MULTIMEDIA AND GAMING ORIENTED FURNITURE STRUCTURES
Multimedia furniture includes structure for a multimedia console that allows insertion of the console through a front panel of the multimedia furniture, e.g., via a slot or cutout, advantageously keeping the console apparent through the front panel. For better integration of multimedia peripherals and storage components into the multimedia furniture, the invention also includes structure for retaining multimedia storage components, such as gaming DVDs and their cases and/or structure for retaining gaming peripherals, such as wired or wireless gaming controllers. For instance, in one non-limiting embodiment, a furniture stand for a display device is provided having a main surface for supporting a display device. In a front panel, the furniture stand includes a cutout or slot in a front panel for receiving a multimedia console. In another non-limiting embodiment, tower furniture is provided including a cutout or slot in the tower portion for receiving and supporting a multimedia console.
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The present invention is directed to multimedia furniture, and more specifically to multimedia furniture that incorporates structure that is custom made for multimedia consoles, peripherals and/or multimedia storage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFor decades, networked and standalone computing devices/components and multimedia devices have been continually invading the living room, home offices, bedrooms, basements, conference rooms, commercial spaces, etc. However, at the same time, generally speaking, the furniture that has been used to house these devices and peripherals has remained static in terms of its functionality. For instance, “coffee tables” have by and large remained the same. For another example, while the notion of a “TV stand” has existed, i.e., a stand suited for supporting a TV, the TV stand in its various formations tends to be little more than a flat surface with shelves or drawers underneath, including one or more hinged doors on the front to shield the multimedia devices (gaming consoles, games, DVD players, CD players, set top boxes, VCRs, etc.) from view and/or from damage.
In some instances, furniture has been made that is targeted to some specific kind of multimedia or computing component, such as a CD tower, though such furniture has not been generalized for a host of related kinds of multimedia or computing components. For instance, as people collect more and more physical music CDs or DVDs, stacking the CDs or DVDs on shelves becomes impractical, and thus “towers” have been provided which specifically have retention slots for CDs or DVDs. However, such “CD towers” or “DVD towers” do not also store multimedia consoles, such as gaming machines, or their associated peripherals such as headsets, controllers, etc.
What is thus desired is an integrated piece of multimedia furniture including structure for a variety of related multimedia or computing components, including a multimedia console itself. Moreover, as multimedia consoles themselves become part of the user experience for interacting with games (e.g., peripheral discovery for wireless peripherals, notifications, etc.), it would be desirable to include such structure in a way that does not shield the space in front of the console. Accordingly, for these and other reasons, improved furniture structures targeted to multimedia consoles, peripherals and multimedia storage are desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn various embodiments, the invention provides multimedia furniture that includes structure for a multimedia console, such as a gaming console, that allows insertion of the console through a front section, such as a front panel or front door, of the multimedia furniture, e.g., via a slot or cutout in the front section, advantageously keeping the console apparent through the front panel.
For better integration of multimedia peripherals and storage components into multimedia furniture, the invention also may include structure for retaining multimedia storage components, such as gaming DVDs and their cases, and/or structure for retaining gaming peripherals, such as wired or wireless gaming controllers. For instance, in one non-limiting embodiment, a furniture stand for a display device is provided having a main surface for supporting a display device. In a front panel, the furniture stand includes a cutout or slot in a front panel for receiving a multimedia console. In another non-limiting embodiment, tower furniture is provided including a cutout or slot in the tower portion for receiving and supporting a multimedia console.
Additional features of the invention are described in more detail below.
The multimedia and gaming oriented furniture structures of the invention are further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
As described in the background, traditional furniture has not been tailored to the multimedia equipment space that has evolved in the living spaces everywhere. While some prior art furniture is provided with generic shelves, drawers and/or swing doors on hinges so that a user can place a console inside on a shelf, in a drawer and/or swing a door shut to enclose the console, such furniture is generic by nature in that shelves and drawers can house any item, and additionally, swing doors can interfere with a user's view of the console. In some cases, a console may include lights as part of a notification scheme to indicate one or more states of operation. Even a see-through door, like clear glass or plastic, may inhibit the sight of the console due to a glare or the like. Accordingly, improved furniture tailored to a multimedia console and/or associated storage or peripherals for a gaming platform, such as Microsoft's Xbox, Sony's Playstation, Nintendo's Gamecube, etc. is provided by the invention.
In various embodiments, the invention provides multimedia furniture that includes structure for a multimedia console, such as a gaming console, that allows insertion of the console through a front panel of the multimedia furniture, e.g., via a slot or cutout, advantageously keeping the console apparent through the front panel. For instance, in one non-limiting embodiment, a furniture stand for a display device is provided having a main surface for supporting a display device. In a front panel, the furniture stand includes a cutout or slot in a front panel for receiving a multimedia console. In another non-limiting embodiment, tower furniture is provided including a cutout or slot in the tower portion for receiving and supporting a multimedia console.
