KR102214661B1 - Sound systme using wireless erabuds and charging cradle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sound system using wireless ear buds and a charging cradle that discharge sound emitted from the wireless ear buds through a sounding space provided in a horn structure and formed in the charging cradle. According to the present invention, the sound system using the wireless ear buds and the charging cradle includes: at least one wireless ear bud having a speaker; a case provided therein with an electrical contact part and a charging unit; and a charging cradle formed on one surface of the case and including a receiving space to receive the wireless ear bud as the wireless ear bud is inserted, and a discharge passage to make an opening, which is formed in another surface of the case, to communicate with the receiving space. The wireless ear bud adjusts a sound output of the speaker in an insertion mode, in which the wireless ear bud is received in the receiving space, to be higher than a sound output of the speaker in a discharge mode in which the wireless ear bud is separated from the receiving space.

Description

Sound system using wireless earbuds and charging cradle {SOUND SYSTME USING WIRELESS ERABUDS AND CHARGING CRADLE}

The present invention relates to a sound system, and in particular, to a sound system using a wireless earbud and a charging cradle that emits sound emitted from a wireless earbud through a sounding space of a horn structure formed in a charging cradle.

Portable listening devices can be used in a wide variety of electronic devices such as portable media players, smartphones, tablet computers, laptop computers, stereo systems, and other types of devices. Conventional portable listening devices have included one or more small speakers configured to be located above, inside, or near a user's ear, structural components that hold the speaker in position, and a cable that electrically connects the portable listening device to a sound source. Another portable listening device may be a wireless device that does not include a cable but instead wirelessly receives a stream of audio data from a wireless sound source.

Although wireless portable listening devices have many advantages over wired devices, they also have some potential drawbacks. For example, wireless portable listening devices typically require one or more batteries, such as rechargeable batteries, to provide power to wireless communication circuits and other components of the device. Single-use batteries need to be replaced when their charge is depleted, while rechargeable batteries need to be recharged periodically. In addition, achieving advanced acoustic performance from relatively small earbuds can be burdensome to manufacturers due to the reduced amount of available space within each earbud.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sound system using a wireless earbud and a charging cradle that emits sound emitted from the wireless earbud through a discharge passage formed in a charging cradle.

A sound system using a wireless earbud and a charging cradle according to the present invention includes at least one wireless earbud having a speaker, a case having an electrical contact part and a charging part, and a case formed on one side of the case and receiving the wireless earbud inserted therein. It is composed of a charging cradle having a space, an opening formed on the other side of the case, and a discharge passage communicating the receiving space, and the wireless earbuds have an amplification unit that amplifies and attenuates the acoustic electrical signal, and an amplification unit. In the case of a separation mode when separated from the receiving space, the controller includes a speaker that emits sound and an acoustic electrical signal processed by the electronic device and applies the acoustic electrical signal to the amplification unit. When the electric signal is applied to the amplification unit, the amplification unit processes the applied acoustic electric signal according to the gain data for low-power sound emission and applies it to the speaker, and when the wireless earbuds are inserted in the accommodation space, the control unit controls the insertion control mode signal And the received acoustic and electrical signals are applied to the amplifying unit, and the amplifying unit processes the applied acoustic electrical signals according to the gain data for high-power sound emission and applies them to the speaker. Acoustic electrical signals are processed so that the sound output is greater than that of the speaker, and sound is emitted through the speaker.

In addition, the wireless earbuds have a first terminal for confirming the insertion mode, a second terminal for applying a first supply voltage from the charging cradle, and a first electrical contact including a ground terminal, and the charging cradle is electrically The contact part includes a first terminal for confirming the insertion mode, a second terminal for application of a first supply voltage from the charging part, and a first electrical contact including a ground terminal, and a wireless earbud is inserted into the accommodation space If so, it is preferable that the first electrical contact of the wireless earbud and the first electrical contact of the charging cradle are electrically connected.

