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Patent Searching and Data


Title:
CONFIGURABLE PORTABLE DEVICE
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2016/090080
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A case is provided for removeably and selectively receiving secondary items of hardware and software for interfacing with a portable device, such as a cell phone. The case includes a portion for receiving the portable device, and a portion for receiving the secondary items. The secondary items and the case have complimentary surfaces whereby the secondary items, when mounted in the case, are connected to the portable device and to a power supply of the portable device or the case. The case may be an integral extension of the portable device case. Additionally, one or more of the secondary items may include a wireless communication device therein, and each additional item is connected to the item having the wireless communication device therein to enable wireless communication with the portable device mounted in the case.

Inventors:
NULMAN YANIR (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2015/063602
Publication Date:
June 09, 2016
Filing Date:
December 03, 2015
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
NULMAN YANIR (US)
International Classes:
A45C11/00; H04B1/38; H04M1/04
Foreign References:
USD698774S2014-02-04
US20110294556A12011-12-01
US20140228082A12014-08-14
US20140148228A12014-05-29
US6501643B12002-12-31
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
VERPLANCKEN, Donald J. et al. (L.L.P.24 Greenway Plaza,Suite 160, Houston Texas, US)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS:

1 . A portable telecommunications device, comprising; a case; an secondary device receiving portion wherein one or more secondary devices are receivable.

2. A case providing an interface between an secondary device and a portable telecommunications device, comprising:

A portable telecommunications device receiving portion; and

An secondary device receiving portion; wherein one or more secondary devices are removeably received.

Description:
CONFIGURABLE PORTABLE DEVICE

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] The disclosure relates to the field of mobile devices. More particularly, the disclosure relates to the field of components used in conjunction with a mobile device, such as a cell phone or tablet.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] Cell phones currently offered for sale have multiple built in applications and hardware features in a small sized hand held package. However, if one wishes to add an application or hardware, such as an secondary speaker, an secondary camera, or the like, the connection of the hardware to the mobile device if the mobile device is also used as the power source for the hardware, and the size of the added hardware, significantly impacts the size of the resulting combination, and can detrimentally affect the ability of the user to fit the device in their pocket, use the devices with a single hand, etc. Additionally, adapter cords and the like to connect an additional device to the mobile device can become lost, resulting in inconvenience for the user if another adapter cord can be purchased, or loss of the utility of the additional device if the appropriate adaptor cord cannot be located for purchase. Likewise, even where an secondary device is wirelessly connected to the cell phone or other hand held device, if the power connection is lost or interrupted, the additional hardware will not operate where power is supplied thereto from the handheld device, leading to user inconvenience.

SUMMARY

[0003] An apparatus for conveniently connecting secondary hardware to a mobile device, without significantly affecting the size and utility of the handheld device, and a method of connecting secondary hardware to a hand held device, are provided. In one aspect, the apparatus includes a secondary case, secondary to the primary case of the hand held device, which may be releasably affixed or attached to the case of the hand held device, and the secondary case may include at least one integral connection mechanism therein to provide a connection to communicate with the mobile device, and a power connection to the handheld device. Additionally, at least one secondary hardware device is provided, and the secondary hardware is secured to the secondary case by the integral connection mechanism. In an aspect, the integral connection mechanism is a wireless device, such as a Bluetooth enabled device, communicable wirelessly with the hand held device. In another aspect, the apparatus is a single case for the mobile device with one side allocated to the circuitry and features of the mobile device, and another side thereof configured to releasably connect secondary hardware to the case, and thus with the mobile device.

[0004] In a further aspect, the case includes a generally planar face, and inwardly projecting flanges extending to either side of the generally planar face, and which extend inwardly over the generally planar face to form a pair of opposed slots at the opposite sides of the generally planar face. At least one interconnection terminal is provided on the generally planar face at a location between the slots.

[0005] The case is configured to removably receive therein one or more items of secondary hardware, wherein an item of secondary hardware includes a lower face, on which a connection terminal is provided, and spines extending outwardly at opposed sides of the lower face. The spines are configured to be slidingly received within the slots, to partially secure the item of secondary hardware in the housing. Additional securement of the item of secondary hardware to the housing may be provided, such as by providing detents in one of the planar face and the lower face, and a mating projection on the other of the planar face and the lower face, or using magnetic coupling between magnets in the item(s) of secondary hardware and magnets in the housing. In one aspect, strip terminals may be provided in the case within or near the slots, to provide electrical contacts for connection of secondary hardware contacted therewith. In another aspect, the case and the secondary hardware include magnets therein, wherein the secondary hardware is held in the case by the magnets in the case and the secondary hardware and the magnets are additionally powerable, to provide power to the individual items of secondary hardware, and the strip terminals are configured signal communication between the secondary device and the mobile device, such as via a wireless communication device in the case.

