DOCKING STATION FOR SMARTPHONE

• US 20140342669A1
• Filed: 05/16/2013
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I O Interconnect Limited
• Original Assignee: I O Interconnect Limited
• Inventors: Zeung, Ping-Shun, Chen, Johnny
• Granted Patent: US 9,237,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A dock for connecting a smartphone to a display and peripherals is disclosed. The dock uses a single connector to transfer audio/video data to a display and input-output data and to establish a wireless link with peripherals. The dock has a controller with a switch, a wireless communication module, a USB hub, a relay, a first connector, an audio/video (AV) converter and a second connector. The relay normally connects AV data from the smartphone to the AV converter. The controller switches the relay while the switch is being operated, and then the controller links the USB hub, the first connector and the wireless communication module, and the wireless communication module establishes the wireless link with the smartphone.

Claims

1. A docking station comprising:

a controller, having a switch;

a wireless communication module, coupled to the controller, and being capable of establishing at least one wireless link with an external portable electronic device;

a universal serial bus (USB) hub, coupled to the controller;

a relay, having a control terminal and multiple rows of change-over contacts, wherein each row of change-over contacts has a common terminal, a normally-open contact and a normally-closed contact, and the control terminal and the normally-open contacts are coupled to the controller;

a first connector, coupled to the common terminals of the relay for connecting the external portable electronic device;

an audio/video (AV) converter, coupled to the normally-closed contacts of the relay for converting first AV data into second AV data; and

a second connector, coupled to the AV converter for outputting the second AV data;

wherein the relay normally connects the first connector to the AV converter for transferring the first AV data from the external portable electronic device to the AV converter, the controller makes the relay switch through the control terminal while the switch is being operated, and then the controller links the external portable electronic device connected to the first connector, and the wireless communication module establishes the at least one wireless link with the external portable electronic device.

2. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the switch is a push-button switch.

3. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless link is one in number.

4. The docking station of claim 3, wherein the wireless link is a BLUETOOTH link or a Wi-Fi link.

5. The docking station of claim 3, further comprising a wireless adapter coupled to the USB hub.

6. The docking station of claim 5, wherein the wireless adapter is a BLUETOOTH adapter or a Wi-Fi adapter.

7. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless link is two in number.

8. The docking station of claim 7, wherein the two wireless links are a BLUETOOTH link and a Wi-Fi link.

9. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the first AV data is compliant with either of a Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) standard or a Mobility DisplayPort (MyDP) standard.

10. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the second connector and the second AV data are compliant with a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard.

11. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the first connector is a USB connector.

12. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the relay is of a two pole double throw (DPDT) type.

13. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the relay is of a three pole double throw (3PDT) type.

14. The docking station of claim 1, further comprising a touchscreen module coupled to the controller.

15. A method for linking a smartphone to a display and an external universal serial bus (USB) device, comprising the steps of:

a) connecting the smartphone to a docking station with a switch;

b) connecting the docking station to the display;

c) connecting the external USB device to the docking station;

d) the docking station normally electrically connecting the smartphone with the display;

e) the docking station temporarily electrically connecting the smartphone to obtain information of the smartphone when the switch is operated;

f) after the step e), the docking station establishing two wireless links with the smartphone; and

g) after the step f), the smartphone identifying the external USB device;

h) after the step g), the docking station electrically connecting the smartphone with the display again.

16. A method for linking a universal serial bus (USB) device to a portable electronic device via a docking station with a switch, the method comprising the steps of:

a) inputting identification data into the portable electronic device;

b) connecting the portable electronic device to the docking station and operating the switch;

c) the docking station switching the portable electronic device to a USB mode and establishing a USB connection with the portable electronic device;

d) the docking station acquiring the identification data and connecting to a local network;

e) the docking station transferring network information and wireless linking data to the portable electronic device;

f) establishing two wireless links between the docking station and the portable electronic device; and

g) switching the portable electronic device to an audio/video output mode when the wireless links have been verified by the docking station.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the identification data comprises service set identification (SSID) and a password.