In addition, the electrical contact portion of the charging cradle is independent from the first electrical contact portion and includes a charging contact portion including a terminal for applying a second supply voltage from the charging portion, and the charging cradle is operated in the insertion mode when the wireless earbuds are operated, A second electrical contact unit that applies first and second supply voltages from the charging unit through the first electrical contact unit and the charging contact unit, and the wireless earbuds are electrically connected to the charging contact unit and receive a second supply voltage when the insertion mode is operated. It is preferable to have.

In addition, it is preferable that the diameter of the vertical cross section of the discharge passage increases as it approaches the opening from the portion in contact with the accommodation space.

The present invention has an effect of emitting sound emitted from a wireless earbud through a discharge structure formed in a charging cradle, so that sound emission with a reinforced low frequency band can be performed through the charging cradle.

1 is a perspective view of a sound system using a wireless earbud and a charging cradle according to the present invention.
2 is a control configuration diagram of the sound system of FIG. 1.

In the following, the present invention will be described in detail through examples and drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to a specific embodiment, it should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and/or alternatives of the embodiments of the present invention. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar elements.

In this document, expressions such as "have", "may have", "include", or "may contain" are the presence of corresponding features (eg, elements such as numbers, functions, actions, or parts). And does not exclude the presence of additional features.

In this document, expressions such as "A or B", "at least one of A or/and B", or "one or more of A or/and B" may include all possible combinations of items listed together. . For example, “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, or “at least one of A or B” includes (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, Or (3) it may refer to all cases including both at least one A and at least one B.

Expressions such as “first”, “second”, “first”, or “second” used in this document can modify various elements regardless of their order and/or importance, and It is used to distinguish it from the component, but does not limit the component. For example, a first user device and a second user device may represent different user devices regardless of order or importance. For example, without departing from the scope of the rights described in this document, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, a second component may be renamed to a first component.

Some component (eg, a first component) is "(functionally or communicatively) coupled with/to)" to another component (eg, a second component) or " When referred to as "connected to", it should be understood that the certain component may be directly connected to the other component or may be connected through another component (eg, a third component). On the other hand, when a component (eg, a first component) is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly connected” to another component (eg, a second component), the component and the It may be understood that no other component (eg, a third component) exists between the different components.

The expression "configured to" used in this document is, for example, "suitable for", "having the capacity to" depending on the situation. It can be used interchangeably with ", "designed to", "adapted to", "made to", or "capable of". The term "configured to (or set) to" may not necessarily mean only "specifically designed to" in hardware. Instead, in some situations, the expression "a device configured to" may mean that the device "can" along with other devices or parts. For example, the phrase “a processor configured (or configured) to perform A, B, and C” means a dedicated processor (eg, an embedded processor) for performing the operation, or executing one or more software programs stored in a memory device. By doing so, it may mean a generic-purpose processor (eg, a CPU or an application processor) capable of performing corresponding operations.

Terms used in this document are only used to describe a specific embodiment, and may not be intended to limit the scope of other embodiments. Singular expressions may include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, may have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the technical field described in this document. Among the terms used in this document, terms defined in a general dictionary may be interpreted as having the same or similar meaning as the meaning in the context of the related technology, and unless explicitly defined in this document, they may be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning. It is not interpreted. In some cases, even terms defined in this document cannot be interpreted to exclude embodiments of this document.

1 is a perspective view of an acoustic system using an earbud and a charging cradle according to the present invention.

The sound system performs wireless communication with an electronic device (for example, a smartphone, a tablet, etc.), and at least one or more wireless earbuds 10 and 20 performing at least one of a sound reproduction function and a phone call function, and a wireless device. It consists of a charging cradle 30 that charges each of the earbuds 10 and 20 and provides at least one discharge passage for sound emitted from the wireless earbuds 10 and 20.

Each of the wireless earbuds 10 and 20 includes at least one speaker 13 and 23, respectively, to sound an acoustic electrical signal received from an electronic device or an acoustic electrical signal applied from the charging cradle 30, A more detailed configuration is described in FIG. 2.

