KR20130039195A - Mobile terminal and method for controlling thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A portable terminal and a control method thereof are provided to minimize power consumption in a processor while playing audio data. CONSTITUTION: A processor unit(200) reads audio data stored in a memory unit. An audio signal processing unit(300) decodes the audio data received from the processor unit. The audio signal processing unit converts the decoded signal into an analog signal and outputs the analog signal. When the size of the audio data transmitted from the memory unit is over a predetermined reference value, the audio signal processing unit changes the mode of the processor unit into a sleep mode. [Reference numerals] (160) Memory unit; (200) Processor unit; (300) Audio signal processing unit; (310) Buffer unit; (330) Digital-analog conversion unit; (340) Amplification unit;

Description

[0001] MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THEREOF [0002]

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal capable of reproducing audio data and a control method thereof.

Terminals may be divided into mobile / portable terminals and stationary terminals according to their mobility. The mobile terminal may be further classified into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal according to whether a user can directly carry it.

Such a terminal has various functions, for example, in the form of a multimedia device having multiple functions such as photographing and photographing of a moving picture, reproduction of a music or video file, reception of a game and broadcasting, etc. .

The conventional mobile terminal may include a module for decoding the encoded audio data to reproduce the audio data, converting the decoded audio data into analog, and amplifying and outputting the same.

However, such a conventional mobile terminal has a problem in that power consumption is considerable because a processor that performs decoding while playing audio data must continue to operate.

The present invention is to provide a mobile terminal and a control method thereof that can minimize power consumption in a processor when playing audio data.

In addition, the present invention is to provide a mobile terminal and a control method thereof that can minimize the power consumption of the processor and memory.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, unless further departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. It will be possible.

A first technical aspect of the present invention includes a processor unit for reading audio data stored in a memory unit; And an audio signal processor configured to receive the audio data from the processor, decode the audio data, convert the analog data into an analog signal, and output the analog signal. The audio signal processor includes: a first preset size of the audio data transmitted from the memory unit; The present invention provides a mobile terminal for converting the processor to a sleep mode when the reference value is greater than or equal to a reference value.

The audio signal processor may switch the processor unit to an operation mode when the size of the audio data decreases below a preset second reference value in the sleep mode.

A second technical aspect of the present invention includes a processor unit for instructing reproduction of audio data; A memory unit for storing the audio data; And an audio signal processor for directly receiving and decoding the audio data from the memory unit, converting the audio data into an analog signal, and outputting the analog signal. The audio signal processor includes the processor unit when the audio data starts to be transmitted from the memory unit. The present invention provides a mobile terminal for switching to a sleep mode and for switching the memory unit to a sleep mode when the size of the audio data transmitted from the memory unit is equal to or greater than a first predetermined reference value.

Here, when the memory unit is in the sleep mode, the audio signal processor may switch the memory unit to the operation mode when the size of the audio data decreases below a preset second reference value.

The memory unit and the audio signal processor may each include a secure digital input / output (SDIO) interface.

In the first and second technical aspects of the present invention, the audio signal processor may include a buffer unit configured to receive audio data from the memory unit; A digital signal processor which decodes the audio data from the buffer unit; A digital analog converter for converting the decoded audio data into an analog signal; And an amplifier configured to amplify the analog signal.

The first reference value may be the maximum capacity of the buffer unit.

According to a third technical aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method including: reading audio data stored in a memory unit by a processor unit; Transmitting the audio data to a buffer unit of an audio signal processor; Switching the processor to a sleep mode when the size of the audio data transmitted to the buffer unit is equal to or greater than a first reference value preset; Decoding audio data by the audio signal processor; Converting the decoded audio data into an analog signal; Amplifying and outputting the analog signal; to provide a control method of a mobile terminal.

Here, if the remaining audio data of the buffer unit is lower than the second reference value after the processor unit enters the sleep mode, the processor unit may switch to the operation mode.

A fourth technical aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: a processor commanding reproduction of audio data; Reading out the audio data directly from a memory unit by a buffer unit of an audio signal processor; Switching the processor unit to a sleep mode when the audio data starts to be transmitted to the buffer unit; Switching the memory unit to a sleep mode when the size of the audio data transmitted to the buffer unit is equal to or larger than a first reference value preset; Decoding audio data by the audio signal processor; Converting the decoded audio data into an analog signal; A control method of a mobile terminal comprising amplifying and outputting the analog signal.