In addition, in another aspect of the invention, for better integration of multimedia peripherals and storage components into the multimedia furniture, the invention also may include structure for retaining multimedia storage components, such as gaming DVDs and their cases, and/or structure for retaining gaming peripherals, such as wired or wireless gaming controllers.
Exemplary Non-Limiting Multimedia Console EnvironmentAs described herein, various embodiments of the present invention integrate consoles, multimedia storage and peripherals associated with the consoles into a single piece of furniture. As shown in
While the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various Figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom. For example, one skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention as described in the present application may apply to any multimedia environment, whether wired or wireless, and may be applied to any number of such devices, peripherals and storage. For instance, peripherals of the invention may invariably communicate with a console via wired or wireless means. In either case, the open space enabled by the opening for a multimedia console in accordance with the invention either allows wire access for wired peripherals or transmissions free from interference with physical structures for wireless peripherals. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims.
Claims
1. A multimedia furniture item tailored to a multimedia console environment for rendering multimedia, including:
- an opening of the multimedia furniture item for receiving a multimedia console through the opening, the opening having a contour substantially shaped like a contour of the multimedia console, wherein the opening is larger than the multimedia console to accommodate receiving the multimedia console through the opening, and whereby a user's view to the multimedia console is unobstructed through the opening when the multimedia console is received through the opening.
2. The multimedia furniture item of claim 1, wherein the opening is positioned on a front section of the multimedia furniture item.
3. The multimedia furniture item of claim 2, wherein the front section is a front panel of the multimedia furniture item.
4. The multimedia furniture item of claim 2, wherein the front section is at least one hinged door of the multimedia furniture item.
5. The multimedia furniture item of claim 2, wherein the multimedia furniture item is a stand for a display device.
6. The multimedia furniture item of claim 1, wherein the multimedia furniture item further includes means for retaining a plurality of peripherals associated with the multimedia console.
7. The multimedia furniture item of claim 6, wherein the multimedia furniture item includes means for hanging the plurality of peripherals.
8. The multimedia furniture item of claim 6, wherein the plurality of peripherals includes a plurality of controllers for providing input to the multimedia console.
9. The multimedia furniture item of claim 1, wherein the multimedia furniture item includes means for retaining a plurality of multimedia storage means, wherein the multimedia console is capable of rendering audio or video from the multimedia storage means.
10. The multimedia furniture item of claim 2, wherein the multimedia furniture item is a tower for retaining a plurality of game cases for holding games associated with the multimedia console.
11. A multimedia gaming tower for retaining a plurality of multimedia games associated with a multimedia console platform, comprising:
- a base;
- a tower section extending upwards from the base, the tower section including a plurality of retention means for retaining multimedia games on at least one side of the tower section, and
- the tower section including an opening through which a multimedia console is inserted so that the multimedia console is supported substantially inside the tower section.
12. The multimedia gaming tower of claim 11, wherein the tower section is a cylindrical tower section.
13. The multimedia gaming tower of claim 11, wherein the opening is a slot through the tower section.
14. The multimedia gaming tower of claim 11, wherein the opening is formed by at least one cutout from the tower section.
15. The multimedia gaming tower of claim 11, further comprising support means for supporting a plurality of peripherals associated with the multimedia console against gravity.
16. The multimedia gaming tower of claim 15, wherein the support means includes support means for supporting a plurality of controllers for providing input to the multimedia console.
17. The multimedia gaming tower of claim 15, wherein the support means includes support means for supporting at least one of a headset associated with the multimedia console or a camera associated with the multimedia console.
18. A furniture stand for supporting a display device that displays the output of a multimedia console housed by the furniture stand, comprising:
- a top surface capable of supporting a display device;
- at least one outwardly facing front section, wherein the at least one outwardly facing front section includes an opening through which a multimedia console is received, and whereby the open physical space of the opening enables unobstructed view through the opening.
19. The furniture stand of claim 18, wherein the at least one outwardly facing front section includes a front panel or a hinged door.
20. The furniture stand of claim 18, further including a plurality of retention means for retaining multimedia storage.
21. The furniture stand of claim 18, wherein the opening is formed by at least one cutout from the outwardly facing front section.
22. The furniture stand of claim 18, further including a plurality of retention means for retaining a plurality of peripherals including a plurality of controllers for providing input to the multimedia console.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 13, 2006
Publication Date: Jan 17, 2008
Applicant: SLAM BRANDS, INC. (Redmond, WA)
Inventor: Hyung J. Kim (Lynnwood, WA)
Application Number: 11/457,336
International Classification: A47B 97/00 (20060101);