Abstract:
An audio and/or video system is disclosed. The audio and/or video system includes an entertainment module adapted for connection to a docking station. The entertainment module includes output means for provding programming that is audible and visible. The entertainment module includes an antenna connected to a wireless module that wirelessly accesses wireless audio and/or video programming, a storage means for storing the wireless audio and/or video programming, and an input means for receiving a compact disc or digital video disc that stores media audio and/or video programming. The docking station may optionally include the antenna, wireless module and storage means.

Description:
FIELD  
       [0001]     The disclosure relates to audio and video devices. More particularly, the disclosure relates to an audio and video system including an entertainment module and a docking station.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     The worldwide digital video disk (DVD) market is maturing and has become accepted as the standard for viewing audio and video on a television, computer monitor, or the like. In the domestic United States for example, DVD player units were first available in 1997, with 349,000 units being shipped and 200,000 units being sold. In 1997, approximately 900 DVD programming content titles were available. By the year 2004, 530,000,000 DVD player units were shipped in the United States with 37,000,000 units being sold; in the same year, the number of available DVD titles for purchase grew to 29,000. It is estimated that by the end of the year 2005, at least one DVD player will be in at least 80% of United States households, accounting for more than 70,000,000 homes.  
         [0003]     In addition to home DVD players, portable DVD players including, for example, a 5-inch liquid crystal display (LCD) screen have become widely popular, allowing DVD enthusiasts to enjoy their DVD titles remotely from their home. DVD players are also being offered as an originally-installed feature in many vehicles, or, alternatively, as an after-market component that a user or skilled technician may install within the vehicle. Accordingly, the home, portable, or vehicular DVD player has become a ubiquitous device, allowing consumers to enjoy DVDs from their library in virtually any environment.  
         [0004]     Although adequate for most applications, DVD players do not permit consumers to access programming content that may not be already part of their entertainment library. Even further, consumers are often required to purchase multiple DVD players to utilize their DVD library in different environments; for example, as described in the above scenarios, a consumer may purchase a first DVD player as a component for their home theater system. Then, a second DVD player may be purchased for utilization in a first portable situation such as, for example, while a user is taking a walk. Then, thirdly, a DVD player may be purchased for utilization in a second portable situation such as, for example, as an originally-installed component in a vehicle that may be part of a premium vehicle package.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, a need therefore exists to provide a device that eliminates the need to obtain a plurality of DVD players in various platforms, thereby saving the consumer money by not having to purchase a plurality of DVD players or upgrading to premium vehicle packages to obtain a DVD player as an originally-installed component in a vehicle. Even further, a need exists to permit DVD enthusiasts to obtain programming content that is not included in their DVD library. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     The inventors of the present disclosure have recognized these and other problems associated with fixed and/or portable DVD devices. The present disclosure will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an entertainment module according to an embodiment;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the entertainment module according to  FIG. 1  being inserted into a docking station according to an embodiment;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of the entertainment module that is pivotably attached to the docking station according to  FIG. 2A ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram view of the entertainment module and docking station according to an embodiment;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the entertainment module according to an embodiment; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram view of the entertainment module and docking station according to an embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an entertainment module is generally shown at  10  according to an embodiment. The entertainment module  10  may include at least an output means, such as a display screen  12  and speakers  25 , a plurality of control buttons  14 , an infrared (IR) receiver  16  to enable communication with a remote control  75  ( FIG. 3 ), a pair of mounting pivot studs  18 , and an input means, such as a slot  20  for inputting media programming, such as, for example, a compact disk, CD, or digital video disc, DVD ( FIG. 2B ). Although the slot  20  is shown for inputting a CD or DVD, one or more input means  20  other than a CD/DVD slot may be included, such as, for example, input means for upload MP 3  audio files to a storage means  64 .  
