System and method for coupling a portable electronic device to a charging/ data pod

• US 8,454,392 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Sulem, Firmansyah Kuncoko, Simoes, Felipe Oliveira, Dikun, Raymond Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Briggitte R
• Application Number:
  US12/772,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20110269349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 439/638, 439/929, 3616794-67945
• US Class Current: 439/638
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/22 Contacts for co-operating by abutting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94

Abstract

An adaptor is provided. The adaptor comprises a first portion including a plug insertable into a port of a portable electronic device. The adaptor further comprises a second portion including at least one adaptor contact configured such that, when the plug of the first portion is inserted into the port and the portable electronic device is placed in a pod, the at least one adaptor contact abuts to at least one pod contact in the pod.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one of a portable electronic device and a pod; and

an adaptor comprising a first portion having a plug insertable into a port of the portable electronic device and a second portion not having a plug and having at least one adaptor contact configured such that, when the plug of the first portion is inserted into the port and the portable electronic device is placed in the pod, the at least one adaptor contact couples to at least one pod contact in the pod and to at least one port contact in the port and connects the at least one adaptor contact to the at least one pod contact and to the at least one port contact to enable a transfer of electrical energy to the portable electronic device, wherein the pod has a plurality of pod contacts such that, when a plurality of adaptors are inserted into the ports of a plurality of portable electronic devices, the plurality of portable electronic devices can be placed in the pod such that the plurality of adaptors abut the plurality of pod contacts.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, via the coupling of the at least one adaptor contact to the at least one pod contact and to the at least one port contact, a transfer of data can occur.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the coupling of the at least one adaptor contact to the at least one pod contact is achieved via abutment of the at least one adaptor contact with the at least one pod contact, without insertion of a male portion of the pod into the portable electronic device and without insertion of a male portion of the adaptor into the pod.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion has a profile such that, when the plug is inserted into the port, the portable electronic device can physically fit into the pod.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the port of the portable electronic device is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port.

6. A method for coupling a portable electronic device to a pod, comprising:

inserting an adaptor into a port of the portable electronic device, such that at least one adaptor contact in the adaptor couples to at least one port contact in the port; and

placing the portable electronic device in the pod, such that the at least one adaptor contact abuts to at least one pod contact in the pod to connect the at least one adaptor contact to the at least one pod contact and to the at least one port contact and enable a transfer of electrical energy to the portable electronic device, wherein the pod has a plurality of pod contacts such that, when a plurality of adaptors are inserted into the ports of a plurality of portable electronic devices, the plurality of portable electronic devices can be placed in the pod such that the plurality of adaptors abut the plurality of pod contacts.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, via the coupling of the at least one adaptor contact to the at least one pod contact and to the at least one port contact, a transfer of data can occur.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the abutment of the at least one adaptor contact to the at least one pod contact is achieved via a non-plugging abutment, without insertion of a male portion of the pod into the portable electronic device and without insertion of a male portion of the adaptor into the pod.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the adaptor has a profile such that, when the adaptor is inserted into the port, the portable electronic device can physically fit into the pod.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the port of the portable electronic device is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port.