(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2008/0317258 A1
`Lindsay
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Dec. 25, 2008
`
`US 20080317258A1
`
`(54) INTEGRATED CRADLE AND ADAPTER FOR
`A PORTABLE MEDIA PLAYER TO AN
`AUXILIARY INPUT OF A CAR STEREO
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Jun. 15, 2008
`Related US. Application Data
`
`(75) Inventor.
`
`.(Isssgua Lindsay, Woods1de, CA
`
`C.°rreSP°n.den°e Address:
`SIgnaLogIX Inc.
`304 Turquoise Street
`Milpitas, CA 95035
`
`(73) Assigneez
`
`signaLogix Inc” M?pitasa CA (Us)
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`12/139,475
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/944,795, ?led on Jun.
`19, 2007.
`Publication Classi?cation
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`H04R 1/02
`(52) us. Cl. ........................................................ .. 381/87
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`An adapter for connecting a portable media player to a car
`stereo that includes an integrated cradle for holding the media
`player securely and convenientlyaand a means for direct
`connection to a front-mounted auxlhary mput receptacle of
`an automobile stereo system Without the need for external
`Cabling
`
`Microsoft v. Biscotti
`IPR2014-01457, IPR2014-01458, and IPR2014-01459
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation - Ex. 1057, p. 1
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Dec. 25, 2008 Sheet 1 0f 6
`
`US 2008/0317258 A1
`
`Figure 1.
`
`Microsoft v. Biscotti
`IPR2014-01457, IPR2014-01458, and IPR2014-01459
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation - Ex. 1057, p. 2
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Dec. 25, 2008 Sheet 2 0f 6
`
`US 2008/0317258 A1
`
`Figure 2
`
`FM Transmitter
`
`Microsoft v. Biscotti
`IPR2014-01457, IPR2014-01458, and IPR2014-01459
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation - Ex. 1057, p. 3
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Dec. 25, 2008 Sheet 3 0f 6
`
`US 2008/0317258 A1
`
`Figure 3.
`
`Car Stereo with an AUX input shown with MP3 Player
`
`Microsoft v. Biscotti
`IPR2014-01457, IPR2014-01458, and IPR2014-01459
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation - Ex. 1057, p. 4
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Dec. 25, 2008 Sheet 4 0f 6
`
`US 2008/0317258 A1
`
`Figure 4
`
`One embodiment of the invention showing front view
`
`Microsoft v. Biscotti
`IPR2014-01457, IPR2014-01458, and IPR2014-01459
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation - Ex. 1057, p. 5
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Dec. 25, 2008 Sheet 5 0f 6
`
`US 2008/0317258 A1
`
`10
`
`Figure 5.
`
`One embodiment of the current invention showing rear side with retractable
`
`audio plug
`
`Microsoft v. Biscotti
`IPR2014-01457, IPR2014-01458, and IPR2014-01459
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation - Ex. 1057, p. 6
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Dec. 25, 2008 Sheet 6 of 6
`
`US 2008/0317258 A1
`
`Figure 6.
`
`One embodiment of the current invention shown with portable audio player and a
`
`generic car stereo
`
`Microsoft v. Biscotti
`IPR2014-01457, IPR2014-01458, and IPR2014-01459
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation - Ex. 1057, p. 7
`
`

`
`US 2008/0317258 A1
`
`Dec. 25, 2008
`
`INTEGRATED CRADLE AND ADAPTER FOR
`A PORTABLE MEDIA PLAYER TO AN
`AUXILIARY INPUT OF A CAR STEREO
`
`[0008] Thus a need exists for an integrated cradle and con
`necting means for use With auxiliary input equipped car ste
`reos.
`
`[0001] This application claims the bene?t of the following
`provisional application, Which is hereby incorporated by ref
`erence in its entirety: US. Provisional App. No. 60/944,795,
`?led on 19 Jun. 2007.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0002] The present invention relates generally to an adapter
`for use in playing a portable audio/video (media) player
`device through a car stereo system. More particularly, the
`invention relates to an integrated adapter that contains a
`means to directly interface With the auxiliary input jack on the
`faceplate of an automotive audio and/ or video system, and a
`means to hold the media player securely and in a convenient
`position for the user to see and reach the controls of the player,
`i.e. directly on the front of the car stereo faceplate, Without the
`need for external Wires.
`[0003] Recently the popularity of portable digital media
`players (such as mp3 players) has been groWing. A natural
`progression of these portable devices is to interface them to
`automobile audio systems to alloW the devices to be played in
`the car. Major automobile manufacturers recently began
`offering native Wired connections to alloW popular devices
`(such as the Apple iPod) to interface directly With the auto
`mobile audio system. Native interfaces, While they provide a
`user interface to control the player through the built-in stereo
`in the car, are expensive and tend to only support a single
`family of devices due to proprietary interfaces.
`[0004] Several other options exist to play a portable media
`player device through an automobile car stereo, such as Cas
`sette adapters (FIG. 1) and FM transmitters (FIG. 2). Each of
`these methods has disadvantages. In the case of cassette
`adapters, feWer cars are being made With cassette decks each
`year as they are replaced With neWer technology. In the case of
`FM transmitters, limitations on output poWer are required to
`avoid interference With radios in nearby cars, rendering the
`sound quality less than ideal due to interference from broad
`cast radio stations.
