Smart case for mobile photography

• US 10,003,724 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2017
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Moment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Moment, Inc.
• Inventors: Barros, Marc, Hedberg, Erik, Baxley, Josh, Kirk, Amanda, Castaneda, Bradley G., Reed, Zachary, McCallion, Steve, Wirth, Wesley Glen, Lincoln, Robert John, Hudyma, Russell, Thomas, Michael, Davis, Eric, Ghorbani, Arash
• Primary Examiner(s): Vieaux, Gary C
• Application Number:
  US15/437,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20170223242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/001 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/002 Protective covers
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1076 with a snap action A45C13/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/001 Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras G02B23/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/02 for lenses supports for magnifying lenses G02B25/002
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/14 adapted to interchange lenses G02B7/027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/0442 Constructional details of the flash apparatus; Arrangement of lamps, reflectors, or the like G03B15/0484 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/14 interchangeably
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/56 Accessories carrying-cases A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/565 Optical accessories, e.g. converters for close-up photography, tele-convertors, wide-angle convertors
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/566 Accessory clips, holders, shoes to attach accessories to camera if integral part of camera body G03B17/02
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2206/00 Systems for exchange of information between different pieces of apparatus, e.g. for exchanging trimming information, for photo finishing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 : provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 : Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 : Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 : by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 : for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 : Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 : Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 : Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/663 : for controlling interchangeable camera parts based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 : by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

A mobile device case is configured to facilitate coupling of an auxiliary lens assembly along an optical path of a miniature camera module of a mobile device. A case processor and electrical circuitry embedded within the case are configured to detect the presence of the auxiliary lens assembly that is coupled to the lens attachment interface. A lens recognition sensor is coupled to the case processor and electrical circuitry and is configured to identify the auxiliary lens with a specific lens type.

Claims

1. A protective mobile device case that is configured for coupling around a camera-enabled mobile device that includes a miniature camera module embedded within the mobile device, which itself includes a built-in lens and an image sensor for capturing digital images, a processor configured for processing the digital images, and a mobile device display for viewing the digital images, wherein the case comprises:

a case housing that includes a unitary component that is configured to couple around a back plane and top, bottom, left and right sides of a camera-enabled mobile device, wherein the unitary component is flexible for receiving and removing the camera-enabled mobile device;

a lens attachment interface that defines a camera-flash aperture in the case at a location that permits transmission of a camera flash to illuminate objects in a scene and that permits transmission of image data for capturing an image of the objects in the scene focused by the built-in lens onto the image sensor;

electrical circuitry that is programmable by a software application in accordance with a lens recognition process, selectable pre-capture settings or post-capture image editing or combinations thereof;

wherein said lens attachment interface is embedded within or integral with the case and configured for coupling a removable lens assembly to the case in stable alignment along the optical path of the miniature camera module; and

a battery installed in the case that is configured for powering the electrical circuitry of the case or for powering the mobile device when the device battery is low or out of power, or combinations thereof.

2. The protective mobile device case of claim 1, comprising a removable lens assembly coupled to the case in stable alignment along the optical path of the miniature camera module.

3. The protective mobile device case of claim 1, wherein the unitary component of the case housing comprises an overmold.

4. The protective mobile device case of claim 1, wherein the overmold comprises polycarbonate with thermoplastic.

5. The protective mobile device case of claim 1, wherein the overmold comprises polycarbonate with TPU/silicone.

6. The protective mobile device case of claim 1, wherein the lens attachment interface comprises a mount interface overmold that defines a lens attachment aperture that at least mostly overlaps the camera flash aperture.

7. The protective mobile device case of claim 6, wherein the mount interface overmold overlaps one or more peripheral segments of the camera flash aperture.

8. The protective mobile device case of claim 6, wherein the mount interface overmold is configured for coupling with a bayonet coupling component of the removable lens assembly.

9. The protective mobile device case of claim 6, wherein the lens attachment aperture comprises an hourglass shape.

10. The protective mobile device case of claim 1, comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) having said electrical circuitry coupled thereto.

11. The protective mobile device case of claim 1, wherein the camera flash aperture comprises an hourglass shape including a camera half and a flash half.

12. The protective mobile device case of claim 11, wherein the camera half of the camera flash aperture comprises a lens attachment aperture.

13. The protective mobile device case of claim 12, wherein the camera half is raised out of plane with the flash half to accommodate coupling with a coupling interface of a removable lens assembly.

14. The protective mobile device case of claim 12, wherein the camera half has an elongated shape to accommodate coupling with an elongated coupling interface of a removable lens assembly by insertion and rotation.

15. The protective mobile device case of claim 12, wherein said lens attachment interface comprises a micro-bayonet interface.

16. The protective mobile device case of claim 1, wherein said battery is configured for powering the mobile device when the device battery is low or out of power.

17. The protective mobile device case of claim 1, wherein said battery is configured for powering the mobile device when the device battery is out of power.

