DOCKING CONNECTOR PLATFORM FOR MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20180004250A1
• Filed: 12/31/2014
• Published: 01/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plugged LLC
• Original Assignee: Plugged LLC
• Inventors: Barnett, David, Nahum, Altan
• Granted Patent: US 10,019,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/447 Shutter or cover plate
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/64 Means for preventing incorrect coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/86 Parallel contacts arranged about a common axis
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/005 Intermediate parts for distributing signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/90 adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

A docking platform formed for detachable attachment to a largest-surface-area surface of a mobile electronic device. Such a docking platform may comprise a docking accessory connection system having one or more docking connectors, and optionally two or more electrical contacts therein, the contacts electrically connected to an electronics assembly within the docking platform and constructed and arranged to allow electrical connection to detachable docking accessories. The docking accessory connection system is operable to form detachable attachments to multiple independent docking accessories simultaneously. The docking platform may assist in providing interoperability between connected/linked docking accessories. One type of accessory forms an assembly with an expandable accordion attached to the docking platform.

Claims

1. ) A detachable accessory docking platform for mating with a mobile electronic device to enhance the functionality of the mobile electronic device with functionality supported by detachably attachable docking accessories, comprising:

(a) a docking platform body having a front surface formed with a mobile electronic device connection system for detachably attaching to the mobile electronic device and a back surface formed with an accessory docking system for detachable attaching one or more docking accessories;

(b) an electronics assembly, housed within the docking platform body, including non-transient memory for storing at least docking accessory initialization instructions and docking accessory related data, a processor subassembly for executing the docking accessory initialization instructions and processing the docking accessory related data;

(c) a first communication system connecting the electronics assembly housed within the docking platform body and the accessory docking system for facilitating the communication of data and instructions between the electronics assembly and the detachably attachable docking accessories; and

(d) a second communication system connecting the electronics assembly housed within the docking platform body and the mobile electronic device for facilitating the communication of data and instructions between the detachable accessory docking platform and the mobile electronic device.

2. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the mobile electronic device connection system comprises a layer of sticky gel, the sticky gel forming a detachable attachment to one of the two major faces of the docking platform.

3. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the mobile electronic device connection system is selected from the group consisting of a sticky gel, a magnetic element cooperating with magnetic elements on the mobile electronic device, a snap fit structure cooperating with a mating span fit structure on the mobile electronic device, a suction cup, micro-suction tape, a spring-clip mechanism cooperating with a spring-clip mechanism on the mobile electronic device, slot-hole key mechanism cooperating with a mating slot-hole key mechanism on the mobile electronic device, reusable adhesive, slide-lock mechanisms cooperating with a mating slide-lock mechanism on the mobile electronic device, and screw/bolt cooperating with a matching hole on the mobile electronic device.

4. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the mobile electronic device connection system comprises a mechanical-magnetic attachment for both mechanically and magnetically securing the docking platform to the mobile electronic device.

5. ) The docking platform of claim 1, wherein the electronics assembly further comprise a power subassembly having one or more of power storage components, power transmitting components, and power receiving component.

6. ) The docking platform of claim 5, wherein the power storage components include a battery and the power transmitting components and the power receiving components include a wireless charging interface and charging coil.

7. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the electronics assembly further comprise a signal processing subassembly for processing digital and/or analog signals sent from one or more docking accessories or the mobile electronic device.

8. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the electronics assembly further comprise a wireless communication subassembly for cooperating with one or both of the first and second communication system to provide wireless communication to one or both of the docking accessory and the mobile electronic device.

9. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the processor subassembly executes instructions for offloading functionality from the detachable accessory docking platform to the mobile electronic device.

10. ) The docking platform of claim 9 wherein the offloaded functionality includes offloading communication functionality, processing functionality, display functionality, and data storage.

11. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the processor subassembly and the mobile electronic device cooperate to offloading functionality from the mobile electronic device to the detachable accessory docking platform.

12. ) The docking platform of claim 11 wherein the offloaded functionality includes offloading communication functionality, processing functionality, signal processing functionality, data storage, and functionality specific to one or more docking accessories.

13. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the accessory docking system comprises two accessory docking connectors configured to enable two docking accessories to simultaneously and independently attach to the docking platform.

14. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the accessory docking system comprises two accessory docking connectors configured to enable two docking accessories to simultaneously attach to the docking platform and the processor subassembly executes instructions stored in the non-transient memory for cooperatively operating the two docking accessories.

15. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the mobile electronic device connection system is formed to enable the docking platform to form detachable attachments to surfaces of objects other than mobile electronic devices.

16. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the power sub-assembly is configured to transfer power between the docking platform and one or both of the mobile electronic device and one of more attached docking accessories.

17. ) The docking platform of claim 1 further comprises at least two electrical contacts within the accessory docking system, the contacts electrically connected to the electronics assembly via the first communication system and constructed and arranged to allow electrical communication between the docking accessory and the electronics assembly of the docking platform.

18. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the docking accessory comprises one of the following:

a speaker, a battery, an electrophysiology sensor, a game controller, a solar charger, a supplemental lens, a camera, a supplemental flash, a supplemental keyboard, or a weather sensor.

19. ) The docking platform of claim 1 wherein the accessory docking system is configured to enable docking accessories to be attached in more than one orientation relative to the accessory docking system and the processor subassembly executes instructions stored in non-transient memory for selecting one of plurality of docking accessory capable functionalities based on the attached orientation of the docking accessory.

20. ) A method of establishing an authenticated communication link between one or more docking accessories to a docking platform, comprising:

determining that a docking accessory is attached to the docking platform;

determining if the attached docking accessory is electrically attached to the docking platform;

determining if the attached docking accessory is a wireless docking accessory;

establishing an authenticated communication link between the docking platform and the docking accessory;

determining the type and functionality of the linked docking accessory; and

determining the inter-operability and/or intra-operability of attached accessories if more than two accessories are attached.