Abstract: According to one aspect, an electronic device for detecting an audio accessory. The electronic device includes an audio jack having at least two detection terminals. The detection terminals are spaced apart and positioned within a socket of the audio jack so when an audio plug of the accessory is inserted into the socket of the audio jack, the detection terminals will be shorted. The presence of a short between the detection terminals is indicative that the audio accessory is present.

Abstract: A method for identifying an accessory coupled to an electronic device. The method includes applying at least one detection pulse to the audio accessory, each detection pulse being spectrally shaped to be generally inaudible to a human user, receiving at least one response signal corresponding to each detection pulse that is indicative of the impedance of the accessory, and based on the impedance, identifying the accessory.

Abstract: There is provided a single wire bus architecture comprising a single wire bus; a master device coupled to the single wire bus; at least one slave device coupled to the single wire bus; a communication protocol implemented over the single wire bus and employed by the master device and the at least one slave device; wherein when one of the at least one slave devices wishes to communicate with the master device, the one of the at least one slave devices discharges the clock signal during a tri-state stage of the clock signal; and wherein the single wire bus transmits a clock signal, power and data between the master device and the one of the at least one slave device in communication with the master device.

Abstract: An apparatus for a portable electronic device for receiving a jack of a headset, the jack including a set of lines, the set of lines including at least one audio line, a ground signal and a microphone signal line, the apparatus comprising a set of switches for receiving the ground signal line and the microphone signal line and a sensing circuit for reducing induced noise from the headset, wherein the sensing circuit is located between the set of switches and the microphone signal line and ground signal line.

Abstract: According to some aspects, an electronic device adapted to provide audio output via an audio system. The electronic device includes an audio jack adapted to be coupled to the audio system. The audio jack includes a line-out for sending audio signals to the audio system and a ground return line. The electronic device also includes a ground resistor between the ground return line and a ground node. The ground resistor has a resistance selected to reduce ground current on the ground return line when the electronic device is being charged without significantly adversely affecting the quality of the audio output.

Abstract: According to some aspects an electronic device adapted to detect whether it is coupled to an audio system. The electronic device includes a pulse generator adapted to generate a pulse on a ground return line of the electronic device, and a detector adapted to observe if a response signal is received by the electronic device corresponding to the pulse.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a condenser microphone assembly comprising an electro-acoustic transducer element comprising a diaphragm and a back plate, signal processing circuitry operatively connected to the transducer element so as to process signals generated by the transducer element, and a mode-setting circuitry for selectively setting the condenser microphone assembly in a test mode or an operational mode. The electro-acoustic sensitivity of the condenser microphone assembly, when operated in the test mode, is at least 40 dB lower than the corresponding electro-acoustic sensitivity of the assembly when operated in the operational mode. The present invention further relates to a method for determining a performance parameter of a signal processing circuitry mounted inside a housing of an assembled condenser microphone assembly.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a condenser microphone assembly comprising a capacitive electro-acoustic transducer element comprising a diaphragm and a back-plate operatively connected to a DC bias voltage, a fast charge pump adapted to generate the DC bias voltage, and a controllable or programmable current source operatively connected to the DC bias voltage to draw a predetermined DC current there from. The controllable or programmable current source is responsive to a difference between a representative of a detected DC bias voltage and a DC reference voltage.

Abstract: A method includes exciting a first gate line of a touch-sensitive display to control display of information, driving a first scanning electrode of the touch-sensitive display while exciting the gate line, wherein the first gate line is associated with a first area of the display and the first scanning electrode is associated with a second area of the display, which second area is spaced from the first area.

Abstract: Embodiments of various methods, devices and systems are described herein that use a unified bus communication protocol. One such device comprises an interface for sending and receiving signals, and a mux and sync engine coupled to the interface and configured to determine time slots for sent and received signals according to a unified bitstream frame format. The unified bitstream frame format comprises a plurality of frame channels for transmitting data in a bitstream mode of communication such that data from the frame channels are time-multiplexed across the frame channels one bit at a time, wherein one of the frame channels is allocated as a control channel comprising individual control bits from control data, and at least one of the frame channels is allocated as a virtual frame channel comprising individual data bits taken from digital word data.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein related to techniques for synchronizing a slave device to a master device that communicates using a unified bus communication protocol or some aspect thereof. In one example, the method may comprise assuming a first mode of operation for the unified bus communication protocol; searching for a synchronization pattern at one or more locations in transmitted data according to the first mode of operation; obtaining synchronization when the located synchronization pattern is verified according to at least one synchronization rule for the mode of operation; and if synchronization is not obtained based on the assumed first mode of operation, a second mode of operation for the unified bus communication protocol is assumed and the searching and obtaining acts are carried out on the transmitted data according to the second mode of operation.

Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing, and circuitry carried by the housing. The circuitry may include a wireless transceiver, a wireless broadcast receiver, audio circuitry coupled to the wireless transceiver and the wireless broadcast receiver, a wired headset jack, and a reference voltage device line, and at least one wired headset device line coupled between the audio circuitry and the wired headset jack. The reference voltage device line may be also coupled to the wireless broadcast receiver so that a corresponding reference voltage headset line of a wired headset serves as an antenna for the wireless broadcast receiver. The reference voltage line may be switchable to one or more connectors at the headset jack.

Abstract: An advanced headset is provided to enable two-way communication between a portable electronic device to the headset; a slave device located within the headset to receive and process the data; and at least one audio output device to transmit the data to a user. A method for transmitting data from a portable electronic device to a headset having a master device initialize a synchronization mechanism, transmitting the synchronization mechanism to a slave device within the digital headset via a bus, transmitting the data between the master device and slave device, and outputting the data as acoustic signals through an output device. The slave device may contain one or more speakers, controlled by one or more speaker amplifiers. The slave device may contain digital active noise cancellation, beam forming or audio enhanced circuits.

Abstract: A mobile device includes at least one speaker and an audio subsystem for providing an audio signal to the at least one speaker for playback by the at least one speaker. The audio subsystem operates by detecting a distance to a user of the mobile device using a proximity sensor and controlling volume output of the at least one speaker based on the distance to the user of the mobile device and the operational status of the proximity sensor. If it is determined that the proximity sensor is functional, the audio subsystem applies a gain factor to the audio signal that varies based on the distance to the user or limits the maximum allowable speaker output based on the distance. A high or low gain setting may be applied for when the user is far away or in close proximity to the mobile device.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein are directed to systems and methods for transmitting audio data and control segment in a single bitstream and reducing audio disturbance associated with the control segment when the bitstream is processed by an audio digital-to-analog converter. The system, according to one aspect, comprises a first audio unit, a transmitter coupled to the first audio unit, a receiver coupled to the transmitter, a second audio unit coupled to the receiver, a first processor coupled to at least one of the first audio unit and the transmitter, a second processor coupled to the second audio unit and the receiver, and an audio digital-to-analog converter connected to the second processor.

Abstract: A low-noise pre-amplifier with an active load element is integrated into a microphone. The microphone has an acoustic sensor coupled to the intrinsic pre-amplifier. A controllable current source is coupled to the intrinsic pre-amplifier and supplies a pre-amplifier bias current. A current source controller is coupled to the current source and controls the amplitude of the pre-amplifier bias current to maintain the intrinsic pre-amplifier at a bias point at which the intrinsic pre-amplifier amplifies microphone signals produced by the acoustic sensor. The intrinsic pre-amplifier may be actively regulated at the pre-determined bias point using negative feedback. Alternatively, the intrinsic pre-amplifier may be set to the pre-determined bias point by sweeping the pre-amplifier bias current for the intrinsic pre-amplifier over a range of currents.

Abstract: According to some aspects, an electronic device adapted to provide audio output via an audio system. The electronic device includes an audio jack adapted to be coupled to the audio system. The audio jack includes a line-out for sending audio signals to the audio system and a ground return line. The electronic device also includes a ground resistor between the ground return line and a ground node. The ground resistor has a resistance selected to reduce ground current on the ground return line when the electronic device is being charged without significantly adversely affecting the quality of the audio output.

Abstract: According to some aspects, a system for controlling an electronic device including an audio accessory coupled to the electronic device. The audio accessory has at least one speaker adapted to provide audio output and a plurality of resistive switches. The electronic device has a bias voltage source adapted to provide power to the resistive switches via a bias resistor and a ground connection, and a measurement module. The measurement module is adapted to monitor a bias point to determine which of the at least one switch has been engaged based on effect of the resistive switches on the ground offset voltage after compensating for a ground offset voltage caused by the audio output.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of determining a ground line within a video cable, the video cable including a left audio line, a right audio line, a third line and a fourth line, the method comprising connecting one of the third or fourth line to ground; transmitting a high frequency signal over the other of third and fourth line; measuring outputs of the left audio line or the right audio line; and determining the ground line based on the measured outputs.

Abstract: An audio system including a first audio unit and a second audio unit coupled to the first audio unit through an audio bus. A first processor is coupled to the first audio unit. The first processor is configured to transmit bits comprising audio content to the second audio unit over the audio bus. The first processor is further configured to receive a control command selected from a plurality of control commands, and in response, interrupt the bits comprising audio content and send a preamble and a control message on the audio bus, wherein the control message corresponds to the control command. A second processor is coupled to the second audio unit. The second processor is configured to monitor the audio bus for a preamble, and if a preamble is detected, then process the control message and execute the corresponding control command.