Patent Publication Number: US-2015070835-A1

Title: Modular docking station

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/874,714 filed on Sep. 6, 2013 titled “Modular Docking Station” and is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a modular docketing station and, in particular, a docketing station that is able to utilize existing sync and charging cables for various device interfaces. 
     2. Related Art 
     Docking stations exist that interface with mobile devices for recharging and improving the audio fidelity of the mobile device when music is played. However, a need exists for a device that can recharge the mobile device while also providing users will poorer eye sight the ability to see a larger screen for manipulating the gestures required for controlling the mobile device&#39;s functionality. Also there is a need for a device that can transform the mobile device into a commercial grade speaker phone. 
     SUMMARY 
     This invention provides a modular docking station for mobile devices that can connect to the modular docking station via an interchangeable mount device that are associated with a particular mobile devices (e.g., power and data connections that are unique with each mobile device types). For example, an iPhone 4s has an interface supporting data and electric recharging that differs from an iPhone 5 and Android mobile devices. A user can easily swap out the specific mobile device interfaces such that the mobile station can support multiple types of mobile devices. 
     Inclusion of a large display screen on the modular docking station allows users with poor eyesight to increase the size of icons, numbers and other items displayed on the mobile device screen which is substantially smaller in size. This larger display integrated into the modular docking station replicates the screen on the mobile device and allows for capacitive touch such that the gestures used on the mobile device&#39;s screen will act the same way when the user touches the screen on the modular docking station. 
     Likewise, larger loudspeakers and a more sensitive microphone integrated into the modular docking station can transform the relatively poor speaker phone capabilities of the mobile device into a commercial grade speaker phone. 
     Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis being placed instead upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
         FIG. 1  is a front view illustrating an interchangeable dock mount for use in connection with a modular docking station. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of the modular docketing station of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a top view of the interchangeable dock mount of  FIG. 1  with the interchangeable dock mount removed from the modular docking station. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the interchangeable dock mount of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the rear side of the interchangeable mount dock having a back cover positioned over the electrical feed portion of the dock mount. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the rear side of the interchangeable mount dock illustrating the securing element and electrical interface removed from the opening of the dock mount. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the rear side of the interchangeable mount dock illustrating the securing element and electrical interface removed from the opening of the dock mount. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the rear side of the interchangeable mount dock illustrating the securing element and electrical interface removed from the opening of the dock mount. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective front view of an interchangeable dock mount for use in connecting mobile devices with a modular docking station  100 . As illustrated in the example, a docking station  100  has a body  102  with a base  104  capable of supporting a removable and optionally, interchangeable dock mount  106  and a rear support  108 . The modular docking station  100  can have a handset  110  that connects to the body  102  via a wire  112  or a wireless connection (not shown) via a wireless protocol such as Bluetooth, WiFi, etc. The handset  110  may comprise functionality so that it can allow a user to answer, dial calls, mute calls, add additional calls and end calls all from the handset thus replicating the functionality of the mobile device while the mobile device is attached to the modular docking station  100 . The modular docking station  100  may also have a display screen area  114  that provides a large display screen for viewing and replicating the display screen of the mobile device. 
     Inclusion of a large display screen  114  integrated into the front of the modular docking stations allows users with poor eyesight to increase the size of icons, numbers and other items displayed on the mobile device screen which is substantially smaller in size. This larger screen display  114  integrated into the modular docking station  100  replicates the screen on the mobile device and allows for capacitive touch such that the gestures used on the mobile device&#39;s screen will act the same way when the user touches the screen on the modular docking station. 
     Likewise, larger loudspeakers (not shown) and a more sensitive microphone integrated into the modular docking station can transform the relatively poor speaker phone capabilities of the mobile device into a commercial grade speaker phone. The modular docking station  100  may also support a loudspeaker that is tuned so that the mobile device can play music at amplified volumes providing increased audio fidelity over the mobile device. In addition, inclusion of a sensitive microphone (not shown) would transform the speaker phone capabilities of the mobile device into a substantially improved performing speaker phone of commercial grade performance. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a rear view of the modular docketing station  100  of  FIG. 1 . As illustrated, the docking station  200  includes the interchangeable dock mount  202  removably secured to the rear of the docking station  200 . The rear side of the interchangeable dock mount  202  exposes an electrical interface  204  showing an electrical cable  206  for connecting to the interchangeable dock mount  202  to the same so that power can be supplied to the mobile device for recharging the mobile device&#39;s battery. Proprietary interfaces  208  associated with different mobile devices (not shown) can be interchangeably be mounted to the interchangeable dock mount  202 . These proprietary interfaces (not shown) are designed so that mobile devices can connect with rechargers and other components. Unfortunately, each mobile device manufacturer has their own proprietary interface making it difficult for third party devices to connect to the mobile device. Thus, a plurality of interfaces may be included with a third party device to ensure capability with the various mobile devices that are on the market. A securing element  210  is provided to maintain the interchangeable dock mount&#39;s interface  208  with the electrical cable  204  through an opening  212  in the rear support  214 . 