         [0014]     As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the entertainment module  10  may be inserted into and secured/supported by a docking station  50 . The docking station  50  may be located, for example, in a vehicle ( FIG. 3 ), or alternatively, in a home ( FIG. 5 ). If located in a vehicle, the docking station  50  may be affixed to, for example, a vehicle&#39;s headliner  100 ; alternatively, if located in a home, the docking station may be located, for example, under a kitchen cabinet, or, alternatively on a table-, counter-, or desk-top. Although the entertainment module  10  may be inserted into and secured by the docking station  50  for, if desired, pivotable deployment in the direction of arrow, D, it will be appreciated that the entertainment module  10  may be a stand-alone device that may be utilized on its own without being inserted into the docking station  50 ; accordingly, the entertainment module  10  may be utilized as an independent, portable device for playing media programming stored on a CD or DVD, or, alternatively, accessed wireless programming as described below.  
         [0015]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a docking station, which is seen generally at  50   a , is attached to the vehicle headliner  100 . The entertainment module  10  is attached to the docking station  50   a  by a connector  22 . The connector  22  may extend from either the entertainment module  10 , or, alternatively, from the docking station  50   a . Once the entertainment module  10  and docking station  50   a  are connected, the entertainment module  10  may draw power from the vehicle&#39;s battery through the connector  22  while also sending/receiving audio and/or video programming to and from the entertainment module  10  and docking station  50   a  through the connector  22 .  
         [0016]     As illustrated, the docking station  50   a , includes, for example, IR transmitters  52  for transmitting wireless audio signals to headphones  125 . The docking station  50   a  also includes an auxiliary battery slot  54  as a supplemental power source to the vehicle&#39;s battery if the entertainment module  10  is being operated with docking station  50   a  when the vehicle in the keyed-off position. In an alternative embodiment, the battery slot  54  may be included in the entertainment module  10 . Additionally, it will be appreciated that circuitry (not shown ) located within the docking station  50   a  may be utilized to charge a battery inserted into the auxiliary battery slot  54  when the vehicle is in the keyed-on position. The docking station  50   a  may also include an IR receiver  56  connected to an interface box  58  that provides an output to a data-bus  60  for controlling other components in the vehicle, such as, for example, the radio, which may be located in a head unit proximate the dashboard (not shown). Conversely, it is contemplated that the interface box  58  may permit vehicle passengers in the front seat of the vehicle to control the entertainment module  10  in the back seat by pressing control buttons located proximate the dashboard.  
         [0017]     The docking station  50   a  also includes an optional wireless module  62 . The wireless module  62  may be, for example, a “Wireless-X” module, such as, a Wireless-B (i.e. 802.11b), Wireless-G (i.e. 802.11g), Wireless-N (i.e. 802.11n), or any other desirable Wireless-“X” (i.e. 802.11“X”) technology. Alternatively, the wireless module  62  may include BLUETOOTH®, Ultra-wideband (UWB), or a similar technology. As illustrated, the wireless module  62  is connected to an optional storage means, such as a hard drive device (HDD)  64 . The wireless module  62  may receive, for example, wirelessly downloaded audio and/or video content from an antenna  66  for playback over the speakers  25  and/or the display screen  12 .  
         [0018]     As shown in  FIG. 4  in an alternative embodiment, the entertainment module  10  may include the antenna  66 , wireless module  62  and the HDD  64 . As such, it will be appreciated that the docking station  50   a , may, if desired, be merely utilized as a structural element to support/retain the entertainment module  10  while also providing power to the entertainment module  10  (i.e., the docking station  50   a  may be designed to not include the wireless module  62  and HDD  64 ). Alternatively, the entertainment module  10  may include its own power source so as to further reduce a wiring/circuitry interface (e.g. the connector  22 ) between the docking station  50  and entertainment module  10 . Although the wireless module  62  and HDD  64  are shown connected to each other while being located in the same device, it will be appreciated that the wireless module  62  may be located in the docking station  50   a  while the HDD  64  is located in the entertainment module  10 , and vice-versa.  
         [0019]     The source for providing the wireless download of information to the antenna  66  may be, according to an embodiment, a wireless router, R, that is commercially available, for example, from LINKSYS® of San Jose, Calif. and sold as model number WAP54G. Accordingly, it is contemplated that when the vehicle is located in the homeowner&#39;s garage or driveway within a broadcast radius of the wireless router, R, the antenna  66  connected to the wireless module  62 , which may be part of the docking station  50   a  or entertainment module  10 , may receive the downloaded programming. Alternatively, the entertainment module  10  may be located within the home and in the broadcast radius of the wireless router, R, to directly download the programming to the entertainment module  10 . In another embodiment, the docking station  50   a  or entertainment module  10  may receive the downloaded content from a “wireless hot spot” proximate a restaurant, coffee house, or the like that provides free wireless internet access; accordingly, the user may park the vehicle including the docking station  50   a  nearby the restaurant, coffee house, or the like to receiving the wireless broadcast, or, alternatively, the user may bring the entertainment module  10  with the restaurant, coffee house, or the like. Upon receiving the downloaded audio and/or video content at the antenna  66 , the downloaded content may be stored on the HDD  64  for subsequent playback on the display screen  12 .  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a docking station  50   b  and the entertainment module  10  are shown according to an embodiment. The entertainment module  10  and docking station  50   b  may be located, for example, in a home or office, and interfaces in a similar manner as the docking station  50   a  described above in that upon connecting the entertainment module  10  and docking station  50   a , the entertainment module  10  may draw power from the home or office&#39;s 120V AC power and send/receive audio and/or video content to and from the entertainment module  10  and docking station  50   b . If desired, the docking station  50   b  may also include a slot  54  for recharging an external battery that is used, for example, in the docking station  50   a  or entertainment module  10 .  
         [0021]     As described above in relation to the docking station  50   a , the docking station  50   b  may also include an optional wireless module  62  connected to an optional hard drive device (HDD)  64  to wirelessly access and download audio and/or video content. Additionally, the docking station  50   b  or entertainment module  10  may be connected to an external device  150 , such as, for example, a personal computer, modem, or set-top box. The external device  150  may be for example, a set-top box  150 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . As is known in the art, the set-top box  150  may provide cable or satellite television programming to a television  175 . If implemented as shown in  FIG. 5 , the entertainment module  10  and set-top box  150  may be connected with any desirable input/output connection, such as, for example, an S-video cable  152 , an audio cable  154 , a 1394/USB cable  156 , or the like; however, if the entertainment module  10  directly receives the cable or satellite programming (i.e. there is no intermediate connection of the docking station  50   b ) it will be appreciated that the connections  152 - 156  may directly connect the external device  150  and entertainment module  10 .  
         [0022]     Programming content received by the set-top box  150  may be stored in the HDD  64  of the docking station  50   b  or entertainment module  10 . If desired, the downloaded programming may be obtained by the docking station  50   b  or entertainment module  10  directly from a coaxial connection that is fed into the set-top box  150  or entertainment module  10 ; however, a wireless router, R, as described above, may wirelessly transmit the programming content to the docking station  50   b  or entertainment module  10 . Thus, the entertainment module  10  may be used as a home theatre DVD player, or, alternatively, the docking station  50   b  or entertainment module  10  may be used as a digital video recorder (DVR) in a home theater system to play saved programming originating from the set-top box  150  or cable provider (i.e. directly from a coaxial cable from “basic cable” service that does not utilize a cable box). Although not shown in  FIG. 5 , it will be appreciated that the docking station  50   b  and entertainment module  10  may be connected to a device other than a set-top box  150 ; for example, the docking station  50   b  and entertainment module  10  may be connected to, for example, a receiver/amplifier to amplifier and output sound over home theater speakers while a video cable may directly connect the television  175  and docking station  50   b  or entertainment module  10  to provide the video content on the television  175 .  
         [0023]     Accordingly, the fixed/portable audio and/or video system described above may permit a consumer to save money by purchasing a single entertainment module  10 , which may be used in any desirable fixed or portable environment. If the consumer chooses to utilize the entertainment module  10  in a home and vehicular application, the consumer may elect to purchase no or any desirable number of docking stations  50   a ,  50   b  for home or mobile use. Even further, the entertainment module  10  or docking station may include an antenna  66 , wireless module  62 , and HDD  64  that permits the user to download and store programming content that is not part of their DVD library.  
         [0024]     While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.