US20110183629A1 - Mobile Communication Devices Having Adaptable Features and Methods for Implementation - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided are communication devices having adaptable features and methods for implementation. One device includes at least one adaptable component and a processor configured to detect an external cue relevant to operation of the at least one adaptable component, to determine a desired state for the at least one adaptable component corresponding to the external cue, and then to dynamically adapt the at least one adaptable component to substantially produce the desired state. One adaptable component comprises at least one adaptable speaker system. Another adaptable component comprises at least one adaptable antenna.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application is based on and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/336,837, filed on Jan. 26, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• The present invention relates generally to electronic devices and systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to mobile communication devices and systems having adaptable features.
• 2. Background Art
• As communication devices have matured in everyday use, the often countervailing pressures of feature inclusion and overall cost have led to a progression of devices that are increasingly complex, fragile, hard to exploit fully, and power hungry.
• For example, a conventional mobile telephone includes the ability to network with other devices over typically three or more different communication links, where each interface associated with a particular communication link is separate and discrete, which takes up immense space, is costly to provide, and typically represents at least a phantom power draw that, summing over each discrete interface, substantially reduces battery life. Moreover, each additional interface increases a risk of interference between interfaces, which almost always increases design costs, and either limits utility or further worsens battery life due to additional required amplification and signal segregation circuitry. These general detriments are particularly troublesome because, typically, a communication device user is unable to exploit more than a few communication interfaces at any one time, yet the user is always subject to the reduced battery life and must pay extra for the privilege.
• In addition to network interface complexity, many conventional mobile telephones incorporate a wide array of additional discrete sensor components used to detect ambient noise, for example, or to enable automated features. However, each additional discrete device is typically expensive to manufacture and mount in a mobile telephone enclosure, particularly as more features are packed into each communication device. Moreover, as each new sensor takes up additional surface area of a typical mobile telephone enclosure, the resulting user interface becomes less intuitive and harder to access while attempting to exploit the added functionality provided by, for example, new sensors.
• In order to offset the increasing materials and design costs of adding each new market-driven functionality, manufacturers have typically turned to relatively inexpensive materials and implementations to form components for communication devices. Unfortunately, such materials and implementations are typically less robust than more expensive materials, and so the quality of particular component functionality is noticeably reduced, as is useful lifetime. For example, although speakers are integral to every electronic communication device, there is constant pressure to make speakers smaller and cheaper to manufacture to make room for the space and cost of, for example, additional sensors and additional network interfaces. This often results in communication device speakers that have substantially distorted outputs and that are extremely fragile in common usage, especially when driven near the substantially size and material-dependent limits of their operating range.
• Accordingly, there is a need to overcome the drawbacks and deficiencies in the art by providing a communication device that reduces a number and cost of discrete components used to enable desirable features.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present application is directed to mobile communication devices having adaptable features and methods for implementation, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:
• FIG. 1apresents a diagram of a communication device having adaptable features according to one embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 1bpresents an illustration of a communication device having adaptable features according to one embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 2 presents an illustration of two communication devices having adaptable features in use, according to one embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 3 presents an illustration of a communication device having adaptable features according to one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• The present application is directed to mobile communication devices having adaptable features and methods for implementation. The following description contains specific information pertaining to the implementation of the present invention. One skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may be implemented in a manner different from that specifically discussed in the present application. Moreover, some of the specific details of the invention are not discussed in order not to obscure the invention. The specific details not described in the present application are within the knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art.
