PROTECTIVE CASES WITH INTEGRATED ELECTRONICS

• US 20120244848A1
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medidata Solutions Incorporated (Dassault Systemes SA)
• Original Assignee: MC10, Inc.
• Inventors: Ghaffari, Roozbeh, Schlatka, Benjamin, Callsen, Gilman, de Graff, Bassel
• Granted Patent: US 9,723,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/415
• 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: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

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.

Claims

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, the electronic controller providing at least one of power and at least one output signal; 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 at least one output signal and/or the power provided by the electronic controller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the case is deformable.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the case is one of flexible and stretchable.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the case comprises a plurality of segments having respective different levels of rigidity or elasticity.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the case is one of translucent, transparent, and colored.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the case comprises a polymer, vinyl, leather, or paper.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the case partially encloses the mobile and/or wireless electronics device when placed in the case.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the case substantially encloses the mobile and/or wireless electronics device when placed in the case.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the case comprises at least one discontinuity or cut pattern to facilitate ventilation of the mobile and/of wireless electronics device when placed in the case.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the case is configured so as to protect the mobile and/or wireless electronics device, when placed in the case, from mechanical shock.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the case has a cross sectional thickness in a range of between approximately 200 micrometers to 1 millimeter.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the mobile and/or wireless electronics device.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile and/or wireless electronics device-includes one of a cellular phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a gaming console, an electronic book reader, and a portable computing device.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the electronic controller is deformable.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the electronic controller is one of flexible and stretchable.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the electronic controller is stretchable and has a cross-sectional thickness in a range of between approximately 200 micrometers to 1 millimeter.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the electronic controller comprises a plurality of controller segments, having respectively different levels of rigidity or elasticity.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the electronic controller comprises at least one electronic circuit element formed of a semiconductor material, and wherein the semiconductor material comprises at least one of amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, single-crystal silicon, at least one conductive oxide, carbon nanotubes, and at least one organic material.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one electronic circuit element is formed by a fabrication process comprising one of sputtering, chemical vapor deposition, ink jet printing, and organic material deposition combined with patterning techniques.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the electronic controller comprises at least one commercial off the shelf (COTS) component.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one COTS component is formed by a thinning process comprising at least one of mechanical grinding, chemical etching, and plasma etching.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the electronic controller comprises:

a plurality of electronic component islands; and

a plurality of flexible and/or stretchable conductive interconnects disposed so as to electrically interconnect at least some of the plurality of electronic component islands.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the plurality of interconnects are formed by a fabrication process comprising at least one of sputtering, metal evaporation, and photolithography.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the plurality of interconnects includes a serpentine pattern of conductive metal.

28. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a layer of elastomeric material to at least partially encapsulate the electronic controller so as to protect the electronic controller from moisture and/or mechanical degradation.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic controller comprises:

at least one power source; and

;

at least one electronic circuit element to provide the at least one output signal to the at least one output device.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one power source comprises at least one thin film battery, an array of solar cells, or at least one inductive coupling circuit.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the at least one electronic circuit element comprises at least one slate machine/microcontroller or at least one output driver.

35. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the at least one electronic circuit element comprises at least one of a resistor, a capacitor, a diode, a transistor, a logic gate, and an integrated circuit.

36. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the electronic controller comprises at least one wireless sensing device to detect at least one wireless input signal; and

the at least one output signal is based at least in part on the at least one wireless input signal.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the at least one wireless sensing device includes at least one sensor coil, or a Bluetooth device.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein:

the at least one wireless sensing device is configured to analyze a data content of the at least one wireless input signal; and

the at least one output signal controls the at least one output device based at least in part on the data content of the at least one wireless input signal.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the data content comprises at least one of a caller identification and a message type, and wherein the at least one output signal controls the at least one output device to provide the at least one perceivable output based at least in part on the caller identification and/or the message type.

41. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the at least one wireless input signal is generated or received by the mobile and/or wireless device.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the at least one wireless input signal is representative of an incoming call, message and/or notification to the mobile and/or wireless device.

43. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic controller comprises at least one sensor to sense at least one environmental condition proximate to the apparatus.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the at least one output signal controls the at least one output device to provide the at least one perceivable output based at least in part on the at least one environmental condition sensed by the at least one sensor.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one acoustic sensing device.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the at least one acoustic sensing device is configured to measure at least one sound coming/from the mobile and/or wireless device, and wherein the at least one output signal controls the at least one output device to provide the at least one perceivable output based at least in part on the at least one sound coming from the mobile and/or wireless device,

47. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one accelerometer and/or at least one pressure sensor.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the at least one accelerometer and/or the at least one pressure sensor is configured to measure a mechanical shock and/or impact to the apparatus, and wherein the at least one output signal controls the at least one output device, to provide the at least one perceivable output based at least in part on the mechanical shock and/or impact.

49. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one temperature sensor.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is configured to measure an ambient temperature proximate to the apparatus, and wherein the at least one output signal controls, the at least one output device to provide the at least one perceivable output based at least in part on the ambient temperature.

51. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one output device includes at least one light emitting diode (LED).

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the at least one LED includes a plurality of LEDs of different colors.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the at least one output signal from the electronic controller controls the plurality of LEDs so as to provide the at least one perceivable output as at least one colored light pattern on the case.

54. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the at least one output signal from the electronic controller controls the plurality of LEDs so as to provide the at least one perceivable output as at least one flashing light pattern on the case.

55. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one output device includes at least one acoustic speaker.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the at least one acoustic speaker includes a plurality of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).

57. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the at least one output signal from the electronic controller controls the at least one acoustic speaker so as to provide the at least one perceivable output as at least one musical tone.

7-9. -9. (canceled)

31-32. -32. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

58-67. -67. (canceled)

68. A protective case for a wireless electronics device, the protective case comprising:

a deformable substrate configured to at least partially envelop the wireless electronics device;

an at least partially deformable;

electronic controller integrated with or bonded to the deformable substrate, the electronic controller comprising;

at least one wireless sensing device to detect at least one wireless input signal generated, by the wireless electronic/device when placed in the protective case; and

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

a plurality of LEDs 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 at the least one output signal provided by the electronic controller.

69. The protective case of claim 68, wherein at least the electronic controller comprises:

a plurality of electronic component islands; and

a plurality of flexible and/or stretchable conductive interconnects disposed so as to electrically interconnect at least some of the plurality of electronic component islands,

wherein the plurality of electronic component islands include the at least one wireless sensing device and the at least one electronic circuit element.

70. The protective case of claim 69, wherein the plurality of electronic component islands further includes the plurality of LEDs.