Wearable electronic device for outputting light changing brightness in designated pattern and operating method thereof

Abstract

A wearable electronic device according to an embodiment may comprise: a light output circuit including a plurality of optical elements; a signal generator configured to output a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal for controlling light output from the light output circuit; a processor; and a memory for storing instructions.

Description

Wearable electronic device for outputting light whose brightness changes in a specified pattern and method of operating the same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wearable electronic device that can be worn on a user's ear. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a wearable electronic device including a light-emitting module and a control method thereof. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a wearable electronic device that outputs light whose brightness changes in a specified pattern and a method for operating the same.

[0002] Advances in information and communication technology (ICT) and semiconductor technology are integrating diverse functions into a single portable electronic device (e.g., smartphones). For example, electronic devices can embody not only communication functions but also entertainment features like gaming, multimedia functions like music and video playback, communication and security functions for mobile banking, camera functions for capturing images and videos, calendar management, and electronic wallets. These electronic devices are becoming smaller and more portable for users, and the various functions they provide are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

[0003] The above information may be provided as background information to aid in understanding the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the above is applicable as prior art in connection with the present disclosure.

[0004] In one embodiment, a wearable electronic device may include a light output circuit including a plurality of light elements, a signal generator configured to output a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal for controlling light output from the light output circuit, a processor, and instructions in a memory. In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to, based on identifying a first event for the wearable electronic device, identify a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light output through the light output circuit in a specified pattern in response to the first event. In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to obtain a set of parameters related to the light output sequence stored in the memory based on the light output sequence. In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to provide the parameter set to the signal generator such that the signal generator sequentially outputs PWM signals that cause the light output circuit to change the brightness of the light in the designated pattern. In one embodiment, the instructions, as at least part of the operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator, may cause the wearable electronic device to provide a first parameter of the parameter set to the signal generator such that the signal generator outputs light of a first brightness during a first period of the light output sequence.In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor as at least part of an operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator, may cause the wearable electronic device to output light of the first brightness through the plurality of optical elements based on the signal generator providing a first PWM signal having a first duty ratio corresponding to the first parameter to the light output circuit during the first period. In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor as at least part of an operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator, may cause the wearable electronic device to control the processor to a sleep state after providing the first parameter to the light output circuit.

[0005] In one embodiment, a method of operating a wearable electronic device may include an operation of identifying a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light output through the light output circuit corresponding to the first event in a designated pattern based on identifying a first event for the wearable electronic device. In one embodiment, the method of operating the wearable electronic device may include an operation of acquiring a parameter set related to the light output sequence stored in the wearable electronic device based on the light output sequence. In one embodiment, the method of operating the wearable electronic device may include an operation of providing the parameter set to a signal generator such that the signal generator sequentially outputs PWM signals that cause the light output circuit to change the brightness of the light in the designated pattern. In one embodiment, the operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator may include an operation of providing a first parameter of the parameter set to a signal generator included in the wearable electronic device such that light of a first brightness is output during a first period of the light output sequence. In one embodiment, the operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator may include an operation of outputting light of the first brightness through a plurality of optical elements included in the optical output circuit based on the signal generator providing a first PWM signal having a first duty ratio corresponding to the first parameter during the first period to the optical output circuit included in the wearable electronic device. In one embodiment, the operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator may include an operation of controlling a processor included in the wearable electronic device to a sleep state after providing the first parameter to the optical output circuit.

[0006] According to one embodiment, a wearable electronic device may include a housing including a body and a stem extending from the body in a first direction; a carrier disposed within the stem; and a light-emitting module mounted on the carrier. The light-emitting module may include a circuit board; a plurality of optical elements aligned in a direction parallel to the first direction on the circuit board; and a resistance element aligned with the plurality of optical elements along the first direction on the circuit board. The light-emitting module may be configured to emit light outside the housing through at least a portion of an edge portion of the housing.

[0007] In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause a wearable electronic device to, based on identifying a first event for the wearable electronic device, identify a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light output through the light output circuit corresponding to the first event in a designated pattern, and, based on the light output sequence, obtain a parameter set related to the light output sequence stored in the wearable electronic device, and in one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the wearable electronic device to provide the parameter set to a signal generator such that the signal generator sequentially outputs PWM signals that cause the light output circuit to change the brightness of the light in the designated pattern. In one embodiment, the instructions may include providing a first parameter of the parameter set to a signal generator included in the wearable electronic device to output light of a first brightness during a first period of the light output sequence, and outputting light of the first brightness through a plurality of optical elements included in the light output circuit based on the signal generator providing a first PWM signal having a first duty ratio corresponding to the first parameter during the first period to a light output circuit included in the wearable electronic device, as at least part of an operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator, and controlling a processor included in the wearable electronic device to a sleep state after providing the first parameter to the light output circuit.

[0008] The above-described aspects or other aspects, configurations and / or advantages of one embodiment of the present disclosure may be further clarified by the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device within a network environment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an audio module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0011] FIG. 3A is a front view of a wearable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 3b is a rear view of a wearable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a housing of a wearable electronic device and a component disposed inside the housing separated from each other according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing the inside of a housing of a wearable electronic device with components arranged therein, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 5b is a perspective view showing a carrier, a light emitting module, and a circuit board according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 5c is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of a housing of a wearable electronic device with components arranged therein according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a light emitting module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a light emitting module according to one embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a light-emitting module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a state before a light-emitting module is mounted on a cradle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a light-emitting module is mounted on a cradle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a wearable electronic device, according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a wearable electronic device, according to one embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining a method of controlling the brightness of light output from a plurality of optical elements by adjusting the duty ratio of a PWM signal, according to one embodiment.

[0026] FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining a method of controlling the brightness of light output from a plurality of optical elements by adjusting the duty ratio of a PWM signal, according to one embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a method for controlling the brightness of light output from a plurality of optical elements based on parameters, according to one embodiment.

[0028] FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a method by which a processor provides a parameter set of an optical output sequence to a signal generator, according to one embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating, according to one embodiment, how a signal generator provides a PWM signal to an optical output circuit.

[0030] FIG. 19A is a diagram illustrating a light output sequence for changing the brightness of light output by a wearable electronic device, according to one embodiment.

[0031] FIG. 19b is a diagram illustrating a light output sequence for changing the brightness of light output by a wearable electronic device, according to one embodiment.

[0032] Throughout the attached drawings, similar reference numbers may be assigned to similar parts, components and / or structures.

[0033] The following description of the accompanying drawings may provide an understanding of various exemplary implementations of the present disclosure, including the claims and their equivalents. While the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the following description include numerous specific details to aid understanding, they are to be considered as one example of various exemplary embodiments. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations of the various implementations described in this disclosure may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0034] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to their reference meanings and can be used to clearly and consistently describe one embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various implementations of the disclosure is provided for illustrative purposes, not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the disclosure and its equivalents.

[0035] Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the singular forms of "a," "an," and "the" should be understood to include plural meanings. Thus, for example, "a component surface" could be understood to include one or more of the surfaces of the component.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to various embodiments.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 1, in a network environment (100), an electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with at least one of an electronic device (104) or a server (108) via a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) via the server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), a memory (130), an input module (150), an audio output module (155), a display module (160), an audio module (170), a sensor module (176), an interface (177), a connection terminal (178), a haptic module (179), a camera module (180), a power management module (188), a battery (189), a communication module (190), a subscriber identification module (196), or an antenna module (197). In some embodiments, the electronic device (101) may omit at least one of these components (e.g., the connection terminal (178)), or may have one or more other components added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., the sensor module (176), the camera module (180), or the antenna module (197)) may be integrated into one component (e.g., the display module (160)).

[0038] The processor (120) may, for example, execute software (e.g., a program (140)) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) and perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least a part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) may store commands or data received from other components (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in a volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory (132), and store result data in a non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor) that can operate independently or together with the main processor (121). For example, when the electronic device (101) includes the main processor (121) and the auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a given function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as a part thereof.

[0039] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least a portion of functions or states associated with at least one component (e.g., a display module (160), a sensor module (176), or a communication module (190)) of the electronic device (101), for example, on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as a part of another functionally related component (e.g., a camera module (180) or a communication module (190)). In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. The artificial intelligence models may be generated through machine learning. This learning can be performed, for example, on the electronic device (101) itself where the artificial intelligence model is executed, or can be performed through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm can include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model can include multiple artificial neural network layers.The artificial neural network may be one of a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to, or alternatively to, a hardware structure, an artificial intelligence model may include a software structure.

[0040] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)) of the electronic device (101). The data can include, for example, software (e.g., program (140)) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory (130) can include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0041] The program (140) may be stored as software in the memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0042] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a processor (120)) from an external source (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The input module (150) can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0043] The audio output module (155) can output audio signals to the outside of the electronic device (101). The audio output module (155) can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. In one embodiment, the receiver can be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

[0044] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external party (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch.

[0045] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150), output sound through the sound output module (155), or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphone) directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device (101).

[0046] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating status (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device (101) or the external environmental status (e.g., user status) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected status. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) can include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0047] The interface (177) may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device (101) with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102)). In one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

[0048] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal (178) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0049] The haptic module (179) can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimuli that a user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic sensations. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0050] The camera module (180) can capture still images and videos. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0051] The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0052] A battery (189) may power at least one component of the electronic device (101). In one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0053] The communication module (190) may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102), electronic device (104), or server (108)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may operate independently from the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) may include a wireless communication module (192) (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module, or a power line communication module). Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module can communicate with an external electronic device (104) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules can be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can verify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) by using subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0054] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following the 4G network, such as NR access technology (new radio access technology). The NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications)). The wireless communication module (192) can support, for example, a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in a high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module (192) can support various requirements specified in the electronic device (101), an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (104)), or a network system (e.g., the second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) can support a peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for eMBB realization, a loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC realization, or a U-plane latency (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or 1 ms or less for round trip) for URLLC realization.

[0055] The antenna module (197) can transmit or receive signals or power to or from an external device (e.g., an external electronic device). In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as the first network (198) or the second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by the communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device via the selected at least one antenna. In some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module (197).

