System and method for controlling states of a device

• US 7,418,103 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sargaison, Stewart
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin; Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paul; Disler
• Application Number:
  US10/913,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20060029234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 381370-371, 381/74, 381/309, 381/384, 381/68, 381/72, 381/1, 381/11, 439/620, 455/280
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/109 Arrangements to adapt hands free headphones for use on both ears
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for automatically changing a state of a device coupled to a headphone device is provided. The system comprises a means for detecting if at least one earpiece of the headphone device is activated or deactivated. Based on an activation state or a change in an activation state of the at least one earpiece, a state change may occur in the device. The state change is determined by a preset of a control module.

Claims

1. A system for automated state changes in an audio-output enabled device coupled to a headphone device, the headphone device including a right ear piece and a left ear piece, the system comprising:

a processor in the audio-output enabled device, the processor configured to process digital audio data for output to the right earpiece and the left earpiece of the headphone device;

sensors for detecting if the right earpiece and the left earpiece of the headphone device are each in an activated or deactivated state; and

a control module configured for determining a device state change based on the activated or deactivated state of each earpiece and a current playback state of the audio-enabled device, the device state change including a playback state of the digital audio data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensors comprise an amplifier configured to monitor impedance of each earpiece.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensors are thermo sensors located within each earpiece of the headphone device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensors are circuitry located within each earpiece of the headphone device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensors generate a state change signal.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensors are coupled to a sensor port configured to receive signals.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the control module comprises presets for the state changes.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a touch sensitive user interface configured to allow a user to enter presets into the control module.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the playback state is selected from a group consisting of play, stop, rewind, fast forward, and pause.

9. A method for automatically changing a state of an audio-output enabled device coupled to a headphone device, the headphone device including a right ear piece and a left earpiece, the method comprising:

processing digital audio data for output to the right earpiece and the left earpiece of the headphone device;

receiving activation state data for both the right earpiece and the left earpiece of the headphone device; and

based on the received activation state data for each earpiece and a current state of the audio-output enabled device, implementing a device state change based on a preset if an activation state change occurred, the device state change including a playback state of the digital audio data.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein determining if an activation state change occurred comprises determining if an impedance change occurred in each earpiece.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising customizing the preset via a touch sensitive user interface.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the activation state data comprises impedance data.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the activation state data comprises activation state signals received from the headphone device.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the activation state data comprises activation state change signals received from the headphone device.

21. The method of claim 9, wherein the playback state is selected from a group consisting of play, stop, rewind, fast forward, and pause.

15. A computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for automatically changing a state of an audio-output enabled device coupled to a headphone device, the headphone device including a right earpiece and a left earpiece, the method comprising:

processing digital audio data for output to the right earpiece and the left earpiece of the headphone device;

receiving activation state data for both the right earpiece and the left earpiece of the headphone device; and

based on the received activation state data for each earpiece and a current state of the audio-output enabled device, implementing a device state change based on a preset if an activation state change occurred, the device state change including a playback state of the digital audio data.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the playback state is selected from a group consisting of play, stop, rewind, fast forward, and pause.

16. A method for automatically changing a state of an audio-output enabled device coupled to a headphone device, the headphone device including a right earpiece and a left earpiece, the method comprising:

receiving activation state data from both the right earpiece and the left earpiece of the headphone device;

determining an activation state for each earpiece of the headphone device; and

implementing a device state change based on a preset according to the activation state of each earpiece and a current state of the audio-output enabled device, the device state change including a playback state of digital audio data stored on the audio-output enabled device.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the playback state is selected from a group consisting of play, stop, rewind, fast forward, and pause.

17. A headphone device for use with a system for automated state changes in an audio-output enabled device, comprising:

a right earpiece;

a left earpiece; and

a first sensor coupled to the right earpiece and a second sensor coupled to the left earpiece, each of the sensors configured to;

determine an activation state of the right earpiece and the left earpiece;

generate activation state data for changing the device state of the audio-output enabled device based on a current state of the device, the device state change including a playback state of digital audio data stored on the audio-output enabled device.

18. The headphone device of claim 17 wherein at least one sensor is a thermo sensor.

19. The headphone device of claim 17 further comprising a micro-switch in the right and left earpieces, the micro-switch closing upon activation of the right and left earpieces.

24. The headphone device of claim 17, wherein the playback state is selected from a group consisting of play, stop, rewind, fast forward, and pause.