Apparatus for providing emergency feature activation for mobile electronic devices

A case includes a case body configured to be equipped by the mobile electronic device. The case body includes at least two button accessing means and the mobile electronic device includes at least two physical buttons. The case further includes an actuator coupled to the case body and movable between at least a first position and a second position, where the actuator comprises two or more engagement members. The engagement members, in cooperation with the button accessing means, depress corresponding physical buttons of the mobile electronic device when the mobile electronic device is equipped with the case and the actuator is in the second position. The engagement members are configured to not depress corresponding physical buttons of the mobile electronic device when the actuator is in the first position.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to an apparatus for activating emergency features of a mobile electronic device, and more particularly to a mobile device case or add-on assembly that is configured to facilitate easy activation of the emergency features of a mobile electronic device.

BACKGROUND

Mobile electronic devices are typically equipped with built-in emergency features which can be activated by the user upon pressing multiple physical buttons on the device, either in a particular sequence or for a threshold amount of time. This can be a cumbersome process for the user, and can be particularly difficult to execute in an actual emergency. Moreover, some users may have physical limitations preventing them from being able to press multiple buttons at the same time or for a requisite period of time.

SUMMARY

The disclosure relates to a case adapted to be equipped by a mobile electronic device. In certain embodiments, the case comprises a case body configured to be equipped by the mobile electronic device, wherein the case body comprises at least two button accessing means and wherein the mobile electronic device comprises at least two physical buttons. The case further comprises an actuator coupled to the case body and movable between at least a first position and a second position, the actuator comprising two or more engagement members. The engagement members, in cooperation with the button accessing means, are configured to depress corresponding physical buttons of the mobile electronic device when the mobile electronic device is equipped with the case and the actuator is in the second position. The engagement members are further configured to not depress corresponding physical buttons of the mobile electronic device when the actuator is in the first position.

In certain embodiments, each of the at least two button accessing means comprises an aperture formed in the case body.

In certain embodiments, each of the at least two button accessing means comprises a flexible or semi-rigid button formed in the case body.

In certain embodiments, the actuator comprises a lever hingeably attached to opposing side of the case body.

In certain embodiments, the two or more engagement members comprise a first tab formed on a first side of the actuator and a second tab formed on a second side of the actuator, wherein the first side of the actuator is attached to a first side of the case body and the second side of the actuator is attached to a second side of the case body.

In certain embodiments, when the actuator is in the second position (i) the first tab in cooperation with one of the two or more button accessing means causes a corresponding first physical button of the mobile electronic device to be depressed, and (ii) the second tab in cooperation with another of the two or more button accessing means causes a corresponding second physical button of the mobile electronic device to be depressed.

In certain embodiments, depressing the first physical button and the second physical button at approximately the same time corresponds to an emergency activation feature of the mobile electronic device.

In certain embodiments, the actuator is movable between the at least first position and second position by a force applied by a user or by a mechanical-electrical assembly.

In certain embodiments, the actuator comprises a slide that slidably engages opposing sides of the case body.

In certain embodiments, the slide comprises an integrally formed user control member by which a user moves the slide between the first and second positions.

In certain embodiments, the two or more engagement members comprise a first wing formed on a first side of the actuator and a second wing formed on a second side of the actuator, wherein the first side of the actuator is attached to a first side of the case body and the second side of the actuator is attached to a second side of the case body.

In certain embodiments, when the actuator is in the second position (i) the first wing in cooperation with one of the two or more button accessing means causes a corresponding first physical button of the mobile electronic device to be depressed, and (ii) the second wing in cooperation with another of the two or more button accessing means causes a corresponding second physical button of the mobile electronic device to be depressed.

In certain embodiments, depressing the first physical button and the second physical button at approximately the same time corresponds to an emergency activation feature of the mobile electronic device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to one or more examples of the present disclosure, a mechanical or mechanical-electrical assembly for a mobile electronic device is configured to carry out an emergency feature activation which comprises pressing multiple physical buttons on the device, either in a particular sequence or for a threshold amount of time. In certain embodiment, the assembly is actuated using a single point of user input that is converted into a multipoint input that corresponds to a mobile electronic device's emergency feature activation sequence.

