Abstract:
The present invention relates to a desktop stand having a loudspeaker, a mobile phone with a build in radio tuner and/or music player and a system comprising both a mobile phone and a desktop stand. The system allows the use of the mobile phone together with the desktop stand as a clock radio.  
     It is suggested that FIG.  1  is published with the abstract.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates to the field of mobile phones and mobile phone accessories such as desktop stands. In particular is relates to mobile phones having FM radio and/or music player functionality.  
         BACKGROUND ART  
         [0002]    Desktop chargers such as the Nokia® DCH-9 desktop stand serve conventionally two functions, namely, as a desktop stand and as a charger. The Nokia® DCH-9 desktop stand has further additional features for charging a spare battery. A Nokia® ACP-7 charger comprising an AC/DC transformer is connected to the Nokia® DCH-9 desktop stand and supplies the required DC current via a cable to the desktop stand. The Nokia® EDC-20 Desktop Charger/Speakerphone (U.S. Pat. No. 367,651) is a desktop stand for a mobile phone having charging capacity and in build speakerphone. The Nokia® 8310 and 6510, are advanced mobile phones which have an in-built FM radio. The Nokia® 5510 mobile phone comprises an FM stereo radio and a digital music player and recorder. From U.S. Pat. No. 366,873 and U.S. Pat. No. 380,753 there are known bases for cordless phones with a clock radio integrated in the base. As a general trend in the mobile phone industry an integration of a variety of functions is considered desirable. In most cases, the integration of additional functionality requires though extensive modifications to the existing hardware.  
         DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    On this background, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system comprising a desktop stand and a mobile phone of the kind referred to initially, with additional integrated functionality. This object is achieved in accordance with claim 1 by providing a system comprising a desktop stand and a mobile phone, said desktop stand comprising a loudspeaker and means to connect said loudspeaker to an audio signal from said mobile phone, said mobile phone comprises a radio receiver and/or audio signal player for producing said audio signal, said mobile phone further comprising means for routing said audio signal to said loudspeaker and a timer or clock to activate said radio receiver and/or audio signal player. This system allows the mobile phone together with the desktop stand/charger to be used as a clock radio.  
           [0004]    Advantageously, said desktop stand is provided with a button for activating means for interrupting or ending said audio signal, and preferably said audio signal is interrupted for only a predetermined time, thus giving the system a so-called “snooze” functionality. Preferably, the amplitude of said audio signal is after activation gradually increased until a predetermined level, to avoid a brisk start of the audio signal.  
           [0005]    The desktop stand may comprise a connector for conducting DC current to corresponding counterparts on said mobile phone for charging the battery of said mobile phone whilst it is placed on said desktop stand. Hereto, the desktop stand preferably may include a DC power source, in the form of an AC/DC converter and charging circuitry or has means to be connected to an external, preferably detachable, DC power source.  
           [0006]    The desktop stand may comprise an amplifier, preferably associated with a volume button on said desktop stand, for amplifying said audio signal before routing it to said loudspeaker. In a preferred embodiment, the availability of a DC charging current allows the full screen size of a display on said mobile phone to be used to display the actual time when the mobile phone is placed on said desktop stand, with the screen back lights activated. Said desktop stand may further comprise a microphone and means for routing a signal from said microphone to said mobile phone, so that said system may be used as a speakerphone. Said desktop stand may further comprise a connector and said mobile phone a counterpart for transmitting said audio signal from said mobile phone to said desktop stand, or alternatively, the transmission of said audio signal could be by radio or infrared signal. Said mobile phone may comprise a menu controlled programmable alarm clock, allowing selection of the desired audio signal source.  
           [0007]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a use of a mobile phone having a radio receiver and/or audio signal player for producing an audio signal and having a programmable alarm clock for activating said radio receiver and/or audio signal player together with a desktop stand having a loudspeaker as a clock radio.  
