Illumination device

• US 9,464,796 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Case-Mate, Inc.
• Original Assignee: LuMee, LLC
• Inventors: Londono Restrepo, Juan David, Shoemake, Allan, Winter, William, Fernandez, Juan, McGrath, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Breval, Elmito
• Application Number:
  US14/735,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20150276187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/00 Supporting, suspending, or attaching arrangements for lighting devices F21V17/00, F21V19/00 take precedence; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q, stands for supporting apparatus or articles in general F16M11/00; Hand grips
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0052 Audio or video equipment, e.g. televisions, telephones, cameras or computers; Remote control devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

The illumination device generally has a light source and an attachment assembly that connects the light source to the computing device. The light source may be a plurality of LEDs or a light panel using electroluminescent lighting. The illumination device may further comprise power source and at least one touch sensitive switch. The illumination device may also be integrally connected to the computing device and uses the power source of the computing device and being controlled by buttons or switches of the computing device. The illumination device may also provide additional signals for incoming calls or ongoing calls by displaying different light intensity, pattern, or color. In some instances, a light cover is implemented to cover the light sources and diffuse light emanating therefrom.

Claims

1. An illumination device capable of being removably coupled to a computing device, the illumination device comprising:

a case sized to receive the computing device in a receiving area;

at least one securement mechanism that retains the computing device in the receiving area;

at least one light source, the at least one light source being covered by at least one light cover at least partially disposed on at least one nontransparent portion of the case,

wherein the at least one light cover modifies an appearance of light produced by the at least one light source, the at least one light cover being at least one of transparent or translucent;

a light control mechanism configured to change an operative state and/or an intensity of the at least one light source; and

a power source operably coupled to the at least one light source.

2. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the case enables volume adjustment of the computing device while retained by the case.

3. The illumination device of claim 1, further comprising an ambient light sensor,

wherein the ambient light sensor automatically adjusts an intensity of the at least one light source based on an amount of ambient light received by the ambient light sensor.

4. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source generates a luminous response based on an operative state of the computing device.

5. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the light cover diffuses light emitted from the at least one light source.

6. The illumination device of claim 1, further comprising an aperture, the aperture being substantially aligned with an image capturing mechanism of the computing device.

7. The illumination device of claim 1, further comprising a charging port,

wherein the charging port enables the power source to be charged.

8. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source is a plurality of light sources disposed along at least a portion of a periphery of a front surface of the case.

9. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source is a plurality of light sources, with each of the plurality of light sources configured to produce at least a first color and/or a second color.

10. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light cover is one light cover and the at least one light source is a plurality of light sources.

11. An illumination apparatus comprising:

a case sized to receive an image capturing device;

a securement mechanism that couples the case to the image capturing device;

at least one light source coupled to the case, the at least one light source covered by at least one light cover at least partially disposed on at least one nontransparent portion of the case,

wherein the at least one light cover is configured to alter light emitted by the at least one light source, the at least one light cover being at least one of transparent or translucent;

a light controller operably coupled to the at least one light source; and

a power source operably coupled to the at least one light source.

12. The illumination apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one light source emits light in a direction of a picture taking area of the image capturing device.

13. The illumination apparatus of claim 11, wherein the image capturing device is a smart phone.

14. The illumination apparatus of claim 11, wherein the securement mechanism is an edge that retains the image capturing device to the case.

15. The illumination apparatus of claim 11, wherein the light controller is a depressible button.

16. The illumination apparatus of claim 15, wherein the depressible button is configured to change an operative state and/or an intensity of the at least one light source.

17. The illumination apparatus of claim 11, wherein the power source is a rechargeable battery.

18. The illumination apparatus of claim 11, wherein the case includes a front side and a back side, wherein the at least one light source is mounted to at least one of the front side or the back side.

19. The illumination apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a dock electrically connected to the power source, wherein the power source is operable to charge a power source of the image capturing device when the image capturing device is connected to the dock via the case.

20. The illumination apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one light source flashes, strobes, changes color, creates patterns or a combination thereof in response to an operative state of the image capturing device.