Device control based on worn headphone detection

• US 9,338,540 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nicholson, John Weldon
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Application Number:
  US14/030,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20150078573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/201.1, 379/88.01, 455 411- 413, 370/352
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers

Abstract

A system and method include receiving a headphone worn signal at a system representative of a detection of headphones being worn and controlling selection of a playback device via the system for audible sounds as a function of the headphone worn signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a headphone worn signal to simulate conditions of a connector jack by shorting conductors together at a system representative of the headphones not being plugged in to the connector jack when the headphones are not worn and a detection of headphones being worn; and

controlling selection of a playback device via the system for audible sounds as a function of the headphone worn signal, wherein the playback device is selected from the group consisting of the headphones and a system speaker, wherein the system speaker is selected as a default playback device for all sounds when the headphone worn signal indicates that the headphone is not being worn.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the headphone worn signal is in a first state when the headphone is detected as being worn and in a second state when the headphone is detected as not being worn.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the playback device is selected from the group consisting of the headphones and a system speaker, wherein the system speaker is selected when the headphone worn signal indicates that the headphone is not being worn.

4. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

the headphone detecting whether or not the headphone is being worn; and

the headphone generating a signal responsive to detecting whether or not the headphone is being worn.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the headphone uses a proximity sensor to detect whether or not the headphone is being worn.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the headphone uses a pulse detector to determine whether or not the headphone is being worn.

7. A system comprising:

a processor;

a storage device operatively coupled to the processor;

an audio controller operatively coupled to the storage device to select a playback device;

a system speaker playback device selectable by the audio controller; and

a headphone playback device connector jack selectable by the audio controller, the connector jack configured to receive a headphone signal indicative of whether a headphone is being worn to simulate conditions of a connector jack not having a headphone connected by shorting conductors together, wherein the audio controller selects the playback device as a function of the received headphone signal, wherein the playback device is selected from the group consisting of the headphone playback device and the system speaker, wherein the system speaker is selected as a default playback device for all sounds when the headphone worn signal indicates that the headphone is not being worn.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the headphone playback device connector comprises a speaker jack to which the headphone is connected and wherein the audio controller automatically directs all sound to the headphone responsive to the headphone being connected to the speaker jack provided the headphone is being worn.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the speaker playback device comprises a speaker.

10. The system of claim 7 and further comprising:

a headphone coupled to the headphone playback device connector, the headphone comprising;

a sensor coupled to detect whether or not the headphone is being worn; and

a signal generator to generate a signal responsive to the sensor detecting whether or not the headphone is being worn.

11. An information handling system readable storage device having instructions for execution by a processor of the information handling system to perform:

receiving a headphone worn signal to simulate conditions of a connector jack by shorting conductors together at a system representative of the headphones not being plugged in to the connector jack when the headphones are not worn and a detection of headphones being worn; and

controlling selection of a playback device via the system for audible sounds as a function of the headphone worn signal, wherein the playback device is selected from the group consisting of the headphones and a system speaker, wherein the system speaker is selected as a default playback device for all sounds when the headphone worn signal indicates that the headphone is not being worn.

12. The information handling system readable storage device of claim 11 wherein the headphone worn signal is in a first state when the headphone is detected as being worn and in a second state when the headphone is detected as not being worn.

13. The information handling system readable storage device of claim 11 wherein the connector jack comprises a speaker jack to which the headphone is connected.