Electronic device and control method

Abstract

This electronic device comprises: a communication interface comprising a connector connected to an external device via a cable; a switch IC; a memory storing instructions; and at least one processor. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, instruct the electronic device to: when the connector is detected to be connected to a cable, determine whether the cable is a first cable for performing first wired communication; if the cable is determined to be the first cable, control the switch IC so that a first pin of the switch IC and the processor are connected; if the cable is determined not to be the first cable, display a guide UI for requesting a response of a user regarding whether the cable is a second cable for outputting an audio signal; and depending on the response of the user to the displayed guide UI, control the switch IC so that a second pin of the switch IC and the processor are connected, or the first pin of the switch IC and the processor are connected.

Description

Electronic devices and control methods

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to an electronic device and a control method thereof that enable two types of cables to be connected to a single 3.5 mm connector using a switch IC.

[0002] Previously, TVs had separate 3.5mm connectors for audio output and wired communication, leading to problems such as users plugging cables into the wrong connectors. Furthermore, the separate connectors increased TV manufacturing costs.

[0003] Therefore, a method is required to connect a cable for audio output and a cable for wired communication to a single 3.5mm connector.

[0004] An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when it is detected that the connector and the cable are connected, determines whether the cable is a first cable for performing a first wired communication, and if the cable is determined to be the first cable, controls the switch IC so that a first pin of the switch IC is connected to the processor, and if the cable is determined not to be the first cable, displays a guide UI requesting a user's response as to whether the cable is a second cable for outputting an audio signal, and controls the switch IC so that the second pin of the switch IC is connected to the processor or the first pin of the switch IC is connected to the processor, depending on the user's response to the displayed guide UI.

[0005] The processor can transmit a signal to an external device communicating with the first cable when the connected cable is determined to be the first cable, and can determine whether the connected cable is the first cable based on whether a signal in response to the transmitted signal is received from the external device.

[0006] The processor may determine the connected cable as the first cable when the signal transmitted to the external device is a test signal or string data, and a signal responsive to the transmitted test signal or string data is received from the external device.

[0007] The processor may determine the connected cable as the second cable if a signal corresponding to the transmitted signal is not received from the external device.

[0008] The processor controls the display to display a guide UI requesting a user's response, and when a user's response message indicating that the connected cable is the second cable is input for the displayed guide UI, the processor can control the switch IC to connect the second pin of the switch IC with the processor.

[0009] The processor may control the switch IC to connect the first pin of the switch IC and the processor when a user response message is input to the displayed guide UI indicating that the connected cable is not the second cable.

[0010] The processor controls the switch IC to connect the second pin and the processor, and then transmits a signal changed from a first signal to a second signal to the switch IC, wherein the first signal controls the switch IC to connect the processor and the first pin, and the second signal controls the switch IC to connect the processor and the second pin.

[0011] The processor can control the switch IC so that when the first signal is transmitted to the switch IC, the first pin and the processor are connected, and when the second signal is transmitted to the switch IC, the second pin and the processor are connected.

[0012] The processor may control the switch IC to connect the first pin and the processor when it is determined that the connector and the cable are not connected.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for controlling an electronic device may include: a step of determining whether the cable is a first cable for UART communication when the connector and the cable are detected to be connected; a step of controlling the switch IC so that the first pin of the switch IC is connected to the processor when the cable is determined to be the first cable; a step of displaying a guide UI requesting a user's response as to whether the cable is a second cable for outputting an audio signal when the cable is determined not to be the first cable; and a step of controlling the switch IC so that the second pin of the switch IC is connected to the processor or the first pin of the switch IC is connected to the processor according to the user's response to the displayed guide UI.

[0014] The method may include: a step of transmitting a signal to an external device communicating with the first cable when the connected cable is determined to be the first cable; and a step of determining whether the connected cable is the first cable based on whether a signal corresponding to the transmitted signal is received from the external device.

[0015] The signal transmitted to the external device may include a step of determining that the external device is connected when a signal corresponding to the transmitted test signal or string data is received from the external device.

[0016] It may include a step of determining the connected cable as the second cable when a signal corresponding to the transmitted signal is not received from the external device.

[0017] The method may include: displaying a guide UI requesting a user's response; and controlling the switch IC so that a second pin of the switch IC is connected to the processor when a user's response message indicating that the connected cable is the second cable is input for the displayed guide UI.

