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EP-3689000-B1 - METHOD FOR CONTROLLING EARPIECE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING THE SAME

EP3689000B1EP 3689000 B1EP3689000 B1EP 3689000B1EP-3689000-B1

Inventors

  • KIM, EUNHYE
  • OKADA, NORIO
  • SUZUKI, MASATO
  • CHO, JONGHYUK
  • HEO, DONGHUN

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20181214

Claims (6)

  1. An electronic device (101) comprising: a power management module (188); a communication interface; and a processor (120) configured to: control the communication interface to receive (601, 603) first battery level information of a first earpiece (203) and second battery level information of a second earpiece (205) via wired communication links (431, 433) established by the first earpiece and the second earpiece connected to the electronic device using a cable (310), identify (605) a charging method, corresponding to the first battery level information and the second battery level information, among a plurality of charging methods for charging at least one of the first earpiece and the second earpiece, and control the power management module to supply (607) charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece, via the cable, using the charging method, wherein when (1701) audio data is transmitted to the first earpiece and the second earpiece through the cable, and the charging power is supplied to the first earpiece and the second earpiece through the cable, the processor is further configured to: identify (1703) whether the first earpiece or the second earpiece is disconnected from the cable, if the first earpiece or the second earpiece is disconnected from the cable, control the power management module to supply (1705) the charging power to an earpiece, among the first earpiece and the second earpiece, which is still connected to the electronic device, via the cable, and transmit (1707) the audio data to the first earpiece and the second earpiece, via a wireless communication link (410, 420, 511, 513) by switching from the wired communication links to the wireless communication link.
  2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to: identify (1005) a battery level of the electronic device, if the battery level of the electronic device exceeds a second threshold, control the power management module to supply (1015) the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable, and if the battery level of the electronic device falls below the second threshold, control the power management module to stop (1009) the charging power supply to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable.
  3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to: identify (1105) a battery level of the electronic device, if the battery level of the electronic device exceeds a third threshold, control the power management module to supply (1109) the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable, if the battery level of the electronic device falls below the third threshold and exceeds a fourth threshold, control the power management module to supply (1115) the charging power to an earpiece of a lower battery level among the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on whether a difference between the first battery level and the second battery level exceeds a first threshold, and if the battery level of the electronic device falls below the fourth threshold, control the power management module to stop (1117) the charging power supply to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable.
  4. A method for controlling an earpiece in an electronic device, comprising: via a communication interface, receiving (601, 603) first battery level information of a first earpiece (203) and second battery level information of a second earpiece (205) via wired communication links (431, 433) established by the first earpiece and the second earpiece connected to the electronic device using a cable (310); identifying (605) a charging method, corresponding to the first battery level information and the second battery level information, among a plurality of charging methods for charging at least one of the first earpiece and the second earpiece; and supplying (607) charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece, via the cable, using the charging method, wherein when (1701) audio data is transmitted to the first earpiece and the second earpiece through the cable, and the charging power is supplied to the first earpiece and the second earpiece through the cable, the method further comprises: identifying (1703) whether the first earpiece or the second earpiece is disconnected from the cable; supplying (1705) the charging power to an earpiece, among the first earpiece and the second earpiece which is still connected to the electronic device, via the cable; and transmitting (1707) the audio data to the first earpiece and the second earpiece, via a wireless communication link (410, 420, 511, 513) by switching from the wired communication links to the wireless communication link.
  5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: identifying (1005) a battery level of the electronic device; supplying (1007) the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on the battery level of the electronic device exceeding a second threshold; and stopping (1009) the charging power supply to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on the battery level of the electronic device falling below the second threshold.
  6. The method of claim 4, further comprising: identifying (1105) a battery level of the electronic device; supplying (1109) the charging power to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on the battery level of the electronic device exceeding a third threshold; supplying (1115) the charging power to an earpiece of a lower battery level among the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on (i) the battery level of the electronic device falling below the third threshold and exceeding a fourth threshold and (ii) whether a difference between the first battery level and the second battery level exceeds a first threshold; and stopping (1117) the charging power supply to the first earpiece and the second earpiece via the cable based on the battery level of the electronic device falling below the fourth threshold.

Description

Technical Field The present disclosure relates generally to a method for controlling an earpiece, and an electronic device for supporting the same. Background Art In recent, with advances in digital technology, various electronic devices such as a mobile communication terminal, a smart phone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a personal digital assistant (PDA), an electronic organizer, a notebook, a wearable device, an Internet of things (IoT) device, or an audible device are widely used. The electronic device may be connected to various audible devices (e.g., audio output devices such as wired headphones, wired earpieces, wireless headphones, or wireless earpieces). The electronic device may output audio data (e.g., a sound source) which is played, through the connected audible device, and a user may listen to the audio data of the electronic device through the audible device. The electronic device and the audible device may be connected through a wired interface (e.g., a connector connection) or a wireless interface (or a Bluetooth connection). In recent, wireless earphones which operate in pair is developed as the audible device. Such wireless earphones may include a first earpiece and a second earpiece which are worn in respective ears of the user, and each earpiece may include a battery. Battery voltages of the earpieces may vary according to how to use the wireless earphones and a surrounding environment. Hence, the earpiece of a lower voltage may be turned off (or discharged) first, and the user may not listen to music in stereo. Document US 2017/164089 A1 discloses an electronic device that includes a wireless communication circuit; a processor connected to the communication circuit; and a memory connected to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to establish a connection to a first and second earpiece by the wireless communication circuit; receive, from the first earpiece, a first data related to a charging level of a first battery included in the first earpiece by the communication circuit; receive, from the first earpiece or the second earpiece, a second data that is related to a charging level of a second battery in the second earpiece by the communication circuit; and transmit, to at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, one or more control signals that enable the first earpiece and the second earpiece to operate differently from each other based on the first and second data. Document US 2017/295421 A1 discloses a wireless earphone set comprises two earphones and a first cable. Each of the two earphones comprises a housing, a first connector and an internal power source. The first connector is disposed in the housing. The internal power source is disposed in the housing, and electrically connected to the first connector. The first cable has two second connectors at two ends thereof. The second connectors of the first cable are detachably and electrically connected to the first connectors of the two earphones, respectively. Disclosure of Invention Solution to Problem To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary aspect of the present disclosure to provide a method for controlling an earpiece by providing charging power and audio data to audible devices based on remaining battery amounts of the audible devices which operate in pair using wireless communication, and an electronic device for supporting the same. The scope of protection is defined by the claims. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an electronic device includes a communication interface and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to receive first battery level information of a first earpiece and second battery level information of a second earpiece, via the communication interface, to identify a charging method corresponding to the first battery level and the second battery level, among a plurality of charging methods for charging at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, and to control to supply charging power to at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, via a cable which connects the electronic device with at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, using the charging method. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for controlling an earpiece in an electronic device includes receiving first battery level information of a first earpiece and second battery level information of a second earpiece, via a communication interface, identifying a charging method corresponding to the first battery level and the second battery level, among a plurality of charging methods for charging at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, and controlling to supply charging power to at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, via a cable which connects the electronic device with at least one of the first earpiece or the second earpiece, using the charging