Abstract:
An audio input and output dock for a tablet computer is disclosed. The dock includes a housing having a cradle configured and arranged to receive a tablet computer docked therein. A number of audio output and input connectors are configured and arranged to connect to the tablet computer when docked in the cradle. The audio output and input connectors include professional grade audio output and input jacks that musicians highly desire.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present patent document claims priority to earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/351,029, filed on Jun. 3, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This patent document relates generally to electronic audio input and output devices and more specifically to a dock providing enhanced audio input and output capabilities to a tablet computer. 
         [0004]    2. Background of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Tablet computers, such as Apple&#39;s iPad, have a large touch screen interface, which has the capacity for allowing musicians to create new methods of creating music through touch and feel. However, tablet computers are limited in capabilities to create music because the devices are not equipped with electronics capable of recording and playing back high-quality audio. Furthermore, tablet computers often lack the proper type of connectors and interfaces commonly used in professional quality audio recording and playback devices. Accordingly, there is a perceived need in the industry for a device to permit a tablet computer to record and playback high-quality or professional grade audio. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention solves the problems of the prior art by providing an audio input and output (or “I/O”) dock for a table computing device. The audio I/O dock provides a means for recording and playing back high-quality audio to and from a tablet computer using industry-standard connectors that musicians have become accustomed to. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the audio I/O dock for a tablet computer; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment of the audio I/O dock for a tablet computer; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the audio I/O dock for a tablet computer, with the dock empty; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the audio I/O dock for a tablet computer, with a tablet computer in the dock; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a rear elevation view of the preferred embodiment of the audio I/O dock for a tablet computer; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a right side elevation view of the preferred embodiment of the audio I/O dock for a tablet computer; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a left side elevation view of the preferred embodiment of the audio I/O dock for a tablet computer. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    Referring now to FIGS.  1  and  3 - 7 , the audio I/O dock of the present invention is shown generally at  100 . The audio I/O dock  100  includes a connector  102  to attach to a tablet computer  104 . In the case of an iPad brand tablet computer  104 , the connection to the iPad is achieved through the iPad&#39;s 30-pin connector at the bottom of the iPad. The connecting the connector  102  on the audio I/O dock to a tablet computer&#39;s  104  connector can be achieved through a cable or a stationary dock-style connector. In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3-7 , a stationary-style dock connector  102  is shown in a cradle  106  configured to securely hold the tablet computer  104  (best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). 
         [0016]    There are a variety of signals that are transmitted to and from the tablet computer  104  through the dock connector  102 . One set of signals are the serial RX and TX signals  108 . In the case of an iPad brand tablet computer, pins  18  and  19  of the iPad&#39;s 30-pin connector  103  are used for the serial RX and TX signals  108 . These pins are used for serial communication with the iPad. The audio I/O dock  100  of the present invention uses the serial RX and TX signals  103  in order to authenticate the audio I/O dock  100  to the tablet computer  104 , and to enable audio recording to the tablet computer  104 . 
         [0017]    The dock connector  104  further includes Line Out pins  110 . In the case of an iPad brand computer, pins  27  and  28  of the iPad connector are used. Furthermore the Line Out pins  110  may be conditioned at  112  to the appropriate level for line or balanced output of audio. For instance a differential operational amplifier may be used. Other analog level adjusting circuitry may also be used to condition the Line Out pins  110 . An optional volume control may be included at  112 . 
         [0018]    Industry-standard audio input and output connectors  114  are included on the audio I/O dock, such as microphones, ⅛″ cables, ¼″ cables, RCA cables, or XLR cables. One or more audio input and output connectors may be used. 
         [0019]    Furthermore, audio input and output may be transmitted through the high-speed serial interface pins  116  of the dock connector  102 . In the case of an iPad brand tablet computer, audio input and output may be provided through the iPad&#39;s universal serial bus port (pins  4  and  6 ). The pins  116  can be connected to a high speed interface controller  118 , such as USB interface controller, in the audio I/O dock  100  of the present invention. The high-speed interface controller  118  is connected to one or more Audio to Digital Converters (ADCs)  120 , Digital to Audio Converters (DACs)  122 , or Digital Audio Input and Output controller  124  to convert to Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format (SPDIF), ADAT Optical, or other digital audio format. 
         [0020]    The DACs  122  are connected to analog amplifiers or level shifting circuits  126  with or without gain control, then to an industry-standard audio jacks or connectors  114  (such as XLR, ¼″, ⅛″, RCA, etc.). The ADCs  120 , and Digital Audio I/O  126  are connected to any of the industry-standard jacks  114  above or an optical connector  128  (such as ADAT optical or SPDIF optical). 
