PORTABLE IPOD CHARGER WITH ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONALITY

• US 20100113106A1
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dana Innovations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dana Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Supran, Ari
• Application Number:
  US12/263,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20100113106A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

A portable battery charger for a portable media player recharges the portable media player without needing to be plugged into a wall or other stationary power source. The portable battery charger also adds extra functionality to the portable media player by providing a command interface to control an electronic device and a wireless transmitter that operates on a frequency outside of the commonly used AM/FM bands. The portable media player preferably plugs into a cradle on the portable battery charger so that the two units seamlessly act as one unit. This combination seemingly creates a new portable media player with a longer battery life and the ability to wirelessly control devices.

Claims

1. A portable charger for a battery-powered device, comprising:

a charger battery and a battery interface that cooperate to provide power to the battery-powered device;

a data interface that transmits data between the battery-powered device and the charger;

a transmitter that transmits a stream of data received from the battery-powered device to a remote electronic device, wherein the stream of data is transmitted at a frequency outside of 65.8 to 108 MHz and outside of 520 kHz-1710 kHz; and

a cradle that receives the battery-powered device.

2. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the charger battery is removable from the portable charger.

3. The portable charger of claim 1, further comprising a detachable charger that recharges the charger battery.

4. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the frequency is a radio frequency.

5. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the frequency is at least 1000 MHz.

6. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the battery interface and the data interface compose the cradle.

7. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the battery interface and the data interface compose a single interface.

8. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the device is a portable media player.

9. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the battery charger comprises a detachable travel case.

10. The portable charger of claim 1, further comprising an interface that sends commands through the transmitter to a remote electronic device.

11. A method of operating an electronic device through a portable media player, comprising:

providing a cradle with a rechargeable battery;

providing power from the rechargeable battery to the portable media player through the cradle; and

providing a command interface that operates electronics within the cradle to control the electronic device, wherein the command interface is on at least one of the cradle and the portable media player.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising a dock for the cradle that recharges the rechargeable battery.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising loading an application onto the media player that effectuates the command interface on the media player.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising loading the application onto the media player from the cradle.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the command interface is customizable.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the command interface comprises a tactile button.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending signals wirelessly from the cradle to the electronic device in response to a signal received through the command interface.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving wireless signals from the electronic device to the cradle.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising forwarding the wireless signals from the cradle to the media player.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting a distance between the media player and the electronic device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising controlling the electronic device based upon the distance.