Electronic device for receiving radio broadcast using external electronic device capable of processing radio signal, the external electronic device, and method of operating the electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11265033-B2
Application number	US-202016851940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2020
Priority date	Jul 25, 2019
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

A method of operating the electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a universal serial bus (USB) connector connectable to an external electronic device including a radio reception circuit configured to receive a radio signal and to convert the received radio signal into a digital signal, and a signal processing circuit configured to generate a sound corresponding to the digital signal based on a control signal transmitted by the electronic device, and a processor. The processor may be configured to: receive information of the external electronic device in response to detecting that the external electronic device is connected to the USB connector, determine whether the external electronic device is capable of processing the radio signal based on the information of the external electronic device, activate a radio framework configured to control a radio reception function of the external electronic device in response to identifying that the external electronic device is capable of processing the radio signal, and control the external electronic device based on the operation of the USB framework, which receives the control signal generated by the radio framework. In addition, various embodiments are possible.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a universal serial bus (USB) connector connectable to an external electronic device including a radio reception circuit configured to receive a radio signal and to convert the received radio signal into a digital signal, and a signal processing circuit configured to generate a sound corresponding to the digital signal based on a control signal transmitted by the electronic device; and
a processor,
wherein the processor is configured to:
receive information of the external electronic device in response to detecting that the external electronic device is connected to the USB connector,
determine whether the external electronic device is capable of processing the radio signal based on the information of the external electronic device,
activate a radio framework configured to control a radio reception function of the external electronic device in response to identifying that the external electronic device is capable of processing the radio signal, and
control the external electronic device based on an operation of a USB framework, which receives the control signal generated by the radio framework.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
control the radio framework such that the radio framework generates a control signal for controlling the radio reception function of the external electronic device,
control the radio framework such that the radio framework transmits the control signal to the USB framework,
control the USB framework such that the USB framework transmits the control signal to a USB driver configured to transmit data to the external electronic device connected to the USB connector, and
control the USB driver such that the USB driver transmits the control signal to the external electronic device using a preset endpoint.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the radio framework is configured to transmit the control signal to the USB framework based on an application programming interface (API) provided by the USB framework.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a first control signal for controlling a sound output operation corresponding to a radio signal of the external electronic device or a second control signal for controlling a radio signal reception operation of the external electronic device to the external electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein an endpoint of the first control signal and an endpoint of the second control signal are different from each other.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
control an audio framework such that, in response to receiving a request for outputting audio stored in the electronic device, the audio framework configured to control output of the audio transmits data related to the audio to an audio driver connected to a USB driver,
control the audio driver such that the audio driver transmits data related to the audio to the USB driver, and
control the USB driver such that the USB driver transmits the data related to the audio to the external electronic device using a preset endpoint.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein an endpoint of a control signal for controlling the radio reception circuit and the endpoint of the data related to the audio are different from each other.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the external electronic device is capable of processing the radio signal based on a vendor identification (VID) or a product identification (PID) included in data transmitted by the external electronic device when the external electronic device is connected to the USB connector.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the USB connector is implemented in a form of type C.

10. An electronic device comprising:
a radio reception circuit configured to receive a radio signal;
a processor;
a speaker configured to output a sound corresponding to the radio signal; and
a USB connector,
wherein the processor is configured to:
transmit information of the electronic device in response to detection of a connection with an external electronic device through the USB connector,
control the radio reception circuit based on a control signal transmitted by the external electronic device, and
process a signal received by the radio reception circuit and control the speaker such that the speaker outputs the sound using the processed signal, and wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive data related to audio transmitted by the external electronic device,
mix the data related to the audio and the signal received by the radio reception circuit, and
control the speaker such that the speaker outputs mixed sound.

11. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:
receiving information of an external electronic device in response to detecting that the external electronic device is connected to a USB connector, wherein the external electronic device includes a radio reception circuit configured to receive a radio signal and to convert the received radio signal into a digital signal, and a signal processing circuit configured to generate a sound corresponding to the digital signal based on a control signal transmitted by the electronic device;
determining whether the external electronic device is capable of processing the radio signal based on the information of the external electronic device;
activating a radio framework configured to control a radio reception function of the external electronic device in response to identifying that the external electronic device is capable of processing the radio signal; and
controlling the external electronic device based on the operation of a USB framework, which receives the control signal generated by the radio framework.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
generating, by the radio framework, a control signal for controlling the radio reception function of the external electronic device;
transmitting by the radio framework, the control signal to the USB framework;
transmitting, by the USB framework, the control signal to a USB driver configured to transmit data to the external electronic device connected to the USB connector; and
transmitting, by the USB driver, the control signal to the external electronic device using a preset endpoint.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the transmitting of the control signal to the USB framework includes:
transmitting the control signal to the USB framework based on an application programming interface (API) provided by the USB framework.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the USB framework, a first control signal for controlling a sound output operation corresponding to a radio signal of the external electronic device or a second control signal for controlling a radio signal reception operation of the external electronic device to the external electronic device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein an endpoint of the first control signal and an endpoint of the second control signal are different from each other.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
transmitting, in response to reception of a request for outputting audio stored in the electronic device, by audio framework configured to control output of the audio, data related to the audio to an audio driver connected to the audio framework;
transmitting, by the audio driver, the data related to

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kang Shinhyuck
• An Hyunil
• Lee Wookwang
• Han Jaebyeong
• Kim Minjung

Classifications

• H04M1/72409 Primary

  by interfacing with external accessories (hands-free H04M1/60) · CPC title

• G06F3/167

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

• H04B1/18 Primary

  Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line (coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H) · CPC title

• H04B2001/3872

  with extendable microphones or earphones · CPC title

• H04R1/10

  Earpieces; Attachments therefor {; Earphones; Monophonic headphones (H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033)} · CPC title