Mobile device case for capturing digital images

• US 9,729,770 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Moment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Moment, Inc.
• Inventors: Barros, Marc, Hedberg, Erik, Baxley, Josh, Kirk, Amanda, Castaneda, Bradley G., Reed, Zachary, Wirth, Wesley Glen, Lincoln, R J, Thomas, Michael, Davis, Eric, Ghorbani, Arash, McCallion, Steve, Hudyma, Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Henn, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US14/624,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20160216477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 13/001 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/002 Protective covers
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1076 with a snap action A45C13/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/001 Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras G02B23/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/02 for lenses supports for magnifying lenses G02B25/002
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/14 adapted to interchange lenses G02B7/027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/0442 Constructional details of the flash apparatus; Arrangement of lamps, reflectors, or the like G03B15/0484 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/14 interchangeably
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/56 Accessories carrying-cases A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/565 Optical accessories, e.g. converters for close-up photography, tele-convertors, wide-angle convertors
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/566 Accessory clips, holders, shoes to attach accessories to camera if integral part of camera body G03B17/02
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2206/00 Systems for exchange of information between different pieces of apparatus, e.g. for exchanging trimming information, for photo finishing
• 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: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 : provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 : Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 : Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 : by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 : for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 : Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 : Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 : Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/663 : for controlling interchangeable camera parts based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 : by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

A mobile device case for coupling around a mobile device that includes a miniature camera module has defined therein a lens attachment aperture shaped both to permit light from an object to be captured as a digital image to travel along the optical path of the miniature camera module to a built-in image sensor of the miniature camera module of the mobile device, and to facilitate stable coupling of an auxiliary lens in optical alignment with the miniature camera module. The case comprises electric circuit components positioned to balance an attached auxiliary lens approximately at a grip location.

Claims

1. A mobile camera system, comprising:

a camera-enabled, mobile device;

including a miniature camera module embedded within the mobile device including a built-in lens and an image sensor for capturing digital images;

a mobile device processor configured for processing the digital images;

a mobile device display for viewing the digital images;

a case housing coupled around the camera-enabled mobile device, said case housing being configured with a center of gravity approximately at an image capture grip location of the case housing;

a lens attachment interface embedded within or integral with the case,

a removable lens coupled to the lens attachment interface and stably aligned along the optical path of the miniature camera module; and

a case shutter button mechanism for actuating the miniature camera module of the mobile camera system,

wherein the case shutter button mechanism is configured for user actuation of a half-press feature for calling a precapture settings menu and of a full-press feature for triggering capture of an image.

2. The mobile camera system of claim 1, wherein the case shutter button mechanism is configured for one-handed user actuation of both said precapture settings menu and said triggering capture of an image.

3. The mobile camera system of claim 2, wherein the case shutter mechanism is configured to run said precapture settings menu on a touch screen interface of said mobile device.

4. The mobile camera system of claim 1, wherein said case housing has coupled therein a case battery, a case processor and electrical circuit components that are disposed at a grip end of the case housing.

5. The mobile camera system of claim 4, wherein said case processor and electrical circuit components are configured to detect the presence of the removable lens that is coupled to the lens attachment interface.

6. The mobile camera system of claim 5, wherein said case processor and electrical circuit components are configured to identify the removable lens as comprising a specific lens type.

7. The mobile camera system of claim 4, wherein the electrical circuit components comprise a Bluetooth radio.

8. The mobile camera system of claim 1, wherein the case housing defines a removable lens recess configured to accommodate lens integration along said optical path of said miniature camera module.

9. The mobile camera system of claim 1, further comprising a lens attachment interface configured for coupling a removable lens in stable alignment along the optical path of the miniature camera module of the mobile camera system including a micro-bayonet design for rotatable coupling.

10. The mobile camera system of claim 1, further comprising a case processor embedded within the case housing and a software application for programming the case processor in accordance with selectable pre-capture settings and/or post-capture image editing or both.

11. The mobile camera system of claim 1, comprising a case design that balances auxiliary lens weight and weights of other case components at approximately a grip location for singled-handed precapture adjustment and image capture.

12. The mobile camera system of claim 11, wherein the case housing defines a removable lens recess configured to accommodate lens integration along said optical path of said miniature camera module and configured to balance at least some auxiliary lens weight in a second dimension.