Here, when the remaining audio data of the buffer unit is lower than the second reference value after the memory unit is switched to the sleep mode, the memory unit may be switched to the operation mode.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, since the processor may have a sleep mode in processing audio data, power consumption may be greatly reduced.

The effects obtained by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description will be.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a detailed view of a control unit and a memory unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a flowchart of audio data processing according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a state transition diagram showing an operating state of each unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a graph showing a simulation result according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a detailed view of a control unit and a memory unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a flowchart of audio data processing according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a state transition diagram showing an operating state of each unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, a mobile terminal related to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The suffix "module" and " part "for the components used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have their own meaning or role.

The mobile terminal described in this specification may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), and navigation. However, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the configuration according to the embodiments described herein may also be applied to fixed terminals such as digital TVs, desktop computers, etc., except when applicable only to mobile terminals.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The mobile terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an audio / video input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, a memory 160, A controller 170, a controller 180, a power supply 190, and the like. The components shown in FIG. 1 are not essential, and a mobile terminal having more or fewer components may be implemented.

Hereinafter, the components will be described in order.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include one or more modules for enabling wireless communication between the mobile terminal 100 and the wireless communication system or between the mobile terminal 100 and the network in which the mobile terminal 100 is located. For example, the wireless communication unit 110 may include a broadcast receiving module 111, a mobile communication module 112, a wireless Internet module 113, a short range communication module 114, and a location information module 115 .

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives a broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel.

The broadcast channel may include a satellite channel and a terrestrial channel. The broadcast management server may refer to a server for generating and transmitting broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information, or a server for receiving broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information generated by the broadcast management server and transmitting the generated broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information. The broadcast signal may include a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, a data broadcast signal, and a broadcast signal in which a data broadcast signal is combined with a TV broadcast signal or a radio broadcast signal.

The broadcast-related information may refer to a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, or information related to a broadcast service provider. The broadcast related information may also be provided through a mobile communication network. In this case, it may be received by the mobile communication module 112.

The broadcast related information may exist in various forms. For example, it may exist in the form of Electronic Program Guide (EPG) of Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) or Electronic Service Guide (ESG) of Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H).

For example, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DMB-T), a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite (DMB-S), a Media Forward Link Only And a Digital Broadcasting System (ISDB-T) (Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial). Of course, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be adapted to other broadcasting systems as well as the digital broadcasting system described above.

The broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information received through the broadcast receiving module 111 may be stored in the memory 160.

The mobile communication module 112 transmits and receives radio signals to at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network. The wireless signal may include various types of data depending on a voice call signal, a video call signal or a text / multimedia message transmission / reception.

The wireless Internet module 113 is a module for wireless Internet access, and may be built in or externally attached to the mobile terminal 100. Wireless Internet technologies may include Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Wireless Broadband (Wibro), World Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), and the like.

The short range communication module 114 refers to a module for short range communication. Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used as a short range communication technology.

The position information module 115 is a module for obtaining the position of the mobile terminal, and a representative example thereof is a Global Position System (GPS) module.

Referring to FIG. 1, an A / V (Audio / Video) input unit 120 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, and may include a camera 121 and a microphone 122. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video call mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 151. [

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory 160 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. [ Two or more cameras 121 may be provided depending on the use environment.

The microphone 122 receives an external sound signal through a microphone in a communication mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, or the like, and processes it as electrical voice data. The processed voice data can be converted into a form that can be transmitted to the mobile communication base station through the mobile communication module 112 when the voice data is in the call mode, and output. Various noise reduction algorithms may be implemented in the microphone 122 to remove noise generated in receiving an external sound signal.

The user input unit 130 generates input data for a user to control the operation of the terminal. The user input unit 130 may include a key pad dome switch, a touch pad (static pressure / capacitance), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 senses the current state of the mobile terminal 100 such as the open / close state of the mobile terminal 100, the position of the mobile terminal 100, the presence or absence of user contact, the orientation of the mobile terminal, And generates a sensing signal for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is in the form of a slide phone, it may sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. In addition, whether the power supply unit 190 is supplied with power, whether the interface unit 170 is coupled to the external device may be sensed. Meanwhile, the sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141.

