Multifunctional cover integrated into sub-panel of portable electronic device
First Claim
1. An electronic device comprising:
- a housing;
a bus disposed within said housing;
a connector for the bus positioned within the housing;
a processor disposed within said housing and coupled to said bus;
a cover removeably coupled to the housing, the cover being removable to expose the connector,wherein an internal surface of the cover includes circuitry for receiving signals having a designated electrical characteristic, said signals being received using a wireless medium, the cover being configured to receive and extend the signals to the connector and the bus, and wherein an external surface of the cover includes a contact element for coupling to an external accessory or device.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cover for an opening in the housing of a portable electronic device that provides a function in addition to that of protecting the opening from dirt. The cover can be coupled to the housing so that it can move between a closed position within the housing'"'"'s surface recess and an open position that allows access to the opening in the housing. In the closed position, the cover becomes part of the housing and the of the device is generally unchanged. The cover can function as an antenna for wireless communication between the device and a network or access point, and it can contain circuitry for devices such as transmitter/receivers. The cover can also function as a display device, a speaker, or an alarm. Thus an existing cover that occupies space within the volume of a handheld device can be utilized for expanding the functionality of the device while generally retaining the current form factor of the device.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An electronic device comprising:
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a housing; a bus disposed within said housing; a connector for the bus positioned within the housing; a processor disposed within said housing and coupled to said bus; a cover removeably coupled to the housing, the cover being removable to expose the connector, wherein an internal surface of the cover includes circuitry for receiving signals having a designated electrical characteristic, said signals being received using a wireless medium, the cover being configured to receive and extend the signals to the connector and the bus, and wherein an external surface of the cover includes a contact element for coupling to an external accessory or device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A device comprising:
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circuitry, included on an internal surface of the device, for coupling said device to an electronic device; circuitry for (i) performing a function synergistically with a function performed by said electronic device, and (ii) enabling said electronic device to receive an input from an external accessory or device in contact with an external surface of said device; wherein said device is sized and shaped to serve as a cover for a housing of said electronic device, wherein said device is configured to enclose over a connector provided within the housing and enable a signal processing function by which a signal from another device or location is received through one or more elements of the device and extended to the connector. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification