# US 2010/0166207 A1 · Headphone apparatus and reproducing apparatus

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- Number: US 2010/0166207 A1
- Document ID: US20100166207A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/604,655
- Filed: 2009-10-23
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-26
- Assignees: Sony Corporation
- Inventors: Toru MASUYAMA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100166207A1

## CPC

- H04R 1/1041: {Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H)}
- H04R 5/033: Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)}
- H04R 2460/03: Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)

## Abstract

Disclosed herein is a headphone apparatus including: two cases; a connecting part configured to connect the two cases to each other; a detector configured to detect connection of the two cases to each other via the connecting part; and a controller configured to carry out predetermined control in response to detection of connection of the two cases to each other by the detector.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A headphone apparatus comprising:
two cases;
a connecting part configured to connect the two cases to each other;
a detector configured to detect connection of the two cases to each other via the connecting part; and
a controller configured to carry out predetermined control in response to detection of connection of the two cases to each other by the detector.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the controller carries out control to make an external reproducing apparatus for reproducing audio data stop reproduction of the audio data in response to detection of connection of the two cases to each other by the detector.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The headphone apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the controller carries out control to make the reproducing apparatus start reproduction of the audio data in response to detection of separation of the two cases from each other by the detector.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The headphone apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
the controller carries out control to make the reproducing apparatus start reproduction of the audio data at elapse of a predetermined time from detection of separation of the two cases from each other by the detector.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The headphone apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising
an operating unit, wherein
the controller disables operation input to the operating unit in response to detection of connection of the two cases to each other by the detector.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The headphone apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a battery; and
a notifying part configured to be provided on at least one of the two cases and function for notification of a remaining amount of the battery, wherein
the controller makes the notifying part issue a notification of the remaining amount of the battery in response to detection of connection of the two cases to each other by the detector.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The headphone apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
the notifying part is provided on the same surface of at least one of the two cases as a surface on which a driver housing in which a headphone driver is housed is provided.

### Claim 8

A reproducing apparatus comprising:
two cases;
an operating unit;
a reproducing unit configured to reproduce audio data stored in a storage medium based on operation input to the operating unit;
a connecting part configured to connect the two cases to each other;
a detector configured to detect connection of the two cases to each other via the connecting part; and
a controller configured to carry out predetermined control in response to detection of connection of the two cases to each other by the detector.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The reproducing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein
the controller makes the reproducing unit stop reproduction of the audio data in response to detection of connection of the two cases to each other by the detector.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The reproducing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein
the controller makes the reproducing unit start reproduction of the audio data in response to detection of separation of the two cases from each other by the detector.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The reproducing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
the controller makes the reproducing unit start reproduction of the audio data at elapse of a predetermined time from detection of separation of the two cases from each other by the detector.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The reproducing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein
the controller disables operation input to the operating unit in response to detection of connection of the two cases to each other by the detector.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The reproducing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:
a battery; and
a notifying part configured to be provided on at least one of the two cases and function for notification of a remaining amount of the battery, wherein
the controller makes the notifying part issue a notification of the remaining amount of the battery in response to detection of connection of the two cases to each other by the detector.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The reproducing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein
the notifying part is provided on the same surface of at least one of the two cases as a surface on which a driver housing in which a headphone driver is housed is provided.