           [0008]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a mobile phone of the kind referred to initially, with additional integrated functionality. This object is achieved in accordance with claim 13 by providing a mobile phone comprising a radio receiver and/or digital audio player for producing an audio signal, said mobile phone further comprising charging contacts arranged on an outer surface of said mobile phone for allowing contact with counterparts of a desktop stand or the like, said mobile phone further comprising contacts on said external surface of said mobile phone for allowing contact with counterparts arranged on said desktop stand or the like for routing said audio signal to said a desktop stand or the like.  
           [0009]    A further object of the invention is to provide a desktop stand of the kind referred to initially, with an additional integrated functionality. This object is achieved in accordance with claim 17 by providing a desktop stand comprising a loudspeaker and a cradle for receiving a mobile phone, said cradle being provided with charging contacts for allowing contact with counterparts of said mobile phone and said cradle being provided with contacts for allowing contact with counterparts of said mobile phone receiving an audio signal from said mobile phone and routing said signal to said loudspeaker.  
           [0010]    Further objects, features, advantages and properties of the system and use according to the invention will become apparent from the detailed description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    In the following detailed portion of the present description, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, in which:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a desktop stand with a mobile phone placed on it,  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 a  is a diagrammatic view from above of the desktop stand,  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 b  is a diagrammatic detailed view from below on the desktop stand,  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 a  is a diagrammatic frontal view on the mobile phone,  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 b  is a diagrammatic view from below on the mobile phone, and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a charger.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]    In the following detailed description, the invention will be described by the preferred embodiments. With reference to the figures, the desktop stand  1  comprises a housing  10 , having a flat base surface and four feet  5  for resting on a desktop surface (not shown) such as a writing desk or a night table. The desktop stand  1  has a connector recess  23  for charging a mobile phone  50 , and respectively, a connector recess  24  for charging a spare battery (not shown) of the mobile phone  50 . The combination of the desktop stand  1  and the mobile phone  50  will be referred to hereafter as “the system”. The connector recess  23  which is meant for the mobile phone  50  has a charging current connector  25 ,  25 ′ for feeding electric power and a connector  26 ,  26 ′ for an audio signal transfer between the mobile phone  50  and the desktop stand  1 . The mobile phone  50  has a counterpart  56 ,  56 ′ for receiving charging current and connectors  57 ,  57 ′ for transferring the audio signal. Thus, when the mobile phone  50  is connected to the desktop stand  1 , both audio signals and electric power can be transferred between them. The desktop stand is at its bottom surface provided with a loudspeaker  40 . The loudspeaker  40  may be arranged in any other surface of the desktop stand to suit design and acoustic requirements as they may be.  
         [0019]    The desktop stand comprises in a preferred embodiment an amplifier (not shown), for amplifying the audio signal from the mobile phone before routing it to the loudspeaker  40 . A volume up/down button  32  associated with the amplifier is also provided on the desktop stand  1 .  
         [0020]    The desktop stand  1  is further provided with a slumber button  31  that activates a circuit located either in the desktop stand  1  or in the mobile phone  50  that interrupts the audio signal for only a predetermined time, thus giving the system a so-called “snooze” functionality. Further, a button  38  for terminating the audio signal is also provided on said desktop stand  1 .  
         [0021]    The desktop stand  1  is connected to an external charger  60 , which converts AC power to DC power (for example, 6.5 V and 2A) and supplies a charging voltage to the connector  25 ,  25 ′ of the desktop stand  1 . The charger  50 , such as a Nokia® ACP-7 charger, is fully conventional, easily disconnectable from the desktop stand  1  through a connector on the charger cable (not shown) and a counterpart (not shown) on the desktop stand  1 . The charger  60  can also be used to charge the mobile phone  50  in the absence of the desktop stand  1  by plugging the connector on the charger cable in the connector  55  of the mobile phone  50 .  