• The drawings in the present application and their accompanying detailed description are directed to merely exemplary embodiments of the invention. To maintain brevity, other embodiments of the invention, which use the principles of the present invention, are not specifically described in the present application and are not specifically illustrated by the present drawings. Unless noted otherwise, like or corresponding elements among the figures may be indicated by like or corresponding reference numerals. Moreover, the drawings and illustrations in the present application are generally not to scale, and are not intended to correspond to actual relative dimensions.
• FIGS. 1aand1bshow a communication device including an adaptable speaker system, according to one embodiment of the present inventive concepts. According to the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1aand1b,mobile telephone110 includesadaptable speaker system114 configured to dynamically adapt speaker output to improve speaker performance and prevent speaker damage due to a resonance event.
• As is well known in the art, resonance in a speaker is highly undesirable. Even at its least damaging, resonance in a speaker produces substantial audio distortion. More ominously, however, speaker resonance can cause displacement of speaker components outside their targeted design range, and in some instances results in permanent damage to sensitive speaker elements. As a result, most existing speaker implementations include a conventional solution directed to avoiding or preventing a resonance event.
• Conventional solutions to avoiding or preventing speaker resonance are essentially static solutions, i.e., solutions based upon predetermined or static anti-resonance algorithms implemented through the circuitry of the mobile device in which the speaker resides. However, because those predetermined anti-resonance algorithms are based on performance models derived from average device specifications and average speaker responses in a test lab environment, the static algorithms may work well for device speakers having performance profiles close to the average, but may be substantially less effective and even fail entirely to prevent destructive resonance events for other speakers or even the same speakers experiencing even slightly different environmental coupling than that present in a test lab.
• For example, a typical speaker for a mobile telephone may be mounted in a mobile telephone enclosure using an automated assembly line that requires mounting clearances allowing for slight displacements due to acceptable assembly line alignment errors. However, even slight differences in mounting of a speaker in an enclosure, from phone to phone, may change the speaker's mechanical coupling to the enclosure enough to substantially change its performance or resonance profile relative to the average as modeled in a test lab. Moreover, environmental mechanical and acoustic coupling that goes beyond just a mobile telephone enclosure, for example, may similarly change a speaker's resonance profile. For instance, laying a mobile telephone on a hard metal table, for example, may shift its speaker's resonance profile substantially away from a modeled average based on hand use. Similarly, a relatively large change in temperature of a speaker, due to winter conditions for example, may also shift a resonance profile substantially away from a modeled average.
• By configuring a mobile communication device, such asmobile telephone110 inFIG. 1a,to adapt power levels for driving a speaker according to the dynamically measured performance of the speaker, rather than according to a static, predetermined algorithm, an adaptable speaker system can be implemented so as to optimize speaker performance while concurrently avoiding resonance and risk of damage. In effect, implementation of the present inventive principles results in a communication device speaker system being dynamically adaptable to its own response behavior.
• Referring toFIG. 1a,communication device/mobile telephone110 includes central processing unit/digital signal processor (CPU/DSP)111,memory112,adaptable speaker system114,display115,keypad116, microphone117,digital camera118 andnetwork interface119.Mobile telephone110 may comprise, for example, any communication device capable of providing electronic communication with, for example, one or more other communication devices over a network (not shown) accessed through use ofnetwork interface119.Network interface119 may additionally be configured to access other communication devices directly.Mobile telephone110 may also comprise, for example, any communication device capable of accepting userinput using keypad116, microphone117, and/ordigital camera118, for example, and outputting to display115 and/oradaptable speaker system114.Display115 may, for example, comprise an integrated or external LCD display, or the like. Althoughmobile telephone110 is depicted inFIG. 1aas including each of the above components, the inclusion or exclusion of any such components is not meant to limit the present inventive concepts. Also shown inFIGS. 1aand1bis monitoring andcontrol loop113 enabling CPU/DSP111 to dynamically adjust the input signal and/or power level for drivingadaptable speaker system114 according to one or more operating metrics ofadaptable speaker system114. For example, CPU/DSP111 may be configured to adjust a power level for drivingadaptable speaker system114 by adjusting a drive voltage foradaptable speaker system114. It is noted that althoughadaptable speaker system114 is associated withmobile telephone110 in the embodiment ofFIG. 1a,in other embodiments,adaptable speaker system114 can be implemented in any suitable communication device utilizing a speaker and configured to include a processor. For example, in addition tomobile telephone110,adaptable speaker system114 may be implemented in a personal digital assistant (PDA) or wireless headset, for example.