18. A protective mobile device case for coupling around a mobile device that includes a miniature camera module, comprising:

a lens attachment interface comprising a case housing configured both to securely couple around at least a portion of the periphery and back of the camera-enabled mobile device and to define therein a lens attachment aperture shaped both to permit light from an object to be captured as a digital image to travel along the optical path of the miniature camera module to a built-in image sensor of the miniature camera module of the mobile device, and to facilitate stable coupling of a removable lens in optical alignment with the miniature camera module;

electrical circuitry including a processor that is programmable by a software application in accordance with a lens recognition process, selectable pre-capture settings or post-capture image editing or combinations thereof; and

a battery installed in the case that is configured for powering the electrical circuitry of the case or for powering the mobile device when the device battery is low or out of power, or combinations thereof.

19. The protective mobile device case of claim 18, comprising a removable lens assembly coupled to the case in stable alignment along the optical path of the miniature camera module.

20. The protective mobile device case of claim 18, wherein the case housing comprises an overmold.

21. The protective mobile device case of claim 20, wherein the overmold comprises polycarbonate with thermoplastic.

22. The protective mobile device case of claim 20, wherein the overmold comprises polycarbonate with TPU/silicone.

23. The protective mobile device case of claim 18, comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) having said electrical circuitry including said processor coupled thereto.

24. The protective mobile device case of claim 18, wherein the lens attachment aperture comprises an hourglass shape including a camera half and a flash half.

25. The protective mobile device case of claim 24, wherein the camera half of the camera flash aperture comprises a lens attachment aperture.

26. The protective mobile device case of claim 25, wherein the camera half is raised out of plane with the flash half to accommodate coupling with a coupling interface of a removable lens assembly.

27. The protective mobile device case of claim 25, wherein the camera half has an elongated shape to accommodate coupling with an elongated coupling interface of a removable lens assembly by insertion and rotation.

28. The protective mobile device case of claim 25, wherein said lens attachment interface comprises a micro-bayonet interface.

29. The protective mobile device case of claim 18, wherein said battery is configured for powering the mobile device when the device battery is low or out of power.

30. The protective mobile device case of claim 18, wherein said battery is configured for powering the mobile device when the device battery is out of power.

31. The protective mobile device case of claim 18, wherein said lens attachment interface is configured for coupling with removable lens assemblies comprising multiple lens types including wide angle and telephoto lens types.

32. An auxiliary optical assembly for a mobile device that includes a miniature camera module, comprising:

a auxiliary lens assembly including a lens holder, a lens coupled to the lens holder, and a coupling interface; and

a lens attachment interface that is configured for coupling to said mobile device, and that defines a lens attachment aperture shaped both to permit light from an object to be captured as a digital image to travel along the optical path of the miniature camera module to a built-in image sensor of the miniature camera module of the mobile device, and to facilitate stable coupling of the auxiliary lens assembly in optical alignment with the miniature camera module; and

wherein the lens attachment interface comprises a mobile device case that is coupled around the mobile device, and

wherein the case includes a processor and electrical circuitry that is programmable by a software application in accordance with a lens recognition process, selectable pre-capture settings or post-capture image editing or combinations thereof, and

wherein the case includes a battery installed in the case that is configured for powering the electrical circuitry of the case or for powering the mobile device when the device battery is low or out of power, or combinations thereof.

33. The auxiliary optical assembly of claim 32, wherein the case comprises a weight distribution that balances auxiliary lens weight with a heavier case weight at an opposite side of said case as said auxiliary lens assembly.

34. The auxiliary optical assembly of claim 32, wherein the case comprises a capacitive slider feature or an aperture exposing a camera slider to scroll through precapture menu items, select certain items, adjust certain precapture settings or capture an image, or combinations thereof.

35. The auxiliary optical assembly of claim 32, wherein the lens attachment aperture comprises an hourglass shape including a camera half and a flash half.

36. The auxiliary optical assembly of claim 35, wherein the camera half of the camera flash aperture comprises a lens attachment aperture.

37. The auxiliary optical assembly of claim 36, wherein the camera half is raised out of plane with the flash half to accommodate coupling with a coupling interface of a removable lens assembly.

38. The auxiliary optical assembly of claim 36, wherein the camera half has an elongated shape to accommodate coupling with an elongated coupling interface of a removable lens assembly by insertion and rotation.

39. The auxiliary optical assembly of claim 36, wherein said lens attachment interface comprises a micro-bayonet interface.

40. The auxiliary optical assembly of claim 32, wherein said battery is configured for powering the mobile device when the device battery is low or out of power.

41. The auxiliary optical assembly of claim 32, wherein said battery is configured for powering the mobile device when the device battery is out of power.

42. The auxiliary optical assembly of claim 32, wherein said lens attachment interface is configured for coupling with removable lens assemblies comprising multiple lens types including wide angle and telephoto lens types.