Patent ID: 7643815

Claim:
An apparatus for automatically detecting the presence of an external device in an earphone jack port of a mobile terminal, the apparatus comprising: a connection unit to electrically connect an earphone/microphone set or an external device to the mobile terminal, and to send level information according to whether the earphone/microphone set or the external device is connected to the mobile terminal, wherein the level information has a first voltage level if the earphone/microphone set is connected to the mobile terminal and a second voltage level if the external device is connected to the mobile terminal; a switch end to identify that the earphone/microphone set or the external device is electrically connected to the connection unit if the switch end is open; a sensor to determine whether the earphone/microphone set or the external device is electrically connected to the connection unit according to the voltage level of the level information and to generate an indication signal containing a determination result; a main processor to generate a control signal to control the earphone/microphone set or the external device according to the indication signal; and an external device controller to control the external device, if the external device is connected to the mobile terminal, by receiving the control signal from the main processor, wherein the external device controller enables the connected external device automatically if the external device is connected to the connection unit.