[0018] The method may include a step of controlling the switch IC so that the first pin of the switch IC and the processor are connected when a user response message is input that the connected cable is not the second cable for the guide UI displayed above.

[0019] A step of controlling the switch IC so that the second pin and the processor are connected, and then transmitting a signal changed from a first signal to a second signal to the switch IC; wherein the first signal is a signal that controls the switch IC so that the processor and the first pin are connected, and the second signal may be a signal that controls the switch IC so that the processor and the second pin are connected.

[0020] The method may include a step of controlling the switch IC so that when the first signal is transmitted to the switch IC, the first pin and the processor are connected, and when the second signal is transmitted to the switch IC, the second pin and the processor are connected.

[0021] If it is determined that the connector and the cable are not connected, a step of controlling the switch IC so that the first pin and the processor are connected may be included.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating one embodiment of an electronic device using two types of cables in one connector;

[0023] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG. 3 is a drawing for explaining an embodiment of receiving a signal in response to a signal transmitted to an external device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining an embodiment in which a signal in response to a signal transmitted to an external device is not received, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining an embodiment in which a guide UI requesting a user's response regarding whether a second cable is connected is displayed on a display according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figures 6 to 9 are drawings for commanding the operation of a switch IC according to a signal transmitted from a processor.

[0028] FIG. 10 is a drawing for explaining an embodiment in which a cable is not connected to a connector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining a method for controlling an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. It should be understood that the contents described herein are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to specific embodiments, but rather include various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for similar components.

[0032] Additionally, the terms "first," "second," and the like used herein are used to distinguish various components from each other, regardless of order or importance. Therefore, these terms do not limit the order or importance of the components. For example, the first component could be renamed the second component, and similarly, the second component could be renamed the first component, without departing from the scope of the rights set forth in this document.

[0033] Additionally, when it is stated herein that one component (e.g., a first component) is operatively or communicatively coupled or connected to another component (e.g., a second component), it should be understood that this includes all cases where the components are directly connected or indirectly connected through another component (e.g., a third component). Conversely, when it is stated that a component (e.g., a first component) is "directly coupled" or "directly connected" to another component (e.g., a second component), it can be understood that no other component (e.g., a third component) exists between the component and the other component.

[0034] The terms used in this disclosure are used to describe certain embodiments and may not be intended to limit the scope of other embodiments. In addition, although singular expressions may be used in this disclosure for convenience of explanation, this may be interpreted to include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In addition, the terms used in this disclosure may have the same meaning as generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the relevant technical field. Among the terms used in this disclosure, terms defined in general dictionaries may be interpreted as having the same or similar meaning in the context of the related technology, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal meaning unless explicitly defined in this disclosure. In some cases, even if a term is defined in this disclosure, it cannot be interpreted to exclude the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The electronic device (100) illustrated in FIG. 1 may be implemented as a TV. However, this is merely an example, and the electronic device (100) may be implemented as a display device such as a desktop PC, tablet PC, or the like.

[0036] Meanwhile, in order to explain the connector (30) included in the electronic device (100) of FIG. 1, the side of the electronic device (100) is illustrated.

[0037] The electronic device (100) may have a connector (30). A cable (50-1) for outputting audio signals or a cable (50-2) for wired communication may be connected to the connector (30). The cable (50-1) for outputting audio signals is used in audio devices such as headphones or speakers, and may be connected to a 3.5mm headphone connector. The cable (50-1) for outputting audio signals may transmit left and right stereo audio signals. The cable (50-2) for wired communication may be used to configure a communication interface for transmitting or receiving data. In this case, the wired communication may be UART communication. UART communication refers to a communication method that transmits and receives data by converting a parallel data format into a serial format, and is a communication protocol used in microcontrollers, computers, and other devices.

[0038] Meanwhile, for the convenience of explanation, the cable for UART communication during wired communication is defined as the first cable (50-1), and the cable for outputting audio signals is defined as the second cable (50-2), and these will be described later.

[0039] A conventional electronic device (100) required the provision of two connectors, a connector to which a first cable (50-1) can be connected and a connector to which a second cable (50-2) can be connected, but the electronic device (100) may include one connector (30) to which a cable (50-1) for outputting an audio signal can be connected or a cable (50-2) for wired communication can be connected.

[0040] Hereinafter, a specific method for connecting a first cable (50-1) or a second cable (50-2) to a single connector (30) through a switch IC (120) will be described.

