Detachable sensory-interface device for a wireless personal communication device and method

• US 9,285,840 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael S. Stamer
• Original Assignee: Michael S. Stamer
• Inventors: Kamin-Lyndgaard, Andrew C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Osorio, Ricardo L
• Application Number:
  US13/844,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20130278552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345173-175, 178 1801- 1807, 178 1901- 1905
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A system and method that utilizes a protective sensor-interface apparatus, which removably connects and interfaces to a mobile electronic device, enabling users to more readily access and engage mobile content and data. The present invention provides a method and device wherein the user interfaces with digital content by using touch-sensitive areas on the back and sides of a protective case that interfaces with the mobile device, the software application and other users. This enables additional features that can be customized by users and developers for enhanced sensory experiences and digital rights management by creating components of a separate environment that exists in the case.

Claims

1. A method for implementing and using a sensory-interface device, the method comprising:

providing the sensory-interface device, wherein the sensory-interface device includes a protective case having a plurality of touch-sensitive sensors;

attaching the sensory-interface device to a user'"'"'s mobile device;

providing a communications mechanism configured to exchange data between the sensory-interface device and the mobile device;

sensing touch of a user on the sensory-interface device;

sensing a gesture made by the user on one of the touch sensitive surfaces;

generating a first authentication code that is personal to the user based on the sensed gesture;

combining the first authentication code with a device authentication code to generate a combined personal-and-device authentication code that enables a software function of the mobile device; and

gathering data from a plurality of sources for compilation into at least one touch-sensitive device of a plurality of touch-sensitive devices that includes the sensory-interface device, wherein the data can be sent to remote satellite touch-sensitive devices of the plurality of touch-sensitive devices, and wherein the data is searchable from a database that is internal to the at least one touch-sensitive device and that is accessible through a communications network that connects the plurality of touch-sensitive devices.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the touch sensitive sensors are located on the back and sides of the protective case.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the touch sensitive sensors sense touch location and pressure, and wherein the touch sensors sense multiple simultaneous touches.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive sensors measure the touch location and touch pressure variation over time.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensed gesture is a grip, the method further comprising determining from the sensed grip whether the user is holding the device with a left hand versus a right hand.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the protective case includes a back, a plurality of sides and a plurality of beveled edges, and wherein the plurality of touch-sensitive sensors are located on the back, sides and bevel edges of the protective case.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the protective case further includes secure data storage, a data encryption and decryption facility and encrypted data stored in the secure data storage;

and

wherein the combined personal-and-device authentication code is required to access the encrypted data in the secure data storage.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the protective case further includes a laser and a light sensing device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface of the touch-sensitive sensors is textured to provide tactile feedback to the user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication mechanism between the protective case and the mobile phone is wireless.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication mechanism between the sensory-interface device and the mobile device is wired.

12. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions when executed by a suitable information processor, perform a method comprising:

receiving a signal that includes parameters from a gesture made by a user on a touch-sensitive protective case having a touch sensor, wherein the touch-sensitive protective case is attached to a user'"'"'s mobile device;

generating a first authentication code that is personal to the user based on the gesture;

combining the first authentication code with a device authentication code to generate a combined personal-and-device authentication code that enables a software function of the mobile device; and

gathering data from a plurality of sources for compilation into at least one touch-sensitive device of a plurality of touch-sensitive devices that includes the touch-sensitive protective case, wherein the data can be sent to remote satellite touch-sensitive devices of the plurality of touch-sensitive devices, and wherein the data is searchable from a database that is internal to the at least one touch-sensitive device and that is accessible through a communications network that connects the plurality of touch-sensitive devices.

13. The medium of claim 12,

wherein the protective case further includes secure data storage, a data encryption and decryption facility and encrypted data stored in the secure data storage;

and

wherein the medium further includes instructions such that the method further comprises;

eliciting and receiving data from the user;

encrypting the data and storing the data in the secure data storage;

eliciting and receiving from the user a gesture that generates the first authentication code that is required to access the encrypted data in the secure data storage; and

decrypting the data.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a touch-sensitive protective case that has touch capacitive sensors, wherein the touch-sensitive protective case is configured to be attached to a user'"'"'s mobile device;

sensors in the case configured to sense a gesture made by the user;

a gesture detector operably connected to the sensor;

a user-authentication generator operably coupled to the gesture detector and configured to generate a first authentication code that is personal to the user based on the gesture;

a combiner unit configured to combine the first authentication code with a device authentication code to form a combined personal-and-device authentication code that enables a software function of the mobile device; and

a gathering unit configured to gather data from a plurality of sources for compilation into at least one touch-sensitive device of a plurality of touch-sensitive devices that includes the touch-sensitive protective case, wherein the data can be sent to remote satellite touch-sensitive devices of the plurality of touch-sensitive devices, and wherein the data is searchable from a database that is internal to the at least one touch-sensitive device and that is accessible through a communications network that connects the plurality of touch-sensitive devices.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the touch sensitive sensors are located on the back and sides of the protective case.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the touch sensitive sensors sense touch location and pressure variation over time, and wherein the touch sensors sense multiple simultaneous touches.

17. The apparatus of claim 14,

wherein the protective case further includes secure data storage, a data encryption and decryption facility and encrypted data stored in the secure data storage;

and

wherein the authentication code is required to access the encrypted data in the secure data storage.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the gesture detector detects if the gesture is a grip a grip, and determines from the sensed grip whether the user is holding the device with a left hand versus a right hand.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the protective case includes a back, a plurality of sides and a plurality of beveled edges, and wherein the plurality of touch-sensitive sensors are located on the back, sides and bevel edges of the protective case.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the protective case further includes a laser and a light sensing device.