Notebook power supply with integrated subwoofer

• US 8,891,803 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2010
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Weiss, Vernon, Faulk, Brett, Lam, Kean W., Teltz, Richard W., Hua, Fang
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul, Disler
• Application Number:
  US12/819,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20100322441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 381333-334, 381/388, 381/120, 381/77, 381/79, 439345-346
• US Class Current: 381/386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2105/00 Three poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

A portable electrical appliance comprises an audio signal source, a power supply module having a housing external to the portable electrical appliance for providing power to the electronic appliance having, a power converter for providing DC power to at least the portable electrical appliance, a speaker for generating sound and audio processing means for manipulating audio signals from the audio signal source, wherein the power converter, audio processing means and speaker are mounted within the housing, and communication means for coupling the audio signal to the processing means. The communication means is able to be wireless or wired.

Claims

1. A power supply for an electrical appliance comprising:

a. a housing comprising;

1. a power converter for providing power to the electrical appliance;

2. a speaker for generating sound; and

3. a female receptacle module through an aperture in the housing, the female receptacle including an enclosure and contacts at a bottom of the enclosure, wherein the enclosure includes an opening sized and configured to receive a jack, wherein the female receptacle contains a power connector substantially circumscribing the receptacle for an audio connector; and

b. a cord for coupling at least one audio signal from the electrical appliance to the speaker at the female receptacle module at the opening.

2. The power supply of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional speaker.

3. The power supply of claim 1 further comprising at least one output in the housing for coupling at least one additional external speaker.

4. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the audio signal comprises digital audio data.

5. The power supply of claim 4 further comprising a decoder for decoding the digital audio data.

6. The power supply in claim 1 wherein the cord delivers electrical signals between the power converter and the electrical appliance.

7. The power supply of claim 1 further comprising an amplifier circuit for amplifying the audio signal, the driver coupled to the communication means and the speaker.

8. The power supply of claim 7 wherein the power converter provides power to the amplifier circuit.

9. The power supply of claim 7 wherein the amplifier circuit comprises a Class A/B amplification stage.

10. The power supply of claim 7 wherein the amplifier circuit comprises a Class D amplification stage.

11. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the cord includes a connector for coupling to the electronic appliance, the connector comprising:

a. an audio jack electrically coupled to at least one wire; and

b. a power jack coupled to a power cable.

12. The power supply of claim 11 further comprising a second power jack to receive a DC voltage.

13. The power supply of claim 11 wherein the at least one wire and the power cable are housed in a single sheath.

14. The connector of claim 11 wherein the power jack substantially circumscribes the audio jack.

15. The connector of claim 11 wherein the power jack and audio jack are integrally formed.

16. The connector of claim 11 wherein the audio jack is integral to the power jack.

17. The connector of claim 11 wherein the audio jack is adjacent to the power jack.

18. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the female receptacle module includes a plurality of concentric receptacles for receiving power and audio signal.

19. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the female receptacle module includes a first receptacle adjacent to a second receptacle for receiving power and audio signal.

20. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the contacts are board contacts.

21. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the contacts are for power and audio signals.

22. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the power converter is an AC/DC power converter, wherein the power converter receives AC power from a wall socket and transmits DC power over the cord to the electrical appliance.

23. The power supply of claim 1 further comprising a power amplifier, wherein the power amplifier receives DC power from the power converter.

24. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the housing includes two parts, wherein the first part supports the speaker and a speaker grill thereon, and wherein the second part receives the power converter and the female receptacle module.

25. A system comprising:

a. an electrical appliance;

b. a power supply module having a housing external to the electrical appliance for providing power to the electronic appliance, wherein the housing comprising;

1. a female connector accessible through an aperture in the housing, the female connector including an enclosure and contacts at a bottom of the enclosure, wherein the enclosure includes an opening sized and configured to receive a jack, wherein the female connector includes a receptacle for a power connector substantially circumscribing a receptacle for an audio connector;

2. a power converter for converting an available power to an appropriate power for the electronic appliance; and

3. a speaker for generating sound, wherein the power converter and speaker are mounted within the housing; and

c. a cord for coupling audio signal from the electrical appliance to the power supply module, wherein the cord includes a male connector adapted to mate with the female connector at the opening.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the audio signal comprises digital audio data.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the power supply module further comprises a decoder for decoding the digital audio data.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the power supply module further comprises a driver for amplifying the audio signal, the driver coupled to the communication means and the speaker.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the power converter provides power to the driver.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the driver comprises a Class A/B amplification stage.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the driver comprises a Class D amplification stage.

