Wireless media device cradle

• US 20070026799A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: D-Link Systems Incorporated (D-Link Corporation)
• Original Assignee: D-Link Systems Incorporated (D-Link Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Jeff, Chen, Maggie, Lambden, Scott, Wang, Ah
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/00 Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices

Abstract

Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for integrating a media device with a network. A media device may be connected to a cradle device to receive updates of digital content. The cradle device may be coupled to a wireless link to receive content data and/or signals.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a media device;

a cradle capable of receiving said media device and comprising a wireless transceiver to communicate via a wireless link, wherein said cradle is capable of inhibiting transmissions on said wireless link in response to at least one of a user input received at said media device and/or an undocking of said media device from said cradle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said cradle is further capable of initiating said wireless link in response to at least one of a user input received at said media device and/or a docking of said media device in said cradle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said cradle is capable of receiving power from an AC to DC power adapter.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said media device further comprises a rechargeable battery capable of receiving a charging signal from said AC to DC power adapter via a socket interface in said cradle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said cradle further capable of deactivating said transceiver in response to said at least one of a user input received at said media device and/or said undocking of said media device from said cradle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said media device comprises an MP3 player.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said media device is capable of presenting at a media output device in response to a streamed content signal transmitted to said cradle over said wireless link.

8. The system of claim 7, and further comprising a server capable of initiating transmission of said streamed content signal through said wireless link based, at least in part, upon data in a memory which is accessible by said server.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said media device and/or said cradle comprise a UPnP AV MediaRenderer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless link comprises one or more radio frequency signals.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said media device comprises one or more mass storage device to store content data, and wherein said cradle further comprises:

logic to retrieve content data from said one or more mass storage devices when said media device is in a docket state; and

one or more media output ports capable of transmitting signals to media output devices based, at least in part, on said retrieved content data.

12. The system of claim I1, wherein said cradle further comprises logic to transcode said retrieved content data to render said retrieved content data on one or more media output devices through said one or more media ports.

13. A media device cradle comprising:

a socket capable of receiving a media device; and

a wireless transceiver capable of transmitting information to and/or receiving information from a wireless link,

wherein said cradle is capable of inhibiting transmissions on said wireless link in response to at least one of a user input received at said media device and/or an undocking of said media device from said cradle.

14. The media device cradle of claim 13, wherein said media device cradle is further capable of transmitting a DC signal to said media device via said socket.

15. The media device cradle of claim 13, wherein said media device further comprises:

a socket controller to initiate an interrupt in response to said undocking of said media device from said socket and/or detection of said user input; and

a processor and/or controller to deactivate said wireless transceiver in response to said interrupt.

16. The media device of cradle 15, wherein said cradle is further capable of initiating said wireless link in response to at least one of a user input received at said media device and/or a docking of said media device in said socket.

17. The media device cradle of claim 16, wherein said media device further comprises:

a socket controller to initiate an interrupt in response to said docking of said media device from said socket and/or detection of said user input; and

a processor and/or controller to activate said wireless transceiver in response to said interrupt.

18. A method comprising:

docking a media device to a socket of a media device cradle;

initiating a wireless link coupling said media device cradle to a server in response to said docking of said media device.

19. The method of claim 18, and further comprising terninating said wireless link in response to an undocking of said media device from said socket.

20. The method of claim 18, and further comprising streaming a content signal to said media device through said wireless link while said media device is presenting media based, at least in part, on said streamed content signal.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said media device comprises a substantially UPnP AV compliant MediaRenderer.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said server comprises a substantially UPnP AV compliant MediaServer.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein said wireless link comprises an IEEE 802.11 compliant wireless link.

24. The method of claim 18, and further comprising wherein said media device further comprises one or more mass storage device to store content data, and wherein said method further comprises synchronizing at least a portion of said content data with said rernote server.

25. The method of claim 18, and further comprising:

hosting a media server on a device cradle capable of receiving a media device;

docking said media device into a socket of said device cradle, said media device comprising one or more mass storage devices to store content data; and

accessing said content data by said media server in response to client requests.

26. An article comprising:

a storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon to;

inhibit transmissions of a wireless link between a media device cradle and a server in response to at least one of an undocking of a media device from said media device cradle.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein the storage medium further comprises machine-readable instructions stored thereon to deactivate a wireless transceiver in response to said undocking.

28. The article of claim 26, wherein the storage medium further comprises machine-readable instructions stored thereon to initiate said wireless link between said media device cradle and said server in response to a docking of said media device in a socket of said media device cradle.

29. The article of claim 26, wherein the storage medium further comprises machine-readable instructions stored thereon to activate a wireless transceiver in response to said docking.

30. An article comprising:

a storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon to;

inhibit transmissions of a wireless link between a media device cradle and a server in response to a user input to a media device docked in said media device cradle.

31. The article of claim 30, wherein the storage medium further comprises machine-readable instructions stored thereon to deactivate a wireless transceiver in response to said user input.

32. The article of claim 30, wherein the storage medium further comprises machine-readable instructions stored thereon to initiate said wireless link between said media device cradle and said server in response to a user input to said media device.

33. The article of claim 30, wherein the storage medium further comprises machine-readable instructions stored thereon to activate a wireless transceiver in response to said user input.

34. The article of claim 30, wherein the storage medium further comprises machine-readable instructions stored thereon to initiate said wireless link between said media device cradle and said server in response to a user input to said media device.

35. A method comprising:

hosting a media server on a device cradle capable of receiving a media device;

docking said media device into a socket of said device cradle, said media device comprising one or more mass storage devices to store content data; and

accessing said content data by said media server in response to client requests.

36. The method of claim 35, and further comprising initiating a wireless link from said device cradle to a network in response to said docking.

37. A method comprising:

docking a media device to a socket of a device cradle, said media device comprising one or more mass storage devices to store content data;

establishing communication with a remote server over a wireless link; and

synchronizing at least a portion of said content data with said remote server.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said synchronizing further comprises synchronizing selected files of said content data based, at least in part, on one or more predefined preferences.

39. The method of claim 37, and further comprising transmitting metadata between said device cradle and said remote server regarding said content data, and wherein said synchronizing further comprises synchronizing selected files of said content data based, at least in part, on said metadata.