Modular tablet case

• US 9,965,002 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobelisk Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mobelisk Group, LLC
• Inventors: Hamann, Dennis, Shapiro, Fred, Aitchison, David, Velasquez, Joseph Pepe Elijio, Aitchison, Michael, Vossberg, Camron Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Omar, Ahmed
• Application Number:
  US15/595,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20170300093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 320107, 320114
• 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: 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 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1696 the I/O peripheral being a printing or scanning device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A tablet computer with modular assembly having interchangeable end cap portions, and a method for installing the same. The assembly provides a universal design and customized features to a range of tablets. The modular assembly has a tablet carrier encasing a selected type of tablet computer and an exterior housing enclosing the tablet carrier. The exterior housing contains at least one battery and a controller for communication with the selected tablet computer. The housing also includes end cap portions configured to communicate with the controller and implement a function. The end caps can be interchanged. The tablet carrier and/or exterior housing can also include one or more programmable buttons with actuators for electromechanically actuating a button or an application associated with the tablet.

Claims

1. A modular case assembly for a selected range of tablet computers, the modular assembly comprising:

a tablet carrier configured to encase a selected tablet computer selected from the range of tablet computers, the selected tablet computer having a length, a width, one or more ports, and an external button configuration;

an exterior housing configured to enclose the tablet carrier, the exterior housing comprising at least one battery and a controller for communication with the selected tablet computer; and

an end cap configured to be removably attached to the exterior housing and including a functional device configured to be in communication with the controller by a connector;

wherein the tablet carrier has internal surfaces for retaining the selected tablet computer while still providing access to the one or more ports and the external button configuration of the selected tablet computer when encased by the tablet carrier,

wherein the at least one battery and the controller of the exterior housing are configured to be operatively connected to one or more ports of the tablet computer so as to allow communication of power and data between the controller, the tablet computer, and the functional device of the end cap.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tablet carrier comprises a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion and the bottom portion of the tablet carrier having the internal surfaces for retaining the selected tablet computer.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tablet carrier and/or exterior housing comprises at least one programmable button configured to communicate with the controller such that, when the modular case assembly is connected for communication with the selected tablet computer, a specified function associated with the selected tablet computer is implemented via communication between the controller and the selected the tablet computer.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, further comprising one or more actuators for actuating one or more buttons on the tablet computer, wherein the at least one programmable button is configured to cause at least one of the one or more actuators to actuate its corresponding button on the tablet computer.

5. The assembly according to claim 4, further comprising one or more mechanical devices associated with the one or more actuators, wherein each of the one or more actuators is configured to activate movement of the one or more mechanical devices to thereby actuate a corresponding button on the tablet computer.

6. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the at least one programmable button is provided on a first axis for actuational movement along the first axis, wherein the one or more actuators are configured to actuate the corresponding button on the tablet computer.

7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein the programmable button is provided on a plane that is parallel to a plane of the corresponding button.

8. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein the programmable button is provided on a plane that is perpendicular to a plane of the corresponding button.

9. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the end cap is configured to be interchangeable with one or more replacement end caps comprising different functional devices, and wherein the one or more replacement end caps have a connector for connecting to the controller, and wherein the one or more replacement end caps are configured to be installed on the exterior housing.

10. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an additional, second end cap configured to be removably attached to the exterior housing and including a functional device in communication with the controller by a connector, and

wherein the at least one battery and the controller are operatively connected so as to further allow communication of power and with the functional device of the additional, second end cap.

11. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the functional device of the end cap is selected from the group consisting of:

a magnetic strip reader and/or writer, a smart card reader, a secure chip and pin access device, an RFID reader, a scanner, a battery, a power source, a camera, an image capture device, and a geo-tracking device.

12. A method for implementing a specified function associated with a tablet computer using a modular case assembly and one or more programmable buttons, the modular case assembly comprising:

a tablet computer, a tablet carrier encasing the tablet computer;

an exterior housing enclosing the tablet carrier, the exterior housing comprising at least one battery and a controller for communication with the tablet computer;

one or more end caps that are removably attached to the exterior housing and include a functional device configured to be in communication with the controller;

the at least one battery and the controller contained by the exterior housing being operatively connected to one or more ports of the tablet computer so as to allow communication of power and data between the controller, the tablet computer, and the functional device of the end cap; and

the tablet carrier and/or exterior housing comprising the one or more programmable buttons thereon that are configured to communicate with the controller;

the method comprising;

providing the modular case assembly;

pressing one of the one or more programmable buttons provided on the tablet carrier and/or exterior housing;

as a result of the pressing, activating communication between the controller and the tablet computer; and

implementing the specified function associated with the tablet computer via the activated communication.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the modular case assembly further comprises one or more actuators for actuating one or more buttons on the tablet computer, and wherein the method further comprises:

actuating a corresponding button on the tablet computer using at least one of the actuators as a result of the pressing.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the pressing of the one of the one or more programmable buttons electromechanically actuates a button, a program, or an application associated with the tablet computer.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method comprises pressing the one of the one or more programmable buttons in a specified sequence to implement the specified function associated with the tablet computer.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the specified function includes establishing communication between the function device of the one or more end caps and the controller.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the functional device of the one or more end caps is selected from the group consisting of:

a magnetic strip reader and/or writer, a smart card reader, a secure chip and pin access device, an RFID reader, a scanner, a battery, a power source, a camera, an image capture device, and a geo-tracking device.