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SamsungGranted patentWearablesInterest 7/10

Samsung patents earbuds that use charging case to find lost device

Samsung describes a system where two earbuds and a charging case work together to locate a lost device. The earbud with the stronger battery becomes the 'main' device, sends out signals to find a phone, and switches to a 'lost mode.' When this happens, the charging case bypasses normal charging to send power directly to the active earbud, keeping it running longer to help locate it.

Why it mattersThis could make it easier to find lost earbuds by extending their signal range using the charging case's power reserve.

In the filing’s own words

An example system includes a first device (first battery, first processor), a second device (second battery, second processor), and a charging case with a third battery, a boost circuit for charging the first and/or second device with power of the third battery, and a bypass circuit for directly supplying power from the third battery to the first and/or second device. The first processor identifies mounting on the charging case; identifies the first device as being a main electronic device based on the first device having a larger remaining battery capacity than the second device; transmits a first request signal to a first external device; based on response signal strength, switches to a lost mode to broadcast the request signal at a specified period; and transmits lost-mode information to the charging case. In response, the charging case connects the third battery to the bypass circuit to power the first device.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. An electronic device system comprises: a first electronic device; a second electronic device; and a charging case, wherein, the first electronic device includes a first battery and a first processor; the second electronic device includes a second battery and a second processor; and the charging case includes a third battery, a boost circuit configured to charge the first electronic device and/or the second electronic device with power of the third battery, and a bypass circuit configured to directly supply power from the third battery to the first electronic device and/or the second electronic device, wherein the first processor of the first electronic device is configured to: identify whether the first electronic device and/or the second electronic device are/is mounted on the charging case; identify a remaining capacity of the first battery and the second battery in response to the identification of being mounted and determine the first electronic device having a larger remaining battery capacity as a main electronic device; transmit a first request signal to a first external electronic device; switch to a lost mode to broadcast a first request signal at a specified period in response to a strength of a first response signal received from the first external electronic device; and transmit information related to the lost mode to the charging case, the second electronic device is configured to switch to a power saving mode in which the second electronic device does not perform an operation other than a designated function, and the charging case being configured to connect the third battery and the bypass circuit based on information related to the lost mode and to provide the power of the third battery to the first electronic device using the bypass circuit.

Facts

Company
Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
Official title
Electronic device and operation method of electronic device for providing finding function
Patent number
US12744394B2
Application number
18312046
Filed
May 4, 2023
Granted
Sep 22, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
20

Classified under

H02J 7/42 Electricity & electronicsH02J 7/342 Electricity & electronicsH02J 7/751 Electricity & electronicsH02J 7/82 Electricity & electronicsH04R 1/1025 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.