The charging cradle 30 includes a case 30a having an electrical contact part with the wireless earbuds 10 and 20, a charging part for charging the wireless earbuds 10 and 20, and one side of the case 30a. (For example, the upper side) has the first and second receiving spaces 32 and 34 accommodating each of the wireless earbuds 10 and 20, and the other side of the case 30a (eg, the front side ) Are provided with first and second discharge passages 36 and 38 for communicating the first and second openings 36a and 38a and the first and second accommodation spaces 32 and 34, respectively.

The electrical contact and the charging part are described in detail in FIG. 2.

As shown, the first and second accommodation spaces 32 and 34 may be separate spaces or may be formed as one accommodation space. The first and second accommodation spaces 32 and 24 are configured so that at least the sound emission positions of the speakers 13 and 23 of each of the wireless earbuds 10 and 20 can be inserted into each of the speakers 13 and 23 respectively. The sound emission direction or location of the first accommodation space 32 and the first discharge passage 36 are connected to each other and the second accommodation space 34 and the second discharge passage 38 are connected to each other. It is desirable to face or be adjacent to that part.

Each of the first and second discharge passages 36 and 38 has its vertical cross section as it approaches each of the first and second openings 36a and 38a from a portion in contact with each of the first and second accommodation spaces 32 and 34. It is implemented to increase the diameter, for example, has a horn shape.

The sound emitted from the speakers 13 and 23 of each of the wireless earbuds 10 and 20 is externally transmitted through the first and second discharge passages 36 and 38 across the first and second accommodation spaces 32 and 34. By emitting sound to each furnace, it is discharged through the horn structure, so that sound pressure in the low-band region can be expanded, and the sound conversion efficiency is high.

2 is a control configuration diagram of the sound system of FIG. 1.

The wireless earbuds 10 charge the power and supply the charged power to the control unit 19 and the boost IC 12, the battery 11, and boost the power from the battery 11 to the amplifying unit 15. Wired communication between an applied Boost IC 12, a speaker 13 that emits sound by receiving an acoustic electrical signal, and an external device (eg, charging cradle 30, electronic device, etc.) The AUX unit 14 that applies the received signal to the amplification unit 15 or the control unit 19, and amplification and attenuation of the acoustic electric signal from the control unit 19 or the acoustic electric signal from the AUX unit 14 The amplification unit 15 performing processing, a first electrical contact unit 16 connected or separated from the first electrical contact unit 51 of the charging cradle 30, and a second electrical contact unit 16 for charging in the insertion mode It comprises an electrical contact part 17 and a control part 19 which performs wireless communication with the electronic device, and applies the acoustic electric signal received from the electronic device to the amplification part 15. However, the microphone (not shown), the battery 11, the boost IC 12, the speaker 13, the AUX unit 14, etc. are merely technologies that are naturally recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. , Detailed description thereof is omitted.

The amplification unit 15 is a separation mode performed when the wireless earbud 10 is separated from the first accommodation space 32 (when only the electronic device and the wireless earbud 10 are electrically connected), and a wireless earbud When (10) is inserted into the first accommodation space 32 (electrical connection between the electronic device and the wireless earbud 10, and the electrical connection for sound expression between the wireless earbud 10 and the charging cradle 30) If performed), the amplification unit 15 performs the insertion mode selectively under the control of the controller 19 when the controller 19 performs the charging mode. May be.

Separation mode is a function of an ordinary wireless earbud 10, for example, by processing an acoustic electrical signal applied from the control unit 19 according to gain data for sound emission at low power (0.4W), and the speaker 13 This mode is to be performed through the user's hearing device.

In the insertion mode, the acoustic electrical signal applied from the control unit 19 is processed according to the gain data for sound emission to a high output (3W) so that sound is emitted through the first discharge passage 36 of the charging cradle 30. This mode is performed through the speaker 13.