`[0005] Many car stereo manufacturers and automobile
`manufacturers have begun including an auxiliary audio input
`(AUX IN), in the form of a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack
`1, on the faceplate of the car stereo 2 (FIG. 3) to alloW a
`portable device 3 to be played through the stereo Without
`utiliZing special purpose proprietary connections or radio
`transmission. This alloWs for good signal quality to be trans
`mitted from the portable player to the car stereo, and Works
`With any portable media player that uses the standard head
`phone jack.
`[0006] UtiliZing the AUX IN typically requires a Wire 4 to
`connect from the output of the device 3 to the auxiliary input
`1 of the stereo system. The connecting Wire 4 is unsightly
`(FIG. 3), and provides no means to hold the portable device 3,
`requiring the user to either place the device on the dashboard,
`center console, seat, or the lap of the user, or to purchase a
`separate accessory to hold the player.
`[0007] An additional trend With car stereo manufactures is
`to include a USB (Universal Serial Bus) pug receptacle on the
`faceplate. This alloWs for digital input of media.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0009] The preferred embodiment of the invention is shoWn
`in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. It comprises a cradle 6 mechanically and
`electrically suitable for mating With and securely supporting
`a portable audio/video player, and Which also includes an
`integral audio output plug 6 of the type used for audio head
`phones. The audio plug may be retractably mounted so as to
`fold into a recess 9 in the body 10 of the device While the
`device is being transported or stored.
`[0010] During use, the audio plug connects directly into a
`car stereo’s auxiliary input 1 Without requiring the use of a
`Wire, and provides the mechanical mounting means to hold
`the cradle 6 and portable media player 3, by plugging the
`output plug 6 directly into the AUX IN jack 1 on the stereo 13,
`as shoWn in FIG. 6.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0011] FIG. 1 shoWs tWo popular versions of cassette
`adapters for use in playing portable audio players through car
`stereos. The player may attach either through a standard head
`phone jack or a custom dock connector, and play audio
`through a magnetic recording head Which couples magneti
`cally With the playback head in the car’s cassette deck.
`[0012] FIG. 2 shoWs a typical FM transmitter adapter used
`for playing a portable media player through the FM radio in a
`car. The display shoWs the FM frequency over Which the
`audio signal is being transmitted. The user chooses a fre
`quency on the transmitter that is unused in the local area, and
`tunes the FM radio receiver in the car to match the transmis
`sion frequency.
`[0013] FIG. 3 shoWs a car stereo 1 Which is equipped With
`an auxiliary audio input 2 on the faceplate of the stereo, in the
`form of a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack, With a portable
`media player 3 plugged into it through a cable 4.
`[0014] FIG. 4 shoWs one embodiment of the invention,
`including a cradle 5 for holding the portable media player, a
`plug 6 for connecting into the AUX IN of the stereo, a means
`for plugging into the audio out jack of the portable player,
`shoWn in this ?gure as another audio jack 7, but Which could
`also comprise a proprietary dock connector for speci?c mod
`els of media player.
`[0015] FIG. 5 shoWs the rear vieW of this same embodiment
`of the present invention, shoWing the headphone plug 6 audio
`output, mounted on a pivot 8 Which alloWs the plug to retract
`into a cavity 9 in the body 10 of the device.
`[0016] FIG. 6 shoWs the device 11 With portable media
`player 12 aligned to be inserted into the auxiliary input 1 of a
`car stereo 13.
`
`What is claimed is:
`1. An adapter for enabling signals produced by a signal
`source to be reproduced as audio sounds by an audio system,
`the adapter comprising:
`A housing having-an integral output connector Which
`mates With an auxiliary input connector on the audio
`system;
`A cradle for mounting the signal source to the adapter;
`A means for electrically coupling the signal source and the
`output connector.
`2. The adapter of claim 1, Wherein the auxiliary input
`connector of the audio system comprises the mechanical
`mounting for the adapter and signal source.
`
`Microsoft v. Biscotti
`IPR2014-01457, IPR2014-01458, and IPR2014-01459
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation - Ex. 1057, p. 8
`
`

`
`US 2008/0317258 A1
`
`Dec. 25, 2008
`
`3. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the holder comprises a
`connector for coupling With a headphone connector on the
`signal source.
`4. The adapter of claim 1, Wherein the holder comprises a
`connector for coupling With a docking connector on the signal
`source.
`5. The adapter of claim 2, Wherein the holder further com
`prises an opening for an auxiliary poWer element for charging
`the signal source While mounted to the adapter.
`6. The adapter of claim 3, Wherein the holder is movably
`connected to the output connector such that the signal source
`can be vieWed and operated from different angles.
`7. The adapter of claim 4, Wherein the output connector is
`movably connected to the housing such that the connector
`may be retracted into the body of the housing for portability
`and storage.
`
`8. The adapter of claim 1, Wherein the signal source is a
`portable audio device.
`9. The adapter of claim 1, Wherein the signal source is a cell
`phone type device.
`10. The adapter of claim 1, Wherein the signal source is a
`PDA (personal digital assistant) type device.
`11. The adapter of claim 1, Wherein the signal source is a
`radio receiver.
`12. The adapter of claim 1, Wherein the signal source is a
`Satelite radio receiver.
`13. The adapter of claim 1, Wherein the signal conveyance
`is analog.
`14. The adapter of claim 1, Wherein the signal conveyance
`is digital.
`
`Microsoft v. Biscotti
`IPR2014-01457, IPR2014-01458, and IPR2014-01459
`Petitioner Microsoft Corporation - Ex. 1057, p. 9