Audio-visual entertainment system and docking systems associated therewith

• US 8,613,385 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Burrana IP And Assets, LLC
• Original Assignee: Digecor IP and Assets Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Hulet, Glade L., Warner, Morgan D., Boyer, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mikels, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US13/152,248
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 235375-385
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A docking system is provided and configured to receive swappable media players. Docking stations provide location-dependent information that the swappable media players may utilize to determine access permissions with respect to content stored on, or otherwise accessible to, the media players. Such content may include media content, product request/order applications, and the like. The location-dependent information may be obtained by the media player from docking station, after which the media player restricts or allows access to certain content based on the location-dependent information. A docking system may be used on an aircraft and can provide location-dependent information based on the location of a docking station relative to a seat, cabin, or other compartment. A cable-less connection may be used between the docking station and media player, which connector may float. A plenum provided along one or more surfaces of the media player allows airflow to cool the media player.

Claims

1. A universal docking system, comprising:

a plurality of media player docking stations, wherein said plurality of media player docking stations are each configured to receive any one media player from a plurality of swappable media players, the plurality of swappable media players being configured for use as stand alone devices and as embedded devices within the plurality of media player docking stations; and

a structure having an interior portion, wherein said plurality of media player docking stations are installed at a plurality of docking station locations in said structure, wherein at least some of said plurality of docking stations are locally encoded with media player persona information that depends on said at least some of said plurality of docking stations'"'"' locations,

wherein said at least some of said plurality of docking stations are configured to transfer said persona information to installed media players, where said persona information is configured to instruct said installed media players of their functional role at a corresponding receiving docking station location.

2. The universal docking system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of media players are fungible.

3. The universal docking system of claim 1, wherein said interior portion of said structure comprises a cabin of a vehicle.

4. The universal docking system of claim 3, wherein said vehicle comprises an aircraft.

5. The universal docking system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of media players are configured to use said persona information to restrict content from being provided to a user by docked media players at a receiving docking station'"'"'s location.

6. The universal docking system of claim 1, wherein one of more of said plurality of docking stations are configured to receive a corresponding one of said plurality of media players via guiding surfaces of said one or more docking stations and guiding surfaces of said corresponding media players.

7. The universal docking system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of docking stations are configured to mate with said media players via a cable-less connector.

8. The universal docking system of claim 7, wherein said cable-less connector is configured to float within a constrained region.

9. The universal docking system of claim 8, wherein said plurality of docking stations at least partially define said constrained region.

10. The universal docking system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of docking stations each comprise a first ducting surface configured to form a plenum with a second ducting surface of at least one of said plurality of media players, wherein said plenum provides for passive airflow to cool a corresponding one of said plurality of media player when only one surface of said corresponding one media player is exposed.

11. The universal docking system of claim 10, wherein said plenum is configured to vent heated air via a vent.

12. The universal docking system of claim 1, wherein said at least some of said plurality of docking stations comprise a swappable media player persona module storing said persona information in a computer readable memory.

13. The universal docking system of claim 1, wherein said at least some of said plurality of docking stations are physically and locally encoded with said persona information.

14. The universal docking system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of docking stations are configured to receive and to lock said plurality of media players in a docked position without requiring use of a tool to dock and lock said plurality of media players.

15. The universal docking system of claim 14, wherein said docking stations comprise a media player lock configured to releasably lock a corresponding one of said plurality of media players in an installed position, and are configured to release said corresponding one media player through use of a key.

16. A universal docking system, comprising:

a plurality of swappable media players, each of the plurality of swappable media players being configured for use as a stand-alone device;

a plurality of docking stations, wherein each of said plurality of docking station is configured to receive any one of said plurality of swappable media players for use of the plurality of swappable media players as embedded devices; and

a structure having an interior portion in which said plurality of docking stations are installed at a plurality of docking station locations,

wherein at least some of said plurality of docking stations comprise a first ducting surface configured to form a plenum with a second ducting surface of said plurality of swappable media players, wherein said plenum provides for a passive airflow to cool said plurality of swappable media players when only one surface of said plurality of swappable media players is exposed.

17. The universal docking system recited in claim 16, wherein each of said plurality of swappable media players may be docked at any of said plurality of docking stations.

18. The universal docking system recited in claim 16, wherein at least one of said plurality of swappable media players includes a touch-sensitive display and a separate cursor control.

19. The universal docking system recited in claim 16, wherein at least one of said plurality of swappable media players includes a display having a diagonal size between about seven inches and about ten inches.

20. The universal docking system recited in claim 16, wherein at least one of said plurality of swappable media players includes:

a removable battery supplying power to said at least one swappable media player while docked at a corresponding one of said plurality of docking stations, said removably battery including an external charge indicator thereon, and removable therewith;

an input/output docking connector separate from a touch sensitive display and configured to connect to a connector of said corresponding one of said plurality of docking stations, said input/output docking connector including a plurality of distinct communication protocols, said plurality of distinct communication protocols including at least four of a group that includes audio out, video out, Ethernet, I2C, input discrete, power out, and USB;

a plurality of input controls, said plurality of input controls including at least two movement and selection controls, said at least two movement and selection controls including at least the touch sensitive display and movement and control interfaces separate from said touch sensitive display; and

a payment interface configured to read credit card information and at least temporarily store said credit card information.

21. The universal docking system recited in claim 20, wherein said input/output docking connector includes a power out configured to power a corresponding one of the docking stations.

23. The universal docking station recited in claim 20, wherein the payment interface is configured to read the credit card information directly from a credit card and store the credit card information for retrieval following completion of an airline flight.

22. A universal docking system, comprising:

a plurality of media player docking stations each configured to receive any one media player from a plurality of swappable media players, the plurality of swappable media players being configured for both stand-alone and embedded use; and

a structure having an interior portion, said plurality of media player docking stations being installed at a plurality of docking station locations within said interior portion of the structure,

wherein at least some of said plurality of media player docking stations are configured to mate with a corresponding one media player via a cable-less connector configured to float within a constrained region provided by at least one of said docking station or said media player.