IP Library Granted Patent US 7,973,512
Granted Patent B2
US 7,973,512 · App. 12/212,393 · Granted Jul 5, 2011

Mobile telephone charger with promotional audio output

Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,973,512
App. No.
12/212,393
Granted
Jul 5, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mobile telephone charger capable of reproducing a promotional audio tune is provided comprising a housing, a power input connector attached to the housing for receiving an electrical power input, a power output connector attached to the housing for charging a mobile telephone responsive to the electrical power input, a power detector module for generating an enabling signal in response to detecting the electrical power input, an audio chip module responsive to the enabling signal for generating a predetermined audio signal, the predetermined audio signal corresponding to audio data stored in a computer readable medium disposed in the mobile telephone charger, and an audio transducer for generating an audio output in response to the predetermined audio signal.

Claims (36)

1. A mobile telephone charger comprising:

a housing;

a power input connector attached to the housing for receiving an electrical power input;

a power output connector attached to the housing for charging a mobile telephone responsive to the electrical power input;

a power detector module for generating an enabling signal in response to detecting the electrical power input;

an audio chip module responsive to the enabling signal for generating a predetermined audio signal, the predetermined audio signal comprising a promotional audio tune corresponding to audio data stored in a computer readable medium disposed in the mobile telephone charger; and

an audio transducer for generating an audio output in response to the predetermined audio signal so as to play the promotional audio tune.

2. The mobile telephone charger of claim 1 wherein the enabling signal is of a predetermined duration.

3. The mobile telephone charger of claim 2 wherein the audio chip module generates the predetermined audio signal when the enabling signal is active.

4. The mobile telephone charger of claim 1 wherein the audio chip module generates the predetermined audio signal when the electrical power input has been restored.

5. The mobile telephone charger of claim 1 wherein the audio transducer is disposed in the housing.

6. The mobile telephone charger of claim 1 wherein the audio transducer is disposed in the power output connector.

7. The mobile telephone charger of claim 1 wherein the audio transducer is one of a speaker and a piezoelectric sound emitter.

8. The mobile telephone charger of claim 1 wherein the electrical power input is an automobile DC power input.

9. The mobile telephone charger of claim 1 wherein the electrical power input is a household AC power input.

10. The mobile telephone charger of claim 1 capable of receiving the electrical power input from an automobile DC power outlet and from a household AC power outlet.

11. The mobile telephone charger of claim 1 further comprising a switch for defeating the audio output.

12. A method for generating an audio output from a mobile telephone charger, the method comprising:

detecting an electrical power input to the mobile telephone charger;

generating an enabling signal in response to the detection;

generating a predetermined audio signal responsive to the enabling signal, the predetermined audio signal comprising a promotional audio tune corresponding to audio data stored in a computer readable medium disposed in the mobile telephone charger; and

generating the audio output from the mobile telephone charger in response to the predetermined audio signal so as to play the promotional audio tune.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the enabling signal is of a predetermined duration.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising generating the predetermined audio signal when the enabling signal is active.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising generating the predetermined audio signal when the electrical power input has been restored.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the audio output is generated via one of a speaker and a piezoelectric sound emitter.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the electrical power input is an automobile DC power input.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the electrical power input is a household AC power input.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the mobile telephone charger is capable of receiving the electrical power input from an automobile DC power outlet and from a household AC power outlet.

20. A mobile telephone charger comprising:

a housing;

a power input connector attached to the housing for receiving an electrical power input;

a power output connector attached to the housing for charging a mobile telephone responsive to the electrical power input;

a power detector module for generating an enabling signal in response to detecting the electrical power input;

an audio chip module responsive to the enabling signal for generating a predetermined audio signal, the predetermined audio signal comprising a promotional audio tune corresponding to audio data stored in a computer readable medium disposed in the mobile telephone charger, the audio chip module continuously generating the predetermined audio signal for a predetermined duration of the enabling signal; and

an audio transducer for generating an audio output in response to the predetermined audio signal so as to play the promotional audio tune.

Assignments (4)
MERGER Recorded Oct 27, 2025
From: USCC WIRELESS HOLDINGS, LLC
To: ODYSSEY WEST, LLC
Reel/Frame 073362/0519 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2025
From: ODYSSEY WEST, LLC
To: T-MOBILE INNOVATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 073365/0391 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2025
From: UNITED STATES CELLULAR CORPORATION
To: USCC WIRELESS HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 072315/0805 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2008
From: SAGE, SEAN WILLIAM; PAUCAR, PATRICIO NICOLAS; SAXENA, NAROTHUM; IRIZARRY, MICHAEL
To: UNITED STATES CELLULAR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021545/0318 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100066306A1 · Mar 18, 2010