[0056] According to various embodiments, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. In one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent a first side (e.g., a bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high-frequency band (e.g., a mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna) disposed on or adjacent a second side (e.g., a top side or a side side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high-frequency band.

[0057] At least some of the above components can be interconnected and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., a bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)).

[0058] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) via a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102 or 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations executed in the electronic device (101) may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, when the electronic device (101) is to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may, instead of or in addition to executing the function or service itself, request one or more external electronic devices to perform the function or at least a part of the service. One or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute at least a portion of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least a portion of a response to the request. For this purpose, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used, for example. The electronic device (101) may provide an ultra-low latency service by using distributed computing or mobile edge computing, for example. In another embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server utilizing machine learning and / or a neural network. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included in the second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0059] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an audio module (170) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the audio module (170) may include, for example, an audio input interface (210), an audio input mixer (220), an analog to digital converter (ADC) (230), an audio signal processor (240), a digital to analog converter (DAC) (250), an audio output mixer (260), or an audio output interface (270).

[0060] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the audio input interface (210) may receive an audio signal corresponding to a sound acquired from the outside of the electronic device (101) as part of the input module (150) or through a microphone (e.g., a dynamic microphone, a condenser microphone, or a piezo microphone) configured separately from the electronic device (101). For example, when the audio signal is acquired from an external electronic device (102) (e.g., a headset or a microphone), the audio input interface (210) may be directly connected to the external electronic device (102) through a connection terminal (178) or wirelessly (e.g., Bluetooth communication) through a wireless communication module (192) to receive the audio signal. According to one embodiment, the audio input interface (210) may receive a control signal (e.g., a volume control signal received through an input button) related to the audio signal acquired from the external electronic device (102). The audio input interface (210) includes a plurality of audio input channels and can receive different audio signals for each corresponding audio input channel among the plurality of audio input channels. According to one embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the audio input interface (210) can receive audio signals from other components of the electronic device (101), such as the processor (120) or the memory (130).

[0061] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the audio input mixer (220) can synthesize a plurality of input audio signals into at least one audio signal. For example, according to one embodiment, the audio input mixer (220) can synthesize a plurality of analog audio signals input through the audio input interface (210) into at least one analog audio signal.

[0062] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the ADC (230) can convert an analog audio signal into a digital audio signal. For example, according to one embodiment, the ADC (230) can convert an analog audio signal received through an audio input interface (210) or, additionally or alternatively, an analog audio signal synthesized through an audio input mixer (220) into a digital audio signal.

[0063] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the audio signal processor (240) may perform various processing on a digital audio signal input through the ADC (230) or a digital audio signal received from another component of the electronic device (101). For example, according to one embodiment, the audio signal processor (240) may change a sampling rate, apply one or more filters, perform interpolation processing, amplify or attenuate all or part of a frequency band, process noise (e.g., noise or echo reduction), change a channel (e.g., switching between mono and stereo), mix, or extract a specified signal on one or more digital audio signals. According to one embodiment, one or more functions of the audio signal processor (240) may be implemented in the form of an equalizer.

[0064] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the DAC (250) can convert a digital audio signal into an analog audio signal. For example, according to one embodiment, the DAC (250) can convert a digital audio signal processed by an audio signal processor (240) or a digital audio signal obtained from another component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a processor (120) or a memory (130)) into an analog audio signal.

[0065] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the audio output mixer (260) can synthesize a plurality of audio signals to be output into at least one audio signal. For example, according to one embodiment, the audio output mixer (260) can synthesize an audio signal converted into analog through the DAC (250) and another analog audio signal (e.g., an analog audio signal received through the audio input interface (210)) into at least one analog audio signal.

[0066] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the audio output interface (270) can output an analog audio signal converted by the DAC (250), or additionally or alternatively, an analog audio signal synthesized by the audio output mixer (260), to the outside of the electronic device (101) through the audio output module (155). The audio output module (155) can include, for example, a speaker, such as a dynamic driver or a balanced armature driver, or a receiver. According to one embodiment, the audio output module (155) can include a plurality of speakers. In this case, the audio output interface (270) can output an audio signal having a plurality of different channels (e.g., stereo or 5.1 channels) through at least some of the plurality of speakers. According to one embodiment, the audio output interface (270) can output an audio signal by being connected directly to an external electronic device (102) (e.g., an external speaker or headset) through a connection terminal (178) or wirelessly through a wireless communication module (192).

[0067] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the audio module (170) can generate at least one digital audio signal by synthesizing a plurality of digital audio signals using at least one function of the audio signal processor (240) without separately having an audio input mixer (220) or an audio output mixer (260).

[0068] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the audio module (170) may include an audio amplifier (not shown) (e.g., a speaker amplifier circuit) capable of amplifying an analog audio signal input through an audio input interface (210) or an audio signal to be output through an audio output interface (270). According to one embodiment, the audio amplifier may be configured as a separate module from the audio module (170).

[0069] The description of the electronic device (101) described with reference to FIG. 1 above and the description of the audio module (170) described with reference to FIG. 2 can be substantially equally applied to the wearable electronic device (300) described with reference to FIGS. 3A to 19B to the extent that they are not arranged with each other. Hereinafter, a wearable electronic device (300) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A to 19B.

[0070] FIG. 3A is a front view of a wearable electronic device (300) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3B is a rear view of a wearable electronic device (300) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. It will be understood that the front and rear views are merely examples, and that directionality, such as forward and backward, is merely for the purpose of facilitating the description of the present disclosure.

[0071] In describing the drawings and embodiments thereof below, including FIGS. 3A and 3B, reference may be made to an orthogonal coordinate system including an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis. For example, the height direction of the wearable electronic device (300) may be understood as being parallel to the Z-axis (e.g., +Z-axis and / or -Z-axis) of the orthogonal coordinate system. According to one embodiment, the extension direction of the stem (303) of the wearable electronic device (300) or the longitudinal direction of the stem (303) may be defined and / or referred to as a 'first direction (①)'. In addition, the 'first direction (①)' may be understood as being parallel to the Z-axis of the orthogonal coordinate system.

[0072] A wearable electronic device (300) can be connected to an electronic device (e.g., 102 of FIG. 1) wired or wirelessly. In this case, the wearable electronic device (300) can, in a relationship with the electronic device (e.g., 102 of FIG. 1), function as an audio output interface (or an audio output module (e.g., 155 of FIG. 1)) that outputs an audio signal generated in the electronic device (e.g., 102 of FIG. 1) to the outside. Additionally or alternatively, the wearable electronic device (300) disclosed in the present document can also function as an audio input interface (or an input module (e.g., 150 of FIG. 1)) for receiving an audio signal corresponding to a sound acquired from the outside of the electronic device (e.g., 102 of FIG. 1). Hereinafter, an example in which the wearable electronic device (300) is provided separately from the electronic device (e.g., 102 of FIG. 1) will be described. Accordingly, in the following embodiments, the electronic device (e.g., 102 in FIG. 1) may be referred to as an 'external electronic device (e.g., 102 in FIG. 1)' in the sense that it may be provided separately from the wearable electronic device (300).

[0073] The wearable electronic device (300) may include an earphone, an earset, an in-ear earset, or earbuds that can be worn on the user's ears (E).

[0074] A wearable electronic device (300) may include a housing (301) forming an exterior. The housing (301) may form a space for mounting various components therein. For example, audio components and electronic components may be arranged inside the housing (301). The audio components may include, for example, an input module (150 of FIG. 1) (e.g., a microphone) and an audio output module (155 of FIG. 1) (e.g., a speaker). The electronic components may include, for example, a battery, a power management module, and a wireless communication module.

[0075] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B , a housing (301) of a wearable electronic device (300) may include a body (302) and a stem (303). The stem (303) may be a portion extending from the body (302). An audio output module (155 of FIG. 1 ) (e.g., a speaker) may be disposed on the body (302). A circuit board (e.g., 320 of FIG. 5 , which will be described later), to which electronic components (e.g., a speaker, a battery, and / or a microphone) included in the wearable electronic device (300) are connected, may be disposed on the stem (303). As an example, the body (302) may have a bean shape. The stem (303) may extend straight in one direction (①) from the body (302). The body (302) and the stem (303) can be mounted on the conchae of the ear when the user wears the wearable electronic device (300). The housing (301) can have a shape that takes ergonomic factors into consideration. FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an open-type housing (301) mounted on the auricle as the wearable electronic device (300), but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, unlike FIGS. 3A and 3B, a canal-type housing mounted on the external auditory canal extending from the auricle to the eardrum may also be applied. A wearable electronic device (300) to which a canal-type housing is applied is disclosed in the embodiments of FIGS. 10 and 11 below.

[0076] Sound output from the sound output module (155 in FIG. 1) (e.g., a speaker) may be radiated to the outside of the wearable electronic device (300) through the internal space of the housing (301), a conduit component arranged inside the housing (301), and / or the first opening (304) (e.g., a sound grill). The first opening (304) (e.g., a sound grill) may be arranged at a portion of the body (302) of the wearable electronic device (300).

[0077] The housing (301) may further include a second opening (305). The second opening (305), for example, may be positioned in another part of the body (302) of the wearable electronic device (300), as a microphone grill. Sound from outside the wearable electronic device (300) may be introduced into the housing (301) through the second opening (305) and input to an input module (150 of FIG. 1) (e.g., a microphone).

[0078] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (300) may include a charging terminal (306). The charging terminal (306) may be electrically connected to an external power source (e.g., a power source of a cradle) to provide a path connecting the external power source and a battery (189 of FIG. 1) disposed within the wearable electronic device (300). The battery (189 of FIG. 1) may be charged through the charging terminal (306).

