Mobile Communication Device with Receiver Speaker

• US 20130078930A1
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Chao, Huang, Li, Kaufman, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 8,699,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An audio subsystem in a mobile communication device has a speaker. In one implementation, the audio subsystem has a higher-gain power amplifier, a lower-gain power amplifier, and a switching system configured to route signals produced by the lower-gain power amplifier to the speaker while the device is operative in a first mode and configured to route signals produced by the higher-gain power amplifier to the speaker while the device is operative in a second mode. In another implementation, the audio subsystem has a power amplifier coupled to the speaker and a power supply control controlled to provide voltage at a first voltage level to the power amplifier while the device is operative in a first mode and controlled to provide voltage at a second, higher, voltage level to the power amplifier while the device is operative in a second mode.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory arranged to store executable code which, when executed by the processor, is arranged to select between a first mode of operation for the mobile communication device and a second mode of operation for the mobile communication device;

a wireless communication interface coupled to the processor; and

an audio subsystem coupled to the processor, the audio subsystem arranged to generate analog signals from digital audio representations, the audio subsystem comprising a higher-gain power amplifier, a lower-gain power amplifier that has a lower gain than the higher-gain power amplifier, and a first speaker to generate sound waves from the analog signals;

the audio subsystem further comprising a switching system that is configured, while the mobile communication device is operative in the first mode, to route signals produced by the lower-gain power amplifier to the first speaker, and that is configured, while the mobile communication device is operative in the second mode, to route signals produced by the higher-gain power amplifier to the first speaker.

2. The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1, the gain of the lower-gain power amplifier being sufficiently low that, while the mobile communication device is operative in the first mode, placement of the first speaker less than 1.5 centimeters from a human ear is suitable.

3. The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1, the audio subsystem further comprising a second speaker that is muted while the mobile communication device is operative in the first mode and that is connected to signals produced by the higher-gain power amplifier.

4. The mobile communication device as recited in claim 3, the first speaker and the second speaker placed near opposite ends of the mobile communication device.

5. The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1, the digital audio representations or a portion thereof derived from signals received through the wireless communication interface.

6. The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1, the digital audio representations or a portion thereof derived from one or more media files stored in or accessible by the mobile communication device.

7. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory arranged to store executable code which, when executed by the processor, is arranged to select between a first mode of operation for the mobile communication device and a second mode of operation for the mobile communication device;

a wireless communication interface coupled to the processor; and

an audio subsystem coupled to the processor, the audio subsystem arranged to generate analog signals from digital audio representations, the audio subsystem comprising a first speaker to generate sound waves from the analog signals and a power amplifier coupled to the first speaker;

the audio subsystem further comprising a power supply control that is controlled, while the mobile communication device is operative in the first mode, to provide voltage at a first voltage level to the power amplifier, and that is controlled, while the mobile communication device is operative in the second mode, to provide voltage at a second voltage level to the power amplifier, the second voltage level higher than the first voltage level.

8. The mobile communication device as recited in claim 7, the first voltage level being sufficiently low that, while the mobile communication device is operative in the first mode, placement of the speaker less than 1.5 centimeters from a human ear is suitable.

9. The mobile communication device as recited in claim 7, the audio subsystem further comprising a second speaker that is muted while the mobile communication device is operative in the first mode and that is coupled to the power amplifier.

10. The mobile communication device as recited in claim 9, the first speaker and the second speaker placed near opposite ends of the mobile communication device.

11. The mobile communication device as recited in claim 7, the digital audio representations or a portion thereof derived from signals received through the wireless communication interface.

12. The mobile communication device as recited in claim 7, the digital audio representations or a portion thereof derived from one or more media files stored in or accessible by the mobile communication device.

13. A method of providing stereo sound in a mobile communication device, comprising:

operating the mobile communication device in a multimedia mode, such that a receiver speaker of the mobile communication device is able to produce sound waves having a maximum power level that exceeds a first maximum power level and that does not exceed a second maximum power level; and

while the mobile communication device is operative in the multimedia mode, providing a first audio channel to a handsfree speaker of the mobile communication device and providing a second audio channel to the receiver speaker,

wherein while the mobile communication device is operative in a call mode, the receiver speaker is unable to produce sound waves having a maximum power level that exceeds the first maximum power level.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

while the mobile communication device is operative in the call mode, detecting a volume increase request and configuring the audio subsystem according to a requested maximum power setting only if, at the requested maximum power setting, the maximal power level of sound waves produced by the receiver speaker will remain limited to not exceed the first maximum power level.

15. A method to be performed by a mobile communication device, comprising:

selecting a call mode for operation of the mobile communication device, wherein while the mobile communication device is operative in the call mode, a maximal power level of sound waves produced by a receiver speaker of the mobile communication device is limited to not exceed a first maximum power level; and

selecting a multimedia mode for operation of the mobile communication device, wherein while the mobile communication device is operative in the multimedia mode, the maximal power level of sound waves produced by the receiver speaker is limited to not exceed a second maximum power level that is higher than the first maximum power level.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

in response to selecting the call mode, configuring an audio subsystem of the mobile communication device according to a first maximum power setting; and

in response to selecting the multimedia mode, configuring the audio subsystem according to a second maximum power setting.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

while the mobile communication device is operative in the call mode, detecting a volume increase request and configuring the audio subsystem according to a requested maximum power setting only if, at the requested maximum power setting, the maximal power level of sound waves produced by the receiver speaker will remain limited to not exceed the first maximum power level.