Patent US6650534B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US6650534B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

E-marker device with cord and plug attachment

Assignee: Sony Corp
•
Filing: 2001-04-06
•
Granted: 2003-11-18
•
Expires: 2021-04-06
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An electronic music marker device is provided with a cord and a plug coupled to the device housing such that the cord and the plug are adaptable so as to fit into the device housing with a cap to enclose and conceal the cord and plug. The cap is coupled to the housing by a hinge and lock mechanism such that when unlocked, the cap can be opened and the retractable cord with the plug such as a USB port attached thereto, can be released from the device housing to connect to an external device.

Inventors

  • 👤 John Tree

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 13:51
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/1613; G06F1/1626; G06F1/1633; G06F1/1656; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim 90 words
An electronic music marker device with an integrated communication port, comprising: a housing including a main body portion and a cap portion, said cap portion pivotally mounted to said main body portion at a first edge such that said cap portion is configured to pivot about said first edge between an open position and a closed position; and a communication port connected to said housing via a retractable cable; wherein said housing substantially encases said communication port and said retractable cable when said cap portion is in said closed position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 90 words
An electronic music marker device with an integrated communication port, comprising: a housing including a main body portion and a cap portion, said cap portion pivotally mounted to said main body portion at a first edge such that said cap portion is configured to pivot about said first edge between an open position and a closed position; and a communication port connected to said housing via a retractable cable; wherein said housing substantially encases said communication port and said retractable cable when said cap portion is in said closed position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
The device of claim 1 further including a lock/release mechanism coupled to said cap portion for locking and releasing said cap portion to and from said main body portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 71 words
The device of claim 2 wherein when said cap portion is in said closed position, said lock/release mechanism is configured to latch a second edge of said cap portion to said main body portion of the housing, and further, wherein when said cap portion is in said open position, said lock/release mechanism is configured to unlatch said second edge of said cap portion from said main body portion of the housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 12 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said lock/release mechanism is spring biased.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
The device of claim 1 further including a hinge, said hinge pivotally coupling said cap portion to said main body portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said communication port includes one of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a serial port, an infra-red (IR) port, and a Bluetooth port.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said communication port is configured to connect to a gateway device for data communication therewith.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 32 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said gateway device includes one of a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, an television set, a mobile telephone, a pager, and a wireless communication device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 52 words
The device of claim 1 further including a display panel and an input button each provided on said main body portion of said housing, said input button configured to input a user command, and said display panel configured to display a corresponding information responsive to the user command via said input button.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
The device of claim 9 wherein said display panel is configured to illuminate the displayed information responsive to the user command.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 87 words
A method of assembling an electronic music marker device, comprising the steps of: pivotally mounting a cap portion of a housing to a main body portion of said housing at a first edge such that said cap portion is configured to pivot about said first edge between an open position and a closed position; and connecting a communication port to said housing via a retractable cable; wherein said housing substantially encases said communication port and said retractable cable when said cap portion is in said closed position.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 87 words
A method of assembling an electronic music marker device, comprising the steps of: pivotally mounting a cap portion of a housing to a main body portion of said housing at a first edge such that said cap portion is configured to pivot about said first edge between an open position and a closed position; and connecting a communication port to said housing via a retractable cable; wherein said housing substantially encases said communication port and said retractable cable when said cap portion is in said closed position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 11 further including coupling a lock/release mechanism to said cap portion for locking and releasing said cap portion to and from said main body portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 71 words
The method of claim 12 wherein when said cap portion is in said closed position, said lock/release mechanism is configured to latch a second edge of said cap portion to said main body portion of the housing, and further, wherein when said cap portion is in said open position, said lock/release mechanism is configured to unlatch said second edge of said cap portion from said main body portion of the housing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 12 further including biasing said lock/release mechanism with a spring mechanism.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said pivotally mounting step includes coupling a hinge between said cap portion and said main body portion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said communication port includes one of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a serial port, an infra-red (IR) port, and a Bluetooth port.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 11 further including connecting said communication to a gateway device for data communication therewith.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said gateway device includes one of a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, an television set, a mobile telephone, a pager, and a wireless communication device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 11 further including: receiving an input command; and displaying a data mark corresponding to said received input command.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said displaying step includes illuminating a display panel on said housing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 89 words
An electronic music marker device with an integrated communication port, comprising: housing means including main body means and cap means, said cap means pivotally mounted to said main body means at a first edge such that said cap means is configured to pivot about said first edge between an open position and a closed position; and communication means connected to said housing means via a retractable cable; wherein said housing means substantially encases said communication means and said retractable cable when said cap means is in said closed position.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 89 words
An electronic music marker device with an integrated communication port, comprising: housing means including main body means and cap means, said cap means pivotally mounted to said main body means at a first edge such that said cap means is configured to pivot about said first edge between an open position and a closed position; and communication means connected to said housing means via a retractable cable; wherein said housing means substantially encases said communication means and said retractable cable when said cap means is in said closed position.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US6088021A Cited
US6144864A Cited
US6290517B1 Cited
US6304249B1 Cited
US6392635B1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2006-11-17 2007-05-19 2007-11-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2010-11-17 2011-05-19 2011-11-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2014-11-17 2015-05-19 2015-11-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag