Earphone system for mobile device and method for operating the same

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus includes a display and a controller operatively coupled with the display. The controller is configured to determine whether the apparatus is coupled with an output device external to the apparatus, and to adjust a brightness of the display based at least in part on a determination that the apparatus is coupled with the output device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device comprising:
 a speaker;   an interface to electrically connect with an external output device and receive an electric signal with the external output device;   memory to store a content and a plurality of applications including a first application and a second application, the first application to reproduce the content via the speaker or the external output device, the second application to control a user function corresponding to the external output device based at least in part on the electric signal; and   a processor adapted to:
 determine whether the electronic device is coupled with the external output device via the interface based at least in part on the electric signal, 
 form an audio path to include the interface and the external output device, based at least in part on the determining, and 
 activate the second application in relation with the forming of the audio path. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 present a notification indicative of the coupling between the electronic device and the external output device.   
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 present a notification indicative of the activation of the second application.   
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the interface comprises a plurality of contacts, and   wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 receive, via a specified one of the plurality of contacts, an input signal corresponding to an user input received with respect to the external output device, as at least part of the electric signal, and 
 identify, using the second application, the user function based at least in part on a determination that the input signal corresponds to a specified value. 
   
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 identify, using the second application, the user function based at least in part on the electric signal, and   execute the user function while the content is reproduced using the first application.   
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 determine, using the second application, the user function based at least in part on a type of the electric signal, as at least part of the identifying.   
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 wireless communication circuitry to establish a communication connection with an external electronic device,   wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 determine, as the user function, a first user function to download the content from the external electronic device using the wireless communication circuitry, based at least in part on a determination that the type of the electric signal corresponds to a first type, and 
 determine, as the user function, a second user function to share the content with the external electronic device using the wireless communication circuitry, based at least in part on a determination that the type of the electric signal corresponds to a second type. 
   
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 identify a first user function to change a volume of an audio being reproduced via the external output device or a second user function to change the content to be reproduced via the external output device, as at least part of the user function.   
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 identify a volume-up, a volume-down, a play, a pause, a favorite, a share, or a download, as at least part of the user function.   
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 identify an earphone, an earset, a headset, or an external speaker, as at least part of the external output device.   
     
     
         11 . An electronic device comprising:
 a display;   a speaker;   an interface to electrically connect with an external output device and receive an electric signal with the external output device;   memory to store a content and a plurality of applications including a first application and a second application, the first application to reproduce the content via the speaker or the external output device, the second application to control a user function corresponding to the external output device based at least in part on the electric signal; and   a processor adapted to:
 determine whether the electronic device is coupled with the external output device via the interface based at least in part on the electric signal, 
 present, via the display, a notification indicative of the coupling between the electronic device and the external output device based at least in part on the determining, and 
 activate the second application in response to the coupling between the electronic device and the external output device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 present, via the display, another notification indicative of the activation of the second application.   
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the interface comprises a plurality of contacts, and   wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 receive, via a specified one of the plurality of contacts, an input signal corresponding to an user input received with respect to the external output device, as at least part of the electric signal, and 
 identify, using the second application, the user function based at least in part on a determination that the input signal corresponds to a specified value. 
   
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 identify, using the second application, the user function based at least in part on the electric signal, and   execute the user function while the content is reproduced using the first application.   
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 determine, using the second application, the user function based at least in part on a type of the electric signal, as at least part of the identifying.   
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 determine, as the user function, a first user function to forward the content to be reproduced via the external output device, based at least in part on a determination that the type of the electric signal corresponds to a first type, and   determine, as the user function, a second user function to backward the content to be reproduced via the external output device, based at least in part on a determination that the type of the electric signal corresponds to a second type.   
     
     
         17 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 identify a first user function to change a volume of an audio being reproduced via the external output device or a second user function to change the content to be reproduced via the external output device, as at least part of the user function.   
     
     
         18 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 present an icon, an image, or a text, as at least part of the notification.   
     
     
         19 . An electronic device comprising:
 a display;   a speaker;   an interface to electrically connect with an external output device and receive an electric signal with the external output device;   memory to store a content and a plurality of applications including a first application and a second application, the first application to reproduce the content via the speaker or the external output device, the second application to control a user function corresponding to the external output device based at least in part on the electric signal; and   a processor adapted to:
 present, via the display, a user interface corresponding to the first application, 
 reproduce, via the speaker, the content in response to a user input with respect to the user interface, 
 determine whether the electronic device is coupled with the external output device via the interface based at least in part on the electric signal, 
 present, via the display, a notification indicative of the coupling between the electronic device and the external output device based at least in part on the determining, 
 reproduce, via the external output device, the content based at least in part on the determining, and 
 activate the second application in response to the coupling between the electronic device and the external output device. 
   
     
     
         20 . The electronic device of  claim 19 , wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 identify, using the second application, the user function based at least in part on the electric signal, and   execute the user function while the content is reproduced using the first application.