[0079] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a wearable electronic device (300) may include an edge part (307) formed in a portion of a housing (301). According to one embodiment, the edge part (307) may be formed on one edge of a stem (303) of the housing (301) as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B . For example, the stem (303) of the housing (301) may include a plurality of side walls facing a plurality of directions, and the edge part (307) may be positioned between two adjacent side walls among the plurality of side walls. According to one embodiment, the edge part (307) and the plurality of side walls of the stem (303) may be seamlessly connected to each other.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the edge portion (307) may be positioned at a position facing approximately the opposite direction from the ear when the user wears the wearable electronic device (300) on the ear. According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the edge portion (307) may provide an effect of projecting light emitted from inside the housing (301) to convey visual information to the user, as indicated by the shaded area in FIG. 4, for example. For example, the visual information may refer to various pieces of information, such as information on the charging status of the wearable electronic device (300), playback information of the wearable electronic device (300), information on the location of the wearable electronic device (300), pairing information with an external electronic device, and / or information on the volume of sound output by the wearable electronic device (300). Various other embodiments are possible. When a user wears a wearable electronic device (300) on his / her ear, the visibility of visual information provided from the outside through the edge portion (307) can be increased by positioning the edge portion (307) in a position facing approximately opposite to the ear.

[0081] According to one embodiment, although not shown in the drawing, the wearable electronic device (300) may be configured to include a touch panel so as to detect a user's touch input through the touch panel.

[0082] By including a light-emitting module (310, described later in FIG. 4) (e.g., LED module) inside the housing (301), visual information can be provided through the edge portion (307).

[0083] According to one embodiment, the edge portion (307) may include a first portion (307a) and a second portion (307b). The first portion (307a) may include a material that allows light emitted from the light-emitting module to pass through, for example, a substantially transparent and / or translucent material. For example, the first portion (307a) may be formed of a glass plate. Alternatively, the second portion (307b) may include a material that does not allow light emitted from the light-emitting module to pass through, for example, a substantially opaque material. Alternatively, the second portion (307b) may also be formed integrally with the first portion (307a), for example, formed of a glass plate, but, unlike the first portion (307a), may be coated with a film that does not allow light to pass through and / or may be formed substantially opaque by laminating a film that does not allow light to pass through.

[0084] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a housing of a wearable electronic device and components arranged inside the housing, separated from each other, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5a is a perspective view illustrating the inside of a housing of a wearable electronic device, with components arranged inside the housing, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5b is a perspective view illustrating a carrier, a light-emitting module, and a circuit board, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5c is a cross-sectional view illustrating the inside of a housing of a wearable electronic device, with components arranged inside the housing, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0085] FIG. 5A may illustrate the internal appearance of a stem (303) portion of a wearable electronic device (300). FIG. 5B may illustrate an assembled appearance of a light-emitting module (310), a circuit board (311), and a carrier arranged inside the stem (303). FIG. 5C may illustrate a cross-section of a portion of the stem (303) taken in a direction perpendicular to the stem length direction.

[0086] Referring to FIGS. 4 to 5C, the wearable electronic device (300) may include a carrier (320) disposed inside the stem (303). The carrier (320) may extend along the longitudinal direction (①) of the stem (303). According to one embodiment, the carrier (320) may be configured as a frame and / or bracket for supporting components disposed inside the stem (303), for example, a circuit board (311) and / or an antenna component (330) (e.g., a conductive pattern). According to one embodiment, the carrier (320) may be formed of a non-conductive material (e.g., an epoxy resin).

[0087] The wearable electronic device (300) of the present disclosure may include a light-emitting module (310). According to one embodiment, the light-emitting module (310) may include an LED module and may be provided to output visual information to the outside of the wearable electronic device (300). When executed by a processor, the light-emitting module (310) may output visual information according to instructions stored in a memory included in the wearable electronic device (300).

[0088] The light emitting module (310) may be positioned at a position corresponding to the first portion (307a) of the edge portion (307) of the housing (301). According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (300) may further include a mounting bracket (321) for providing a mounting surface (322) for mounting the light emitting module (310) inside the housing. According to one embodiment, the mounting bracket (321) may be a component formed integrally with the carrier (320).

[0089] The wearable electronic device (300) may include a circuit board (311). According to one embodiment, the circuit board (311) may be a flexible circuit board. Components for operation and control of the wearable electronic device (300) (e.g., components such as a communication module (190), a power management module (188), and a processor (120) of FIG. 1) may be disposed on the circuit board (311). According to one embodiment, the circuit board (311) may be provided for electrical connection between certain components and other components. For example, the circuit board (311) may electrically connect a light-emitting module (310) mounted on one side of a carrier (320) and an electronic component (e.g., a processor (120 of FIG. 1)) disposed on the other side of the carrier (320).

[0090] Referring to FIG. 5a, the circuit board (311) can be connected to two external terminals (318a, 318b). The two external terminals (318a, 318b) can include an anode (318a) terminal and a cathode (318b) terminal. According to one embodiment, a voltage (e.g., 2.6 V to 2.7 V) higher than the LED chip Vf (forward voltage) voltage of the light-emitting module (310) can be applied to the anode (318a) terminal, and a port (e.g., GPIO port) of a processor (e.g., MCU (Micro Controller Unit)) can be connected to the cathode (318b) terminal to enable pulse width modulation (PWM).

[0091] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (300) may include a conductive pattern (330) formed on the outer surface of the carrier (320). As an example, the conductive pattern (330) may be formed on the outer surface of the carrier (320) using a laser direct structuring (LDS) method. The conductive pattern (330) may be used as an antenna to communicate with an external electronic device (e.g., 102 of FIG. 1).

[0092] Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a light-emitting module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0093] The light emitting module (310) may include a circuit board (311) and a plurality of LED chips arranged on the circuit board (311). According to one embodiment, the circuit board may be a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

[0094] According to one embodiment, the light emitting module (310) may include an LED module composed of a plurality of optical elements (e.g., mini LED chips) (312). The plurality of optical elements (312) may be spaced apart from each other and disposed on a circuit board (311). According to one embodiment, a resistor (313) may be additionally disposed on the circuit board (311). For example, the resistor (313) may be disposed at a position adjacent to an LED chip located last among the plurality of optical elements (312) disposed on the circuit board (311). Referring to FIG. 6, according to one embodiment, the resistor (313) may be aligned in a row with the plurality of optical elements (312).

[0095] According to one embodiment, the light emitting module (310) may further include a diffusion layer (314) for diffusing light emitted from the plurality of optical elements (312). For example, the diffusion layer (314) may include a diffusion sheet, a diffusion tape, or a diffusion film. The plurality of optical elements (312) are arranged discontinuously but evenly spaced apart from adjacent chips on the circuit board (311). Despite the discontinuous arrangement of the plurality of optical elements (312), when viewed from the outside of the wearable electronic device (300), the light emitted from the light emitting module (310) may be perceived as being continuously emitted, i.e., as having a surface emission form, due to the diffusion layer (314).

[0096] According to one embodiment, a circuit board (311) on which the plurality of optical elements (312), resistance elements (313), and diffusion layers (314) are arranged may be arranged on one surface of a mounting bracket (321) arranged inside a housing (301) of a wearable electronic device (300). For more secure mounting, an adhesive layer (315) may be arranged on the back surface of the circuit board (311) to bond the circuit board (311) and the mounting bracket (321).

[0097] According to one embodiment, the light-emitting module (310) may include a fluorescent material (316). For example, the fluorescent material (316) may be filled in the space between the circuit board (311) and the diffusion layer (314) of the light-emitting module (310). For example, when the plurality of optical elements (312) are LED chips that emit blue light and the fluorescent material (316) is of a yellow series, when the LED chip emits light, the color recognized from the outside of the wearable electronic device (300) may be white.

[0098] The light-emitting module (310) of the present disclosure may include a yellow fluorescent material (316) to emit a white color, and may include a sealing structure (317) to preserve the fluorescent material (316). The sealing structure (317) is configured to function as a kind of dam, and may prevent the fluorescent material (316) from leaking out of the sealing structure (317). According to one embodiment, the diffusion layer (314) may be configured to be laminated on the sealing structure (317) to surround a space inside the light-emitting module (310) filled with the fluorescent material (316).

[0099] Referring to FIG. 7, the resistance element (313) may be arranged in a row with a plurality of optical elements (312) that are arranged in a row. According to one embodiment, the resistance element (313) may be arranged between the plurality of optical elements (312) and the sealing structure (317). According to one embodiment, the vicinity of the resistance element (313) may also be filled with a fluorescent material (316). The light near the resistance element (313) may be relatively darker than the light near the plurality of optical elements (312). In this way, the light emitting module (310) may implement a gradient effect by utilizing the fact that the vicinity of the resistance element (313) is darker than the vicinity of the plurality of optical elements (312).

[0100] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a light-emitting module according to one embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a light-emitting module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0101] In the components of the light-emitting module (310), a method for providing white light may include using LED chips (312a, 312b, 312c) of the R (red) / G (green) / B (blue) series as shown in FIG. 8. In contrast, in the present disclosure, rather than utilizing all of the R / G / B series LED chips as components of the light-emitting module (310), a blue series LED chip (312) and a yellow series fluorescent material (316) are used as shown in FIG. 9, thereby allowing the light-emitting module (310) to emit white light.

[0102] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a state before a wearable electronic device is mounted on a cradle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a state after a wearable electronic device is mounted on a cradle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 11, even when the wearable electronic device is mounted on the cradle, at least a portion of the first portion (307a) of the edge portion may be exposed to the outside.

[0103] The cradle (400) may be a charging case for charging the battery of a wearable electronic device (300). The cradle (400) includes a cradle body (401) and a cradle cover (402), wherein the cradle cover (402) may be rotatably coupled with respect to the cradle body (401). Referring to FIG. 10, when the cradle cover (402) is open with respect to the cradle body (401), the wearable electronic device (300) may be inserted into the internal space (403) of the cradle. The embodiments of FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate a pair of wearable electronic devices (300a, 300b), but are not necessarily limited thereto, and the above-described embodiments and the embodiments to be described below may be equally applied to an embodiment in which either of the pair of wearable electronic devices (300a, 300b) is inserted into a cradle (400). Even when the wearable electronic device (300) is inserted and / or seated in the internal space (403) of the cradle, a part of the edge portion (307), particularly a first portion (307a) positioned corresponding to the light-emitting module, may be exposed to the outside so as to be visible to the outside.