The output unit 150 is for generating an output relating to visual, auditory or tactile sense and includes a display unit 151, an acoustic output module 152, an alarm unit 153, a haptic module 154, 155, and the like.

The display unit 151 displays (outputs) information processed by the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal is in the call mode, a UI (User Interface) or a GUI (Graphic User Interface) associated with a call is displayed. When the mobile terminal 100 is in the video communication mode or the photographing mode, the photographed and / or received video or UI and GUI are displayed.

The display unit 151 is a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display (flexible) and at least one of a 3D display.

Some of these displays may be transparent or light transmissive so that they can be seen through. This can be referred to as a transparent display, and a typical example of the transparent display is TOLED (Transparent OLED) and the like. The rear structure of the display unit 151 may also be of a light transmission type. With this structure, the user can see an object located behind the terminal body through the area occupied by the display unit 151 of the terminal body.

There may be two or more display units 151 according to the embodiment of the mobile terminal 100. For example, in the mobile terminal 100, a plurality of display portions may be spaced apart from one another, or may be disposed integrally with one another, and may be disposed on different surfaces, respectively.

When the display unit 151 and a sensor for detecting a touch operation (hereinafter, referred to as a touch sensor) form a mutual layer structure (hereinafter referred to as a touch screen), the display unit 151 may be configured in addition to an output device. Can also be used as an input device. The touch sensor may have the form of, for example, a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like.

The touch sensor may be configured to convert a change in a pressure applied to a specific portion of the display unit 151 or a capacitance generated in a specific portion of the display unit 151 into an electrical input signal. The touch sensor can be configured to detect not only the position and area to be touched but also the pressure at the time of touch.

If there is a touch input to the touch sensor, the corresponding signal (s) is sent to the touch controller. The touch controller processes the signal (s) and transmits the corresponding data to the controller 180. As a result, the controller 180 can know which area of the display unit 151 is touched.

The proximity sensor 141 may be disposed in an inner region of the mobile terminal or in the vicinity of the touch screen, which is enclosed by the touch screen. The proximity sensor refers to a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface or a nearby object without mechanical contact using the force of an electromagnetic field or infrared rays. The proximity sensor has a longer life span than the contact sensor and its utilization is also high.

Examples of the proximity sensor include a transmission photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor. And to detect the proximity of the pointer by the change of the electric field along the proximity of the pointer when the touch screen is electrostatic. In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may be classified as a proximity sensor.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, an act of allowing the pointer to be recognized without being in contact with the touch screen so that the pointer is located on the touch screen is referred to as a "proximity touch", and the touch The act of actually touching the pointer on the screen is called "contact touch." The position where the pointer is proximately touched on the touch screen means a position where the pointer is vertically corresponding to the touch screen when the pointer is touched.

The proximity sensor detects a proximity touch and a proximity touch pattern (e.g., a proximity touch distance, a proximity touch direction, a proximity touch speed, a proximity touch time, a proximity touch position, a proximity touch movement state, and the like). Information corresponding to the detected proximity touch operation and the proximity touch pattern may be output on the touch screen.

The sound output module 152 may output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory 160 in a call signal reception, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, and the like. The sound output module 152 also outputs sound signals related to functions (e.g., call signal reception sound, message reception sound, etc.) performed in the mobile terminal 100. [ The audio output module 152 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 153 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the mobile terminal 100. Examples of events that occur in the mobile terminal include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, touch input, and the like. The alarm unit 153 may output a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event in a form other than the video signal or the audio signal, for example, vibration. The video signal or the audio signal may be output through the display unit 151 or the audio output module 152 so that they may be classified as a part of the alarm unit 153.

The haptic module 154 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. Vibration is a representative example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 154. The intensity and pattern of vibration generated by the haptic module 154 can be controlled. For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or sequentially output.

In addition to vibration, the haptic module 154 may be configured to provide a pin array that vertically moves with respect to the contact skin surface, a jetting force or suction force of air through an injection or inlet port, grazing to the skin surface, contact of an electrode, electrostatic force, and the like. Various tactile effects can be generated, such as effects by the endothermic and the reproduction of a sense of cold using the elements capable of endotherm or heat generation.

