Compact portable media reproduction system

• US 7,230,822 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altec Lansing LLC (Infinity Group Holding Co. LLC)
• Inventors: Langberg, Eric Aaron, Messerle, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US11/116,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20050265569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 248917-921, 348/837, 400/88, 400/691, 400/692, 361/691, 361/695, 361/801, 361679-687, 361724-727, 439/928.1
• US Class Current: 361/679.23
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0211 for record carriers apparatus, e.g. video recorders, tape players or CD players
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/122 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/124 of the single recording/reproducing device, e.g. disk drive, onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/021 Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support

Abstract

A portable media reproduction system preferably includes a housing with an attached docking component for receiving a portable media player, the docking component being recessed into the housing when in a closed position such that the first side forms a uniformly substantially flat surface. A latch is provided for holding the docking component in the closed position, and a connector connects to the portable media player. The connector is positioned on the docking component to receive the portable media player when the docking component is in an open position. A base component is recessed into the second side of the housing when in a closed position such that the second side of the housing forms a uniformly substantially flat surface. The base component is extendable into an open position such that the it supports the portable media reproduction system in a substantially upright position. Both the base component and the docking component are preferably spring loaded such that actuating the latch releases the docking component and the base component from their respective closed positions, allowing them to spring into their respective open positions.

Claims

1. A portable media reproduction system comprising:

a housing having a first side and a second side;

a docking component on the first side for receiving a portable media player;

a latch for holding the docking component in a closed position;

a connector for connecting to the portable media player, the connector positioned on the docking component to receive the portable media player when the docking component is in an open position;

the second side having a base component that supports the portable media reproduction system in an operating position when the base component is in an open position, wherein the base component is held in a closed position by the latch;

wherein actuating the latch releases the docking component and the base component from their respective closed positions their respective open positions.

2. The portable media reproduction system of claim 1, wherein the latch is proximate the docking component.

3. The portable media reproduction system of claim 1, wherein the first side is at an angle of approximately 105 degrees from a supporting surface when the portable media reproduction system is in the open position.

4. The portable media reproduction system of claim 1, wherein the portable media player is selected from the group consisting of an ipod, a non-iPod portable media player, cellular phone, satellite radio receiver, digital radio receiver, standard radio receiver, CD player, digital camera, or portable digital assistant.

5. The portable media reproduction system of claim 1, further comprising at least one driver on the first side of the housing.

6. The portable media reproduction system of claim 1, wherein the docking component communicatively couples the personal media player with a personal computer.

7. The portable media reproduction system of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary input for reproducing sound from an auxiliary source.

8. The portable media reproduction system of claim 5, further comprising an interal batter power supply.

9. A portable media reproduction system for reproducing sound from a portable media player through at least one speaker, the portable media reproduction system comprising:

a substantially flat front surface and rear surface;

the front surface housing the at least one speaker aimed at a user;

a docking component hinged to the portable media reproduction system and having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side substantially aligned with the front surface when the docking component is in a first position;

a connector on the top side for receiving the portable media player when the docking component is in a second position, the second position being approximately perpendicular to the first position;

a base component hinged to the portable media reproduction system and having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side substantially aligned with the rear surface when the base component is in the first position, and the top side being approximately perpendicular to the rear surface in the second position, wherein the bottom side abuts a surface and supports the portable media reproduction system in the second position; and

,

a latch having a docking component flange and a base component flange, the docking component flange engaging the docking component in the first position and the base component flange engaging the base component in the first position, wherein depressing the latch releases the docking component from the docking component flange and the base component from the base component flange, allowing the docking component and the base component to rotate into the second position.

10. The portable media reproduction system of claim 9, wherein the front surface is at an angle of approximately 105 degrees from a supporting surface when the portable media reproduction system is in the second position.

11. The portable media reproduction system of claim 9, wherein the portable media player is selected from the group consisting of an iPod, a non-ipod portable media player, cellular phone, satellite radio receiver, digital radio receiver, standard radio receiver, CD player, digital camera, or portable digital assistant.

12. The portable media reproduction system of claim 9, wherein the docking component communicatively couples the personal media player with a personal computer.

13. The portable media reproduction system of claim 9, further comprising an auxiliary input for reproducing sound from an auxiliary source.

14. The portable media reproduction system of claim 9, further comprising an internal battery power supply.

15. A method for utilizing a portable media device with a portable media reproduction system having at least one speaker, the method comprising the steps of:

actuating a latch that is operatively connected to a docking component and a base component, thereby releasing the docking component and the base component and causing the docking component and the base component to extend from a housing;

engaging the portable media device with the docking component; and

,

supporting the portable media reproduction system with the base component.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the base component supports the portable media reproduction system at an angle of approximately 105 degrees from a bottom surface of the base component.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the portable media device is selected from the group consisting of an iPod, non-iPod portable media player, cellular phone, satellite radio receiver, digital radio receiver, standard radio receiver, CD player, digital camera, or portable digital assistant.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of communicatively coupling the portable media device with a personal computer through the docking component.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of providing an auxiliary input for reproducing sound from an auxiliary source.

20. A portable media reproduction system comprising:

a housing having a first side and a second side;

a docking component on the first side for receiving a portable media player, the docking component being recessed into the housing when in a closed position such that the first side forms a uniformly substantially flat surface;

a latch for holding the docking component in the closed position; and

,

a connector for connecting to the portable media player, the connector positioned on the docking component to receive the portable media player when the docking component is in an open position.

21. The portable media reproduction system according to claim 20, further comprising:

a base component recessed into the second side of the housing when in a closed position such that the second side of the housing forms a uniformly substantially flat surface, the base component being extendable into an open position such that the base component supports the portable media reproduction system in a substantially upright position.

22. The portable media reproduction system according to claim 21, wherein both the base component and the docking component are spring loaded and wherein actuating the latch releases the docking component and the base component from their respective closed positions, allowing them to spring into their respective open positions.