[0104] The wearable electronic device (300) of the present disclosure includes an edge portion (307) and can provide visual information with light emitted from a light emitting module (310) through the edge portion (307). Even when the wearable electronic device (300) of the present disclosure is mounted on a cradle (400) as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 , the wearable electronic device (300) of the present disclosure can provide visual information including various pieces of information, such as information on a charging state of the wearable electronic device (300), playback information of the wearable electronic device (300), information on a location of the wearable electronic device (300), pairing information with an external electronic device, and / or information on the volume of sound output from the wearable electronic device (300).

[0105] According to one embodiment, the cradle cover (402) of the cradle (400) may be formed of a transparent or translucent material so that the interior of the cradle (400) can be seen even when the cradle cover (402) is closed. Accordingly, even if a wearable electronic device (300) is inserted into the internal space (403) of the cradle (400), it may be possible to display status information of the wearable electronic device (300) and / or the cradle (400) by utilizing a light-emitting module (310) that emits light through the edge portion (307).

[0106] According to one embodiment, within the cradle (400), signals can be transmitted between the wearable electronic device (300) through PLC (power line communication) communication via the charging terminal and contact points. For example, when the charging status of the wearable electronic device (300), the charging status of the cradle (400), the battery status of the wearable electronic device (300), the find function of the wearable electronic device is executed, and / or when a pairing attempt such as Bluetooth (BT) is attempted with a terminal within the cradle (400), visual information can be displayed through changes in the brightness of light emission and / or blinking through the edge portion (307) of the wearable electronic device (300). According to one embodiment, since changes in the brightness of light emission and / or blinking through the edge portion (307) are possible, the removal of the LED for indicating the charging status mounted on the cradle (400) can also be possible.

[0107] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a wearable electronic device, according to one embodiment.

[0108] The description of the wearable electronic device (300) described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11 can be equally applied to the wearable electronic device (1201) of the same name illustrated in the drawings of FIG. 12 and below.

[0109] Referring to FIG. 12, according to one embodiment, a wearable electronic device (1201) may include a processor (1220), a memory (1230), a signal generator (1240), an optical output circuit (1250), and a timer (1270). For example, the wearable electronic device (1201) may be implemented in a manner identical to or similar to the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 and the wearable electronic device (300) of FIG. 3.

[0110] According to one embodiment, the processor (1220) can control the overall operation of the wearable electronic device (1201). The processor (1220) can be implemented in the same or similar manner as the processor (120) of FIG. 1.

[0111] According to one embodiment, the processor (1220) may control the light output circuit (1250) to output light whose brightness changes in a specified pattern through a plurality of light elements (1260) included in the light output circuit (1250). For example, the processor (1220) may control the signal generator (1240) to provide a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to the light output circuit (1250). For example, the processor (1220) may provide the signal generator (1240) with PWM signal pattern information for causing the light output circuit (1250) to output light of a specified pattern (e.g., a light output pattern having a specified brightness change). At this time, based on the signal generator (1240) providing various PWM signals corresponding to the PWM signal pattern information to the light output circuit (1250), the brightness of the light output through the plurality of light elements (1260) may change according to the specified pattern. For example, the PWM signal pattern information may include information for generating or outputting PMW signals that cause the signal generator (1240) to output lights having a specified brightness change (or a specified brightness change pattern) for a specified period of time through the light output circuit (1250). For example, the PWM signal pattern information (e.g., information on a parameter set corresponding to a corresponding light output sequence) may be stored in the memory (1230). In addition, when the PWM signal pattern information provided by the processor (1220) is output to the signal generator (1240), the PWM signal pattern information may be stored in a buffer (not shown) for the signal generator (1240). For example, the buffer may be provided between the processor (1220) and the signal generator (1240). Thereafter, the signal generator (1240) may sequentially output various types of PMW signals to the light output circuit (1250) based on the PWM signal pattern information stored in the corresponding buffer.

[0112] According to one embodiment, the processor (1220) may identify a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light output through a plurality of light elements (1260) in a specified pattern. For example, the light output sequence may represent a series of operations that output light while changing the brightness of light in a specified pattern for a specified period of time when the wearable electronic device (1201) performs a specific function or a specific event of the wearable electronic device (1201) occurs. For example, the specific function may include a Bluetooth pairing function, a search function, or a function specified by a user. For example, the specific event may include a situation in which the wearable electronic device (1201) is connected to an external electronic device (e.g., a smartphone), a situation in which the wearable electronic device (1201) is mounted on a cradle or a situation in which the cover of the cradle is closed after being mounted on the cradle, or an event specified by a user. For example, a specified time for outputting light may include the time from the start of a specific function to the end of a specific function, the time from the occurrence of a specific event to a specific time, or a time specified by a user.

[0113] According to one embodiment, the processor (1220) may acquire or verify a parameter set corresponding to the light output sequence stored in the memory (1230) based on the light output sequence. The processor (1220) may acquire the parameter set corresponding to the light output sequence from the memory (1230). Thereafter, the processor (1220) may cause the signal generator (1240) to sequentially output a series of PWM signals corresponding to the parameter set to the light output circuit (1250) based on providing or transmitting the parameter set to the signal generator (1240). For example, the light output sequence may actually represent a change in brightness of a series of lights output or expressed through a plurality of light elements (1260) (e.g., LEDs). For example, the parameter set may represent values ​​for setting the signal generator (1240) to output or express the corresponding light output sequence. The signal generator (1240) can sequentially output PMW signals for expressing changes in the brightness of a series of lights based on a corresponding parameter set. For example, the memory (1230) can store a plurality of parameter sets corresponding to a plurality of light output sequences. The light output sequence can include a series of operations in which the brightness of the light changes in a specified pattern. For example, the light output sequence can include at least one of an operation in which the brightness of the light fades in, fades out, blinks, or maintains brightness for a specified period of time.

[0114] According to one embodiment, the parameter set may include a plurality of parameters for generating a PWM signal for controlling the brightness of light output from a plurality of optical elements (1260) for a specified period of time. For example, each of the plurality of parameters may include a value related to a corresponding brightness. For example, the value may be a value for determining a duty ratio of a PWM signal output at a specified time interval. For example, the brightness of light output from the plurality of optical elements (1260) in a specific time interval may be proportional to the duty ratio of the PWM signal applied to the plurality of optical elements (1260) in the specific time interval.

[0115] According to one embodiment, the processor (1220) may provide (or output) a corresponding parameter among a set of parameters to a signal generator (1240) so as to output light of a corresponding brightness during a specific period of a light output sequence. The signal generator (1240) may generate a PWM signal having a duty ratio corresponding to the corresponding parameter during the specific period, and provide (or output) the generated PWM signal to the light output circuit (1250). Accordingly, a plurality of light elements (1260) included in the light output circuit (1250) may output light of a corresponding brightness during the specific period.

[0116] According to one embodiment, the processor (1220) may be switched to a sleep state after providing the corresponding parameters to the optical output circuit (1250). For example, the processor (1220) may be controlled to a sleep state for a period of time corresponding to a specific cycle. Alternatively, the processor (1220) may perform another task unrelated to the PWM signal for a period of time corresponding to the specific cycle.

[0117] According to the method described above, the processor (1220) may not be operated in an active state throughout the specific cycle in order to control the operation of outputting light during the specific cycle. Through this, the processor (1220) according to one embodiment may reduce the power consumed by the processor (1220) compared to existing processors.

[0118] According to one embodiment, the processor (1220) may provide (or output) a first parameter of a set of parameters to the signal generator (1240) to output light of a first brightness during a first period of a light output sequence. For example, the processor (1220) may provide the first parameter to the signal generator (1240) at the start of the first period or immediately before the start of the first period. After providing the first parameter, the processor (1220) may transition to a sleep state. The signal generator (1240) may provide (or output) a first PWM signal having a first duty ratio corresponding to the first parameter to the light output circuit (1250) during the first period. A plurality of light elements (1260) included in the light output circuit (1250) may output light of a first brightness during the first period.

[0119] According to one embodiment, the processor (1220) may provide (or output) a second parameter of the parameter set to the signal generator (1240) to output light of a second brightness during a second period following the first period of the light output sequence. To this end, the processor (1220) may wake up at the start of the second period or immediately before the start of the second period (e.g., at the end of the first period). For example, the processor (1220) may wake up in response to an interrupt generated by the timer (1270). As the processor (1220) wakes up, the processor (1220) may transition to an active state. For example, the processor (1220) may provide the second parameter to the signal generator (1240) at the start of the second period or immediately before the start of the second period (e.g., at the end of the first period). The processor (1220) may switch back to a sleep state after providing the second parameter. The signal generator (1240) may provide (or output) a second PWM signal having a second duty ratio corresponding to the second parameter to the light output circuit (1250) during a second period. A plurality of light elements (1260) included in the light output circuit (1250) may output light of a second brightness during the second period. For example, the second brightness may be the same as or different from the first brightness. In addition, the second duty ratio may be the same as or different from the first duty ratio. The length of time corresponding to the second period may be the same as the length of time corresponding to the first period. For example, the first period and the second period may be determined by a clock (or clock signal) of the processor (1220).

[0120] According to one embodiment, the processor (1220) may wake up based on an interrupt output by the timer (1270). For example, the timer (1270) may generate an interrupt at a specified cycle when it is necessary to provide parameters to the signal generator (1240) and provide the generated interrupt to the processor (1220). For example, the cycle at which the interrupt is generated may be the same as the length of time corresponding to the second cycle. For example, the cycle at which the interrupt is generated may be determined by the clock (or clock signal) of the processor (1220). The cycle at which the interrupt is generated may be shorter than the signal output cycle of the signal generator (1240). For example, the signal output cycle of the signal generator (1240) may be determined by the clock (or clock signal) of the signal generator (1240). For example, the clock (or clock signal) of the signal generator (1240) may be different from the clock (or clock signal) of the processor (1220). For example, the period in which an interrupt is generated may be determined to be a length that is sufficient for the processor (1220) to wake up and is shorter than the signal output period of the signal generator (1240).