The haptic module 154 can be implemented not only to transmit the tactile effect through the direct contact but also to allow the user to feel the tactile effect through the muscular sensation of the finger or arm. The haptic module 154 may include two or more haptic modules 154 according to the configuration of the portable terminal 100.

The projector module 155 is a component for performing an image project function using the mobile terminal 100 and is similar to the image displayed on the display unit 151 in accordance with a control signal of the controller 180 Or at least partly display another image on an external screen or wall.

Specifically, the projector module 155 includes a light source (not shown) that generates light (for example, laser light) for outputting an image to the outside, a light source And a lens (not shown) for enlarging and outputting the image at a predetermined focal distance to the outside. Further, the projector module 155 may include a device (not shown) capable of mechanically moving the lens or the entire module to adjust the image projection direction.

The projector module 155 can be divided into a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) module, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) module and a DLP (Digital Light Processing) module according to the type of the display means. In particular, the DLP module may be advantageous for miniaturization of the projector module 151 by enlarging and projecting an image generated by reflecting light generated from a light source on a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) chip.

Preferably, the projector module 155 may be provided longitudinally on the side, front or back side of the mobile terminal 100. It goes without saying that the projector module 155 may be provided at any position of the mobile terminal 100 as occasion demands.

The memory unit 160 may store a program for processing and controlling the control unit 180 and temporarily store the input / output data (e.g., telephone directory, message, audio, For example. The memory unit 160 may also store the frequency of use of each of the data (for example, each telephone number, each message, and frequency of use for each multimedia). In addition, the memory unit 160 may store data on vibration and sound of various patterns output when the touch is input on the touch screen.

The memory 160 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or XD memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), PROM A disk, and / or an optical disk. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as a path for communication with all external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device or supplies power to each component in the mobile terminal 100 or transmits data to the external device. For example, a wired / wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for connecting a device having an identification module, an audio I / O port, A video input / output (I / O) port, an earphone port, and the like may be included in the interface unit 170.

The identification module is a chip for storing various information for authenticating the use right of the mobile terminal 100 and includes a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM), a general user authentication module A Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM), and the like. Devices with identification modules (hereinafter referred to as "identification devices") can be manufactured in a smart card format. Accordingly, the identification device can be connected to the terminal 100 through the port.

The interface unit may be a passage through which power from the cradle is supplied to the mobile terminal 100 when the mobile terminal 100 is connected to an external cradle, or various command signals input from the cradle by a user may be transferred. It may be a passage that is delivered to the terminal. The various command signals or the power source input from the cradle may be operated as a signal for recognizing that the mobile terminal is correctly mounted on the cradle.

The controller 180 typically controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal. For example, voice communication, data communication, video communication, and the like. The control unit 180 may include a multimedia module 181 for multimedia playback. The multimedia module 181 may be implemented in the control unit 180 or may be implemented separately from the control unit 180. [

The controller 180 may perform a pattern recognition process for recognizing handwriting input or drawing input performed on the touch screen as characters and images, respectively.

The power supply unit 190 receives an external power source and an internal power source under the control of the controller 180 to supply power for operation of each component.

The various embodiments described herein may be embodied in a recording medium readable by a computer or similar device using, for example, software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

According to a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein include application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and the like. It may be implemented using at least one of processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and electrical units for performing other functions. The described embodiments may be implemented by the controller 180 itself.

According to the software implementation, embodiments such as the procedures and functions described herein may be implemented as separate software modules. Each of the software modules may perform one or more of the functions and operations described herein. Software code can be implemented in a software application written in a suitable programming language. The software code is stored in the memory 160 and can be executed by the control unit 180. [

For convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the mobile terminal referred to below includes at least one of the components shown in FIG. In particular, the mobile terminal to which the present invention can be applied necessarily includes the controller 180 and the memory unit 160.

Hereinafter, a mobile terminal and a control method thereof according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

2 is a detailed view of the controller 180 and the memory unit 160 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the controller 180 may include a processor unit 200 and an audio signal processor 300.