• According to one example implementation corresponding toFIGS. 1aand1b,CPU/DSP111 ofmobile telephone110 can be configured to adjust the input signal or the power level for drivingadaptable speaker system114 according to a measured current draw byadaptable speaker system114. A measured current draw ofadaptable speaker system114 may be used to determine a complex impedance of a speaker ofadaptable speaker system114, and the complex impedance may indicate an impending resonance event by becoming relatively low as adaptable speaker system nears a resonance event. Because a current drawn byadaptable speaker system114 may therefore rise asadaptable speaker system114 approaches resonance, reducing the input signals or power level for drivingadaptable speaker system114 when the rise rate or absolute value of its input current nears, reaches or exceeds a maximum allowable current draw enablesadaptable speaker system114 to avoid or mitigate a destructive or distortive resonance event.
• For instance, a closed loop approach, such as that represented by monitoring andcontrol loop113, can be used to dynamically adjust the inputs toadaptable speaker system114 in order to avoid audio distortion and prevent destructive resonance. Monitoring andcontrol loop113 may comprise, for example, the steps of detecting an external cue relevant to operation of an adaptable component (e.g., adaptable speaker system114), determining a desired state for the adaptable component corresponding to the external cue, and dynamically adapting the adaptable component to produce the desired state, all of which can be configured to be performed by CPU/DSP111.
• For example, CPU/DSP111 may detect an external cue relevant to the operation ofadaptable speaker system114 by measuring a current draw ofadaptable speaker system114 using, for example, an analog current meter connected to an analog-to-digital converter that may, for example, be incorporated into eitheradaptable speaker system114 or CPU/DSP111, or both. Such measurement may include measuring amplitudes of one or more frequency components of a current draw as well as relative phases of one or more frequency components of a current draw, for example, in order to sufficiently characterize a complex impedance of a speaker ofadaptable speaker system114 using, for example, knowledge about an input signal and/or power level for drivingadaptable speaker system114. CPU/DSP111 may determine a desired state foradaptable speaker system114, for example, by determining that that a present current draw is nearing a maximum allowable current draw and then determining a corresponding reduced power level for drivingadaptable speaker system114 that prevents damage due to, for example, a destructive resonance event. A maximum allowable current draw may comprise a pre-determined, frequency dependent power profile foradaptable speaker system114, for example, that indicates destructive power limits foradaptable speaker system114. Alternatively, or in addition, a maximum allowable current draw may be dynamically determined through analysis, by CPU/DSP111 for example, of a measured current draw ofadaptable speaker system114 over a period of time, where CPU/DSP111 may be configured to recognize characteristics of such a time-dependent current draw that indicate impending damage toadaptable speaker system114. A corresponding reduced power level for drivingadaptable speaker system114 may similarly be frequency dependent and may, for example, be configured to protectadaptable speaker system114 from damage without unnecessarily reducing a fidelity ofadaptable speaker system114. CPU/DSP111 may then dynamically adaptadaptable speaker system114 by applying a reduced input signal or power level for drivingadaptable speaker system114 that prevents damage and allowsadaptable speaker system114 to operate substantially normally.
• Because the input signals and/or power level for drivingadaptable speaker system114 are permitted by the present approach to remain high when a current drawn byadaptable speaker system114 indicates thatadaptable speaker system114 is safely away from a detected destructive resonance event, the overall performance ofadaptable speaker system114 can be optimized according to its individual response profile, which, as explained above, may be dependent on mounting and other environmental mechanical and acoustic coupling, and may also be dependent on, for example, manufacturing defects.
• In addition, or alternatively, monitoring andcontrol loop113 may also be configured to detect distortion that is unrelated to a resonance event. For example, distortion due to, for example, physical damage toadaptable speaker system114, or over-drivingadaptable speaker system114, may be detected through analysis, by CPU/DSP111 for example, of a measured current draw ofadaptable speaker system114 over a period of time. For example, CPU/DSP111 may be configured to recognize current swings that are large, but less than a maximum allowable current draw, which indicate audio distortions substantially unrelated to resonance events. As explained above, a complex impedance of a speaker ofadaptable speaker system114 may become relatively low as adaptable speaker system nears a resonance event, resulting in an increasing current draw that can be measured and used to avoid the resonance event. With respect to audio distortions substantially unrelated to resonance events, a complex impedance of a speaker of adaptable speaker system may become non-linear, unstable, or otherwise fluctuate over time in a manner substantially disproportional to a power level for drivingadaptable speaker system114, which may result in a measured current draw that is similarly unstable and potentially destructive, but less than a maximum allowable current draw. CPU/DSP111 may be configured to recognize such instability, for example, even though its amplitude is less than a maximum current draw foradaptable speaker system114. For example, as noted above, CPU/DSP111 may measure amplitudes of frequency components of a current draw as well as relative phases of frequency components, and from such information, determine, for example, whether a speaker ofadaptable speaker system114 is experiencing distortion at one or more frequencies.
