Apparatus and method for outputting sound in mobile terminal

• US 8,842,860 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2011
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Ji Sang, Yoon, Chul Hyo, Park, Jae Woon
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joshi, Sunita
• Application Number:
  US13/040,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20110216929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/321, 381/315, 381/74, 381/79, 381/81, 381/60
• US Class Current: 381/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/55 using an external connection, either wireless or wired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• 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

An apparatus and method for outputting a sound with Hearing Aids Compatibility (HAC) in a mobile terminal. The sound output apparatus includes a modem chip including a first amplifier amplifying and transferring an electric signal to a switch, a switch that selectively connects an output line of the first amplifier to a receiver or a second amplifier, a second amplifier connected with the receiver and the switch and that amplifies and transfers an electric signal received from the first amplifier to the receiver when the switch connects the output line of the first amplifier to the second amplifier, and a receiver connected with the switch and the second amplifier and that converts and outputs an electric signal received from the first amplifier or the second amplifier into a sound. This allows for the stable transfer of a sound to hearing handicapped persons with HAC without distortion of the sound quality.

Claims

1. A sound output apparatus, comprising:

a modem chip comprising a first amplifier configured to amplify and transfer an electric signal to a switch;

the switch configured to selectively connect an output line of the first amplifier to a receiver or a second amplifier;

the second amplifier connected with the receiver and the switch, and configured to amplify and transfer the electric signal received from the first amplifier to the receiver when the switch connects the output line of the first amplifier to the second amplifier; and

the receiver configured to output the electric signal received from the first amplifier or the second amplifier.

2. The sound output apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modem chip is connected with the switch through a first control line, and controls the switch to selectively connect the output line of the first amplifier to the receiver or the second amplifier.

3. The sound output apparatus of claim 2, wherein the modem chip is connected with the second amplifier through a second control line, and controls the second amplifier to amplify the electric signal received from the first amplifier.

4. The sound output apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modem chip is configured to:

check whether a Hearing Aids Compatibility (HAC) mode is set to ‘

ON’

or ‘

OFF’

;

control the switch to connect the output line of the first amplifier to the second amplifier when the HAC mode is set to ‘

ON’

; and

control the switch to connect the output line of the first amplifier to the receiver when the HAC mode is set to ‘

OFF’

.

5. The sound output apparatus of claim 4, wherein the modem chip is configured to control the second amplifier through a second control signal line to amplify the electric signal received from the first amplifier when the HAC mode is set to ‘

ON’

.

6. The sound output apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second amplifier is connected with the receiver through a first sound signal line.

7. The sound output apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second amplifier is connected with the switch through a second sound signal line.

8. A method for sound output at a sound output apparatus including a switch electrically connecting an output line of a first amplifier to a second amplifier or a receiver, the method comprising:

determining whether a Hearing Aids Compatibility (HAC) mode is set to ‘

ON’

or ‘

OFF’

;

connecting the output line of the first amplifier to the second amplifier at the switch when the HAC mode is set to ‘

ON’

;

amplifying and transferring the electric signal to the second amplifier at the first amplifier when a sound output command is input;

amplifying and transferring the electric signal to a receiver at the second amplifier; and

outputting the electric signal at the receiver.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

connecting the output line of the first amplifier to the receiver at the switch when the HAC mode is set to ‘

ON’

;

amplifying and transferring an electric signal to the receiver amplifier at the first amplifier when the sound output command is input; and

outputting the electric signal at the receiver.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first amplifier is connected with the switch through a first sound signal line.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second amplifier is connected with the receiver through a second sound signal line.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second amplifier is connected with the switch through a third sound signal line.

13. A sound output apparatus, comprising:

a control unit comprising a modem chip, the modem chip comprising a first amplifier configured to amplify and transfer an electric signal to a switch; and

an audio processing unit comprising a receiver, the switch, and a second amplifier,

wherein the switch is configured to selectively connect an output line of the first amplifier to the receiver or the second amplifier,

wherein the second amplifier is connected with the receiver and the switch and configured to amplify and transfer the electric signal received from the first amplifier to the receiver when the switch is connected the output line of the first amplifier to the second amplifier, and

wherein the receiver is configured to output an electric signal received from the first amplifier or the second amplifier.

14. The sound output apparatus of claim 13, wherein the modem chip is connected with the switch through a first control line, and controls the selective connection of the output line of the first amplifier to the receiver or the second amplifier by the switch.

15. The sound output apparatus of claim 14, wherein the modem chip is connected with the second amplifier through a second control line, and controls amplification of the electric signal received from the first amplifier by the second amplifier.

16. The sound output apparatus of claim 13, wherein the modem chip is configured to:

determine whether a Hearing Aids Compatibility (HAC) mode is set to ‘

ON’

or ‘

OFF’

;

control connection of the output line of the first amplifier to the second amplifier by the switch when the HAC mode is set to ‘

ON’

; and

control connection of the output line of the first amplifier to the receiver by the switch when the HAC mode is set to ‘

OFF’

.

17. The sound output apparatus of claim 16, wherein the modem chip is configured to control the second amplifier through a second control signal line to amplify the electric signal received from the first amplifier when the HAC mode is set to ‘

ON’

.

18. The sound output apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second amplifier is connected with the receiver through a first sound signal line.

19. The sound output apparatus of claim 18, wherein the second amplifier is connected with the switch through a second sound signal line.

20. The sound output apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second amplifier is connected with the receiver through a third control line.