WATERPROOF CASE FOR HAND HELD COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20120262618A1
• Filed: 04/15/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Amphibian Labs LLC
• Original Assignee: Amphibian Labs LLC
• Inventors: Weakly, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US13/447,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20120262618A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.01
• 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 11/22 Watertight containers for use while swimming
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/008 for making water- or air-tight
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/025 Portable cases
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/122 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

The invention comprises a waterproof housing, which protects and allows operation of a hand held computer 40 (FIG. 2) while underwater, an electronic dock 38 (FIG. 2) which interfaces with said computer, a pressure resistant user interface, and a software application installed on said computer which allows interaction with and access to native sensors and electronics for the purpose of providing a multifunctional diving apparatus. The invention provides function of an underwater camera and dive computer and associates collected sensor data with a dive event to automatically generate a dive log. Additionally the invention provides a novel touchscreen interface 85 (FIG. 10) suitable for underwater use.

Claims

1. A case for protecting a hand held computer under water, the case comprising:

a. a waterproof housing defining a receptacle for holding the hand held computer;

b. an electronic dock connected to said housing;

c. a plurality of buttons extending from an outer surface of said housing and electronically connected to said electronic dock, wherein said buttons transmit control signals to the hand held computer through said electronic dock.

2. A case for protecting a hand held computer according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises at least two portions connected by a hinge for opening and closing said housing.

3. A combination of apparatuses allowing a handheld computer to be used under water, the combination comprising:

a. a waterproof housing defining a receptacle;

b. an electronic dock connected to said housing;

c. a hand held computer mounted to said electronic dock and held within said waterproof housing;

d. a plurality of buttons extending from an outer surface of said housing and electronically connected to said electronic dock, wherein said buttons transmit control signals to said hand held computer through said electronic dock.

4. A combination according to claim 3, wherein said hand held computer further comprises a display and non-transitory computer readable media storing a software application that runs on said hand held computer, wherein said software application displays visible data on said display when said display is activated, said visible data including a depth measurement for said hand held computer and a no decompression time limit for a user operating said hand held computer.

5. A combination according to claim 4, wherein said software application displays command icons on said touchscreen in a predetermined pattern, and said buttons on said housing are arranged in said predetermined pattern.

6. A combination according to claim 4, wherein said software application provides more than one screen of content and provides a method of transition between screens using commands from said plurality of buttons.

7. A combination according to claim 4, wherein said software application animates location changes of diving parameters on said computer display during transitions between screens providing knowledge of where the information is displayed on the subsequent screen.

8. A combination according to claim 4, wherein said software application controls activation of external flash through wireless optical communication using a light from said computing device to synchronize firing of said external flash with the capture of an image using a camera from said computing device.

9. A combination according to claim 4, wherein said software application creates a dive event record stored into said computer memory based on input from said electronics module and populates said dive event record with parameters measured by said electronics module and associates captured photographs and video to said dive event record.