Abstract:
An audio system including an audio-enhancing station including at least one speaker and an audio-enhancing station docking connector, a music phone configured to play audio files and function as a wireless communication device separate from the audio-enhancing station, the music phone including at least one speaker to emit sound from the playing of the audio files, and a music phone docking connector that connects with the audio-enhancing station docking connector to dock the music phone with the audio-enhancing station, wherein the music phone and the audio-enhancing station together form an audio system where the at least one speaker of the music phone and the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station emit sound from the playing of the audio files on the music phone.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to handheld wireless communication devices that play music files and associated devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Headsets (e.g., headphones) and separate speakers have been used in the past to listen to music files played on a handheld wireless communication device. A problem with headsets is that they are designed for personal use, so they are not practical for multiple people to use at once to enjoy music played by the handheld wireless communication device. A problem with the separate speakers that have been used in the past is that they have to be purchased separately and have to be readily available for use. Unfortunately, these speakers are not readily transportable (e.g., can&#39;t be carried in one&#39;s pant pockets, don&#39;t fit easily into one&#39;s purse). 
     These problems and others are addressed by the music phone, audio-enhancing station, and system of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the present invention involves a music phone and audio-enhancing station. The music phone includes a clam-shell configuration with a first housing portion and a second housing portion pivotally connected to each other at a hinge. The first housing portion includes a front with a display therein and a rear with a first external speaker therein. The second housing portion includes a front with input keys therein and a rear with a second external speaker therein. Adjacent the hinge is a combination audio and power jack. The audio enhancing station includes a substantially conical station housing. The station housing decreases in diameter progressing upward. The station housing terminates in an upper portion in a combination audio and power plug. The station housing increases in diameter progressing downward. The station housing terminates in a lower portion in a circular base. The audio-enhancing station includes at least one speaker such as, but not limited to, a sub-woofer. The station base rests upon a plurality of spacers that vertically space the bottom of the base a predetermined distance from a supporting surface (e.g., table top, desk top, shelf top, etc.). A top of the base includes at least one input key for controlling the playing of music files on the music phone. 
     In use, the music phone is pivoted open along the hinge and docked onto the audio-enhancing station. To dock the music phone onto the audio-enhancing station, the music phone is positioned so that the combination audio and power jack is positioned over the combination audio and power plug of the audio-enhancing station and pressed down so that the jack receives the plug. With the music phone docked and in the pivoted open position, the external speakers of the music phone are horizontally aligned and lie in the same vertical plane. The music phone is rotated about the plug so that the external speakers face in the desired direction for audio listening. The music phone and audio-enhancing station are controlled through the at least one input key on the base of the audio-enhancing station. Alternatively, or additionally, the music phone and/or audio-enhancing station are controlled via a remote control. When music files are played on the music phone, sound is emitted out of the external speakers of the music phone and out of the subwoofer of the audio-enhancing station. The sound from the subwoofer travels out of the bottom of the audio-enhancing station through the vertical space between the bottom of the base and the supporting surface. The music phone is simultaneously charged by the audio-enhancing station while docked. 
     Another aspect of the invention involves an audio system including an audio-enhancing station including at least one speaker and an audio-enhancing station docking connector, and a music phone configured to play audio files and function as a wireless communication device separate from the audio-enhancing station, the music phone including at least one speaker to emit sound from the playing of the audio files, and a music phone docking connector that connects with the audio-enhancing station docking connector to dock the music phone with the audio-enhancing station, wherein the music phone and the audio-enhancing station together form an audio system where the at least one speaker of the music phone and the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station emit sound from the playing of the audio files on the music phone. 
     A further aspect of the invention involves a method of playing audio files on an audio system including an audio-enhancing station having at least one speaker and an audio-enhancing station docking connector, and a music phone configured to play audio files and function as a wireless communication device separate from the audio-enhancing station, the music phone including at least one speaker to emit sound from the playing of the audio files, and a music phone docking connector that connects with the audio-enhancing station docking connector to dock the music phone with the audio-enhancing station. The method includes receiving a docking connection between the music phone and the audio-enhancing station via the music phone docking connector and the audio-enhancing station docking connector; receiving input associated with the playing of audio files on the music phone; playing audio files on the music phone so that signals corresponding to the audio files are generated; sending the generated signals to the at least one speaker of the music phone and the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station; and emitting sound corresponding to the signals from the at least one speaker of the music phone and the at least one speaker of the audio-enhancing station. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, may be gleaned in part by study of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of an audio system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of a music phone of the audio system of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of an embodiment of the audio-enhancing station of the audio system of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the audio system of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a combination audio and power plug. 
         FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the music phone of  FIGS. 1A-3  shown in a closed position. 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the music phone shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a right side elevational view of the music phone shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8   a  front elevational view of the music phone of  FIGS. 1A-3  and  5 - 7  shown in an open position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Certain embodiments as disclosed herein provide for embodiments of music phone  100 , audio-enhancing station  110 , and audio system  120  including music phone  100  and audio-enhancing station  110 , and a method of using the same. 
