Mobile device case for capturing digital images

• US 10,313,568 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2017
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• 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): Henn, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US15/671,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20180027156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 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 for coupling around a mobile device that includes a miniature camera module has defined 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 an auxiliary lens in optical alignment with the miniature camera module. The case comprises electric circuit components positioned to balance an attached auxiliary lens approximately at a grip location.

Claims

1. A mobile camera system, comprising:

a camera-enabled, mobile device;

including a miniature camera module embedded within the mobile device including a built-in lens and an image sensor for capturing digital images;

a mobile device processor configured for processing the digital images;

a mobile device display for viewing the digital images;

a case housing coupled around the camera-enabled mobile device, said case housing being configured with a center of gravity approximately at an image capture grip location of the case housing;

a lens attachment interface embedded within or integral with the case,

an auxiliary lens coupled to the lens attachment interface and stably aligned along the optical path of the miniature camera module,

wherein the lens attachment interface is configured to receive a micro-bayonet or other protrusion of said auxiliary lens that closes a circuit when said lens is attached; and

wherein said case housing has therein disposed a case processor and electrical circuit components that are configured to detect the presence of the auxiliary lens coupled stably in said optical alignment with said miniature camera module, and a case battery that is configured to power the mobile device when the mobile device is low on battery power or is out of battery power, and

wherein the lens attachment interface defines a lens mount cavity that accommodates said micro-bayonet or other protrusion of said auxiliary lens, and

wherein the lens attachment interface defines a flash cavity that permits a built-in flash of said mobile device to illuminate an object to be imaged without being blocked by the lens attachment interface, and

wherein the lens attachment interface includes one or more detent lens coupling features for contacting said micro-bayonet or other protrusion of said auxiliary lens to close said circuit when said lens is attached.

2. The mobile camera system of claim 1, wherein said case processor and electrical circuit components are disposed at a grip end of the case housing.

3. The mobile camera system of claim 1, wherein said case processor and electrical circuit components are configured to identify the auxiliary lens as comprising a specific lens type.

4. The mobile camera system of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit components comprise a Bluetooth radio.

5. The mobile camera system of claim 1, wherein the case housing defines a auxiliary lens recess configured to accommodate lens integration along said optical path of said miniature camera module.

6. The mobile camera system of claim 1, wherein said lens attachment interface is configured to receive said micro-bayonet or other protrusion of said auxiliary lens, and wherein said lens attachment interface is configured for rotatably coupling said auxiliary lens in stable alignment along the optical path of the miniature camera module of the mobile camera system.

7. The mobile camera system of claim 1, comprising a software application stored therein for programming the case processor in accordance with selectable pre-capture settings and/or post-capture image editing or both.

8. The mobile camera system of claim 7, wherein the case comprises one or more auxiliary light sources, and said software application is configured to program said processor to perform a pre-capture settings adjustment of an illumination condition for the one or more auxiliary light sources.

9. The mobile camera system of claim 1, wherein said micro-bayonet or other protrusion of said auxiliary lens includes detent features that are unique to each lens type and complete unique circuits such that a different voltage or current is measured depending on which lens type is attached at the lens attachment interface.

10. The mobile camera system of claim 9, wherein the case housing defines an auxiliary lens recess configured to accommodate lens integration along said optical path of said miniature camera module and wherein said case housing is configured to offset torque about a grip location caused by at least some auxiliary lens weight in two dimensions.

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

a case housing configured for coupling around a camera-enabled mobile device,

a lens attachment interface embedded within or integral with the case and configured for coupling an auxiliary lens stably in optical alignment with said miniature camera module with a center of gravity approximately at an image capture grip location of the case housing,

wherein the lens attachment interface is configured to receive a micro-bayonet or other protrusion of said auxiliary lens that closes a circuit when said lens is attached;

wherein said case housing has therein disposed a case processor and electrical circuitry that are configured to detect the presence of the auxiliary lens when said lens is coupled stably in said optical alignment with said miniature camera module, and a case battery that is configured to power the mobile device when the mobile device is low on battery power or is out of battery power,

wherein the case is configured 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 said stable coupling of said auxiliary lens in optical alignment with said miniature camera module, and

wherein the lens attachment interface defines a lens mount cavity that accommodates said micro-bayonet or other protrusion of said auxiliary lens, and

wherein the lens attachment interface defines a flash cavity that permits a built-in flash of said mobile device to illuminate an object to be imaged without being blocked by the lens attachment interface, and

wherein the lens attachment interface includes one or more detent lens coupling features for contacting said micro-bayonet or other protrusion of said auxiliary lens to close said circuit when said lens is attached.

12. The mobile device case of claim 11, wherein the lens attachment aperture is shaped to stably couple said lens attachment interface with the case.

13. The mobile device case of claim 11, wherein the lens attachment aperture is shaped to integrally include said lens attachment interface.

14. The mobile device case of claim 11, wherein the case housing defines an auxiliary lens recess configured to accommodate lens integration along said optical path of said miniature camera module.

15. The mobile device case of claim 11, wherein said lens attachment interface is configured to receive said micro-bayonet or other protrusion of said auxiliary lens, and wherein said lens attachment interface is configured for rotatably coupling said auxiliary lens in stable alignment along the optical path of the miniature camera module of the mobile camera system.

16. The mobile device case of claim 11, comprising a software application stored therein for programming the case processor in accordance with selectable pre-capture settings and/or post-capture image editing or both.

17. The mobile device case of claim 16, wherein the case comprises one or more auxiliary light sources, and said software application is configured to program said processor to perform a pre-capture settings adjustment of an illumination condition for the one or more auxiliary light sources.

18. The mobile device case of claim 11, wherein said micro-bayonet or other protrusion of said auxiliary lens includes detent features that are unique to each lens type and complete unique circuits such that a different voltage or current is measured depending on which lens type is attached at the lens attachment interface.

19. The mobile device case of claim 11, wherein said case processor and electrical circuit components are configured to identify the auxiliary lens as comprising a specific lens type.

20. The mobile device case of claim 11, wherein the electrical circuit components comprise a Bluetooth radio.