32. The system of claim 25 wherein the receptacle for a power connector is adjacent to the receptacle for the audio connector.

33. The system of claim 25 wherein the male connector includes:

a. an audio jack electrically coupled to the at least one wire; and

b. a power jack coupled to a power cable.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the at least one wire and the power cable are housed in a single sheath.

35. The connector of claim 33 wherein the power jack substantially circumscribes the audio jack.

36. The connector of claim 33 wherein the power jack and audio jack are integrally formed.

37. The connector of claim 33 wherein the audio jack is adjacent to the power jack.

38. A system comprising:

a. a portable electrical appliance including an audio signal source for providing an audio signal;

b. a power supply module having a housing external to the portable electrical appliance for providing power to the electronic appliance, the housing comprising;

1. a female connector accessible through an aperture in the housing, the female connector including an enclosure and contacts at a bottom of the enclosure, wherein the enclosure includes an opening sized and configured to receive a jack, wherein the female connector includes a receptacle for a power connector substantially circumscribing a receptacle for an audio connector;

2. a power converter for providing DC power to at least the portable electrical appliance;

3. a speaker for generating sound; and

4. audio processing means for manipulating audio signals from the audio signal source, wherein the power converter, audio processing means and speaker are mounted within the housing; and

c. a cable including a male connector to mate with the female connector at the opening, wherein the cable for coupling the audio signals from the audio source to the audio processing means and for coupling DC power in between the portable electrical appliance and the power converter.

39. The system in claim 38 wherein the power supply module comprises at least one additional speaker mounted within the housing.

40. The system in claim 38 wherein the power supply module comprises at least one output for coupling an additional speaker.

41. The system in claim 38 wherein the power supply module comprises an amplifier circuit for amplifying the audio signals and coupling the amplified audio signals to the speaker, wherein the amplifier circuit is mounted within the housing.

42. The system in claim 41 wherein the amplifier circuit comprises any among a Class A/B and Class D circuit.

43. The system in claim 38 wherein the audio processing means comprises any among a decoder, a demodulator, a mixer, a filter, a volume control, and an on/off switch.

44. The system in claim 38 wherein the cable comprises at least one wire for coupling the audio signals from the audio source to the audio processing means and a separate wire for coupling DC power in between the portable electrical appliance and the power converter.

45. The system in claim 38 wherein the cable comprises one wire for coupling audio signals from the audio source to the audio processing means and a separate wire for coupling DC power in between the portable electrical appliance and the power converter.

46. The system in claim 45 further comprising a second wire for providing a system ground.

47. A system comprising:

a. an audio signal source for providing an audio signal;

b. a power supply module having a housing external to the portable electrical appliance for providing power to the electronic appliance, the housing comprising;

1. a power converter for providing DC power to at least the portable electrical appliance;

2. a speaker for generating sound;

3. audio processing means for manipulating audio signals from the audio signal source;

4. volume control coupled to and drives the speaker;

5. a female connector includes a receptacle for a power connector substantially circumscribing a receptacle for an audio connector; and

c. a wireless transceiver for coupling the audio signals from the audio source to the audio processing means and coupling DC power in between the portable electrical appliance and the power converter.

48. The system in claim 47 wherein the power supply module comprises at least one additional speaker mounted within the housing.

49. The system in claim 47 wherein the power supply module comprises at least one output for coupling an additional speaker.

50. The system in claim 47 wherein the power supply module comprises an amplifier circuit for amplifying the audio signals and coupling the amplified audio signals to the speaker, wherein the amplifier circuit is mounted within the housing.

51. The system in claim 47 wherein the amplifier circuit comprises any among a Class A/B and Class D circuit.

52. The system in claim 47 wherein the wireless transceiver comprises an infrared transceiver.

53. The system in claim 47 wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a bluetooth transceiver.

54. The system in claim 47 wherein the wireless transceiver comprises an RF transceiver.

55. The system in claim 47 wherein the audio processing means comprises any among a decoder, a demodulator, a mixer, a filter, and an on/off switch.