Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120328116 | Microphone Headset Failure Detecting and Reporting - Embodiments of the invention include methods, apparatus, and systems for detecting a predicted future or current failure of a microphone of a headset. The failure may have been caused by organic matter buildup creating a signal path or short circuit across the microphone's circuitry. The headset is connected to a mobile device having a network interface that is used to send a notification message to a remote supply management system server. A failure detection circuit detects the failure based on a decrease in a microphone bias signal or increase in headset temperature over time. In some cases, the failure is based on an increase in a microphone bias signal over time. Upon detection of the failure, it signals that a failure notification be transmitted to the remote supply management system. The notification may then cause a new headset to be sent to the owner of the mobile device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 12-27-2012 |
20140004741 | EXTERNAL CONTACT CONNECTOR | 01-02-2014 |
20140013012 | TECHNIQUES FOR MONITORING CONTACTS IN A CONNECTOR - Techniques for mounting contacts of a connector are provided. One technique involves actively and continuously monitoring contacts being used and the contacts not being used in a connector in order to determine potential dendrite growth and/or potential corrosion due to liquid intrusion or the like. Another technique includes lowering a bias voltage on a power contact and performing a system detect prior to enabling operational voltage/current on the contact. | 01-09-2014 |
20140166453 | ACCESSORY CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES - Accessories such as headsets for electronic devices are provided. A headset may be provided with a button controller assembly that has user-actuated buttons and a microphone. The microphone may be formed by mounting a microphone transducer on a printed circuit board. A housing may be mounted over the transducer to form a sealed cavity for the transducer. Circuitry may be mounted on portions of the printed circuit board that extend beyond the edges of the microphone housing. The button controller assembly may have dome switches. The dome switches may have a housing that encloses dome switch components and that forms a structural internal part for the button controller. The dome switch housing structure may have tabs or other engagement features that mate with corresponding engagement features in a button member. The button member may be pressed by a user to actuate a desired dome switch. | 06-19-2014 |
20140218045 | USING PULSED DC TO DETECT CONNECTOR MATING AND UNMATING - Techniques for detecting mating and un-mating of a first connector with a second connector include providing a pulsed voltage signal at a contact of the second connector and measuring a rate of rise of voltage at the contact. If the measured voltage at the contact exceeds a threshold voltage during the time the pulsed voltage signal is applied, then it is concluded that the first connector is not present and not mated with the second connector. If the measured voltage is lower than or equal to the threshold voltage during the time of application of the voltage pulse, it is concluded that the first connector is present and mated with the second connector. | 08-07-2014 |
20140223037 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING CONNECTION OF A HOST DEVICE TO AN ACCESSORY DEVICE - Techniques for detecting connection of a host device by an accessory device are provided. The accessory device outputs a pulsed voltage/current on its power contact and measure the voltage at the power contact in response to the pulsed voltage/current. If the measured voltage reaches a certain value at or after the expiration of a predetermined time, then the accessory concludes that a host device is connected to it. | 08-07-2014 |
20140350891 | INTERFACE FOR TRANSFERRING TIME-SAMPLED SENSOR DATA - The disclosed embodiments relate to a system for transmitting data from a sensor to a host. During operation, the system periodically samples data at the sensor with reference to a sensor clock. Next, the system uses the sensor clock to transmit the data from the sensor to the host, wherein the host operates with reference to a host clock, which is different than the sensor clock. During the transmission process, the system embeds a clock in the data, wherein the embedded clock can be extracted at the host and used to receive the transmitted data. In some embodiments, transmitting the data involves using voltage-mode signaling. In other embodiments, transmitting the data involves using current-mode signaling. | 11-27-2014 |
20150093922 | STACKABLE MAGNETICALLY-RETAINED CONNECTOR INTERFACE - A stackable connector interface with magnetic retention for electronic devices and accessories can allow power and data to be transferred between one or more stacked connectors. Each interconnected stackable connector may include one or more magnetic elements, which magnetic elements may have poles arranged to facilitate mating with other stackable connectors. The magnetic elements may also provide a magnetic retention force that holds mated connectors in contact with each other. The connectors can also include connection detection circuitry for determining whether the connectors are mated with other connectors, thereby allowing the connectors to prevent live contacts from being exposed at an unmated surface of the connectors. In addition to connection detection circuitry, routing circuitry may also be included to determine how signals should be transferred between the interconnected stackable connectors and/or corresponding devices. | 04-02-2015 |