Attachable carrier having an optical accessory for a portable electronic device

• US 7,324,156 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2003
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lohr, Phillips W., Harshbarger, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Henn; Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US10/429,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20040218081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 348373-376, 348/360, 348/335, 396/71, 396/529, 396/530
• US Class Current: 348/375
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 15/10 by adding a part, e.g. close-up attachment
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/00 Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements

Abstract

A portability enhancement device (100) for enhancing portability and optical capability of a portable electronic device (102) equipped with a camera (108) and camera lens (110) is provided. The portability enhancement device (100) includes an attachment assembly (112) having a coupling interface (120) attachable to the portable electronic device (102), an optical accessory (122) disposed about the coupling interface (120), and a carrier (124) attached to the attachment assembly (112). When the portability enhancement device (100) is attached to the portable electronic device (102), the portability and the optical function of the portable electronic device (102) is enhanced.

Claims

1. An attachable portability enhancement device for a portable electronic device equipped with a camera and a camera lens, the attachable portability enhancement device comprising:

an attachment body having a first surface and a second surface;

a coupling interface disposed on the first surface of the attachment body, the coupling interface configured to attach to the portable electronic device;

an optical accessory coupled to the coupling interface, the optical accessory being optically coupled to the camera lens when the attachable portability enhancement device is attached to the portable electronic device by the coupling interface; and

a carrier attached to the attachment body, wherein the carrier comprises an extension arm having a first arm end and a second arm end, the first arm end located at an opposite end of the extension arm from the second arm end; and

wherein the carrier further comprises a base arm having a first base end and a second base end, the first base end located at an opposite end of the base arm from the second base end, the first base end moveably coupled to the first arm end, wherein the attachment body is coupled to the second base end.

2. The attachable portability enhancement device of claim 1, wherein the carrier further comprises a clamping spring coupled to the extension arm at the first arm end and to the base arm at the first base end.

3. The attachable portability enhancement device of claim 1, further comprising a lens protection cover, the lens protection cover detachably coupled to the attachment body.

4. The attachable portability enhancement device of claim 1, wherein the optical accessory is a zoom lens.

5. the attachable portability enhancement device of claim 1, wherein the optical accessory is an optical filter.

6. The attachable portability enhancement device of claim 1, wherein the optical accessory is one of an adjustable optical device, an interchangeable optical device, and a selectable optical device.

7. The attachable portability enhancement device of claim 6, wherein the selectable optical device comprises a plurality of optical devices.

8. The attachable portability enhancement device of claim 1, wherein the carrier attached to the attachment body is a lanyard.

9. A portable communication device having a camera and a camera lens, the portable communication device comprising:

a housing, the housing including a transceiver circuitry within the portable communication device, the housing having a first coupling interface;

an attachment body having first and second surfaces, the attachment body having a second coupling interface attachable to the portable communication device by the first coupling interface, the attachment body having an optical accessory coupled to the second coupling interface, wherein the optical accessory is configured to optically couple to the camera lens when the attachment body is attached to the portable communication device; and

a carrier attached to the attachment device, wherein the carrier comprises an extension arm having a first arm end and a second arm end, the first arm end located at an opposite end of the extension arm from the second arm end; and

wherein the carrier further comprises a base arm having a first base end and a second base end, the first base end located at an opposite end of the base arm from the second base end, the first base end moveably coupled to the first arm end,

wherein the attachment body is coupled to the second base end.

10. The portable communication device of claim 9, wherein the carrier further comprises a clamping spring coupled to the extension arm at the first arm end and to the base arm at the first base end.

11. An attachable portability enhancement device for a portable electronic device equipped with a camera and a camera lens, the attachable portability enhancement device comprising:

an attachment body having a first surface and a second surface;

a coupling interface disposed on the first surface of the attachment body, the coupling interface configured to attach to the portable electronic device;

an optical accessory coupled to the coupling interface, the optical accessory configured to optically couple to the camera lens when the attachable portability enhancement device is attached to the portable electronic device by the coupling interface, wherein the optical accessory is one of an adjustable optical device, an interchangeable optical device, and a selectable optical device comprising a plurality of optical devices; and

a carrier coupled to the attachment body, the carrier comprising an extension arm having a first arm end and a second arm end, the first arm end located at an opposite end of the extension arm from the second arm end, a base arm having a first base end and a second base end, the first base end located at an opposite end of the base arm from the second base end, the first base end moveably coupled to the first arm end by a clamping spring, wherein the second base end is coupled to the attachment body.