Speakerphone base for an electronic device

• US 9,520,737 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2013
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Feng, Sam, Smith, Alan, Su, Hsueh Jang, Kip, Timucin, Moayer, Ali
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/059,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20150110324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 381/334, 294/28, 312/223.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/021 Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a housing having a front portion and a slot formed in the housing, the slot having a plurality of different widths along a length of the slot. The slot includes a first width configured to support a first type of electronic mobile device in a first upright configuration at a first angle relative to the front portion of the housing, and a second width configured to support a second type of electronic mobile device in a second upright configuration at a second angle relative to the front portion of the housing. The first width has a first depth in the slot, the second width has a second depth in the slot, where the first angle is based on the first width and first depth, and the second angle is based on the second width and the second depth.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing having a front portion; and

a slot formed in the housing and defined by;

a front wall positioned within the front portion of the housing, and

a rear wall facing the front wall, the rear wall including;

a first support section separated from the front wall by a first distance, and

a second support section offset laterally from the first support section and separated from the front wall by a second distance greater than the first distance,

wherein the slot is sized to receive an end portion of an electronic mobile device and orient a display of the electronic mobile device towards the front portion of the housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a first region of the slot between the front wall and the first support section has a first depth, wherein a second region of the slot between the second support section and the front wall has a second depth, wherein the electronic mobile device is oriented at a first angle that is based on the first distance and first depth when positioned in the first region, and wherein the electronic mobile device is oriented at a second angle that is based on the second distance and the second depth when positioned in the second region.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein when an end of a first type of electronic mobile device is positioned in the first region and at the first angle, a camera associated with the first type of electronic mobile device is aligned with a predetermined elevation at a predetermined distance from the apparatus, and wherein when an end of a second type of electronic mobile device is positioned in the second region and at the second angle, a camera associated with the second type of electronic mobile device is aligned with the predetermined elevation at the predetermined distance from the apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first type of electronic mobile device is a mobile phone and the second type of electronic mobile device is a tablet computer.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first region and the second region have the same depth.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the front portion of the housing comprises a speakerphone, wherein the speakerphone is wirelessly coupled to the electronic mobile device in the slot, and wherein the speakerphone is operable to receive and play back audio data from the electronic mobile device configured in the slot.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing further comprises a power source operable to be wirelessly coupled to the electronic mobile device, wherein the power source is configured to recharge a battery in the electronic mobile device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sliding portion configured to slide from an open position in which the slot is uncovered to a covered position in which the slot is covered, wherein the sliding portion is positioned in direct contact with the front wall of the front portion of the housing in the covered position.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the slot includes an adjustable wall operable to change a distance between the front wall and the rear wall.

10. A system comprising:

a housing, including;

a front wall, and

a rear wall facing the front wall, the rear wall comprising a lateral portion and a central portion recessed behind the lateral portion, the front and rear walls cooperating to define a slot including;

a first region extending between the central portion and the front wall, and

a second region extending between the lateral portions and the front wall, wherein a distance between the lateral portion and the front wall is less than a distance between the central portion and the front wall, the first and second regions of the slot being sized differently to support an electronic mobile device at different angles; and

a speaker disposed in the housing, wherein the speaker is operable to be wirelessly coupled to the electronic mobile device in the slot, and wherein the speaker is operable to receive and play back audio data from the electronic mobile device.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the first region of the slot is sized to support a mobile phone and the second region is sized to support a tablet computer.

12. A system, comprising:

a housing;

a slot formed in the housing and defined by;

a first wall positioned within a portion of the housing, and

a second wall facing the first wall, the second wall including;

a first support section separated from the first wall by a first distance, and

a second support section offset laterally from the first support section and separated from the first wall by a second distance greater than the first distance; and

an electronic device having an end portion positioned within the slot.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first support section is configured to orient the electronic device at a first angle and the second support section is configured to positioned the electronic device at a second angle different than the first angle.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the housing further comprises a speaker, the speaker being closer to the first wall than the second wall.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a wireless antenna disposed within the housing and configured to communicate wirelessly with the electronic device.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a wireless charging device positioned within the housing and configured to wirelessly charge the electronic device positioned within the slot.