Prior art

Analysis of Prior Art for U.S. Patent 9,402,120 B2 on Wireless Earbuds

Washington D.C. - April 26, 2026 - A technical analysis of the prior art cited against U.S. Patent No. 9,402,120 B2, titled "Wireless earbuds," reveals a landscape of earlier inventions that disclose key features of the patented technology. This analysis is crucial in understanding the novelty and non-obviousness of the claims in the '120 patent, which is assigned to Earin AB. The patent, filed on September 5, 2014, and granted on July 26, 2016, covers a specific arrangement of components within a wireless earbud and a corresponding charging and storage capsule.

An examination of the patent's cited references, as listed in its file wrapper, highlights several key pieces of prior art that could be considered relevant in a patentability assessment. Under 35 U.S.C. § 102, which pertains to novelty, a claimed invention is anticipated if each and every element as set forth in the claim is found, either expressly or inherently, in a single prior art reference.

Key Prior Art and Potential Anticipation of Claims:

The following is a breakdown of the most relevant prior art cited against the '120 patent and an analysis of the specific claims they could potentially anticipate:

1. US Patent No. 8,867,758 B2 - "Headset electronics"

• Full Citation: US Patent 8,867,758 B2
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: October 21, 2014; Filing Date: January 5, 2007.
• Brief Description: This patent, assigned to Apple Inc., describes a headset with electronic components housed within an earbud. It details the arrangement of a speaker, microphone, and a printed circuit board (PCB) within the headset housing.
• Potential Anticipation: This reference could be argued to anticipate elements of Claim 1 and 12 of the '120 patent. Specifically, it discloses an earbud housing with a loudspeaker element and a printed circuit board. However, the specific "successive order" of the loudspeaker, rechargeable battery, main PCB, and charging interface member along the longitudinal main axis, as claimed in the '120 patent, may not be explicitly described in the same configuration, which could be a point of distinction.

2. US Patent Publication No. 2014/0140529 A1 - "Earphone"

• Full Citation: US Patent Application Publication 2014/0140529 A1
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: May 22, 2014; Filing Date: November 20, 2012.
• Brief Description: This application by Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. discloses an earphone with a main body that includes a speaker unit and a circuit board. It focuses on the internal structure and assembly of the earphone components.
• Potential Anticipation: This publication is relevant to Claim 1 of the '120 patent as it describes the fundamental components of an earbud: a housing, a loudspeaker, and a circuit board. The arrangement and specific form factor claimed in the '120 patent would need to be closely compared to determine if all limitations are met.

3. US Patent No. 8,891,800 B1 - "Earbud charging case for mobile device"

• Full Citation: US Patent 8,891,800 B1
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: November 18, 2014; Filing Date: February 21, 2014.
• Brief Description: This patent discloses a case for charging earbuds that is attachable to a mobile device. The case includes charging contacts for the earbuds.
• Potential Anticipation: This reference is particularly relevant to the claims of the '120 patent that relate to the storage and charging capsule, although the '120 patent itself does not have claims directed to the case. However, it provides context for the charging interface member claimed in the earbud itself. While not directly anticipating the earbud claims, it demonstrates the state of the art in earbud charging solutions prior to the '120 patent's filing date.

4. US Patent No. 9,113,254 B2 - "Earbud with pivoting acoustic duct"

• Full Citation: US Patent 9,113,254 B2
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: August 18, 2015; Filing Date: August 5, 2013.
• Brief Description: This patent from Google Technology Holdings LLC describes an earbud with an acoustic duct that can pivot to improve fit and comfort. It also details the internal arrangement of components.
• Potential Anticipation: This patent could be seen as relevant to the overall structural arrangement claimed in Claim 1 and 12 of the '120 patent. The internal layout, including the positioning of the loudspeaker and other electronics, would need to be scrutinized to see if it reads on the specific "successive order" and "essentially circular cross-section" requirements of the '120 patent's claims.

5. US Patent No. 8,186,022 B2 - "Wireless earbud safety loop"

• Full Citation: US Patent 8,186,022 B2
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: May 29, 2012; Filing Date: July 1, 2008.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a wireless earbud that includes a safety loop to prevent loss. The internal structure of the earbud to accommodate the loop's attachment is also discussed.
• Potential Anticipation: While focused on a safety feature, this patent discloses a wireless earbud with internal components. It could be considered as part of the general state of the art and may contain teachings on the arrangement of internal electronics relevant to Claim 1.

It is important to note that a definitive determination of anticipation would require a thorough and detailed comparison of each claim element against the disclosures of these prior art references by a qualified patent attorney or examiner. The analysis presented here is a preliminary assessment based on the publicly available information from the patent's citation list. The novelty of the '120 patent likely resides in the specific combination and arrangement of these known components to achieve a compact and functional wireless earbud design.