Smart docking system

• US 7,904,628 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Groesch, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang; Khanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh; Kim T
• Application Number:
  US12/147,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20090327561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 710301-306, 455/66, 361/679
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A smart docking system is provided by a portable electronic device that is adapted to dock with a media player shuttle. When docked, the media player shuttle adds the capability for rendering media content that is stored on the shuttle to the native functionality that is supported by the portable electronic device. The native functionality may vary, and may include that provided by a digital camera or handheld game device, for example. The media player shuttle includes storage for media content such as audio and video and a digital media processing system, but does not include a display screen or user controls. Instead, the display screen and user controls are provided by the portable electronic device when the shuttle is docked.

Claims

1. A media player shuttle arranged to interface with a portable electronic device, comprising:

a body arranged for removable engagement with the portable electronic device;

a docking connector disposed in the body and configured for mateable engagement with a corresponding device connector disposed in the portable electronic device, the device and docking connectors being coupled through the removable engagement between the body and the portable electronic device, and when so coupled providing a signal path there through for coupling media player functionality provided by the media player shuttle to the portable electronic device; and

a digital media processing system located within the body for providing the media player functionality but excluding a display screen and user controls, the display screen and user controls instead being provided by the portable electronic device when the media player shuttle is engaged with the portable electronic device,

wherein said digital media processing system includes an image rendering subsystem, a video rendering subsystem and an audio rendering subsystem, and

wherein each of the image rendering subsystem, the video rendering subsystem and the audio rendering subsystem is contained within the body of the media player shuttle.

2. The media player shuttle of claim 1 in which the portable electronic device is arranged to include native functionality comprising one of camera, PDA, mobile phone, handheld game device, smartphone, or ultra-mobile computer.

3. The media player shuttle of claim 1 further including a retention mechanism for positively retaining the body to the portable electronic device.

4. The media player shuttle of claim 3 in which the retention mechanism provides a snap fit and is further arranged to include audible or tactile feedback to a user to indicate that the body has fully engaged with the portable electronic device.

5. The media player shuttle of claim 1 further including a media content store for storing media content, the store comprising one of hard disk or non-volatile memory.

6. The media player shuttle of claim 1 further including a power system supporting at least one of battery or charging functionality.

7. The media player shuttle of claim 1 in which the digital media processing system is configured for rendering at least one of image, video, or audio content on the portable electronic device.

8. The media player shuttle of claim 1 further including an RF wireless module for performing wireless communication during one of synchronization or peer to peer networking.

9. A portable electronic device that is adapted to interface with a media player shuttle, comprising:

a body being configured to receive the media player shuttle in a removable and engagable manner;

a device connector configured for mateable engagement with a corresponding docking connector disposed in the media player shuttle, the device and docking connectors, when coupled by the receipt of the media player shuttle to the body, providing a signal path therethrough for coupling media player functionality provided by the media player shuttle to the portable electronic device,

wherein the media player functionality is provided by a digital media processing system within the media player shuttle, the system including an image rendering subsystem, a video rendering subsystem and an audio rendering subsystem, and

wherein each of the image rendering subsystem, the video rendering subsystem and the audio rendering subsystem is contained within the body of the media player shuttle; and

circuitry disposed in the body for integrating the media player functionality from the media player shuttle with native functionality when the media player shuttle is received by the body and the connectors are coupled.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9 in which the device is a digital camera.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 9 in which the device is a handheld game device.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 9 in which the body is configured to receive the media player shuttle substantially on a side of the body.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 9 in which the body is configured to receive the media player shuttle substantially on a bottom of the body.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 9 in which the body is configured with a slot to receive the media player shuttle.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 9 in which the body is configured with a recess to at least partially enclose the media player shuttle within the body.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 9 further including a wired communications interface for interfacing with a communications cable, the communications interface supporting signal communications between the portable electronic device and a remote electronic device.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 9 further including an audio jack for interfacing with earphones through which audio may be rendered by the media player shuttle.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 9 further including user controls for operating the media player functionality.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 9 further including a display screen for displaying video content rendered by the media player shuttle.

20. A method for distributing digital media content over a network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal representing a user selection of media content from a PC, the PC being operatively coupled to a portable electronic device having a docked media player shuttle to perform a synchronization process, the media player shuttle providing media player functionality to the portable electronic device when docked and being removable and engagable so that media player rendering capabilities are separable from native functionality provided by the portable electronic device,

wherein the media player functionality is provided by a digital media processing system within the media player shuttle, the system including an image rendering subsystem, a video rendering subsystem and an audio rendering subsystem, and

wherein each of the image rendering subsystem, the video rendering subsystem and the audio rendering subsystem is contained within the body of the media player shuttle; and

sending the media content to the PC responsively to the received signal so that the media content may be downloaded by the PC and transferred to the media player shuttle during the synchronization process for subsequent rendering on the portable electronic device.