Apple patents earbud design using one coil for charging and data
Apple has been granted a patent for a wireless earbud that combines charging and data communication functions. The design places a specific winding in the earbud's stem that aligns with a 'Double-D' coil in the charging case to send data while the earbud receives power.
In the filing’s own words
A device can include a wireless power transfer coil configured to be magnetically coupled to a wireless power transfer coil of a complementary device, wireless power transfer circuitry, a processing and communications system powered by the battery, and a wireless communications coil coupled to the processing and communications system, the communications coil comprising one or more windings configured to be magnetically coupled to a Double-D communications coil of the complementary device to allow communications between the processing and communications system and the complementary device, wherein the one or more windings of the communications coil can be disposed in at least one plane parallel to an axis of symmetry of the Double-D communications coil.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A wireless earphone having a speaker portion insertable into a user's ear and a stem portion extending therefrom, the wireless earphone comprising: a power receiving coil located in a distal end of the stem portion and comprising a quasi-hemispherical magnetic core and a quasi-hemispherical power winding disposed around an exterior of the quasi-hemispherical magnetic core, wherein the power receiving coil is configured to be magnetically coupled to a power transmitting coil of a wireless power transmitter; wireless power receiving circuitry configured to receive energy from the power receiving coil; a processor and communications module; and a wireless communications coil located in the stem portion and coupled to the processor and communications module, the wireless communications coil comprising one or more windings configured to be magnetically coupled to a Double-D communications coil of the wireless power transmitter to allow communications between the processor and communications module and the wireless power transmitter, wherein the one or more windings of the wireless communications coil are disposed in at least one plane parallel to an axis of symmetry of the Double-D communications coil.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Magnetics configurations for wireless power transfer and communications in electronic device
- Patent number
- US12771174B1
- Application number
- 17652834
- Filed
- Feb 28, 2022
- Granted
- Oct 20, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 16
Classified under
H02J 50/10 Electricity & electronicsH02J 7/42 Electricity & electronicsH02J 50/80 Electricity & electronicsH02J 50/90 Electricity & electronicsH04B 5/266 Electricity & electronicsH04B 5/79 Electricity & electronicsMore from Apple in Wearables
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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.