IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,477,296
Granted Patent B2
US 10,477,296 · App. 16/222,902 · Granted Nov 12, 2019

Method for controlling earpiece and electronic device for supporting the same

Inventors: Eunhye Kim (Seoul, KR); Norio Okada (Yokohama, JP); Masato Suzuki (Kitaadachi-gun, JP); Jonghyuk Cho (Suwon-si, KR); Donghun Heo (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H04R1/1025H04R2460/03
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,477,296
App. No.
16/222,902
Granted
Nov 12, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may include a communication interface and a processor, wherein the processor may be configured to receive first battery level information of a first earpiece and second battery level information of a second earpiece, via the communication interface, to identify a charging method corresponding to the first battery level and the second battery level, among a plurality of charging methods for charging at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, and to control to supply charging power to at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, via a cable which connects the electronic device with at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, using the charging method.

Claims (67)

1. An electronic device comprising:

a communication interface; and

a processor configured to:

control the communication interface to receive first battery level information of a first earpiece and second battery level information of a second earpiece,

identify a charging method, corresponding to the first battery level and the second battery level, among a plurality of charging methods for charging at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, and

control to supply charging power to at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, via a cable connecting the electronic device with at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, using the charging method.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

identify whether a difference between the first battery level and the second battery level exceeds a first threshold, and

if the difference between the first battery level and the second battery level exceeds the first threshold, supply the charging power to an earpiece of a low battery level among the first earpiece or the second earpiece.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to supply the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece if the difference between the first battery level and the second battery level falls below the first threshold.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

identify a battery level of the electronic device,

if the battery level of the electronic device exceeds a second threshold, control to supply the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable, and

if the battery level of the electronic device falls below second threshold, control to stop the charging power supply to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

identify a battery level of the electronic device,

if the battery level of the electronic device exceeds a third threshold, control to supply the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable,

if the battery level of the electronic device falls below the third threshold and exceeds a fourth threshold, control to supply the charging power to an earpiece of a low battery level among the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on whether a difference between the first battery level and the second battery level exceeds a first threshold, and

if the battery level of the electronic device falls below the fourth threshold, control to stop the charging power supply to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

identify a battery level of the electronic device,

if the battery level of the electronic device exceeds a third threshold, control to supply the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable,

if the battery level of the electronic device falls below the third threshold and exceeds a fourth threshold, control to supply the charging power to an earpiece configured to operate as a master among the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable, and

if the battery level of the electronic device falls below the fourth threshold, control to stop the charging power supply to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

identify an earpiece configured to operate as a master among the first earpiece and the second earpiece, and

control to supply the charging power first to the master earpiece, over an earpiece configured to operate as a slave, via the cable.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

control the communication interface to receive a user input selecting the first earpiece or the second earpiece, and

control to supply the charging power to the selected earpiece.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to, in response to receiving coupling information of the first earpiece and the second earpiece while transmitting audio data and supplying the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece, stop audio data output of the first earpiece and the second earpiece and control the electronic device to output the audio data.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

identify that the first earpiece or the second earpiece is disconnected from the cable, and

control to supply the charging power to an earpiece, among the first earpiece and the second earpiece which is still connected to the electronic device, via the cable.

11. A method for controlling an earpiece in an electronic device, comprising:

receiving first battery level information of a first earpiece and second battery level information of a second earpiece via a communication interface;

identifying a charging method, corresponding to the first battery level and the second battery level, among a plurality of charging methods for charging at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece; and

supplying charging power to at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, via a cable connecting the electronic device with at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, using the charging method.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein identifying the charging method corresponding to the first battery level and the second battery level comprises:

identifying whether a difference between the first battery level and the second battery level exceeds a first threshold; and

supplying the charging power to an earpiece of a low battery level among the first earpiece or the second earpiece based on the difference between the first battery level and the second battery level exceeding the first threshold.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein identifying the charging method corresponding to the first battery level and the second battery level comprises supplying the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece based on a difference between the first battery level and the second battery level falling below the first threshold.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

identifying a battery level of the electronic device;

supplying the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on the battery level of the electronic device exceeding a second threshold; and

stopping the charging power supply to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on the battery level of the electronic device falling below a second threshold.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

identifying a battery level of the electronic device;

supplying the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on the battery level of the electronic device exceeding a third threshold;

supplying the charging power to an earpiece of a low battery level among the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on (i) the battery level of the electronic device falling below the third threshold and exceeding a fourth threshold and (ii) whether a difference between the first battery level and the second battery level exceeds a first threshold; and

stopping the charging power supply to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on the battery level of the electronic device falling below the fourth threshold.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

identifying a battery level of the electronic device;

supplying the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on the battery level of the electronic device exceeding a third threshold;

if the battery level of the electronic device falls below the third threshold and exceeds a fourth threshold, supplying the charging power to an earpiece configured to operate as a master among the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on the battery level of the electronic device falling below the third threshold and exceeding a fourth threshold; and

stopping the charging power supply to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on the battery level of the electronic device falling below the fourth threshold.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

identifying an earpiece configured to operate as a master among the first earpiece and the second earpiece; and

supplying the charging power first to the master earpiece over an earpiece configured to operate as a slave via the cable.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving a user input selecting the first earpiece or the second earpiece; and

supplying the charging power to the selected earpiece.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

in response to receiving coupling information of the first earpiece and the second earpiece while transmitting audio data and supplying the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece, stopping audio data output of the first earpiece and the second earpiece and outputting the audio data at the electronic device.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

identifying that the first earpiece or the second earpiece is disconnected from the cable; and

supplying the charging power to an earpiece, among the first earpiece and the second earpiece which is still connected to the electronic device, via the cable.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2018
From: KIM, EUNHYE; OKADA, NORIO; SUZUKI, MASATO; CHO, JONGHYUK; HEO, DONGHUN
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 049033/0256 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2017-0180764 · Dec 27, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190200113A1 · Jun 27, 2019