Protective cases with integrated electronics
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a case configured to at least partially envelop a mobile and/or wireless electronics device;
an electronic controller integrated with or bonded to the case such that the case serves as a substrate for the electronic controller, at least a portion of the electronic controller being deformable, the electronic controller providing an output signal, wherein the electronic controller comprises at least one sensor to sense at least one environmental condition proximate to the apparatus; and
at least one output device communicatively coupled to the electronic controller, and integrated with or bonded to the case, to provide at least one perceivable output based at least in part on the output signal provided by the electronic controller,wherein the electronic controller comprises a plurality of electronic component islands and a plurality of stretchable conductive interconnects disposed so as to electrically interconnect at least some of the plurality of electronic component islands, andwherein the at least one sensor includes at least one pressure sensor configured to measure a mechanical shock and/or impact to the apparatus or at least one temperature sensor configured to measure an ambient temperature proximate to the apparatus, andwherein the at least one output device comprises a plurality light emitting diodes (LEDs) of different colors, andwherein the output signal controls the LEDs to display different colors correlated to the measured degrees of shock and/or impact or correlated to the sensed ambient temperature.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A protective case for a wireless electronics device includes one or more output devices integrated with or bonded to the protective case, from which a perceivable output (e.g., visible or audible indication) is generated. Various other electronics (e.g., circuit elements, ICs, microcontrollers, sensors) also may be integrated with or bonded to the protective case to provide power and/or one or more output signals to control the output device(s). In one example, a wireless signal generated by the wireless device is sensed by the integrated electronics, and the output device(s) are controlled based on the detected wireless signal. The protective case may be substantially rigid or at least partially deformable (flexible and/or stretchable), and the integrated electronics similarly may be at least partially deformable such that they may conform with various contours of the protective case and remain operative notwithstanding flexing and/or stretching of the case.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a case configured to at least partially envelop a mobile and/or wireless electronics device; an electronic controller integrated with or bonded to the case such that the case serves as a substrate for the electronic controller, at least a portion of the electronic controller being deformable, the electronic controller providing an output signal, wherein the electronic controller comprises at least one sensor to sense at least one environmental condition proximate to the apparatus; and at least one output device communicatively coupled to the electronic controller, and integrated with or bonded to the case, to provide at least one perceivable output based at least in part on the output signal provided by the electronic controller, wherein the electronic controller comprises a plurality of electronic component islands and a plurality of stretchable conductive interconnects disposed so as to electrically interconnect at least some of the plurality of electronic component islands, and wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one pressure sensor configured to measure a mechanical shock and/or impact to the apparatus or at least one temperature sensor configured to measure an ambient temperature proximate to the apparatus, and wherein the at least one output device comprises a plurality light emitting diodes (LEDs) of different colors, and wherein the output signal controls the LEDs to display different colors correlated to the measured degrees of shock and/or impact or correlated to the sensed ambient temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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39. A protective case for a wireless electronics device, the protective case comprising:
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a deformable substrate configured to at least partially envelop a wireless electronics device; an at least partially stretchable electronic controller integrated with or bonded to the deformable substrate, the electronic controller comprising; at least one wireless sensing device configured to detect at least one wireless input signal generated by the wireless electronics device when placed in the protective case; at least one electronic circuit element communicatively coupled to the at least one wireless sensing device to provide at least one output signal based at least in part on the at least one wireless input signal; and at least one sensor to sense at least one environmental condition proximate to the protective case; and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) of different colors communicatively coupled to the electronic controller, and integrated with or bonded to the deformable case, to provide at least one visible output based at least in part on the at least one output signal provided by the electronic controller, wherein the at least partially stretchable electronic controller includes a plurality of electronic component islands and a plurality of stretchable conductive interconnects disposed so as to electrically interconnect at least some of the plurality of electronic component islands, the plurality of electronic component islands including the at least one wireless sensing device and the at least one electronic circuit element and, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one pressure sensor configured to measure a mechanical shock and/or impact to the protective case or at least one temperature sensor configured to measure an ambient temperature proximate to the protective case, and wherein the output signal controls the LEDs to display different colors correlated to the measured degrees of shock and/or impact or correlated to the sensed ambient temperature. - View Dependent Claims (40, 46, 47)
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Specification