• CPU/DSP111 may then be configured to determine, for example, a particular frequency dependent digital audio filter to apply to a input signal foradaptable speaker system114 that reduces a detected distortion without unnecessarily affecting other portions of the input signal and undesirably reducing a fidelity ofadaptable speaker system114. Moreover, in addition to retaining fidelity while reducing distortion, reduction of detected distortion may reduce a risk of damage toadaptable speaker system114 and/or prolong its useful lifetime. Although relatively low current detected distortion may not immediately damage a speaker ofadaptable speaker system114, long periods of such distortion may substantially overwork a speaker ofadaptable speaker system114 and thus reduce its typically material-dependent useful lifetime.
• In other embodiments, monitoring andcontrol loop113 may include additional steps comprising, for example, periodically providing a test signal toadaptable speaker system114 configured to allow CPU/DSP111 to determine or map present resonance frequencies ofadaptable speaker system114 in order to avoid subsequent damage during normal operation. Such a test signal may be audible or inaudible, and may be used to map resonant frequencies at higher frequencies than those typically audible by a human ear, such as those for ultrasonic signals.
• By being able to dynamically adapt to changing resonances and other conditions that affect operation of a communication device component, such asadaptable speaker system114, embodiments of the present invention provide a speaker system that can be driven louder than similarly priced conventional speaker systems, and that can last longer in normal operation by being less subject to risk of damage due to destructive resonance events or general distortion. Moreover, embodiments of the present invention may also provide greater overall fidelity without substantially increasing a cost of a speaker system by more finely tuning protective and distortion-corrective measures to the specific resonances and distortions present, rather than according to a relatively blunt and static pre-determined algorithm approach.
• Moving toFIG. 2,FIG. 2 shows two mobile communication devices configured for interactive use, one or both of which may include an adaptable speaker system configured for proximity detection, according to one embodiment of the present inventive concepts.User environment200, inFIG. 2, includesuser202 in possession ofmobile telephone210 andwireless headset220.
• According to the embodiment shown inFIG. 2,mobile telephone210 is configured to operate interactively withwireless headset220. For example,mobile telephone210 andwireless headset220 can be devices configured to access a common wired orwireless communication link250, such as a USB, Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, or WiFi mediated link, for example. In addition, and as further shown inFIG. 2,mobile telephone210 includesadaptable speaker system214 configured for proximity detection, andwireless headset220 includesadaptable speaker system224 also configured for proximity detection. Moreover,mobile telephone210 andwireless headset220 correspond tomobile telephone110 inFIG. 1a,andadaptable speaker systems224 and222 correspond toadaptable speaker system114 inFIG. 1a;e.g., each corresponding structure may be configured to exhibit the same features and/or operate substantially the same as its counterpart.
• Although the embodiment shown inFIG. 2 representswireless headset220 includingadaptable speaker system224, in combination withmobile telephone210 includingadaptable speaker system214, that representation is provided merely as an example. In one embodiment, for example,user environment200 may include only a single communication device equipped with an adaptable speaker system, such asmobile telephone210 includingadaptable speaker system214. Alternatively, in other embodiments, a user environment may include multiple interactive communication devices each including adaptable speaker systems.
• Because a speaker can operate as a bi-directional transducer, an adaptable speaker system can be implemented for dual use as both a speaker and a microphone. In its capacity as a microphone, an adaptable speaker system can be configured to pickup or detect an echo (e.g., an external cue) produced by interaction of the speaker output with a nearby object, such as a human head, or an ear canal. Such an echo may indicate a proximity of a nearby object. Moreover, a communication device using such an adaptable speaker system may additionally be configured to distinguish between a human head, an ear canal, or for example, a hard table surface based on characteristics of a detected echo. Such an echo may comprise, for example, a reflected audio wave generating a corresponding reflected or delayed return signal evidenced as a transient in, for example, a power level used to drive an adaptable speaker system.
• In one embodiment, the echo or speaker output feedback received by an adaptable speaker system could be used to modulate a measured current draw of the adaptable speaker system, for example, which in turn could be detected using, for example, control circuitry of a communication device in which the adaptable speaker system resides. For example, in one embodiment, a wireless headset equipped with an adaptable speaker system, e.g.,wireless headset220 equipped withadaptable speaker system224, could be configured to measure a reflected or return signal resulting from an output test signal produced byadaptable speaker system224. Such test signal may be audible or inaudible, for example, and may be ultrasonic. However, the return signal may also result from a typical output signal associated with normal use of, for example,mobile telephone210. The return signal, detected through use ofadaptable speaker system224 and control circuitry (not shown inFIG. 2) ofwireless headset220, for example, could then be used to determine whether or notwireless headset220 is being worn byuser202, e.g., whetheradaptable speaker system224 is situated in or adjacent to the ear canal ofuser202.
