SELECTIVELY ATTACHABLE AND REMOVABLE OPTICAL SYSTEMS FOR MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20150087359A1
• Filed: 09/25/2014
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Portero Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Olloclip, LLC
• Inventors: O'Neill, Patrick D., Pak, Chong, Cantor, Joshua
• Granted Patent: US 9,007,522 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• 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 11/00 Filters or other obturators specially adapted for photographic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/14 interchangeably
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/565 Optical accessories, e.g. converters for close-up photography, tele-convertors, wide-angle convertors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly

Abstract

Some embodiments disclosed herein relate to an optical system having multiple (e.g., two or more) optical components attached to a retainer portion, and the retainer portion may be removably attached to mobile electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablet computers, media players, and the like. In some embodiments, the optical components may be permanently or removably attached to the same face of the retainer portion. The optical system may be oriented in at least two different positions with respect to a mobile electronic device. In a first position, a first optical component may be generally aligned with an onboard camera of the mobile electronic device, and in a second potion a second optical component may be aligned with the onboard camera.

Claims

1. An optical system configured to be selectively attachable and removable from a mobile electronic device, the optical system comprising:

a plurality of optical components; and

a retainer portion comprising a first end portion and a second end portion, the retainer portion configured to receive the plurality of optical components on a first face of the retainer portion such that a first of the plurality of optical components is positioned at a different location on the first face of the retainer portion than a second of the plurality of optical components;

wherein the retainer portion is configured to removably attach to a mobile electronic device having an onboard camera positioned in a central region of the mobile electronic device, the retainer portion being configured to position a first of the plurality of optical components in general alignment with the onboard camera, when the first end portion is attached along an upper edge of the mobile electronic device and the second end portion is attached along a first lateral edge of the mobile electronic device, and the retainer portion being configured to position a second of the plurality of optical components in general alignment with the onboard camera, when the second end portion is attached along an upper edge of the mobile electronic device and the first end portion is attached along a second lateral edge of the mobile electronic device that is generally opposite from and generally parallel with the first lateral edge of the mobile electronic device.

2. The optical system of claim 1, further comprising the mobile electronic device.

3. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the retainer portion is configured to be foldable or bendable.

4. The optical system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second end portions comprises a hook portion.

5. The optical system of claim 4, wherein the hook portion is configured to securely receive at least a portion of an edge of the mobile electronic device.

6. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical components comprises one or more of:

a telephoto lens;

a fish eye lens;

a wide angle lens;

a lens filter;

a polarizing lens;

an anti-reflection lens;

an anti-glare lens; and

a magnifying lens.

7. An optical system configured to removably attach to a mobile electronic device with an onboard camera located in an upper central region of the mobile electronic device, the optical system comprising:

at least two optical components; and

a retainer portion configured to receive the optical components in different locations on the retainer portion, the retainer portion being removably attachable to the mobile electronic device in a first attachment configuration by attaching the retainer portion to a top edge of the mobile electronic device and by attaching the retainer portion to a first lateral edge of the mobile electronic device, and in a second configuration by attaching the retainer portion to the top edge of the mobile electronic device and by attaching the retainer portion to a second lateral edge of the mobile electronic device that is generally opposite from the first lateral edge of the mobile electronic device;

wherein in the first and second configurations the retainer portion is configured not to contact the regions of the mobile electronic device where the top edge of the mobile electronic device and the first lateral edge of the mobile electronic device converge or where the top edge of the mobile electronic device and the second lateral edge of the mobile electronic device converge.

8. The combination of the optical system of claim 7 and the mobile electronic device.

9. The optical system of claim 7, wherein the retainer portion is configured to receive the at least two optical components at the same time on a surface of the retainer portion that faces away from the mobile electronic device when the retainer portion is attached to the mobile electronic device.

10. The optical system of claim 7, wherein at least one of a first end portion and a second end portion comprises a hook portion.

11. The optical system of claim 10, wherein the hook portion is configured to securely receive at least a portion of an edge of the mobile electronic device.

12. The optical system of claim 7, wherein the at least two optical components do not rotate with respect to the retainer portion.

13. The optical system of claim 7, wherein the retainer portion comprises a recess configured to receive a raised portion on the mobile electronic device adjacent to an onboard camera of the mobile electronic device.

14. A method of removably attaching an optical system to a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

attaching a retainer portion to a mobile electronic device with an onboard camera of the mobile electronic device located in an upper central region of the mobile electronic device, the retainer portion comprising at least two optical components attached or attachable to the retainer portion at respective different locations on a first side of the retainer portion at the same time,

switching the retainer portion between at least two positions when attached to the mobile electronic device by attaching the retainer portion and the at least two optical components to a first side of the mobile device in a first orientation, removing the retainer portion and the at least two optical components from the first side of the mobile electronic device, changing the orientation of the retainer portion with respect to the mobile device, and reattaching the retainer portion and the at least two optical components to the first side of the mobile electronic device in a second orientation, without changing the orientation of the optical components with respect to the retainer portion.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the optical components do not rotate with respect to the retainer portion.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the retainer portion does not contact any corner region of the mobile electronic device when the optical system is removably attached to the mobile electronic device.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the retainer portion attaches to the mobile electronic device using at least two arms.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the at least two arms comprises a hooked portion that is configured to contact a second side of the mobile electronic device.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the retainer portion comprises a recess configured to receive a raised portion on the mobile electronic device adjacent to an onboard camera of the mobile electronic device.

15. (canceled)