Speaker system for mobile device

• US 7,668,571 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Na, Sang Ju, Kim, Jung Tae
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper; Vincent P
• Assistant Examiner(s): SANTIAGO CORDERO, MARIVELISSE
• Application Number:
  US11/564,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20070223739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683, 381/334, 455/569.1
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/26 Spatial arrangements of separate transducers responsive to two or more frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers for hearing aids H04R25/43

Abstract

A speaker system for a mobile device includes first and second audio processing units and first and second speakers for reproducing audio signals and outputting the reproduced audio signals. The speaker system also includes a controller configured for transferring the audio signal to the second speaker if a battery is connected to the mobile device. The first speaker is embedded in a main body of the mobile device and the second speaker is embedded in the battery of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A speaker system for a mobile device comprising:

a first audio processing unit and a first speaker for reproducing an audio signal and outputting the reproduced audio signal, wherein the first speaker is embedded in a main body of the mobile device;

a second audio processing unit and a second speaker for reproducing the audio signal and outputting another reproduced audio signal;

a first battery embedded within the main body and a second battery within a battery module releasably connected to the main body, wherein the second speaker is embedded in the battery module;

a controller positioned in the mobile device and configured to perform operations comprising;

determining if the battery module is connected to the mobile device;

in response to a determination that the battery module is not connected to the mobile device, controlling the first audio processing unit to transfer the audio signal to the first speaker and controlling the second audio processing unit not to transfer the audio signal to the second speaker; and

in response to a determination that the battery module is connected to the mobile device, controlling the first audio processing unit to transfer the audio signal to the first speaker and controlling the second audio processing unit to transfer the audio signal to the second speaker.

2. The speaker system of claim 1, wherein the first audio processing unit and the first speaker output a first register of the audio signal.

3. The speaker system of claim 2, wherein the first register is a full frequency band, a mid-frequency band or a high frequency band.

4. The speaker system of claim 2, wherein the second audio processing unit and the second speaker output a second register of the audio signal.

5. The speaker system of claim 4, wherein the second register is a low frequency band.

6. The speaker system of claim 1, wherein the second speaker is a woofer speaker.

7. The speaker system of claim 1, further comprising a residual quantity detecting sensor for sensing a remaining charge of the battery, wherein the controller controls the second audio processing unit according to the sensed remaining charge of the battery.

8. The speaker system of claim 1, further comprising a battery sensor configured for detecting if the battery is operatively connected to the mobile device, wherein the controller controls the second audio processing unit according to an output from the battery sensor.

9. The speaker system of claim 1, further comprising an AC power detecting sensor configured for detecting if an AC power source is operatively connected to the mobile device, wherein the controller controls the second audio processing unit according to an output from the AC power detecting sensor.

10. The speaker system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured for driving the first audio processing unit in a first register filtering mode if the second audio processing unit and the second speaker are not operatively processing the audio signal.

11. The speaker system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured for driving the first audio processing unit in a second register filtering mode when the second audio processing unit and the second speaker are operatively operated.

12. The speaker system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured for selectively interrupting the first audio signal processing unit and the second audio signal processing unit in a speaker bypass mode.

13. The speaker system of claim 12, wherein the speaker bypass mode comprises a headset operatively connected to the mobile device.

14. A method of controlling a speaker system for a mobile device, comprising:

determining if a battery module having an embedded speaker is operatively connected with the mobile device, the mobile device having a first speaker and a first battery embedded within a main body of the mobile device, the battery module being releasably connected to the main body;

the battery module having a second battery; and

controlling, by a controller positioned in the mobile device, an operation mode of first and second audio signal processing units based on the determination of whether the battery module is operatively connected with the mobile device, the controlling comprising;

in response to a determination that the battery module is not connected to the mobile device, controlling the first audio processing unit to transfer the audio signal to the first speaker and controlling the second audio processing unit not to transfer the audio signal to the embedded speaker; and

in response to a determination that the battery module is connected to the mobile device, controlling the first audio processing unit to transfer the audio signal to the first speaker and controlling the second audio processing unit to transfer the audio signal to the embedded speaker; and

transmitting the audio signal from the mobile device to the embedded speaker in the battery module.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the battery module is integrally fitted within a main body of the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising outputting the audio signal through another speaker embedded within a main body of the mobile device, wherein the other speaker embedded within the main body of the mobile device filters a different register of the audio signal compared to a register of the embedded speaker within the battery module.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising bypassing the second audio signal processing unit if the controller determines a bypass mode.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting a remaining charge of the battery module when the battery is mounted, and

controlling the second audio signal processing unit based on the detected remaining charge of the battery module.

19. The method of claim 14, selectively controlling the second audio signal processing unit responsive to a user-defined input.