• It should be noted that in addition or as an alternative to using a speaker of adaptable speaker system as a microphone, one or more relatively high quality microphones may be integrated intoadaptable speaker system214 and/oradaptable speaker system224, for example, in order to pick up or detect an external cue with substantially increased sensitivity, or to enhance operation of a speaker of the adaptable speaker systems as a microphone. For example, a speaker ofadaptable speaker system214 may be non-uniformly shaped in such a way as to provide some directionality information with respect to a proximity of a nearby object. In order to provide additional directionality information and, for example, reduce an error range for directionality of a nearby object, one or more relatively high quality microphones may be integrated intoadaptable speaker system214 to provide multiple return signals having multiple delays, for example, which may be used to substantially reduce an error range in determining directionality to a nearby object. Alternatively, or in addition, additional integrated microphones may be used to enable reception of signals typically outside the sensitivity of a speaker of, for example,adaptable speaker system214. Although such integrated microphones may include additional drive circuitry separate from drive circuitry for a speaker of, for example,adaptable speaker system214, integration withadaptable speaker system214 provides enhanced proximity detection capability, relative to conventional microphone arrangements, and may do so without substantially increasing a number of discrete sensors included in, for example,mobile telephone210.
• In one embodiment,adaptable speaker system224 could be used bywireless headset220 to control an operating state ofadaptable speaker system224,wireless headset220, or both. For example, feedback from a typical communication signal or, alternatively, an audible or inaudible test signal, issued byadaptable speaker system224 could be used to automatically determine whether to turnwireless headset220 on and/or maintainwireless headset220 in an on state whenwireless headset220 is being worn byuser202, as well as to determine whether to automatically turn offwireless headset220 when the proximity detection performed usingadaptable speaker system224 determines thatwireless headset220 is not being worn. Once such an operating state foradaptable speaker system224 and/orwireless headset220 is determined, the operating state may be applied to adaptable speaker system through use of, for example, control circuitry ofwireless headset220.
• Analogously,adaptable speaker system214 ofmobile telephone210 can be utilized bymobile telephone210 to determine which of several optional communication modes to activate. Each such communication mode may comprise an operating state foradaptable speaker system214. For example, detection of a human ear in near proximity toadaptable speaker system214 could cause the audio output ofmobile telephone210 to be provided in handset mode, while the absence of such proximity, or, alternatively, detection of a table surface in near proximity tomobile telephone210, could causemobile telephone210 to automatically activate a speaker-phone mode. In other embodiments, proximity detection may be used to choose one speaker or one display surface over another based on which surface is, for example, in contact with a table, cheek, or hand. In addition, by combining the distortion detection capability described previously, which allows a speaker ofadaptable speaker system214 to be driven louder than conventional speakers, with proximity detection, as described above, a speaker-phone mode may be automatically enabled, and one speaker ofadaptable speaker system214, for example, may be used for both typical use (e.g., cradled against a human ear) and a speaker-phone mode without risk of damage toadaptable speaker system214.
• As such, the presence ofadaptable speaker systems224 and214 inrespective communication devices220 and210 can enhance a transparency of interactivity between each of the devices and between the devices and their environment. For example, wearing ofwireless headset220 could be automatically detected bywireless headset220 and cause all audio communications through pairedmobile telephone210 to be routed throughwireless headset220. Thus,user202 need not be inconvenienced by having to turnwireless headset220 on or off, rather, simply wearingwireless headset220 is sufficient to activate it.
• As another example, consider the circumstance in whichuser202 is in a hands free situation in which it is illegal or unsafe to usemobile telephone210 in handset mode, such as when driving a motor vehicle, for instance. Further assume that althoughuser202 is wearingwireless headset220,wireless headset220 powers off of its own accord, perhaps due to exhaustion of its battery power source. In the event of an incoming call under those circumstances,adaptable speaker system214 andmobile telephone210 could detect the absence of proximity to, for example, an ear ofuser202, and the incoming call could automatically be answered in speaker-phone mode, freeinguser202 from the inconvenience or possible safety or legal risk associated with having to manually select speaker-phone mode in a hands free situation. Thus, an adaptable speaker system configured for proximity detection, according to the present inventive principles, can be implemented to advantageously enhance the user experience of operating a single communication device, as well as to enhance the transparent interactivity of two or more paired devices, enabling a user to more fully exploit their available features.
