Method and integrated circuit for use by a handheld multiple function device

• US 20060190199A1
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Daniel P. Mulligan, Marcus W. May, Matthew Brady Henson
• Inventors: May, Marcus W., Henson, Matthew Brady, Mulligan, Daniel P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,197,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2219/00 Thermometers with dedicated analog to digital converters
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/047 Recovery from power failure
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/009 having two or more independently controlled outputs for DC-DC converter with intermediate AC H02M3/33561

Abstract

A method for efficient battery use begins by monitoring at least one output of the handheld device for an overload condition. The processing continues by monitoring a system voltage produced by a DC-to-DC converter for a system low voltage condition. The process continues by monitoring voltage of the battery for a battery low voltage condition. The processing then continues by enabling one of a plurality of fail-safe algorithms based on when one or more of the overload condition, the system low voltage condition, and/or the battery low voltage condition are detected.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. An integrated circuit for use by a multifunction handheld device, the integrated circuit comprises:

a processing module;

a memory, operably coupled to the processing module, for storing a plurality of digitally formatted files, and that stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to;

receive a first digitally formatted file of the plurality of digitally formatted files from a host device when coupled to the host device via a host interface and store the first digitally formatted file in the memory, wherein the handheld device is powered by the host device when coupled to the host device via the host interface;

generate a second digitally formatted file of the plurality of digitally formatted files by digitally recording a voice sample and store the second digitally formatted file in the memory;

playback a selected one of the plurality of digitally formatted files, the playback including the generation of an audio output;

monitoring for a low voltage condition produced by a low battery voltage;

when the low voltage condition is detected, enabling a first fail safe algorithm to;

disable the audio output;

store settings corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of digitally formatted audio files; and

shutdown the multifunction handheld device;

wherein, when the battery is replaced and the handheld device is reactivated, the memory further stores operationally instructions that enable the playback of the selected one of the plurality of digitally formatted files to resume where the playback left off.

32. The integrated circuit of claim 31 wherein the host interface includes a universal serial bus (USB) encoder and USB decoder.

33. The integrated circuit of claim 31 wherein the plurality of digitally formatted files includes at least one compressed digital audio file.

34. The integrated circuit of claim 31 wherein the plurality of digitally formatted files includes at least one compressed digital video file, and the memory further stores operationally instructions that cause the processing module to:

drive a video display device for playing the digital video file.

35. The integrated circuit of claim 31, wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

monitoring of the audio output for an overload condition;

when an overload condition is detected and when the low voltage condition is not detected, enabling a second fail safe algorithm to;

disable the audio output for a predetermined period of time;

after expiration of the predetermined period of time, enable the audio output; and

resume monitoring of the audio output for the overload condition.

36. An integrated circuit for use by a multifunction handheld device, the integrated circuit comprises:

a processing module;

a memory operably coupled to the processing module, for storing a plurality of digitally formatted files, and that stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to;

receive a first digitally formatted file of the plurality of digitally formatted files from a host device when coupled to the host device via a host interface and store the first digitally formatted file in the memory;

generate a second digitally formatted file of the plurality of digitally formatted files by digitally recording a voice sample and store the second digitally formatted file in the memory;

playback a selected one of the plurality of digitally formatted files, the playback including the generation of an audio output;

monitoring for a low voltage condition produced by a low battery voltage;

when the low voltage condition is detected, enabling a first fail safe algorithm to;

disable the audio output;

store an audio setting corresponding to the playback; and

shutdown the multifunction handheld device.

37. The integrated circuit of claim 36 wherein the audio setting includes a volume setting.

38. The integrated circuit of claim 36 wherein the audio setting includes a bass setting.

39. The integrated circuit of claim 36 wherein the audio setting includes a treble setting.

40. The integrated circuit of claim 36 wherein the playback of the selected one of the plurality of digitally formatted files includes playback of a particular song, and the audio setting includes the particular song.