[0041] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic device (100) according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the electronic device (100) may include a communication interface (110), a switch IC (120), a memory (130), a display (140), and a processor (150). The processor (150) may include a cable connection determination module (151), a cable type determination module (152), and a switch IC control module (153).

[0042] The communication interface (110) is a component that performs communication with various types of external devices according to various types of communication methods. The communication interface (110) may be a port that uses the UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) communication method. The electronic device (100) may perform UART communication with the external device (200) through a cable (50-1) that connects the communication interface (110) of the electronic device (100) and the communication interface of the external device (200). Alternatively, the electronic device (100) may be connected to an external audio device through an audio cable (50-2) through the communication interface (110).

[0043] The switch IC (120) is a high-frequency switch configured to selectively apply a high-frequency signal input through two selection terminals to one output terminal. The switch IC (120) can change the path of an electrical signal within an electronic device (100) or control the switching of inputs and outputs. The switch IC (120) can perform functions such as electrical switching, signal routing, and multiplexing.

[0044] The switch IC (120) may include a pin for UART communication and a pin for audio output.

[0045] Pins for UART communication may include the TX_UART pin and the RX_UART pin. The TX_UART pin may be the pin that transmits data in UART communication, and the RX_UART pin may be the pin that receives data in UART communication.

[0046] The pins for audio output can include two types of pins. One pin can be a pin for outputting audio signals to the left channel of the headphones, and the other pin can be a pin for outputting audio signals to the right channel of the headphones.

[0047] For convenience of explanation, the pin for UART communication is defined as the first pin (120-1), and the pin for audio output is defined as the second pin (120-2), and these will be described later.

[0048] The switch IC (120) can connect the processor (150) and the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC (120) or connect the processor (150) and the second pin (120-2) of the switch IC (120) according to the signal received from the processor (150).

[0049] The memory (130) can store an operating system (OS) for controlling the overall operation of components of the electronic device (100) and instructions or data related to components of the electronic device (100).

[0050] The memory (130) can store data necessary to connect the first pin (120-1) or the second pin (120-2) of the switch IC (120) to the processor (150).

[0051] The memory (130) may be implemented in various forms, such as volatile memory (e.g., dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), or synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM)), non-volatile memory (e.g., one time programmable ROM (OTPROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable and programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM), mask ROM, flash ROM, flash memory (e.g., NAND flash or NOR flash), hard drive, or solid state drive (SSD).

[0052] The display (140) can display various information. Specifically, if the display (140) determines that a cable (50-1) for outputting an audio signal is connected to the connector (30), the display (140) can display a guide UI requesting a user's response.

[0053] When a user's response is input, the display (140) can display a UI screen including the input user's response.

[0054] The display (140) may be implemented as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display Panel), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes), etc., but is not limited thereto. In addition, the display may be implemented as a flexible display, a transparent display, etc., depending on the case.

[0055] The processor (150) may include one or more processors. Specifically, the one or more processors may include one or more of a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), an Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), a Many Integrated Core (MIC), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), a hardware accelerator, or a machine learning accelerator. The processor (150) may control one or any combination of other components of the electronic device, and may perform operations related to communication or data processing. The one or more processors may execute one or more programs or instructions stored in a memory. For example, the one or more processors may perform a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure by executing one or more instructions stored in a memory.

[0056] One or more processors may be implemented as a single core processor including one core, or may be implemented as one or more multicore processors including multiple cores (e.g., homogeneous multicores or heterogeneous multicores). When one or more processors are implemented as a multicore processor, each of the multiple cores included in the multicore processor may include internal processor memory, such as cache memory or on-chip memory, and a common cache shared by the multiple cores may be included in the multicore processor. In addition, each of the multiple cores (or some of the multiple cores) included in the multicore processor may independently read and execute a program instruction for implementing a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, or all (or some) of the multiple cores may be linked to read and execute a program instruction for implementing a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] In particular, when the processor (150) detects that the connector (30) and the cables (50-1, 50-2) are connected, the processor (150) determines whether the cable is a first cable (50-1) for performing wired communication, and if the cable is determined to be the first cable (50-1), the processor controls the switch IC (120) to connect the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC and the processor, and if the cable is determined not to be the first cable (50-1), the processor controls the switch IC (120) to display a guide UI requesting a user's response as to whether the cable is a second cable (50-2) for outputting an audio signal, and, depending on the user's response to the displayed guide UI, the processor controls the switch IC (120) to connect the second pin (120-2) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150) or to connect the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150).

[0058] More specifically, the processor (150) may include a cable connection determination module (151), a cable type determination module (152), a switch IC control module (153), or a signal transmission module (154) to control the switch IC (120) according to the cable (50-1 or 50-2) connected to the connector (30).

[0059] Hereinafter, the operation of the electronic device (100) controlled by a plurality of modules included in the processor (150) will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 10.

[0060] First, the cable connection judgment module (151) can determine whether a cable (50-1, 50-2) is connected to the connector (30).

[0061] The cable connection judgment module (151) can determine whether a cable (50-1, 50-2) is connected to the connector (30) through a signal (CABLE_DET signal) received from the connector (30). The CABLE_DET signal is a signal that detects whether the cable (50-1, 50-2) is physically connected to the connector (30). The CABLE_DET signal can be generated through a pin included in the connector (30). The CABLE_DET signal can be in a high state or a low state depending on whether the connector (30) and the cable (50-1, 50-2) are connected.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the cable connection determination module (151) can be set to a high state when the cables (50-1, 50-2) are not connected to the connector (30). When the default state is a high state, the state of the pin included in the connector (30) can be set to 3.3 V or 5 V. When the cables (50-1, 50-2) are connected to the connector (30), the cable connection determination module (151) can change the state of the pin from a high state to a low state, i.e., 0 V. The cable connection determination module (151) can receive a signal changed according to the state change from the connector (30) and determine that the cables (50-1, 50-2) are connected to the connector (30).

[0063] However, this is only an example, and the cable connection judgment module (151) can set the state in which the cables (50-1, 50-2) are not connected to the connector (30) to a low state. At this time, when the cables (50-1, 50-2) are connected to the connector (30), the state of the pins included in the connector (30) can be changed to a high state.

[0064] The cable type determination module (152) can determine whether the cable connected to the connector (30) is a cable (50-1) for wired communication or a cable (50-2) for outputting an audio signal.

[0065] The cable type determination module (152) can determine whether the connected cable is the first cable (50-1) based on whether a signal in response to the transmitted signal is received from the external device (200) when the cable connected to the connector (30) is determined to be the first cable (50-1), by transmitting a signal to the external device (200) that communicates with the first cable (50-1). At this time, the signal transmitted to the external device (200) can be a test signal or string data. The cable type determination module (152) can determine the connected cable as the first cable (50-1) when a signal in response to the transmitted test signal or string data is received from the external device (200). This will be described later with reference to FIG. 3.

[0066] The cable type determination module (152) can transmit a test signal (310) to an external device (200) communicating through the first cable (50-1) of the electronic device when a cable (50-1, 50-2) is connected to the connector (30). The first cable (50-1) for wired communication can serve as a UART communication interface. The electronic device (100) can exchange commands or data with the external device (200) through the UART communication interface. The external device (200) can change the settings of the electronic device (100) or control the electronic device (100) through the UART communication interface.

[0067] When the cable type determination module (152) determines that a cable (50-1 or 50-2) is connected to the connector (30) of the electronic device (100), it can transmit a test signal (310) to the external device (200) to determine whether the cable connected to the connector (30) is the first cable (50-1).

[0068] In FIG. 3, for convenience of explanation, the external device (200) is depicted as a remote control, but this is only one example, and the external device (200) may be a set-top box, a projector, a game console, etc.

[0069] In one embodiment, the cable type determination module (152) may transmit test string data (310) to the external device (200) using UART communication. For example, the cable type determination module (152) may transmit string data (310) called “ECHO TEST” to the external device (200). If the cable type determination module (152) receives string data (320) called “ECHO TEST” that is identical to the string data transmitted to the external device (200), the cable type determination module (152) may determine that the cable connected to the connector (30) is the first cable (50-1).

[0070] In another embodiment, the cable type determination module (152) may transmit a test signal or a defined packet to the external device (200). The test signal means binary data of a specific pattern, and may be, for example, '0x55' or '0Xaa'. The defined packet may be a data packet defined according to a specific protocol, and this packet may be composed of a start bit, data bits, parity bits, and stop bits.

[0071] The cable type determination module (152) can determine the connected cable as the second cable (50-2) if a signal corresponding to the transmitted signal (310) is not received from the external device (200) as shown in FIG. 4.

