Electronic device for reproducing audio signal via external device and operating method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10558427-B2
Application number	US-201816050732-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2018
Priority date	Jul 31, 2017
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a communication circuit configured to support communications by a first communication scheme and a second communication scheme; and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to establish a first communication channel corresponding to the first communication scheme with a first external electronic device using the communication circuit; receive, from the first external electronic device, configuration information related to the first communication channel; transmit, to the first external electronic device, audio data through the first communication channel such that the first external electronic device outputs the audio data using the first communication channel; and transmit, to the second external electronic device, the configuration information related to the first communication channel through the second communication channel corresponding to the second communication scheme such that the second external electronic device is capable of acquiring the audio data using the configuration information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a communication circuit configured to support communications by a first communication scheme and a second communication scheme; and
a processor,
wherein the processor is configured to:
establish a first communication channel corresponding to the first communication scheme with a first external electronic device using the communication circuit;
receive, from the first external electronic device, configuration information related to the first communication channel;
transmit, to the first external electronic device, audio data through the first communication channel such that the first external electronic device outputs the audio data; and
transmit, to a second external electronic device, the configuration information related to the first communication channel through the second communication channel corresponding to the second communication scheme such that the second external electronic device is capable of acquiring the audio data using the configuration information,
wherein the configuration information comprises channel information for the first communication channel between the electronic device and the first external electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second external electronic device comprises a plurality of external electronic devices, and
wherein the processor is further configured to:
establish a plurality of channels corresponding to the second communication scheme with the plurality of external electronic devices; and
receive information related to an acknowledgement (ACK) and a negative acknowledgement (NACK) for some of the audio data from a designated external electronic device, among the plurality of external electronic devices.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to, when detecting that a signal strength of the first communication channel is less than a reference strength, based on at least signal strengths of the plurality of channels, determine an external electronic device for transmitting the audio data using the first communication channel, among the plurality of external electronic devices.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to establish a third communication channel corresponding to the second communication scheme with the first external electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the configuration information comprises information for the second external electronic device to access the first communication channel, and
wherein the processor is further configured to receive the configuration information from the first external electronic device through the third communication channel.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit additional information on the second external electronic device to the second external electronic device through the second communication channel, and
wherein the additional information comprises information related to an audio channel to be output through the second external electronic device, among the audio data.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a display, wherein the processor is further configured to:
display a graphic object corresponding to the second external electronic device through the display; and
based on at least an input for selecting the graphic object, transmit the configuration information to the second external electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive information related to remaining amounts of battery power of a plurality of external electronic devices from the plurality of external electronic devices; and
when detecting that a remaining amount of battery power of the first external electronic device is less than a reference amount of battery power, based on the remaining amounts of battery power of the plurality of external electronic devices, determine an external electronic device for transmitting the audio data using the first communication channel, among the plurality of external electronic devices.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive the configuration information from the first external electronic device using the first communication channel.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to broadcast the configuration information using a broadcast band of the first communication channel, and
wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of device address information, logical transport address information, clock information of the electronic device, clock offset between the electronic device and the first external device, or an encryption parameter for a link between the electronic device and the first external device.

11. A method of an electronic device, the method comprising:
establishing a first communication channel corresponding to a first communication scheme with a first external electronic device;
receiving, from the first external electronic device, configuration information related to the first communication channel;
transmitting, to the first external electronic device, audio data through the first communication channel such that the first external electronic device outputs the audio data; and
transmitting, to a second external electronic device, the configuration information related to the first communication channel through a second communication channel corresponding to a second communication scheme such that the second external electronic device is capable of acquiring the audio data using the configuration information,
wherein the configuration information comprises channel information for the first communication channel between the electronic device and the first external electronic device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second external electronic device comprises a plurality of external electronic devices, and
wherein the method further comprises:
establishing a plurality of channels corresponding to the second communication scheme with the plurality of external electronic devices; and
receiving information related to an acknowledgement (ACK) and a negative acknowledgement (NACK) for some of the audio data from a designated external electronic device, among the plurality of external electronic devices.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, when detecting that a signal strength of the first communication channel is less than a reference strength, based on at least signal strengths of the plurality of channels, determining an external electronic device for transmitting the audio data using the first communication channel, among the plurality of external electronic devices.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising establishing a third communication channel corresponding to the second communication scheme with the first external electronic device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the configuration information comprises information for the second external electronic device to access the first communication channel, and
wherein receiving the configuration information comprises receiving the configuration information from the first external electronic device through the third communication channel.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising transmitting additional information on the second external electronic device to the second external electronic device through the second communication channel

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jo Jae-Hyun
• Kim Hyeonggeun
• Sim Sang-Hyeok
• Lee Byoung-Chul
• Son Donghyoun
• Hyun Donghoon
• Hong Ilsung
• Kim Seung-Nyun
• Yun Yong Sang

Classifications

• G06F3/167 Primary

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1605

  Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones · CPC title

• G06F1/1698

  the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone (details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266) · CPC title

• G06F1/3212

  Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level · CPC title