MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM INCLUDING NFC CARRYING CASE AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20130309966A1
• Filed: 05/18/2012
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: ALDANA, Leonardo, SCHARKOV, John Ivan, SMART, Andrew Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 9,923,587 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications system may include a mobile wireless communications device that may include a portable housing, a wireless transceiver carried by the portable housing, and a processor carried by the portable housing and coupled to the wireless transceiver. The mobile wireless communications device may also include a near-field communication (NFC) device coupled to the processor. An NFC carrying case may carry and communicate with the mobile wireless communications device. The NFC carrying case may include a base panel to carry the mobile wireless communications device, and a removable cover panel coupled to the base panel. The NFC carrying case may also include pairs of discontinuous NFC circuit segments carried by the removable cover panel and switch assemblies carried by the removable cover panel. Each switch assembly may selectively couple a respective pair of discontinuous NFC circuit segments to establish NFC communication with the NFC device.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications system comprising:

a mobile wireless communications device comprising

a portable housing,

a wireless transceiver carried by said portable housing,

a processor carried by said portable housing and coupled to said wireless transceiver, and

a near-field communication (NFC) device coupled to said processor;

an NFC carrying case configured to carry and communicate with said mobile wireless communications device and comprising

a base panel configured to carry said mobile wireless communications device,

a removable cover panel coupled to said base panel and configured to removably cover at least one side of said mobile wireless communications device,

a plurality of pairs of discontinuous NFC circuit segments carried by said removable cover panel, and

a plurality of switch assemblies each carried by said removable cover panel, each switch assembly configured to selectively couple a respective pair of discontinuous NFC circuit segments to establish NFC communication with said NFC device.

2. The mobile wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein each pair of discontinuous NFC circuit segments comprises a pair of discontinuous conductive traces.

3. The mobile wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein each pair of discontinuous NFC circuit segments comprises a pair of flexible discontinuous NFC circuit segments.

4. The mobile wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of switch assemblies comprises an NFC controller.

5. The mobile wireless communications system of claim 4, wherein each NFC controller has a different function associated therewith.

6. The mobile wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of switch assemblies comprises an array of input keys.

7. The mobile wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of switch assemblies is carried by an inner surface of said removable cover panel.

8. The mobile wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein said NFC carrying case further comprises a hinge panel coupled between said base panel and said removable cover panel.

9. The mobile wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein said NFC carrying case further comprises a frame extending outwardly from said base panel;

and wherein said mobile wireless communications device is carried within said frame.

10. An NFC carrying case for an adjacent mobile wireless communications device comprising a portable housing, a wireless transceiver carried by the portable housing, a processor carried by the portable housing and coupled to the wireless transceiver, and a near-field communication (NFC) device coupled to the processor, the NFC carrying case comprising:

a base panel configured to carry the mobile wireless communications device;

a removable cover panel coupled to said base panel and configured to removably cover at least one side of the mobile wireless communications device;

a plurality of pairs of discontinuous NFC circuit segments carried by said removable cover panel; and

a plurality of switch assemblies each carried by said removable cover panel, each switch assembly configured to selectively couple a respective pair of discontinuous NFC circuit segments to establish NFC communication with the NFC device.

11. The NFC carrying case of claim 10, wherein each pair of discontinuous NFC circuit segments comprises a pair of discontinuous conductive traces.

12. The NFC carrying case of claim 10, wherein each pair of discontinuous NFC circuit segments comprises a pair of flexible discontinuous NFC circuit segments.

13. The NFC carrying case of claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of switch assemblies comprises an NFC controller.

14. The NFC carrying case of claim 13, wherein each NFC controller has a different function associated therewith.

15. The NFC carrying case of claim 10, wherein said plurality of switch assemblies comprises an array of input keys.

16. The NFC carrying case of claim 10, wherein said plurality of switch assemblies is carried by an inner surface of said removable cover panel.

17. The NFC carrying case of claim 10, further comprising a hinge panel coupled between said base panel and said removable cover panel.

18. The NFC carrying case of claim 10, further comprising a frame extending outwardly from said base panel;

and wherein the mobile wireless communications device is carried within said frame.

19. A method of making an NFC carrying case for a mobile wireless communications device comprising a portable housing, a wireless transceiver carried by the portable housing, a processor carried by the portable housing and coupled to the wireless transceiver, and a near-field communication (NFC) device coupled to the processor, the method comprising:

forming a base panel to carry the mobile wireless communications device, and a removable cover panel coupled to the base panel to removably cover at least one side of the mobile wireless communications device;

positioning a plurality of pairs of discontinuous NFC circuit segments in the removable cover panel; and

positioning a plurality of switch assemblies on the removable cover panel, each switch assembly for selectively coupling a respective pair of discontinuous NFC circuit segments to establish NFC communication with the NFC device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein each pair of discontinuous NFC circuit segments comprises a pair of discontinuous conductive traces.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein each pair of discontinuous NFC circuit segments comprises a pair of flexible discontinuous NFC circuit segments.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of switch assemblies comprises an NFC controller.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein each NFC controller has a different function associated therewith.