Holder, electrical supply, and RF transmitter unit for electronic devices
First Claim
1. A holder, electrical supply, and RF transmitter unit to hold, supply power to, and receive a data signal from an electronic device when the electronic device is being held in the unit and is operating;
- the unit being capable of converting the data signal to an RF signal and transmitting the RF signal to an RF receiver;
power being available to the unit from a source external to the unit when the unit is being used;
the electronic device having at least one power input connector through which input power for the electronic device passes when the electronic device is held in the unit and is operating and at least one data signal output connector through which a data output signal passes from the electronic device when the electronic device is held in the unit and is operating;
the electronic device also having a top, a bottom, and a bottom portion extending from the bottom of the device towards the top of the device;
the unit comprising;
(a) an RF transmitter;
(b) a holder for the electronic device, the RF transmitter being mechanically coupled to the holder, the holder having a power coupling to transmit power to the at least one power input connector of the electronic device and also having a signal coupling to transmit the data output signal from the at least one data signal output connector of the electronic device to the RF transmitter, the RF transmitter converting the data output signal to an RF signal;
(c) a power acquisition sub-unit that is electrically coupled to the power coupling of the holder and that is electrically and mechanically coupled to the external power source when the unit is being used to transmit power from the external power source to the power coupling of the holder; and
(d) a connector mechanically coupling the holder to the power acquisition sub-unit, which connector comprises a semi-rigid elongate metallic antenna portion that allows the position of the holder to be semi-permanently adjusted relative to the position of the power acquisition sub-unit and that is electrically coupled to the RF transmitter to receive the RF signal and radiate it so that it can be received by the RF receiver.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A holder, electrical supply, and optional RF transmitter unit to hold, supply power to, and receive a data signal from an operating electronic device when the device (e.g., MP3 player) is held in the unit is disclosed. Electrical power enters the unit'"'"'s power acquisition portion (e.g., cigarette lighter adapter) from an external source and flows to the electronic device via the holder. A data signal from the electronic device is processed by an RF transmitter in the unit, and the resulting RF signal is broadcast by an antenna (e.g., gooseneck) that preferably forms a repositionable mechanical connection between the holder and the power acquisition unit.
-
Citations
98 Claims
-
1. A holder, electrical supply, and RF transmitter unit to hold, supply power to, and receive a data signal from an electronic device when the electronic device is being held in the unit and is operating;
- the unit being capable of converting the data signal to an RF signal and transmitting the RF signal to an RF receiver;
power being available to the unit from a source external to the unit when the unit is being used;
the electronic device having at least one power input connector through which input power for the electronic device passes when the electronic device is held in the unit and is operating and at least one data signal output connector through which a data output signal passes from the electronic device when the electronic device is held in the unit and is operating;
the electronic device also having a top, a bottom, and a bottom portion extending from the bottom of the device towards the top of the device;
the unit comprising;
(a) an RF transmitter;
(b) a holder for the electronic device, the RF transmitter being mechanically coupled to the holder, the holder having a power coupling to transmit power to the at least one power input connector of the electronic device and also having a signal coupling to transmit the data output signal from the at least one data signal output connector of the electronic device to the RF transmitter, the RF transmitter converting the data output signal to an RF signal;
(c) a power acquisition sub-unit that is electrically coupled to the power coupling of the holder and that is electrically and mechanically coupled to the external power source when the unit is being used to transmit power from the external power source to the power coupling of the holder; and
(d) a connector mechanically coupling the holder to the power acquisition sub-unit, which connector comprises a semi-rigid elongate metallic antenna portion that allows the position of the holder to be semi-permanently adjusted relative to the position of the power acquisition sub-unit and that is electrically coupled to the RF transmitter to receive the RF signal and radiate it so that it can be received by the RF receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
- the unit being capable of converting the data signal to an RF signal and transmitting the RF signal to an RF receiver;
- 7. The unit of claim 7 wherein the holder further comprises one or more controls for changing the carrier frequency on which the RF transmitter operates and the one or more controls are located at least partially in the inner cavity.
-
39. A holder and electrical supply unit to hold and supply power to an electronic device when the electronic device is being held in the unit and is operating;
- power being available to the unit from a source external to the unit when the unit is being used;
the electronic device providing a data output signal when the electronic device is operating and having at least one power input connector through which input power for the electronic device passes when the electronic device is held in the unit and is operating;
the electronic device also having a top, a bottom, and a bottom portion extending from the bottom of the device towards the top of the device;
the unit comprising;
(a) a holder for the electronic device, the holder having a power coupling to transmit power to the at least one power input connector of the electronic device;
(b) a power acquisition sub-unit that is electrically coupled to the power coupling of the holder and that is electrically and mechanically coupled to the external power source when the unit is being used to transmit power from the external power source to the power coupling of the holder;
(c) a connector mechanically coupling the holder to the power acquisition sub-unit, which connector comprises a semi-rigid elongate portion that allows the position of the holder to be semi-permanently adjusted relative to the position of the power acquisition sub-unit; and
(d) wherein at least one of (i) and (ii) obtains;
(i) the semi-rigid elongate portion of the connector comprises a gooseneck; and
/or(ii) the power acquisition sub-unit comprises a cigarette lighter adapter having a housing with a distal end, a proximal end, and a length running from the distal end to the proximal end, the distal end being adapted for insertion into and positioning within a cigarette lighter, the cigarette lighter having a depth and an inner circumference, the cigarette lighter adapter further comprising a deformable resilient member having an outer circumference, the deformable resilient member being mounted on the cigarette lighter adapter near the distal end so that its outer circumference is generally perpendicular to the length of the housing, the outer circumference of the deformable resilient member being larger than the inner circumference of the cigarette lighter so that pushing the distal end of the cigarette lighter adapter into the cigarette lighter causes the outer circumference of the deformable resilient member to bend away from the distal end of the cigarette lighter adapter and towards the proximal end of the cigarette lighter adapter while at least some of the deformable resilient member even after such deformation continues to push against the inner circumference of the cigarette lighter. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
- power being available to the unit from a source external to the unit when the unit is being used;
- 73. A power acquisition unit for electrically coupling to an electronic device and that is electrically and mechanically coupled to an external power source when the unit is being used to transmit power from the external power source to the electronic device, the power acquisition unit comprising a cigarette lighter adapter having a housing with a distal end, a proximal end, and a length running from the distal end to the proximal end, the distal end being adapted for insertion into and positioning within a cigarette lighter, the cigarette lighter having a depth and an inner circumference, the cigarette lighter adapter further comprising a deformable resilient member having an outer circumference, the deformable resilient member being mounted on the cigarette lighter adapter near the distal end so that its outer circumference is generally perpendicular to the length of the housing, the outer circumference of the deformable resilient member being larger than the inner circumference of the cigarette lighter so that pushing the distal end of the cigarette lighter adapter into the cigarette lighter causes the outer circumference of the deformable resilient member to bend away from the distal end of the cigarette lighter adapter and towards the proximal end of the cigarette lighter adapter while at least some of the deformable resilient member even after such deformation continues to push against the inner circumference of the cigarette lighter.
- 82. A holder for an electronic device comprising an inner housing comprising two or more inner housing sections and an outer piece that fits over the inner housing sections to hold the inner housing sections in close fitting alignment with each other, the holder also having a cavity for receiving and releasably holding the electronic device, the electronic device having a top, a bottom, and a bottom portion extending from the bottom of the device towards the top of the device, the cavity being defined by at least a bottom wall and a sidewall, the sidewall fitting around the electronic device to help retain the electronic device within the cavity.
- 94. An RF transmission system comprising a gooseneck metallic member as the antenna.
Specification