DETECTING STEREO AND MONO HEADSET DEVICES

• US 20090175456A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 8,565,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/05 Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/308 Electronic adaptation dependent on speaker or headphone connection

Abstract

The present invention includes apparatuses and methods comprising a means for detecting the presence of speakers and microphones coupled to a portable multi-function device (such as Apple'"'"'s iPhone™). In response, a portable multi-function device can adapt its output depending on the nature of the coupled headset device. In particular, a portable multi-function device containing the present invention can, upon detecting only one speaker in a coupled headset accessory device, combine the multiple channels of a stereo audio signal into a single mono audio signal. Likewise, a portable multi-function device containing the present invention can alert users to the absence of a coupled microphone.

Claims

1. A portable multi-function device comprising:

sensor circuitry for producing sensor signals that are indicative of how many transducer devices are coupled to the portable multi-function device; and

processor circuitry for generating an output mode for the portable multi-function device from a plurality of output modes based, at least in part, on the sensor signals.

2. The portable multi-function device of claim 1, wherein the sensor circuitry comprises:

circuitry for determining how many transducer devices are coupled to the portable multi-function device; and

circuitry for responding to the determination.

3. The portable multi-function device of claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry comprises:

circuitry for measuring the sensor signals, and for responding, at least in part, to the sensor signals.

4. The portable multi-function device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sensor signals is indicative of at least one characteristic of a transducer device coupled to the portable multi-function device.

5. The portable multi-function device of claim 4, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises at least one speaker characteristic.

6. The portable multi-function device of claim 4, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises at least one microphone characteristic.

7. The portable multi-function device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of output modes comprises employing circuitry for generating mono audio that is based upon stereo audio.

8. The portable multi-function device of claim 7, wherein the mono audio comprises audio information contained in one channel, and wherein the stereo audio comprises audio information contained in more than one channel.

9. The portable multi-function device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of output modes comprises employing circuitry for generating user feedback.

10. The portable multi-function device of claim 9, wherein the user feedback comprises communications that are based, at least in part, on the sensor signals, and wherein the communications comprise at least one of the following:

(i) vibratory output;

(ii) audio output; and

(iii) visual output.

11. The portable multi-function device of claim 1, wherein the portable multi-function device is capable of telephony capability.

12. A method for adapting the output of a portable multi-function device comprising:

producing sensor signals indicative of how many transducer devices are coupled to the portable multi-function device; and

generating an output mode for the portable multi-function device from a plurality of output modes, based, at least in part, on the sensor signals.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the generating comprises:

measuring the sensor signals; and

responding, at least in part, to the sensor signals.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the producing comprises:

determining how many transducer devices are coupled to the portable multi-function device; and

responding to the determination.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the responding comprises:

indicating at least one characteristic of a transducer device coupled to the portable multi-function device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises at least one speaker characteristic.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises at least one microphone characteristic.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of output modes comprises generating mono audio that is based upon stereo audio.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the mono audio comprises one channel of audio information, and wherein the stereo audio comprises audio information contained in more than one channel.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of output modes comprises generating user feedback.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the user feedback comprises communications that are based, at least in part, on the sensor signals, and wherein the communications comprise at least one of the following:

(i) vibratory output;

(ii) audio output; and

(iii) visual output.