As described above, the memory unit 160 may include at least one of a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory, a RAM, an SRAM, a ROM, an EEPROM, a PROM, a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk. It may be a type of storage medium. The memory unit 160 stores audio data for reproducing music and the like. Audio data may be stored in MPEG-1 Audio layer 3 format, in which raw PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) or first PCM data is sampled and quantized into digital data.

The processor unit 200 may read audio data stored in the memory unit 160. The processor unit 200 may perform processing for implementing the above-described various functions of the controller 180 in addition to reading the audio data. However, descriptions not directly related to embodiments of the present invention will be omitted.

The audio signal processor 300 may decode the audio data read by the processor 200 and then decode the audio data, convert the analog signal into an analog signal, and then output the amplified signal. The audio signal processor 300 may include a buffer 310, a digital signal processor 320 (hereinafter, referred to as a DSP), a digital analog converter 330, and an amplifier 340. Hereinafter, each detailed configuration of the audio signal processing unit 300 will be described.

The buffer unit 310 may serve to temporarily store audio data received from the processor unit 200. The DSP 320 may receive and decode audio data temporarily stored in the buffer 310. If the size of the audio data transferred to the buffer unit 310 is greater than the first reference value, the buffer unit 310 may inform the DSP 320 of this. In this case, the DSP 320 may transmit a sleep command (Sleep CMD) to the processor unit 200 to switch the processor unit 200 to a sleep mode. The first reference value may be set to a specific value or may be set to a maximum capacity of the buffer unit 310.

In addition, the buffer unit 310 may notify the DSP 320 when the size of the remaining audio data decreases below the second reference value by transmitting the audio data to the DSP 320. In response, the DSP 320 may transmit a wake up CMD to the processor 200 to switch the processor 200 from the sleep mode to the operation mode.

The digital analog converter 330 may convert the audio data decoded by the DSP 320 into an analog signal. The amplifier 340 may amplify and output the audio data converted into the analog signal by the digital analog converter 330 to a predetermined level.

3 is a flowchart of audio data processing according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Each part mentioned in the flowchart of FIG. 3 corresponds to each part in FIG.

The processor unit reads audio data from the memory unit (S101) and transmits it to the buffer unit (S102). The transmitted audio data is accumulated in the buffer unit. The magnitude | size of this accumulated audio data is compared with a 1st reference value (S103). When the size of the accumulated audio data becomes larger than the first reference value, the processor switches to the sleep mode (S104). Therefore, the processor unit no longer delivers audio data to the buffer unit. If the accumulated audio data size is smaller than the first reference value, the processor continuously transmits the audio data to the buffer unit.

Subsequently, the audio data of the buffer section is decoded in the DSP (S105). Therefore, the size of the audio data of the buffer unit becomes smaller and smaller, and the size of the remaining audio data of the buffer unit is compared with the second reference value (S106). As a result of the comparison, when the residual audio data of the buffer unit is larger than the second reference value, the decoded audio data is converted into an analog signal (S107) and then amplified and output (S108). If it is determined that the size of the remaining audio data of the buffer unit is smaller than the second reference value, the DSP switches the processor unit to the operation mode (S109).

4 is a state transition diagram showing an operating state of each unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, (a) of FIG. 4 shows a clock, (b) shows audio data transmission, and (c) shows an operating state of the processor unit. For convenience of explanation, it will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

The T1 section of FIG. 4 means that audio data is transmitted from the processor unit 200 shown in FIG. 2 to the buffer unit 310. As shown in FIG. 4C, the processor unit 200 generates a predetermined level of current. Will be consumed. If the size of the audio data transmitted from the processor unit 200 becomes larger than the first reference value, the processor unit 200 switches to the sleep mode. The T2 section indicates this. Since the processor unit 200 is in the sleep mode, the current consumed is minimized. Since the audio data of the buffer unit 310 is decoded and converted into an analog signal as described above with reference to FIG. 2, the amount thereof decreases gradually. If the amount becomes smaller than the second reference value, Since the audio data needs to be read more, the processor unit 200 switches to the operation mode (T3 section). Thereafter, the processor 200 repeats the above state until a command to stop playback of audio data is input or there is no audio data to be played.

