CONTROL OF AUDIO OUTPUT STATE BASED ON WIRELESS CHARGING

• US 20120294463A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: CHU, Inchang, Lee, Jaesung
• Granted Patent: US 8,559,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/150
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use

Abstract

According to the present disclosure, there is provided a wireless power receiver configured to provide a continuous phone call environment or content reproduction environment while at the same time conveniently performing wireless charging during the phone call or content reproduction by controlling to activate the operation of an audio output module provided in a wireless power receiver and change an output path of the audio signal when the wireless power receiver is detected. To this end, a wireless power receiver according to an embodiment disclosed herein can include an audio output module; a power receiving unit configured to receive a wireless power signal; and a control unit configured to detect a wireless power transmitter located in a charging region associated with the wireless power signal using the wireless power signal, and activate the operation of the audio output module when the wireless power transmitter is detected.

Claims

1. A wireless power receiver, comprising:

a first audio output module;

a power receiving unit configured to receive a wireless power signal; and

a control unit configured to detect a wireless power transmitter located in a charging region associated with the wireless power signal using the wireless power signal, and change the operation of the first audio output module from a deactivated state to an activated state when the wireless power transmitter is detected.

2. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, further comprising:

a second audio output module,

wherein the control unit changes the operation of the second audio output module from an activated state to a deactivated state when the operation of the first audio output module is activated.

3. The wireless power receiver of claim 2, wherein the first audio output module is a speakerphone speaker, and

the second audio output module is a handset speaker.

4. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the control unit switches the operation mode of the wireless power receiver from a handset mode to a speakerphone mode when the wireless power transmitter is detected.

5. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface unit configured to transmit an audio signal to an audio output device connected thereto,

wherein the control unit suspends a transmission of the audio signal when the operation of the first audio output module is activated.

6. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the control unit deactivates the operation of the first audio output module when the wireless power transmitter is not detected.

7. The wireless power receiver of claim 6, wherein the control unit switches the operation mode of the wireless power receiver from a speakerphone mode to a handset mode when the wireless power transmitter is not detected.

8. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the power receiving unit detects the wireless power transmitter based on a strength of the wireless power signal.

9. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the power receiving unit receives power in a wireless manner from the wireless power transmitter when the wireless power transmitter is detected.

10. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit configured to output a menu for activating the operation of the first audio output module; and

an input unit configured to receive an input for selecting a menu to activate the operation of the first audio output module,

wherein the control unit activates the operation of the first audio output module upon receiving the input.

11. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, further comprising:

an output configured to output an indicator indicating an active state of the operation of the first audio output module.

12. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to ignore a signal to change the operation of the first audio output module when the first audio output module is in an activated state.

13. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to change the operation of the first audio output module before the wireless power transmitter is capable of transmitting power.

14. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to ignore detection of a wireless power transmitter when the first audio output is activated.

15. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:

a power transmitting unit configured to form a wireless power signal using power supplied from a power supply unit; and

a control unit configured to detect a wireless power receiver located in a charging region associated with the wireless power signal, and generate a first control signal for changing the operation of an audio output module provided in the detected wireless power receiver from a deactivated state to an activated state when the wireless power receiver is detected, and transmit the generated first control signal to the detected wireless power receiver.

16. The wireless power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the first control signal is a control signal for switching the operation mode of the wireless power receiver from a handset mode to a speakerphone mode.

17. The wireless power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the first control signal is a control signal for switching the operation mode of the wireless power receiver from a headphone mode to a speaker mode.

18. The wireless power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the control unit generates a second control signal for deactivating the operation of the audio output module provided in the detected wireless power receiver, and transmits the generated second control signal to the detected wireless power receiver when the detected wireless power receiver is not detected.

19. The wireless power transmitter of claim 18, wherein the second control signal is a control signal for switching the operation mode of the wireless power receiver from a speakerphone mode to a handset mode.

20. The wireless power transmitter of claim 18, wherein the second control signal is a control signal for switching the operation mode of the wireless power receiver from a speaker mode to a headphone mode.

21. The wireless power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the control unit is configured to ignore a signal to change the operation of the audio output module when the audio output module is in an activated state.

22. The wireless power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to change the operation of the audio output module before the wireless power transmitter is capable of transmitting power.

23. The wireless power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to ignore detection of a wireless power transmitter when the audio output is activated.