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EP1257016A1 - Appareil audio et assemblage de prise - Google Patents

Appareil audio et assemblage de prise Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP1257016A1
EP1257016A1 EP01401185A EP01401185A EP1257016A1 EP 1257016 A1 EP1257016 A1 EP 1257016A1 EP 01401185 A EP01401185 A EP 01401185A EP 01401185 A EP01401185 A EP 01401185A EP 1257016 A1 EP1257016 A1 EP 1257016A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
audio
jack
remote control
rod
main unit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP01401185A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Franken Leung
Matthew Au
Michael Chan
Lawrence Tse
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Thomson Licensing SAS
Original Assignee
Thomson Licensing SAS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Thomson Licensing SAS filed Critical Thomson Licensing SAS
Priority to EP01401185A priority Critical patent/EP1257016A1/fr
Priority to EP20020008792 priority patent/EP1257017B1/fr
Priority to DE60200769T priority patent/DE60200769D1/de
Publication of EP1257016A1 publication Critical patent/EP1257016A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R27/00—Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R24/00—Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure
    • H01R24/58—Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R2107/00—Four or more poles

Definitions

  • the present invention is related to an audio device comprising a main unit and a wired remote control.
  • the invention is also related to a plug assembly to be used in connection with the audio device.
  • GB-A 2 335 805 discloses a reproducing apparatus and a data communication system in particular for portable audio devices.
  • the known audio device is equipped with a jack, which can selectively accommodate several types of plugs for communicating signals to different data communication standards.
  • the jack provided is capable of addressing a number of data communication standards without occupying additional connector space on the equipment, as well as a reproducing apparatus.
  • an audio device being operable by a wired remote control, wherein the number of jacks is further reduced without compromising the flexibility of using the device.
  • an audio device comprising a main unit and a wired remote control.
  • the main unit has an interface for connecting the remote control and for exchanging audio signals and command data signals between the main unit and the remote control unit.
  • the interface comprises a data jack to transmit and/or receive command data signals, and an audio signal jack to transmit audio signals from the main unit to the remote control.
  • the data jack and the audio signal jack are separately arranged on the main unit. This specific configuration allows a large variety of possible set-ups with a minimum expense of different jacks.
  • the audio jack is a combined optical and electrical jack.
  • the audio jack is a combined optical and electrical 4-pole jack allowing to connect selectively an electrical 4-pole plug, an electrical 3-pole plug and an optical plug.
  • the audio jack and the data jack have different diameters to increase the safety in operation against wrong insertion of plugs.
  • a second aspect of the present invention is related to a plug assembly for a wired remote control unit for controlling an audio device.
  • the plug assembly comprises a double rod plug having an audio rod and a data rod integrated in a single isolating housing.
  • the plug assembly can most advantageously be used in connection with an audio device according to the first aspect of the invention.
  • This protective feature is further supported if the rod having the larger diameter is longer than the rod having the smaller diameter. Then the user can even more easily realize his attempt to connect the plug in the wrong orientation.
  • Fig. 1a displays a top view of a combined CD/MP3 player comprising two units.
  • the main unit is referenced as a whole with reference number 1.
  • On the topside of the player a group of operating elements 2 are arranged, realized in the present embodiment as push buttons.
  • the operating elements 2 for the volume control are arranged on a side of the housing of the player (Fig. 1b).
  • the operating elements 2 enable a user of the device to enter commands like "play", “forward”, “reverse” and others.
  • the actual operating status of the player 1 is indicated on a display 3, which is realized as an LCD display.
  • such a portable device is carried in a pocket or on a belt of the clothing when the user listens to the music via headphones. Under these circumstances it is rather inconvenient to operate the device 1 by means of the operating elements 2 because when the player is e.g. carried in a pocket the user cannot see the elements 2 nor the operational status indicated on display 3, like the song number.
  • the player is controllable by a remote control 4 forming the second unit of the player.
  • the remote control 4 is connectable to the main unit 1 by a cable 6 terminating in a 2-rod plug 7.
  • the plug 7 has an audio rod 8 and a data rod 9, which are integrated in a single isolating housing 10.
  • the audio rod 8 has a larger diameter than the data rod 9 and is also longer.
  • An audio jack 12 and a data jack 13 are provided on one side of the housing of the player 1 (Fig. 1b).
  • the audio jack and the data jack 13 are arranged mechanically and electrically to accommodate the audio rod 8 and the data jack 9, respectively, for establishing a mechanical and electrical connection between the remote control 4 and the main unit 1.
  • the remote control 4 itself is provided with a headphone jack not shown in Fig. 1a. Thereby, a pair of headphones 11 for sound reproduction is connectable to the remote control 4, i.e. the sound signal generated by the main unit 1 is passed through the remote control 4.
  • the remote control unit 4 is provided with operating elements 14 and a display 15 enabling the user to control the connected audio device.
  • the remote control 4 is fixed to the clothing by a clip in the same way as a pen. It is therefore easily detachable of and attachable to the clothing. Hence, each time the user intends to monitor or control the audio device he can take the remote control unit into his hands effecting a good visibility of the display 15 and accessibility of the control elements 14.
  • Fig. 2a exhibits the audio jack 12, the data jack 13 and the rod plug 7 in more detail.
  • the different diameters and lengths of the rods 8 and 9 are clearly visible.
  • this arrangement prevents the inadvertent insertion of the rods 8 and 9 into the wrong jacks 12 and 13.
  • the audio rod 8 is a 4-pole rod having four contact regions.
  • Contact regions 16 and 17 are associated with the left and right channel of a stereo audio signal, respectively.
  • Contact regions 18 and 19 are associated with the ground for analog signals and the ground for digital signals, respectively.
  • the data rod 9 is a 3-pole rod having three contact regions. Contact region 21 is reserved for receiving start-up signals, contact region 22 is attributed to digital display and command data, and contact region 23 is attributed to the supply voltage for the remote control.
  • Fig. 2c the arrangement of the electrical contacts of the audio jack 12 are shown. Inside the jack there are contact springs 26 establishing electrical contact to the contact regions of an inserted rod. Each of the springs 26 forms a contact pad 16' ... 19', respectively. The contact pads 16' ... 19' are arranged to make electrical contact to the correspondingly referenced contact regions 16...19 of the audio rod 8. It is noted that the audio jack 12 allows to accommodate not only the audio rod 8 of plug 7 but also other single rod plugs, which are shown on the right side of Fig. 2c.
  • the plugs shown in Fig. 2c can alternatively be inserted into the audio jack 12. It is from top to bottom the audio rod 8 of the remote control plug 7, a 3-pole plug 27 of a line output or headphone plug, and finally an optical plug 28 for transmitting optical audio data. It is an advantage of the present invention that the audio jack 8, which is necessary to connect the remote control can also be used for other purposes, in particular to connect head phones directly to the main unit 1. Hence, the present invention allows to safe one or two additional jacks on the main unit.
  • Fig. 3 schematically shows a block diagram of the main unit and the remote control unit with regard to the command and display data exchange.
  • a block diagram of the main unit On the left hand side of the dashed line 31 a block diagram of the main unit is shown whereas on the right hand side of the line 31 a block diagram of the remote control unit 4 is shown.
  • the remote control unit is provided with a ⁇ P 32 to communicate with a main ⁇ P 33 in the main unit and to drive the LCD display 15, which indicates all functions and activities going on in the main unit.
  • the user activates one of the switches 34 forming a "key ladder" representing a potential divider.
  • the main unit further comprises a DC-DC converter 36 as a voltage regulator and a power ON/OFF device.
  • Fig. 4 displays possible set-up configurations in a schematic way, wherein dashed lines indicate alternative connections.
  • the remote control 4 is connected to the main unit.
  • a headphone phone plug 41 or alternatively a line output plug 42 are connectable.
  • the line output plug is apt for supplying the audio signal to loudspeakers 43 or an audio amplifier not shown in Fig. 3.
  • Fig. 4b shows basically the same configuration as Fig. 4a without the interposition of the remote control 4.
  • the headphone plug 41 and the line output plug 42, respectively, are rather inserted directly into the audio jack 12 of the main unit.
  • Fig. 4c exemplifies a configuration, in which an optical plug 44 is connected to the audio jack 12.
  • a cable associated with the optical plug 44 in general is used to transmit digital optical audio data between two audio devices. It is important to note that the numerous configurations require only the audio jack 12 and the data jack 13 at the main unit.