5 is a graph showing a simulation result according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 5 shows a case where the sampling frequency is 44.1 KHz. In FIG. 5, the T1 section represents current consumption when the processor unit operates, and the T2 section represents current consumption in the sleep mode. Specifically, according to the simulation results, since the current consumption of about 100mA in the T1 section and 87mA in the T2 section, an average of 17mA current was consumed. Unlike the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in the prior art in which the processor unit operates in all sections processing audio data, a current of 100 mA is continuously consumed.

Therefore, the first embodiment of the present invention can greatly reduce power consumption by switching the processor unit to the sleep mode. In addition, since the decoding is performed by the audio signal processing unit rather than the processor unit, the processor unit may maximize the time T2 during the sleep mode and thus further reduce power consumption.

6 to 8, a mobile terminal and a control method thereof according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

6 is a detailed view of the controller 180 and the memory unit 161 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, the controller 180 may include a processor 400 and an audio signal processor 500.

The memory unit 161 stores audio data for reproduction of music and the like. In particular, in the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the memory unit 161 may directly transmit audio data to the audio signal processing unit 500. As an example for implementing this, a secure digital input / output (SDIO) interface may be provided in the memory unit 161. The SDIO basically issues a command synchronized by the synchronous clock, sends and receives data about it, and simultaneously receives and analyzes the response. Commands and responses are sent over the CMD line and data is sent over the DAT lines. Data uses a cyclic redundancy check (CRC).

The processor unit 400 may instruct the memory unit 161 to reproduce audio data. In the first embodiment described above, the processor 400 performs a function of reading audio data of the memory unit 161. In the second embodiment, the audio data is directly transferred from the memory unit 161 to the audio signal processor 500. To pass.

After receiving the audio data, the audio signal processor 500 may decode the audio data, convert the signal into an analog signal, and then amplify and output the analog signal. The audio signal processor 500 may include a buffer unit 510, a digital signal processor 520 and a DSP, a digital analog converter 530, and an amplifier 540. In addition, the audio signal processing unit 500 may receive audio data directly from the memory unit 161, which may be implemented by having an SDIO interface.

The buffer unit 510 may receive audio data from the memory unit 161 and temporarily store audio data. The DSP 520 may receive audio data temporarily stored in the buffer unit 510 and then decode the audio data. When the audio data starts to be transmitted to the buffer unit 510 in the memory unit 161, the DSP 520 switches the processor unit 400 to a sleep mode. If the size of the audio data transmitted to the buffer unit 510 is larger than the first reference value, the memory unit 161 may also switch to the sleep mode. The command to switch the memory unit 161 to the sleep mode may be transmitted through the CMD line of the SDIO interface. Subsequently, the decoded audio data may be converted into an analog signal by the digital analog converter 530, amplified to a predetermined level by the amplifier 540, and then output.

Meanwhile, the audio data of the buffer unit 510 is output through the DSP 520, the digital analog converter 530, and the amplifier 540, and the amount of residual data in the buffer unit 510 is gradually reduced. If the remaining amount of audio data of the buffer unit 510 becomes smaller than the second reference value, the DSP 520 may switch the memory unit 161 to the operation mode. In this case, a command for switching the memory unit 161 to the operation mode may be transmitted through the CMD line of the SDIO interface.

7 is a flowchart of audio data processing according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Each part mentioned in the flowchart of FIG. 7 corresponds to each part in FIG.

The processor unit issues an audio data reproduction command (S201). In this case, audio data is directly transferred from the memory unit to the buffer unit (S202). When the transfer of the audio data starts, the processor enters the sleep mode (S203). The buffer unit determines whether the size of the received audio data is larger than the first reference value (S204), and when satisfied, the memory unit switches to the sleep mode (S205).

Subsequently, the audio data transferred to the buffer unit is decoded (S206), and the residual audio data of the buffer unit is compared with the second reference value (S207). When the residual audio data of the buffer unit is larger than the second reference value, the decoded audio data is converted into an analog signal (S208) and amplified and output (S209). If the residual audio data of the buffer unit is smaller than the second reference value, the audio unit needs to be read more and the memory unit is switched to the operation mode (S210).

8 is a state transition diagram showing an operating state of each unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention. (A) of FIG. 8 shows a clock, (b) shows data transfer, (c) shows an operating state of a memory unit, and (d) shows an operating state of a processor unit.

