Portable terminal with multipurpose earjack

• US 20040116005A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Kyeong-Jin
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/894
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/001 Digital control of analog signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

A portable terminal connectable to various external accessories. The potable terminal includes an earjack in which the external accessories can be plugged; an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) section for converting a resistance value of an external accessory plugged in the earjack into an ADC value; a memory for storing ADC values of the external accessories; and a controller for converting a resistance value of the external accessory plugged in the earjack into an ADC value by controlling the ADC section, determining what type of external accessory plugged in the earjack by comparing the converted ADC value with the ADC values stored in the memory, and performing a function of the plugged-in external accessory via a corresponding pin of the earjack.

Claims

1. A portable terminal connectable to various external accessories, comprising:

an earjack in which the external accessories can be coupled;

an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) section for converting a resistance value of an external accessory coupled to the earjack into an ADC value;

a memory for storing ADC values of the external accessories; and

a controller for converting a resistance value of the external accessory coupled to the earjack into an ADC value by controlling the ADC section, determining a type of an external accessory coupled to the earjack by comparing the converted ADC value with the ADC values stored in the memory, and performing a function of the plugged-in external accessory via a corresponding pin of the earjack.

2. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the earjack comprises:

a ground pin;

a microphone pin;

a speaker pin;

an interrupt pin for detecting an external accessory coupled to the earjack;

an ADC pin for detecting a resistance value of the external accessory coupled to the earjack;

a received data pin for receiving data;

a transmit data pin for transmitting data;

a serial clock pin;

a serial data pin for performing data communication in association with the serial clock pin; and

a trigger pin for detecting a flash coupled to the earjack.

3. The portable terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply for powering the external accessory coupled to the earjack; and

a regulator for providing a constant voltage from the power supply to an external accessory that requires a constant voltage.

4. A method for controlling a portable terminal connectable to various external accessories, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a resistance value of an external accessory coupled to an earjack;

(b) converting the resistance value into an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) value;

(c) determining what type of external accessory is coupled to the earjack based on the converted ADC value; and

(d) performing a function of the coupled external accessory via a corresponding pin of the earjack.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step (a) comprises the steps of:

generating an interrupt signal via an interrupt pin of the earjack when an external accessory is coupled to the earjack;

detecting insertion of the external accessory through the interrupt signal; and

detecting a resistance value of the coupled external accessory through an ADC pin of the earjack.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step (d) comprises the steps of:

performing an earphone function or a stereo earphone function via a ground pin, a microphone pin and a speaker pin of the earjack when the coupled external accessory is an earphone or a stereo earphone;

performing an FM stereo earphone function or an MP3 function via the ground pin, the microphone pin, the speaker pin, a serial clock pin and a serial data pin of the earjack when the coupled external accessory is an FM stereo earphone or an MP3 player;

performing a function of an external flash via the ground pin and a trigger pin of the earjack when the coupled external accessory is an external flash; and

performing a function of an external camera, an external camera with a flash or a Bluetooth module via the ground pin, a received data pin and a transmit data pin when the plugged-in external accessory is the external camera, the external camera with a flash or the Bluetooth module.