MOBILE HANDSET ACCESSORY SUPPORTING TOUCHLESS AND OCCLUSION-FREE USER INTERACTION

• US 20130335315A1
• Filed: 03/20/2013
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pierre Bonnat
• Original Assignee: Pierre Bonnat
• Inventors: Bonnat, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 9,904,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

An accessory device for handheld electronic devices such as, for example, a cellular telephone, a smart phone, a media player, and a tablet computer includes circuitry for sensing flow of human breath and for communicating with the handheld electronic device, to enable user control of the handheld electronic device employing the flow of human breath.

Claims

1. An accessory device for an electronic user device, the accessory device comprising:

circuitry for sensing flow of a fluid upon a portion of the accessory device;

circuitry for communicating with the user device to control the user device based on the flow of the fluid; and

a body for maintaining proximity of the circuitry for sensing flow of the fluid and the circuitry for communicating with the user device, to the user device.

2. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the user device fits within the body.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein proximity of the circuitry for communicating with the user device is maintained by mutual attraction of two or more magnets within the body.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises human breath.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for sensing flow of the fluid comprises a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) fluid flow sensor.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the body comprises two or more openings to permit flow of fluid through the body.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein power for operation of the circuitry for communicating with the user device is controlled by flow of the fluid.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein communication between circuitry of the accessory device and the user device is wireless.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing of fluid flow uses optical signals.

10. An accessory device for an electronic user device, the accessory device comprising:

at least one processor communicatively coupled to circuitry for sensing flow of a fluid upon a portion of the accessory device and to circuitry for communicating with the user device to control the user device based on the flow of the fluid; and

a body having a cavity to hold the circuitry for sensing flow of the fluid and the circuitry for communicating with the user device, wherein the user device fits within the body that comprises one or more openings for flow of fluid through the circuitry for sensing flow of the fluid and maintains proximity of the circuitry for communicating with the user device, to the user device.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein proximity of the circuitry for communicating with the user device is maintained by mutual attraction of two or more magnets within the body.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the fluid comprises human breath.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the circuitry for sensing flow of the fluid comprises a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) fluid flow sensor.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the body comprises two or more openings to permit flow of fluid through the body.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein communication between circuitry of the accessory device and the user device is wireless.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the sensing of fluid flow uses optical signals.

18. A process of manufacturing an accessory device for an electronic user device, the process comprising:

providing a body having a cavity comprising a first opening and a second opening into the cavity from outside of the body; and

placing circuitry for sensing flow of the fluid within the cavity in alignment with the first opening and the second opening.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein the fluid comprises human breath.

20. The process of claim 18, comprising:

providing space within the body of appropriate dimensions to permit user insertion of the user device.