Abstract:
A protective case for an portable electronic communications device includes an embedded speaker, an embedded microphone, and a headphone type plug on a cord. The plug plugs into a corresponding port on the electronic device to power the microphone and speaker and to connect them to the device&#39;s electronics. The speaker is mounted in spaced relation to the microphone so that the display of the electronic device is disposed therebetween. The result is that the speaker is at the “top” of the device, and the microphone is at the bottom of the device, with the display spacing the two apart so that they are disposed like in a conventional phone headset. The case is particularly useful for devices with Wi-Fi capability but no cellular service.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Numerous portable wireless communications devices exist on the market today. For example, portable cellular telephones have become almost ubiquitous. Many of the wireless communications devices rely primarily on the cellular telephone infrastructure in order to communicate with other wireless communications devices. Such is the case with basic cellular telephones. More sophisticated devices, known as smartphones, are frequently designed to also work with other wireless networks, such as “Wi-Fi” networks. However, smartphones also require a subscription to a cellular service provider, and the costs of such subscriptions have proven quite burdensome for many situations, particularly families with several children having cellular telephones. 
         [0002]    Other portable electronic devices have been developed, such as the portable MP3 players. These devices have also evolved, and more sophisticated ones currently also allow video viewing and internet access through Wi-Fi connections, and therefore may be considered as wireless communications devices. Such devices are typically configured with an earphone jack for connecting with a corresponding plug of a small earpiece speaker (“earphone”). 
         [0003]    Separately, a number of web-based “telephone” programs have been developed, such as the SKYPE brand program. These programs allow for a web-enabled device to place a telephone call without being initially connected to the telephone (including cellular telephone) network. That is, these programs allow for the uplink for the device to be carried on a non-cellular network, e.g., the internet via a Wi-Fi connection. For example, a user having a desktop computer connected only to the internet to place a “call” to a phone number and thereafter have a conversation, and sometimes a video conference, with the party on the other end, even though the desktop computer is connected to the telecommunications network only through the internet connection. However, having to use a non-portable desktop computer clearly limits the utility of such an approach, as portability is highly desirable. Using a laptop computer is a slightly better alternative, but still highly cumbersome. 
         [0004]    What is desired is the ability to have a phone-like experience, with call-out and optionally call-in ability, using a wireless communications system other than a cellular system, so as to be able to avoid the cellular phone subscription charges. One possible avenue is to use a non-cellular Wi-Fi enabled portable wireless communications device, such as the IPOD TOUCH brand product from Apple, Inc. However, such devices do not have microphones, and more importantly do not have a microphone and speaker separated from each other so that the microphone may be placed proximate a user&#39;s mouth and the speaker proximate the user&#39;s ear. As such, it is not possible, using the prior art, to use such devices and have a communications experience like using a phone conventional handset with its concomitant privacy. Accordingly, there remains a need for alternative approaches to wireless communications devices. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The present invention provides a protective case for a wireless communications device having a display on a front thereof and an earphone jack. The protective case comprises a shell which comprises: a back; sidewalls extending generally perpendicular to the back; a cavity defined by the back and sidewalls; the cavity sized and configured to receive the wireless communications device therein. A rim extends from the sidewalls generally opposite the back; the rim defines a display opening sized and configured to expose the wireless communications device display when the wireless communications device is disposed in the cavity. The case further includes a speaker embedded in the shell and a microphone embedded in the shell, with the speaker and microphone disposed on opposite sides of the display opening. The case further includes a connection cable affixed toward one end to the shell and comprising a cord and an electrical plug with the cord operatively connecting the plug to both the microphone and the speaker. The connection cable may be affixed to the shell proximate the microphone. The shell may advantageously be flexible. The case may further include a clip affixed to an exterior of the shell and adapted to secure at least one of the plug and the cord. 
         [0006]    In various embodiments, the present invention has one or more of the above attributes, alone or in any combination. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a case according to one embodiment of the present invention installed on a wireless communications device in an unplugged configuration. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows partially exploded view of the combinational device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  shows the combinational device of  FIG. 1  in the plugged configuration. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    In one embodiment, the present invention provides a protective case for a portable wireless communications device. For illustrative purposes, a wireless communications device  10  like the IPOD TOUCH brand product from Apple, Inc. will be used in the description below, but it should be understood that the invention is applicable to other wireless communications devices as well. 
