Electronic device mount

• US 7,925,320 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Wiegers, Michael R., Pemble, Clifton A., Stevens, Warren R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US11/369,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20070207842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• Field of Search: 455/88, 455/90.3, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/575.1, 455/575.9, 455/569.2
• US Class Current: 455/575.9
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0258 for navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0071 using latches, clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0294 Apparatus with multi-functionalities, e.g. radio and telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an electronic device mount (10) operable to provide navigation information to an electronic device (D). The mount (10) generally includes a housing (12) operable to securely retain the electronic device (D) and removably couple with a surface. The housing (12) preferably encloses or supports various portions of an antenna (14), a processor (18), and/or a transmitter (16). The antenna (14) is operable to receive a navigation signal, the processor (18) is operable to generate navigation information utilizing the received navigation signal, and the transmitter (16) operable to wirelessly transmit the generated navigation information to the electronic device (D). Such a configuration enables the electronic device (D) to receive navigation information from the mount (10) while being compactly and securely retained.

Claims

1. A mount operable to removably couple an electronic device to a surface, the mount comprising:

an antenna operable to receive a navigation signal;

a processor coupled with the antenna and operable to generate navigation information utilizing the received navigation signal;

a transmitter coupled with the processor and operable to wirelessly transmit the generated navigation information to the electronic device; and

a housing to house at least a portion of the processor and the transmitter, the housing operable to securely retain the electronic device and couple with the surface, wherein the generated navigation information is selected from the group consisting of a current geographic location of the mount, a previous geographic location of the mount, a speed of the mount, a distance traveled by the mount, a route, a map corresponding to a determined geographic location, and combinations thereof.

2. The mount of claim 1, wherein the received navigation signal corresponds to a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal.

3. The mount of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is operable to wirelessly transmit the generated navigation information to the electronic device utilizing a Bluetooth protocol.

4. The mount of claim 1, further including a microphone and a speaker each coupled with the processor.

5. The mount of claim 4, wherein the transmitter is operable to wirelessly transmit audio information corresponding to sound received by the microphone to the electronic device.

6. The mount of claim 4, wherein the transmitter is operable to wirelessly receive audio information from the electronic device and the speaker is operable to generate sound corresponding to the received audio information.

7. The mount of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a portable entertainment device.

8. The mount of claim 1, wherein the mount further includes-

a coupling element operable to electrically couple the mount and the electronic device, and

a power source operable to provide electrical power to the electronic device through the coupling element.

9. The mount of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is operable for bi-directional communication with the electronic device.

10. A mount operable to removably couple an electronic device to a surface, the mount comprising:

an antenna operable to receive a navigation signal;

a processor coupled with the antenna and operable to generate navigation information utilizing the received navigation signal;

a transmitter coupled with the processor and operable to wirelessly transmit the generated navigation information to the electronic device; and

a housing to house at least portions of the processor and the transmitter, the housing including;

a front portion,

a rear portion generally opposed to the front portion, the rear portion including a mounting element operable to couple with the surface, and

a plurality of spring-biased posts positioned around a least a portion of the periphery of the front portion and operable to securely retain the electronic device, wherein the generated navigation information is selected from the group consisting of a current geographic location of the mount, a previous geographic location of the mount, a speed of the mount, a distance traveled by the mount, a route from the mount to a desired geographic location, a map corresponding to a determined geographic location, and combinations thereof.

11. The mount of claim 10, wherein the mounting element includes a socket assembly to enable the mount to be rotatably coupled with the surface.

12. The mount of claim 10, wherein the received navigation signal corresponds to a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal.

13. The mount of claim 10, wherein the transmitter is operable to wirelessly transmit the generated navigation information to the electronic device utilizing the Bluetooth protocol.

14. The mount of claim 10, further including a microphone and a speaker each coupled with the processor.

15. The mount of claim 14, wherein the transmitter is operable to wirelessly transmit audio information corresponding to sound received by the microphone to the electronic device.

16. The mount of claim 14, wherein the transmitter is operable to wirelessly receive audio information from the electronic device and the speaker is operable to generate sound corresponding to the received audio information.

17. The mount of claim 14, wherein the mount further includes

coupling element operable to electrically couple the mount and the electronic device, and

a power source operable to provide electrical power to the electronic device through the coupling element.

18. A mount operable to removably couple an electronic device to a surface, the mount comprising:

an antenna operable to receive a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal;

a processor coupled with the antenna and operable to generate navigation information utilizing the received signal, wherein the generated navigation information is selected from the group consisting of a current geographic location of the mount and a speed of the mount;

a Bluetooth transmitter coupled with the processor and operable to wirelessly transmit the generated navigation information to the electronic device, wherein the transmitter is further operable to transmit and receive audio information to and from the electronic device; and

a housing to house at least portions of the processor and the transmitter, the housing Including-a

microphone and a speaker each coupled with the processor to receive and produce the audio information,

a front portion,

a rear portion generally opposed to the front portion, the rear portion including a mounting element to enable the mount to be coupled with the surface, and

a plurality of spring-biased posts positioned around a least a portion of the periphery of the front portion and operable to securely retain the electronic device.