EARPHONE SYSTEM, EARPHONE DEVICE, AND PORTABLE TERMINAL FOR SUPPORTING THE SAME

• US 20140023202A1
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: SON, Kyungdae
• Granted Patent: US 9,426,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/05 Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308

Abstract

An earphone device, a portable terminal and an earphone system are provided. The earphone system includes a portable terminal having an earphone interface, an earphone device electrically connectable to the earphone interface, and at least one device recognition element which is disposed in at least one of the earphone interface and the earphone device and which provides a certain resistance value when the earphone device is electrically connected to the earphone interface so that the portable terminal determines that the earphone device is electrically connected to the earphone interface.

Claims

1. An earphone device comprising:

an earphone head which has a plurality of terminals;

at least one earphone output unit which is connected to the earphone head and outputs audio signals using an ear-speaker; and

a device recognition element connected to one of the earphone head and the at least one earphone output unit, the device recognition element recognizing the earphone device.

2. The earphone device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the earphone head comprises:

an earphone left terminal;

an earphone right terminal; and

an earphone ground terminal,

wherein the earphone output unit comprises;

an earphone left output unit connectable with the earphone left terminal; and

an earphone right output unit connectable with the earphone right terminal, and

wherein the device recognition element is disposed in at least one of the earphone left output unit and the earphone right output unit.

3. The earphone device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the earphone head further comprises a microphone terminal,

wherein the earphone device further comprises:

a microphone connected to the microphone terminal; and

a control module including the microphone, and

wherein the device recognition element is connected in parallel with the microphone in the control module.

4. The earphone device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the earphone head comprises:

an earphone left terminal;

an earphone right terminal; and

at least one of an earphone ground terminal and a microphone terminal, and

wherein the device recognition element is disposed in the earphone head coated with a coating material and connected in parallel to one of the earphone left terminal, the earphone right terminal and the microphone.

5. The earphone device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the earphone output unit has an predetermined resistance value, and the device recognition element has a resistance value greater than the predetermined resistance value.

6. A portable terminal supporting an earphone device, the portable terminal comprising:

an earphone interface which is electrically connectable to the earphone device;

a controller determining whether the earphone device is electrically connected to the earphone interface according to a signal transmitted from the earphone interface; and

an audio processor supporting functions of the earphone device under a control of the controller,

wherein the earphone interface comprises;

terminal connectors connectable to a head of the earphone device;

an element connector connectable to a certain terminal of the earphone head and a device recognition element that is connected to the element connector when the earphone head is electrically connected to the earphone interface;

a recognition connector connected to the certain terminal in order to determine whether the earphone device is electrically connected to the earphone interface;

a distribution resistor connected to the recognition connector in order to distribute a full-up voltage together with the recognition connector; and

a comparator connected to the distribution resistor.

7. The portable terminal as claimed in claim 6, wherein the terminal connectors comprise electrodes which are respectively connected to each of an earphone left terminal, an earphone right terminal and at least one of an earphone ground terminal of the earphone head and a microphone terminal of the earphone head.

8. The portable terminal as claimed in claim 7, wherein the element connector and the recognition connector simultaneous contact one of the electrode connected to the earphone left terminal, the electrode connected to the earphone right terminal and the microphone terminal.

9. The portable terminal as claimed in claim 6, wherein the comparator receives an input voltage of the full-up voltage distributed by the distribution resistor and the device recognition element connected to the element connector,

wherein the comparator outputs a “

High”

signal corresponding to the received input voltage when the earphone device is inserted in the earphone interface, while receiving the full-up voltage as an input through the distribution resistor, and

wherein the comparator outputs a “

Low”

signal corresponding to the received input when the earphone device is separated from the earphone interface.

10. The portable terminal as claimed in claim 6, wherein the earphone left and right output units of the earphone device respectively have a predetermined resistance value,

wherein the device recognition element has a resistance value greater than the predetermined resistance value, and

wherein the distribution resistor has a resistance value greater than the resistance value of the device recognition element.

11. An earphone system comprising:

a portable terminal having an earphone interface;

an earphone device electrically connectable to the earphone interface; and

at least one device recognition element which is disposed in at least one of the earphone interface and the earphone device and which provides a certain resistance value when the earphone device is electrically connected to the earphone interface so that the portable terminal determines that the earphone device is electrically connected to the earphone interface.

12. The earphone system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the earphone device comprises:

an earphone head having a plurality of terminals; and

at least one earphone output unit connected to the earphone head to output audio signals, and

wherein the device recognition element is connected to at least one of the earphone head and the earphone output unit.

13. The earphone system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the earphone head comprises:

an earphone left terminal;

an earphone right terminal; and

an earphone ground terminal,

wherein the earphone output unit comprises;

an earphone left output unit connectable to the earphone left terminal; and

an earphone right output unit connectable to the earphone right terminal, and

wherein the device recognition element is disposed in at least one of the earphone left output unit and the earphone right output unit.

14. The earphone system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the earphone head further comprises a microphone terminal,

wherein the earphone device further comprises a microphone connected to the microphone terminal, and

wherein the device recognition element is connected in parallel to the microphone.

15. The earphone system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the earphone head comprises:

an earphone left terminal;

an earphone right terminal; and

at least one of an earphone ground terminal and a microphone terminal, and

wherein the device recognition element is disposed in the earphone head coated with a coating material and is connected in parallel to at least one of the earphone left terminal, the earphone right terminal and the microphone terminal.

16. The earphone system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the portable terminal comprises:

a controller determining whether the earphone device electrically connected with the earphone interface according to a signal transmitted from the earphone interface; and

an audio processor supporting functions of the earphone device under a control of the controller,

wherein the earphone interface comprises;

terminal connectors respectively connectable to a head of the earphone device;

an element connector connectable to a certain terminal of the earphone head and the device recognition element;

a recognition connector connected with the certain terminal in order to determine whether the earphone device is electrically connected to the earphone interface;

a distribution resistor connected to the recognition connector to distribute a full-up voltage; and

a comparator connected to the distribution resistor.

17. The earphone system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the terminal connectors comprise electrodes which are respectively connected to each of an earphone left terminal, an earphone right terminal and at least one of an earphone ground terminal of the earphone head and a microphone terminal of the earphone head.

18. The earphone system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the element connector and the recognition connector simultaneously contact one of the electrode connected to the earphone left terminal, the electrode connected to the earphone right terminal, and the microphone terminal.

19. The earphone system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the comparator receives an input voltage of the full-up voltage distributed by the distribution resistor and the device recognition element connected to the element connector,

wherein the comparator outputs a “

High”

signal corresponding to the received input voltage, when the earphone device is inserted in the earphone interface, while receiving the full-up voltage as an input through the distribution resistor, and

wherein the comparator outputs a “

Low”

signal corresponding to the received input, when the earphone device is separated from the earphone interface.

20. The earphone system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the earphone left and right output units of the earphone device respectively have a predetermined resistance value,

wherein the device recognition element has a resistance value greater than the predetermined resistance value, and

wherein the distribution resistor has a resistance value greater than the resistance value of the device recognition element.