[0121] According to one embodiment, the signal generator (1240) may generate a PWM signal and provide or output the generated PWM signal to the optical output circuit (1250). For example, the signal generator (1240) may output the PWM signal according to a signal output period based on a clock signal. Alternatively, the signal generator (1240) may output the PWM signal based on a parameter provided by the processor (1220). For example, the period for outputting the PWM signal based on the parameter may be shorter than the signal output period of the signal generator (1240).

[0122] According to one embodiment, the optical output circuit (1250) may include a plurality of optical elements (1260) connected in parallel. For example, each of the plurality of optical elements (1260) may include a light emitting diode (LED). For example, each cathode of the plurality of optical elements (1260) may be electrically connected to a signal generator (1240). A PWM signal output from the signal generator (1240) may be applied to each cathode of the plurality of optical elements (1260). A constant voltage (VDC) may be applied to each anode of the plurality of optical elements (1260). A resistor (R) may be disposed between each anode of the plurality of optical elements (1260) and the constant voltage (VDC). When the PWM signal is at a low level, light may be output from the plurality of optical elements (1260). When the PWM signal is at a high level, light may not be output from the plurality of optical elements (1260). In a specific time period, the brightness of the light may be determined based on the length of the period in which light is output from the plurality of optical elements (1260) (e.g., duty ratio of the PWM signal).

[0123] According to one embodiment, the processor (1220) may generate PWM signals for outputting light whose brightness changes in a designated pattern based on sequentially providing a plurality of parameters included in a parameter set corresponding to a light output sequence to the signal generator (1240). Based on the generated PWM signals, the plurality of optical elements (1260) may output light whose brightness changes in a designated pattern. Through this, the wearable electronic device (1201) may output light whose brightness changes in a designated pattern for a designated period of time based on a corresponding light output sequence when performing a specific function or when a specific event occurs.

[0124] According to the method described above, the wearable electronic device (1201) according to one embodiment can change the brightness of light in various patterns compared to existing devices. In addition, the wearable electronic device (1201) according to one embodiment can reduce the power consumed to output a PMW signal compared to existing devices.

[0125] At least some of the operations of the wearable electronic device described below may be performed or controlled by the processor (1220). However, for convenience of explanation, the subject of the operations will be described as the wearable electronic device (1201).

[0126] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a wearable electronic device, according to one embodiment.

[0127] Referring to FIG. 13, according to one embodiment, in operation 1301, a wearable electronic device (e.g., the wearable electronic device (1201) of FIG. 12) may identify a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light output through a light output circuit (e.g., the light output circuit (1250) of FIG. 12) in a specified pattern. For example, the wearable electronic device (1201) may identify a corresponding light output sequence based on determining that a specific function is executed or a specific event has occurred.

[0128] According to one embodiment, in operation 1303, the wearable electronic device (1201) may, based on the identified light output sequence, identify or obtain a parameter set related to the light output sequence stored in a memory (e.g., memory 1230 of FIG. 12 ). For example, the parameter set may include a plurality of parameters related to the brightness of light. The wearable electronic device (1201) may provide or transmit the parameter set to a signal generator (1240) such that the signal generator (1240) sequentially outputs PWM signals that cause the light output circuit (e.g., light output circuit 1250 of FIG. 12) to change the brightness of light in a designated pattern. For example, operations 1305 to 1309 may be at least a part of an operation in which the wearable electronic device (1201) provides or transmits the parameter set to the signal generator (1240).

[0129] In one embodiment, at operation 1305, the wearable electronic device (1201) may provide a first parameter of a set of parameters to a signal generator (e.g., signal generator (1240) of FIG. 12) to output light of a first brightness during a first cycle of the light output sequence.

[0130] According to one embodiment, in operation 1307, the wearable electronic device (1201) may provide a first PWM signal having a first duty ratio corresponding to a first parameter during a first period to an optical output circuit (e.g., an optical output circuit (1250) of FIG. 12) so as to output light of a first brightness through a plurality of optical elements (e.g., a plurality of optical elements (1260) of FIG. 12). For example, the first brightness may be proportional to the first duty ratio of the first PWM signal.

[0131] In one embodiment, at operation 1309, the wearable electronic device (1201) may provide the first parameter to the light output circuit (1250), and then switch the processor (e.g., the processor (1220) of FIG. 12) to a sleep state.

[0132] According to the method described above, the wearable electronic device (1201) according to one embodiment can change the brightness of light in various patterns compared to existing devices. In addition, the wearable electronic device (1201) according to one embodiment can reduce the power consumed in generating and outputting the first PMW signal compared to existing devices.

[0133] FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining a method of controlling the brightness of light output from a plurality of optical elements by adjusting the duty ratio of a PWM signal, according to one embodiment.

[0134] Referring to FIG. 14, according to one embodiment, a wearable electronic device (e.g., the wearable electronic device (1201) of FIG. 12) may check a light output sequence. For example, the light output sequence may change the brightness of light output from a plurality of light elements (e.g., the plurality of light elements (1260) of FIG. 12), as in the first graph (1410) illustrated in (a) of FIG. 14. For example, when an interval (1420) in which the brightness of light increases (e.g., fades in) is enlarged, the brightness of light may increase, as in the second graph (1430) in the form of a step, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 14.

[0135] According to one embodiment, in order to increase the brightness of light at a specific period (e.g., 10 ms), the duty ratio of the PWM signal applied to the plurality of optical elements (1260) may need to increase at a specific period. That is, the brightness of light output from the plurality of optical elements (1260) may be proportional to the duty ratio of the PWM signal. For example, in one section (1440) of the second graph (1430), the duty ratio of the first PWM signal of the first period may be shorter than the duty ratio of the second PWM signal of the second period (e.g., the period following the first period). That is, the duty ratio of the second PWM signal of the second period may be increased more than the duty ratio of the first PWM signal of the first period.

[0136] Meanwhile, a method for controlling the brightness of light output from a plurality of optical elements (1260) by adjusting the duty ratio of the PWM signal will be specifically described in FIG. 15 below.

[0137] FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining a method of controlling the brightness of light output from a plurality of optical elements by adjusting the duty ratio of a PWM signal, according to one embodiment.

[0138] Referring to FIG. 15, according to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) may provide a first parameter for a first PWM signal to a signal generator (1240) before the first cycle starts (or at the start time of the first cycle). To this end, the wearable electronic device may switch the processor (1220) to an active state before the first cycle starts (or at the start time of the first cycle). Thereafter, the processor (1220) may provide the first parameter to the signal generator (1240). After providing the first parameter to the signal generator (1240), the wearable electronic device (1201) may switch the processor (1220) to a sleep state.

[0139] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) may output a first PWM signal having a first duty ratio during a first cycle through a signal generator (1240). For example, the first duty ratio of the first PWM signal may be proportional to a first brightness of light output from a plurality of optical elements (1260).

[0140] According to one embodiment, the signal generator (1240) may count a specified time interval (C1, C2, or CN, for example, N is a natural number greater than or equal to 3) from the start time of the first period and determine whether the number of counted time intervals is equal to a set value included in the first parameter. For example, the length of the time interval (e.g., 62.5 μs) may be determined based on the time length of the first period (e.g., 10 ms). For example, the total number of time intervals included in the first period may be 160. In this case, the clock signal for counting the time intervals may be 12 kHz. The signal generator (1240) may maintain the first PWM signal at a low level until the number of counted time intervals is equal to the set value included in the first parameter (e.g., 3) (or until the number of counted time intervals reaches the set value). The signal generator (1240) can change the first PWM signal to a high level when it is confirmed that the number of counted time intervals is equal to the set value included in the first parameter. The signal generator (1240) can maintain the first PWM signal at a high level until a new parameter is provided. The first PWM signal can be provided to the optical output circuit (1250).

[0141] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) may provide a second parameter for a second PWM signal to the signal generator (1240) before the second cycle starts (or at the start time of the second cycle). To this end, the wearable electronic device may switch the processor (1220) to an active state before the second cycle starts (or at the start time of the second cycle). To this end, the processor (1220) may wake up in response to an interrupt of the timer (1270). Thereafter, the processor (1220) may provide the second parameter to the signal generator (1240). After providing the second parameter to the signal generator (1240), the wearable electronic device (1201) may switch the processor (1220) to a sleep state.

[0142] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) may output a second PWM signal having a second duty ratio during a second period following the first period through the signal generator (1240). For example, the second duty ratio of the second PWM signal may be proportional to the second brightness of light output from the plurality of optical elements (1260). For example, the second duty ratio may be different from the first duty ratio. For example, the second duty ratio may be greater than the first duty ratio.

[0143] According to one embodiment, the signal generator (1240) can count a specified time interval (C1, C2, C3, or CM, for example, M is a natural number greater than or equal to 4) from the start time of the second period and determine whether the number of counted time intervals is equal to a set value included in the second parameter (for example, 4). The signal generator (1240) can maintain the second PWM signal at a low level until the number of counted time intervals is equal to the set value included in the second parameter (or until the number of counted time intervals reaches the set value). If the signal generator (1240) determines that the number of counted time intervals is equal to the set value included in the second parameter, the signal generator (1240) can change the second PWM signal to a high level. The signal generator (1240) can maintain the second PWM signal at a high level until a new parameter is provided. The second PMW signal may be provided to the light output circuit (1250) following the first PWM signal.

[0144] In one embodiment, the time length corresponding to the first cycle (e.g., 10 ms) and the time length corresponding to the second cycle may be the same. The time length corresponding to the first cycle may be shorter than the signal output cycle of the signal generator (1240) (e.g., 12.5 ms).

[0145] According to one embodiment, when outputting light of a second brightness during a third period following a second period of a light output sequence, the wearable electronic device (1201) may cause the signal generator (1240) to provide a second PWM signal having a second duty ratio to the light output circuit (1250) during the third period while keeping the processor (1220) in a sleep state to output light of the second brightness through the plurality of light elements (1260). For example, the third period may be the same as the signal output period of the signal generator (1240). That is, when no parameter is provided by the processor (1220), the signal generator (1240) may output or provide the PWM signal on its own.

[0146] FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a method for controlling the brightness of light output from a plurality of optical elements based on parameters, according to one embodiment.