As shown in Fig. 8C, the memory unit continuously changes states to the sleep modes T3 and T5 and the operation modes T2 and T4 while processing the audio data. When the data begins to be transmitted from the memory unit to the audio signal processor, the processor switches to the sleep mode and maintains the sleep mode until another command is issued.

Therefore, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the processor part maintains the sleep mode at most of the time (after T2) of processing the audio data, and the memory part also has the sleep mode intermittently, thus greatly reducing the power consumption. It can be effective.

Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the above-described method can be implemented as a code that can be read by a processor on a medium on which the program is recorded. Examples of the medium that can be read by the processor include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage, etc., and may be implemented in the form of a carrier wave (e.g., transmission over the Internet) .

The mobile terminal described above can be applied to not only the configuration and method of the embodiments described above but also all or some of the embodiments may be selectively combined so that various modifications may be made to the embodiments It is possible.

100: mobile terminal 180: control unit
160: memory unit 200: processor unit
300: audio signal processor

Claims (13)

A processor unit for reading audio data stored in the memory unit; And
An audio signal processor for receiving the audio data from the processor and decoding the audio data, converting the analog data into an analog signal, and outputting the analog signal;
And the audio signal processor converts the processor into a sleep mode when the size of the audio data transmitted from the memory unit is equal to or greater than a first reference value. The audio signal processor of claim 1, wherein the audio signal processor comprises:
And the processor unit switches to the operation mode when the size of the audio data decreases below the second reference value in the sleep mode. The method of claim 1,
The audio signal processor,
A buffer unit for receiving audio data from the memory unit;
A digital signal processor which decodes the audio data from the buffer unit;
A digital analog converter for converting the decoded audio data into an analog signal; And
An amplifier for amplifying the analog signal;
Mobile terminal comprising a. The method of claim 3,
The first reference value is the mobile terminal's maximum capacity. A processor unit reading audio data stored in a memory unit;
Transmitting the audio data to a buffer unit of an audio signal processor;
Switching the processor to a sleep mode when the size of the audio data transmitted to the buffer unit is equal to or greater than a first reference value preset;
Decoding audio data by the audio signal processor;
Converting the decoded audio data into an analog signal; And
Amplifying and outputting the analog signal;
Control method of a mobile terminal comprising a. The method of claim 1,
And after the processor switches to the sleep mode, when the remaining audio data of the buffer unit becomes lower than the second reference value, the processor switches to the operation mode. A processor unit for instructing reproduction of audio data;
A memory unit for storing the audio data; And
An audio signal processor for directly receiving and decoding the audio data from the memory unit, converting the audio data into an analog signal, and outputting the analog signal;
The audio signal processing unit switches the processor unit to a sleep mode when the audio data starts to be transmitted from the memory unit, and sleeps the memory unit when the size of the audio data transmitted from the memory unit is equal to or greater than a first predetermined reference value. Mobile terminal to switch to the mode. The method of claim 7, wherein the audio signal processor,
And when the size of the audio data decreases below the second reference value when the memory unit is in the sleep mode, converts the memory unit to the operation mode. The method of claim 7, wherein
The audio signal processor,
A buffer unit for receiving audio data from the memory unit;
A digital signal processor which decodes the audio data from the buffer unit;
A digital analog converter for converting the decoded audio data into an analog signal; And
An amplifier for amplifying the analog signal;
Mobile terminal comprising a. 10. The method of claim 9,
The first reference value is the mobile terminal's maximum capacity. The method of claim 7, wherein
The memory unit and the audio signal processing unit each comprises a secure digital input / output (SDIO) interface. Instructing the processor unit to reproduce audio data;
Reading out the audio data directly from a memory unit by a buffer unit of an audio signal processor;
Switching the processor unit to a sleep mode when the audio data starts to be transmitted to the buffer unit;
Switching the memory unit to a sleep mode when the size of the audio data transmitted to the buffer unit is equal to or larger than a first reference value preset;
Decoding audio data by the audio signal processor;
Converting the decoded audio data into an analog signal; And
Amplifying and outputting the analog signal;
Control method of a mobile terminal comprising a. The method of claim 12,
And when the remaining audio data of the buffer unit is lower than a second reference value after the memory unit enters the sleep mode, the memory unit switches to the operation mode.

Images