US 12,114,132 B2
Ear-worn electronic system employing cooperative operation between in-ear device and at-ear device
Karrie LaRae Recker, Edina, MN (US)
Assigned to STARKEY LABORATORIES, INC., Eden Prairie, MN (US)
Appl. No. 17/771,343
Filed by STARKEY LABORATORIES, INC., Eden Prairie, MN (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 30, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/053616
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 22, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/086538, PCT Pub. Date May 6, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/950,864, filed on Dec. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/928,652, filed on Oct. 31, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0353624 A1, Nov. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. H04R 25/00 (2006.01); H04R 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC H04R 25/43 (2013.01) [H04R 1/1016 (2013.01); H04R 1/1025 (2013.01); H04R 25/453 (2013.01); H04R 25/505 (2013.01); H04R 2225/025 (2013.01); H04R 2225/31 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ear-worn electronic system comprising a plurality of discrete devices configured for deployment at one ear of a wearer, the system comprising:
a first device configured for placement at least partially within an ear canal of the wearer, the first device comprising at least a first processor, one or more first microphones, a first speaker, a first rechargeable battery, and first charging circuitry;
a second device configured for placement at the wearer's ear proximal of the first device in an outer ear direction, the second device comprising at least a second processor, a second rechargeable battery, and second charging circuitry, the first and second devices configured to be supported solely by the wearer's ear;
the first device configured to operate autonomously when operating in an independent mode relative to the second device; and
the first and second devices configured to operate cooperatively when operating in a communicatively coupled mode during deployment of the ear-worn electronic system at the wearer's ear.