[0147] Referring to FIG. 16, according to one embodiment, a first parameter set corresponding to a first light output sequence may include first parameters (P1) and second parameters (P2). For example, the first light output sequence may be a sequence that outputs light having brightness changes as in the graph (1610) over a specified period of time.

[0148] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) can control (or change, increase) the brightness of light output from the plurality of optical elements (1260) based on the first parameters (P1) for a first time period (t1) (e.g., 50 ms). For example, the first parameters (P1) can include values ​​for fading in (or sequentially increasing) the brightness of light output from the plurality of optical elements (1260). For example, during the first time period (t1) (e.g., 50 ms), the plurality of optical elements (1260) can sequentially increase the brightness of light (e.g., increase to levels 9, 15, 24, 36, and 48) based on the PMW signals corresponding to the first parameters (P1). According to one embodiment, each parameter included in the first parameters (P1) may be provided to the signal generator (1240) in a corresponding time interval (e.g., one time interval corresponding to 10 ms). For example, each parameter may be sequentially provided to the signal generator (1240). At this time, the signal generator (1240) may sequentially provide a PWM signal having a duty ratio corresponding to the corresponding parameter to a plurality of optical elements (1260). For example, a period (e.g., 10 ms) in which the PWM signal is provided or output may be shorter than a signal output period (e.g., 12.5 ms) of the signal generator (1240). The plurality of optical elements (1260) may output light with a brightness corresponding to the corresponding duty ratio, and accordingly, the brightness of the light may be changed (e.g., increased).

[0149] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) may control (or maintain) the brightness of light output from the plurality of optical elements (1260) at a constant level (e.g., maximum brightness) during a second time period (t2). For example, during the second time period (t2), separate parameters may not be provided from the processor (1220) to the signal generator (1240). For example, the signal generator (1240) may generate a PWM signal even without providing parameters when maintaining the output light at the same brightness. The signal generator (1240) may continuously provide or output a PWM signal having a duty ratio corresponding to a specified maximum brightness (e.g., level 50) to the plurality of optical elements (1260). For example, the period (12.5 ms) at which the PWM signal is provided or output may be set longer than the period (e.g., 10 ms) at which the PWM signal is provided at the first time period (t1). A plurality of optical elements (1260) can output light with a brightness corresponding to the corresponding duty ratio (e.g., level 50), thereby maintaining the brightness of the light at a certain level (e.g., maximum brightness). According to another embodiment, when maintaining the output light at the same brightness, the processor (1220) may provide corresponding parameters to the signal generator (1240). At this time, the signal generator (1240) may output a PWM signal corresponding to a certain level (e.g., maximum brightness) based on the provided parameters. In this case, the period at which the PWM signal is provided may be the same as the period at which the PWM signal is provided at the first time (t1).

[0150] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) can control (or change, decrease) the brightness of light output from the plurality of optical elements (1260) based on the second parameters (P2) during a third time period (t3) (e.g., 150 ms). For example, the second parameters (P2) can include values ​​for fading out (or sequentially decreasing) the brightness of light output from the plurality of optical elements (1260). For example, during the third time period (t3) (e.g., 150 ms), the plurality of optical elements (1260) can sequentially decrease the brightness of light (e.g., decrease to levels 48, 42, 36, 30, 24, 18, 15, 12, 9, and 6) based on the PMW signals corresponding to the second parameters (P2). According to one embodiment, each parameter included in the second parameters (P2) may be provided to the signal generator (1240) at a corresponding time interval. For example, each parameter may be sequentially provided to the signal generator (1240). At this time, the signal generator (1240) may sequentially provide a PWM signal having a duty ratio corresponding to the corresponding parameter to a plurality of optical elements (1260). For example, a period (e.g., 10 ms) in which the PWM signal is provided or output may be shorter than a signal output period (e.g., 12.5 ms) of the signal generator (1240). The plurality of optical elements (1260) may output light with a brightness corresponding to the corresponding duty ratio, and accordingly, the brightness of the light may be changed (e.g., decreased).

[0151] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) may control (or maintain) the brightness of light output from the plurality of optical elements (1260) at a certain level (e.g., minimum brightness) during a fourth time period (t4). For example, during the fourth time period (t4), separate parameters may not be provided from the processor (1220) to the signal generator (1240). The signal generator (1240) may continuously provide a PWM signal having a duty ratio corresponding to a specified minimum brightness (e.g., level 5) to the plurality of optical elements (1260). For example, a period (12.5 ms) in which the PWM signal is provided or output may be set to be longer than a period (e.g., 10 ms) in which the PWM signal is provided at the third time period (t3). A plurality of optical elements (1260) can output light with a brightness corresponding to the corresponding duty ratio (e.g., level 5), thereby maintaining the brightness of the light at a certain level (e.g., minimum brightness). According to another embodiment, when maintaining the output light at the same brightness, the processor (1220) may provide corresponding parameters to the signal generator (1240). At this time, the signal generator (1240) may output a PWM signal corresponding to a certain level (e.g., minimum brightness) based on the provided parameters. In this case, the period at which the PWM signal is provided may be the same as the period at which the PWM signal is provided at the third time (t3).

[0152] According to the method described above, the wearable electronic device (1201) according to one embodiment can change the brightness of light in various patterns compared to existing devices. In addition, the wearable electronic device (1201) according to one embodiment can reduce the power consumed to output a PMW signal compared to existing devices.

[0153] Meanwhile, the number of numerical values ​​or parameters described in FIG. 16 is exemplary, and the features of the present invention may not be limited thereto. In addition, the graph (1610) depicted in FIG. 16 is exemplary, and the features of the present invention may not be limited thereto.

[0154] FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a method by which a processor provides a parameter set of an optical output sequence to a signal generator, according to one embodiment.

[0155] Referring to FIG. 17, according to one embodiment, in operation 1701, a wearable electronic device (e.g., the wearable electronic device (1201) of FIG. 12) may identify a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light output through a light output circuit (e.g., the light output circuit (1250) of FIG. 12) in a specified pattern.

[0156] In one embodiment, at operation 1703, the wearable electronic device (1201) may obtain a parameter set corresponding to a light output sequence stored in a memory (1230).

[0157] In one embodiment, at operation 1705, the wearable electronic device (1201) may provide parameters included in a parameter set to a signal generator (1240).

[0158] According to one embodiment, in operation 1707, the wearable electronic device (1201) may execute a timer (1270) after providing parameters. Additionally, in operation 1709, the wearable electronic device (1201) may control (or switch) the processor (1220) to a sleep state. For example, operations 1707 and 1709 may be performed simultaneously. Alternatively, operation 1709 may be performed before operation 1707.

[0159] According to one embodiment, in operation 1711, the wearable electronic device (1201) may determine whether an interrupt of the timer (1270) has occurred. For example, the interrupt of the timer (1270) may be generated at a specified period if there is a parameter to be provided to the signal generator (1240). For example, the specified period may be the same as the period at which a PWM signal based on the parameter is generated.

[0160] According to one embodiment, when it is determined that an interrupt has occurred (e.g., operation 1711), the wearable electronic device (1201) may transition from a sleep state to an active state and provide the corresponding parameter included in the parameter set to the signal generator (1240).

[0161] In one embodiment, if it is determined that no interrupt has occurred (NO of operation 1711), the wearable electronic device (1201) may control or maintain the processor (1220) in a sleep state.

[0162] According to the above-described method, the wearable electronic device (1201) according to the embodiment can reduce the power of the processor (1220) consumed in generating and outputting a PMW signal compared to the existing one.

[0163] FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating, according to one embodiment, how a signal generator provides a PWM signal to an optical output circuit.

[0164] Referring to FIG. 18, according to one embodiment, in operation 1801, a signal generator (e.g., signal generator (1240) of FIG. 12) may provide or output a low-level PWM signal to a plurality of optical elements (1260) to output light based on receiving parameters from a processor (e.g., processor (1220) of FIG. 12). At this time, the plurality of optical elements (1260) may output light based on the low-level PWM signal.

[0165] In one embodiment, at operation 1803, the signal generator (1240) may increment a count based on the time (e.g., duration) that a low-level PWM signal is output while light is being output. For example, the signal generator (1240) may increment the count every predetermined time (e.g., 62.5 μs).

[0166] In one embodiment, at operation 1805, the signal generator (1240) can determine whether the count is equal to a set value of a parameter. For example, the set value of the parameter may be a value for determining a duty ratio of a PWM signal.

[0167] In one embodiment, if the count is determined to be not equal to the set value of the parameter (NO of operation 1805), the signal generator (1240) may increment the count every predetermined time (e.g., 62.5 μs) until the count is equal to the set value of the parameter.

[0168] According to one embodiment, if the count is determined to be equal to the set value of the parameter (e.g., in operation 1805), in operation 1807, the signal generator (1240) may output a high-level PWM signal to stop light output. At this time, the plurality of optical elements (1260) may output light based on the high-level PWM signal.

[0169] Through the above-described method, the signal generator (1240) can output a PMW signal having a duty ratio corresponding to the parameter.

[0170] In one embodiment, at operation 1809, the signal generator (1240) may determine whether a new parameter is provided from the processor (1220).

[0171] In one embodiment, if it is determined that a new parameter is provided (e.g., in operation 1809), in operation 1815, the signal generator (1240) may reset a timer of the signal generator (1240). After resetting the timer of the signal generator (1240), the signal generator (1240) may generate and output a PMW signal based on the new parameter provided from the processor (1220).

[0172] According to one embodiment, if it is determined that a new parameter is not provided (NO in operation 1809), in operation 1811, the signal generator (1240) may use a timer of the signal generator (1240) to determine whether a signal output period of the signal generator (1240) has been reached. For example, the timer of the signal generator (1240) may determine a signal output period of the signal generator (1240). For example, the timer of the signal generator (1240) may generate an interrupt according to the signal output period, and the signal generator (1240) may determine whether the signal output period has been reached based on the interrupt. For example, the signal generator (1240) may output a PWM signal based on determining the occurrence of an interrupt. In this case, the PWM signal may have a duty ratio corresponding to a brightness of a certain level (e.g., a level indicating maximum brightness or minimum brightness).