         [0022]    The desktop stand  1  comprises a connector  25 ,  25 ′ for conducting the DC current to corresponding counterparts  56 ,  56 ′ on the mobile phone  50  for charging the battery of the mobile phone  50  whilst it is placed on the desktop stand  1 . A second charging connector  37 ,  37 ′ is provided on the connector recess  24  and is supplied with DC current from the same source for charging a spare battery (not shown).  
         [0023]    According to another embodiment (not shown) the desktop stand  1  includes a DC power source, in the form of an AC/DC converter and means to be connected to the mains.  
         [0024]    The desktop stand  1  is provided with microphone  12 . As illustrated in FIG. 1, the microphone and an amplifier (not shown) may furnish audio signals to the mobile phone  50  during speakerphone operations through connectors  33 ,  33 ′ on the mobile phone  50  and connectors  77 ,  77 ′ in the cradle  24 . However, the microphone  54  of the mobile phone  50  may be used instead if acoustic conditions so require. Gain may be added to the transmit path to facilitate the use of either microphone  12 ,  54 . Audio signals during speakerphone operation from the mobile phone  50  may be furnished to the speaker amplifier in the desktop stand  1  and loudspeaker  40  in a similar manner. Speaker volume may be controlled from the desktop stand by adjusting the volume up/down button  32 . In response, gain or loss will be added to the receive path. The loudspeaker  54  of the mobile phone  50  is not active during speakerphone operation.  
         [0025]    The mobile phone  50  as shown in more detail in FIG. 3 is provided at its front with an LCD display  52  and a keypad  51 . Both the keypad  64  and the LCD display  52  are provided with a backlight to facilitate the use of the mobile phone  50  in low light conditions. The backlight switches off automatically shortly after the last use of the keypad  54  to reduce energy consumption, unless the mobile phone  50  is placed on the desktop stand  1  and receives DC power from a charger. Further, when the mobile phone  50  recognizes that it is placed on the desktop stand  1  and receives charging current, it will display the current time on the full screen size of the LCD display  52 , with the screen back lights activated, so that it will serve as the equivalent to the digit-readings of a conventional clock radio.  
         [0026]    The mobile phone  50 , such as a GSM or 3G phones, is provided with an FM radio in the form of a tuner or a receiver. Alternatively, a radio tuner/receiver for a different radio frequency band such as AM may be used. In a preferred embodiment, the mobile phone  50  is provided with a digital music player, such as an MP3 or an AAC digital music player. Alternatively other types of music player may be used such as tape players or disc players etc. In another preferred embodiment, the mobile phone  50  is provided with both a FM radio receiver and a digital music player. The audio signal from any of the mentioned sources is routed to connector  57 ,  57 ′. The mobile phone  50  is menu controlled through the keys on the keypad  51 . The menu allows section from a number of stored FM radio frequencies. The menu comprises a programmable alarm clock menu that allows selection of the desired alarm time, and selection of the desired source for the audio signal, e.g. the FM radio, the digital music player or one of a plurality of stored alarm signals. When the preset alarm time is reached, the mobile phone  50  activates the selected source for the audio signal.  
         [0027]    Either the desktop stand  1  or the mobile phone  50  is provided with a circuit for gradually increasing the amplitude of the signal fed to the loudspeaker  40  after activation by the programmable alarm clock in the mobile phone  50 , until a predetermined level is reached to avoid a brisk start of the audio signal when e.g. waking up a sleeping person.  
         [0028]    According to a preferred embodiment, said desktop stand  1  comprises connectors  26 ,  26 ′,  33 ,  33 ′ and said mobile phone a counterparts  57 ,  57 ′,  77 ,  77 ′ for transmitting audio signals from the mobile phone  50  to the desktop stand  1  and vice versa. Alternatively, the transmission of said audio signals could be by radio signals such as in Blue Tooth Technology with the mobile phone  50  equipped with a short range radio transmitter and the desktop stand equipped with a radio receiver, or by infrared signals, with the mobile phone  50  equipped with an infrared transmitter and the desktop stand equipped with an infrared receiver.