Smart dock for chaining accessories

• US 8,275,924 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2010
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Krueger, Scott, Dorogusker, Jesse L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Trisha
• Application Number:
  US12/963,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20110078354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 710/8, 710/15, 710/16, 710 62- 72, 710/100, 710104-105, 710300-306
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A system for communicating between an accessory and an electronic device includes a first interface, a second interface, and a docking station. The first interface is configured to communicate with the electronic device. The second interface is configured to communicate with the accessory. The docking station is coupled to the first interface and the second interface. The docking station is configured to receive a set of preferences from the accessory and forward the set of preferences to the electronic device.

Claims

1. A dock system comprising:

a first interface configured to receive an electronic device;

a second interface configured to receive an accessory; and

a base component coupling the first interface and the second interface, the base component configured to;

receive, from the accessory at the dock system, one or more preferences associated with the accessory; and

turn on, and/or change a setting of, one or more existing functionalities associated with the electronic device based on the one or more preferences by sending one or more commands to the electronic device via the first interface.

2. The dock system of claim 1, wherein the base component is configured to change the setting, and wherein the changed setting determines a format for content to be output from the electronic device.

3. The dock system of claim 1, wherein the base component is configured to turn on at least one of the one or more existing functionalities by selectively enabling and disabling a line out signal of the electronic device based on the one or more preferences.

4. The dock system of claim 1, wherein the base component is configured to turn on at least one of the one or more existing functionalities by generating one or more commands instructing the electronic device to initiate an echo cancellation program.

5. The dock system of claim 1, wherein the changed setting is a video setting of the electronic device.

6. A dock system comprising:

a first interface configured to receive an electronic device;

a second interface configured to receive an accessory; and

a base component coupling the first interface and the second interface, the base component configured to;

receive, from the accessory at the dock system, one or more preferences associated with the accessory, wherein the one or more preferences comprise at least one video preference; and

turn on, and/or change a setting of, one or more existing functionalities associated with the electronic device based on the one or more preferences, wherein at least one of the one or more existing functionalities associated with the electronic device is an existing functionality of the dock system.

7. The dock system of claim 6, wherein the base component is configured to modify signals received from the electronic device for outputting to the accessory in a manner defined by a changed setting of at least one of the one or more existing functionalities.

8. The dock system of claim 7, wherein the changed setting is a video setting, and wherein the video setting comprises at least one of an upsampling setting, a downsampling setting, a format setting, a timing setting, and a video effect setting.

9. The dock system of claim 7, wherein the base component is configured to modify a volume setting of the signals.

10. The dock system of claim 9 wherein the base component is configured to modify the volume setting based on a stored volume setting determined from the one or more preferences.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the base component is configured to change the setting, and wherein the setting is a video setting, and wherein the video setting comprises at least one of an upsampling setting, a downsampling setting, and a timing setting.

12. A method for communicating between an accessory and an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of an accessory at a docking station that couples the accessory to an electronic device;

receiving, from the accessory at the docking station, one or more preferences associated with the accessory; and

turning on, and/or changing a setting of, one or more existing functionalities associated with the electronic device based on the one or more preferences by sending one or more commands to the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving information from the electronic device at the docking station in response to the set of preferences; and

delivering the information to the accessory.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein turning on, and/or changing a setting of, the one or more existing functionalities includes changing the setting, wherein the changed setting is a video setting of the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein turning on, and/or changing a setting of, the one or more existing functionalities includes changing the setting, wherein the changed setting determines a format for content to be output from the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein turning on, and/or changing a setting of, the one or more existing functionalities includes turning on the one or more of the existing functionalities, wherein turning on the one or more of the existing functionalities includes selectively enabling and disabling a line out signal of the electronic device based on the one or more preferences.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein turning on, and/or changing a setting of, the one or more existing functionalities includes turning on the one or more of the existing functionalities, wherein turning on the one or more of the existing functionalities includes generating, at the docking station, commands instructing the electronic device to initiate an echo cancellation program.

18. A method for communicating between an accessory and an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of an accessory at a docking station that couples the accessory to an electronic device;

receiving, from the accessory at the docking station, one or more preferences associated with the accessory, wherein the one or more preferences comprise at least one video preference; and

turning on, and/or changing a setting of, one or more existing functionalities associated with the electronic device based on the one or more preferences, wherein at least one of the one or more existing functionalities associated with the electronic device is an existing functionality of the docking station.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein turning on, and/or changing a setting of, the one or more existing functionalities includes changing the setting, wherein changing the setting defines how the docking station modifies signals received from the electronic device for outputting to the accessory.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the changed setting is a video setting, and wherein the video setting comprises at least one of an upsampling setting, a downsampling setting, a format setting, a timing setting, and a video effect setting.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein changing the setting includes modifying a volume setting at the docking station.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein modifying the volume setting comprises modifying the volume setting based on a stored volume setting determined from the one or more preferences.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein turning on, and/or changing a setting of, the one or more existing functionalities includes changing the setting, and wherein the setting is a video setting, and wherein the video setting comprises at least one of an upsampling, a downsampling setting, and a timing setting.