[0173] According to one embodiment, if it is determined that the signal output period of the signal generator (1240) has not been reached (NO of operation 1811), the signal generator (1240) may check whether new parameters are provided from the processor (1220) until the signal output period is reached.

[0174] According to one embodiment, when it is determined that the signal output cycle of the signal generator (1240) has been reached (e.g., operation 1811), in operation 1813, the signal generator (1240) may determine whether the light output sequence has ended. For example, the signal generator (1240) may determine whether the light output sequence has ended based on data provided from the processor (1220) (e.g., data indicating whether it has ended).

[0175] According to one embodiment, if it is determined that the light output sequence is not terminated (e.g., in operation 1813), in operation 1815, the signal generator (1240) may reset a timer of the signal generator (1240). After resetting the timer of the signal generator (1240), the signal generator (1240) may generate and output a PMW signal based on the new parameters provided from the processor (1220).

[0176] According to one embodiment, when it is determined that the light output sequence has ended (e.g., operation 1813), the signal generator (1240) may end the generation and output of the PWM signal. That is, when it is determined that the light output sequence has ended, the light output operation associated with the corresponding light output sequence may be ended.

[0177] FIG. 19A is a diagram illustrating a light output sequence for changing the brightness of light output by a wearable electronic device, according to one embodiment.

[0178] Referring to FIG. 19A, according to one embodiment, a wearable electronic device (e.g., wearable electronic device (1201) of FIG. 12) may output various types of light output sequences based on performing a specified function or the occurrence of a specified event.

[0179] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) can identify a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light in a specified pattern when the wearable electronic devices are connected to an external electronic device (e.g., a smartphone). The wearable electronic device (1201) can change the brightness of light output from a plurality of light elements (1260) based on the light output sequence. For example, the wearable electronic device (1201) can perform an operation of blinking light once when the wearable electronic devices are connected to an external electronic device after the cradle is opened. For example, the operation of blinking light once can include an operation of fading in for a specified time (e.g., 500 ms) and an operation of fading out for a specified time (e.g., 2500 ms).

[0180] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) can identify a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light in a specified pattern when the wearable electronic devices are disconnected from an external electronic device (e.g., a smartphone) or when the cradle cover is closed after being mounted on the cradle. The wearable electronic device (1201) can change the brightness of light output from the plurality of light elements (1260) based on the light output sequence. For example, the wearable electronic device (1201) can perform an operation of blinking light once when the cradle cover is closed while the wearable electronic devices are mounted on the cradle. For example, the operation of blinking light once can include an operation of fading in for a specified time (e.g., 500 ms) and an operation of fading out for a specified time (e.g., 2500 ms).

[0181] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) may identify a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light in a specified pattern when the wearable electronic device performs a pairing function (e.g., Bluetooth pairing mode) to connect with an external electronic device (e.g., a smartphone). The wearable electronic device (1201) may change the brightness of light output from a plurality of light elements (1260) based on the light output sequence. For example, the wearable electronic device (1201) may repeatedly perform an operation of blinking light from the entry to the exit of the pairing mode. For example, the operation of blinking light may include an operation of fading in for a specified time (e.g., 500 ms) and an operation of fading out for a specified time (e.g., 500 ms).

[0182] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) may identify a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light in a specified pattern when performing a find function that enables the wearable electronic device (1201) and / or another wearable electronic device to be found. The wearable electronic device (1201) may change the brightness of light output from a plurality of light elements (1260) based on the light output sequence. For example, the wearable electronic device (1201) may repeatedly perform an operation of blinking light from the start to the end of the find operation. For example, the operation of blinking light may include an operation of turning on the light at a certain level (e.g., level 60) for a specified time (e.g., 400 ms) and an operation of turning off (or on) the light at a certain level (e.g., level 20) for a specified time (e.g., 100 ms).

[0183] FIG. 19b is a diagram illustrating a light output sequence for changing the brightness of light output by a wearable electronic device, according to one embodiment.

[0184] Referring to FIG. 19b, according to one embodiment, a wearable electronic device (e.g., wearable electronic device (1201) of FIG. 12) may specify various types of light output sequences in response to a user performing a specific function or the occurrence of a specific event.

[0185] According to one embodiment, the wearable electronic device (1201) can identify a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light in a specified pattern when a specific function is performed or a specific event occurs. The wearable electronic device (1201) can change the brightness of light output from a plurality of light elements (1260) based on the light output sequence.

[0186] In one embodiment, the light output sequence may include a steady sequence. For example, the wearable electronic device (1201) may perform an operation of outputting light from the start to the end of a specific function (or a specific event). For example, the operation of outputting light may include an operation of fading in for a specified time (e.g., 500 ms), an operation of turning on the light at a certain level (e.g., level 60), and an operation of turning on the light at a certain level (e.g., level 60) for a specified time (e.g., 100 ms) until the function (or event) ends.

[0187] In one embodiment, the light output sequence may include a blinking sequence. For example, the wearable electronic device (1201) may repeatedly perform an operation of outputting light from the start to the end of a specific function (or a specific event). For example, the operation of outputting light may include an operation of fading up for a specified period of time (e.g., 500 ms) and an operation of fading down for a specified period of time (e.g., 500 ms).

[0188] In one embodiment, the light output sequence may include a fade in and out sequence. For example, the wearable electronic device (1201) may repeatedly perform an operation of outputting light from the start to the end of a specific function (or a specific event). For example, the operation of outputting light may include an operation of fading in for a specified time (e.g., 2500 ms), an operation of fading out for a specified time (e.g., 2500 ms), and an operation of turning the light off for a specified time (e.g., 300 ms).

[0189] According to the method described above, the wearable electronic device (1201) according to one embodiment can change the brightness of light in various patterns compared to existing devices. The processor (1220) according to one embodiment can reduce the power consumed by the wearable electronic device (1201) (or the processor (1220)) compared to existing devices.

[0190] According to one embodiment, a wearable electronic device (300, 1201) may include a light output circuit (1250) including a plurality of light elements (1260), a signal generator (1240) configured to output a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal for controlling light output from the light output circuit, a processor (1220), and a memory (1230) storing instructions. According to one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to, based on identifying a first event for the wearable electronic device, identify a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light output through the light output circuit in a designated pattern in response to the first event. According to one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to obtain a parameter set related to the light output sequence stored in the memory based on the light output sequence. In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to provide the parameter set to the signal generator such that the signal generator sequentially outputs PWM signals that cause the light output circuit to change the brightness of the light in the designated pattern. In one embodiment, the instructions, as at least part of the operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator, may cause the wearable electronic device to provide a first parameter of the parameter set to the signal generator such that the signal generator outputs light of a first brightness during a first period of the light output sequence.In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor as at least part of an operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator, may cause the wearable electronic device to output light of the first brightness through the plurality of optical elements based on the signal generator providing a first PWM signal having a first duty ratio corresponding to the first parameter to the light output circuit during the first period. In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor as at least part of an operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator, may cause the wearable electronic device to control the processor to a sleep state after providing the first parameter to the light output circuit.

[0191] In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to wake up the processor to provide a second parameter of the parameter set to the light output circuit. In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to provide the second parameter to the signal generator so as to output light of a second brightness during a second period following the first period of the light output sequence. In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to output light of the second brightness through the plurality of optical elements based on the signal generator providing a second PWM signal having a second duty ratio corresponding to the second parameter to the light output circuit during the second period. In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to control the processor to a sleep state after providing the second parameter to the optical output circuit.

[0192] In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to wake up the processor using a timer corresponding to the length of time of the first period.

[0193] In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to wake up the processor and provide the second parameter to the signal generator before the second period begins.

[0194] In one embodiment, when the second brightness is different from the first brightness, the second period may be characterized as being shorter than a signal output period by a clock of the signal generator. In one embodiment, the first period and the second period may be characterized as periods determined by a clock of the processor.

[0195] In one embodiment, the first brightness may be proportional to the first duty ratio, and the second brightness may be proportional to the second duty ratio. In one embodiment, when the first brightness is different from the second brightness, the first duty ratio may be different from the second duty ratio.

[0196] In one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the wearable electronic device to output light of the second brightness during a third period following the second period of the light output sequence, while maintaining the processor in a sleep state, based on the signal generator providing a second PWM signal having the second duty ratio to the light output circuit during the third period, through the plurality of optical elements.

[0197] According to one embodiment, the third period may be characterized as being the same as a signal output period of the signal generator.

[0198] According to one embodiment, the first PWM signal may be applied to a cathode of each of the plurality of optical elements. According to one embodiment, when the first PWM signal is at a low level, light may be output from the plurality of optical elements.

[0199] According to one embodiment, the light output sequence may include at least one of a fade-in operation, a fade-out operation, or a blinking operation of light output through the light output circuit.

[0200] According to one embodiment, a method of operating a wearable electronic device (300, 1201) may include an operation of identifying a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light output through the light output circuit corresponding to the first event in a designated pattern based on identifying a first event for the wearable electronic device. According to one embodiment, the method of operating the wearable electronic device may include an operation of acquiring a parameter set related to the light output sequence stored in the wearable electronic device based on the light output sequence. The method of operating the wearable electronic device may include an operation of providing the parameter set to a signal generator so that the signal generator sequentially outputs PWM signals that cause the light output circuit to change the brightness of the light in the designated pattern. According to one embodiment, the operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator may include an operation of providing a first parameter of the parameter set to a signal generator included in the wearable electronic device so that light of a first brightness is output during a first period of the light output sequence. In one embodiment, the operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator may include an operation of outputting light of the first brightness through a plurality of optical elements included in the optical output circuit based on the signal generator providing a first PWM signal having a first duty ratio corresponding to the first parameter during the first period to the optical output circuit included in the wearable electronic device. In one embodiment, the operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator may include an operation of controlling a processor included in the wearable electronic device to a sleep state after providing the first parameter to the optical output circuit.

