Music phone, station, and system and method of using same

• US 7,881,456 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2006
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Paik, Russell, Evan, Gant, Travis, Hosler, Tyneski, Frank, Russell, Eva, Philip, Leung
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar; Ahmad F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope; Kharye
• Application Number:
  US11/531,649
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 379/374.01, 379/430, 379/391, 455/569, 455/568, 381/12, 381/307, 381/311
• US Class Current: 379/374.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files

Abstract

An audio system including an audio-enhancing station including at least one speaker and an audio-enhancing station docking connector, a music phone configured to play audio files and function as a wireless communication device separate from the audio-enhancing station, the music phone including at least one speaker to emit sound from the playing of the audio files, and a music phone docking connector that connects with the audio-enhancing station docking connector to dock the music phone with the audio-enhancing station, wherein the music phone and the audio-enhancing station together form an audio system where the at least one speaker of the music phone and the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station emit sound from the playing of the audio files on the music phone.

Claims

1. An audio system, comprising:

an audio-enhancing station including at least one speaker and an audio-enhancing station docking connector,

a music phone configured to play audio files and function as a wireless communication device separate from the audio-enhancing station, the music phone including a music phone docking connector that connects with the audio-enhancing station docking connector to dock the music phone with the audio-enhancing station, a clam-shell configuration with a first housing portion, a second housing portion, and a hinge pivotally connecting the first housing portion and the second housing portion together, a front and a rear, the front of the first housing portion including a display, the front of the second housing portion including input keys to operate the music phone, the rear of the first housing portion including a first external speaker, the rear of the second housing portion including a second external speaker, the first and second external speakers emitting sound resulting from the playing of the audio files,

wherein the music phone and the audio-enhancing station together form an audio system where the first and second external speakers of the music phone and the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station emit sound from the playing of the audio files on the music phone, and

the audio-enhancing station docking connector is a vertically extending combination audio and power plug that transmits electrical signals representative of the audio files played on the music phone to the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station, and transmits power to the music phone to recharge at least one power source of the music phone,

the hinge includes the music phone docking connector,

the music phone docking connector hinge matingly receives the vertically extending combination audio and power plug so as to support the music phone in an open position and form an audio system with the music phone docked to the audio-enhancing station.

2. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the audio-enhancing station includes at least one input key to control the playing of music files on the music phone.

3. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station includes at least one subwoofer speaker.

4. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the audio-enhancing station has a substantially conical external configuration.

5. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the audio-enhancing station includes a bottom and a plurality of spacers that vertically space the bottom a predetermined distance from a supporting surface, and sound emitted from the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station is emitted out of the audio-enhancing station through the vertical space between the bottom and the supporting surface.

6. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the music phone includes at least one input key to control the playing of music files on the music phone.

7. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the music phone docking connector is a combination audio and power jack that transmits electrical signals representative of the audio files played on the music phone to the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station, and transmits power to the music phone to recharge at least one power source of the music phone.

8. The audio system of claim 1, wherein audio files played by the music phone include low frequency signals and high frequency signals, and wherein when the music phone is docked with the audio-enhancing station the high frequency signals are sent to and driven by the first and second external speakers of the music phone and the low frequency signals are sent to and driven by the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station, and when the music phone is not docked with the audio-enhancing station the high frequency signals and the low frequency signals are sent to and driven by the first and second external speakers of the music phone.

9. A method of playing audio files on an audio system including an audio-enhancing station having at least one speaker and an audio-enhancing station docking connector, and a music phone configured to play audio files and function as a wireless communication device separate from the audio-enhancing station, the music phone including a music phone docking connector that connects with the audio-enhancing station docking connector to dock the music phone with the audio-enhancing station, a clam-shell configuration with a first housing portion, a second housing portion, and a hinge pivotally connecting the first housing portion and the second housing portion together, a front and a rear, the front of the first housing portion including a display, the front of the second housing portion including input keys to operate the music phone, the rear of the first housing portion including a first external speaker, the rear of the second housing portion including a second external speaker, the first and second external speakers emitting sound resulting from the playing of the audio files, the audio-enhancing station docking connector is a vertically extending combination audio and power plug that transmits electrical signals representative of the audio files played on the music phone to the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station, and transmits power to the music phone to recharge at least one power source of the music phone, the hinge includes the music phone docking connector, the music phone docking connector hinge matingly receives the vertically extending combination audio and power plug so as to support the music phone in an open position and form an audio system with the music phone docked to the audio-enhancing station, comprising:

receiving a docking connection between the music phone and the audio-enhancing station via the music phone docking connector and the audio-enhancing station docking connector whereby the music phone docking connector hinge matingly receives the vertically extending combination audio and power plug so as to support the music phone in an open position;

receiving input associated with the playing of audio files on the music phone;

playing audio files on the music phone so that signals corresponding to the audio files are generated;

sending the generated signals to the first and second external speakers of the music phone and the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station;

emitting sound corresponding to the signals from the first and second external speakers of the music phone and the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the audio-enhancing station includes at least one input key to control the playing of music files on the music phone, and receiving input includes receiving input from the at least one input key for control of the playing of audio files on the music phone.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station includes at least one subwoofer speaker, and emitting sound includes emitting sound with the at least one subwoofer speaker.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the audio-enhancing station includes a bottom and a plurality of spacers that vertically space the bottom a predetermined distance from a supporting surface, and emitting sound includes emitting sound from the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station out of the audio-enhancing station through the vertical space between the bottom and the supporting surface.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein audio files played by the music phone generate low frequency signals and high frequency signals, and wherein when receiving a docking connection between the music phone and the audio-enhancing station, the high frequency signals are sent to and driven by the first and second external speakers of the music phone and the low frequency signals are sent to and driven by the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station, and when not docked, the high frequency signals and the low frequency signals are sent to and driven by the first and second external speakers of the music phone.