CARRYING CASE USED WITH A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20140333542A1
• Filed: 05/10/2013
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: BARRECA, Matteo Demetrio
• Application Number:
  US13/891,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20140333542A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

The present disclosure is generally directed to a carrying case device or apparatus and methods by which a user of a portable electronic device—such as tablet computer, smart phone, game display or navigation device—can use the portable electronic device with the carrying case. The carrying case includes a holder that is configured to receive the portable electronic device, a keyboard section that includes a physical keyboard, and a cover section. The carrying case may be arranged in different configurations. The portable electronic device may automatically detect the configuration of the carrying case and can set or adjust its own functionality accordingly.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a holder configured to receive a portable electronic device;

a keyboard section, the keyboard section comprising a physical keyboard, the keyboard section physically coupled to the holder by a second foldable portion; and

a cover section physically coupled to the keyboard section by a first foldable portion.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the holder, the keyboard section and the cover section are arranged laterally.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the keyboard section further comprises a frame.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the frame defines a void.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein a length of the keyboard section is less than the length of the cover section.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first foldable portion defines an opening.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the physical keyboard comprises an alphanumeric keyboard.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a detectable element.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the holder comprises a shell-type receptacle sized and shaped to receive the portable electronic device.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a connector configured to electrically connect with a connector interface on the portable electronic device.

11. A method carried by a portable electronic device received in a carrying case,

the carrying case having a cover section, a keyboard section having a physical keyboard and a holder configured to receive the portable electronic device,

the portable electronic device having a display, the method comprising:

receiving at least one detector signal;

determining a configuration of the carrying case as a function of the detector signal; and

operating a function of the portable electronic device as a function of the configuration.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the configuration of the carrying case comprises determining that the keyboard section covers the display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein operating the function of the portable electronic device comprises displaying an image on a subset area of the display.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising establishing communication with the physical keyboard and receiving an input signal from the physical keyboard.