Audio device and operating method of audio device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10659870-B2
Application number	US-201815987641-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2018
Priority date	Sep 27, 2017
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

An audio device includes a jack slot detachably connectable with an audio jack; a detection and monitor unit constantly supplying a first voltage and a second voltage to the jack slot and detecting whether a conductive material is attached to the jack slot depending on changes in the first and second voltages, in a first detection mode; and a determination unit determining whether the conductive material is the audio jack depending on a change in at least one of the first and second voltages in response to detecting attachment of the conductive material. In response to determination by the determination unit that the conductive material is not the audio jack, the detection and monitor unit in a second detection mode monitors a change in the at least one of the first and second voltages while periodically supplying the first and second voltages to the jack slot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An audio device comprising:
a jack slot configured to be detachably connectable with an audio jack;
a detection and monitor circuit configured in a first detection mode to constantly supply a first voltage and a second voltage to the jack slot, and to detect whether a conductive material is attached to the jack slot depending on changes in the first and second voltages; and
a determination circuit configured to determine whether the conductive material is the audio jack depending on a change in at least one of the first and second voltages in response to detection by the detection and monitor circuit that the conductive material is attached to the jack slot,
wherein, in response to determination by the determination circuit that the conductive material is not the audio jack, the detection and monitor circuit is configured in a second detection mode to periodically monitor the change in the at least one of the first and second voltages by not supplying the first and second voltages to the jack slot during a first time interval of a period, by supplying the first and second voltages to the jack slot during a second time interval of the period, and repeating the period.

2. The audio device of claim 1 , wherein in the first detection mode the detection and monitor circuit is configured to detect that the conductive material is attached when the first voltage is lower than a third voltage and the second voltage is lower than a fourth voltage.

3. The audio device of claim 1 , wherein when the conductive material is detected as attached to the jack slot in the first detection mode, the detection and monitor circuit is configured to transmit to the determination circuit a notification representing that attachment of the conductive material is detected.

4. The audio device of claim 3 , wherein, in response to the notification, the determination circuit is configured to convert the first voltage to a digital value and compare the digital value with values in a look-up table to determine whether the conductive material is the audio jack.

5. The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the determination circuit is configured to transmit a first control signal to the detection and monitor circuit in response to determination that the conductive material is not the audio jack, and
wherein, in response to the first control signal the detection and monitor circuit is configured in the second detection mode to not supply the first and second voltages to the jack slot during the first time interval and to digitize the first voltage to provide a first digital value while supplying the first and second voltages to the jack slot during the second time interval.

6. The audio device of claim 5 , wherein, in the second detection mode, when the first digital value changes as much as a threshold value or more, the detection and monitor circuit is configured to transmit to the determination circuit a notification representing that the first digital value has changed.

7. The audio device of claim 6 , wherein, in response to the notification, the determination circuit is configured to convert the first voltage to a second digital value and compare the second digital value with values in a look-up table to determine whether the conductive material is the audio jack.

8. The audio device of claim 7 , wherein the determination circuit is configured to transmit a second control signal to the detection and monitor circuit in response to determination that the conductive material is not the audio jack, and
wherein the detection and monitor circuit is configured to maintain the second detection mode in response to the second control signal.

9. The audio device of claim 1 , wherein in response to determination by the determination circuit that the conductive material is the audio jack, the detection and monitor circuit is configured in the first detection mode to constantly supply the first and second voltages to the jack slot, and detect whether the audio jack is detached from the jack slot depending on changes in the first and second voltages.

10. The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the detection and monitor circuit is further configured to detect whether the audio jack has a microphone pole, in response to determination by the determination circuit that the conductive material is the audio jack.

11. The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the detection and monitor circuit comprises:
a first pull-up resistor and a first transistor connected between a ground detection electrode of the jack slot and a power node, the first transistor configured to provide the first voltage to the ground detection electrode when the first transistor is turned on;
a second pull-up resistor and a second transistor connected between a channel detection electrode of the jack slot and the power node, the second transistor configured to provide the second voltage to the channel detection electrode when the second transistor is turned on; and
a first controller configured to constantly turn on the first and second transistors in the first detection mode, and to periodically turn on the first and second transistors in the second detection mode.

12. The audio device of claim 11 , wherein the detection and monitor circuit further comprises:
a first comparator configured to output a low level when the first voltage of the ground detection electrode is lower than a third voltage;
a second comparator configured to output a low level when the second voltage of the channel detection electrode is lower than a fourth voltage; and
a logic gate configured to output to the determination circuit a notification of a low level representing attachment of the conductive material, when outputs of the first and second comparators are low levels.

13. The audio device of claim 11 , wherein the detection and monitor circuit further comprises:
a third transistor configured to apply a ground voltage to a microphone detection electrode of the jack slot under control of the first controller, in response to the determination by the determination circuit that the conductive material is not the audio jack; and
a bias voltage generation circuit configured to apply a bias voltage to the microphone detection electrode of the jack slot under control of the first controller, in response to determination by the determination circuit that the conductive material is the audio jack.

14. The audio device of claim 11 , wherein the detection and monitor circuit further comprises:
a first analog-to-digital converter configured to digitize the first voltage to provide a first digital voltage, and
wherein the first controller deactivates the first analog-to-digital converter in the first detection mode, activates the first analog-to-digital converter in the second detection mode, and transmits a first notification representing a change in the first digital voltage to the determination circuit when the first digital voltage changes as much as a threshold value or more in the second detection mode.

15. The audio device of claim 14 , wherein the determination circuit comprises:
a second analog-to-digital converter configured to digitize the first voltage to provide a second digital voltage; and
a second controller configured to activate the second analog-to-digital converter in response to receiving from the detection and monitor circuit a second notification representing attachment of the conductive material, and to determine the conductive material is the audio jack or direct the detection and monitor circuit to enter the second detection mode, depending on a value of the second digital voltage,

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shin Changseob
• Won Jonghwa

Classifications

• H01R2107/00

  Four or more poles · CPC title

• H04R2420/05

  Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers · CPC title

• H01R24/58 Primary

  Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement · CPC title

• H01R13/6683

  with built-in sensor · CPC title

• H04R1/1091 Primary

  Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083 · CPC title