An Adapter for Coupling a Host and a Consumer Electronic Device Having Dissimilar Standardized Interfaces

• US 20080164225A1
• Filed: 01/04/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: McCoy, Richard A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,826,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94

Abstract

A transformative adapter coupling multiple alternative consumer electronic devices to a host and a modular system including the host, the transformative adapter and the consumer electronic device. the host is an applicance or wall mounted portable host and has a host service interface. The consumer electronic device has a device service interface that is different thant the host service interface. The transformative adapter mechanically couples the service interfaces and supplies at least one electrical service between the service interfaces. The service electrical service can be a power or a data service.

Claims

1-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A modular system comprising:

a host comprising an appliance performing a first primary function and having a first standardized service interface and providing a first electrical service;

a consumer electronic device performing a second primary function different than the first primary function and having a second standardized service interface that is incompatible with the first standardized service interface and capable of utilizing a second electrical service different than the first electrical service; and

an transformative adapter in mechanical communication with the host and the consumer electronic device and capable of removably coupling the first standardized service interface to the second standardized service interface, wherein the transformative adapter transforms the first electrical service received from the first standardized service interface to the second electrical service for use by the consumer electronic device when the consumer electronic device is coupled to the transformative adapter.

36. The modular system of claim 35, wherein the mechanical communication comprises at least one of a fixed and a removable mounting of at least one of the transformative adapter and consumer electronic device to at least one of the host and the transformative adapter.

37. The modular system of claim 35, wherein the incompatibility is a physically incompatibility such that the first standardized service interface and the second standardized service interface cannot be directly coupled.

38. The modular system of claim 35, wherein the first standardized service interface is integral with the appliance.

39. The modular system of claim 35, wherein the first standardized service interface is removable from appliance.

40. The modular system of claim 35, wherein the first electrical service comprises a first type of power and the second electrical service comprises a second type of power and the transformative adapter comprising an inverter capable of transforming the first type of power to the second type of power.

41. A modular system comprising:

a host comprising a wall mountable module providing having a first standardized service interface and providing a first power and data service;

a consumer electronic device having a second standardized service interface that is incompatible with the first standardized service interface and capable of utilizing a second power and data service different than the first electrical service; and

an transformative adapter capable of being removably mounted to the host and capable of removably supporting the consumer electronic device and capable of removably coupling the first standardized service interface to the second standardized service interface, wherein the transformative adapter transforms the first power and data service received from the first standardized service interface to the second power and data service for use by the consumer electronic device when the consumer electronic device is coupled to the transformative adapter and the transformative adapter is coupled to the host.

42. The modular system of claim 41, wherein the incompatibility is a physically incompatibility such that the first standardized service interface and the second standardized service interface cannot be directly coupled.

43. The modular system of claim 41, wherein the first power and data service comprises a first type of power and the second power and data service comprises a second type of power and the transformative adapter comprising an inverter capable of transforming the first type of power to the second type of power.

44. The modular system of claim 42, wherein at least one of the host and consumer electronic device provides the at least one additional service and wherein the other of the at least one of the host and the consumer electronic device receives the at least one additional service.

45. A modular system comprising:

an electrical host performing a first primary function and having a first standardized service interface and providing at least a first service and using at least a second service;

a consumer electronic device performing a second primary function different than the first primary function and having a second standardized service interface that is incompatible with the first standardized service interface and using the at least a first service and providing the at least a second service; and

an transformative adapter performing a third primary function and coupling the first standardized service interface to the second standardized service interface;

wherein the transformative adapter communicates the at least a first service and the at least a second service between the host and consumer electronic device through the first standardized service interface and the second standardized service interface.

46. The modular system of claim 45, wherein the transformative adapter mechanically couples the consumer electronic device to the host and wherein the consumer electronic device is removably coupled to the transformative adapter.

47. The modular system of claim 45 wherein incompatibility of the first and second standardized service interface is an incompatibility of the format of one of the services and the transformative adapter transforms one of the at least first service and the at least second service to a different format.

48. The modular system of claim 45, wherein the transformative adapter mechanically couples the consumer electronic device to the host and wherein the consumer electronic device is removably coupled to the transformative adapter.

49. The modular system of claim 45, wherein the host is selected from an appliance performing a useful cycle of operation and a wall mountable module.

50. The modular system of claim 45, wherein the at least one service comprises one of power communication;

and data communication.

51. The modular system of claim 45, wherein the at least a first service comprises a first type of power service and the at least a second service comprises a second type of power service and the transformative adapter comprising an inverter capable of transforming the first type of power to the second type of power.

54. The modular system of claim 45, wherein the form of the at least one service comprises a first type of power service and the second form of the at least one service comprises a second type of power service and the transformative adapter comprising an inverter capable of transforming the first type of power to the second type of power.

52. A modular system for removably holding a consumer electronic device comprising:

an appliance conducting a useful cycle of operation, the appliance further comprising a standardized service interface;

a transformative adapter removably mounted to the appliance, the standardized service interface coupling the transformative adapter to the appliance to communicate at least one electrical service selected from power communication and data communication between the appliance and the transformative adapter;

wherein the transformative adapter is configured to transform the at least one service between the appliance and the consumer electronic device from a first form provided by the appliance to a second form useable by the consumer electronic device when the transformative adapter is mounted to the appliance and the consumer electronic device is mounted to the transformative adapter.

53. The modular system of claim 52, wherein at least one of the appliance and consumer electronic device provides the at least one service to the transformative adapter.

55. A transformative adapter for removably holding a consumer electronic device having a first standardized service interface to an appliance conducting a useful cycle of operation and having a second standardized service interface incompatible with the first standardized interface, the transformative adapter comprising:

a first adapter interface capable of being removably coupled to the first standardized interface to mechanically support and permit communicating at least a first electrical service selected from a power and data service between the transformative adapter and the consumer electronic device;

a second adapter interface capable of being removably coupled to the second standardized interface to permit communicating at least a second electrical service selected from a power and data service between the transformative adapter and the consumer electronic device incompatible with the at least a first electrical service;

at least one transformation component interposed between the first adapter interface and the second adapter interface capable of transforming the at least a first electrical service to the at least a second electrical service and transforming the at least a second electrical service to the at least a first electrical service when the adapter is coupled with the appliance and the consumer electronic device.

56. The transformative adapter of claim 55, wherein the transformative adapter comprises an inverter capable of transforming the at least a first electrical service to the at least a second electrical service.

57. The modular system of claim 55, wherein at least one of the electrical services comprises both a power service and a data service.

58. The modular system of claim 55, wherein at least one of the electrical services is bi-directional.

59. The modular system of claim 55, wherein each of the electrical services comprises a bi-directional data service.