Belkin files new iPod accessory patent

Posted by Dennis Sellers Mar 9, 2006 at 1:01pm

On March 9, the US Patent & Trademark Office revealed patent application 20060052144 filed by Belkin for “Holder, electrical supply, and RF transmitter unit for electronic devices. Although it’s not listed as a Belkin patent, one of the inventors listed on the patent is Oliver Duncan Seil, a senior industrial designer for Belkin and the lead designer of the iPod accessories.

The patent’s abstract

A holder, electrical supply, and optional RF transmitter unit to hold, supply power to, and receive a data signal from an operating electronic device when the device (e.g., MP3 player) is held in the unit is disclosed. Electrical power enters the unit’s power acquisition portion (e.g., cigarette lighter adapter) from an external source and flows to the electronic device via the holder. A data signal from the electronic device is processed by an RF transmitter in the unit, and the resulting RF signal is broadcast by an antenna (e.g., gooseneck) that preferably forms a repositionable mechanical connection between the holder and the power acquisition unit.

A random selection of key patent figures

Patent FIG. 21 (above) is a block diagram of the embodiment of FIG. 1, with an iPod mini MP3 player attached; FIG. 21 is a basic block diagram of that unit coupled with iPod mini MP3 player 500. Unit 100 of this invention includes power acquisition sub-unit 102, gooseneck 104 (which functions as an adjustable mechanical support, a connector of the power acquisition sub-unit to the holder, a conduit for electrical wires, and an antenna for the RF transmission), and holder 101. Power acquisition sub-unit 102 comprises power conditioning circuit 219, voltage regulator 221, and stereo audio output 220 (e.g., a jack). Holder 101 comprises six momentary pushbutton switches 190, liquid crystal display 120 (which is displaying “88.8,” the carrier frequency of the RF transmitter), and dock connector 171.

Patent FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention situated in an automobile, with an electronic device, more specifically an MP3 player (iPod mini MP3 player), attached, which embodiment contains an FM transmitter (an RF transmitter) for converting the data (audio) signal from the MP3 player and broadcasting it via an antenna (in this case, a metallic gooseneck that is part of the unit of this invention) to the automobile’s FM receiver;

Patent FIG. 12 is an enlarged partial view of the top, bottom wall, and sidewall of the unit’s holder (support assembly), which receives the iPod mini MP3 player when the invention is in use (i.e., when the electronic device is in the holder).

Patent FIG. 2 is a front perspective representational view of the unit of FIG. 1, with an iPod mini MP3 player attached.

As shown in FIGS. 2 through 8, unit 101 also comprises connector 104, which mechanically and electrically connects holder 101 to power acquisition sub-unit 102 (further described below). Connector 104 desirably comprises a gooseneck and in preferred embodiments is made of metal so that it can be used as a broadcast antenna by the RF transmitter.

Patent FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the unit, with an iPod mini MP3 player attached. As best seen in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, only the bottom portion of iPod mini MP3 player 500 is held in cavity 109. By “bottom portion” of an electronic device that can be held by an embodiment of this invention is meant the portion of the device running from (and including) the bottom of the electronic device toward the top of the electronic device and typically ending no higher than bottom of controls of the electronic device so that the ability to use the electronic device is not impaired. Typically, “bottom portion” means the lower 40% or less of the device, typically the lower 33% or less of the device, desirably the lower 25% or less of the device, and preferably the lower 20% or less of the device. For small electronic devices (e.g., Apple Computer’s iPod mini MP3 player), the bottom portion will typically be the lower 30 millimeters or less of the device, desirably the lower 25 millimeters or less of the device (e.g., in the range of 5 to 25 millimeters), and preferably the lower 20 millimeters or less of the device (e.g., in the range of 6 to 20 millimeters). For the iPod mini MP3 player, the bottom portion is approximately the lower 9 millimeters.

b>Patent FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the back inner enclosure member of the support assembly (holder). For more on this, see patent points 99 to 103.

Patent FIG. 18 is a left-side elevational view of the unit of FIG. 16, with an iPod mini MP3 player attached. Patent FIG. 23 is a front elevational view of a third embodiment of this invention, with an iPod mini MP3 player attached.

NOTICE

Macsimum News presents only a brief summary of patents with associated graphic(s) for journalistic news purposes as each such patent application and/or grant is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trade Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any patent applications and/or grants should be read in its entirety for further details.

For the record: This is a long and detailed patent.
neo@macsimumnews.com

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