Electronic device sound reproduction system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9448593-B2
Application number	US-201615016783-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2016
Priority date	Feb 27, 2013
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A deformable electronic device comprises a housing deformable by a user, at least one deformable speaker and a processing unit for selecting a sound reproduction method using the at least one speaker in response to deformation of the electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
an output device;
a touchscreen capable of deforming, the touchscreen forming at least one portion of an outer surface of the apparatus; and
a processor adapted to:
detect that a deformation occurs with respect to at least one portion of the apparatus;
output a sound via the output device using a first sound reproduction method based at least in part on a determination that the deformation satisfies a first condition; and
output the sound via the output device using a second sound reproduction method based at least in part on a determination that the deformation satisfies a second condition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first method comprises a monophonic reproduction method, and the second method comprises a stereophonic reproduction method.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a supporting unit adapted to hold a shape of the apparatus against a restoring force associated with the deformation.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
control a power supply to at least one of the plurality of supporting units.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the supporting unit comprises a protruding portion adapted to touch the output device and to divide the output device to a first portion and a second portion if the deformation satisfies a corresponding one of the first condition and the second condition.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the sound comprises a first channel sound and a second channel sound, and wherein the processor is adapted to:
output the first channel sound via the first portion; and
output the second channel sound via the second portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
present, using the touchscreen, information associated with the deformation.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor, and wherein the processor is adapted to:
identify a direction of the deformation or an amount of the deformation using the at least one sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a bending sensor, or a tension sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
identify an application being executed; and
execute at least one function associated with the application based at least in part on a determination that the deformation satisfies corresponding one of the first condition and the second condition.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a housing capable of deforming, the housing enclosing at least part of the output device or the touchscreen.

12. An apparatus comprises:
a speaker capable of deforming;
a touchscreen capable of deforming, the touchscreen forming at least one portion of an outer surface of the apparatus; and
a supporting unit adapted to maintain the apparatus at a plurality of deformed positions.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the supporting unit comprises a plurality of unit pieces sequentially connected to one another.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a processor adapted to:
detect that a deformation occurs with respect to at least one portion of the apparatus;
output a sound via the speaker using a first sound reproduction method based at least in part on a determination that the deformation satisfies a first condition; and
output the sound via the speaker using a second sound reproduction method based at least in part on a determination that the deformation satisfies a second condition.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the supporting unit comprises:
a protruding portion adapted to touch the speaker and to divide the speaker to a first portion and a second portion if the deformation satisfies a corresponding one of the first condition and the second condition.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the sound comprises a first channel sound and a second channel sound, and wherein the processor is adapted to:
output the first channel sound via the first portion; and
output the second channel sound via the second portion.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising at least one sensor, and wherein the processor is adapted to:
identify a direction of the deformation or an amount of the deformation using the at least one sensor.

18. An apparatus comprising:
a sensor;
a speaker;
a touchscreen capable of deforming; and
a processor adapted to:
detect a deformation of the touchscreen using the sensor;
select a sound reproduction method from a plurality of sound reproduction methods based at least in part on the deformation; and
present a sound via an output device using the selected sound reproduction method.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the speaker is deformable by a user corresponding to the apparatus.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the sound reproduction method comprises:
stereophonic sound reproduction method and monophonic sound reproduction method.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Jeong-Hun
• Kim Mi-Hyang
• Park Kwang-Weon
• Im Yo-Ywang

Classifications

• G06F1/1688

  the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R1/028

  associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles · CPC title

• G06F2200/1637

  Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer · CPC title

• G06F1/1679

  for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA (G06F1/1681 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1652 Primary

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title