CASE FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE WITH FLASH AND CAMERA CONTROLS

• US 20120282977A1
• Filed: 05/01/2012
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Haleluk
• Original Assignee: Robert Haleluk
• Inventors: Haleluk, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,197,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724092 Interfacing with an external cover providing additional functionalities

Abstract

A mobile device case is formed with a hollow case housing for receiving a mobile device and controlling a mobile device camera therein. The mobile device includes a case connector for electronically connecting the case to the mobile device at insertion of the mobile device into the hollow case housing and at least one camera control actuator for controlling operation of the mobile device camera, when the mobile device is present in the hollow case housing. The hollow case housing comprises a first housing section and a second housing section that comes together by respective tongue and groove elements to thereby encapsulate the mobile device.

Claims

1. A case for controlling a camera within a mobile device, comprising:

a hollow case housing configured for receiving the mobile device therein;

a case connector for electronically connecting the case to the mobile device at insertion of the mobile device into the hollow case housing; and

at least one camera control actuator for controlling operation of the mobile device camera, when the mobile device is present in the hollow case housing.

2. The case as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one camera control actuator generates control signals that are coupled through the case connector to the mobile device camera, when the mobile device is present in the hollow case housing.

3. The case as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a case controller, wherein the at least one actuator generates case control signals that are processed by the case controller and wherein the case controller generates camera control signals that are coupled through the case connector to the mobile device camera, when the mobile device is present in the hollow case housing.

4. The case as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one camera control actuator comprises any of the group consisting of an image capture switch, a zoom control switch, a flash control switch and a camera function activation switch.

5. The case as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a flash strobe.

6. The case as set forth in claim 5, wherein the flash strobe is actuated by the at least one camera control actuator and synchronized to exhibit a flash with opening of a shutter of the mobile device camera, when the mobile device is present in the hollow case housing.

7. The case as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a flash controller that manages flash parameters including synchronizing the flash with the opening of the shutter of the mobile device camera.

8. The case as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a flash controller that manages flash parameters, wherein the flash controller is coupled via the case connector to the mobile device camera, which synchronizes the flash with the opening of the shutter of the mobile device camera, when the mobile device is present in the hollow case housing.

9. The case as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a battery unit including a battery and a battery charging port for receiving a connector for recharging the battery.

10. The case as set forth in claim 1, wherein the battery unit further includes a battery status indicator mounted in the case housing.

11. The case as set forth in claim 1, further comprising cutouts in the case housing position to allow exposure of and direct access to mobile device camera actuators, when the mobile device is present in the hollow case housing.

12. A mobile device case formed with a hollow case housing for receiving a mobile device and controlling a mobile device camera therein, the case comprising:

a case connector for electronically connecting the case to the mobile device at insertion of the mobile device into the hollow case housing;

at least one camera control actuator for controlling operation of the mobile device camera, when the mobile device is present in the hollow case housing; and

wherein the hollow case housing comprises first and second housing sections that connect with respective tongue and groove elements to form the hollow case housing.

13. The mobile device case as set forth in claim 12, wherein the first housing section is formed with an ergonomic grip for improved case handling.

14. The mobile device case as set forth in claim 12, wherein the first housing section is formed with cut-out areas in order to allow access through the mobile device case of mobile device camera control actuators when the mobile device is present in the hollow case housing.

15. The mobile device case as set forth in claim 14, wherein one of the cut-out areas comprises a camera lens opening in the hollow case housing.

16. The mobile device case as set forth in claim 14, wherein the hollow case housing is formed with plastic or metal.

17. The mobile device case as set forth in claim 12, wherein the first housing section includes a flash device that is controlled to flash synchronously with image capture by the mobile device camera, when the mobile device is present in the hollow case housing.

18. The mobile device case as set forth in claim 14, wherein the first housing section includes a battery unit that supplies electrical power at least for the flash device.

19. The mobile device case as set forth in claim 14, wherein the first housing section includes a USB port for allowing insertion of a USB connector to connect directly to a mobile device if present in the mobile device case.