Integrated charger and holder for one or more wireless devices

• US 7,825,626 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kozisek, Steven E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/978,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20090108801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/112, 320/114, 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0258 for a headset device

Abstract

A device integrated charger and holder for wireless headsets are provided in the illustrative embodiments. An electronic device integrated holder and charger includes a first holder built into the electronic device to hold an object. A second holder is built into a wireless headset to couple to the first holder. A first set of contacts is accessible from the first holder and is configured to provide electrical power. A second set of contacts is accessible from the second holder and configured to receive electrical power from the first set of contacts when the second holder is coupled to the first holder. A method for holding and charging a device includes fastening a wireless headset to an electronic device, providing electrical power from the device to the wireless headset, and charging a power source in the wireless headset using the electrical power.

Claims

1. An electronic device integrated holder and charger, comprising:

a first holder built into the electronic device and configured to hold an object coupled to the first holder, wherein the first holder is a first set of holders, each holder in the first set of holders being configured to hold an object, and wherein two holders in the first set of holders are configured differently from one another to hold different objects;

a second holder built into a wireless headset and configured to couple to the first holder such that the wireless headset is held in proximity of the, electronic device by such coupling;

a first set of contacts accessible from the first holder and configured to provide electrical power; and

a second set of contacts accessible from the second holder and configured to receive electrical power from the first set of contacts when the second holder is coupled to the first holder.

2. The electronic device integrated holder and charger of claim 1, wherein the number of contacts in the first set of contacts is different from the number of contacts in the second set of contacts.

3. The electronic device integrated holder and charger of claim 1, wherein a shape of the second holder and a shape of the first holder facilitate the wireless headset to engage with the electronic device such that the first and second sets of contacts make an electrical connection.

4. The electronic device integrated holder and charger of claim 3, wherein the shape of the second holder is a projection and the shape of the first holder is a recess configured to receive the projection.

5. The electronic device integrated holder and charger of claim 1, wherein each holder in the first set of holders has a set of contacts configured to provide electrical power.

6. The electronic device integrated holder and charger of claim 5, wherein two holders in the first set of holders have sets of contacts configured to provide electrical power of characteristics different from each other.

7. The electronic device integrated holder and charger of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is configured to take an action when the second holder is one of coupled to and decoupled from the first holder.

8. The electronic device integrated holder and charger of claim 7, wherein the action when the second holder is decoupled from the first holder is connecting a call through the wireless headset.

9. The electronic device integrated holder and charger of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is configured to not supply electrical power to the first set of contacts if available power in a power source of the electric device is at or below a predetermined threshold level.

10. A method for holding and charging a plurality of wireless devices, comprising:

fastening the plurality of wireless devices to a device, wherein the plurality of wireless devices includes a wireless headset;

providing electrical power from the device to the plurality of wireless devices; and

charging a power source in two or more wireless devices of the plurality of wireless devices using electrical power of different characteristics for the two or more wireless devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the fastening includes fastening using a shape of a first holder on the device and a shape of a second holder on a wireless headset such that the shapes of the first and second holders facilitate the wireless headset to engage with the device such that the first and second sets of contacts make an electrical connection.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising taking an action when the wireless headset is one of coupled to and decoupled from the device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein taking the action includes connecting a call through the wireless headset.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising preventing charging the power source in the wireless headset using the electrical power if the electrical power is below a present threshold level.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying an indication when charging.