     The interchangeable dock mount  202  may also connect to a data interface wire  216  via data connector  218 . This data interface wire may support via wired protocols such as Ethernet and other well-known wire based data communication protocols. Other wires may connect to internal circuit boards and provide visual lighting indicators via LED lights showing when the mobile device is recharging, when the mobile device is off or in use. The interchangeable dock mount  202  may also support traditional Plain Old Telephone Service (“POTS”) wires  220  for traditional land line service. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the electrical interface  204  is supplied from an existing electrical cable  206  to interface with a particular electronic device (not shown). The electrical cable  206  may be a USB cable or a cable having an AC adapter at the opposing end, or both. In this manner, the electrical cable  206  may be used to communicate with the docking station, communicate with another electronic device, such as a laptop, speaker system, or television, or may be used to simply charge the electrical device through an AC adapter. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the interchangeable dock mount  300  removed from the modular docking station  100 . As illustrated, the interchangeable dock mount  300  includes a base portion  302  having an opening  304  for permitting the electrical interface (not shown) of the electrical cable and/or data cable to extend through the opening and couple with the mobile device adapted to rest or mount on the interchangeable dock mount  300  of the docking station  100 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the interchangeable dock mount  300  may include or be provided with a variety of interchangeable mobile device interconnects that may be proprietary to the mobile device. The interchangeable dock mount  300  has various sized openings  304  for accommodating different sized mobile device interfaces  304 . 
     The mobile device interconnects can be stored in a compartment within the rear support  108  or within the mobile device  100  such that they can be easily inter-changed since a user may have multiple types of mobile devices and may want to inter-change them such that they can play music through the modular docking station  100  and when desired, the user can swap out the mobile device that is playing music for another device to make a call. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , a securing element  400  that includes a rubber grommet, plastic or metal device may be coupled to the mobile device interface  402  attached to the interchangeable dock mount  404  for removably securing a mobile device (not shown) with the mobile device interface  402  that attaches in the opening  304  of the interchangeable dock mount  404  in manner that allows the mobile device interface  402  to electrically couple with a mobile device positioned on the interchangeable dock mount  404  in the docking station  100 . The securing element  400  may friction fit within the opening  304  or secured into the opening through other known means, such as a snap-lock or channel interface so that the securing element  400  forms a sandwich with the mobile device interface  402  and the interchangeable dock mount  404 . 
     The docking station  100  can support a plurality of mobile device interfaces  406  that can connect with the securing element  400 . As an alternative, the docking station may be manufactured with a plurality of interchangeable dock mounts  404  that are uniquely sized to specific and popular mobile devices. With an interchangeable dock mount  404 , the dock mount  404  may come with different sized openings and different sized securing elements to accommodate and secure different sized mobile device interfaces  402  that supply electricity for recharging the mobile device&#39;s battery and for connecting into a wired internet connection. In other words, each interchangeable dock mount  404  would be designed to accommodate a different type of mobile device interface  402  and would each include custom securing elements for coupling the mobile device interface  402  to the interchangeable dock mount  404 . 
     Alternatively, although not illustrated in the figures, the interchangeable dock mount  404  may be designed with a universal sized opening  304  for accommodating all sizes of mobile device interfaces  402 . In this manner, the securing element  400  would be interchangeable with the interchangeable dock mount  404  to couple various mobile device interfaces  402  within the opening  304  of the interchangeable dock mount  404 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the rear side of the interchangeable dock mount  500 .  FIG. 5  illustrates the backside of the interchangeable dock mount  500  where the electrical/data cord with its interface may positioned through the opening of the interchangeable dock mount  500 . As illustrated by  FIG. 4 , a rubber securing element may be utilized to couple the electrical interface and maintain the mobile device interface within the opening  304  of the interchangeable dock mount  500 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the interchangeable dock mount  600  of  FIG. 4  having a back cover removed so that the electrical/data interface is exposed. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a cover may be positioned over the back of the mobile device interface  602  of the interchangeable dock mount  600  to further secure the electrical/data cable  604  to the interchangeable dock mount  600  and to help prevent the unwanted removal of the cable  604  from the interchangeable dock mount  600 . The cable  604  can be positioned and griped by the interchangeable dock mount  600  so that the cable  604  and the mobile device interface  602  is secured and will not easily pull out of the interchangeable dock mount  600 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the rear side of the interchangeable dock mount  700  with the securing element  702  and electrical interface and the cable removed from the opening  304  of the interchangeable dock mount  700 . In  FIG. 7 , opening  704  of the interchangeable dock mount  700  is also visible. The docking station  100 , when designed to have interchangeable dock mounts  700 , will be provided with a plurality of dock mounts  700 , each having different sized holes  304  for accommodating a different sized mobile device interface (not shown) for compatibility with different mobile devices (e.g., iPhone4, iPhone5, Android, Nintendo, etc.). Alternatively, a single interchangeable dock mount  700  may be provided with a universal opening and sized for a universal sized mobile device having interchangeable securing elements  702  each having different sized openings for securing to different sized mobile device interfaces. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 8 , the dock mount  800  may be incorporated into any type of docking station  100 . The cord(s)  802  may be utilized for communication directly with the docking station  100 , with separate electronic devices or may simply be used as an A/C adapter for charging the mobile device on the docketing station  100 . Additionally, the docking station  100  may further provide charging capabilities for the electronic device during use through a wireless power charger. In addition, the mobile device may connect via wires or wirelessly so that the mobile device can utility a more sensitive microphone or a loudspeaker that provides greater amplification for improved speaker phone calls or for the playing of music from the mobile device. 
     Terms such as “communicate” and “in . . . communication with” (for example, a first component “communicates with” or “is in communication with” a second component) are used herein to indicate a structural, functional, mechanical, electrical, signal, optical, magnetic, electromagnetic, ionic or fluidic relationship between two or more components or elements. As such, the fact that one component is said to communicate with a second component is not intended to exclude the possibility that additional components may be present between, and/or operatively associated or engaged with, the first and second components. 
     While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of this invention.