13. A mobile camera system, comprising:

a camera-enabled, mobile device;

including a miniature camera module embedded within the mobile device including a built-in lens and an image sensor for capturing digital images;

a mobile device processor configured for processing the digital images;

a mobile device display for viewing the digital images;

a case housing coupled around the camera-enabled mobile device, said case housing being configured with a center of gravity approximately at an image capture grip location of the case housing;

a lens attachment interface embedded within or integral with the case,

a removable lens coupled to the lens attachment interface and stably aligned along the optical path of the miniature camera module; and

a case shutter button mechanism for actuating the miniature camera module of the mobile camera system,

wherein the case shutter button mechanism comprises a capacitive touch slider coupled with the case and configured for user actuation of a precapture settings menu and for triggering capture of an image.

14. The mobile camera system of claim 13, wherein the case shutter button mechanism is configured for one-handed user actuation of both said precapture settings menu and said triggering capture of an image.

15. The mobile camera system of claim 14, wherein the case shutter mechanism is configured to receive one or two finger taps for triggering one or the other of said user actuation of said precapture settings menu and said triggering capture of an image.

16. The mobile camera system of claim 15, wherein the case shutter mechanism is configured to receive one or both of finger or thumb slide inputs for adjusting one or more values within said precapture settings menu.

17. The mobile camera system of claim 13, wherein the capacitive touch slider comprises an elongated touch plate disposed at a grip end of the mobile phone case at an acute angle to a plane of said mobile phone case.

18. The mobile camera system of claim 13, wherein the capacitive touch slider comprises an elongated touch plate disposed at a grip end of said mobile phone case opposite said miniature camera module and said removable lens.

19. The mobile camera system of claim 13, wherein said case housing has coupled therein a case battery, a case processor and electrical circuit components that are disposed at a grip end of the case housing.

20. The mobile camera system of claim 19, wherein said case processor and electrical circuit components are configured to detect the presence of the removable lens that is coupled to the lens attachment interface.

21. The mobile camera system of claim 20, wherein said case processor and electrical circuit components are configured to identify the removable lens as comprising a specific lens type.

22. The mobile camera system of claim 19, wherein the electrical circuit components comprise a Bluetooth radio.

23. The mobile camera system of claim 13, wherein the case housing defines a removable lens recess configured to accommodate lens integration along said optical path of said miniature camera module.

24. The mobile camera system of claim 13, further comprising a lens attachment interface configured for coupling a removable lens in stable alignment along the optical path of the miniature camera module of the mobile camera system including a micro-bayonet design for rotatable coupling.

25. The mobile camera system of claim 13, further comprising a case processor embedded within the case housing and a software application for programming the case processor in accordance with selectable pre-capture settings and/or post-capture image editing or both.

26. The mobile camera system of claim 13, comprising a case design that balances auxiliary lens weight and weights of other case components at approximately a grip location for singled-handed precapture adjustment and image capture.

27. The mobile camera system of claim 26, wherein the case housing defines a removable lens recess configured to accommodate lens integration along said optical path of said miniature camera module and configured to balance at least some auxiliary lens weight in a second dimension.

28. A mobile device case for coupling around a mobile device that includes a miniature camera module, comprising:

a case housing configured to securely couple around at least a portion of the periphery of the camera-enabled mobile device;

a case processor and electrical circuitry embedded within the case that are configured to detect the presence of the removable lens coupled stably in said optical alignment with said miniature camera module;

wherein the case is configured to define therein a lens attachment aperture shaped both to permit light from an object to be captured as a digital image to travel along the optical path of the miniature camera module to a built-in image sensor of the miniature camera module of the mobile device, and to facilitate stable coupling of a removable lens in optical alignment with the miniature camera module; and

a case shutter button mechanism for actuating the miniature camera module of the mobile camera system,

wherein the case shutter button mechanism is configured for user actuation of a half-press feature for calling a precapture settings menu and of a full-press feature for triggering capture of an image.

29. The mobile device case of claim 28, wherein the lens attachment aperture is further shaped to stably couple a lens attachment interface with the case.

30. The mobile device case of claim 28, wherein the lens attachment aperture is shaped to integrally include a lens attachment interface.

31. The mobile device case of claim 28, wherein the case shutter button mechanism is configured for one-handed user actuation of both said precapture settings menu and said triggering capture of an image.

32. The mobile device case of claim 28, wherein the case shutter mechanism is configured to run said precapture settings menu on a touch screen interface of said mobile device.

