IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,461,172
Granted Patent B2
US 12,461,172 · App. 18/449,414 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Method for identifying an attached state or a detached state of an accessory device and electronic device supporting the same

Inventors: Taekeun Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Kihun Eom (Suwon-si, KR); Intae Jun (Suwon-si, KR); Kihoon Kang (Suwon-si, KR); Kihong Min (Suwon-si, KR); Gunhee Park (Suwon-si, KR); Jeonggyun Park (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
G01R33/0023G01R33/0047G01R33/02
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,461,172
App. No.
18/449,414
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic device may include: a magnetic sensor configured to identify the intensity of a magnetic field; a wireless communication circuit; a processor; and memory electrically connected to the magnetic sensor, the wireless communication circuit, and the processor, and storing instructions. The processor may be configured so that the electronic device: uses the magnetic sensor to identify a plurality of intensities of the magnetic field during a first period; identifies, on the basis of the plurality of intensities, whether a reference intensity has been updated; identifies a first state of the electronic device when the reference intensity has been updated, the first state being identified on the basis of a comparison result between the latest intensity among the plurality of intensities and the updated reference intensity; and performs a function according to the identified first state. Various other embodiments identified through the specification are possible.

Claims (66)

1 . An electronic device comprising:

a magnetic sensor configured to identify an intensity of a magnetic field;

a wireless communication circuit;

a processor comprising processing circuitry; and

a memory electrically connected to the magnetic sensor, the wireless communication circuit, and the processor, and configured to store instructions,

wherein the processor is individually and/or collectively configured to cause the electronic device to:

identify a plurality of intensities of the magnetic field during a first period at least by using the magnetic sensor;

identify a first state of the electronic device indicating an attached state or a detached state of an accessory device based on a comparison result between the plurality of intensities and a reference intensity;

based on identifying the first state of the electronic device, emit a short-range wireless signal through the wireless communication circuit at a first cycle during a first time;

identify a second state of the electronic device indicating the attached state or the detached state of the accessory device based on a response signal to the wireless signal emitted at the first cycle during the first time; and

finally identify a state of the electronic device indicating the attached state or the detached state of the accessory device based on the first identification result and second identification result.

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

based on the first identification result is identical to the second identification result, finally identify the second identification result as the state of the electronic device indicating the attached state or the detached state of the accessory device.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the short-range wireless signal includes a near field communication (NFC) signal.

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

perform a function corresponding to the finally identified state of the electronic device indicating the attached state or the detached state of the accessory device.

5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , further comprising:

a display,

wherein the processor is configured to cause the electronic device to:

when performing the function corresponding to the finally identified state of the electronic device,

display a user interface (UI) related to the function corresponding to the finally identified state of the electronic device on the display; and

control a light emitting diode (LED) region included in the accessory device based on a user input to the UI.

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

based on the first identification result is not identical to the second identification result, emit the short-range wireless signal through the wireless communication circuit at a second cycle during a second time; and

identify the second state of the electronic device indicating the attached state or the detached state of the accessory device again based on a response signal to the short-range wireless signal emitted at the second cycle during the second time,

wherein the second time is longer than the first time, and

wherein the second cycle is longer than the first cycle.

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

based on the first identification result is not identical to the second identification result, finally identify the second identification result as the state of the electronic device indicating the attached state or the detached state of the accessory device.

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

identify a pole value indicating identify a lowest value or a highest value among the plurality of intensities based on the plurality of intensities identified during the first period satisfying a specified condition; and

update the reference intensity, at least by comparing the pole value and the reference intensity.

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

when a value identified from the plurality of intensities is within a reference range, identify that the plurality of intensities satisfy the specified condition.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the identified value includes a variance value of the plurality of intensities.

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

identify the lowest value or the highest value among the plurality of intensities as the pole value based on the first state of the electronic device and polarity of the magnetic field.

