SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICE WITHOUT MECHANICAL SWITCH FOR ON/OFF OPERATION

• US 20140145784A1
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jong Pal
• Granted Patent: US 9,543,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/517
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0204 of power management
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9645 Resistive touch switches

Abstract

A signal processing device includes a detection unit configured to detect an intent to use the signal processing device based on whether the signal processing device is in contact with a subject; and a power supply unit configured to supply power to operate the signal processing device based on the detected intent to use the signal processing device without using a separate ON/OFF switch to supply the power to operate the signal processing device.

Claims

1. A signal processing device comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect an intent to use the signal processing device based on whether the signal processing device is in contact with a subject; and

a power supply unit configured to supply power to operate the signal processing device based on the detected intent to use the signal processing device without using a separate ON/OFF switch to supply the power to operate the signal processing device.

2. The signal processing device of claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprises two first electrical contacts configured to be in contact with the subject or a first conductive member when the signal processing device is in contact with the subject;

the power supply unit is further configured to supply the power to operate the signal processing device based on whether the two first electrical contacts are in contact with the subject or the first conductive member; and

the signal processing device further comprises a circuit unit configured to receive a signal from the subject in response to the power to operate the signal processing device supplied by the power supply unit, and process the received signal.

3. The signal processing device of claim 2, further comprising at least two second electrical contacts configured to receive the signal from the subject, and supply the signal received from the subject to the circuit unit.

4. The signal processing device of claim 3, further comprising an electrode unit configured to be in contact with the subject, the electrode unit comprising:

the first conductive member; and

at least two second conductive members configured to be in contact with at least three regions of the subject to receive the signal from the subject.

5. The signal processing device of claim 4, wherein the electrode unit further comprises contacts connected to the at least two second conductive members to receive the signal from the subject from the at least two second conductive members;

and

the at least two second electrical contacts are configured to be in contact with the contacts connected to the at least two second conductive members to receive the signal from the subject from the contacts connected to the at least two second conductive members when the signal processing device is in contact with the subject.

6. The signal processing device of claim 4, wherein the first conductive member is configured not to be in contact with the subject when the electrode unit is in contact with the subject.

7. The signal processing device of claim 4, wherein the power supply unit is further configured to generate a bias voltage separate from the power to operate the signal processing unit;

the power supply unit further comprises an enable terminal;

the first conductive member is one of the at least two second conductive members;

the electrode unit further comprises a contact connected to the one of the at least two second conductive members that is the first conductive member;

the at least two first electrical contacts comprise;

a first contact supplied with the bias voltage; and

a second contact connected to the enable terminal of the power supply unit; and

the bias voltage is supplied to the enable terminal of the power supply unit based on whether the first contact and the second contact are in contact with the contact connected to the one of the at least two second conductive members that is the first conductive member.

8. The signal processing device of claim 2, wherein the power supply unit comprises:

a state determining unit configured to generate a control signal for controlling the power supply based on a voltage supplied to the state determining unit based on whether the two first electrical contacts are in contact with the subject or the first conductive member; and

a power output unit configured to receive battery power from a battery, generate the power to operate the signal processing device based on the battery power, and selectively supply the power to operate the signal processing device to the circuit unit based on the control signal; and

the power to operate the signal processing device generated by the power output unit is the battery power or a power having a voltage that is different from a voltage of the battery power.

9. The signal processing device of claim 8, wherein the state determining unit comprises:

an enable terminal configured to receive the voltage supplied to the state determining unit;

a switching unit configured to generate a control signal for controlling the power supply based on the voltage received by the enable terminal based on whether the two first electrical contacts are in contact with the subject or the first conductive member; and

a pull-down resistor connected to the enable terminal to prevent a voltage on the enable terminal from floating.

10. The signal processing device of claim 9, wherein the at least two first electrical contacts comprise:

a first contact connected to the battery; and

a second contact connected to the enable terminal of the state determining unit; and

the battery power is supplied from the battery to the enable terminal of the state determining unit based on whether the first contact and the second contact are in contact with the subject or the first conductive member.

11. The signal processing device of claim 9, wherein the power output unit is further configured to generate a bias voltage separate from the battery power;

the at least two first electrical contacts comprise;

a first contact supplied with the bias voltage; and

a second contact connected to the enable terminal of the state determining unit; and

the bias voltage is supplied to the enable terminal of the state determining unit based on whether the first contact and the second contact are in contact with the subject or the first conductive member.

12. The signal processing device of claim 8, wherein the state determining unit comprises:

an enable terminal configured to receive the voltage supplied to the state determining unit;

an input comparing unit configured to generate the control signal by comparing the voltage received by the enable terminal with a threshold voltage based on whether the two first electrical contacts are in contact with the subject or the first conductive member; and

a threshold voltage generating unit comprising a voltage divider having a resistance ratio, the threshold voltage generating unit being configured to generate the threshold voltage based on the resistance ratio of the voltage divider.

13. The signal processing device of claim 12, wherein the two first electrical contacts comprise:

a first contact connected to the battery; and

a second contact connected to the enable terminal of the state determining unit; and

the power is supplied from the battery to the enable terminal of the state determining unit based on whether the first contact and the second contact are in contact with the subject or the first conductive member.

14. The signal processing device of claim 12, wherein the two first electrical contacts comprise:

a first contact configured to receive the bias voltage generated by the power output unit; and

a second contact connected to the enable terminal of the state determining unit; and

the bias voltage is supplied to the enable terminal of the state determining unit based on whether the first contact and the second contact are in contact with the subject or the first conductive member.

15. The signal processing device of claim 12, wherein the voltage divider is configured to receive the battery power from the battery, or the power to operate the signal processing device from the power output unit.

16. The signal processing device of claim 12, further comprising a pull-down resistor or a pull-up resistor connected to the enable terminal to prevent a voltage on the enable terminal from floating.

17. The signal processing device of claim 1, wherein the power supply unit is further configured to receive an input power and a ground power from a battery.

18. A signal processing device comprising:

an electrode unit configured to contact a subject, the electrode unit comprising;

a first conductive member configured not to be in contact with the subject when the electrode unit is in contact with the subject; and

at least two second conductive members configured to be in contact with at least three regions of the subject to receive a signal from the subject;

two first electrical contacts configured to be in contact with the first conductive member;

at least three second electrical contacts configured to receive the signal from the subject; and

a circuit unit configured to receive the signal through the at least three second electrical contacts in response to power supplied to the circuit unit from a battery based on whether the two first electrical contacts are in contact with the first conductive member, and process the received signal.

19. The signal processing device of claim 18, wherein the two first electrical contacts comprise:

a first contact connected to the battery; and

a second contact connected to the circuit unit; and

the power is supplied to the circuit unit from the battery through contacts between the first and second contacts and the first conductive member.

20. The signal processing device of claim 18, further comprising contacts connected to the at least two second conductive members;

wherein the signal is received through the at least three second electrical contacts in contact with the contacts connected to the at least two second conductive members.