Plug and play compatible speakers

• US 6,859,538 B1
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Voltz, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Ping
• Application Number:
  US09/271,050
• Time in Patent Office: 2,169 Days
• Field of Search: 381/77, 381/101, 381/120, 381/98, 700/94, 710/8, 710/9, 710/10
• US Class Current: 381/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/05 Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• 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

A speaker includes at least one transducer and at least one memory device. The at least one transducer is adapted to receive an audio signal. The at least one memory device is adapted to store data related to the speaker. A method includes reading data from a memory device of at least one speaker. An audio signal is provided from an audio system.

Claims

1. A speaker, comprising:

at least one transducer adapted to receive an audio signal; and

at least one memory device adapted to store data;

wherein the data is associated with an identity of the speaker and is adapted to be used by a host system to display a message based on the identity of the speakers and wherein the data includes an identification code that is adapted to be used by the host system to compare with a list of updatable identification codes to determine if the speaker is compatible with the host system.

2. The speaker of claim 1, wherein the data includes at least one equalization parameter.

3. The speaker of claim 1, further comprising an interface adapted to couple the transducer and the memory device to the audio system.

4. The speaker of claim 3, wherein the interface is adapted to receive the audio signal from the audio system and to transport data between the memory device and the audio system.

5. The speaker of claim 3, wherein the interface comprises at least one signal wire, the signal wire being adapted to transport the audio signal between the audio system and the transducer and to transport data between the memory device and the audio system, wherein the data is used by the audio system to generate a visual alert when the speaker is not compatible with the audio system.

6. The speaker of claim 3, wherein the interface includes a wireless communication link.

7. The speaker of claim 3, wherein the audio system includes a computer.

8. The speaker of claim 3, wherein the interface includes at least one of a universal serial bus, an IEEE 1394 bus, an IIC bus, and a single wire bus.

9. The speaker of claim 1, wherein the memory device includes at least one of a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, and a EEPROM.

10. The speaker of claim 1, wherein the memory device is adapted to communicate with an audio system such that a visible message regarding the compatibility of the speaker with the audio system is provided to a user.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the generated electrical signal opens a message window to indicate compatibility of the speaker with the audio system.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the generated electrical signal causes the audio system to employ a light emitting diode (LED) to indicate compatibility of the speaker with the audio system.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the generated electrical signal causes the audio system to employ a liquid crystal display (LCD) to indicate compatibility of the speaker with the audio system.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the generated electrical signal causes the audio system to employ an audio alert to indicate compatibility of the speaker with the audio system.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor reads the data stored in the memory device during initialization of the audio system.

16. A speaker, comprising:

at least one transducer adapted to receive an audio signal; and

at least one memory device adapted to store data related to the speaker;

wherein said memory device is adapted to be used by an audio system to generate an electrical signal that is indicative of compatibility of the speaker with the audio system; and

wherein the data includes an identification code that is adapted to be used by the audio system to compare with a list of updatable identification codes to determine if the speaker is compatible with the audio system.

17. The speaker of claim 16 further comprising an interface adapted to couple the transducer and the memory device to the audio system.

18. The speaker of claim 17 wherein the interface is adapted to receive the audio signal from the audio system and to transport data between the memory device and the audio system.

19. The speaker of claim 18 wherein the interface comprises at least one of a universal serial bus, an IEEE 1394 bus, an IIC bus, and a single wire bus.

20. The speaker of claim 16 wherein the electrical signal is configured to provide a visual notification that is indicative of compatibility of the speaker with the audio system.

21. The speaker of claim 16 wherein the electrical signal is configured to provide an audible sound that is indicative of compatibility of the speaker with the audio system.

22. The speaker of claim 16 wherein the audio system a computer.

23. An audio system, comprising:

an audio source;

a processing unit coupled to the audio source;

at least one speaker having at least one memory device, the memory device being adapted to store identifier data associated with the speaker, wherein the processing unit is operable to compare the identifier data with a list of updatable stored identifiers and cause a message to be displayed if the identifier data does not match a stored identifier; and

an audio interface coupled between the processing unit and the speaker.

24. The audio system of claim 23, wherein the data includes an identification code.

25. The audio system of claim 23, wherein the data includes at least one equalization parameter.

26. The audio system of claim 23, further comprising an equalization circuit coupled between the processing unit and the audio interface.

27. The audio system of claim 26, wherein the processing unit is adapted to determine the compatibility between the equalization circuit and the speaker based on the data stored in the memory device.