[0201] In one embodiment, the method of operating the wearable electronic device may further include waking up the processor to provide a second parameter of the parameter set to the light output circuit. In one embodiment, the method of operating the wearable electronic device may further include providing the second parameter to the signal generator so as to output light of a second brightness during a second period following the first period of the light output sequence. In one embodiment, the method of operating the wearable electronic device may further include outputting light of the second brightness through the plurality of optical elements based on the signal generator providing a second PWM signal having a second duty ratio corresponding to the second parameter to the light output circuit during the second period. In one embodiment, the method of operating the wearable electronic device may further include controlling the processor to a sleep state after providing the second parameter to the light output circuit.

[0202] According to one embodiment, the operation of waking up the processor may include an operation of waking up the processor using a timer corresponding to a time length of the first cycle.

[0203] According to one embodiment, a wearable electronic device may include a housing including a body and a stem extending from the body in a first direction; a carrier disposed within the stem; and a light-emitting module mounted on the carrier. The light-emitting module may include a circuit board; a plurality of optical elements aligned in a direction parallel to the first direction on the circuit board; and a resistance element aligned with the plurality of optical elements along the first direction on the circuit board. The light-emitting module may be configured to emit light outside the housing through at least a portion of an edge portion of the housing.

[0204] According to one embodiment, the light-emitting module may include: a yellow fluorescent material; a sealing structure for preserving the fluorescent material; and a diffusion layer laminated on the sealing structure.

[0205] According to one embodiment, the edge portion comprises a first portion that is substantially transparent and / or translucent and a second portion that is substantially opaque, and the light emitting module may be configured to be mounted on the mounting surface of the carrier and to emit light through the first portion.

[0206] In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause a wearable electronic device to, based on identifying a first event for the wearable electronic device, identify a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light output through the light output circuit corresponding to the first event in a designated pattern, and, based on the light output sequence, obtain a parameter set related to the light output sequence stored in the wearable electronic device, and in one embodiment, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the wearable electronic device to provide the parameter set to a signal generator such that the signal generator sequentially outputs PWM signals that cause the light output circuit to change the brightness of the light in the designated pattern. In one embodiment, the instructions may include providing a first parameter of the parameter set to a signal generator included in the wearable electronic device to output light of a first brightness during a first period of the light output sequence, and outputting light of the first brightness through a plurality of optical elements included in the light output circuit based on the signal generator providing a first PWM signal having a first duty ratio corresponding to the first parameter during the first period to a light output circuit included in the wearable electronic device, as at least part of an operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator, and controlling a processor included in the wearable electronic device to a sleep state after providing the first parameter to the light output circuit.

[0207] At least a part of a device (e.g., modules or functions thereof) or a method (e.g., operations) according to various embodiments may be implemented as instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium, for example, in the form of a program module. When the instructions (which may be referred to as instruction(s)) are executed by a processor (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1), the one or more processors may perform a function corresponding to the instructions. The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, a memory (e.g., the memory (130) of FIG. 1). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a storage medium storing a communication method using an electronic device may be provided.

[0208] The computer-readable recording medium may include a hard disk, a floppy disk, a magnetic media (e.g., a magnetic tape), an optical media (e.g., a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a magneto-optical media (e.g., a floptical disk), a hardware device (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), or a flash memory), etc. In addition, the program instructions may include not only machine language codes such as those generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc. The hardware devices described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform operations of various embodiments, and vice versa.

[0209] Electronic devices according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may take various forms. Electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0210] The various embodiments of the present disclosure and the terminology used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in the present disclosure to specific embodiments, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the present disclosure, each of the phrases "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B, or C," "at least one of A, B, and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" can include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase among the phrases, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0211] The term "module" used in various embodiments of the present disclosure may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integral component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0212] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as software (e.g., a program (140)) including one or more commands stored in a storage medium (e.g., an internal memory (136) or an external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., a processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)) may call at least one command among the one or more commands stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one command called. The one or more commands may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently or temporarily on the storage medium.

[0213] According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) via an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0214] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and arranged in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0215] Although the detailed description of the present disclosure has described specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0216] While this disclosure has been described by way of example and example, it should be understood that the example is intended to be illustrative and not limiting. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the overall scope of this disclosure, including the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. In a wearable electronic device (300, 1201), An optical output circuit (1250) comprising a plurality of optical elements (1260); A signal generator (1240) configured to output a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal for controlling light output from the above optical output circuit; Processor (1220); and A memory (1230) for storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the wearable electronic device to: Based on identifying a first event for the wearable electronic device, identifying a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light output through the light output circuit corresponding to the first event in a specified pattern; Based on the above light output sequence, obtaining a parameter set related to the light output sequence stored in the memory, and The above-described light output circuit provides the parameter set to the signal generator so that the signal generator sequentially outputs PWM signals that change the brightness of the light in the above-described pattern, The instructions, when executed by the processor as at least part of the operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator, cause the wearable electronic device to: Providing a first parameter of the parameter set to the signal generator so as to output light of a first brightness during a first cycle of the light output sequence; Based on the signal generator providing a first PWM signal having a first duty ratio corresponding to the first parameter during the first period to the light output circuit, light of the first brightness is output through the plurality of optical elements, A wearable electronic device that controls the processor to a sleep state after providing the first parameter to the optical output circuit.

2. In the first paragraph, when the instructions are executed by the processor, the wearable electronic device, Wake up the processor to provide a second parameter from the above parameter set to the optical output circuit, Providing the second parameter to the signal generator so as to output light of a second brightness during a second period following the first period of the light output sequence; Based on the signal generator providing a second PWM signal having a second duty ratio corresponding to the second parameter during the second period to the light output circuit, light of the second brightness is output through the plurality of optical elements, A wearable electronic device that controls the processor to a sleep state after providing the second parameter to the optical output circuit.

3. In any one of the first and second paragraphs, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the wearable electronic device to: A wearable electronic device that wakes up the processor using a timer corresponding to the time length of the first cycle.

4. In any one of the first to third paragraphs, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the wearable electronic device to: A wearable electronic device that wakes up the processor and provides the second parameter to the signal generator before the second cycle begins.

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, When the second brightness is different from the first brightness, the second period is characterized in that it is shorter than the signal output period by the clock of the signal generator, A wearable electronic device, characterized in that the first cycle and the second cycle are cycles determined by the clock of the processor.

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, The first brightness is proportional to the first duty ratio, and the second brightness is proportional to the second duty ratio. A wearable electronic device, characterized in that when the first brightness is different from the second brightness, the first duty ratio is different from the second duty ratio.

7. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the wearable electronic device to: A wearable electronic device that outputs light of the second brightness during a third period following the second period of the light output sequence, based on the signal generator providing a second PWM signal having the second duty ratio to the light output circuit during the third period while maintaining the processor in a sleep state, thereby outputting light of the second brightness through the plurality of optical elements.

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, A wearable electronic device characterized in that the third cycle is the same as the signal output cycle of the signal generator.

9. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 8, The above first PWM signal is applied to the cathode of each of the plurality of optical elements, A wearable electronic device in which light is output from the plurality of optical elements when the first PWM signal is at a low level.

10. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 9, A wearable electronic device wherein the light output sequence includes at least one of a fade-in operation, a fade-out operation, or a blinking operation of light output through a light output circuit.

11. In the operating method of a wearable electronic device, An operation of identifying a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light output through the light output circuit corresponding to the first event in a specified pattern based on identifying a first event for the wearable electronic device; An operation of obtaining a set of parameters related to the light output sequence stored in the wearable electronic device based on the light output sequence; and The light output circuit comprises an operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator so that the signal generator sequentially outputs PWM signals that cause the light output circuit to change the brightness of the light in the specified pattern, The operation of providing the above parameter set to the signal generator is: An action of providing a first parameter of the set of parameters to a signal generator included in the wearable electronic device so as to output light of a first brightness during a first cycle of the light output sequence; An operation of outputting light of the first brightness through a plurality of optical elements included in the optical output circuit based on the signal generator providing a first PWM signal having a first duty ratio corresponding to the first parameter during the first period to the optical output circuit included in the wearable electronic device; and A method of operating a wearable electronic device, comprising: providing the first parameter to the optical output circuit; and then controlling a processor included in the wearable electronic device to a sleep state.

12. In paragraph 11, An operation of waking up the processor to provide a second parameter from the set of parameters to the optical output circuit; An operation of providing the second parameter to the signal generator so as to output light of a second brightness during a second period following the first period of the light output sequence; An operation of outputting light of the second brightness through the plurality of optical elements based on the signal generator providing a second PWM signal having a second duty ratio corresponding to the second parameter during the second period to the optical output circuit; and A method of operating a wearable electronic device, further comprising an operation of controlling the processor to a sleep state after providing the second parameter to the optical output circuit.

13. In any one of paragraphs 11 to 12, the operation of waking up the processor comprises: A method of operating a wearable electronic device, comprising an operation of waking up the processor using a timer corresponding to the time length of the first cycle.

14. In any one of paragraphs 11 to 13, When the second brightness is different from the first brightness, the second period is characterized in that it is shorter than the signal output period by the clock of the signal generator, A method for operating a wearable electronic device, characterized in that the first cycle and the second cycle are cycles determined by the clock of the processor.

15. In a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, The above instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the wearable electronic device to: Based on identifying a first event for the wearable electronic device, identifying a light output sequence that changes the brightness of light output through the light output circuit corresponding to the first event in a specified pattern; Based on the above light output sequence, obtaining a set of parameters related to the light output sequence stored in the wearable electronic device, and The above-described light output circuit provides the parameter set to the signal generator so that the signal generator sequentially outputs PWM signals that change the brightness of the light in the above-described pattern, The instructions, when executed by the processor as at least part of the operation of providing the parameter set to the signal generator, cause the wearable electronic device to: Providing a first parameter of the parameter set to a signal generator included in the wearable electronic device so as to output light of a first brightness during a first cycle of the light output sequence; Based on the signal generator providing a first PWM signal having a first duty ratio corresponding to the first parameter during the first period to the light output circuit included in the wearable electronic device, the light of the first brightness is output through a plurality of optical elements included in the light output circuit, and A recording medium that controls a processor included in the wearable electronic device to a sleep state after providing the first parameter to the optical output circuit.

Images