Smart holster for receiving and wirelessly charging communication device

• US 10,840,727 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2018
• Issued: 11/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richard Subero
• Original Assignee: Richard Subero
• Inventors: Subero, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Application Number:
  US16/184,006
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 320103, 320107, 320108, 320114, 320132, 320149, 320150
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A holster for receiving and wirelessly charging a device battery of a multimedia communication device detachably connected to the holster includes a base formed with first and second substantially planar opposed surfaces and sidewalls, a belt clip assembly attached or connected to the first surface, a tension clip attached or connected to the second surface, a rechargeable battery, a Bluetooth device for wirelessly, communicatively coupling the base to the multimedia communication device detachably connected to the base and a wireless charging device for wirelessly charging the device battery using electrical energy stored within the rechargeable battery. Upon attaching the multimedia communication device to the tension clip and wirelessly coupling the base to the multimedia communication device, the device battery can be wirelessly charged using the wireless charging device.

Claims

1. A holster for receiving and wirelessly charging a device battery of a multimedia communication device detachably connected to the holster, comprising:

a base;

means for releasably securing the multimedia communication device on said base;

a rechargeable battery mounted within said base; and

a wireless charging device mounted within said base for wirelessly charging said device battery using electrical energy stored within said rechargeable battery, whereby upon releasably securing the multimedia communication device on said base, said device battery can be wirelessly charged via said wireless charging device.

2. The holster of claim 1, wherein said base is generally rectangular, and comprises a substantially planar top face and an opposite substantially planar bottom face and a sidewall peripherally joining said top and bottom faces, and wherein said means for releasably securing further includes a clip and at least one pair of opposing flanges mounted on said base between which the multimedia communication device can be releasably secured on said base.

3. The holster of claim 2, wherein said clip is a resilient tension clip mounted adjacent said top face of said base which is biasedly engageable with the multimedia communication device to effect releasable securement thereof against the top face of said base.

4. The holster of claim 1, further comprising a belt clip assembly attached to said base.

5. The holster of claim 1, wherein said base further comprises a battery strength indicator that reflects a state of charge of the base'"'"'s rechargeable battery.

6. The holster of claim 1, wherein said base further comprises a charging port in said base for charging said rechargeable battery.

7. The holster of claim 1, further comprising a flash system digital projection system connected to said base and controlled to flash concurrently with a flash system of the multimedia communication device coupled and detachably connected thereto.

8. The holster of claim 1, wherein said base further comprises an integral secure digital storage device (SD) for additional memory storage capacity that is accessible to, and operational as supplemental storage for, the multimedia communication device.

9. The holster of claim 1, further comprising a Bluetooth device for wirelessly, communicatively coupling the base to the multimedia communication device when said multimedia communication device is releasably secured to the base.

10. A holster for receiving and wirelessly charging a device battery of a multimedia communication device detachably connected to the holster, comprising:

a base;

means for releasably securing the multimedia communication device to said base;

a rechargeable battery mounted in said base;

a Bluetooth device mounted in said base for wirelessly, communicatively coupling said base to the multimedia communication device releasably secured to said base; and

a wireless charging device mounted in said base for wirelessly charging said device battery using electrical energy stored within said rechargeable battery; and

means for controlling the operation of said wireless charging device whereby upon releasably securing the multimedia communication device on said base and wirelessly, communicatively coupling said base to the multimedia communication device, via said Bluetooth device, said device battery can be wirelessly charged by said wireless charging device, via said means for controlling wherein a user selectively determines settings that control charging upon wirelessly coupling the detachably connected base to the multimedia communication device.

11. The holster of claim 10, wherein said means for controlling includes settings defined by a user profile for the multimedia communication device.

12. The holster of claim 10, wherein one of the settings provides for automatically charging the wirelessly coupled and detachably connected multimedia communication device upon reaching a pre-determined parameter.

13. The holster of claim 10, wherein said wireless charging device includes a temperature sensor and wherein said means for controlling said operation of said wireless charging device automatically de-energizes said wireless charging device when a temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a pre-determined temperature.

14. The holster of claim 10, further comprising a digital speaker connected to said base for receiving an audio signal comprising sound data from the multimedia communication device releasably secured to said base and simultaneously outputting the sound data through the digital speaker.

