Headset Socket Control via Plug Movement Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Controlling audio programming functions on electronic devices is burdensome when the device is holstered or stowed, as traditional input devices are obstructed or inconvenient to access.
Innovation Solution
Adapting the electronic device to detect movement of a headset plug relative to a socket, using a joystick or transducers to translate these movements into control inputs for the device, allowing the plug to function as an auxiliary control mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional input devices are used on the electronic device, then control functions are available, but the device must be accessible which is not possible when holstered or stowed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary control mechanism - the headset plug and socket system - that mediates between the user and the electronic device. The socket is coupled to the housing and connects to output means, allowing control signals to be transmitted through the headset connection rather than requiring direct access to the device's traditional input devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The headset socket serves multiple functions: it provides audio output connection and simultaneously acts as a control interface for the electronic device. By making the socket user-operable, a single component enables both audio functionality and control functionality, eliminating the need for separate control devices when the electronic device is holstered or stowed.
2Ease of operation
If control functions are integrated into the electronic device, then control is possible, but additional control interfaces are required which increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing headset socket multi-functional by enabling it to serve as a control interface. The socket is adapted for user-operable manipulation to enable control means, allowing the same component to handle both audio output and device control functions, thereby avoiding additional control interfaces and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control functionality is merged with the existing headset connection mechanism. Rather than adding separate control buttons or interfaces, the patent combines control capabilities into the socket assembly, integrating multiple functions into a single unified interface that reduces complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the socket is made user-operable for control, then control is enabled without supplementary interfaces, but the socket must be accessible which conflicts with device stowing
Solution Approach 1:
The headset plug and cord act as an extended intermediary that reaches outside the device housing. When the electronic device is holstered or stowed, the headset plug protrudes from the device, providing an accessible control interface that extends beyond the device boundaries, allowing user interaction without needing to access the device directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The control interface is extended into a different spatial dimension by using the headset cord and plug. Instead of requiring access to controls on the device surface, the control mechanism extends outward through the headset connection, creating a control interface in a different spatial plane that remains accessible even when the device is stowed away.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method are provided that adapt or configure an electronic device (10) to be capable of detecting movement of the plug (22) of a headset (20) relative to a socket (34) therefore, i.e. be capable of detecting relative movement of the coupling between the headset and the device (10). The plug (22) can then be used to control functions on the electronic device (10), including those associated with audio programming. The resultant auxiliary controls can also be used for other applications, even those where the device (10) is actively being used, e.g. a video game, to provide further control inputs for the electronic device (10).