Each of the first electrical contact portion 16 and the second electrical contact portion 17 is implemented with, for example, a POGO pin, and when the wireless earbuds 10 are inserted into the first accommodation space 32, the first accommodation space ( 32) is a structure that makes electrical and physical contact with each of the first electrical contact portion 51 and the charging contact portion 54 mounted in the inside. The first electrical contact 16 is composed of a first supply voltage (V_1) terminal, a first insertion signal (I_1) terminal, and a first ground (G_1) terminal, and the second electrical contact 17 is a third supply voltage ( It consists of a charging voltage terminal connected to the battery 11 by receiving V_3).

The controller 19 includes a first communication function connected to an antenna ANT to perform wireless communication with an electronic device, an acoustic control function for applying and controlling an acoustic electric signal to the amplifying unit 15, and a charging cradle ( It is implemented in the form of a system on a chip (SOC) that performs wired communication with 30) and a second communication function that performs a charging operation. The first communication function corresponds to a technology that is naturally recognized by ordinary technicians familiar with the technical field to which the present invention belongs, and a description thereof is omitted.

The sound control function controls the amplification unit 15 in a separation mode, an insertion mode, or a charging mode according to the first insertion signal I_1 for separation and insertion between the wireless earbud 10 and the charging cradle 30, An acoustic electrical signal according to the first communication function and a mode control signal (a mode control signal of any one of a separation mode signal, an insertion mode signal, and a charging mode signal) are applied to the amplifying unit 15 for control.

The second communication function determines whether the wireless earbuds 10 are inserted into the charging cradle 30 through communication between the control unit 19 and the control unit 59. In the case of such insertion determination, the process of confirming by the control unit 19 and/or the control unit 59 by electrical and/or physical connection between the first electrical contact unit 16 and the first electrical contact unit 51 (the first insertion signal (I_1) transmission and/or reception). The control unit 19 determines whether to be inserted based on the first insertion signal I_1 from the control unit 59. For example, when the first insertion signal I_1 is 0V, the separation state (or separation mode), and when the first insertion signal I_1 is 5V, the insertion state (or insertion mode).

In addition, the second communication function performs an internal charging mode in which the control unit 19 receives the first supply voltage V_1 from the charging cradle 30 through the first electrical contact unit 16 and charges the battery 11. do.

In the insertion mode in which the third supply voltage V_3 is directly applied to the battery 11 through the second electrical contact 17 through the charging cradle 30 without passing through the control unit 19 or without the control of the control unit 19 The charging operation is performed.

The wireless earbud 20 has the same configuration as the wireless earbud 10, and the wireless earbud 10 and the wireless earbud 20 may have a master-slave device relationship. The battery 21 of the wireless earbud 20, the boost IC 22, the speaker 23, the AUX part 24, the amplifying part 25, the first electrical contact 26, the second electrical contact 27 And each of the control unit 29 is a battery 11 of the wireless earbud 10, a boost IC 12, a speaker 13, an AUX unit 14, an amplifying unit 15, a first electrical contact unit 16, Corresponding to each of the second electrical contact unit 17 and the control unit 19, the second supply voltage V_2 is the first supply voltage V_1, the second insertion signal I_2 is the first insertion signal I_1 , The second ground G_2 corresponds to the first ground G_1, and the fourth supply voltage V-4 corresponds to the third supply voltage V_3.

The charging cradle 30 includes a charging unit for charging the wireless earbuds 10 and 20 and an electrical contact between the wireless earbuds 10 and 20.

