Patent Application
20090296955
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an audio system for a vehicle having a portable powered speaker with a wired or wireless connection for a portable media player.
2. Background Art
As travelers and commuters spend an increasing amount of time in various types of vehicles, such as automobiles, trucks, RV's, buses, airplanes, watercraft, trains, and the like, more comfort, convenience, and entertainment systems are becoming standard or optionally available equipment. As consumer electronic devices become smaller and more portable, more travelers have become accustomed to bringing them along on trips of both limited and lengthy duration. Digital media players in particular have become ubiquitous traveling companions. Portable and desktop devices such as clock/radios, CD players, and the like now have docking stations for interfacing with media players that allow users to listen to audio through speakers of the device while recharging the device battery. Likewise, various vehicle manufacturers now include wired and/or wireless interfaces to couple digital media players, cell phones, and other devices to the vehicle audio system, usually through the radio. This allows users to listen to and share audio from a coupled electronic device through the more powerful and typically better quality vehicle speakers.
A vehicle audio system includes an interior trim panel having an opening with a speaker module removably secured therein and including a speaker electrically connected to the vehicle audio system when positioned within the opening, the speaker module including an interface for receiving an audio signal from a linked portable electronic device and playing the audio signal through the speaker when the speaker module is removed from the interior trim panel opening and electrically disconnected from the vehicle audio system.
In one embodiment, the speaker module includes an energy storage device and a generator connected to the energy storage device for generating power when the speaker module is removed from the vehicle. The energy storage device may be implemented by a capacitor or a rechargeable battery with the generator implemented by a solar cell, dynamo, or Faraday induction device, for example. Various embodiments provide for recharging of the portable electronic device through the associated interface using vehicle power when the speaker module is installed in the interior trim panel and using the energy storage device and/or generator when the speaker module is removed from the interior trim panel. The speaker module may also include one or more auxiliary power ports for charging other accessories when connected and/or disconnected from the vehicle.
A method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises positioning a portable speaker module including a speaker connected to a power supply and generator disposed within the module into a corresponding opening in an interior trim panel of a vehicle to removably electrically connect the speaker to an audio system of the vehicle and to secure the speaker module to the interior trim panel of the vehicle. The method may also include removing the speaker module from the opening in the interior trim panel to electrically disconnect the speaker from the audio system of the vehicle and provide a portable powered speaker for interfacing with an associated electronic entertainment device. In one embodiment, the method includes coupling a portable media player to the speaker module to play audio signals from the portable media player through the speaker powered by the power supply within the speaker module when the speaker module is disconnected from the vehicle audio system.
The present disclosure includes embodiments having various advantages. For example, embodiments according to the present disclosure provide a removable speaker module for a vehicle audio system that includes an energy storage device and/or generator to provide a portable speaker system for a linked personal/portable electronic device. When installed in the vehicle, the speaker module integrates seamlessly with the interior trim and may provide one or more charging or docking stations to link a personal electronic device to the vehicle audio system and/or recharge the personal electronic device. When removed from the vehicle, the speaker module according to the present disclosure provides a portable powered speaker to facilitate playback of audio from a linked electronic device and may be used to charge the electronic device or other portable device, such as a cell phone.
The above advantages and other advantages and features will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features of the present disclosure as illustrated and described with reference to any one of the Figures may be combined with features illustrated in one or more other Figures to produce embodiments of the present disclosure that may not be explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. However, various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure may be desired for particular applications or implementations.
In the representative embodiments illustrated in
As also illustrated in
As illustrated in the block diagram of
Energy storage device 70 may be implemented by one or more batteries 72 and/or one or more capacitors 74, for example. Depending upon the particular application and implementation, a linked electronic device 24, 24′ may have sufficient power to drive speaker 80 directly using its own internal battery or other power source. In these applications, power generating device 62 and energy storage device 70 would be unnecessary, or would not be used.
In operation, speaker module 20, 20′ has a first connector 52 accessible through housing 40 that engages a corresponding connector of a vehicle audio system 10 when housing 40 is positioned within an opening of an interior trim panel of the vehicle. The connectors may be designed such that proper positioning of housing 40 within a corresponding opening in the interior trim panel engages or couples the connectors to provide an electrical connection to the vehicle audio system without any additional steps by the user. Similarly, removal of housing 40 from the opening disconnects connector 52 to disconnect speaker module 20, 20′ from the vehicle audio system. At least one speaker 80, which is at least partially disposed within housing 40, and electrically connected to first connector 52 is used to generate sound from an audio signal provided by the vehicle audio system through connector 52 when housing 40 is positioned within the interior trim panel opening. A second connector 22, 22′ may be incorporated into a docking station secured to housing 40 to link portable electronic device 24, 24′ to the at least one speaker 80 to play audio from the portable electronic device when speaker module 20, 20′ is removed from the interior trim panel opening. Optionally, audio from a linked portable electronic device 24, 24′ may be played through the vehicle audio system and speaker 80 when speaker module 20, 20′ is positioned within a corresponding interior trim panel opening.
As previously described, energy storage device 70 is disposed within housing 40 and electrically connected to at least one speaker 80, to first connector 52, and to second connector 22, 22′. In the representative embodiment illustrated in
In one embodiment, a method according to the present disclosure includes charging a portable electronic device linked to the speaker module using power from the vehicle audio system when the speaker module is positioned within the interior trim panel opening as represented by block 130. The method may also include charging a linked portable electronic device or auxiliary device using power from the speaker module when the speaker module is removed from the interior trim panel opening as represented by block 140. Power may be provided by the removable speaker module from an internal energy storage device and/or power generating device as previously described.
As such, embodiments according to the present disclosure provide a removable speaker module for a vehicle audio system that may include an energy storage device and/or power generating device to provide a portable speaker system for a linked personal/portable electronic device. When installed in the vehicle, the speaker module integrates seamlessly with the interior trim and may provide one or more charging or docking stations to link a personal electronic device to the vehicle audio system and/or recharge the personal electronic device as well as an auxiliary device. When removed from the vehicle, the speaker module provides a portable speaker to facilitate playback of audio from a linked electronic device and may be used to charge the electronic device or other portable device, such as a cell phone.
While the best mode has been described in detail, those familiar with the art will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments within the scope of the following claims. Various embodiments have been described with some embodiments described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments and/or prior art devices in regard to one or more desired characteristics. However, as one skilled in the art is aware, one or more characteristics may be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application. These attributes include, but are not limited to: cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. Any embodiments described herein as being less desirable in one aspect or another to other embodiments and/or prior art devices with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure.
