Apparatus and method for controlling built-in microphone of portable terminal

1. An electronic device comprising:

a built-in microphone;

a wireless communication unit configured to operatively and wirelessly connect with a plurality of wireless external devices, wherein each of the plurality of wireless external devices includes a speaker, with or without a microphone; and

a controller configured to:

obtain information regarding the plurality of wireless external devices from the wireless communication unit operatively and wirelessly connected with the plurality of wireless external devices, and

in response to receiving a call connection event while the wireless communication unit is operatively and wirelessly connected with the plurality of wireless external devices:

when the obtained information indicates that only one of the plurality of wireless external devices includes a microphone, obtain an audio input from the one of the plurality of wireless external devices that includes the microphone,

when the obtained information indicates that at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices each include a respective microphone, selectively obtain an audio input from a microphone of one of the at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices, and

when the obtained information indicates that none of the plurality of wireless external devices includes a microphone, obtain an audio input from the built-in microphone of the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein, in response to receiving the call connection event while the wireless communication unit is operatively and wirelessly connected with the plurality of wireless external devices, the controller is further configured to:

when the obtained information indicates that at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices each include a respective speaker, selectively provide an audio output of an incoming call through one of the speakers of the at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein, in response to receiving a connection event while the electronic device is not operatively and wirelessly connected with any of the plurality of wireless external devices, the controller is further configured to: obtain an audio input from the built-in microphone of the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the audio input is selectively obtained from one of the microphones of the at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices based on corresponding priorities of the at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the information is used to determine an existence of microphones in the plurality of wireless external devices.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication unit is operatively and wirelessly connected with two wireless external devices.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein, in response to receiving the call connection event while the wireless communication unit is operatively and wirelessly connected with the two wireless external devices, the controller is further configured to:

when the obtained information indicates that the two wireless external devices each does not include a respective microphone, obtain an audio input from the built-in microphone of the electronic device.

8. A non-transitory computer readable memory storing one or more programs, which when executed by a controller of an electronic device, performs the steps of:

obtaining information regarding a plurality of wireless external devices from a wireless communication unit of the electronic device operatively and wirelessly connected with the plurality of wireless external devices, wherein each of the plurality of wireless external devices includes a speaker, with or without a microphone; and

in response to receiving a call connection event while the wireless communication unit is operatively and wirelessly connected with the plurality of wireless external devices:

when the obtained information indicates that only one of the plurality of wireless external devices includes a microphone, obtaining an audio input from the one of the plurality of wireless external devices,

when the obtained information indicates that at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices each include a respective microphone, selectively obtaining an audio input from a microphone of one of the at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices, and

when the obtained information indicates that none of the plurality of wireless external devices includes a microphone, obtaining an audio input from a built-in microphone of the electronic device.

9. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise the step of:

in response to receiving the call connection event while the wireless communication unit is operatively and wirelessly connected with the plurality of external devices, when the obtained information indicates that at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices each include a respective speaker, selectively providing an audio output of an incoming call through one of the speakers of the at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices.

10. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise the step of:

in response to receiving a call connection event while the wireless communication unit is operatively and wirelessly connected with the plurality of wireless external devices, when the obtained information indicates that the only one of the plurality of wireless external devices includes a speaker, providing an audio output of an incoming call through the speaker of the one of the plurality of wireless external devices.

11. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise the step of:

when the electronic device is not operatively and wirelessly connected with any of the plurality of wireless external devices, providing audio output using a built-in speaker of the electronic device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 8 , wherein the audio input is selectively obtained from one of the microphones of the at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices based on corresponding priorities of the at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices.

13. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 8 , wherein the information is used to determine an existence of microphones in the plurality of wireless external devices.

14. An electronic device capable of connecting to a wireless external device and a wired external device, the electronic device comprising:

a built-in microphone;

a wireless communication unit configured to operatively and wirelessly connect with a plurality of wireless external devices, wherein each of the plurality of wireless external devices includes a speaker, with or without microphone;

a socket configured to connect with a wired external device including a speaker, or including a speaker and a microphone; and

a controller configured to:

obtain first information regarding the plurality of wireless external devices from the wireless communication unit operatively and wirelessly connect with the plurality of wireless external devices and second information regarding the wired external device from the socket connected with the wired external device, and

in response to receiving a call connection event while the wireless communication unit is operatively and wirelessly connected with the plurality of wireless external devices and the socket is connected with the wired external device:

when the obtained first information and the obtained second information indicate that only one device, among the plurality of wireless external devices and the wired external device, includes a microphone, obtain an audio input from the one device of the plurality of wireless external devices and the wired external device that includes the microphone,

when the obtained first information and the obtained second information indicate that at least two of devices, among the plurality of wireless external devices and the wired external device, each include a respective microphone, selectively obtain an audio input from a microphone of one of the at least two devices, and

when the obtained first information indicates that none of the plurality of wireless external devices includes a microphone and the obtained second information indicates that the wired external device does not include a microphone, obtain an audio input from the built-in microphone of the electronic device.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein, in response to receiving the call connection event, the controller is further configured to:

while the wireless communication unit is operatively and wirelessly connected with the plurality of wireless external devices when the obtained information indicates that at least two of the plurality of wireless external devices each include a respective speaker, selectively provide an audio output of an incoming call through a speaker of a device, among the plurality of wireless external devices and the wired external device.

16. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein, in response to receiving a connection event while the electronic device is not operatively and wirelessly connected with any of the plurality of wireless external devices and is not connected with the wired external device, the controller is further configured to:

provide audio output using a built-in speaker of the electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the first information is used to determine an existence of microphones in the plurality of wireless external devices, and the second information is used to determine an existence of a microphone in the wired external device.