         [0011]    The portable wireless communications device  10  shown in  FIG. 1  comprises a housing  12  enclosing electronics  22  therein. The housing  12  has a rear wall  14 , a perimeter wall  16 , and a front face  18  having a display  20  thereon. The electronics  22  include suitable circuitry for storing and playing audio and advantageously video. The electronics  22  also include suitable circuitry for bi-directional wireless communications over a network other than a cellular telephone network, such as a Wi-Fi network connected to the internet. The display  20  is controlled by the electronics  22 , and typically also functions as user control interface. The front face  18  may also contain user input controls of the kind known in the art. The wireless communications device  10  further comprises a headphone jack  24  for outputting audio signals to an attached earphone. The jack  24  is advantageously multi-functional in that it is also configured to receive audio input. The jack  24  may be located on the lower edge of the perimeter wall  16 , although other locations are also possible. A separate dock connector  26  is also typically located on the lower edge of the perimeter wall  16 . Additional details of the wireless communications device&#39;s construction and operation are not detailed further herein because they are known in the art and not important for understanding the present invention. 
         [0012]    The protective case  30  shown in  FIG. 1  is removably mounted to the housing  12  of the wireless communications device  10 . The protective case  30  includes a shell  40 , a microphone  50 , a speaker  52 , and a connection cable  60 . The shell  40  includes a substantially planar rear or back wall  42 , and a plurality of sidewalls  44  extending generally forwardly from the back wall  42  generally perpendicular thereto. The sidewalls  44  include a top wall  45 , a bottom wall  46 , a left wall  47 , and a right wall  48 . The sidewalls  44  and the back wall  42  together help define a cavity  36  in the shell  40 . The cavity  36  is sized and configured to receive the wireless communications device  10  therein. The upper portions of the sidewalls  44  advantageously curls inward some to form a front rim  49  that frames a display opening  38 . The upper portion  32  of the shell  40  has a speaker  52  embedded therein. Preferably, the portion of the rim  49  associated with the top wall  45  is rather elongated in relation to the rim portions associated with the left wall  47  and right wall  48 . The speaker  52  is advantageously embedded in this upper rim portion, and is oriented frontward. Likewise, the lower portion of the shell  40  has a microphone  50  embedded therein. Preferably, the portion of the rim  49  associated with the bottom wall  46  is rather elongated in relation to the rim portions associated with the left wall  47  and right wall  48 . The microphone  50  is advantageously embedded in this lower rim portion, and is oriented frontward. The shell  40  is advantageously made from a compliant elastic material, such as silicone, rubber, or the like. Other non-rigid materials are also possible, such as leather and the like. When joined to the device  10 , the back wall  42  and sidewalls  44  overlie the corresponding rear wall  14  and perimeter wall  16  of the device  10 , advantageously entirely covering the same other than for any openings required to provide access to connectors and/or buttons/switches on the device  10 . 
         [0013]    The connection cable  60  includes a short cord  62  extending away from the shell  40  that terminates in a plug  64  suitable for plugging into the headphone jack  24  on the wireless communications device  10 . While the illustrative cord  62  is shown as straight, the cord  62  may alternatively be a coiled (spiral) cord, or a mixture of straight and coiled, if desired. The plug  64  is operatively connected (i.e., electrically connected) to the speaker  52  and microphone  50  by cord  62 . For example, wires  54  or other conductors may be embedded in the shell  40  and run from the cord  62  to the speaker  52  and microphone  50 . Less advantageously, the connecting wires  54  may alternatively run in mostly open channels in the shell  40  to the speaker  52  and microphone  50 , or be routed loosely through the cavity  36 . 
         [0014]    In order to allow the plug  64  to be inserted in the headphone jack  24 , the lower portion of the shell  40  also has an opening  35  corresponding to the headphone jack  24 , such that the opening  35  is aligned with the jack  24  when the wireless communications device  10  is inserted in the cavity  36 . This opening  35  is typically located in the bottom wall  46 . The bottom wall  46  may advantageously further include a suitable opening  39  to allow the docking connector  26  of the wireless communications device  10  to be accessed while the case  30  is installed. If desired, the lower portion  34  of the shell  40  may further include a clip  66  affixed to the exterior of the shell  40 . The clip  66  is sized and configured to releasably receive the cord  62  and/or plug  64 , particularly when the plug  64  is not in use. While the illustrative clip  66  is disposed on the right sidewall  48  near the bottom wall  46 , other positions may alternatively be employed, such as on the bottom wall  46 , near the opening  39  for docking connector  26 . 
         [0015]    Assuming the case  30  is a single piece, the case  30  may be releasably mounted on the wireless communications device  10  by sliding the wireless communications device  10  into the display opening  38  and slightly temporarily distorting the shell  40  so that it snaps over the perimeter wall  16  of the wireless communications device  10  with the back wall  42  adjacent the rear wall  14 . With the case  30  mounted to the wireless communications device  10 , the sidewalls  44  overlie the perimeter wall  16  of the device  10 , and the rim  49  slightly overlies the front  18 , with the display  20  uncovered by the shell  40  and accessible through the display opening  38 . The headphone jack  24  is accessible through the corresponding opening  35  in the shell  40 . 
         [0016]    With the plug  64  not plugged into the jack  24 , the combination of the case  30  and the wireless communications device  10  can be used as a conventional wireless communications device  10 , with the audio output through the usual paths, such as a separate headphone or built-in speaker in the wireless communications device  10 . The cord  62  and/or plug  64  of the connection cable  60  is advantageously gripped by the clip  66  so as to be in a safe storage position. The case  30 , in this configuration, acts as a protective case, with the compliant material of the shell  40  helping to absorb mechanical shocks in a conventional fashion. 
         [0017]    With the plug  64  plugged into the jack  24 , the speaker  52  and microphone  50  are operatively connected to the electronics  22  in the wireless communications device  10 . When an appropriate “phone” application is launched on the wireless communications device  10 , such as SKYPE, the application may access the inputs from the microphone  50  and output via the speaker  52 . Due to the positioning of the microphone  50  and speaker  52 , above and below the display  20 , there is enough spacing between the two that the wireless communications device  10  may be held to the user&#39;s head and used like a conventional telephone handset. As discussed above, the uplink from the wireless communications device  10  to the remote party (at the other end of the “call’) is via Wi-Fi or similar network that is not the cellular telephone/data network. Accordingly, the user can use the combined device  10  as something similar to a portable cellular telephone without having a cellular telephone subscription. The clip  66 , in some embodiments, may grip the connection cable  60  in a different location than described above, or the connection cable  60  may bypass the clip  66 . In this configuration, the case  30  acts as both a protective case and as audio input/output accessory that allows for the privacy of the call to be maintained. 
         [0018]    In both the plugged (or plugged-in) and unplugged configurations, the display  20  remains readily accessible through the display opening  38 . 
         [0019]    The discussion above was generally in the context of a soft and pliable case  30  with a one-piece construction. That is, the shell  40  of the case  30  would be formed as a single part, without removable portions. For example, the case  30  could be molded from silicone, with the speaker  52 , microphone  50 , wires  54 , and connection cable  60  affixed to the shell  40  during the molding process. While such arrangement is believed advantageous, it is not required in all embodiments. In some embodiments, the shell  40  may be made from a hard material, such as metal, ABS or polycarbonate plastics, or the like, and/or may be made in two or more joinable parts with suitable electronic connections as necessary to connect the speaker  52  and microphone  50  to the connection cable  60 . If made in multiple parts, the shell  40  may be assembled around the wireless communications device  10  by, for example, sliding the various portions over the corresponding portions of the device&#39;s housing  12  and snapping the portions together. 
         [0020]    In some embodiments, the case  30  may further include a suitable removable cap (not shown) for selectively covering the opening for jack  24 . Such a cap, if present, should be tethered to the shell  40 , such as by a living hinge arrangement. 
         [0021]    The back wall  42  of the shell  40  may not fully cover the rear wall  14  of the device  10  in some embodiments. For example, the back wall  42  may include one or more suitable openings for corresponding camera lenses, control buttons, or the like on the device  10 . Further, the back wall  42  may be foraminous or the back wall  42  may only extend inward only partially from the sidewalls  44 . Further, the back wall  42  may be made from a different and harder material than the sidewalls  44 , such as being made of polycarbonate while the sidewalls  44  are made from silicone, if desired. And, the shell  40  may be in any desired color or combination of colors and may have any suitable graphics or other indicia embedded or printed thereon, as is desired. 
         [0022]    The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the scope of the invention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.