15. A wireless charging system for wirelessly charging a device battery of a multimedia communication device, the wireless charging system comprising a holster for the multimedia communication device for receiving and wirelessly charging the device battery and an application program that is downloadable to, and operational within, the multimedia communication device to control multimedia communication device functions including wirelessly charging the device battery when the multimedia communications device is detachably connected and wirelessly, communicatively coupled to the holster, wherein the holster comprises:

a base;

means for detachably connecting the multimedia communication device to the base;

a rechargeable battery mounted in said base;

a Bluetooth device mounted in said base for wirelessly, communicatively coupling said base to the multimedia communication device; and

a wireless charging device mounted in said base for wirelessly charging the device battery using electrical energy stored within the rechargeable battery;

wherein upon detachably connecting and wirelessly coupling the multimedia communication device to said base, the application program operates a graphical user interface (GUI) enabling user input for controlling multimedia communication device functions, including a function for effecting the wireless coupling and a function for effecting the wireless charging of the device battery.

16. The wireless charging system of claim 15, wherein said base is formed with first and second substantially planar opposed surfaces and said means for detachably connecting comprises a tension clip connected to said base to enable detachable connection of the multimedia communication device.

17. The wireless charging system of claim 16, wherein the tension clip is outfitted with a tactile edge to facilitate the detachable attachment and release of the multimedia communication device to said base.

18. The wireless charging system of claim 15, wherein the means for detachably connecting comprise a first receiving flange that extends upwardly from two top corners of said base, a second receiving flange that extends upwardly from two bottom corners of said base and wherein the tension clip is positioned to protrude from the second surface at a midpoint between one of said two top corners and said two bottom corners.

19. The wireless charging system of claim 15, further including a belt clip assembly connected to said base for connecting the belt clip assembly to any of a user'"'"'s belt, garment, purse strap and backpack.

20. The wireless charging system of claim 19, wherein the belt clip assembly includes a clip portion and a tension spring assembly coupled to the clip portion.

21. The wireless charging system of claim 20, wherein the belt clip assembly includes a swivel connector that provides that said base assembly, and any multimedia communication device detachably connected thereto, to rotate up to 360 degrees.

22. The wireless charging system of claim 21, wherein upon attachment, the belt clip assembly may be rotated and extended to lock at a predetermined angle.

23. The wireless charging system of claim 15, wherein the application program is downloadable to the multimedia communication device.

24. The wireless charging system of claim 23, wherein the application program comprises a set of computer readable instructions stored on a non-transitory, computer readable medium and wherein the computer readable instructions are downloadable to the multimedia communication device.

25. The wireless charging system of claim 24, wherein the application program is capable of receiving input for controlling the multimedia communication device functions from a remote computing device, including commands associated with operation of the holster and charging arrangements thereof.

26. The wireless charging system of claim 15, further comprising the multimedia communication device.

27. The wireless charging system of claim 15, wherein the input through the GUI is maintained in a profile associated with the multimedia communication device.

28. The wireless charging system of claim 27, wherein upon completing the profile, the GUI prompts the user to wirelessly couple the multimedia communication device to said base.

29. The wireless charging system of claim 15, wherein said base has sidewalls and said system further comprises a battery charge indicator arranged in one of said sidewalls of said base.

30. The wireless charging system of claim 15, wherein said base has a bottom face with a recessed portion and further comprises an extendable and retractable kickstand mounted on said bottom face of the base movable between a non-deployed state in which it retracts within said recessed portion of said bottom face of said base and an operative deployed position in which it is extended outwardly from said base.

31. The wireless charging system of claim 30, wherein said kickstand comprises an extendable and retractable planar arm.

32. The wireless charging system of claim 15, additionally including a charging port in said base for charging the rechargeable battery.

33. A method for wirelessly charging a device battery of a multimedia communication device using a holster comprising a base, means for detachably connecting the multimedia communication device to the base, said base further including a rechargeable battery, a charging port for charging the rechargeable battery, a Bluetooth device for wirelessly, communicatively coupling the base to the multimedia communication device and a wireless charging device for wirelessly charging the device battery using electrical energy stored within the rechargeable battery, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

downloading to, and operating, an application program in the multimedia communication device to manage holster operation, including controlling charging of the multimedia communication device;

connecting the multimedia communication device to the base of the holster;

operating the application program to generate a graphical user interface (GUI) for providing user prompts for input for controlling multimedia communication device functions, including a function for effecting wirelessly communicatively coupling of the holster and multimedia communication device; and

wirelessly charging the device battery in response to one of a prompt input by a user manually via the GUI, and by the application program automatically upon detection of a predetermined condition.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of operating includes providing a set of parameters for the multimedia communication device, and wherein the parameters control wireless charging of said multimedia communication device.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the holster includes additional memory storage and wherein the step of operating includes controlling access to, and from, the additional memory storage device by the multimedia communication device.

36. The method of claim 33, further including a computer program embodying a non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with instructions executable by a processor to implement operation of the application program.