[0006] In a further aspect, the case and items of secondary hardware are configured such that multiple items of secondary hardware are receivable in the case. In a further aspect, the items of secondary hardware project from the planar face of the case by no more than the height of the flanges on either side of the planar face. In a further aspect, the items of secondary hardware may protrude outwardly beyond the flanges of the case, such as by one to five times the total height of the device, or be slightly recessed therein. As a result, the resulting mobile device and secondary case or housing, in combination, retain the basic look and feel of the mobile device, only being slightly thicker. Thus, the utility of the device for one hand use is enhanced, and additional hardware is easily retained with the mobile device.

[0007] In one aspect, the secondary case or case includes on a first one side thereof, i.e., on a side thereof opposed to that on or to which secondary hardware is positioned, a mobile device receiving slot. The mobile device receiving slot is configured as of a pair of opposed rails at either side of the first side of the case, and a pair of inwardly projecting flanges extending therefrom over the first side of the case. In this aspect, the mobile device case may be slid into the case. The secondary case is further bounded, on the back side thereof, with an end wall, from which a charging terminal extends, and an opening is thus formed at the remaining side of the back side of the case. In this aspect, sliding the mobile device inwardly of the opening connects the charging terminal into the charging receptacle of the mobile device as the case is configured to align the charging device and charging receptacle upon the sliding the case of the mobile device into the secondary case. Alternatively, a plurality of reverse L-shaped tabs can extend from the back side of the case to extend over the front of a mobile device mounted therein. In one aspect, the mobile device includes software applications therein, or loadable therein, to operate the one or more additional items. Alternatively, or additionally, the software to operate the additional items of hardware may be present in the additional items of hardware, either before loading the additional item into the case, or, by loading the software into the additional item after the additional item is loaded into the case.

[0008] Multiple methods and hardware apparatii may be employed for communication of the secondary hardware and the mobile device. In the described aspect, the secondary hardware and the mobile device may communicate through a data/power port (typically a USB), wireless connection protocol such as Bluetooth, and for devices with expansion memory slots, by near field communications to a special expansion device that included memory as well as the communication electronics. Also the case includes electronics for managing the charging of the mobile device built in battery and any modular battery in the case or included as a secondary device, with power arriving from a single port. The electronics can also enable charging the mobile device battery and/or powering the mobile device from a case battery or a battery included as or in a secondary device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 shows a case of an embodiment hereof, having a portable device and a plurality of secondary devices received thereon.

[0010] Figure 2 is a plan view of the first, secondary device receiving, side of the case of Figure 1 .

[0011] Figure 3 is a plan view of the second side of the case of Figure 1 , showing the opposed side of the case as that shown in Figure 1 as the first side.

[0012] Figure 4 is an end view of the case of Figure 2.

[0013] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the case of Figure 1 , wherein the secondary devices are removed therefrom, not showing the wireless connection terminals thereon.

[0014] Figure 6 is an end view of the case of Figure 2, opposed to the end view of Figure 4. [0015] Figure 7 is an end view of a secondary device of Figure 1 .

[0016] Figure 8 is a top plan view of a secondary device of figure 1 .

[0017] Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of n secondary device of Figure 1 .

[0018] Figure 10 is a side view of a secondary device, opposite to the view of Figure 7.

[0019] Figure 1 1 is a partial sectional view of the case of Figure 5 at 1 1 -1 1 . DESCRIPTION

[0020] Referring initially to Figure 1 , a portable or mobile device 14, such as a cell phone, pda, i-pad, tablet, laptop, or the like is shown attached to the second side of a case 10 other than the case or housing of the mobile device 14. In Figure 1 , the case 10 includes, on a first side 26 thereof, a plurality of secondary devices 16a-e, which are removeably received in the case 10 and are, in one aspect, configured to communicate with the portable device 14 through a wireless connection such as a Bluetooth transceiver for bidirectional communication between the secondary device 16 and the portable device 14. Case 10 further includes power port 18 or receptacle (Figure 6) for the receipt therein of the terminal of a power supply or charging device (not shown), for charging a battery 22 located within, or removeably received in, the case 10, as well as charging and powering a portable device 14 located in or on the housing, and one or more of the secondary devices 16 located on or in the case 10. In the aspect of Figure 1 , a battery 22 is included as the secondary device 16a.