33. The mobile device case of claim 28, wherein said case housing has coupled therein a case battery, a case processor and electrical circuit components that are disposed at a grip end of the case housing, such that said case housing has a center of gravity approximately at an image capture grip location of the case housing.

34. The mobile device case of claim 33, wherein said case processor and electrical circuit components are configured to detect the presence of the removable lens that is coupled to the lens attachment interface.

35. The mobile device case of claim 34, wherein said case processor and electrical circuit components are configured to identify the removable lens as comprising a specific lens type.

36. The mobile device case of claim 33, wherein the electrical circuit components comprise a Bluetooth radio.

37. The mobile device case of claim 28, wherein the case housing defines a removable lens recess configured to accommodate lens integration along said optical path of said miniature camera module.

38. The mobile device case of claim 28, including a lens attachment interface configured for coupling a removable lens in stable alignment along the optical path of a miniature camera module of a mobile camera system including a micro-bayonet design for rotatable coupling.

39. The mobile device case of claim 28, including a software application for programming the case processor in accordance with selectable pre-capture settings and/or post-capture image editing or both.

40. The mobile device case of claim 28, including a case design that balances auxiliary lens weight and weights of other case components for singled-handed precapture adjustment and image capture.

41. A mobile device case for coupling around a mobile device that includes a miniature camera module, comprising:

a case housing configured to securely couple around at least a portion of the periphery of the camera-enabled mobile device;

a case processor and electrical circuitry embedded within the case that are configured to detect the presence of the removable lens coupled stably in said optical alignment with said miniature camera module;

wherein the case is configured to define therein a lens attachment aperture shaped both to permit light from an object to be captured as a digital image to travel along the optical path of the miniature camera module to a built-in image sensor of the miniature camera module of the mobile device, and to facilitate stable coupling of a removable lens in optical alignment with the miniature camera module; and

a case shutter button mechanism for actuating the miniature camera module of the mobile camera system,

wherein the case shutter button mechanism comprises a capacitive touch slider coupled with the case and configured for user actuation of a precapture settings menu and for triggering capture of an image.

42. The mobile device case of claim 41, wherein the case shutter button mechanism is configured for one-handed user actuation of both said precapture settings menu and said triggering capture of an image.

43. The mobile device case of claim 42, wherein the case shutter mechanism is configured to receive one or two finger taps for triggering one or the other of said user actuation of said precapture settings menu and said triggering capture of an image.

44. The mobile device case of claim 43, wherein the case shutter mechanism is configured to receive one or both of finger or thumb slide inputs for adjusting one or more values within said precapture settings menu.

45. The mobile device case of claim 41, wherein the capacitive touch slider comprises an elongated touch plate disposed at a grip end of the mobile phone case at an acute angle to a plane of said mobile phone case.

46. The mobile device case of claim 41, wherein the capacitive touch slider comprises an elongated touch plate disposed at a grip end of said mobile phone case opposite said miniature camera module and said removable lens.

47. The mobile device case of claim 41, wherein the lens attachment aperture is further shaped to stably couple a lens attachment interface with the case.

48. The mobile device case of claim 41, wherein the lens attachment aperture is shaped to integrally include a lens attachment interface.

49. The mobile device case of claim 41, wherein said case housing has coupled therein a case battery, a case processor and electrical circuit components that are disposed at a grip end of the case housing, such that said case housing has a center of gravity approximately at an image capture grip location of the case housing.

50. The mobile device case of claim 49, wherein said case processor and electrical circuit components are configured to detect the presence of the removable lens that is coupled to the lens attachment interface.

51. The mobile device case of claim 50, wherein said case processor and electrical circuit components are configured to identify the removable lens as comprising a specific lens type.

52. The mobile device case of claim 49, wherein the electrical circuit components comprise a Bluetooth radio.

53. The mobile device case of claim 41, wherein the case housing defines a removable lens recess configured to accommodate lens integration along said optical path of said miniature camera module.

54. The mobile device case of claim 41, including a lens attachment interface configured for coupling a removable lens in stable alignment along the optical path of a miniature camera module of a mobile camera system including a micro-bayonet design for rotatable coupling.

55. The mobile device case of claim 41, including a software application for programming the case processor in accordance with selectable pre-capture settings and/or post-capture image editing or both.

56. The mobile device case of claim 41, including a case design that balances auxiliary lens weight and weights of other case components for singled-handed precapture adjustment and image capture.