12 . The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the electronic device, when determining whether to update the reference intensity, to:

when the pole value is lower than the reference intensity when the pole value is identified as the lowest value among the plurality of intensities, update the reference intensity based on the lowest; and

when the pole value is higher than the reference intensity when the pole value is identified as the highest value among the plurality of intensities, update the reference intensity based on the highest value.

13 . The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the electronic device, when determining whether to update the reference intensity, to:

when there is no reference intensity identified before a point in time when it is determined whether to update the reference intensity, update the pole value to a new reference intensity.

14 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first housing in which the magnetic sensor is positioned; and

a second housing in which a magnetic body is positioned,

wherein the first housing and the second housing are configured to face the same direction in an unfolded state of the electronic device, and to face each other in a folded state of the electronic device, and

wherein the first state of the electronic device indicates at least one state corresponding to at least one angle between the first housing and the second housing.

15 . The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the magnetic body includes at least one of a speaker, a receiver, and a magnet.

16 . An operating method of an electronic device, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of intensities of a magnetic field during a first period;

identifying a first state of the electronic device indicating an attached state or a detached state of an accessory device based on a comparison result between the plurality of intensities and a reference intensity;

based on identifying the first state of the electronic device, emitting a short-range wireless signal at a first cycle during a first time;

identifying a second state of the electronic device indicating the attached state or the detached state of the accessory device based on a response signal to the wireless signal emitted at the first cycle during the first time; and

then identifying a state of the electronic device indicating the attached state or the detached state of the accessory device based on the first identification result and second identification result.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

performing a function corresponding to the then identified state of the electronic device indicating the attached state or the detached state of the accessory device.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

based on the first identification result is identical to the second identification result, then identifying the second identification result as the state of the electronic device indicating the attached state or the detached state of the accessory device.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

based on the first identification result is not identical to the second identification result, emitting the short-range wireless signal at a second cycle during a second time; and

identifying the second state of the electronic device indicating the attached state or the detached state of the accessory device again based on a response signal to the short-range wireless signal emitted at the second cycle during the second time,

wherein the second time is longer than the first time, and

wherein the second cycle is longer than the first cycle.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the performing of the function corresponding to the finally identified state of the electronic device includes:

displaying a user interface (UI) related to the function corresponding to the finally identified state of the electronic device; and

controlling a LED region included in the accessory device based on a user input to the UI.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 18, 2023
From: KIM, TAEKEUN; EOM, KIHUN; JUN, INTAE; KANG, KIHOON; MIN, KIHONG; PARK, GUNHEE; PARK, JEONGGYUN
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064638/0142 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2021-0020638 · Feb 16, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTKR2022002162 · Feb 14, 2022
Related Publication 20240003989A1 · Jan 4, 2024
References Cited (32)
US 8289115B2 · Cretella, Jr. et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8624695B2 · Cretella, Jr. et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9069339B2 · Cretella, Jr. et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9159260B2 · Oh et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9342102B2 · Kim · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9742456B2 · Park et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9973620B2 · Baek et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9974026B2 · Chen · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10236106B2 · Lauder et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10484477B2 · Nasir · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10580556B2 · Lauder et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10707912B2 · Kim et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10916363B2 · Lauder et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11108424B2 · Schooley et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11664842B2 · Schooley et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20150378592A1 · Kim · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160044032A1 · Kim · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160077621A1 · Min et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170001560A1 · Roisen · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20200103474A1 · Foletto et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200170054A1 · Lee · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210391885A1 · Schooley et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
KR 20140096893A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
KR 20150023120A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
KR 20150103955A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
KR 20160042203A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
KR 20160076347A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
KR 20170052964A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
KR 102097528B1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report dated Jun. 11, 2024 for EP Application No. 22756442.4. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report for PCT/KR2022/002162 mailed Jun. 7, 2022, 2 pages. [cited by applicant]
Korean Office Action dated Jul. 25, 2025 for KR Application No. 10-2021-0020638. [cited by applicant]
Cited By (1)
US 12,675,138