Patent ID: 8831267

Claim:
An audio jack system comprising: a digital player generating an audio signal, the digital player defining an audio socket that includes a set of socket contacts, the digital player comprising an onboard speaker, the digital player being configured selectively between an onboard speaker mode and an auxiliary speaker mode based on whether electrical continuity exists across the set of socket contacts; an adaptor comprising an adaptor plug and an adaptor receptacle, the adaptor plug being movable selectively to engagement with the set of socket contacts of the audio socket and to disengagement with the set of socket contacts of the audio socket; an auxiliary sound unit comprising an auxiliary plug, a plurality of wires, and an auxiliary speaker; the plurality of wires extending between the auxiliary plug and the auxiliary speaker, the auxiliary plug being movable selectively to engagement with the audio socket, to engagement with the adaptor receptacle, and to spaced apart relationship with both the audio socket and the adaptor receptacle, the digital player being configured in the onboard speaker mode conveying the audio signal to the onboard speaker and not to the auxiliary speaker when the adaptor plug is in the audio socket and the auxiliary plug is in spaced apart relationship with both the audio socket and the adaptor receptacle, the digital player being configured in the auxiliary speaker mode conveying the audio signal to the auxiliary speaker and not to the onboard speaker when the auxiliary plug is in engagement with the audio socket, and the digital player being configured in the auxiliary speaker mode conveying the audio signal to the auxiliary speaker and not to the onboard speaker when the adaptor plug is in engagement with the audio socket while the auxiliary plug is in engagement with the adaptor receptacle; and an electrical shunt borne by at least one of the auxiliary plug and the adaptor, the electrical shut being spaced apart from the auxiliary speaker by virtue of the plurality of wires extending between the auxiliary speaker and the auxiliary plug, the electrical shunt providing electrical continuity that establishes and maintains substantially zero voltage potential across the set of socket contacts when the auxiliary plug is in engagement with the audio socket, the electrical shunt providing electrical continuity that establishes and maintains substantially zero voltage potential across the set of socket contacts when the adaptor plug is in engagement with the audio socket while the auxiliary plug is in engagement with the adaptor receptacle, and the electrical shut providing electrical discontinuity between the set of socket contacts when the adaptor plug is in the audio socket and the auxiliary plug is in spaced apart relationship with both the audio socket and the adaptor receptacle.