Audio apparatus and external adapter used for the audio apparatus

• US 20090124289A1
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nishida, Osamu
• Application Number:
  US12/291,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20090124289A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/559
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters

Abstract

An audio apparatus includes: an audio device arranged to supply an audio signal to a speaker to play an audio; an external adapter connected to the audio device; and a mobile phone device detachably mounted to the external adapter, in which the audio device plays, via the external adapter, an audio signal from the mobile phone device, and the external adapter includes a control unit and in conjunction with mounting and detachment of the mobile phone device with respect to the external adapter, the control unit changes a state of the audio device.

Claims

1. An audio apparatus comprising:

an audio device arranged to supply an audio signal to a speaker to play an audio;

an external adapter connected to the audio device; and

a mobile phone device detachably mounted to the external adapter,

wherein the audio device plays, via the external adapter, an audio signal from the mobile phone device, and

wherein the external adapter includes control means, and in conjunction with mounting and detachment of the mobile phone device with respect to the external adapter, the control means changes a state of the audio device.

2. The audio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the mobile phone device is mounted to the external adapter, the control means of the external adapter automatically turns ON a power source of the audio device.

3. The audio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the mobile phone device is mounted to the external adapter, the control means of the external adapter automatically changes a function of the audio device to a function of playing an audio signal of an audio source of the mobile phone device.

4. The audio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the mobile phone device is detached from the external adapter, the control means of the external adapter changes a function of the audio device to stop an audio signal of an audio source of the mobile phone device.

5. The audio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the mobile phone device is detached from the external adapter, the control means of the external adapter automatically turns OFF a power source of the audio device.

6. The audio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means of the external adapter displays an image of an operation guide for the mobile phone device on a monitor of the audio device.

7. The audio apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

selection means arranged to select validity or invalidity of the operation of the external adapter for changing the state of the audio device.

8. An audio apparatus comprising:

an audio device arranged to supply an audio signal to a speaker to play an audio;

an external adapter connected to the audio device; and

a mobile phone device detachably mounted to the external adapter,

wherein the audio device plays, via the external adapter, an audio signal of an audio source from the mobile phone device, and

wherein the external adapter includes control means, and in conjunction with a change of a function of the audio device, the control means changes a state of the mobile phone device.

9. The audio apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the function of the audio device is switched to a function of playing the audio source of the mobile phone device, the control means of the external adapter controls the mobile phone device to automatically start playing of the audio source performed by the mobile phone device.

10. The audio apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the function of the audio device is switched to a function other than a function of playing the audio source of the mobile phone device, the control means of the external adapter controls the mobile phone device to automatically stop playing of the audio source performed by the mobile phone device.

11. The audio apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when a power source of the audio device is turned OFF, the control means of the external adapter automatically stops playing of the audio source performed by the mobile phone device.

12. The audio apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the control means of the external adapter allows the mobile phone device to play music, newer pieces of music in terms of the time when being taken into the mobile phone device are sequentially played in order.

13. The audio apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the external adapter includes a database of an audio source, and

a music list taken in the database is compared with a music wished to be purchased, and when the music wished to be purchased has been already purchased, that effect is informed.

14. The audio apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

selection means arranged to select validity or invalidity of the operation of the external adapter for changing the state of the audio device.

15. An external adapter connected to an audio device and arranged to supply a signal from a mobile phone device to the audio device, the external adapter comprising:

control means arranged to change a function or a state of the audio device in accordance with a change in a state of the mobile phone device.

16. The external adapter according to claim 15, wherein the change in the function or the state of the audio device is turning ON and OFF of a power source to the audio device or playing or stopping of an audio source of the mobile phone device.

17. An external adapter connected to an audio device and arranged to supply a signal from a mobile phone device to the audio device, the external adapter comprising:

a control unit arranged to change a function or a state of the mobile phone device in accordance with a change in a state of the audio device.

18. The external adapter according to claim 17, wherein the change in the function or the state of the mobile phone device is playing or stopping of an audio source of the mobile phone device or turning ON and OFF of a power source to the mobile phone device.

19. The external adapter according to claim 17, wherein while music is played by way of an audio source of the mobile phone device, when the mobile phone device receives an incoming call, the control means of the external adapter changes a genre of a melody for a ringtone of the mobile phone device into an audio source different from a genre of the playing music.

20. An audio apparatus comprising:

an audio device arranged to supply an audio signal to a speaker to play an audio;

an external adapter connected to the audio device; and

a mobile phone device detachably mounted to the external adapter,

wherein the audio device plays, via the external adapter, an audio signal from the mobile phone device, and

wherein the external adapter includes a control unit, and in conjunction with mounting and detachment of the mobile phone device with respect to the external adapter, the control unit changes a state of the audio device.

21. An audio apparatus comprising:

an audio device arranged to supply an audio signal to a speaker to play an audio;

an external adapter connected to the audio device; and

a mobile phone device detachably mounted to the external adapter,

wherein the audio device plays, via the external adapter, an audio signal of an audio source from the mobile phone device, and

wherein the external adapter includes a control unit, and in conjunction with a change of a function of the audio device, the control unit changes a state of the mobile phone device.

22. An external adapter connected to an audio device and arranged to supply a signal from a mobile phone device to the audio device, the external adapter comprising:

a control unit arranged to change a function or a state of the audio device in accordance with a change in a state of the mobile phone device.

23. An external adapter connected to an audio device and arranged to supply a signal from a mobile phone device to the audio device, the external adapter comprising:

a control unit arranged to change a function or a state of the mobile phone device in accordance with a change in a state of the audio device.