Universal Docking System

Abstract

A docking system is presented for an ecosystem where multiple media players provide functionality according to the location of corresponding docking stations. The docking stations have locally encoded media player persona information that depends on the location where the docking station is installed. Once a media player is docked with the docking station, the media player obtains the persona information and configures itself to provide the functionality required for the location. The media player can restrict content as necessary based on the obtained persona information. Other features also can be incorporated within the docking station and media player assemblies to provide for proper airflow, isolation from vibration, or installation by unskilled individuals. A preferred ecosystem employing the disclosed techniques includes an aircraft in-flight entertainment system.

1 . A universal docking system, comprising:
 a plurality of media player docking stations each configured to receive any one media player from a plurality of swappable media players;   a structure having an interior portion in which the docking stations are installed at a plurality of docking station locations, where at least some of the docking stations are locally encoded with media player persona information that depends on the docking stations' locations; and   wherein the at least some of the docking stations are configured to transfer the persona information to installed media players, where the persona information instructs the installed media players of their functional role at a receiving docking station's location.   
     
     
         2 . The universal docking system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of media players are fungible with respect to their functional roles. 
     
     
         3 . The universal docking system of  claim 1 , wherein the interior portion of the structure comprises a cabin of a vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The universal docking system of  claim 3 , wherein the vehicle comprises an aircraft. 
     
     
         5 . The universal docking system of  claim 1 , wherein the persona information is used to restrict content from being played on docked media players at a receiving docking station's location. 
     
     
         6 . The universal docking system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of docking stations are configured to receive the one media player via guiding surfaces of the plurality of docking stations and guiding surfaces of the one media player. 
     
     
         7 . The universal docking system of  claim 6 , wherein the guiding surfaces of the one media player comprise beveled surfaces that approximately complement beveled guiding surfaces of the plurality of docking stations. 
     
     
         8 . The universal docking system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of docking stations are configured to mate with the one media player via a cable-less connector. 
     
     
         9 . The universal docking system of  claim 8 , wherein the cable-less connector is configured to float within a constrained region. 
     
     
         10 . The universal docking system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of docking stations provide the constrained region. 
     
     
         11 . The universal docking system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of docking stations are configured to retain the one media player under an impact of at least 15 Gs. 
     
     
         12 . The universal docking system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of docking stations each comprise a mechanical lock that couples to a housing of the one media player and is capable of holding the media player local to the docking stations after the impact. 
     
     
         13 . The universal docking system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of docking stations each comprise a first ducting surface that is configured to form a plenum with a second ducting surface of the one media player where the plenum provides a passive airflow to cool the one media player when only one surface of the one media player is exposed. 
     
     
         14 . The universal docking system of  claim 13 , wherein the plenum is configured to vent hot air via a vent through the exposed surface. 
     
     
         15 . The universal docking system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least some of the docking stations comprise a swappable media player persona module storing the persona information in a computer readable memory. 
     
     
         16 . The universal docking system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least some of the docking stations are physically encoded with the persona information. 
     
     
         17 . The universal docking system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of docking stations are configured to vibrationally isolate surfaces of the one media player from adjacent surfaces of the docking stations. 
     
     
         18 . The universal docking system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of docking stations are configured to receive and to lock the one media player in a docked position without requiring use of a tool to dock and to lock the one media player. 
     
     
         19 . The universal docking system of  claim 18 , wherein the docking stations comprise a media player lock configured to releasably lock the one media player in the installed position, and configured to release the one media player through the use a key. 
     
     
         20 . The universal docking system of  claim 19 , wherein the key comprises a non-mechanical key selected from the group consisting of a magnetic key, an RFID key, and a wireless protocol key. 
     
     
         21 . A universal docking system, comprising:
 a plurality of media player docking stations each configured to receive any one media player from a plurality of swappable media players;   a structure having an interior portion in which the docking stations are installed at a plurality of docking station locations; and   wherein at least some of the docking stations comprise a first ducting surface configured to form a plenum with a second ducting surface of the one media player where the plenum provides a passive airflow to cool the one media player when only one surface of the one media player is exposed.   
     
     
         22 . A universal docking system, comprising:
 a plurality of media player docking stations each configured to receive any one media player from a plurality of swappable media players;   a structure having an interior portion in which the docking stations are installed at a plurality of docking station locations; and   wherein at least some of the docking stations are configured to mate with the one media player via a cable-less connector adapted to float within a constrained region provided by at least one of the one media player and a receiving docking station.