[0072] The second cable (50-2) for outputting audio signals may only have the function of reproducing audio signals and may not have the function of processing digital signals or performing echo tests. Specifically, the second cable (50-2) serves to transmit audio signals and, unlike the first cable (50-1) that transmits and receives signals, can only perform the function of transmitting signals.

[0073] The cable type determination module (152) controls the display (140) to display a guide UI (User Interface) (510) requesting a user's response, and when a user's response message indicating that the connected cable is the second cable (50-2) is input for the displayed guide UI (510), it can be determined that the connected cable is the second cable (50-2).

[0074] The cable type determination module (152) can control the display (140) to display a guide UI (510) asking the user to confirm whether the cable connected to the connector (30) is the second cable (50-2), if it does not receive a response signal from the external device (200) after transmitting the test string (310) to the external device (200).

[0075] In one embodiment, the cable type determination module (152) may provide a pop-up message. The pop-up message may be displayed on a portion of the display (140). For example, the cable type determination module (152) may control the display (140) to display a pop-up message including the phrase “Earphone jack is connected!” on a portion of the display (140). Although the cable type determination module (152) has been described above on the premise that a user response is required, it may determine that the cable is a second cable even if no user response is input.

[0076] In another embodiment, the cable type determination module (152) can determine the type of cable by outputting a voice message requesting a user's response. Specifically, if the electronic device (100) includes a speaker, the speaker can be controlled to output a voice message such as, "If earphones are connected, respond with 'Yes!'".

[0077] In another embodiment, the cable type determination module (152) may display a guide UI (510) including the text “Is the headphone cable connected?” requesting a user’s response on the display (140), as illustrated in FIG. 5. The guide UI (510) may include phrases guiding the user’s response as to whether the cable connected to the connector is the second cable (50-2). Phrases included in the guide UI may be, for example, “If the earphone jack is connected to the TV, press the YES button. If the earphone jack is not connected, press the NO button.”

[0078] The cable type determination module (152) can determine that the cable (50-1, 50-2) connected to the connector (30) is the second cable (50-2) if the user selects the response UI (520-1) of “YES” for the guide UI (510) displayed on the display (140). On the other hand, if the user selects the response UI (520-2) of “NO”, the cable type determination module (152) can determine that the cable connected to the connector (30) is the first cable (50-1).

[0079] The switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) according to the type of cable connected to the connector (30) when the type of cable is determined. When a user response message indicating that the connected cable is the second cable (50-2) is input, the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) so that the second pin (120-2) of the switch IC and the processor (150) are connected.

[0080] In one embodiment, the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) using a GPIO signal.

[0081] The switch IC control module (153) is arranged between the connector (30) and the processor (150) and can receive a GPIO (General-Purpose Input / Output) signal from the processor (150). The GPIO signal is a multi-purpose digital signal pin used in the processor (150). The GPIO pin can define a basic state by internally including a pull-up or pull-down resistor, and can be used for interaction with other external devices. The GPIO signal can receive an external signal in input mode and transmit it to an external device, and output a signal in output mode to control the external device. The GPIO signal generally means a digital signal having two states: a high state or a low state.

[0082] The GPIO signal may be a first signal that controls the switch IC (120) to connect the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150), and a second signal that controls the switch IC (120) to connect the second pin (120-2) and the processor (150).

[0083] When the second signal among the GPIO signals is 'High', the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) to transmit a 'High' state signal to the switch IC (120) and connect the second pin (120-2) and the processor (150). When the switch IC control module (153) transmits a 'High' state signal to the switch IC (120), the processor (150) and the second pin (120-2) can be connected to the 'HP_LEFT_OUT' and 'HP_RIGHT_OUT' signals, which are signals for audio output, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0084] In another embodiment, the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) using a single-bit control signal. For example, the switch IC control module (153) can set a signal (second signal) to connect the second pin (120-2) included in the switch IC (120) and the processor (150) to '1'. At this time, the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) so that the second pin (120-2) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150) are connected by transmitting a signal of '1' to the switch IC (120). In another embodiment, the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) using a method such as I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit), SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface), etc. Since I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) includes two lines, SDA (data line) and SCL (clock line), the switch IC control module (153) can control multiple slaves (switch ICs, etc.). SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) includes four lines, MOSI (master output / slave input), MISO (master input / slave output), SCLK (clock), and SS (slave select), the switch IC control module (153) can perform synchronized communication using the clock signal.

[0085] When a user's response message indicating that the connected cable is not the second cable (50-2) is input, the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) to connect the first pin (120-1) and the processor (150). That is, when the user inputs a response message indicating that the connected cable is not the second cable (50-2), the switch IC control module (153) can determine that the connected cable is the first cable (50-1). This will be described later with reference to FIG. 7.

[0086] In one embodiment, the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) using a GPIO signal. When a first signal among the GPIO signals is 'Low', the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) to transmit a 'Low' state signal to the switch IC (120) and connect the first pin (120-1) and the processor (150). When the switch IC control module (153) transmits a 'Low' state signal to the switch IC (120), the processor (150) and the second pin (120-1) can be connected to a 'TX_UART' signal and a 'RX_UART' signal for UART communication.

[0087] In another embodiment, the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) using a single-bit control signal. For example, the switch IC control module (153) can set a signal (first signal) to connect the first pin (120-1) included in the switch IC (120) and the processor (150) to '0'. At this time, the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) so that the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150) are connected by transmitting a signal of '0' to the switch IC (120).

[0088] The signal transmission module (154) can transmit a signal to the switch IC (120) depending on the type of the connected cable. As illustrated in FIG. 8, when the connected cable is the second cable (50-2), the signal transmission module (154) controls the switch IC (120) to connect the second pin (120-2) and the processor (150), and then transmits a signal changed from the first signal to the second signal to the switch IC (120). At this time, the first signal may be a signal that controls the switch IC (120) to connect the processor (150) and the first pin (120-1), and the second signal may be a signal that controls the switch IC (120) to connect the processor (150) and the second pin (120-2).

[0089] As described above, when the user inputs a response that the connected cable is the second cable (50-2) in response to the guide UI (510) requesting the user's response regarding the type of cable, the signal transmission module (154) can transmit a changed signal to the switch IC (120).

[0090] Depending on the signal transmitted to the switch IC (120), the type of pin of the switch IC (120) connected to the processor (150) may vary. If the signal transmission module (154) determines that the connected cable is the second cable (50-2), it may transmit a signal changed from the first signal to the second signal to the switch IC (120).

[0091] The switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) so that when a first signal is transmitted to the switch IC (120), the first pin (120-1) and the processor (150) are connected, and when a second signal is transmitted to the switch IC (120), the second pin (120-2) and the processor (150) are connected. This will be described later with reference to FIG. 9.

[0092] As illustrated in FIG. 9, when the first cable (50-1) is connected, the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) by transmitting a first signal to the switch IC (120) so that the first pin (120-1) and the processor (150) are connected. On the other hand, when the second cable (50-2) is connected, the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) by transmitting a second signal to the switch IC (120) so that the second pin (120-2) and the processor (150) are connected.

[0093] The process of connecting the first pin (120-1) or the second pin (120-2) of the switch IC and the processor (150) according to the first and second signals has been described above, so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0094] Meanwhile, although the above description assumes that cables (50-1, 50-2) are connected to connector (30), it may also be assumed that cables (50-1, 50-2) are not connected to connector (30). If the switch IC control module (153) determines that the connector (30) and cables (50-1, 50-2) are not connected, as illustrated in FIG. 10, it may control the switch IC (120) so that the first pin (120-1) and the processor (150) are connected.

[0095] The cable connection judgment module (151) can determine that the cable (50-1, 50-2) is not connected to the connector (30) when the CABLE_DET signal is in a high state.

[0096] If the switch IC control module (153) determines that the cables (50-1, 50-2) are not connected to the connector (30), the switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) to connect the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150). The switch IC control module (153) can control the switch IC (120) to perform UART communication with an external device (200).

[0097] FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an electronic device (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0098] First, the electronic device (100) can determine whether a cable (50-1, 50-2) is connected to the connector (30) (S1110).

[0099] The electronic device (100) can control the switch IC (120) so that the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC and the processor (150) are connected when the cable (50-1, 50-2) is not connected to the connector (30) (S1110-N) (S1120).

[0100] If the electronic device (100) determines that the cables (50-1, 50-2) are connected to the connector (30) (S1110-Y), it can transmit a signal to an external device communicating with the first cable (50-1, 50-2) (S1130). At this time, the external device (200) is described above assuming a remote control, but the external device (200) is not limited to a remote control, and may be an external controller, a laptop, a projector, an audio system, or a digital signage controller, etc. The signal transmitted to the external device (200) may be a test string or a digital signal to check whether the external device (200) and the electronic device (100) are connected. Since this has been described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0101] The electronic device (100) can determine whether it has received a signal in response to a signal transmitted to an external device (S1140). At this time, if it has received a signal identical to the signal transmitted to the external device (200), the electronic device (100) can determine that the external device and the electronic device are connected.

