Enhanced cigarette lighter adapter

• US 20090097221A1
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Groenhuizen, Lucien, Sayed, Ashley
• Granted Patent: US 7,902,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/807
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

A cigarette lighter adapter (CLA) is disclosed comprising a body and a barrel portion extending therefrom, said barrel portion including a first and second contacts respectively connectable within a vehicle cigarette lighter to be powered therefrom, said CLA being additionally provided with at least one primary electronic circuit within the body thereof, connected directly or indirectly to said contacts, and an output to which a power signal is capable of being delivered. The CLA is characterized in that it includes an antenna component in electrical communication with said primary electronic circuit, the latter delivering at least one of the antenna signal, a electronically processed version thereof, or data derived from the electronic processing thereof, to said output in conjunction with said power signal, the source of which is derived from said contacts or from an alternative power source provided within the body of said CLA, such as an on-board rechargeable battery, said power signal source further providing power to said primary electronic circuit to enable operation thereof. Further features include the provision of one or more secondary electronic circuits within the CLA to provide power management, regulation, control, switching, and/or battery re-charging functions, and the segregation of the primary and secondary electric circuits so as to ensure effective heat dissipation. Most preferably, the CLA is provided with vents adjacent which at least one of the secondary electronic circuits is provided.

Claims

1. A CLA comprising:

a body,

a barrel portion extending from said body, said barrel portion including first and second contacts arranged to be connected within and powered from a vehicle cigarette lighter,

at least one primary electronic circuit arranged within said body and connected directly or indirectly to said contacts, said at least one primary electronic circuit comprising an output arranged to receive a power signal,

an antenna arranged within said body and in electrical communication with said at least one primary electronic circuit for receiving an antenna signal, a electronically processed version of said antenna signal, and data derived from the electronic processing thereof via said output, and

a power source arranged within said body and in electrical connection with said at least one primary electronic circuit thereby providing power to said circuit.

2. A CLA according to claim 1 further including one or more secondary electronic circuits for providing at least one of power management, regulation, switching and recharging functions, wherein at least one of the secondary circuits is separate from the primary electronic circuit but in electrical communication therewith.

3. A CLA according to claim 1 wherein an on-board source of power is provided as an alternative to the source of power derived through the contacts.

4. A CLA according to claim 3 wherein at least one secondary electronic circuit is provided to implement a recharging function, said at least one secondary electronic circuit being in electrical communication with both said contacts and said on-board power source and re-charging the latter when a source of power is derived through the contacts.

5. A CLA according to claim 2 and any claim dependent thereon wherein at least one of the secondary electronic circuits includes a voltage switching regulator.

6. A CLA according to claim 1 wherein the primary electronic circuit is a wireless telecommunications protocol processing circuit.

7. A CLA according to claim 6 wherein the wireless telecommunications protocol circuit is adapted for at least one of the following wireless telecommunications protocols:

GSM, GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, CDMA, WCDMA, WiFi, WiMax, Bluetooth.

8. A CLA according to claim 1 wherein the primary electronic circuit is a wireless modem.

9. A CLA according to claim 1 wherein the CLA output is a cable in direct or indirect electrical communication with said primary electronic circuit.

10. A CLA according to claim 1 further provided with one or more LEDs indicative of at least one of:

the charging of the on-board power source, the existence of a source of power for the CLA from a live vehicle cigarette lighter, and the processing of signals within the primary electronic circuit received by the antenna.

11. A CLA according to claim 10 when dependent on claim 3 wherein the CLA is provided with at least two LEDs, a first LED providing an indication of the existence of a source of power for the CLA, and a second LED for providing an indication of the processing of signals received by the antenna.

12. A CLA according to claim 11 wherein the LEDs are of different colours.

13. A CLA according to claim 1 wherein the primary electronic circuit is capable of amalgamating the antenna signal, an electronically processed version thereof, or a data signal derived therefrom, with said power signal, and delivering both in conjunction to said output.

14. A CLA according to claim 8 wherein the primary electronic circuit is a quad- or tri-band GPRS modem which is capable of extracting traffic congestion data from the signal received by the antenna.

15. A CLA according to claim 1 wherein the output is a serial output selected from one of:

a USB socket or cable, a UART socket or cable.

16. A CLA according to claim 1 wherein a subscriber identity module (SIM) card connector is provided, in electrical communication with said primary electronic circuit whereby the CLA can automatically subscribe to, and thus process received wireless signals from a particular mobile telecommunications service provider when a suitably enabled SIM card is present in said connector.

17. A CLA according to claim 8 wherein the modem is capable of establishing a wireless connection using at least one of a subscriber identifier (IMSI), a modem identifier (IMEI), and an identified of a PND (PND UID).

18. A CLA according to claim 2 wherein one of the secondary electronic circuits provides a power control facility.

19. A CLA according to claim 1 wherein the antenna is a substantially flat component affixed to the inside surface of a part of the body of the CLA.

20. A CLA according to claim 1 further provided with vents in the body through which hot air, generated as a result of contact with the hot-working electronic circuit(s) and other electronic circuits, can escape.

21. A CLA according to claim 2 and any claim dependent thereon, wherein the vents are provided toward the front of the body proximate the barrel portion of the CLA, said primary electronic circuit being provided towards the rear of the body, remote from the barrel portion, and said one or more secondary electronic circuits being also provided toward the front of the body of said CLA adjacent said vents.

22. A CLA according to claim 21 wherein the one more secondary electronic circuits is provided on a pair of PCBs disposed adjacent one another inside a forward portion of the body of the CLA, each said PCB being additionally disposed proximate a vent on the outside of the CLA.