• It should be noted that although proximity detection has been described with respect to embodiments including an adaptable speaker system, this is not mean to limit the scope of the present invention, and other embodiments may detect proximity using the same method described above but with conventional speaker systems and microphone arrangements only, or in addition to the use of an adaptable speaker system, as explained above. Such embodiments add little to no additional manufacturing cost over conventional communication devices, yet provide the additional functionality without a need for additional sensors or sensor capability.
• However, by being able to detect proximity in addition to concurrently providing speaker output, embodiments of the present invention offer enhanced additional functionality without requiring the additional cost and space for relatively large additional mechanical components, such as a separate pressure sensor to detect proximity, for example. Moreover, as explained above, this additional functionality may also enable automatic application of operating states corresponding to proximity generally as well as to proximity to a distinguishable type of object, such as a human ear distinguishable from a table surface, for example.
• In other embodiments in which the microphone sensitivity ofadaptable speaker system224, for example, is sufficiently high,adaptable speaker system224 may be used to detect audible movements of a nearby object, such as vibrations in a human ear canal corresponding to speech by a user ofwireless headset220, for example. Acting concurrently as a microphone and a speaker,adaptable speaker system224 andwireless headset220 may detect such a local voice-generated signal (e.g., an external cue) and use such detection to determine a corresponding noise cancellation strategy for bothadaptable speaker system224 as well as for any other communication signals transmitted or received bywireless headset220. Subsequently,wireless headset220 may apply such a corresponding noise cancellation strategy.
• For example, in one embodiment, control circuitry in wireless headset220 (not shown) may be configured to receive a measured signal fromadaptable speaker system224 corresponding to both an output speaker signal and a microphone transient signal. The control circuitry may additionally be configured, for example, to subtract the known output speaker signal from the measured signal to isolate and detect the transient signal. As described above, this transient signal may indicate proximity by simply comprising a delayed reflection of the output speaker signal. Additionally, however, the transient signal may also comprise a local voice-generated signal received byadaptable speaker system224. Under such circumstances, the control circuitry ofwireless headset220 may be configured to detect the presence of such a local voice-generated signal in the transient signal by, for example, isolating the local voice-generated signal from the transient signal. Isolation of a local-voice-generated signal may be performed, for example, through subtraction of a synthesized delayed reflection of the output speaker signal from the transient signal, through comparison of the transient signal with a microphone signal generated by, for example, a microphone of wireless headset220 (not shown inFIG. 2), such asmicrophone117 ofmobile telephone110 inFIG. 1, or through any combination of the above, in addition to other known signal detection methods. Upon affirmatively detecting a local voice-generated signal received byadaptable speakers system110, the control circuitry may further be configured to apply a less aggressive noise cancellation strategy, for example, for the adaptable speaker system. Alternatively, if no local-voice generated signal is detected, a more aggressive noise cancellation strategy may be applied since the aggressive noise cancellation would not interfere with speech ofuser202. Correspondingly, this selection of noise cancellation strategy may be applied to a communication signal transmitted to another communications device.
• Although the above embodiment is described such that control circuitry (not shown inFIG. 2) ofwireless headset220 andadaptable speaker system224 are utilized for signal detection, state determination, and dynamic adaptation, it should be understood that in alternative embodiments, wherewireless headset220 and mobile telephone communicate overcommunication link250, for example, either or bothadaptable speaker systems214 and224 may be used in conjunction with either or both control circuitries ofmobile telephone210 andwireless headset220 to perform the tasks outlined above.
• In addition, it should be understood thatadaptable speaker systems214 and224 may additionally or alternatively use one or more integrated microphones to determine a microphone transient signal, as described above.
• By being capable of detecting local voice-generated signals, in addition to concurrently providing speaker output as well as, in some embodiments, proximity detection, as described above, embodiments of the present invention may provide extensive additional features with little to no additional cost or space requirements over that required to provide the basic functionality of a speaker system. Moreover, embodiments of the present invention may reduce an overall discrete component number conventionally associated with such features while providing the additional functionality, which may serve to reduce general power consumption as well as overall manufacturing cost, thereby increasing the relative utility and marketability of representative communication devices. Furthermore, proximity detection performed as described above, using acoustic means, may provide proximity data for objects that are further away than what is detectable by conventional capacitive means, for example, and may provide less error-prone proximity detection than conventional means, particularly when used in conjunction with an ultrasonic test signal, as described above.