[0021] Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, case 10 includes secondary device recess 24 extending inwardly of the first side 26 thereof, the first side surface 28 of the secondary device recess 24 of the case 10 forming one side of a central web 50 of the case 10. Secondary device recesse24 is bounded by the first side surface 28 which is generally planar and against which secondary devices 16 a-e are receivable, walls 30 projecting outwardly from first side surface 28 along two opposed sides of the four sides thereof, leaving an open end 32 across a one side 34 thereof and an end wall 38 connecting the opposed walls 30 at the opposite end thereof. Each of the outwardly projecting walls 30 terminate in inwardly extending flanges 36 extending generally planar to first side surface 28 of secondary device recess 24 which overlie a portion of first side surface 28 adjacent to wall 30, to form opposed slots 40, 42.

[0022] Case 10 further includes opposed pairs of power terminals 44 and 46. The opposed pairs of power terminals 44, 46 are configured to supply power from a power source such as the battery 22 or a remote charger (not shown) to the secondary devices 16, and in the embodiment , also help to secure the secondary devices 16 to the case 10 by magnetic attraction. As best shown in Figures 2 and 5, pairs of terminals 44 are located within, or adjacent to, the slot 42, such as extending inwardly of the first side surface at a location where, or near where, it extends below the flange 36 forming the upper side of the slot 40. A second pair of terminals 46 are located in correspondence to each of the first pairs of terminals 44, within or adjacent to slot 40 at the opposed side of the first side surface 28. Each of the pairs of terminals 44, 46 are laid out to extend in a generally straight line path extending inwardly of the secondary device recess from open end 32 thereof, the straight line path being generally parallel to, and closely spaced from, the side walls 30. Each terminal in a each pair of terminals are spaced apart by the same, or nearly the same, distance.

[0023] The pairs of terminals 44, 46 are preferably configured as pairs of disk shaped or button shaped magnets 52, which extend inwardly of the first side surface 28 and are there contacted with a conductive buss bar 84 (Figure 1 1 ). One of the pairs of terminals 44 serves as a ground line or negative voltage line, and the second serves as a power or higher voltage line. As best shown in Figure 1 1 , to secure the secondary devices 16 in case 10, a plurality of disc magnets 52 are configured in a north south relationship, within web 50, the outermost surface thereof flush with, or extending outwardly of, first side surface 28. Secondary devices 16 are configured with disc magnets 82 (Figures 9 and 1 1 ) therein aligned with opposing polarities to the orientation of magnets 52, such that each secondary device 16, when mounted on or in case 10, has the south face of the magnets 82 overlying the north face of magnet 52, and the north face of the magnets 82 overlying the south face of magnet 52, to secure the secondary device 16 in case 10. As shown in Figure 1 1 , secondary devices 16a and 16b are fully aligned to the case 10 and abut one another, and secondary device 16c is moving, in the direction of the arrow, from a loading position at the open end 32 of the case 10 and is not yet positioned to abut the secondary device 16b previously located in the case. A pole piece 84, such as a strip of steel, connects to the opposed poles of the magnets 82 at the terminus thereof within secondary device 16, and this strip also serves as a buss to electrically connect the components of the secondary device to the power supplied by a battery 22 in secondary device 16a, or to an external power source such as the device battery or a charging device (not shown), through magnets 52.

[0024] Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, the second side 54 of case 10, which receives the portable device 14 and secures the case 10 thereto, is shown.

Second side 54 includes second side surface 56 of web 50 which is received against the rear (non-screen) surface of the portable device, and from which projects perimeter wall 58 extending along three of the four sides of the second side surface 56. Extending inwardly from the perimeter wall 58 on at least two sides of the second side surface 56 (over the second side surface 56) is an inwardly projecting second side flange 60, which, along with wall 58 and second side surface 56 forms a device slot for receipt of the portable device therein. As shown in Figure 6, the back wall 62 (the wall extending between two walls on either side of second side surface 56) includes a power/data I/O port 18 extending inwardly therein on the exterior thereof, and a power supply/data I/O terminal 64 extending inwardly of the case 10 on the opposed side thereof as shown in Figure 3, in the region of the device slot for receiving the portable device 14. The power supply/data I/O port may be a single port for communication of data and supply of power and ground connection, or two separate ports, one configured for the power and ground connection, and a second for data. The power/data port 18 is connected through a buss 68 (Fig 2) connected to each terminal 44, 46, to electrically connect the magnets 82 in secondary devices to the power supply/data I/O terminal 64. The configuration, and location, of the power supply terminal 64 in case 10 is chosen to enable a user to simply slide the case 10 over the sides of the portable device 14, or slide the portable device 14 into the device, and as the power supply/ data I/O terminal 64 is aligned to be received into the charging port/data I/O or receptacle (not shown) of the portable device, fully pressing the case 10 and portable device together will connect the portable device 14 to the terminal 64. Alternatively, in place of full length flanged walls along three of the sides of the case, shorter flanges or tabs may be provided to secure the case to the portable device, so long as the power supply terminal 64 can be readily aligned to, and thus received in, the power/data port of the portable device 14.

