Repositionable control system and method for using the same

• US 9,106,995 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Nelson, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Daniell L
• Application Number:
  US13/610,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20140072137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H

Abstract

A system for controlling one or more functions of an electronic device is disclosed. The system includes an electrical cable configured to be selectively coupled to the electronic device and transmit electrical signals to and from the electronic device; at least two electrical conductors electrically coupled to the electrical cable; and a repositionable control device selectively coupled to the at least two electrical conductors. The repositionable control device is configured to control the one or more functions associated with the electronic device.

Claims

1. A system for controlling one or more functions of an electronic device, the system comprising:

an electrical cable including a first coupler positioned at a first longitudinal position and a second coupler positioned at a second longitudinal position, and a plurality of electrical conductors extending between the first coupler and the second coupler and exposed to an outer surface of the electrical cable at the first coupler and the second coupler, wherein the electrical conductors are configured to selectively couple to an electronic device and to transmit electrical signals to and from the electronic device; and

a repositionable control device selectively affixable to the electrical cable at each of the first longitudinal position and the second longitudinal position, wherein the second longitudinal position is spaced apart from the first longitudinal position, and the repositionable control device couples to one or more of the electrical conductors of the cable when the repositionable control device is affixed at either of the first longitudinal position and the second longitudinal position to control one or more functions associated with the electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the repositionable control device includes one or more buttons, each button electronically configured to selectably control at least one of the one or more functions associated with the electronic device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the repositionable control device further includes a microphone.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the repositionable control device includes at least one button that is electronically configured to selectably control one or more functions associated with the microphone.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the repositionable control device includes an attachment mechanism configured to detachably couple the repositionable control device to the one or more of the electrical conductors.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to enable movement of the repositionable control device from the first longitudinal position to the second longitudinal position on the electrical cable.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to allow the repositionable control device to slide from the first longitudinal position to the second longitudinal position without completely detaching the repositionable control device from the electrical cable.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical conductors includes a set of electrical conductors corresponding to the first longitudinal position, the repositionable control device being coupleable to the set of electrical conductors corresponding to the first longitudinal position.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of electrical conductors further includes a second set of electrical conductors corresponding to the second longitudinal position, the repositionable control device being coupleable to the second set of electrical conductors.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the repositionable control device is configured to be completely detached from the electrical cable before being reattached to the electrical cable.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more functions associated with the electronic device includes at least one of a mute function, a volume control function, a track selection function, a pause function, a voice command function, an answer function, and a track search function.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a mobile telephone.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a media player.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical cable is configured to be electrically coupled to a headphone system and to transmit electrical signals from the electronic device to the headphone system.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a headphone system electrically coupleable to the electrical cable, the electrical cable configured to transmit electrical signals from the electronic device to the headphone system.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrical conductors is exposed to a surface of the electrical cable.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical conductors comprises a set of electrical conductors corresponding to the first longitudinal position, wherein the control device is repositionably and electrically coupleable to the set of electrical conductors corresponding to the first longitudinal position.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the set of electrical conductors comprises a first set of electrical conductors, wherein the plurality of electrical conductors further comprises a second set of electrical conductors corresponding to a second longitudinal position , wherein the control device is further repositionably and electrically coupleable to the second set of electrical conductors corresponding to the second longitudinal position, and wherein the first set of electrical conductors differs from the second set of electrical conductors.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the cable defines a first major surface and an opposed second major surface, and wherein the first major surface defines the outer surface to which the plurality of electrical conductors is exposed.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the outer surface to which the plurality of electrical conductors is exposed defines a flat surface.