IP Library Granted Patent US 9,591,421
Granted Patent B2
US 9,591,421 · App. 13/569,869 · Granted Mar 7, 2017

Audio jack detection circuit

Inventors: Seth M. Prentice (Auburn, ME); Julie Lynn Stultz (Scarborough, ME); Yongliang Li (Beijing, CN); Graham L S Connolly (Raymond, ME); Shawn Barden (Gorham, ME)
Assignee: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
H04R29/004G01R29/26H04R1/02G01R27/02H04R2420/01H04R2420/05Y10T307/766
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,591,421
App. No.
13/569,869
Granted
Mar 7, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

This document discusses, among other things, a detection system configured to identify a type of a pole of a four-pole audio jack using first and second comparators. The detection system can include a bias circuit configured to bias a detection input coupled to the pole, and first and second comparators configured to compare the detection input to respective first and second thresholds to provide an indication of the type of the pole.

Claims (63)

1. A detection system, comprising:

a bias circuit configured to bias a detection input selectively coupled to a pole of a four-pole audio jack; and

first and second comparators configured to compare a value of the detection input to respective first and second thresholds and to provide an indication of a type of the pole,

wherein the bias circuit includes:

a bias resistor configured to receive a supply voltage;

a current source; and

a bias switch configure to selectively couple the current source to the detection input, wherein the current source and the bias switch are in parallel with the bias resistor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the four-pole audio jack includes:

a ground (GND) pole; and

a microphone (MIC) pole; and

wherein the type of the pole includes a MIC pole or a GND pole.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the type of the pole includes a MIC pole, a GND pole, or a floating pole.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second comparators are configured to provide an indication of an impedance at the pole.

5. The detection system of claim 1 , including:

a switch configured to automatically couple the pole to a MIC connection of a processor or to automatically couple the pole to a GND connection using information from the first and second comparators.

6. The detection system of claim 5 , wherein the first threshold is higher than the second threshold and the second threshold is higher than GND; and

wherein the switch is configured to couple the pole to the MIC connection of the processor when the value of the detection input is between the first and second thresholds.

7. The detection system of claim 5 , wherein the first threshold is higher than the second threshold and the second threshold is higher than GND; and

wherein the switch is configured to couple the pole to the GND connection of the processor when the value of the detection input is above the first and second thresholds.

8. The detection system of claim 5 , wherein the first threshold is higher than the second threshold and the second threshold is higher than GND; and

wherein the switch is configured to couple the pole to the GND connection of the processor when the value of the detection input is below the first and second thresholds.

9. The detection system of claim 1 , wherein the bias circuit includes:

a bias resistor configured to receive a supply voltage.

10. A detection method, comprising:

selectively coupling a pole of a four-pole audio jack to a detection input of a detection circuit;

biasing the detection input using a bias circuit;

comparing a value of the detection input to first and second thresholds using respective first and second comparators; and

identifying a type of the pole using the comparisons of the value of the detection input to the first and second thresholds,

wherein the bias circuit includes:

a bias resistor configured to receive a supply voltage;

a current source; and

a bias switch configured to selectively couple the current source to the detection input, wherein the current source and the bias switch are in parallel with the bias resistor.

11. The detection method of claim 10 , wherein the four-pole audio jack includes:

a ground (GND) pole; and

a microphone (MIC) pole; and

wherein the identifying the type of the pole includes identifying the pole as a MIC pole or a GND pole.

12. The detection method of claim 10 , wherein the selectively coupling the pole includes:

first, selectively coupling a first pole of the four-pole audio jack to the detection input to identify the first pole as the MIC pole or the GND pole; and

second, separately selectively coupling a second pole of the four-pole audio jack to the detection circuit to identify the second pole as the MIC pole or the GND pole.

13. The detection method of claim 10 , wherein the biasing the detection input includes:

biasing the detection input using a voltage source to determine no connection at the first pole; and

biasing the detection input using a current source to determine connection at the first pole.

14. The detection method of claim 10 , wherein the first threshold is higher than the second threshold and the second threshold is higher than GND; and

wherein the identifying the pole includes identifying the pole as the MIC pole when the value of the detection input is between the first and second thresholds.

15. The detection method of claim 10 , wherein the first threshold is higher than the second threshold and the second threshold is higher than GND; and

wherein the identifying the pole includes identifying the pole as the GND pole when the value of the detection input is above or below the first and second thresholds.

16. The detection method of claim 10 , including:

automatically coupling the identified pole to a MIC connection of a processor or to a GND connection of a processor using a switch.

17. The detection method of claim 10 , wherein the identifying the type of the pole includes identifying the pole as a MIC pole, a GND pole, or a floating pole.

18. A detection system, comprising:

a bias circuit configured to bias a detection input selectively coupled to a pole of a four-pole audio jack, the four-pole audio jack including:

a ground (GND) pole; and

a microphone (MIC) pole;

first and second comparators configured to compare a value of the detection input to respective first and second thresholds and to provide an indication of the pole as a MIC pole or a GND pole; and

a switch configured to automatically couple the pole to a MIC connection of a processor or to automatically couple the pole to a GND connection using information from the first and second comparators,

wherein the bias circuit includes:

a bias resistor configured to receive a supply voltage;

a current source; and

a bias switch configure to selectively couple the current source to the detection input, wherein the current source and the bias switch are in parallel with the bias resistor.

19. The detection system of claim 18 , wherein the first threshold is higher than the second threshold and the second threshold is higher than GND; and

wherein the switch is configured to couple the pole to the MIC connection of the processor when the value of the detection input is between the first and second thresholds.

20. The detection system of claim 18 , wherein the first threshold is higher than the second threshold and the second threshold is higher than GND; and

wherein the switch is configured to couple the pole to the GND connection of the processor when the value of the detection input is above or below the first and second thresholds.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 058871, FRAME 0799 Recorded Jun 23, 2023
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC; FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065653/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 040075, FRAME 0644 Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC; FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064070/0536 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2021
From: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058871/0799 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2021
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH
To: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057969/0206 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2021
From: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 057694/0374 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 19, 2016
From: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040075/0644 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2012
From: PRENTICE, SETH M.; STULTZ, JULIE LYNN; LI, ERIC; CONNOLLY, GRAHAM LS; BARDEN, SHAWN
To: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028751/0220 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13189480 · Jul 22, 2011
Related Publication 20130021046A1 · Jan 24, 2013