[0102] When the electronic device (100) receives a signal in response to a signal transmitted to an external device (200) (S1140-Y), the electronic device (100) can control the switch IC (120) so that the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150) are connected (S1150). At this time, as the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150) are connected, the electronic device (100) can communicate with the external device (200).

[0103] However, if the electronic device (100) does not receive a signal responding to the signal transmitted to the external device (200) (S1140-N), the cable connected to the connector (30) may be determined to be the second cable (50-2) (S1160).

[0104] If the electronic device (100) determines that the cable connected to the connector (30) is the second cable (50-2), the electronic device (100) can control the display (140) to display a guide UI on the display (140) to confirm whether the second cable is correctly connected.

[0105] The electronic device (100) can check whether the user's response corresponding to the guide UI is a response that the type of cable connected is a second cable (50-2) (S1170).

[0106] If the user's response to the guide UI is that the cable connected to the connector (30) is a second cable (S1170-Y), the electronic device (100) can control the switch IC (120) to connect the second pin (120-2) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150) (S1180).

[0107] If the user's response to the guide UI is that the cable connected to the connector (30) is not the second cable (50-1, 50-2) (S1170-N), the electronic device (100) can control the switch IC (120) to connect the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150) (S1190). At this time, if the user's response that the cable is the first cable (50-1, 50-2) is input to the connector, the cable connected to the connector (30) is the first cable (50-1), and therefore the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC and the processor (150) can be connected.

[0108] Figure 12 is a flowchart for explaining a control method of an electronic device (100).

[0109] When the electronic device (100) detects that the connector (30) and the cable are connected, it can determine whether the cable (50-1, 50-2) is a first cable (50-1, 50-2) for performing wired communication (S1210). There may be two types of cables that can be connected to the connector (30): a cable for wired communication and a cable for audio output. At this time, the electronic device (100) can determine the type of cable connected to the connector (30) among the two types of cables. Since the method for determining the type of cable has been described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0110] If the electronic device (100) determines that the cable is the first cable (50-1), the electronic device (100) can control the switch IC (120) to connect the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150) (S1220). If the cable connected to the connector (30) is the first cable (50-1), the processor (150) can transmit a first signal to the switch IC (120) to connect the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150).

[0111] If the electronic device (100) determines that the cable is not the first cable (50-1), it may display a guide UI requesting a user's response as to whether the cable is a second cable (50-2) for outputting an audio signal (S1230). While the user has selected the type of cable according to the guide UI (510) displayed on the display (140) as described above, the user may input a response through a microphone or a separate input device, such as a keyboard or mouse provided by a smart TV.

[0112] The electronic device (100) can control the switch IC (120) so that the second pin (120-2) of the switch IC (120) is connected to the processor (150) or the first pin (120-1) of the switch IC (120) is connected to the processor (150) according to the user's response to the displayed guide UI (S1240). If the user inputs a response that the cable connected to the connector (30) is the first cable (50-1, 50-2) in response to the displayed guide UI, the first pin of the switch IC and the processor (150) can be connected. However, if the user inputs a response that the cable connected to the connector (30) is the second cable (50-1, 50-2) in response to the displayed guide UI (510), the second pin (120-2) of the switch IC (120) and the processor (150) can be connected. Since this has been described above in the switch IC control module, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0113] According to the present disclosure, the electronic device (100) has one connector (30) for connecting a first cable (50-1) or a second cable (50-2), so that the user can eliminate the inconvenience of connecting to the correct port when connecting a cable to the connector (30).

[0114] In addition, the methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a commodity 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) through an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user (20) devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., downloadable app) 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.

[0115] The methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as software including commands stored in a machine-readable storage medium that can be read by a machine (e.g., a computer). The device is a device that can call commands stored from the storage medium and operate according to the called commands, and may include a server device or an electronic device according to the disclosed embodiments.

[0116] Meanwhile, a device-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory readable recording medium. Here, the term "non-transitory readable recording medium" simply means a tangible device that does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves). This term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently in the storage medium and cases where data is stored temporarily. For example, a "non-transitory storage medium" may include a buffer in which data is temporarily stored.

