Portable media player emulator for facilitating wireless use of an accessory

• US 20070254695A1
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altec Lansing Technologies (Infinity Group Holding Co. LLC)
• Inventors: Langberg, Eric, Zepp, David, Davis, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.100
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface

Abstract

A system for facilitating wireless communication between an accessory and a device comprising a device capable of converting at least an audio signal into a signal transmittable by a wireless communication means; a wireless communication means associated with the device capable of transmitting the converted signal; an accessory, including a docking cradle comprising a plurality of pins, wherein at least one pin on the docking cradle is capable of receiving an audio signal; and an adaptor capable of communicatively coupling with the accessory'"'"'s docking cradle, the adaptor being capable of receiving the transmission from the wireless communication means associated with the device and converting the signal into an audio signal that can be received by the accessory via the docking cradle.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating wireless communication between a device and an accessory for that device, wherein the accessory includes a docking cradle and a connector including a plurality of electrical contacts, and wherein at least one electrical contact of the connector is adapted to receive an audio signal, and wherein the device is capable of generating a first signal representative of audio information, the system comprising:

a wireless communicator associated with the device, the wireless communicator being adapted to wirelessly transmit at least a portion of the audio information represented by the first signal; and

an adaptor configured to physically and communicatively couple with the connector of the accessory, the adaptor being adapted to wirelessly receive a transmission from the wireless communicator associated with the device, and to convert the at least a portion of the audio information into an audio signal that can be received by the at least one electrical contact of the connector.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is a portable media player.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is a telephone.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the telephone is a cellular telephone.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the accessory comprises a speaker system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the accessory comprises a video display.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communicator associated with the device wirelessly transmits the at least a portion of the audio information utilizing a short range wireless data transmission technology.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the short range wireless data transmission technology is selected from the set consisting of Bluetooth, WiFi, Ultra-wide band, or infrared.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a microphone.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the microphone is incorporated into the adaptor.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the system further comprises a remote unit, and the microphone is incorporated into the remote unit.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the microphone is incorporated into the accessory.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the microphone is incorporated into the device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the adaptor further comprises a wireless transmitter.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the adaptor is adapted to receive audio information from the microphone and to convert at least a portion of the audio information so received into a signal transmittable by the wireless transmitter.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the adaptor is further adapted to transmit the transmittable signal via the wireless transmitter.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communicator is further adapted to wirelessly receive the transmittable signal.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits the transmittable signal utilizing a short range wireless data transmission technology.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the short range wireless data transmission technology is selected from the set consisting of Bluetooth, WiFi, Ultra-wide band, or infrared.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireless communicator associated with the device receives the at least a portion of the audio information transmitted by the wireless transmitter and converts the at least a portion of the audio information into audio information that can be used by the device.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the adaptor further comprises a wireless transmitter.

22. A method of facilitating wireless communication between a device and an accessory, the accessory comprising a docking cradle having a docking cradle connector, the method comprising the steps of:

generating, on a device, a first signal representative of audio information;

converting the first signal into a first wireless signal, wherein the first wireless signal is capable of being transmitted by a wireless transmitter associated with the device;

transmitting the first wireless signal via the wireless transmitter;

receiving the first wireless signal at an adaptor;

converting the first wireless signal into a first audio signal, the first audio signal corresponding to the audio information represented in the first signal; and

,

providing the first audio signal from the adaptor to an accessory via the docking cradle connector associated with the accessory.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the transmitting step is performed using a short range wireless data transmission technology.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the short range wireless data transmission technology consists of at least one selected from the set of Bluetooth, WiFi, Ultra-wide band, or infrared.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the device is a portable media player.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the device is a telephone.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the telephone is a cellular telephone.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the accessory comprises a speaker system.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

receiving further audio information from an audio source;

converting the further audio information into a second wireless signal capable of being transmitted by a wireless transmitter associated with the adaptor;

transmitting the second wireless signal via the wireless transmitter associated with the adaptor;

receiving the second wireless signal by a wireless receiver associated with the device; and

converting the second wireless signal into a second audio signal, the second audio signal corresponding to the further audio information.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein both transmitting steps are performed using a short range data transmission technology.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the short range data transmission technology is selected from the set consisting of Bluetooth, WiFi, Ultra-wide band, or infrared.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the audio source is a microphone.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the microphone is associated with the adaptor.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the microphone is associated with the accessory.

