Mobile phone multi-media cradle

• US 7,330,737 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mahini, Hassan
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/160,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20070021148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• 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

Abstract

A multi-media cradle adapted to receive a mobile phone comprises a housing and a cradle mounted to the housing for seating the mobile phone. When seated, the multi-media cradle is electrically coupled with the mobile phone via a system bus line. A display is included for viewing text and images originally intended for the mobile phone'"'"'s display. Similarly, a speaker and microphone is included for reproducing audio input/output of the mobile phone. In addition, a QWERTY type keyboard is included for text and character entry. Data ports allow the multi-media cradle to be coupled with a variety of peripheral devices and removable storage media ports receive removable storage media such that data can be stored, retrieved, and exchanged between a removable storage media and the mobile phone. Also included are one or more short range RF transceivers for exchanging data from the mobile phone with an external device.

Claims

1. A multi-media cradle adapted to receive a mobile phone, comprising:

a housing;

a cradle mounted to the housing for seating the mobile phone such that the multi-media cradle is electrically coupled with the mobile phone via a system bus line and the mobile phone will re-charge its battery when seated in the cradle;

a display mounted to the housing for viewing text and images originally intended for the mobile phone'"'"'s display;

a speaker mounted to the housing for reproducing audio output originally intended for the mobile phone'"'"'s speaker;

a microphone mounted to the housing for picking up audio input originally intended for the mobile phone'"'"'s microphone;

a QWERTY type keyboard mounted to the housing for entering text and characters to be used by the mobile phone;

a plurality of data ports mounted to the housing that allow the multi-media cradle to be coupled with a variety of peripheral devices;

a plurality of removable storage media ports mounted to the housing and adapted to receive removable storage media such that data can be stored, retrieved, and exchanged between a removable storage media and the mobile phone;

a short range RF transceiver, the short range RF transceiver being capable of exchanging data from the mobile phone with an external device and broadcasting audio output from the mobile phone to an external device, the short range RF transceiver being tunable for broadcasting audio signals over the frequency spectrum associated with FM band radio; and

an enhanced numeric keypad mounted to the housing for accessing the mobile phone'"'"'s call control features including dialing numbers, sending calls, and receiving calls.

2. The multi-media cradle of claim 1 wherein the plurality of data ports include one or more of an Ethernet port, a USB port, an IEEE 1394 port, and a mouse port.

3. The multi-media cradle of claim 1 wherein the plurality of removable storage media ports include one or more of a Memory Stick™

port and a compact flash card port.

4. The multi-media cradle of claim 1 wherein the short range RF transceiver is capable of 802.11x Wi-Fi communications.

5. The multi-media cradle of claim 1 wherein the short range RF transceiver is capable of Bluetooth™

communications.