It should be appreciated that the mechanical or mechanical-electrical assembly may be configured as a mobile electronic device case or may be an add-on assembly. In the case of a mechanical assembly, it should be appreciated that actuation of the assembly may be carried out by a user applying a designated manual force that causes one or more mechanical components of the assembly to move into a position that results in multiple physical buttons of the mobile electronic device to be depressed at the same time, where the buttons being depressed correspond to a sequence or duration required for activation of an emergency feature of the mobile electronic device.

Alternatively, in the case of a mechanical-electrical assembly, actuation of the assembly may be carried out by a user applying a designated manual force which activates an electrical circuit of the assembly which, in turn, is coupled to one or more mechanical components of the assembly that move into a position that results in multiple physical buttons of the mobile electronic device being depressed at the same time where, again, the buttons being depressed correspond to a sequence or duration required for activation of an emergency feature of the mobile electronic device.

Finally, while the disclosure herein is presented with a focus on emergency feature activation, it should be equally appreciated that the disclosed invention is equally applicable in the context of any other mobile device feature which requires the depression of multiple buttons/switches or requires depression of a single button for an extended period of time, e.g., powering on the device, performing a reset, taking a screenshot, etc.

Referring now toFIGS.1A-1B, depicted is a mobile electronic device which is equipped with a case100configured in accordance with the principles of the invention. The case100comprises a case body110, an actuator in the form of a mechanical lever120attached on lateral sides of the case, as shown inFIGS.1A-1B, and engagement members in the form of tabs125on either side of the case. Moreover, the case100for a mobile electronic device may be configured with button accessing means (e.g., plurality of buttons/apertures130a-130c) disposed on both or either side of the case100. Of course, it should be appreciated that the case100may comprise more or few button accessing means, or that buttons/apertures130a-130cmay be disposed in different locations along the case100so as to align with one or more corresponding physical buttons of the mobile electronic device on which the case100is equipped. The button accessing means (e.g., buttons/apertures130a-130c) may comprise a flexible or semi-rigid material, for example, that slightly protrudes from the case body110in order to cover and accommodate corresponding physical buttons of the mobile electronic device on which the case100is equipped. Alternatively, button accessing means (e.g., buttons/apertures130a-130c) may comprise apertures through which corresponding physical buttons of the mobile electronic device may protrude. Whether button accessing means (e.g., buttons/apertures130a-130c) comprises flexible or semi-rigid material that cover and accommodate corresponding buttons of a mobile electronic device, or whether button accessing means (e.g., buttons/apertures130a-130c) comprises apertures through which corresponding physical buttons of the mobile electronic device may protrude, it should be appreciated that case100is configured to provide access to one or more physical buttons of a mobile electronic device on which the case100is equipped. In particular, such access permits the one or more mobile device buttons to be actuated by an external mechanical force, as described in more detail below.

Continuing to refer toFIGS.1A-1B,FIG.1Adepicts a first operating position of the actuator, e.g., lever120, in which the lever120is in a vertical position and, as a result, the engagement members, e.g., tabs125, are adjacent, but not in contact with buttons/apertures130aand130c, respectively.FIG.1Bdepicts a second operating position of the lever120in which the lever120has now been moved from the vertical position to a skewed position and, as a result, tabs125are caused to move over the top of and thereby apply a mechanical force in the region defined by the buttons/apertures130aand130c, as shown. As a result, the corresponding physical buttons of the mobile electronic device may be depressed. In this fashion, the user is able to provide a single, simple point of input (pushing the lever120down) that is converted by the assembly into a multipoint input (e.g., depressing physical buttons of the mobile device corresponding to both buttons/apertures130aand130c). In certain embodiments, the multipoint input preferably corresponds to a mobile electronic device's emergency feature activation sequence.