35. An adaptor comprising:

a first wireless transceiver;

a first connector having a pinout, wherein the pinout is complimentary to a docking pinout of a docking connector of a docking cradle,

wherein the adaptor is adapted to physically and electrically mate with the docking cradle; and

wherein the first wireless transceiver is adapted to transmit information to and receive information from a device comprising a device connector, the device connector having the pinout of the docking connector.

36. The adaptor of claim 35, wherein a second wireless transceiver associated with the device and the first wireless transceiver are both capable of bidirectional communication.

37. The adaptor of claim 36, wherein the second wireless transceiver is external to and electrically connected to the device.

38. The adaptor of claim 36, wherein the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver perform a handshake prior to commencing communication.

39. The adaptor of claim 36, wherein the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver communicate via a local communication means.

40. The adaptor of claim 36, wherein the bidirectional communication comprises audio information.

41. The adaptor of claim 35, further comprising a remote unit.

42. The adaptor of claim 41, wherein the first wireless transceiver receives information from the remote unit and forwards the information to at least one of the device or the docking cradle.

43. The adaptor of claim 42, wherein the information comprises commands.

44. The adaptor of claim 42, wherein the information comprises audio information.

45. The adaptor of claim 35, wherein the adaptor is configured in a first form factor, the first form factor being adapted for docking in the docking cradle, and wherein the device is configured in a second form factor, the second form factor being adapted for docking in the docking cradle.

46. The adaptor of claim 35, wherein the device is configured in a form factor being adapted for docking in the docking cradle, and wherein the adaptor is also configured in the form factor.

47. An adaptor for adapting an accessory speaker system to become a speakerphone system, wherein the speaker system comprises a docking cradle having a docking connector, the adaptor comprising:

a connector configured to connect the adaptor to the accessory speaker system, wherein the connector is of a form factor compatible with the docking connector;

an adaptor housing of a form factor compatible with the docking cradle;

a microphone for receiving sound; and

,

a bi-directional wireless communication system adapted to receive audio information from a phone call and to transmit information representative of sound received by the microphone.

48. The adaptor of claim 47, wherein the received audio information is provided to the accessory for playback.

49. The adaptor of claim 47 wherein the information representative of a sound is used to reproduce at least a portion of the sound on the phone call.

50. The adaptor of claim 47, further comprising a processor for removing feedback information from the sound received by the microphone.

51. The adaptor of claim 47, wherein the wireless communication system consists of at least one selected from the set of:

Bluetooth, WiFi, Ultra-wide band, or infrared.

52. The adaptor of claim 47, wherein the connector is a 30 pin connector.

53. The adaptor of claim 52, wherein the 30 pin connector is the proprietary connector used by the Apple iPod.

54. The adaptor of claim 47, wherein the phone call is handled by a telephone, and the telephone is selected from the set of:

a VOIP system, a cell phone, or a POTS telephone.

55. The adaptor of claim 54, wherein the wireless communication system utilizes at least one selected from the set:

of Bluetooth, WiFi, ultra-wide band, or infrared.

56. The adaptor of claim 47, wherein the wireless communication system utilizes Bluetooth, and wherein the phone call is handled by a POTS telephone base comprising a Bluetooth transceiver for local tranception of the audio information from the phone call.

57. The adaptor of claim 47, wherein the wireless communication system utilizes Bluetooth, and wherein the phone call is handled by a cellular telephone comprising a Bluetooth transceiver for local tranception of the audio information from the phone call.