Modular mobile device case

• US 9,288,295 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oliver Sandovski, Vladimir Ivanovski
• Original Assignee: Oliver Sandovski, Vladimir Ivanovski
• Inventors: Ivanovski, Vladimir, Sandovski, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Blane J
• Application Number:
  US14/555,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20150133204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724092 Interfacing with an external cover providing additional functionalities

Abstract

In preferred embodiments, an expandable and modular protective mobile device case apparatus comprises a protective shell configured to receive a mobile device; a circuit board located within the protective shell said circuit board comprising a USB hub and a mode selection switch, wherein the USB hub is in electrical communication with the mode selection switch; and a male plug member in electrical communication with the mode selection switch and configured to transfer electrical signals from the mode selection switch to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A case for mobile devices, the case comprising;

a. a protective shell configured to receive a mobile device;

b. a circuit board coupled to the protective shell said circuit board comprising a USB hub and a mode selection switch, wherein the USB hub is in electrical communication with the mode selection switch;

c. a male plug member in electrical communication with the mode selection switch and configured to transfer electrical signals from the mode selection switch to the mobile device.

2. The case of claim 1, wherein the mode selection switch provides electronic mode switching between a plurality of data sources.

3. The case of claim 1, wherein the case comprises a first expansion port positioned within the protective shell and having electrical contact points in electrical communication with the USB hub.

4. The case of claim 2, wherein the case comprises a second expansion port positioned within the protective shell and having electrical contact points in electrical communication with the USB hub.

5. The case of claim 3, wherein the case is configured to temporarily couple a first expansion module within the first expansion port, said first expansion module having a first end and a second end, and having electrical contact points on said first end and having a female connector on said second end, the electrical contact points on said first end adapted to operably engage with the electrical contact points of the first expansion port.

6. The case of claim 5, wherein the female connector is a female plug connector configured to act as a micro USB port.

7. The case of claim 5, wherein the female connector is a female plug connector configured to act as a microSD port.

8. The case according to claim 5, wherein the case is configured to temporarily couple a second expansion module, said second expansion module having a first end and a second end, and having electrical contact points on said first end and having a female connector on said second end, the electrical contact points on said first end adapted to operably engage with the electrical contact points of a second expansion port.

9. The case according to claim 1, further comprising a wireless charging receiver 23 in electrical communication with the mode selection switch and adapted to receive an electrical charge from an external power supply and transfer the electrical charge to the portable device.

10. The case according to claim 9, wherein the mode selection switch provides electrical communication between the male plug member and the USB hub, said electrical communication comprising:

a. a VCC +5 V electrical communication between the mode selection switch and the USB hub;

b. a Data + electrical communication between the mode selection switch and the USB hub;

c. a Data −

electrical communication between the mode selection switch and the USB hub; and

d. a Ground electrical communication between the mode selection switch and the USB hub.

11. The case according to claim 10, wherein the electrical communication between the male plug member and the mode selection switch is a USB OTG connection and the male plug member comprises a Sense electrical connection point connected to a Ground electrical connection point.

12. The case according to claim 11, further comprising a resistor between the Ground electrical connection point connection and the Sense electrical connection point.

13. The case according to claim 12, wherein the resistor has a resistance between 0 and 200 k ohms.

14. The case according to claim 13, wherein the resistor has a resistance of between 25-50 ohms.

15. The case according to claim 1, wherein the mode selection switch is configured to selectively provide electrical communication between the USB hub, a female plug member, and the male plug member.

16. The case according to claim 5, wherein the mode selection switch is configured to selectively provide electrical communication between the first expansion module in electrical communication with the USB hub, a female plug member, and the male plug member.

17. A case for mobile devices, the case comprising a protective shell layer, a circuit board secured within the shell layer configured to receive a plurality of data signals from a plurality of sources, a first expansion port configured to receive a first data signal and a second expansion port configured to receive a second data signal, said first and second expansion ports in electronic communication with the circuit board, and a male plug member in electronic communication with the circuit board and configured to transfer a data signal between a mobile device and the circuit board.

18. The case of claim 17, further comprising a first expansion module temporarily mounted within the protective shell layer and in electrical communication with the first expansion port and providing the first data signal.

19. The case of claim 18, further comprising a second expansion module temporarily mounted within the protective shell layer and in electrical communication with the second expansion port and providing the second data signal.

20. The case of claim 19, wherein the circuit board is configured to accept the first data signal from the first expansion module and the second data signal from the second expansion module and transfer the first and second data signals between a mobile device through the male plug member.