The charging unit is connected to an external USB terminal to supply power to the USB unit 41 and the USB unit 41 to perform an overvoltage protection function to supply power from the USB unit 41 to the charging IC unit ( 43) and the OVP unit 42 applied to the first load switch 46, the OVP unit 42 receives power to charge the battery 44, and controls the application of power from the OVP unit 42 ( 59) and a battery that is charged by power from the charger IC 43 and supplies the power charged to the boost IC 45 and the second load switch 47 and the control unit 59 ( 44), a boost IC 45 that boosts the power from the battery 44 and applies it to the first load switch 46, and is turned on and off under the control of the control unit 59, from the boost IC 45. A first load switch 46 that supplies and cuts off the supply of the boosted power to the first electrical contact 51, and is turned on and off under the control of the control unit 59 to supply power from the battery 44 to the charging contact 54 ), and a second load switch 47 that supplies and cuts off the supply to and a charging switch 48 that obtains a selection input for performing the charging mode from a user and applies it to the control unit 59. However, the USB unit 41, the OVP unit 42, the charger IC unit 43, the battery 44, the boost IC 45, the first and second load switch units 46, 47, etc. It is merely a technique that is clearly recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art to which it belongs, and its description is omitted.

The charging switch 48 is implemented as, for example, a Tect switch, and allows the user to directly select a charging mode, and allows the controller 59 to check the charging selection input.

The electrical contacts are electrically and electrically connected to the first electrical contacts 51 that are electrically and physically connected to the first electrical contacts 16 of the wireless earbuds 10, and the first electrical contacts 26 of the wireless earbuds 20. A second electrical contact unit 52 that is physically connected, an AUX unit 53 for performing wired communication with each of the external devices and the AUX units 14 and 24, the first and second electrical contact units 51, It is composed of a charging contact 54 that is electrically and physically connected to each of the second electrical contact 17 and the second electrical contact 27 independently of 52. The first and second electrical contacts 51 and 52 are implemented with, for example, POGO pins, so that physical contact is made. The first electrical contact 51 is composed of a first supply voltage (V_1) terminal, a first insertion signal (I_1) terminal, and a first ground (G_1) terminal, and the second electrical contact 52 is a second supply voltage ( It is composed of a V_2) terminal, a second insertion signal (I_2) terminal, and a second ground (G_2) terminal. The charging contact portion 54 may be implemented with, for example, a POGO pin to make physical contact, and includes a third supply voltage (V_3) terminal and a fourth supply voltage (V_4) terminal. Each of the first and second electrical contacts 51 and 52 and the charging contact 54 must be formed inside the first and second accommodation spaces 32 and 34, respectively, and the first and second electrical contacts 16 , 17) and (26, 27), respectively, when each of the wireless earbuds 10 and 20 is inserted into the first and second accommodation spaces 32 and 34, respectively, the first and second electrical contacts 51, 52 and charging contacts 54 are mounted on the case of the wireless earbuds 10 and 20 for electrical and/or physical contact, respectively.

The controller 59 is a microcontroller unit that selectively performs a charging mode (internal charging mode or external charging mode) and an insertion mode in the wireless earbuds 10 and 20 according to the input of the charging switch 48 ( MCU).

First, in the case of the charging mode, when the control unit 59 obtains a charging selection input from the charging switch 48, the power supply from the USB unit 41 is confirmed by a notification from the charging IC 43. If power is being applied from the USB unit 41, the control unit 59 performs an external charging mode in which power from the USB unit 41 is applied to the wireless earbuds 10 and 20, and if When power is not applied from the USB unit 41, the control unit 59 performs an internal charging mode in which power from the battery 44 is applied to the wireless earbuds 10 and 20.

To perform the external charging mode, the control unit 59 stops the operation of the boost IC 45, turns the first load switch 46 on, and turns the second load switch 47 off, so that the OVP unit 42 Power from) is applied through the first and second supply voltages V_1 and V_2 terminals of the first and second electrical contacts 51 and 52, respectively.

In order to perform the internal charging mode, the control unit 59 operates the boost IC 45, turns the first load switch 46 on, and turns the second load switch 47 off, so that the battery 44 Power from the first and second electrical contacts 51 and 52 is applied through the first and second supply voltages V_1 and V_2 terminals, respectively.

In the above-described charging mode, the controller 59 may check the insertion state of each of the wireless earbuds 10 and 20 using the first and second insertion signals I_1 and I_2, respectively.