• Moving now toFIG. 3,FIG. 3 shows a power charger and a mobile communication device including an adaptable antenna configured to receive power wirelessly from the power charger, according to one embodiment of the present inventive concepts.Charging environment300 includesmobile telephone310 includingbattery341 andadaptable antenna340.Mobile telephone310 corresponds tomobile telephone110 inFIG. 1a;e.g., each corresponding structure may be configured to exhibit the same features and/or operate substantially the same as its counterpart. Also shown inFIG. 3 ispower charger330 includingelectrical plug interface331.
• According to the embodiment shown inFIG. 3,power charger330 is configured to connect to a mains AC power line through a standard wall mounted electrical socket, usingelectrical plug interface331 for example, and to provide power tomobile telephone310. In addition,power charger330 may be configured to support a back channel communication between itself andmobile telephone310. According to the embodiment ofFIG. 3, power transfer is implemented wirelessly. Power may be transferred frompower charger330 tomobile telephone310 through inductive coupling, or resonant inductive coupling, for example, usingadaptable antenna340 ofmobile telephone310. In one such embodiment, for example,mobile telephone310 can be configured to utilize the inductive link used for power transfer as a wireless communication channel. Alternatively,mobile telephone310 can be configured to access a communication unit resident on power charger330 (communication unit not shown inFIG. 3) to establish a suitable wireless communication link independent of the inductive link used for power transfer, such as a Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, or WiFi mediated link, for example.
• Adaptable antenna340 may comprise a multi-mode coil antenna, for example, configured to support one or more communication modes, in addition to mediating inductive power transfer frompower charger330. For example,adaptable antenna340 may be a coil configured to support near field communication (NEC), radio-frequency identification (RFID), or frequency modulated (FM) communications, for example, or any combination of these individual modes. In addition to being operable in at least one communication mode,adaptable antenna340 can be configured so as to be tunable for use in a power transmission mode. Tuning ofadaptable antenna340 may be accomplished by appropriate tapping-off ofadaptable antenna340, for example, as well as by including an additional tank circuit within the circuitry ofadaptable antenna340 ormobile telephone310. In some embodiments,adaptable antenna340, the additional tapping-off ofadaptable antenna340, and at least one additional tank circuit may be integrated into a single device.
• For example,mobile telephone310 may include control circuitry (not shown inFIG. 3) configured to receive an external cue or request for either a particular communication mode or a power transmission mode, for example, over a communication link or through user interaction. Such a request may comprise, for example, a communication request for a particular communication mode from, for example, a separate communication device, a request for power, a power-monitoring request, a request frompower charger330, a request frombattery341, or any combination of the above. Upon detecting such a request, the control circuitry may be further configured to determine a desired state foradaptable antenna340 by determining that a present mode ofadaptable antenna340 is different from the requested mode and determining a new configuration for adaptable antenna that corresponds to the requested mode. For example, while in NFC mode, a user may request an FM mode, and an FM configuration foradaptable antenna340 may be determined. Subsequently, the control circuitry may be configured to adaptadaptable antenna340 to produce the requested mode by applying the new configuration corresponding to the requested mode. Such new configuration may comprise, for example, tuningadaptable antenna340 to the requested mode by, as explained above, appropriate tapping-off ofadaptable antenna340, for example, as well as by switching in an additional tank circuit within the circuitry ofadaptable antenna340 ormobile telephone310.
• Thus, according to the present inventive concepts, a single antenna included inmobile telephone310, such as an NFC antenna incorporated into a backplate ofmobile telephone310, for example, can serve dual or multiple mode use as an adaptable antenna configured to support both communication and power transfer. For example, in one embodiment,adaptable antenna340 could be implemented to be adaptable for supporting both NFC at a frequency of approximately 13.56 MHz, and for use as an inductive power transfer coil at frequencies in the range of approximately 1 MHz. As such, embodiments of the present invention advantageously provide a communication device system architecture less prone to interference, substantially smaller and less costly to implement relative to conventional devices without similarly adaptable components.
• From the above description of the invention it is manifest that various techniques can be used for implementing the concepts of the present invention without departing from its scope. Moreover, while the invention has been described with specific reference to certain embodiments, a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. As such, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. It should also be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is capable of many rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (25)