Landscapes

  • Headphones And Earphones (AREA)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)
EP01401185A 2001-05-09 2001-05-09 Appareil audio et assemblage de prise Withdrawn EP1257016A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP01401185A EP1257016A1 (fr) 2001-05-09 2001-05-09 Appareil audio et assemblage de prise
EP20020008792 EP1257017B1 (fr) 2001-05-09 2002-04-19 Appareil audio et assemblage d'une prise
DE60200769T DE60200769D1 (de) 2001-05-09 2002-04-19 Audiogerät und Steckeranordnung

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP01401185A EP1257016A1 (fr) 2001-05-09 2001-05-09 Appareil audio et assemblage de prise

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1257016A1 true EP1257016A1 (fr) 2002-11-13

Family

ID=8182718

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01401185A Withdrawn EP1257016A1 (fr) 2001-05-09 2001-05-09 Appareil audio et assemblage de prise

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1257016A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE60200769D1 (fr)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4869566A (en) * 1986-05-28 1989-09-26 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Optical fiber and electrical plug/jack interconnection device
US5492489A (en) * 1994-06-24 1996-02-20 Chavakula; Anand K. Four way audio cable adapter
GB2335805A (en) * 1998-03-27 1999-09-29 Sony Corp Jack socket capable of mating with two different types of plug
CH690393A5 (fr) * 1999-06-28 2000-08-15 Armand D Touboul Tête de connexion pour casque d'écoute stéréophonique.

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4869566A (en) * 1986-05-28 1989-09-26 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Optical fiber and electrical plug/jack interconnection device
US5492489A (en) * 1994-06-24 1996-02-20 Chavakula; Anand K. Four way audio cable adapter
GB2335805A (en) * 1998-03-27 1999-09-29 Sony Corp Jack socket capable of mating with two different types of plug
CH690393A5 (fr) * 1999-06-28 2000-08-15 Armand D Touboul Tête de connexion pour casque d'écoute stéréophonique.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE60200769D1 (de) 2004-08-26

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