In the case of the insertion mode of the wireless earbuds 10 and 20 into the charging cradle 30, the controller 59 and the controller 19 communicate with each other, and the controller 59 and the controller 29 communicate with each other. 59), the control unit 19 and the control unit 29 respectively. In the present description, only the wireless earbud 10 is exemplarily described.

In order to perform the insertion mode, the control unit 19 applies an acoustic electrical signal and an insertion control mode signal received from the electronic device to the amplification unit 15, and the amplification unit 15 processes the acoustic electrical signal into a high-power signal. It is applied to the speaker 13. In addition, the controller 59 turns on the second load switch 47 so that the power from the battery 44 is applied to the second electrical contact 17 through the charging contact 54 and a third supply voltage V_3 By doing so, power is additionally applied to the battery 11 to perform the insertion mode (high power mode).

In addition, when the AUX unit 53 and the AUX 14 are electrically connected, and the AUX unit 53 and an external device are electrically connected to each other, and an acoustic electrical signal is transmitted, the control unit 19 is It is also possible to perform high output sound emission according to the insertion mode by applying to the speaker 13 through the amplifying unit 15.

As described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific preferred embodiment described above, and anyone with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs without departing from the gist of the present invention claimed in the claims It goes without saying that modifications can be made, and such changes are within the scope of the claims.

10, 20: first and second wireless earbuds 30: charging cradle

Claims (4)

At least one wireless earbud including a speaker;
A charging cradle having a case in which an electrical contact part and a charging part are built, a receiving space formed on one side of the case to insert and accommodate a wireless earbud, and a discharge passage communicating the opening and the receiving space formed on the other side of the case. Consists of
The wireless earbuds include an amplification unit that performs amplification and attenuation processing on an acoustic electrical signal, a speaker that emits sound electrical signals processed by the amplification unit, and an acoustic electrical signal received from an electronic device and applied to the amplification unit. Having a control unit,
In the case of the separation mode when separated from the accommodation space, the control unit applies the received acoustic electrical signal to the amplification unit, the amplification unit processes the applied acoustic electrical signal according to the gain data for low-power sound emission and applies it to the speaker,
When the wireless earbuds are inserted into the accommodation space, the controller applies the insertion control mode signal and the received acoustic electrical signal to the amplifying unit, and the amplifying unit processes the applied acoustic electrical signal according to the gain data for high-power sound emission and By applying to,
A sound system using a wireless earbud and a charging cradle, characterized in that sound output through the speaker is processed so that the sound output of the speaker in the insertion mode when inserted into the accommodation space is greater than the sound output of the speaker. The method of claim 1,
The wireless earbud includes a first terminal for confirming an insertion mode, a second terminal for applying a first supply voltage from the charging cradle, and a first electrical contact including a ground terminal,
The electrical contact portion of the charging cradle includes a first terminal for confirming the insertion mode, a second terminal for application of a first supply voltage from the charging portion, and a first electrical contact including a ground terminal, and the wireless earbuds A sound system using a wireless earbud and a charging cradle, characterized in that the first electrical contact part of the wireless earbud and the first electrical contact part of the charging cradle are electrically connected when inserted into the accommodation space. The method of claim 2,
The electrical contact portion of the charging cradle is independent from the first electrical contact portion and includes a charging contact portion including a terminal for applying a second supply voltage from the charging portion,
The charging cradle applies first and second supply voltages from the charging unit through the first electrical contact and the charging contact when the wireless earbud is operating in the insertion mode,
A sound system using a wireless earbud and a charging cradle, characterized in that the wireless earbud is electrically connected to the charging contact and has a second electrical contact to which a second supply voltage is applied when the insertion mode is operated. The method of claim 1,
A sound system using a wireless earbud and a charging cradle, characterized in that the diameter of the vertical cross section increases as the discharge passage approaches the opening from the portion in contact with the accommodation space.

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