Smart dock for chaining accessories

• US 7,873,771 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2008
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Krueger, Scott, Dorogusker, Jesse L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, TRISHA U
• Application Number:
  US12/193,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20090063744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 710/100, 710300-304, 710/8, 710/15, 710/16, 710 62- 72, 710/104, 710/105, 710/305, 710/306
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A system for communicating between an accessory and an electronic device includes a first interface, a second interface, and a docking station. The first interface is configured to communicate with the electronic device. The second interface is configured to communicate with the accessory. The docking station is coupled to the first interface and the second interface. The docking station is configured to receive a set of preferences from the accessory and forward the set of preferences to the electronic device.

Claims

1. A docking station for communicating between an accessory and an electronic device, the docking station comprising:

a first interface configured to communicate with the electronic device;

a second interface configured to communicate with the accessory; and

a processor coupled to the first interface and the second interface, the processor configured to;

generate a request for a set of preferences;

send, to the accessory, the request for the set of preferences; and

receive the set of preferences from the accessory and forward the set of preferences to the electronic device.

2. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive information from the electronic device in response to the set of preferences and forward the information to the accessory.

3. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to authenticate the electronic device.

4. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a portable media player.

5. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to interact with the electronic device to modify output of one or more signals associated with the electronic device.

6. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to modify a volume setting.

7. The docking station of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to modify the volume setting based on a stored volume setting.

8. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to interact with the electronic device to initiate an echo cancellation program.

9. A method for communicating between an accessory and an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting presence of an accessory at a docking station that couples the accessory to an electronic device;

receiving, from the accessory at the docking station, a set of preferences associated with the accessory; and

enabling one or more functionalities associated with the electronic device based on the set of preferences, wherein the one or more functionalities associated with the electronic device include a first functionality for providing certain output signals to the accessory.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

authenticating the docking station to the electronic device.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

generating a request for the set of preferences at the docking station.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving information from the electronic device at the docking station in response to the set of preferences; and

delivering the information to the accessory.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

modifying, at the docking station, output of one or more signals associated with the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

modifying a volume setting at the docking station.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein modifying the volume setting comprises modifying the volume setting based on a stored volume setting.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

modifying a video setting at the docking station.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the video setting comprises at least one of an upsampling setting, a downsampling setting, a format setting, a timing setting, and a video effect setting.

18. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

generating, at the docking station, information instructing the electronic device to initiate an echo cancellation program.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the certain output signals include video signals, and wherein the first functionality is for output signals of a particular type of video signals.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the first functionality is for the electronic device to output the certain output signals to the docking station for sending to the accessory.

21. An electronic device holder suitable for holding an electronic device and for managing an accessory used to connect the electronic device to an external electrical system, the electronic device holder comprising:

a first interface configured to receive the electronic device;

a second interface configured to receive the accessory; and

a base component having circuitry configured to communicate with the accessory through the second interface to determine a set of preferences and to communicate with the electronic device through the first interface to deliver the set of preferences from the accessory, wherein the processor is further configured to modify one or more signals received from the electronic device before transmitting the one or more signals from an output of the docking station to the accessory, and wherein the modification of the one or more signals is based on the set of preferences.

22. The electronic device holder of claim 21 further comprising:

a wireless communications interface configured to receive information indicative of one or one functionalities associated with the electronic device.

23. The electronic device holder of claim 21 further comprising:

authentication circuitry configured to authenticate to the electronic device.

24. The electronic device holder of claim 21 further comprising:

a third interface configured to output an audio signal; and

audio control circuitry configured to control output of one or more signals from the electronic device through the third interface.

25. The electronic device holder of claim 21 further comprising:

control circuitry configured to control a volume setting associated with the electronic device.

26. The electronic device holder of claim 25 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control the volume setting in response to a stored volume setting.

27. The electronic device holder of claim 26, wherein the stored volume setting corresponds to the accessory, and wherein another stored volume setting corresponds to a different accessory.

28. The electronic device holder of claim 21 further comprising:

control circuitry configured to interact with the electronic device to initiate one or more functionalities associated with the electronic device.

29. The electronic device holder of claim 28 wherein the one or more functionalities associated with the electronic device comprises an echo cancellation program.