[0025] Referring now to Figures 7 to 10, the configuration of a secondary device 16 is shown. Each secondary device 16 includes a device housing 70 generally configured or a durable plastic, an elastomer such as rubber or a metal and insulator combination, within which are housed the operational elements of the secondary device 16, i.e., a speaker, a camera, additional memory, a battery, a voice recording device, microphone, variometer, projector, etc. The housing 70 includes a generally planar underside or back surface 72 which includes a pair of strip terminals 74 a, b thereon, which are positioned and arranged to connect with the data receiving and transmitting circuitry or components of the secondary device 16secondary. Strip terminals may be may be formed as a thin film conductive layer thereon, a wire adhered thereto, a separate conductive bar shaped piece received in a depression extending inwardly thereof, or as individual discrete segments of a thin film conductive layer or a bare shaped wire. The strip terminals 74a and b when configured as a thin film may be screen printed, 3-D printed, plated, evaporated or otherwise provided on or inset into the back surface 72, and have a sufficient width and length to ensure alignment, and contact, with a pair of interconnection terminals 74c, 74d in or on the first wall surface 28 of the case 10. Additionally, the terminals 74a and b may be biased outwardly of the underside or back surface 74 of the housing 72 by a biasing element, such as springs or a compliant compressible material such as a closed cell foam. [0026] Opposed to the back surface 72 of the secondary devices 16 is a generally planar front surface 76 generally parallel to the back surface 72 and spaced therefrom by the depth, in one aspect, of secondary recess 26, such that front surface 76 is in one aspect generally co-planar, or "flush" with, the outer surfaces of the inwardly projecting flange 36, although the upper surface may extend inwardly or further outwardly of that position. Front surface 76 protects the internal components of the secondary device 16. At either side of front surface 76 is an inset region, forming a spine 80 projecting outwardly from either side thereof. Spines 80 are configured to slidingly fit into the opposed slots 40, 42 of the case 10. As discussed with respect to Fig. 1 1 , to secure the secondary devices 16 in housing 10, each secondary device 16 includes a pair of disc magnets 82. The magnets 82 in any pair of magnets aligned in the sliding direction of the secondary device 16 and case 10 include one aligned with the north pole at or near the surface of second side surface and the south pole embedded in the web 50 of the case 10, , and the second magnet with the south pole at or near the second side surface and the north pole embedded inwardly of the web 50 of the case. The poles in the magnets 52 of the case are reversed as compared to those of the secondary devices 16. As the disc magnets 82 have the poles thereof in opposed relation with respect to the disc magnets 52, upon sliding the secondary device 16 into the slots 40, 42 in the case 10, the user will feel resistance as the south poles or north poles of the magnets 52 and 82 pass one another and the south to north, and north to south, alignment of the magnets 52 and 82, and alignment and securing of the secondary devices 16 in the case 10, and electrical connection between the case 10 and each secondary device 16, is thus achieved. The magnet alignment may also be reversed as between the case 10 and the secondary devices 16. Alternatively, the magnets may be configured as bar magnets where the poles are spaced apart in the sliding direction of the secondary devices 16 with respect to the case 10. As discussed herein with respect to Figure 1 1 , where a metallic portion of the magnets 52, 82 are used as a circuit path to provide power to one or more of the secondary devices 16, the magnets 52, 82 include an electrically conductive portion, and the magnets 52 in the case and 82 in the secondary devices are positioned and arranged to contact one another when an secondary device 16 is properly positioned in case 10.

[0027] Each of the secondary devices 16 may be of the same size, or different sizes, so long that the terminals thereon provides by the magnets 82 are spaced apart, in the sliding direction of the secondary device 16 into the case, have the same spacing. Alternatively, a secondary device 16 may be sized, in the sliding direction, greater than or less than the spacing between adjacent terminals in each pair of terminals 44, 46 in the case, and in that case, a dummy secondary device 16, smaller than the secondary devices 16 in the sliding direction, may be used as a spaced to make up any misalignment between terminal pairs 44, 46 and the terminals provided by the magnets 82 in the secondary device. Because the magnets 52, 82 are used in one aspect as both a securing and a power conduction mechanism, the connection of the secondary devices 16 to the case, and to the power connection, is assured.

