US 12,229,473 B2
Changing companion communication device behavior based on status of wearable device
Robert D. Watson, Menlo Park, CA (US); David John Shaw, San Diego, CA (US); Arun Dhyaneshwar Chawan, San Francisco, CA (US); Matthew Gillette, San Ramon, CA (US); Ganesha Adkasthala Ganapathi Batta, San Jose, CA (US); Jeffrey Chandler Moore, San Francisco, CA (US); Patrick Ian Bernhard, San Jose, CA (US); Baek San Chang, San Francisco, CA (US); Patrick Lee Coffman, San Francisco, CA (US); Jonathan Anderson Bennett, San Francisco, CA (US); Anthony Guetta, San Carlos, CA (US); Jahan Christian Minoo, San Francisco, CA (US); and Keith Walter Rauenbuehler, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 17, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/301,868.
Application 18/301,868 is a continuation of application No. 17/222,934, filed on Apr. 5, 2021, granted, now 11,630,636.
Application 17/222,934 is a continuation of application No. 16/120,081, filed on Aug. 31, 2018, granted, now 10,970,030.
Application 16/120,081 is a continuation of application No. 15/172,070, filed on Jun. 2, 2016, granted, now 10,067,734.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/171,338, filed on Jun. 5, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2023/0251822 A1, Aug. 10, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06F 3/16 (2006.01); H04R 1/10 (2006.01); H04R 29/00 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/165 (2013.01) [G06F 3/162 (2013.01); H04R 1/1041 (2013.01); H04R 29/001 (2013.01); H04R 1/1016 (2013.01); H04R 2420/07 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
by a companion communication device:
determining, based on a first signal received from a wireless ear bud, a first wearing status that indicates whether the wireless ear bud is being worn;
receiving a text message at the companion communication device; and
when the first wearing status indicates that the wireless ear bud is being worn:
generating audio data corresponding to at least a part of the text message; and
sending the generated audio data to the wireless ear bud.
 
9. A companion communication device comprising:
a wireless communications interface configured to communicate with a wireless ear bud;
a speaker for outputting audio;
a processor coupled to the wireless communication interface; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the companion communication device to perform operations including:
determining, based on a first signal received from the wireless ear bud, a first wearing status that indicates whether the wireless ear bud is worn;
receiving a text message at the companion communication device; and
when the first wearing status indicates that the wireless ear bud is being worn:
generating audio data corresponding to at least a portion of the text message; and
sending the generated audio data to the wireless ear bud.
 
17. An apparatus for operation in a companion communication device, the apparatus comprising a processor communicatively coupled to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the companion communication device to perform actions including:
determining, based on a first signal received from a wireless ear bud, a first wearing status that indicates whether the wireless ear bud is worn;
receiving an incoming voice call at the companion communication device;
when the first wearing status indicates the wireless ear bud is worn:
presenting, at the companion communication device, a user-selectable audio route that enables routing audio data from an application to the wireless ear bud; and
sending, upon answering the voice call, audio information associated with the voice call to the wireless ear bud; and
when the first wearing status indicates the wireless ear bud is not worn:
sending, upon answering the voice call, audio information associated with the voice call to an alternate output.