     After reading this description it will become apparent to one skilled in the art how to implement the invention in various alternative embodiments and alternative applications. However, although various embodiments of the present invention will be described herein, it is understood that these embodiments are presented by way of example only, and not limitation. As such, this detailed description of various alternative embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope or breadth of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  3 - 8 , an embodiment of music phone  100  will be described. The music phone  100  includes a clam-shell configuration with first housing portion  130  and second housing portion  140  pivotally connected to each other at hinge  150 . First housing portion  130  includes front  160  with display  170  and speaker  175  therein, and rear  180  with first external speaker  190  therein. Second housing portion  140  includes front  200  with input keys  210  therein and rear  220  with second external speaker  230  therein. The speakers  190 ,  230  are in addition to speaker  175 , which is the normal speaker for listening to another party during wireless communication with another party. In an alternative embodiment, either or both speakers  190 ,  230  are also used as speakerphone speakers for speakerphone listening to another party during wireless communication with another party. Adjacent hinge  150  is a combination audio and power jack  240  that functions, in part, as an audio-enhancing station docking connector. The music phone  100  includes appropriate software and hardware for carrying out the functions described herein. Although music phone  100  is shown and described as having a clam-shell configuration, in alternative embodiments, the music phone  100  includes alternative configurations such as, but not limited to, a candy bar configuration, and a configuration where first housing portion  130  and second housing portion  140  are slidable relative to each other. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1A ,  2 , and  3 , an embodiment of audio enhancing station  110  includes substantially conical station housing  250 . Station housing  250  decreases in diameter progressing vertically upward. Station housing  250  terminates in upper portion  260 , which includes combination audio and power plug  270 . The combination audio and power plug  270  functions as a music phone docking connector. Station housing  250  increases in diameter progressing downward. Station housing  250  terminates in lower portion  280  in circular base  290 . Audio-enhancing station  110  includes at least one speaker such as, but not limited to, a sub-woofer. The station base  290  rests upon a plurality of spacers  300  that vertically space a bottom  310  of the base a predetermined distance from a supporting surface (e.g., table top, desk top, shelf top, etc.). The audio enhancing station  110  includes appropriate software and hardware for carrying out the functions described herein. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , in an alternative embodiment of the invention, top  320  of base  290  includes at least one input key  330  for controlling the playing of music files on music phone  100 . 
     To play music files with the audio system  120 , the audio system  120  is assembled to play music by the music phone  100  being pivoted open along hinge  150  and receiving a docking connection with audio-enhancing station  110 . A docking connection occurs by the music phone  100  being positioned so that combination audio and power jack  240  is over combination audio and power plug  270  of audio-enhancing station  110  and being pressed down so that jack  240  receives plug  270 . With music phone  100  docked and in the pivoted-open position, external speakers  190 ,  230  of music phone  100  become horizontally aligned by the user so that external speakers  190 ,  230  lie in the same vertical plane. Music phone  100  becomes rotated clockwise or counterclockwise about plug  240  so that external speakers  190 ,  230  face in the desired direction for listening to the audio system  120  by a user. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the playing of music files is controlled by the music phone  100  being rotated clockwise or counterclockwise about plug  240  so that input keys  210  of music phone  100  face the user. Input keys  210  receive input from the user for control of music file play on music phone  100 . 
     Alternatively, in the embodiment of system  120  shown in  FIG. 2 , where top  320  of base  290  includes at least one input key  330  for controlling the playing of music files on music phone  100 , at least one input key  300  on base  290  of audio-enhancing station  110  receives input from the user for control of music file play on music phone  100 . 
     In a further embodiment of system  120 , system  120  additionally includes a wireless remote control for music phone  100  and/or audio-enhancing station  110  wirelessly being controlled for music file play on music phone  100 . 
     The audio-enhancing station  110  includes its own power source (e.g., at least one battery, at least one rechargeable battery) and/or receives power via a power cord and plug (not shown) plugged into an AC power source. 
     When music files stored in memory are played using appropriate software on music phone  100 , appropriate signals are sent to and driven by external speakers  190 ,  230  and sound is emitted out of external speakers  190 ,  230 . Signals are also sent to and driven by audio-enhancing station  110  via audio and power jack  240  and combination audio and power plug  27 . The subwoofer in audio-enhancing station  110  receives the signals from the music phone  100  and emits sound that travels out of the bottom of audio-enhancing station  110 , through the vertical space between bottom  310  of base  290  and the supporting surface (e.g., table top). 
     Audio files played by the music phone include low frequency signals and high frequency signals. In another embodiment, when music phone  100  is docked with audio-enhancing station  110 , high frequency signals are sent to and driven by speakers  190 ,  230  of music phone  100  and low frequency signals are sent to and driven by subwoofer of audio-enhancing station  110 . When music phone  100  is not docked with audio-enhancing station  110 , high frequency signals and low frequency signals are sent to and driven by speakers  190 ,  230  of music phone  100 . Music phone  100  and/or audio-enhancing station  110  includes crossover (or other similar (e.g., signal splitting or filtering)) functionality and circuitry to separate out the signals. In a further implementation, music phone  100  and/or audio-enhancing station  110  are configured to allow toggling of the selection of these features. In a still further implementation, music phone  100  and/or audio-enhancing station  110  are configured to allow the user to specify the crossover frequency. In another implementation, music phone  100  and/or audio-enhancing station  110  are configured to automatically select crossover frequency based on the station docked to (e.g., based on woofer speaker size). 
     At least one power source (e.g., at least one rechargeable battery) of music phone  100  is charged by audio-enhancing station  110  while music phone  100  is docked with audio-enhancing station  110 . Power is transmitted from the power source(s) of the audio-enhancing station  110  and received by the music phone  100  via audio and power jack  240  and combination audio and power plug  27  for recharging at least one power source of the music phone  100 . 
     Thus, with the music phone  100  docked to audio-enhancing station  110 , audio system  120  is formed. The audio-enhancing station  110  enhances the audio output of music phone  100  and simultaneously charges at least one power source of the music phone  100 . 
     The above description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is to be understood that the description and drawings presented herein represent a presently preferred embodiment of the invention and are therefore representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention. It is further understood that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments that may become obvious to those skilled in the art and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly limited by nothing other than the appended claims.