Entertainment system with bandless tuning, remote control, alarm and universal docking
First Claim
1. An entertainment system comprising:
- a. a base unit having electronics including a transceiver for interacting, at least at times, with a control unit via a wireless link; and
b. a control unit for controlling the base unit, the control unit being dockable with the base unit to establish direct electrical connection therebetween and including a transceiver which is actuated for interacting with the base unit via said wireless link when the control unit is undocked from the base unit.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An entertainment system comprising a base unit with a transceiver for interacting, at times, with a control unit via a communications link, and a control unit for controlling the base unit, the control unit being dockable with the base unit to establish direct electrical connection between them, and including a transceiver for interacting with the control unit via said link when undocked. The control unit is a separate aspect of the invention or system. The base unit may contain a tuner, preferably with bandless tuning capability, and may be designed to receive into a universal docking arrangement a digitally controllable auxiliary audio source such as a portable MP3 player or other device. The base unit may further provide alarm clock functionality with numerous features including a “fail-safe” volume control system and fail-safe alarm time setting capability.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An entertainment system comprising:
-
a. a base unit having electronics including a transceiver for interacting, at least at times, with a control unit via a wireless link; and
b. a control unit for controlling the base unit, the control unit being dockable with the base unit to establish direct electrical connection therebetween and including a transceiver which is actuated for interacting with the base unit via said wireless link when the control unit is undocked from the base unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A radio tuning interface which presents to a user a bandless tuning experience over multiple signal bands.
- 11. A radio tuning interface for a radio receiver having apparatus for receiving signals broadcast on a first band and signals broadcast on a second band, said interface providing a user only a single frequency selection knob for selecting broadcast frequencies on both bands by presenting the bands as successive rotationally adjacent positions of the knob.
-
14. An adapter module for use in connection with an entertainment system to allow an auxiliary source module to be plugged into the entertainment system, said module comprising:
-
a. an electrical sub-assembly having i. a second connector for mating with the first connector, ii. a third connector for mating with a connector on said auxiliary source module, and iii. electrical interconnections between corresponding terminals of the second and third connectors, said correspondences being determined by terminal arrangements on said auxiliary source module connector; and
b. a mechanical sub-assembly configured to receive and retain the auxiliary support module against lateral motion. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
-
16. An alarm clock/radio combination wherein the volume of the radio when in alarm mode is independent of the volume of the radio when in radio mode.
-
17. An alarm clock/radio combination comprising:
-
a. an input selector which receives a plurality of audio signal sources as input and selects one as output in response to a control signal, said signal sources including one or more of an auxiliary input jack, an auxiliary source module, an alarm buzz signal and a tuner 114;
b. an amplifier controlled by an on/off signal supplied from a processor 115;
c. a headphone jack;
d. circuitry to monitor the condition of the headphone jack and providing a corresponding signal to the processor;
e. the processor determining whether a headphone is plugged into the headphone jack and when a headphone is plugged into the jack, turning off the amplifier;
f. for each of the audio signal sources, a distinct volume control setting; and
g. the processor executing a program that turns on the amplifier when an alarm “
goes off,”
irrespective of the sensed condition of the headphone jack. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
Specification