management of each component. This enables flexible power states where the detection system can remain powered for quick response while the controller enters deep sleep, achieving adaptability in power management despite the increased structural complexity of having multiple power supply units

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20250365523A1Wearable Audio Device with Extended Standby Power State

Publication Date: 2025.11.27 BOSE CORP

AI summary

Aspects include approaches for managing power states in wearable audio devices, along with wearable audio devices with such capabilities. In certain cases, a wearable audio device includes separate power supplies for managing distinct capabilities of the device. The wearable audio device is operable in multiple power states.