Personal media device docking station having an acoustic interface

• US 8,724,837 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2007
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Crooijmans, Wim, Howarth, Richard Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): MONIKANG, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US11/716,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20080219488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,622 Days
• Field of Search: 381/333, 381/77, 381 58- 59, 381335-336, 381/345, 381/386
• US Class Current: 381/335
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for a media device docking station having one or more acoustic channels to transfer sound to or from the media device while the media device is docked with the docking station.

Claims

1. A docking unit for a portable media player device, comprising:

a housing having an external surface;

a well in the housing for receiving a portable media player device, the well having a wall;

one or more first apertures on the wall within the well for exchanging non-electrical sound waves with one or more acoustic apertures of the portable media player device, wherein the one or more first apertures are positioned in close proximity to the one or more acoustic apertures when the portable media player device is docked in the well;

one or more second apertures on the external surface for exchanging the non-electrical sound waves with the surrounding environment; and

one or more acoustic channels for coupling the non-electrical sound waves between the one or more first apertures and the one or more second apertures.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more first apertures are positioned adjacent to the one or more acoustic apertures of the portable media player device.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the one or more first apertures are positioned along the wall of the well of the docking unit, and wherein the well conforms to a shape of the portable media player device.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the one or more second apertures are arranged in a pattern along the external surface of the housing of the docking unit.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein a first set of the one or more acoustic channels transports the non-electrical sound waves toward the portable media player device.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein a second set of the one or more acoustic channels transports the non-electrical sound waves away from the portable media player device.

7. The device of claim 6 comprising an insulator being positioned substantially between the first set and the second set of the one or more acoustic channels to reduce interference between the channels.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the one or more first apertures include a first set of apertures in close proximity to an acoustic source of the portable media player device when the portable media player device is docked in the well.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more first apertures include a second set of apertures in close proximity to a microphone of the portable media player device when the portable media player device is docked in the well.

10. The device of claim 1 comprising an insulator for insulating sound from one portion of the housing of the docking station from another portion of the housing of the docking station.

11. The device of claim 1 comprising a support mechanism in the well for detachably holding the portable media player device.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the support mechanism includes at least one of a clamp, a clip, an adhesive, a magnet, and a connector.

13. The unit of claim 1, wherein a first set of the one or more second apertures is coupled to a first set of the one or more acoustic channels.

14. The unit of claim 13, wherein a second set of the one or more second apertures is coupled to a second set of the one or more acoustic channels.

15. The unit of claim 14, wherein the first set of one or more acoustic channels and the second set of one or more acoustic channels are the same set of one or more acoustic channels.

16. The unit of claim 14, wherein a first set of the one or more first apertures is coupled to the first set of the one or more acoustic channels, and wherein a second set of the one or more first apertures is coupled to the second set of the one or more acoustic channels.

17. A method for delivering non-electrical sound waves from a portable media player device, comprising:

receiving with a docking unit the portable media player device in a well of a housing of the docking unit;

after receiving the portable media player device, receiving with the docking unit the non-electrical sound waves from an acoustic source of the received portable media player device through one or more first apertures on a wall of the well;

in response to receiving the non-electrical sound waves, transporting with the docking unit the received non-electrical sound waves through one or more acoustic channels of the docking unit in proximity to the portable media player device, the transporting from the one or more first apertures to one or more second apertures on an external surface of the housing; and

in response to the transporting, coupling with the docking unit the transported non-electrical sound waves from the one or more acoustic channels to outside of the docking unit.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein receiving the portable media player device comprises positioning the one or more first apertures of the docking unit adjacent to the portable media player device.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the one or more first apertures are situated along the wall of the well of the docking unit, and wherein the well conforms to a shape of the portable media player device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the one or more second apertures are arranged in a pattern along the external surface of the housing of the docking unit.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the one or more acoustic channels couple the one or more first apertures to the one or more second apertures.

22. A method for delivering non-electrical sound waves to a portable media player device, comprising:

receiving with a docking unit the portable media player device in a well of a housing of the docking unit;

after receiving the portable media player device, receiving with the docking unit the non-electrical sound waves from outside of the docking unit through one or more first apertures on an external surface of the housing;

in response to receiving the non-electrical sound waves, transporting with the docking unit the received non-electrical sound waves through one or more acoustic channels of the docking unit from the one or more first apertures to one or more second apertures on a wall of the well; and

in response to the transporting, coupling with the docking unit the transported non-electrical sound waves to the portable media player device.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein receiving the portable media player device comprises positioning the one or more second apertures of the docking unit adjacent to the portable media player device.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the one or more second apertures are situated along the wall of the well of the docking unit, and wherein the well conforms to a shape of the portable media player device.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein one or more first apertures are arranged in a pattern along the external surface of the housing of the docking unit.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the one or more acoustic channels couple the one or more first apertures to the one or more second apertures.

27. A docking unit for a portable media player device, comprising:

a well for receiving a portable media player device, the well having a wall;

a support structure in the well for holding the portable media player device;

one or more acoustic apertures on the wall within the well; and

a spacer for separating a portion of the portable media player device from the wall when the portable media player device is held by the support structure, wherein sound flows between the one or more acoustic apertures and an audio aperture of the portable media player device through a gap formed by the spacer, and wherein the gap extends between the audio aperture of the portable media player device positioned in close proximity to the one or more acoustic apertures.

28. The unit of claim 27, wherein the spacer is a portion of an electrical connector, the electrical connector configured to extend into the portable media player device.

29. The unit of claim 27, wherein the spacer extends from the wall of the well of the docking unit.

30. The unit of claim 27, wherein the spacer is formed by a relief on the wall of the well of the docking unit.

31. The unit of claim 27, wherein the spacer forms the gap between a portion of the portable media player device and a portion of the docking unit, the gap establishing an acoustic channel through which sound is emitted from or received by the portable media player device.

32. A docking unit for a portable media player device, comprising:

a housing having an external surface;

a well in the housing for receiving a portable media player device, the well having a wall;

one or more first apertures on the wall within the well for aligning with an audio aperture of the portable media player device and for exchanging sound with the portable media player device, wherein the one or more first apertures are positioned adjacent to the audio aperture when the portable media player device is docked in the well;

one or more second apertures on the external surface for exchanging the sound with the surrounding environment; and

one or more acoustic channels for coupling the sound between the one or more first apertures and the one or more second apertures.