Moreover, it should be appreciated that case100may be configured to advantageously maintain the multipoint input without there being maintained user input for any extended period of time because the physical buttons of the mobile electronic device corresponding to the locations of the buttons/apertures130aand130cwill continue to be depressed by tabs125even after the user stops making contact with the lever120(unless otherwise equipped with a spring or biased hinge, which may be preferable in certain embodiments). Finally, it should also be appreciated that a length of the tabs125may vary depending on mobile device button location, or if it is desirable to actuate additional mobile device buttons, such as a physical button of the mobile device corresponding to the lower button/aperture130b.

Referring now toFIGS.2A-2B, depicted is a second embodiment of a mobile device case configured in accordance with the principles of the invention. Here, case200is comprised of a case body210, an actuator in the form of a slide220and an optional back plate230. The actuator, e.g., slide220, is configured to engage the body210, as shown inFIG.2B, along interior side surfaces. Specifically, slide220comprises engagement members in the form of curved wing portions disposed on opposite sides that are configured to conform to and be slideably engaged with an inner (or outer) side surface of the body210. Slide220further includes user control member225which is configured to serve as a point of user contact for actuating the slide220, as further described with reference toFIG.3below. Optional back plate230may be used to provide rear protection for a mobile device and/or to secure the slide220to the body210. When optional back plate230is used, it may be configured with access port235in order to provide user access to the user control member225for actuating the slide220.

As shown inFIGS.2A-2B, case200may similarly be configured with one or more buttons/apertures (not labeled) that are substantially similar to buttons/apertures130a-130cofFIGS.1A-1B, and which may similarly correspond to locations of physical buttons of a mobile electronic device on which the case200is equipped.

Referring now toFIG.3, depicted is a mobile device300equipped with the case200ofFIGS.2A-2B, showing two different operating positions of the case200. Specifically, in a first position320a, the slide220is in a lower position such that its curved wing portions are situated below all of the physical buttons310a-310cof the mobile device300. As described above, case200is configured with one or more buttons/apertures (not labeled), which are substantially similar to buttons/apertures130a-130cofFIGS.1A-1B, which are correspond to the locations of the physical buttons310a-310cof the mobile device300when equipped thereon.

By virtue of the slide220being slideably engaged with an inner (or outer) side surface of the case200, as described above, the slide220may be moved from the first position320ato a second position320bby, for example, a user contacting and sliding up the user control member225. Since the second position320bis higher than the first position320a, the curved wing portions of the slide220will slide over the top of and thereby depress the physical buttons310band310cof the mobile device, as shown, through corresponding buttons/apertures of the case200, as described above. In this fashion, the user is able to provide a single, simple point of input (sliding the user control member225up) that is converted by the assembly into a multipoint input (e.g., depressing both buttons310band310c) where the multipoint input preferably corresponds to a mobile electronic device's emergency feature activation sequence.

Moreover, as with the first embodiment above, it should be appreciated that case200may be configured to advantageously maintain the multipoint input without maintained user input because buttons310band310cwill continue to be depressed by the wing portions of the slide220even after the user stops making contact with the user control member225(unless otherwise equipped with a biasing towards the first position320a, which may be preferable in certain embodiments). Finally, while the winged portions of the slide220are configured to engage buttons310band310cin this example, it should equally be appreciated that the winged portions may be configured to engage buttons310aand310b, but not310c, in the second position320b, or even to engage buttons310aand310c, and not310b, by for example including a notch (not shown) through which button310bis allowed to project and remain un-pressed when the slide220is in the second position320b.

It should be appreciated that the above two embodiments are merely exemplary and that many other configurations are within the scope of this disclosure including, as noted above, mechanical-electrical assemblies, as well as numerous other mechanical-only assembles.

It will be appreciated that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments. The same reference numbers may be used to describe like or similar parts. Further, while several examples have been disclosed herein, any features from any examples may be combined with or replaced by other features from other examples. Moreover, while several examples have been disclosed herein, changes may be made to the disclosed examples within departing from the scope of the claims.