Wearable device with conductive coil for wireless charging and communicating

1 . A wireless earphone comprising:

a conductive coil;

an inductor positioned in an ear hook and adjacent to the conductive coil;

a battery;

a controller configured to adapt the inductor for communicating via Bluetooth communication, adapt the conductive coil for communicating via one or more of near field communications (NFC) and near field magnetic induction (NFMI), and operate in a plurality of operational modes, wherein the plurality of operational modes comprises at least:

a first mode in which the controller is configured to adapt the conductive coil for wirelessly harvesting power for charging the battery,

a second mode in which the controller is configured to adapt the conductive coil for communicating via NFC,

a third mode in which the controller is configured to adapt conductive coil for communicating via NFMI, and

a fourth mode in which the controller is configured to:

adapt the inductor for wirelessly charging the battery, and

adapt the conductive coil for communicating via one or more of NFC and NFMI; and

a sound transducer positioned opposite the inductor in relation to the conductive coil, wherein the sound transducer is configured to provide an audio output based on an audio signal received from the conductive coil.

2 . The wireless earphone of claim 1 , wherein the conductive coil encircles the battery.

3 . The wireless earphone of claim 1 , further comprising a bobbin and at least one ferrite sheet, wherein the conductive coil is wrapped around the bobbin with the at least one ferrite sheet positioned between the bobbin and the conductive coil.

4 . The wireless earphone of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises at least one of a switching network or a passive diplexer.

5 . A wireless earphone system comprising:

a first device configured to receive near field magnetic induction (NFMI) communications;

a first wireless earphone comprising:

a conductive coil;

an inductor positioned in an ear hook and adjacent to the conductive coil;

a battery;

a controller configured to adapt the inductor for communicating via Bluetooth communication, adapt the conductive coil for communicating via one or more of near field communications (NFC) and near field magnetic induction (NFMI), and operate in a plurality of operational modes, wherein the plurality of operational modes comprises at least:

a first mode in which the controller is configured to adapt the conductive coil for wirelessly harvesting power for charging the battery,

a second mode in which the controller is configured to adapt the conductive coil for communicating via NFC,

a third mode in which the controller is configured to adapt conductive coil for communicating via NFMI, and

a fourth mode in which the controller is configured to:

adapt the inductor for wirelessly charging the battery,

and adapt the conductive coil for communicating via one or more of NFC and NFMI to the first device; and

a sound transducer positioned opposite the inductor in relation to the conductive coil, wherein the sound transducer is configured to provide an audio output based on an audio signal received from the conductive coil.

6 . The wireless earphone system of claim 5 , wherein the conductive coil encircles the battery.

7 . The wireless earphone system of claim 5 , wherein the controller comprises at least one of a switching network or a passive diplexer.

8 . The wireless earphone system of claim 5 , wherein the first device comprises a second wireless earphone.

9 . The wireless earphone system of claim 5 , further comprising a bobbin, wherein the conductive coil is wrapped around the bobbin.

10 . The wireless earphone system of claim 9 , further comprising at least one ferrite sheet positioned between the bobbin and the conductive coil.

11 . A method for operating a wireless earphone, wherein the method comprises:

alternating between a plurality of operational modes by a controller that is configured to:

adapt an inductor, positioned in an ear hook and adjacent to a conductive coil, for communicating via Bluetooth communication, and

adapt the conductive coil for communicating via one or more of near field communications (NFC) and near field magnetic induction (NFMI), wherein the plurality of operational modes comprises at least:

a first mode in which the controller is configured to adapt a conductive coil for wirelessly harvesting power for charging a battery,

a second mode in which the controller is configured to adapt the conductive coil for communicating via NFC,

a third mode in which the controller is configured to adapt the conductive coil for communicating via NFMI, and

a fourth mode in which the controller is configured to adapt an inductor for wirelessly charging the battery, wherein the fourth mode further comprises the controller being configured to adapt the conductive coil for communicating via one or more of NFC and NFMI; and

providing, by a sound transducer located opposite the inductor in relation to the conductive coil, an audio output that is based on an audio signal received from at least one of the conductive coil.

12 . The method for operating a wireless earphone of claim 11 , wherein the conductive coil encircles the battery.

13 . The method for operating a wireless earphone of claim 11 , wherein the conductive coil is wrapped around a bobbin.

14 . The method for operating a wireless earphone of claim 11 , at least one ferrite sheet positioned between the bobbin and the conductive coil.

15 . The method for operating a wireless earphone of claim 11 , wherein the alternating between the plurality of operational modes by the controller comprises adapting at least one of a switching network or a passive diplexer.

16 . The method for operating a wireless earphone of claim 11 , wherein in the first mode further comprises adapting, by the controller, the conductive coil to receive a wireless signal having a frequency between 0.1 MHz and 30 MHz.