         [0021]    A microprocessor  130  for communicating with the tablet computer  104  is further provided. The microprocessor  130  may be connected directly through the serial interface  108  of the connector  102  to the tablet computer  104  (as in  FIG. 1 ) or may also communicate through a high-speed serial controller  118 , such as a USB interface controller, to the tablet computer  104 , described further below (and as shown in  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0022]    An authentication chip  132  may also be provided, which is connected to the microprocessor  130 . The authentication chip  132  ensures the tablet computer  104  is authorized to be attached to the audio I/O dock  100  of the present invention. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , authentication can also be achieved through high-speed serial communications, such as USB, instead of the tablet computer&#39;s serial interface  108 , which is slower. Specifically the high speed serial controller  118  may be connected to a microprocessor  130  instead, which communicates with the authentication chip  132  and passes the authentication information to the tablet computer  102  via the high speed interface controller  118 . In another embodiment, the high-speed interface controller  118  may be integrated into the microprocessor  130  in a single chip. 
         [0024]    Power for the audio I/O dock  100  of the present invention can be provided by the onboard batteries of the tablet computer  104 , by batteries installed in the audio I/O dock, or by a wall power supply as is known in the art. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an exemplary audio I/O dock is shown generally at  100 . The audio I/O dock  100  may include either implementation of the electrical operation as described above in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The audio I/O dock  100  includes a wedge-shaped housing  134  with a cradle  136  formed in the top panel of the housing  134 , which forms a well to receive and hold the tablet computer  104 . The angle of the wedge-shaped housing  134  orients the tablet computer  104 , when placed in the cradle, towards the musician. The cradle  136  includes an open end  138  where the tablet computer  104  is slid into the cradle  136 . Although the open end  138  of the cradle  136  is facing to one side, the open end  138  could be oriented in another direction. A lip  140  around an edge of the cradle  136  prevents the table computer from dislodging from the cradle  136  in any direction other than the open end  138 . The lip  140  extends over the cradle  136 , and the front surface of the tablet computer  104  when placed in the cradle  136 , but does not interfere with the touch screen of the tablet computer  104 . 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a rear panel  142  of the audio I/O dock is shown. The rear panel  142  includes many of the connectors  114  mentioned above. Working left to right in  FIG. 5 , two ¼″ jacks are provided for the audio main outputs  144 , for left and right stereo audio, respectively. An optional direct monitoring toggle switch  146  may be provided to bypass the tablet computer  104  entirely so the musician can hear audio directly from the audio input and audio output connectors  114 . Direct monitoring is useful if there is latency or delay in the tablet computer  104 , which interferes with the musician&#39;s ability to synchronize instrument playing with audio playing from the tablet computer  104 . 
         [0027]    Two audio inputs with XLR connectors  148   a ,  148   b  are also provided. Each audio input  148   a ,  148   b  includes a separate gain control  150   a ,  150   b . Furthermore, the second audio input  148   b  includes a guitar/microphone toggle switch  152  for use with amplifier and effects modeling applications. 
         [0028]    A phantom power toggle switch  154  may also be provided for use with condenser microphones. Also included is an assignable ¼″ jack  156  for a footswitch. A video output connector  157  may also be provided to mirror the display of the tablet computer to a larger monitor or a projector. A power connector  158  and power switch  160  are also provided on the rear panel  142 . An optional strain relief  162  may be provided for a power chord connected to the power connector  158 . 
         [0029]    Of course, these connectors  114  may easily be placed on another surface of the audio I/O dock of the present invention and be organized in a different manner. The exemplary embodiment is merely provided as one method of placing and organizing the different connectors that has been found to be desirable by musicians. 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a right side elevation view of the preferred embodiment of the audio I/O dock is shown. A MIDI input and output DIN connectors  164 ,  166  are provided. Also included is a USB MIDI connector  168 . 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a left side elevation view of the preferred embodiment of the audio I/O dock is shown. A main volume knob  170  is provided. In addition, a ¼″ headphone jack  172  and headphone volume knob  174  may also be provided. 
         [0032]    Therefore, it can be seen that the present invention provides a unique solution to the problem of providing a capability of recording and playing back high-quality audio to and from a tablet computer. 
         [0033]    It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be within the scope of the present invention except insofar as limited by the appended claims.