APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR USING A PORTABLE MEDIA UNIT

• US 20090304217A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharper Image Corporation (ThreeSixty Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharper Image Corporation (ThreeSixty Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: McKinney, Edward C., Thalheimer, Richard J., Lau, Shek Fai, Schechter, Frederick M., Blair, Eric C.
• Application Number:
  US11/719,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20090304217A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/334
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/06 Arranging circuit leads; Relieving strain on circuit leads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/022 Plurality of transducers corresponding to a plurality of sound channels in each earpiece of headphones or in a single enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers

Abstract

An apparatus includes a housing, a holder coupled to the housing, an output device coupled to the housing, and a cable module. The cable module includes a cable configured to move relative to the cable module and connect with a portable media device located within the holder to communicate a media signal from the portable media device to the output device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing configured to receive a cable module and a holder, wherein the holder is configured to receive a portable media device;

an output device coupled to the housing; and

the cable module comprising a cable configured to move relative to the cable module and to connect with a portable media device to communicate a media signal between the portable media device and the output device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a video display.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output device comprises an audio device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable media unit is an audio device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the portable media unit is a video device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cable is movable between an extended position in which a portion of the cable is located outside of the cable module and a retracted position in which a larger portion of the cable is located within the cable module.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cable is movable between an extended position in which a portion of the cable is located outside of the cable module and a retracted position in which a larger portion of the cable is located within the cable module, wherein the cable module further comprises a tensioning spring configured to automatically pull the cable from the extended position to the retracted position upon activation.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cable comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to an electronic circuit associated with the output device, and wherein the second end comprises a connector configured to couple the cable to the portable media device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cable comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to an electronic circuit associated with the output device, and wherein the second end comprises a connector configured to couple the cable to the portable media device, wherein the connector comprises a jack plug or a multipin connector.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cable module is removably coupled to the housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a recess adapted to hold the cable module.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a recess adapted to hold the cable module and covered by a door.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cable is adapted to transfer power to the portable media device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holder is removably coupled to the housing.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holder comprises a backrest configured to support the portable media device.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holder further comprises:

a first compartment configured to receive the portable media device; and

a second compartment configured to receive the cable module.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holder further comprises:

a first compartment configured to receive the portable media device; and

a second compartment configured to receive the cable module, wherein the second compartment is covered by a lid.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holder further comprises:

a first compartment configured to receive the portable media device; and

a second compartment configured to receive the cable module, wherein the second compartment comprises an ejection mechanism configured to eject the cable module located within the second compartment upon activation and is covered by a lid.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a chair or a computer.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wireless connection unit coupled to the housing, wherein the wireless connection unit is configured to communicate with a local device via a wireless communication protocol.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the local device comprises at least one of a portable media player, a controller, a speaker, a camera, or a display.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises at least one of a IEEE 802.11 communication protocol or a Bluetooth protocol.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable media device comprises at least one of a portable music player, a portable video player, or an MP3 player.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the media signal comprises at least one of an analog audio signal, a digital audio signal, a video signal, or a combination audio and video signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a control element.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holder is weatherproof.

27. A cable module comprising:

a cable configured to move relative to the cable module housing and to connect a portable media device to an output device such that a media signal from the portable media unit can be transmitted to the output device.

28. The cable module of claim 27, wherein the media signal is electronic.

29. The cable module of claim 27, wherein the cable is movable between an extended position in which a portion of the cable is located outside of the cable module and a retracted position in which a larger portion of the cable is located within the cable module.

30. The cable module of claim 27, wherein the cable is movable between an extended position in which a portion of the cable is located outside of the cable module and a retracted position in which a larger portion of the cable is located within the cable module, wherein the cable module further comprises a tensioning spring configured to automatically pull the cable from the extended position to the retracted position upon activation.

31. The cable module of claim 27, wherein the cable comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to an electronic circuit associated with the output device, and wherein the second end comprises a connector configured to couple the cable to the portable media device.

32. The cable module of claim 27, wherein the cable comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to an electronic circuit associated with the output device, and wherein the second end comprises a connector configured to couple the cable to the portable media device, wherein the connector comprises a jack plug or a multipin connector.

33. A method of selecting a playlist comprising:

storing a plurality of playlists;

receiving an input associated with a condition at a portable media unit; and

controlling the portable media unit to initiate a selection from the stored plurality of playlists based on the received input.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein receiving the input associated with the condition comprises receiving at least one of an environmental condition, a time condition, or a user id.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein receiving the input associated with the condition comprises receiving at least one of temperature information, humidity information, rainfall information, or wind speed information.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein controlling the portable media unit comprises selecting at least one playlist from the plurality of playlists based on the condition.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein selecting the at least one playlist comprises selecting a warm weather playlist or a cold weather playlist.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein controlling the portable media unit comprises personalizing a display of the portable media unit based on the condition.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein personalizing the display comprises displaying at least one playlist from the plurality of playlists based on the condition.

40. The method of claim 33, further comprising determining the condition via a wireless communication protocol.