41. The integrated circuit of claim 36 wherein the host interface includes a universal serial bus (USB) encoder and USB decoder and wherein the handheld device is powered by the host device when coupled to the host device via the host interface.

42. The integrated circuit of claim 36 wherein the plurality of digitally formatted files includes at least one compressed digital audio file.

43. The integrated circuit of claim 36 wherein the plurality of digitally formatted files includes at least one compressed digital video file, and the memory further stores operationally instructions that cause the processing module to:

drive a video display device for playing the digital video file.

44. The integrated circuit of claim 36, wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

monitor the audio output for an overload condition;

when an overload condition is detected and when the low voltage condition is not detected, enabling a second fail safe algorithm to;

disable the audio output for a predetermined period of time;

after expiration of the predetermined period of time, enable audio output; and

resume monitoring of the audio output for the overload condition.

45. A method for use in a multifunction handheld device, the method comprises:

receiving a first plurality of digitally formatted files from a host device when coupled to the host device via a host interface;

playing a selected one of the first plurality of digitally formatted files, the playing including generating an audio output;

monitoring for a low voltage condition produced by a low battery voltage;

when the low voltage condition is detected, enabling a first fail safe algorithm to;

disable the audio output;

store an audio setting corresponding to the playing of the audio output; and

shutdown the multifunction handheld device.

46. The method of claim 45 further comprising:

generating a second plurality of digitally formatted files by digitally recording a voice sample.

47. The method of claim 45 wherein the audio setting includes a volume setting.

48. The method of claim 45 wherein the audio setting includes a bass setting.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the audio setting includes a treble setting.

50. The method of claim 45 wherein playing the selected one of the plurality of digitally formatted files includes playing a particular song, and the audio setting includes the particular song played.

51. The method of claim 45 wherein further comprising the step of:

powering the multifunction handheld device by the host device when coupled to the host device via the host interface.

52. The method of claim 45 wherein the plurality of digitally formatted files includes at least one compressed digital audio file.

53. The method of claim 45 wherein the plurality of digitally formatted files includes at least one compressed digital video file, and the method further comprises:

driving a video display device for playing the digital video file.

55. An method for use in a multifunction handheld device, the method comprising:

receiving a first plurality of digitally formatted files from a host device when coupled to the host device via a host interface;

powering the multifunction handheld device by the host device when coupled to the host device via the host interface;

playing a selected one of the plurality of digitally formatted files, the playing including the generation of an audio output;

monitoring for a low voltage condition produced by a low battery voltage;

when the low voltage condition is detected, enabling a first fail safe algorithm to;

disable the audio output;

store settings corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of digitally formatted audio files; and

shutdown the multifunction handheld device.

54. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

monitoring of the audio output for an overload condition;

when an overload condition is detected and when the low voltage condition is not detected, enabling a second fail safe algorithm to;

disable the audio output for a predetermined period of time;

after expiration of the predetermined period of time, enable the audio output; and

resume monitoring of the audio output for the overload condition.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein, when the battery is replaced and the handheld device is reactivated, the playback of the selected one of the plurality of digitally formatted files resumes where the playback left off.

57. The method of claim 55 further comprising:

generating a second plurality of digitally formatted files by digitally recording a voice sample.

58. The method of claim 55 wherein the plurality of digitally formatted files includes at least one compressed digital audio file.

59. The method of claim 55 wherein the plurality of digitally formatted files includes at least one compressed digital video file, and the method further comprises:

driving a video display device for playing the digital video file.

60. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

monitoring of the audio output for an overload condition;

when an overload condition is detected and when the low voltage condition is not detected, enabling a second fail safe algorithm to;

disable the audio output for a predetermined period of time;

after expiration of the predetermined period of time, enable the audio output; and

resume monitoring of the audio output for the overload condition.

61. The method of claim 55 wherein playing the selected one of the plurality of digitally formatted files includes playing a particular song, and the settings corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of digitally formatted audio files includes the particular song played.