Earphone connection apparatus
AssigneeSoundchip SA
InventorsMark Donaldson, Amit Naran, Robert Beck
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Abstract
Apparatus for connecting both analogue and digital earphone devices to a server system providing a digital audio output includes an interface for connecting an earphone device to the server system, a detector for detecting the type of earphone device connected via the interface, a converter for generating an analogue audio signal from the digital audio output received from the server system, and a switch for switching between providing digital and analogue signals to the attached earphone device via the interface.
Claims10
A Remote Jack Unit (RJU) operative to connect both analogue and digital earphone devices to an aircraft In-Flight Entertainment and Communications (IFEC) server system providing a digital audio output, the RJU comprising:
- an interface for connecting an earphone device to the server system;
- a power supply for providing power to an earphone device when connected via the interface;
- and
- a control module comprising:
- a noise-cancellation module for providing noise-cancellation features to an earphone device when connected via the interface;
- a detector for detecting a type of noise-cancelling arrangement to be implemented for the earphone device connected via the interface;
- a converter for generating an analogue audio signal from the digital audio output received from the server system;
- and
- a switch for switching between providing digital and analogue signals to the attached earphone device via the interface;
- wherein the detector is configured to:
- detect digital data on a data line indicative of a digital earphone device being connected to the RJU;
- detect a high impedance on an audio line indicative of a powered noise-cancelling earphone device being connected to the RJU;
- measure the impedance on a microphone line to determine whether the impendence on the microphone line is indicative of a non-powered active noise-cancelling earphone being connected to the RJU;
- and
- detect a low impedance on an audio line indicative of a conventional analogue earphone device being connected to the RJU;
- and
- wherein the control module is configured to:
- supply digital signals to a connected earphone device when a digital earphone device is detected;
- supply analogue audio signals to a connected earphone device when an analogue earphone device is detected;
- connect the power supply to a connected earphone device when an earphone device requiring power is detected and to adjust the power supplied to the connected earphone device to suit the detected type of noise-cancelling arrangement;
- and
- enable the noise-cancelling module when a non-powered active noise-cancelling earphone device is detected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.