[0117] When the above instruction is executed by the processor, the processor may perform the function corresponding to the instruction directly or by using other components under the control of the processor. The instruction may include code generated or executed by a compiler or interpreter.

[0118] Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and various modifications may be made by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the gist of the present disclosure as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical idea or prospect of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. In electronic devices, A communication interface including a connector for connecting to an external device via a cable; Switch IC; Memory that stores instructions; and comprising at least one processor; The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to determine whether the cable is a first cable for performing a first wired communication when the connector and the cable are detected to be connected, and to control the switch IC so that a first pin of the switch IC is connected to the processor when the cable is determined to be the first cable. If it is determined that the cable is not the first cable, a guide UI is displayed requesting a user's response as to whether the cable is a second cable for outputting an audio signal. An electronic device that controls the switch IC so that the second pin of the switch IC is connected to the processor or the first pin of the switch IC is connected to the processor, depending on the user's response to the guide UI displayed above.

2. In paragraph 1, The above instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to: If the above-mentioned connected cable is determined to be the first cable, a signal is transmitted to an external device communicating with the first cable, An electronic device that determines whether the connected cable is the first cable based on whether a signal responding to the transmitted signal is received from the external device.

3. In paragraph 2, The signal transmitted to the external device by the processor is a test signal or string data, An electronic device that determines the connected cable as a first cable when a signal responding to the transmitted test signal or string data is received from the external device.

4. In paragraph 3, The above processor, An electronic device that determines the connected cable as the second cable when a signal corresponding to the transmitted signal is not received from the external device.

5. In paragraph 1, Includes more displays, The above processor, Control the display to display a guide UI requesting the user's response; An electronic device that controls a switch IC so that a second pin of the switch IC and the processor are connected when a user response message is input that the connected cable is the second cable for the guide UI displayed above.

6. In paragraph 5, An electronic device that controls a switch IC so that the first pin of the switch IC and the processor are connected when a user response message is input that the connected cable is not the second cable for the guide UI displayed above.

7. In paragraph 5, The above processor, After controlling the switch IC so that the second pin and the processor are connected, a signal changed from a first signal to a second signal is transmitted to the switch IC, An electronic device wherein the first signal controls the switch IC to connect the processor and the first pin, and the second signal controls the switch IC to connect the processor and the second pin.

8. In paragraph 7, The above processor, When the first signal is transmitted to the switch IC, the first pin and the processor are connected, An electronic device that controls the switch IC so that the second pin and the processor are connected when the second signal is transmitted to the switch IC.

9. In paragraph 1, If the above processor determines that the connector and the cable are not connected, An electronic device that controls the switch IC so that the first pin and the processor are connected.

10. In a method for controlling an electronic device, When the connector and the cable are detected to be connected, a step of determining whether the cable is a first cable for UART communication; when the cable is determined to be the first cable, a step of controlling the switch IC so that the first pin of the switch IC is connected to the processor; If it is determined that the cable is not the first cable, a step of displaying a guide UI requesting a user's response as to whether the cable is a second cable for outputting an audio signal; and A control method comprising: a step of controlling the switch IC so that a second pin of the switch IC is connected to a processor or a first pin of the switch IC is connected to a processor, depending on a user's response to the guide UI displayed above; 11. In paragraph 10, A control method comprising: a step of transmitting a signal to an external device communicating with the first cable when the connected cable is determined to be a first cable; and a step of determining whether the connected cable is the first cable based on whether a signal corresponding to the transmitted signal is received from the external device.

12. In paragraph 11, The signal transmitted to the above external device is a test signal or string data, A control method comprising: a step of determining that the external device is connected when a signal corresponding to the transmitted test signal or string data is received from the external device.

13. In paragraph 12, A control method comprising: a step of determining the connected cable as the second cable when a signal corresponding to the transmitted signal is not received from the external device; 14. In paragraph 10, A step of displaying a guide UI requesting a user's response; and A control method comprising: a step of controlling the switch IC so that the second pin of the switch IC and the processor are connected when a user response message that the connected cable is the second cable is input for the guide UI displayed above; 15. In paragraph 14, A control method comprising: a step of controlling the switch IC so that the first pin of the switch IC and the processor are connected when a user response message is input that the connected cable is not the second cable for the guide UI displayed above;

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