Methods and systems for communicating with device cases

Abstract

An audio system and method for establishing wireless data connections between a case and at least one wearable audio device is provided. The audio system can establish a first wireless data connection between the case and the wearable audio device and establish a second wireless data connection between the case and the internet. The case, in addition to electrical energy storage capacity or battery bank capabilities, can directly communicate with the internet to receive update data directly from a remote server and can pass on update data to wearable audio devices without the need for a peripheral device such as a smart phone or tablet operating an affiliated software application. The audio system provided allows for information, data, and functionality to be passed between the wearable audio devices and cloud-based services, via the case, including social networking, messaging, music services, news, entertainment, and Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol (VOIP) communication services.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a wearable audio device including an acoustic transducer, a battery, and a communications module; and   a case including a battery and a communications module, the wearable audio device configured to matingly engage with the case, wherein the case is configured to charge the battery of the wearable audio device when the wearable audio device is matingly engaged with the case,   wherein, in response to the wearable audio device operating in a first mode, the communications module of the wearable audio device establishes a wireless connection with a peripheral device to receive audio data for audio playback via the acoustic transducer of the wearable audio device, and   wherein, in response to the wearable audio device operating in a second mode, the communications module of the wearable audio device establishes a wireless connection with the communications module of the case to receive audio data for audio playback via the acoustic transducer of the wearable audio device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the communications module of the wearable audio device uses Bluetooth Classic, Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE), or Low-Power Radio Frequency communications. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, in response to the wearable audio device operating in the first mode, the peripheral device receives the audio data from a connection with the internet. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, in response to the wearable audio device operating in the second mode, the case receives the audio data from a connection with the internet. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, in response to the wearable audio device operating in the second mode, the audio data is stored in memory local to the case. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable audio device is configured to switch between operating in the first mode and operating in the second mode in response to user input. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the user input is provided to the wearable audio device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the user input is provided to the case. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the user input includes opening or closing a lid of the case. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the user input includes matingly engaging the wearable audio device with the case. 
     
     
         11 . A method of connection management for a system including a wearable audio device and a case, the wearable audio device including an acoustic transducer, a battery, and a communications module, and the case including a battery and a communications module, where the wearable audio device is configured to matingly engage with the case and the case is configured to charge the battery of the wearable audio device when the wearable audio device is matingly engaged with the case, the method comprising:
 in response to the wearable audio device operating in a first mode, establishing a wireless connection between the communications module of the wearable audio device and a peripheral device that allows the wearable audio device to receive audio data for audio playback via the acoustic transducer of the wearable audio device; and   in response to the wearable audio device operating in a second mode, establishing a wireless connection between the communications module of the wearable audio device and the communications module of the case that allows the wearable audio device to receive audio data for audio playback via the acoustic transducer of the wearable audio device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the communications module of the wearable audio device uses Bluetooth Classic, Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE), or Low-Power Radio Frequency communications. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein, in response to the wearable audio device operating in the first mode, the peripheral device receives the audio data from a connection with the internet. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein, in response to the wearable audio device operating in the second mode, the case receives the audio data from a connection with the internet. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein, in response to the wearable audio device operating in the second mode, the audio data is stored in memory local to the case. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, in response to user input, switching the wearable audio device between operating in the first mode and operating in the second mode. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the user input is provided to the wearable audio device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the user input is provided to the case. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the user input includes opening or closing a lid of the case. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the user input includes matingly engaging the wearable audio device with the case.