# US 2018/0026778 A1 · Electronic device and system for synchronizing playback time of sound source > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0026778 A1 - Document ID: US20180026778A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/642,619 - Filed: 2017-07-06 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jae Hyun JO; Hyeong Geun KIM; Dong Hoon HYUN; Gwang Ho HWANG; Dong Hyoun SON - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180026778A1 ## CPC - H04L 7/0012: {by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock} - G06F 1/04: Generating or distributing clock signals or signals derived directly therefrom - G06F 9/46: Multiprogramming arrangements - G06F 9/4887: {involving deadlines, e.g. rate based, periodic} - H04L 7/0041: {Delay of data signal} - H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type} - H04R 5/033: Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)} - H04W 56/00: Synchronisation arrangements - H04W 56/0015: {one node acting as a reference for the others} - H04R 2201/103: Combination of monophonic or stereophonic headphones with audio players, e.g. integrated in the headphone - H04R 2420/07: Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - 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) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a hardware timer, a memory, a communication circuit, and a processor. The processor is configured to measure a first time point of the hardware timer in response to a playback event received via the communication circuit from a master paired with the electronic device, calculate a second time point by adding a predefined first time interval to the first time point, and execute an instruction to play back a sound source at the second time point. A first resolution of the hardware timer is set to be higher than a second resolution of an operating system (OS). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device, comprising: a hardware timer configured to operate at a first resolution; a memory configured to store a sound source and an instruction to play back the sound source; a communication circuit; and a processor configured to execute an operating system (OS) which operates at a second resolution, wherein the processor is further configured to: measure a first time point based on the first resolution of the hardware timer in response to a playback event received via the communication circuit from a master electronic device paired with the electronic device; calculate a second time point adding a predefined first time interval to the first time point; and execute the instruction to play back the sound source at the second time point, and wherein the first resolution of the hardware timer is higher than the second resolution of the OS. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: measure a third time point between the first time point and the second time point using the hardware timer, calculate a first time difference between the third time point and the second time point; and calculate a second time difference based on the first time difference, the second resolution, and a maximum time necessary for the processor to execute the instruction to play back the sound source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to: process an instruction irrespective of playback of the sound source, when the second time difference is greater than a reference value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to: measure a time of the hardware timer, when the second time difference is less than or equal to a reference value; and execute the instruction to play back the sound source at the second time point, when the time of the hardware timer reaches the second time point. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a clock generator configured to generate a clock cycle in response to the playback event and maintain a frequency of the clock cycle until the second time point is reached, wherein the processor is further configured to operate the OS at the frequency of the clock cycle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a sensor configured to sense the playback event, wherein the communication circuit is configured to when the playback event occurs, transmit a signal indicating that the playback event occurred to the master electronic device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to: measure the first time point based on the first resolution of the hardware timer after the communication circuit transmits the signal; calculate the second time point adding the predefined first time interval to the first time point; and execute the instruction to play back the sound source at the second time point. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to: store another sound source and an instruction to play back the another sound source according to a user input to change from the sound source to the another sound source, and wherein the processor is further configured to: measure the first time point based on the first resolution of the hardware timer in response to the user input received via the communication circuit from the master electronic device; calculate the second time point by adding the predetermined first time interval to the first time point; and execute the instruction to play back the another sound source such that the another sound source is played back at the second time point. ### Claim 9 An electronic device, comprising: a hardware timer configured to operate at a first resolution; a memory configured to store a sound source and an instruction to play back the sound source; a sensor configured to sense a playback event; a communication circuit configured to transmit a signal indicating the playback event occurred to a slave electronic device paired with the electronic device when the playback event occurs; and a processor configured to execute an operating system (OS) which operates at a second resolution, wherein the processor is further configured to: measure a first time point based on the first resolution of the hardware timer after the communication circuit transmits the signal; calculate a second time point adding a first time interval to the first time point; and execute the instruction to play back the sound source at the second time point, and wherein the first resolution of the hardware timer is higher than the second resolution of the OS. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: measure a third time point between the first time point and the second time point using the hardware timer, calculate a first time difference between the third time point and the second time point; and calculate a second time difference based on the first time difference, the second resolution, and a maximum time necessary for the processor to execute the instruction to play back the sound source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to: process an instruction irrespective of playback of the sound source, when the second time difference is greater than a reference value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to: measure a time of the hardware timer, when the second time difference is less than or equal to a reference value; and execute the instruction to play back the sound source at the second time point, when the time of the hardware timer reaches the second time point. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising: a clock generator configured to generate a clock cycle in response to the playback event and maintain a frequency of the clock cycle until the second time point is reached, wherein the processor is further configured to operate the OS at the frequency of the clock cycle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to: measure the first time point based on the first resolution of the hardware timer in response to a playback event received via the communication circuit from the slave electronic device; calculate the second time point adding the predefined first time interval to the first time point; and execute the instruction to play back the sound source at the second time point. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the memory is configured to store another sound source and an instruction to play back the another sound source according to a user input to change from the sound source to the another sound source, wherein the sensor is further configured to sense the user input, wherein the communication circuit is further configured to transmit another signal indicating that the user input occurred, and wherein the processor is configured to: measure the first time point based on the first resolution of the hardware timer after the communication circuit transmits the another signal indicating that the user input occurred; calculate the second time point adding the first time interval to the first time point; and execute the instruction to play back the another sound source such that the another sound source is played back at the second time point. ### Claim 16 A system for synchronizing a playback time, the system comprising: a slave electronic device configured to store a sound source and an instruction to play back the sound source; and a master electronic device configured to store the sound source and the instruction to play back the sound source and transmit a signal indicating that a playback event occurred to the slave electronic device in response to the playback event occurring, wherein the slave electronic device is configured to: measure a first time point in response to the signal received from the master electronic device; calculate a second time point adding a predefined first time interval to the first time point; and execute the instruction to play back the sound source at the second time point, and wherein the master electronic device is configured to: measure a third time point after transmitting the signal indicating the playback event occurred to the slave electronic device; calculate a fourth time point adding a second time interval to the third time point; and execute the instruction to play back the sound source at the fourth time point. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the slave electronic device comprises: a hardware timer configured to operate at a first resolution; and a processor configured to execute an OS which operates at a second resolution, wherein the processor is configured to measure a first time point based on the first resolution of the hardware timer in response to the signal received from the master electronic device, and wherein the first resolution of the hardware timer is higher than the second resolution of the OS. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the master electronic device comprises: a hardware timer configured to operate at a third resolution; and a processor configured to execute an OS which operates at a fourth resolution, wherein the processor is configured to measure a third time point based on the third resolution of the hardware timer after the master electronic device transmits the signal indicating that the playback event occurred to the slave electronic device, and wherein the third resolution of the hardware timer is higher than the fourth resolution of the OS. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the first time point and the third time point are simultaneously measured. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the master electronic device is further configured to: transmit the signal indicating that the playback event occurred to the slave electronic device using wireless communication.