Method and apparatus for identifying foreign substances in connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016157033-A1
Application number	US-201514953974-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 30, 2015
Priority date	Nov 28, 2014
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device comprising: a memory; a headphone jack; and at least one processor operatively coupled to the memory, configured to: detect an impedance of a first portion of the headphone jack; and detect whether a foreign substance is present in the headphone jack based on the impedance of the first portion of the headphone jack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
a memory; a headphone jack; and at least one processor operatively coupled to the memory, configured to: detect an impedance of a first portion of the headphone jack; and detect whether a foreign substance is present in the headphone jack based on the impedance of the first portion of the headphone jack.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one processor is further configured to detect whether the first portion of the headphone jack is electrically connected with a second portion of the headphone jack, and detecting whether the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack is further based on whether the first portion is electrically connected with the second portion.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first portion of the headphone jack and the second portion of the headphone jack are not electrically connected with one another when the headphone jack is empty or when a headphone plug is inserted in the headphone jack.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein detecting whether the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack includes:
detecting a bias voltage drop, outputting a signal to the first portion of the headphone jack from a first pin, the signal being used to detect the impedance of the first portion, and detecting whether the first portion of the headphone jack is electrically connected with a second portion of the headphone jack based on the signal.

5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein:
the first portion of the headphone jack is for transmitting a first audio signal, and the first pin is electrically connected to a signal line that carries the first audio signal to the first portion of the headphone jack.

6 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor detects that the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack in response to the impedance of the first portion of the headphone jack meeting a threshold.

7 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the signal comprises a voltage signal.

8 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein detecting whether the first portion of the headphone jack is electrically connected with the second portion of the headphone jack includes detecting whether the signal flows from the first pin to a second pin that is coupled to the second portion of the headphone jack.

9 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein:
the second portion of the headphone jack is for transmitting a second audio signal, and the second pin is electrically connected to the second portion of the headphone jack via a signal line that carries the second audio signal to the second portion of the headphone jack.

10 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor detects that the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack, when the signal flows from the first pin to the second pin.

11 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor detects that a plug is inserted in the headphone jack, when the signal does not flow from the first pin to the second pin.

12 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the first portion of the headphone jack includes a headphone jack right portion, the second portion of the headphone jack includes a headphone jack left portion, and the headphone jack further includes a headphone jack ground portion, and a headphone jack microphone portion.

13 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an output device, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to output, via the output device, an indication that the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack, when the at least one processor detects that the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack.

14 . A method comprising:
detecting, by at least one processor, whether a headphone plug or a foreign substance is present in an headphone jack; and in response to detecting that one of the headphone plug or the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack, detecting which one of the headphone plug and the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack based on an impedance of a first portion of the headphone jack.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor detects which one of the headphone plug and the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack further based on whether the first portion of the headphone jack is electrically connected with a second portion of the headphone jack.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein detecting which one of the headphone plug and the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack comprises:
outputting a signal to the first portion of the headphone jack from a first pin, the signal being used to detect the impedance of the first portion, and detecting whether the first portion of the headphone jack is electrically connected with a second portion of the headphone jack based on the signal.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein detecting which one of the headphone plug and the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack comprises detecting that the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack when the impedance of the first portion of the headphone jack meets a threshold.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein detecting whether the first portion of the headphone jack is electrically connected with a second portion of the headphone jack comprises detecting whether the signal flows from a first pin coupled to the first portion of the headphone jack to a second pin that is coupled to the second portion of the headphone jack.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein detecting whether the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack comprises:
when the signal flows from the first to the second pin, detecting that the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack; and when the signal does not flow from the first pin to the second pin, detecting that a headphone plug is inserted in the headphone jack.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:
detecting which one of the headphone plug and the foreign substance is present in the headphone jack further comprises detecting whether the first portion of the headphone jack is electrically connected to a second portion of the headphone jack, and the first portion of the headphone jack and the second portion of the headphone jack are not electrically connected with one another when the headphone jack is empty or when the headphone plug is inserted in the headphone jack.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Won Jin-Hee
• Kim Ho-Jun
• Park Kyung-Min
• Lee Gi-Hoon
• Hong Sung-Bin

Classifications

• H04R29/00 Primary

  Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements {(for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308)} · CPC title

• H04R1/1091

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

• H01R24/58 Primary

  Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement · CPC title

• H04R5/04

  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)} · CPC title

• H04R1/1033

  Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels (cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06) · CPC title