Audio playback apparatus, control and usage method for audio playback apparatus, and mobile phone terminal with storage device

• US 9,319,830 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sawai, Shunichiroh
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US14/553,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20150079905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/3.01, 455/3.03, 455/420, 455/68, 455/557, 455/550.1, 455/569.1, 455/419, 455/552.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

An audio playback apparatus includes an integrated circuit in which an FM reception circuit and a near field wireless communication circuit are integrated and packaged into one chip, a switch unit configured to switch between output of an audio signal supplied from the FM reception circuit and output of an audio signal supplied from the near field wireless communication circuit, and a connection terminal configured to output an audio signal selected using the switch unit and supply an FM broadcast signal received through a cable of an earphone connected to the connection terminal to the FM reception circuit. An associated method performed by the audio playback apparatus cooperates with the mobile terminal apparatus and associated method to provide a functional system.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first communication interface configured to receive a broadcast signal;

a second communication interface configured to receive a signal from a mobile terminal apparatus, a range of the second communication interface being less than a range of the first communication interface; and

circuitry configured to switch an audio source for output between the broadcast signal and the signal received from the mobile terminal apparatus based on a control signal received from the mobile terminal apparatus via the second communication interface, wherein

the second communication interface is configured to provide said mobile terminal apparatus metadata associated with programming content contained in the broadcast signal received by the first communication interface to be displayed on said mobile terminal apparatus.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a terminal configured to electrically connect the electronic device to an external device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the electronic device is a headset including speakers configured to output an audio signal.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the first communication interface is a broadcast reception circuit configured to receive the broadcast signal.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein

the broadcast reception circuit is configured to receive a frequency modulated (FM) broadcast signal.

6. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein

the broadcast reception circuit is further configured to receive at least one of a satellite radio signal, a digital audio broadcast signal, and a wireless Internet radio station signal.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the second communication interface is a near field wireless communication circuit.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the circuitry includes a switch configured to switch the audio source for output between the broadcast signal and the signal received from the mobile terminal apparatus.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface including a display.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein

the user interface is configured to display information indicating an audio output mode of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein

the audio output mode indicates the audio source for output by the electronic device, the audio source being one of the broadcast signal and the signal received from the mobile terminal apparatus.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the control signal received from the mobile terminal apparatus indicates an audio output mode of the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein

the control signal is generated by the mobile terminal apparatus based on an input received at a user interface of the mobile terminal apparatus.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein

the circuitry is configured to control switching the audio source to the broadcast signal when the control signal indicates that the selected audio output mode is a mode to output the broadcast signal.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein

the circuitry is configured to control switching the audio source to the signal received from the mobile terminal apparatus when the control signal indicates that the selected audio output mode is a mode to output the signal received from the mobile terminal apparatus.

16. A method performed by an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving, via a first communication interface, a broadcast signal;

receiving, via a second communication interface having a range smaller than a range of the first communication interface, a signal from a mobile terminal apparatus;

switching, by circuitry, an audio source for output between the broadcast signal and the signal received from the mobile terminal apparatus based on a control signal received from the mobile terminal apparatus via the second communication interface; and

providing, via the second communication interface, said mobile terminal apparatus metadata associated with programming content contained in the broadcast signal received by the first communication interface to be displayed on said mobile terminal apparatus.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer-program instructions, which when executed by an electronic device having a first communication interface and a second communication interface having a range smaller than a range of the first communication interface, cause the electronic device to:

switch an audio source for output between a broadcast signal received via the first communication interface and a signal received from a mobile terminal apparatus via the second communication interface based on a control signal received from the mobile terminal apparatus via the second communication interface;

provide, via the second communication interface, said mobile terminal apparatus metadata associated with programming content contained in the broadcast signal received by the first communication interface to be displayed on said mobile terminal apparatus.