[0028] Case 10 includes therein a wireless transceiver 66 such as a Bluetooth transceiver 22 and a charging circuit 70 as shown in phantom within the case 10 in Figure 1 . Charging circuit 70 is configured to receive power from portable device 14 or from an integral connection of a charger (not shown) to the case 10 through or via port 18, and thereby power the secondary devices 16 and where necessary, the portable device 14. Charging circuit 70 is configured to prioritize charging of the portable device 14 when the case is connected to a charging device and to detect the charged condition of the portable device 14 and switch the power supply path in the charging circuit to a battery 22 configured as or within one of the secondary devices or an optional battery (not shown) which may be provided in or on case 10. The optional battery when present in the case and not as or in a secondary device 16 provides power to the secondary devices 16 via the contacts provided by the magnets 52 connected thereto a wiring buss 68 (Figure 1 1 ), which is embedded within the web 50 of the case 10 adjacent to, but inwardly of, the first side surface 28 thereof as conductive thin film lines or solid wires, and when the portable device 14 battery is drained or close to being drained, supplies power to the portable device 14. When provided in case 10, the optional battery (not shown) may supplant the need to configure one or more of the secondary devices 16 as a battery , depending on user requirements.

[0029] The transceiver 66, such as a Bluetooth transceiver, is connected through a second wiring buss 51 extending within the case 10, to a pair of transceiver terminals 74c, 74d which extend along, or project from, the first side surface 28 of the case 10. In the aspect described herein, it is contemplated that the secondary devices may or may not be individually transceiver enabled. Thus, each of the secondary devices may include strip terminals 74a, 74b on the rear side thereof, which when contacted to one of the transceiver terminals 74c and 74d in or on the first side surface 28 of the case 10, connects the secondary device 16 to the transceiver 66 of the case 10secondary. As a result, each of the secondary devices, such as secondary devices 16a-e, are connected to the transceiver 66, such as a Bluetooth transceiver, for two-way communication between the secondary device 10 and the portable device 14. Alternatively, in place of the terminals 74c and 74d, the wireless communication buss 51 may connect to the secondary devices through the magnets 52, 82 if a different power connection is employed, or the end wall 38 may include one or more terminals for wireless communication therein, and each of the secondary devices include contacts in their opposed side walls, such that the terminals on the side wall of the secondary device 16a closest to the end wall 38 connect to the terminals thereon, and by abutting the end walls of adjacent secondary devices 16, communication of each secondary device 16 to the wireless transceiver may be accomplished.

[0030] Each of the secondary devices 16 may be configured to be enaged by, and controlled by, an application downloaded to, or maintained on, the portable device 14, or may be configured with internal software which may be accessed by the user of the portable device through the portable device. For example, the secondary devices 16 may be accessed by an icon located on the screen of the portable device 14, and a menu, provided by and located in the secondary device 16, or loaded into the portable device 14, may be used to control the operation of the secondary device 16.

[0031] In an additional aspect, the case 10 need not be configured with a transceiver as an integral component thereof, and instead one of the secondary devices may be configured as, or include therein, a transceiver. In this case, the secondary device having the transceiver is accessible by all secondary devices 16 via the buss 51 and terminals 44, 46 (magnets 42) of the case 10. Although the case 10 has been described herein as a separate physical piece from the case of the portable device, it is specifically contemplated herein that the case 10 may be the case of the portable device 14 such that only the first side of the case 10, having the slots 40, 42 therein for receiving the secondary devices 16, need be provided. In this aspect, the case may be hard wired to the portable device, eliminating the need for a wireless transceiver between the case 10 and the secondary devices 16. Additionally, although the case 10 is described herein such that the secondary devices are received therein by sliding the secondary devices along the first side surface 28 of the case 10, other configurations are possible. For example, the case may include one or more openings in the first side surface thereof, within which are pin receptacles configure to secure a pin therein, and also provide power and a non-power signal connection therethrough. The secondary device can include mating pins which are configured with a power and signal connection therein. Pushing the secondary device against the case 10 to push the pin into the opening will secure the pin, and thus the secondary device, to the case, and simultaneously provide the power and signal connection for wireless communication with the portable device.