Mobile Terminal Playback Continuity via Earphone Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users often miss sound information when an external output device is disconnected from a mobile terminal device, as existing technologies either mute the internal speaker or require manual adjustment to resume playback from the correct position.

Innovation Solution

A mobile terminal device with a detector to monitor the connection of external output devices, pausing playback and recording the playback position when disconnected, and resuming from that position upon reconnection, allowing seamless continuation of audio and image output.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the audio output is switched to the embedded speaker when the head phone is plugged out, then the user can consecutively listen to music, but a large volume sound is suddenly generated from the embedded speaker

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous audio playback capabilityVSAvoidsudden large volume sound output

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by detecting head phone disconnection and automatically adjusting the embedded speaker volume to an appropriate level before the user can consecutively listen to music, preventing the sudden large volume sound issue

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the volume is automatically adjusted to 0 (mute) when switching from head phone to embedded speaker, then people nearby are not bothered, but the user fails to hear broadcast contents during the mute period

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise to people nearbyVSAvoidmissed broadcast contents

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by detecting head phone disconnection and automatically adjusting the embedded speaker volume to an appropriate listening level rather than mute, enabling the user to hear broadcast contents continuously without information loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the detector to monitor head phone connection status and automatically adjusts the embedded speaker volume based on this feedback, optimizing both noise control and audio continuity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If the reproduction operation continues when the external output device is disconnected, then the user may hear sound from the internal speaker, but the user misses sound information due to inaccurate reverse operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudio output flexibilityVSAvoidmissed sound information

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The reproduction controller performs preliminary actions by detecting external output device disconnection and automatically pausing the reproduction operation at the current position, preventing the user from missing sound information during the disconnection period

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the detector to monitor external output device connection status and automatically controls the reproduction operation (pausing when disconnected, resuming when reconnected), optimizing audio information delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9554204B2Mobile terminal device, computer-readable recording medium, and computer data signal

Publication Date: 2017.01.24 LENOVO INNOVATIONS LTD (HONG KONG)

AI summary

Even if an external output device like an earphone is disconnected during outputting of reproduced recorded contents, the recorded contents can be consecutively output at the time of subsequent reproduction. When an earphone connection detector detects that an earphone is disconnected during the reproduction operation of reproducing and outputting audio and image information in a recording section with the earphone being connected, a CPU performs control in such a manner as to stop the reproduction operation. When the earphone connection detector detects that the earphone is connected while the reproduction operation is stopped, the CPU resumes reproducing the audio and image information in the recording section at the stop position.