Image redirection system for mobile devices

• US 9,019,420 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Covr LLC
• Original Assignee: Covr LLC
• Inventors: Hurst, Thomas J., Vincent, Stephen T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garces-Rivera, Angel L
• Application Number:
  US14/081,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20140171150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/337
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/563 Camera grips, handles means in general for steadying hand-held apparatus F16M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/565 Optical accessories, e.g. converters for close-up photography, tele-convertors, wide-angle convertors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors

Abstract

An image redirection system having a case that includes a body configured to removably attach to a mobile device, and an optical housing on the body, the optical housing configured to position one or more optical elements over the mobile device lens and flash unit when the case is attached to the mobile device. The optical housing is configured to enable one-handed operation such that a user can deploy and retract the optical housing with only one digit of a hand that holds the case and enable operation of the camera with another finger or thumb of the holding hand.

Claims

1. A case for a mobile device having a camera with a lens and a flash unit, the case comprising:

a body configured to removably attach to the mobile device;

at least one optical elements configured to redirect light; and

an optical housing on the body, the optical housing configured enclose the at least one optical element and to selectively position the at least one optical element over the mobile device lens when the case is attached to the mobile device to redirect light from outside the optical housing to the camera lens, the optical housing further comprising a projection configured to enable a user to grasp the camera with only one hand and to manipulate the camera and the at least one optical element with a single digit of the one hand that holds the case selectively move the at least one optical element between a first position, in which the at least one optical element is at an angle to the mobile device and positioned over the mobile device lens to redirect light from the outside of the optical housing to the camera lens, and a second position, in which the at least one optical element remains at the angle to the mobile device but is not positioned over the camera lens and does not redirect light from the outside of the optical housing to the camera lens.

2. The case of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical element includes one or more transparent prisms.

3. The case of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical element includes one or more light pipes.

4. The case of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical element is configured to alter the image projected on the lens for a photo imaging effect.

5. The case of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical element is configured to optically isolate the camera lens and the flash unit on the mobile device.

6. The case of claim 5, wherein the at least one optical element comprises a first optical element configured to refract light entering the lens at an angle in the range from about 1 degree to and including 90 degrees and a second optical element configured to refract light leaving the optical housing from a flash unit at an angle in the range from about 1 degree to and including 90 degrees.

7. The case of claim 1, wherein the optical element is configured to have an orientation between the optical element and the mobile device camera lens manipulated by the digit of the user'"'"'s hand that holds the case.

8. The case of claim 1, wherein the optical element is configured to rotate around an axis transverse to a plane of the body.

9. The case of claim 1, wherein the optical housing has a sliding mechanism configured to enable the user'"'"'s digit to slide the optical element into a first position over the camera lens and into a second position that is not over the camera lens.

10. The case of claim 9, comprising an alignment controller configured to align the optical housing by forcing the optical housing into the first position or the second position.

11. The case of claim 9, wherein the optical housing includes a detent mechanism configured to secure the optical housing into the first position or the second position.

12. The case of claim 9, wherein the optical housing is configured to rotate around an optical axis of the camera lens.

13. The case of claim 1, wherein the optical housing is configured to be removable from the body for storage, portability or reconfiguration.

14. The case of claim 1 wherein the body and the optical housing are sized and shaped to have a low profile in which the optical housing has a height in the range of 8-14 mm.

15. An apparatus for a mobile device having a camera with a lens and flash unit, the apparatus comprising:

a body configured to removably attach to the mobile device;

a contoured housing on the body, the contoured housing having side walls and a top wall coupled to the side walls, and configured to allow light to pass from an exterior of the apparatus to the lens, the top wall configured to receive a digit on a user'"'"'s hand to enable a user to brace the body against the user'"'"'s hand to facilitate one-handed operation of the mobile device; and

an optical element associated with the contoured housing and configured to redirect light from the exterior of the contoured housing to the lens of the mobile device, the optical housing configured to be operated to selectively move the optical element between a first position, in which the optical element is at an angle to the mobile device and positioned over the mobile device lens to redirect light from the outside of the optical housing to the camera lens, and a second position, in which the optical element remains at the angle to the mobile device but is not positioned over the camera lens and does not redirect light from the outside of the optical housing to the camera lens.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the top wall of the contoured housing is convex and sized and shaped to receive only the single digit of the user'"'"'s hand.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the convex top wall of the contoured housing is textured to provide friction for the single digit of the user'"'"'s hand.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the optical element is configured to optically isolate the camera lens and the flash unit on the mobile device.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein an orientation of the optical element with respect to the mobile device camera lens can be manipulated by the digit of the user'"'"'s hand that holds the case.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the contoured housing has a sliding mechanism configured to enable the user'"'"'s digit to slide the optical element into a first position over the camera lens and into a second position that is not over the camera lens.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the contoured housing is configured to be removed from the body for storage, portability or reconfiguration.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the optical element refracts light entering the contoured housing at an angle in the range from about 1 degree to and including 90 degrees into the lens.

23. A system, comprising:

a mobile device having a camera, a lens and a flash unit; and

a case comprising;

a body configured to removably attach to the mobile device;

at least one optical element; and

an optical housing on the body and configured to position the at least one optical element over the mobile device lens when the case is attached to the mobile device, the optical housing further comprising a projection configured to enable a user to hold the camera with a single hand and to manipulate the camera and the at least one optical element with a single digit of the single hand that holds the case to selectively move the at least one optical element between a first position, in which the at least one optical element is at an angle to the mobile device and positioned over the mobile device lens to redirect light from the outside of the optical housing to the camera lens, and a second position, in which the at least one optical element remains at the angle to the mobile device but is not positioned over the camera lens and does not redirect light from the outside of the optical housing to the camera lens.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the housing includes a top wall that is convex and sized and shaped to receive only the single digit of the user'"'"'s hand.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the convex top wall of the contoured housing is textured to provide friction for the single digit of the user'"'"'s hand.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one optical element is configured to optically isolate the camera lens and the flash unit on the mobile device.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one optical element is configured to have an orientation between the at least one optical element and the mobile device camera lens changed by the digit of the user'"'"'s hand that holds the case.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the optical housing has a sliding mechanism configured to enable the user'"'"'s digit to slide the at least one optical element into a first position over the camera lens and into a second position that is not over the camera lens.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the optical housing is configured to be removed from the body for storage, portability or reconfiguration.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one optical element refracts light entering the optical housing at an angle in the range from about 1 degree to and including 90 degrees into the lens.

31. The system of claim 23 wherein the optical housing encloses the at least one optical element.