Docking station for providing digital signage

• US 8,659,889 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2011
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Dolci, Dominic E., Villarreal, Cesar Lozano, Spielmann, Victoria A., Mariano, Ricardo A., Kwan, Alexander M., Smeenge, James G., De Iuliis, Daniele G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US13/112,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20120293924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.41, 439/374
• US Class Current: 361/679.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

Various embodiments of digital signage systems and docking stations are described. In one embodiment, a digital signage system includes an electronic device having a rear surface and an opposing front surface at which a display of the electronic device may be viewed. The system also includes a body for supporting the electronic device. A recessed region is formed in the body from a top surface of the body, and the electronic device is positioned within the recessed region such that the rear surface of the electronic device fits entirely within the recessed region and the front surface of the electronic device is substantially flush with a portion of a top surface of the body that surrounds the recessed region. An aperture may be formed at least partially through the recessed region for receiving a cable assembly operable to connect to the electronic device. An elongated cutout may also be formed, extending from the aperture to an edge or edge surface of the body, and sized so that an insulated wire of the cable assembly can extend from the aperture to the edge or edge surface of the body.

Claims

1. A digital signage system comprising:

an electronic device having a rear surface and an opposing front surface at which a display of the electronic device may be viewed;

a body for supporting the electronic device, the body having a front surface, a back surface, and upper and lower surfaces extending between the front and back surfaces, wherein a recessed region is formed within the body from the upper surface;

an aperture formed at least partially through the body from the recessed region toward the lower surface of the body, the aperture being sized to receive a cable assembly operable to connect to the electronic device when the electronic device is mounted within the recessed region, wherein the aperture includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending from the recessed region toward the lower surface of the body and ending at a location within the body, the second portion extending from the location at which the first portion ends toward the lower surface of the body, the first portion having a diameter greater than a diameter of the second portion; and

a cable assembly including;

a connector base, mechanically coupled to a plug housing by a cable, the connector base having a plurality of connection pads electrically coupled to respective ones of a plurality of conductive traces of the cable; and

an insulated wire coupled to the connection pads;

wherein the electronic device is positioned within the recessed region such that the rear surface of the electronic device fits entirely within the recessed region and the front surface of the electronic device is substantially flush with a portion of the upper surface that surrounds the recessed region.

2. The digital signage system of claim 1 further comprising an elongated cutout extending from the aperture to an edge or edge surface of the body, the elongated cutout being sized so that the insulated wire of the cable assembly can extend from the aperture to the edge or edge surface of the body when the insulated wire is arranged within the elongated cutout.

3. The digital signage system of claim 1 wherein the recessed region is shaped to receive the electronic device such that, when the electronic device is mounted within the recessed region, side surfaces of the electronic device abut surfaces of the recessed region.

4. The digital signage system of claim 1 wherein the recessed region is sloped upwards from the front surface of the body to the back surface of the body with respect to the lower surface of the body.

5. The digital signage system of claim 2 wherein the aperture is formed entirely through the body from the recessed region to the lower surface of the body.

6. The digital signage system of claim 5 wherein the elongated cutout extends along the bottom surface of the body or extends within the body.

7. The digital signage system of claim 1 wherein the first portion is recessed from the recessed region such that, when the aperture receives the cable assembly, a top surface of the connector base of the cable assembly is flush with a surface of the recessed region.

8. The digital signage system of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional cutout formed at least partially through the body from the upper surface of the body toward the lower surface of the body and between the recessed region and an edge of the body, each additional cutout sized to receive a stand for an additional electronic device.

9. The digital signage system of claim 8 wherein each additional cutout includes a plurality of notches for engaging with coupling portions of the stand.

10. A digital signage system comprising:

an electronic device having a rear surface and an opposing front surface at which a display of the electronic device may be viewed;

a body for supporting the electronic device, the body having a front surface, a back surface, and top and bottom surfaces extending between the front and back surfaces;

a recessed region formed within the body from the top surface;

an aperture formed at least partially through the body for receiving a cable assembly operable to connect to the electronic device; and

a cable assembly including;

a connector base, mechanically coupled to a plug housing by a cable, the connector base having a plurality of connection pads electrically coupled to respective ones of a plurality of conductive traces of the cable; and

an insulated wire coupled to the connection pads;

wherein the electronic device is positioned within the recessed region such that the rear surface of the electronic device fits entirely within the recessed region and the front surface of the electronic device is substantially flush with a portion of the top surface that surrounds the recessed region.

11. The digital signage system of claim 10 further comprising at least one additional cutout formed partially through the body from the top surface of the body toward the bottom surface of the body and between the recessed region and an edge of the body.

12. The digital signage system of claim 11 further comprising, for each additional cutout, an additional electronic device and a stand for mounting the additional electronic device on the body.

13. The digital signage system of claim 12 wherein the additional cutout includes a plurality of notches and the stand includes a corresponding plurality of coupling portions, the plurality of coupling portions being operable to engage the plurality of notches such that the stand remains mounted in the additional cutout when the additional electronic device is removed from the stand.

14. The digital signage system of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of pads arranged between the electronic device and the recessed region, wherein at least one of the pads is flexible and located proximate to a button provided on the electronic device.

15. The digital signage system of claim 10 wherein the cable is arranged between the electronic device and the recessed region and extends from the aperture to an edge of the electronic device.

16. The digital signage system of claim 15 wherein the plug housing is coupled to an end of the cable proximate to the edge of the electronic device.

17. The digital signage system of claim 10 wherein the connector base is arranged in the aperture.

18. The digital signage system of claim 10 wherein the insulated wire is arranged in an elongated cutout extending from the aperture to an edge or edge surface of the body.

19. A docking station comprising:

an electronic device having a rear surface and an opposing front surface at which a display of the electronic device may be viewed;

an acrylic body for supporting the electronic device, the body having a front surface, a back surface, and upper and bottom surfaces extending between the front and back surfaces, the body having a substantially rectangular recessed region formed from its upper surface, the recessed region having a curved surface and being sloped upwards from the front surface of the body to the back surface of the body with respect to the bottom surface of the body;

an aperture formed at least partially through the body from the recessed region toward the bottom surface of the body, the aperture being sized to receive a cable assembly operable to connect to the electronic device when the electronic device is mounted within the recessed region, wherein the aperture includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending from the recessed region toward the bottom surface of the body and ending at a location within the body, the second portion extending from the location at which the first portion ends toward the bottom surface of the body, the first portion having a diameter greater than a diameter of the second portion; and

a cable assembly including;

a connector base, mechanically coupled to a plug housing by a cable, the connector base having a plurality of connection pads electrically coupled to respective ones of a plurality of conductive traces of the cable; and

an insulated wire coupled to the connection pads;

wherein the electronic device is positioned within the recessed region such that the rear surface of the electronic device fits entirely within the recessed region and the front surface of the electronic device is substantially flush with a portion of the upper surface that surrounds the recessed region.

20. The docking station of claim 19 wherein the recessed region is shaped to receive the electronic device such that, when the electronic device is mounted within the recessed region, side surfaces of the electronic device abut curved surfaces of the recessed region.

21. The docking station of claim 19 wherein the aperture is formed entirely through the body from the recessed region to the bottom surface of the body.

22. The docking station of claim 19 further comprising at least one additional cutout formed partially through the body from the upper surface of the body toward the bottom surface of the body and between the recessed region and an edge of the body, each additional cutout sized to receive a stand for an additional electronic device.