Method, apparatus and system for exchanging a data communication via an audio connector

A method at an accessory device coupled to a mobile device, the method comprising:

• receiving sensor information from a plurality of sensors of the accessory device, wherein at least one of the sensors is an audio sensor configured to generate audio information and the other sensor configured to generate sensor information related to a detected state of a user or an environment of the user;
• generating encoded signals to represent the sensor information as non-audio information in a first frequency range and non-encoded signals to represent the audio information, wherein the first frequency range is outside of a telephony frequency range for telephone voice communication of the mobile device;
• and
• transmitting the encoded signals representing the sensor information and non-encoded signals representing the audio information to the mobile device via an audio connector of the accessory device coupled to a microphone input of the mobile device,
• wherein the encoded signals representing the sensor information do not interfere with telephone voice communication of the mobile device.

A mobile device comprising:

• telephony logic comprising circuitry configured to participate in a telecommunication exchange with a remote device;
• an audio connector to couple with a microphone input of the mobile device to an accessory device other than the remote device;
• and
• receiver circuitry coupled to receive via the audio connector encoded signals and non-encoded signals from the accessory device during the telephony exchange, wherein the encoded signals represent sensor information related to a detected state of a user or environment of the user as non-audio information in a first frequency range and the non-encoded signals represent audio information, and wherein the first frequency range is outside of a telephony frequency range of the telephony logic, wherein the receiver circuitry to provide the encoded signals representing the sensor information and non-encoded signals representing audio information to the telephony logic during the telephony exchange without the encoded signals representing the sensor information interfering with the telephony exchange of the mobile device.

A method at a mobile device, the method comprising:

• with telephony logic of the mobile device, participating in a telecommunication exchange with a remote device;
• during the telecommunication exchange, receiving via an audio connector and a microphone input of the mobile device encoded signals from an accessory device other than the remote device and non-encoded signals, wherein the encoded signals represent sensor information related to a detected state of a user or an environment of the user as non-audio information in a first frequency range and the non-encoded signals represent audio information, and wherein the first frequency range is outside of a telephony frequency range of telephony logic of the mobile device;
• and
• providing the encoded signals representing the sensor information and the non-encoded signals representing the audio information to the telephony logic of the mobile device during the telephony exchange without the encoded signals representing the sensor information interfering with the telephony exchange of the mobile device.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to perform a method at an accessory device coupled to a mobile device, the method comprising:

• receiving sensor information and audio information from one or more sensors of the accessory device, the sensor information related to a detected state of a user or an environment of the user;
• generating encoded signals to represent the sensor information as non-audio information in a first frequency range and non-encoded signals to represent the audio information, wherein the first frequency range is outside of a telephony frequency range for telephone voice communication of the mobile device;
• and
• transmitting the encoded signals representing the sensor information and non-encoded signals representing the audio information to the mobile device via an audio connector of the accessory device and microphone input of the mobile device, and
• wherein the encoded signals representing the sensor information do not interfere with telephone voice communication of the mobile device.