Patent ID: 11923702
Assignee: APPLE INC.
Field: Digital communication (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 10:
11. A wireless electronic device, comprising:
an inductive charging coil configured to receive a signal configured to induce a current on the inductive charging coil;
switching circuitry coupled to the inductive charging coil and configured to cause the wireless electronic device to switch from an inductive charging configuration to an inductive communication configuration;
inductive charging circuitry coupled to the inductive charging coil via the switching circuitry, the inductive charging circuitry being configured to utilize the current to charge an energy storage component of the wireless electronic device in the inductive charging configuration; and
inductive communication circuitry coupled to the inductive charging coil via the switching circuitry, the inductive communication circuitry being configured to establish a first inductive communication channel between the wireless electronic device and a second wireless electronic device using the inductive charging coil and to establish a second inductive communication channel between the wireless electronic device and a third wireless electronic device and to receive a message from the second wireless electronic device and to rebroadcast the message to the third wireless electronic device to form an underwater network including the wireless electronic device, the second wireless electronic device, and the third wireless electronic device when each of the wireless electronic device, the second wireless electronic device, and the third wireless electronic device are underwater.