1. A communication device having one or more dynamically adaptable features, the communication device comprising:

at least one adaptable component; and

a processor configured to:

detect an external cue relevant to operation of the at least one adaptable component;

determine a desired state for the at least one adaptable component correponding to the external cue; and

dynamically adapt the at least one adaptable component to substantially produce the desired state.

2. The communication device ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one adaptable component comprises an adaptable speaker system.

3. The communication device ofclaim 1, wherein the detecting an external cue comprises measuring a current draw of the at least one adaptable component.

4. The communication device ofclaim 1, wherein the determining a desired state comprises determining that a present current draw of the at least one adaptable component is nearing a maximum allowable current draw and determining a corresponding reduced power level for driving the at least one adaptable component that prevents damage to the at least one adaptable component.

5. The communication device ofclaim 1, wherein the dynamically adapting the at least one adaptable component comprises applying a reduced power level for driving the at least one adaptable component that prevents damage to the at least one adaptable component.

6. The communication device ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one adaptable component comprises an adaptable antenna.

7. The communication device ofclaim 1, wherein the detecting an external cue comprises detecting a requested mode of the at least one adaptable component.

8. The communication device ofclaim 1, wherein the determining a desired state comprises determining that a present mode of the at least one adaptable component is different from a requested mode and determining a new configuration for the at least one adaptable component that corresponds to the requested mode.

9. The communication device ofclaim 1, wherein the dynamically adapting the at least one adaptable component comprises applying a new configuration to the at least one adaptable component that corresponds to a requested mode.

10. A communication device having one or more dynamically adaptable features, the communication device comprising:

at least one adaptable speaker system; and

a processor configured to:

detect an external cue relevant to operation of the at least one adaptable speaker system;

determine a desired state for the at least one adaptable speaker system correponding to the external cue; and

dynamically adapt the at least one adaptable speaker system to substantially produce the desired state.

11. The communication device ofclaim 10, wherein the determining a desired state comprises determining that a present current draw of the at least one adaptable speaker system indicates a detected distortion and determining a corresponding digital audio filter for application to an input signal for the at least one adaptable speaker system that reduces the detected distortion.

12. The communication device ofclaim 10, wherein the dynamically adapting the at least one adaptable speaker system comprises applying a digital audio filter to an input signal for the at least one adaptable speaker system that reduces a detected distortion.

13. The communication device ofclaim 10, wherein the determining a desired state comprises detecting an echo received by the adaptable speaker system and determining a cooresponding operating state for the adaptable speaker system.

14. The communication device ofclaim 10, wherein the dynamically adapting the at least one adaptable speaker system comprises applying an operating state for the adaptable speaker system corresponding to an echo received by the adapatable speaker system.

15. The communication device ofclaim 10, wherein the determining a desired state comprises detecting a local voice-generated signal received by the adaptable speaker system and determining a corresponding noise cancellation strategy for the adaptable speaker system.

16. The communication device ofclaim 10, wherein the dynamically adapting the at least one adaptable speaker system comprises applying a noise cancellation strategy for the adaptable speaker system corresponding to a local voice-generated signal received by the adaptable speaker system.

17. A communication device having one or more dynamically adaptable features, the communication device comprising:

at least one adaptable antenna; and

a processor configured to:

detect an external cue relevant to operation of the at least one adaptable antenna;

determine a desired state for the at least one adaptable antenna correponding to the external cue; and

dynamically adapt the at least one adaptable antenna to substantially produce the desired state.

18. The communication device ofclaim 17, wherein the determining a desired state comprises determining that a present mode of the at least one adaptable antenna is different from a requested mode and determining a new configuration for the at least one adaptable antenna that corresponds to the requested mode.

19. The communication device ofclaim 17, wherein the dynamically adapting the at least one adaptable antenna comprises applying a new configuration to the at least one adaptable antenna that corresponds to a requested mode.

20. The communication device ofclaim 17, wherein the dynamically adapting the at least one adaptable antenna comprises tuning the at least one adaptable antenna to a requested mode by tapping-off of the at least one adaptable antenna.

21. A method for proximity detection for a communication device, the method comprising:

producing a speaker output;

detecting an external cue produced by interaction of the speaker output with an object;

determining a proximity of the object using the detected external cue.

22. The method ofclaim 21, wherein the speaker output comprises a test signal.

23. The method ofclaim 21, wherein the speaker output comprises an ultrasonic test signal.

24. The method ofclaim 21, wherein the producing the speaker output and detecting the external cue are performed by an adaptable speaker system.

25. The method ofclaim 21, further comprising applying an operating state to the communication device based on the proximity of the object.

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