IP Library Granted Patent US 12,356,302
Granted Patent B2
US 12,356,302 · App. 18/066,285 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Information processing apparatus and control method

Inventors: Yosuke Katayama (Kanagawa, JP); Qian Wang (Kanagawa, JP); Hidehisa Mori (Kanagawa, JP); Masahiro Tokuno (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
H04W4/80G08B21/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,356,302
App. No.
18/066,285
Granted
Jul 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a processor which executes an OS; a speaker which outputs a sound; a short-distance wireless communication unit which outputs first information indicating that a specific signal is received by short-distance wireless communication; an EC which outputs first sound data to output a sound in response to acquiring the first information output from the short-distance wireless communication unit; and an audio processing device which exclusively switches between the sound based on the first sound data output from the EC and a sound based on second sound data output from the processor by processing based on the OS in order to output either one of the sounds from the speaker. When acquiring the first information output from the short-distance wireless communication unit, the EC causes the audio processing device to output the sound based on the first sound data from the speaker.

Claims (26)

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a memory which temporarily stores a program of an Operating System (OS);

a processor which executes the program of the OS;

a speaker which outputs sound;

a short-distance wireless communication unit which outputs first information indicating that a specific signal is received when receiving the specific signal by short-distance wireless communication;

an EC (Embedded Controller) which outputs first sound data to output a first sound in response to acquiring the first information output from the short-distance wireless communication unit; and

an audio processing device having a terminal to which the first sound data output from the EC is input and a terminal to which second sound data output from the processor by processing based on the OS is input to switch exclusively between the first sound based on the first sound data and a second sound based on the second sound data in order to output either the first sound or the second sound from the speaker,

wherein upon acquiring the first information output from the short-distance wireless communication unit, the EC causes the audio processing device to output the first sound from the speaker.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

when acquiring the first information output from the short-distance wireless communication unit, the EC outputs a control signal to switch the sound to be output from the speaker from the second sound to the first sound, and

the audio processing device has a control terminal to which the control signal output from the EC is input, and based on the control signal, the audio processing device switches the sound to be output from the speaker from the second sound to the first sound.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the control terminal is a terminal compatible with I2S (Inter-IC Sound) standard.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the audio processing device makes a request to the processor for switching control based on the control signal,

the processor instructs the audio processing device to switch the sound to be output from the speaker from the second sound to the first sound in response to the request for the switching control from the audio processing device, and

in accordance with the instruction from the processor, the audio processing device switches the sound to be output from the speaker from the second sound to the first sound.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the EC outputs second information to the processor in response to acquiring the first information output from the short-distance wireless communication unit,

the processor instructs the EC to output the first sound data in response to acquiring the second information output from the EC, and

in accordance with the instruction to output the first sound data from the processor, the EC outputs the first sound data.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein after outputting the control signal to switch the sound to be output from the speaker from the second sound to the first sound, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the EC outputs a control signal to switch the sound to be output from the speaker from the first sound based on the first sound data to the second sound.

7. A control method for an information processing apparatus including: a memory which temporarily stores a program of an Operating System (OS); a processor which executes the program of the OS; a speaker which outputs sound; a short-distance wireless communication unit; an audio processing device; and an EC (Embedded Controller), the control method comprises:

causing the short-distance wireless communication unit to output first information indicating that a specific signal is received when receiving the specific signal by short-distance wireless communication;

causing the EC to output first sound data in order to output a first sound in response to acquiring the first information output from the short-distance wireless communication unit;

causing the audio processing device to switch exclusively between the first sound based on the first sound data and a second sound based on second sound data in order to output either of the first sound or the second sound from the speaker, where the audio processing device has a terminal to which the first sound data output from the EC is input and a terminal to which the second sound data output from the processor by processing based on the OS is input; and

acquiring the first information output from the short-distance wireless communication unit, wherein the EC performs control to cause the audio processing device to output, from the speaker, the first sound.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2023
From: KATAYAMA, YOSUKE; WANG, QIAN; MORI, HIDEHISA; TOKUNO, MASAHIRO
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 062667/0040 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-005020 · Jan 17, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230232197A1 · Jul 20, 2023
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