Selectable audio device for docking station

• US 10,725,500 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2017
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uinta Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Brydge Technologies, LLC (Uinta Products, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vroom, Matthew Leigh, Maskell, Benjamin Edwards
• Primary Examiner(s): Rashid, Harunur
• Application Number:
  US15/636,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20170308121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 726 21
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0082 for office machines, e.g. PC's, portable computers, typewriters, calculators
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/065 using screw-thread elements F16B2/08 - F16B2/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2035/106 Monitoring of overload
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 35/10 Arrangements or devices for absorbing overload or preventing damage by overload for screw mechanisms F16H25/2021
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0024 Peripheral component interconnect [PCI]
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18808 with rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2066 Friction

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for attaching a plurality of external connectors to an electronic device including a docking station, a first plug on the docking station positioned to interface with a first port on the electronic device, a second plug on the docking station positioned to interface with a second port on the electronic device, a first audio device in the docking station, a second audio device in the docking station, and a selector to selectively enable one of the first audio device and second audio device.

Claims

1. A system for attaching a plurality of external connectors to an electronic device, the system comprising:

a docking station;

a first plug on the docking station positioned to interface with a first port on the electronic device;

a second plug on the docking station positioned to interface with a second port on the electronic device, the second plug being opposite the first plug;

a universal serial bus hub in the docking station, the universal serial bus hub connected to the first plug;

a first audio device in the docking station, the first audio device connected to the universal serial bus hub;

a second audio device in the docking station, the second audio device connected to the universal serial bus hub;

a third audio device in the docking station, the third audio device connected to the universal serial bus hub; and

a selector to selectively enable one of the first audio device, the second audio device, and the third audio device.

2. The docking station of claim 1 wherein a first audio output signal of the first audio device is connected to a 3.5 mm headphone port on the docking station and wherein a second audio output signal of the second audio device is connected to a mini DisplayPort style port of the docking station.

3. The docking station of claim 1 wherein the selector is a software application on the electronic device.

4. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising a fourth audio device in the electronic device;

and wherein the selector can further selectively enable the fourth audio device.

5. A system for attaching a plurality of external connectors to an electronic device, the system comprising:

an electronic device comprising;

a first audio device;

an internal speaker;

an analog audio port;

a plurality of other ports;

wherein the electronic device is configured to receive an analog audio plug and, upon insertion of the analog audio plug, reroute an audio output signal of the first audio device from the internal speaker to the analog audio port;

a docking station for interfacing with the electronic device;

a first plug on the docking station positioned to interface with one of the plurality of other ports on the electronic device;

a second plug on the docking station positioned to interface with one of the plurality of other ports on the electronic device, the second plug being opposite the first plug;

a universal serial bus hub in the docking station, the universal serial bus hub connected to the first plug on the docking station;

a second audio device in the docking station, the second audio device connected to the universal serial bus hub;

a third audio device in the docking station, the third audio device connected to the universal serial bus hub; and

a selector to selectively enable one of the first audio device, the second audio device, and the third audio device.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the docking station is not connected to the analog audio port of the electronic device.

7. The docking station of claim 5 wherein the selector is a software application on the electronic device.

8. A system for reproducing an audio signal generated by an electronic device, the electronic device having an analog audio port and a plurality of other ports, the system comprising:

a docking station;

a first plug on the docking station positioned to interface with one of the plurality of other ports on the electronic device;

a second plug on the docking station positioned to interface with one of the plurality of other ports on the electronic device, the second plug being opposite the first plug;

a universal serial bus hub in the docking station, the universal serial bus hub connected to the first plug on the docking station;

a first audio device in the docking station, the first audio device connected to the universal serial bus hub;

a second audio device in the docking station, the second audio device connected to the universal serial bus hub;

a third audio device in the docking station, the third audio device connected to the universal serial bus hub; and

a selector to selectively enable one of the first audio device, the second audio device, and the third audio device.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the docking station is not connected to the analog audio port of the electronic device.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the selector is a software application on the electronic device.