28. The audio system of claim 23, wherein the audio interface is adapted to transport an audio signal to the speaker and to transport data between the memory device and the processing unit.

29. The audio system of claim 23, wherein the audio interface comprises at least one signal wire coupled to the speaker, the signal wire being adapted to transport the audio signal to the speaker and to transport data between the memory device and the processing unit.

30. The audio system of claim 23, wherein the audio interface includes a wireless communication link.

31. The audio system of claim 23, wherein the memory device includes at least one of a ROM, a FROM, an EPROM, and a EEPROM.

32. The audio system of claim 23, wherein the processing unit is adapted to read data from the memory device and provide adjustable equalization that is determined by the data read from the memory device.

33. The audio system of claim 23, wherein the audio interface includes at least one of a universal serial bus, an IEEE 1394 bus, an IIC bus, and a single wire bus.

34. The audio system of claim 23, wherein the processing unit comprises a digital processor that provides adjustable equalization that is determined by the data stored in the memory device.

35. The audio system of claim 23, wherein the processing unit determines an audio channel for the speaker based on the data stored in the memory device.

36. The audio system of claim 23, wherein the processing unit generates messages related to the data stored in the memory device.

37. An audio system, comprising:

an audio source;

a processing unit coupled to the audio source, the processing unit being adapted to read data from a memory device of a speaker, wherein the data identifies a type of the speaker to the audio system and permits the audio system to display a message based on the type of the speaker, wherein the data includes an identification code that is adapted to be used by the host system to compare with a list of updatable identification codes to determine if the speaker is compatible with the host system; and

an audio interface coupled to the processing unit.

38. The audio system of claim 37, further comprising an equalization circuit coupled between the processing unit and the audio interface.

39. The audio system of claim 38, wherein the processing unit is adapted to determine the compatibility between the equalization circuit and the speaker based on the data stored in the memory device.

40. The audio system of claim 37, wherein the processing unit provides adjustable equalization that is determined by data stored in the memory device of the speaker.

41. The audio system of claim 37, wherein the processing unit determines an audio channel for the speaker based on the data stored in the memory device.

42. The audio system of claim 37, wherein the processing unit includes at least one of a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, and microcontroller.

43. The audio system of claim 37, wherein the audio interface includes at least one of a universal serial bus, an IEEE 1394 bus, an IIC bus, and a single wire bus.

44. The audio system of claim 37, wherein the audio interface includes a wireless communication link.

45. The audio system of claim 37, wherein the audio interface comprises at least one signal wire coupled to the speaker, the signal wire being adapted to transport an audio signal to the speaker and to transport data between the memory device and the processing unit.

46. The audio system of claim 37, wherein the processing unit generates messages related to the data stored in the memory device.

47. The system of claim 37 wherein the data identifies the speaker to the audio system by identifying a manufacturer and a model number of the speaker.

48. A method, comprising:

reading speaker identification data from a memory device of at least one speaker;

comparing the speaker identification data with a list of updatable identification data stored in an audio system; and

if the speaker identification data does not match identification data stored in the audio system, generating an electrical signal configured to notify a user via at least one of a visual communication and an audible communication that the speakers are incompatible with the audio system.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein reading the data from the memory device comprises reading at least one of an identification code and an equalization parameter.

50. The method of claim 48, further comprising determining equalization for the audio signal based on the data read from the memory device of the speaker.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein determining the equalization of the audio signal comprises matching an identification code read from the memory device of the speaker with equalization data stored in the audio system.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein determining the equalization of the audio signal comprises determining the equalization based on an equalization parameter stored in the memory device of the speaker.

53. The method of claim 48, further comprising determining an audio channel for the speaker based on the data read from the memory device of the speaker.

54. The method of claim 48, further comprising determining compatibility between an equalization circuit and the speaker based on the data read from the memory device of the speaker.

55. The method of claim 48, wherein reading the data from the memory device of the speaker comprises reading the data using a wireless communication link.

56. The method of claim 48, wherein reading the data comprises reading data from at least one of a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, a EEPROM.

57. The method of claim 48, wherein reading the data from the memory device of the speaker comprises reading the data using one of a universal serial bus, an IEEE 1394 bus, an IIC bus, and a single wire bus.

58. The method of claim 48, wherein reading the data from the memory device of the speaker comprises using at least one signal wire, the signal wire being adapted to transport the audio signal to the speaker and to transport data from the memory device of the speaker.

59. The method of claim 48, further comprising generating messages related to the data read from the memory device of the speaker.