BATTERY-POWERED STEREO SPEAKER ASSEMBLY HAVING POWER CONNECTION FOR CHARGING A HANDHELD DEVICE

• US 20140098979A1
• Filed: 10/09/2012
• Published: 04/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZAGG Inc. (Evercel, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Braven Lc
• Inventors: Osborn, Warren Robert, Hill, Daniel Lester
• Granted Patent: US 9,609,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/300
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2834 for loudspeaker transducers
• 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 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers

Abstract

The present invention provides a portable and compact battery-powered stereo speaker assembly that incorporates a DC to DC converter, which enables power from the internal stereo speaker assembly battery to charge an interconnected hand-held device, such as a smartphone, through a USB connection, thereby extending the time that the device can be used untethered from the AC power grid. A DC to DC converter enables the charging function can be implemented even if the speaker assembly is not connected to the AC power grid, and even if the battery of the stereo speaker assembly is not fully charged. The stereo speaker assembly also incorporates Bluetooth connectivity, a proprietary open wireless technology standard, developed by Ericsson in 1994, employing frequency-hopping spread spectrum radio transmissions in the ISM band from 2400-2480 MHz.

Claims

1. A compact speaker assembly comprising:

a housing;

first and second audio speakers mounted within the housing

stereo audio amplifier circuitry having first and second channel audio inputs and first and second driver outputs coupled to the first and second audio speakers, respectively;

a Bluetooth module which enables wireless connection of first and second audio outputs from a mobile device to the first and second audio inputs, respectively, of the stereo audio amplifier circuitry;

an onboard battery for powering the stereo audio amplifier circuitry and the Bluetooth module;

battery charging circuitry for charging the onboard battery from a 5-volt external source; and

means for charging the battery of an external mobile device from the onboard battery.

2. The compact speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein said means for charging comprises:

a voltage converter/regulator that converts onboard battery voltage to 5-volts DC;

a USB port coupled to an output from the voltage converter/regulator, said USB port providing a connector for a cable used to interconnect the external mobile device and the compact speaker assembly.

3. The compact speaker assembly of claim 1, which further comprises a Line-In plug for a hard-wired stereo inputs from an external mobile device to said first and second channel audio inputs.

4. The compact speaker assembly of claim 3, which further comprises an amplifier-specific voltage converter/regulator, which converts onboard battery voltage to a stable voltage required by the audio amplifier, said amplifier-specific voltage converter/regulator being enabled only when either hard-wired stereo inputs from an external mobile device are being received, or when audio inputs are being received by the Bluetooth module.

5. The compact speaker assembly of claim 1, which further comprises a Bluetooth audio filter, which takes signal inputs from the Bluetooth circuitry and performs filtering and pre-amplification thereof before sending them to the audio amplifier circuitry.

6. The compact speaker assembly of claim 1, which further comprises a Lin-In audio filter, which takes Line-In signal inputs and performs filtering and pre-amplification thereof before sending them to the audio amplifier circuitry.

7. The compact speaker assembly of claim 1, which further comprises mobile device detection circuitry which determines if a mobile devices is connected and charging, connected by not charging or not connected.

8. The compact speaker assembly of claim 1, which further comprises a wall that acoustically isolates the first speaker from the second speaker.

9. The compact speaker assembly of claim 8, wherein said wall is unitary with the housing.

10. The compact speaker assembly of claim 1, which further comprises a passive acoustic radiator coupled to each speaker.

11. The compact speaker assembly of claim 10, wherein each passive acoustic radiator faces a direction opposite that faced by its coupled speaker.