Mobile Device Case

• US 20170018132A1
• Filed: 07/15/2015
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tang, Chih-Wei, Aghai-yazdi, Darioush, Redda, Yonathan, Feldman, Casey Bryan, Seagraves, Jamel, Aich, Sudipto
• Granted Patent: US 9,741,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00507 keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/25 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

An example mobile device case is described. In one implementation, the mobile device case includes a housing that surrounds at least a portion of a mobile device. A capacitive touch button is disposed on the housing and associated with a vehicle function. A user activation sensor initiates monitoring of the capacitive touch button in response to a user contact. A vehicle control module senses activation of the capacitive touch button and, in response to sensing the activation, initiates the associated vehicle function.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a mobile computing device having a front side and a back side;

a housing protecting the mobile computing device and having a back portion overlaying at least a portion of the back side;

a capacitive touch button located on the back portion of the housing and associated with a vehicle function;

a user activation sensor configured to initiate monitoring of the capacitive touch button responsive to a user contact; and

a vehicle control module configured to sense activation of the capacitive touch button during the monitoring and respond thereto by sending a signal to a vehicle instructing the vehicle to perform the vehicle function.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user activation sensor is a fingerprint sensor configured to read a user'"'"'s fingerprint.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user activation sensor is a swipe sensor configured to detect a swipe of a user'"'"'s finger.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle function includes at least one of lock vehicle doors, unlock vehicle doors, open trunk, activate vehicle alarm, deactivate vehicle alarm, initiate panic alert, and start vehicle engine.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control module generates the signal and sends the signal to the vehicle.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control module includes a vehicle control data generator configured to generate the signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the signal includes a unique code associated with the vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control module includes a mobile device manager configured to manage communication with the mobile computing device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control module includes a communication module configured to communicate with the mobile computing device and communicate with the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive touch button is hidden from view prior to initiating monitoring of the capacitive touch button.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive touch button is displayed on a capacitive touch screen.

12. A method comprising:

obtaining a system comprising (1) a mobile computing device having a front side and a back side and (2) a protective housing having a back portion overlaying at least a portion of the back side;

detecting activation of a user activation sensor based on a user contact with the user activation sensor, wherein the user activation sensor forms part of one of the mobile computing device and the protective housing;

initiating monitoring of a plurality of user interface buttons responsive to detecting activation of the user activation sensor, wherein the plurality of user interface buttons are located on the back portion of the protective housing;

detecting, by one or more processors during the monitoring, when one of the plurality of user interface buttons is activated; and

responding to detecting activation of the one of the plurality of user interface buttons by (1) generating a vehicle control data signal associated with a vehicle function assigned to the one of the plurality of user interface buttons, and (2) sending the vehicle control data signal to a vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting activation of a user activation sensor includes detecting activation of a swipe sensor by the user.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting activation of a user activation sensor includes detecting activation of a fingerprint sensor capable of reading the user'"'"'s fingerprint.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising authenticating the user'"'"'s fingerprint.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein initiating monitoring of a plurality of user interface buttons is performed after successful authentication of the user'"'"'s fingerprint.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors form part of the protective housing and are separate and distinct from all processors forming part of the mobile computing device.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the user activation sensor forms part of the mobile computing device.

19. A protective case for a mobile computing device, the case comprising:

a housing having a back portion overlaying at least a portion of a back side of the mobile computing device;

a plurality of buttons located on the back portion of the housing and associated with a plurality of vehicle functions;

a user activation sensor configured to initiate monitoring of the plurality of buttons responsive to a user contact; and

a vehicle control module configured to sense activation of a particular button of the plurality of buttons during the monitoring and respond thereto by (1) generating a signal instructing a particular vehicle to perform a particular function of the plurality of vehicle functions associated with the particular button and (2) send the signal to the particular vehicle.

20. The protective case of claim 19, wherein the signal includes a unique code associated with the particular vehicle.