Accessory, electronic assembly, control method, and method for forming an accessory

• US 9,375,874 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Yen-Hung, Hsieh, Chien-Wei, Huang, Chun-Ta, Wen, Hung-Chuan, Massucco, Michael Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Vonch, Jeff
• Application Number:
  US14/224,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20140205799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/10 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. casting around inserts or for coating articles coating a surface by casting in general B05D1/30, B29C39/126 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0053 combined with a final operation, e.g. shaping injection-compression moulding B29C45/561
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles B29C45/1671 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/12 containing fluorine
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/18 PTFE, i.e. polytetrafluorethene , e.g. ePTFE, i.e. expanded polytetrafluorethene
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/34 Electrical apparatus, e.g. sparking plugs or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/712 Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages closures therefor B29L2031/56; ink or toner cartridges B29L2031/7678; squeeze tubes B29L2023/20; suitcases B29L2031/7418
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/266 characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/31 for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/02 Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux G01R33/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/00 Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/02 Viewing or reading apparatus stereoscopic systems G02B30/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/022 Viewing apparatus G02B27/04, G02B27/06, G02B27/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/565 Screens allowing free passage of sound G03B21/58 - G03B21/62 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1603 Arrangements to protect the display from incident light, e.g. hoods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 : Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 : for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/163 : Indexing scheme relating to constructional details of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 : Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 : Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 : Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 : Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 : Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724092 : Interfacing with an external cover providing additional functionalities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 : by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24322 : Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 : including nonapertured component

Abstract

An accessory suitable for an electronic device is provided. The electronic device has a display area. The accessory includes a coupling portion and a cover portion. The coupling portion is suitable to be coupled to the electronic device. The cover portion is connected to the coupling portion and is suitable for covering the display area of the electronic device. The cover portion has a plurality of light-transmitting areas, and the light-transmitting areas are arranged on the display area in an array. An image generated by the display area is projected out of the cover portion through the light-transmitting areas. Moreover, an electronic assembly containing the electronic device and the accessory is also provided. Furthermore, a control method is also provided for controlling the electronic assembly. A method is also provided for forming an accessory.

Claims

1. A protective cover covering an electronic device, wherein the electronic device has a display area and the protective cover comprises:

a coupling portion coupled to the electronic device; and

a cover portion coupled to the coupling portion, the cover portion being flipped, rotating with respect to the coupling portion, to cover the display area of the electronic device, and the cover portion including;

a transparent layer,

a first layer disposed on one side of the transparent layer and having a plurality of first apertures; and

a second layer disposed on the other side of the transparent layer and having a plurality of second apertures, each of the plurality of first apertures of the first layer corresponds to one of the plurality of second apertures of the second layer, wherein the plurality of the first and second apertures with the transparent layer form a plurality of light-transmitting areas, wherein the plurality of light transmitting areas are arranged in an array, wherein when the cover portion covers the display area, an image is displayed by the display area, wherein the first image displayed by the display area contains a plurality of discrete blocks each of the plurality of blocks corresponds to one of the plurality of light transmitting areas, and each of the blocks contains a plurality of pixels, and the image is projected out of the corresponding light transmitting areas as a projected image forming a dotted character, a dotted symbol, or a dotted pattern.

2. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover portion further comprises a non-transparent layer disposed between the first layer and the transparent layer.

3. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover portion further comprises a non-transparent layer disposed between the transparent layer and the second layer.

4. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover portion further comprises a third layer disposed on the first layer so that fraction generated between an object and the third layer is less than friction generated between the object and the first layer.

5. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a speaker disposed adjacent or in close proximity to the display area, and the cover portion has a plurality of first through holes corresponding to the position of the speaker and/or the surrounding area of the speaker.

6. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a speaker disposed adjacent or in close proximity to the display area, and the transparent layer has a plurality of third apertures and each of the plurality of third apertures corresponds to one of the plurality of first apertures to the position of the speaker and/or the surrounding area of the speaker.

7. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a display and a speaker placed or disposed adjacent or in close proximity to the display area, and the second layer has a depression, and the depression forms a chamber or spacing between the second layer and the speaker.

8. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device has a first sensor and the cover portion has a first element, and when the cover portion covers the display area, the first sensor senses the first element in proximity with the electronic device.

9. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device has a plurality of first sensors and the cover portion has a plurality of first elements, and when the plurality of first elements generates a first combination of magnetic field, the plurality of first sensors senses the first combination of magnetic field generated by the plurality of the first elements.

10. The protective cover as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first element is disposed on the transparent layer.

11. The protective cover as claimed in claim 8, further comprises a flexible portion having a first secure component and the coupling portion having a second secure component, the coupling portion coupled to the electronic device, the cover portion connected to the coupling portion wherein the first secure component is bonded to the second secure component.

12. The protective cover as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cover portion and the flexible portion are formed as one piece.

13. The protective cover as claimed in claim 11, wherein the coupling portion further comprise a second element disposed on the coupling portion corresponding to the position of the first sensor, and the first sensor does not detect the first element with the second element between the first sensor and the first element.

14. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein a minimum width of each of the blocks is greater than the maximum width of each of the corresponding light-transmitting areas.

15. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein a minimum width of each of the blocks is greater than a shortest distance between any two adjacent light-transmitting areas.

16. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, further comprises a flexible portion, wherein the flexible portion connects between the cover portion and the coupling portion, wherein a location of the cover portion relative to the coupling portion is changed by bending the flexible portion to decide whether the cover portion covers the display area of the electronic device.

17. The protective cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the cover portion has a first element and the first element disposed adjacent to the flexible portion.

18. The protective cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the coupling portion is concave and structurally covers the electronic device to fix a location of the coupling portion relative to the electronic device.

19. The protective cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the electronic device has a first magnetic coupling member and the coupling portion has second magnetic coupling member, wherein the first magnetic coupling member and the second magnetic coupling member are suitable to be magnetically attracted to each other to fix a location of the coupling portion relative to the electronic device.

20. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device has a sensor for detecting a presence of nearby objects, and the cover portion has an opening for the sensor to detect the presence of nearby objects via the opening of the cover portion.