Patent Publication Number: US-11023054-B2

Title: Device case computer mouse

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to computer peripherals, and more specifically, to a device case that can be used as a computer mouse. 
     Portable computers, such as laptop computers, allow users to travel with full-power workstations from place to place and rapidly set up a workspace virtually wherever they desire. Laptop computers are oftentimes used with peripheral devices, for example, computer mice. At times, for example, within an office building, a portable computer is carried without the aid of a bag. In such a situation, the computer mouse that would typically accompany the portable computer can be difficult to carry and/or keep track of, so sometimes users will forgo bringing them, making the portable computer less user-friendly. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a device case computer mouse includes a body including a cavity configured to attach the device case to a handheld computer, a motion sensor connected to the body, a battery connected to the body, and a charging port connected to the body and electrically connected to the battery, the charging port being configured to be connected to a case charging cable. Also included is a processor electrically connected to the battery and communicatively connected to the motion sensor, wherein the processor is configured to be communicatively connected to the handheld computer wirelessly and to a portable computer to transmit motion data from the motion sensor to the portable computer and to transmit input data from the handheld computer to the portable computer. 
     According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a computing system includes a portable computer, a handheld computer, and a case attached to the handheld computer, wherein the case is communicatively connected to the portable computer and is wirelessly communicatively connected to the handheld computer. The case includes a body, a motion sensor connected to the body, a battery connected to the body, and a processor electrically connected to the battery and communicatively connected to the motion sensor, wherein the processor is configured to transmit motion data from the motion sensor to the portable computer and to transmit input data from the handheld computer to the portable computer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a multi-view (rear, side, bottom) of a device with a case according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a front schematic view of a computing system including the device and the case according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a multi-view (rear, side, bottom) of the device with an alternate embodiment case according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a multi-view (rear, side, bottom) of device  100  with case  102  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Device  100  is a handheld computer such as, for example, a mobile phone, a calculator, or a personal digital assistant. Device  100  can include features for interacting with other components and/or the outside environment. For example, device  100  includes camera  104 , connection port  106 , input/output (I/O) port  108 , and hard keys  110 . In such an example, connection port  106  can be for charging and/or communicating with device  100 , and I/O port  108  can be for receiving data from and/or inputting data to device  100  (such as for connecting to headphones for listening to sound with the ability to control volume thereof). Hard keys  110 - 1  and  110 - 2  (collectively “hard keys  110 ”) can be used to control device  100 , for example, to lock device  100  and/or adjust the volume of device  100 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, case  102  is attached to device  100 , for example, by being comprised of an elastically deformable material (e.g., polymer) that can snap over and surrounds a significant portion of device  100 , holding device  100  in a cavity in case  102 . Case  102  includes body  112 , motion sensor  114 , battery  116 , case port  118 , and processor  120 . Body  112  includes camera window  122 - 1 , connection window  122 - 2 , I/O window  122 - 3 , key window  122 - 4 , and screen window  122 - 5  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) (collectively “windows  122 ”). Windows  122  allow access to and/or for features of device  100 , such as camera  104 , connection port  106 , I/O port  108 , and hard keys  110 , respectively. 
     Motion sensor  114  is connected to body  112  and can be any suitable type of motion sensor. For example, motion sensor  114  can be an optical sensor, an accelerometer, an inertial sensor, and/or a roller ball. Battery  116  is connected to body  112  and provides power to motion sensor  114  and processor  120 . Case port  118  is connected to body  112  and is electrically connected to battery  116  and processor  120 . Processor  120  can be, for example, an integrated circuit or other computing device that controls the operation of and executes the communication for case  102 . 
     The features of device  100  and case  102  are further described with respect to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a front schematic view of computing system  130  including device  100  and case  102  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, device  100  includes screen  132 , on which an application interface is displayed that includes right button  134 - 1 , wheel  134 - 2 , and left button  134 - 3  (collectively “soft keys  134 ”). The size, shape, position, and function of soft keys  134  can be configurable in the application, and soft keys  134  can be actuated through the touch screen capabilities of device  100 . Similarly, the function of hard keys  110  can be configurable in the application. Thereby, a user (not shown) can interact with the application via soft keys  134  and/or hard keys  110  to issue commands that are communicated wirelessly as input data to processor  120 . Furthermore, processor  120  gathers motion data from motion sensor  114 . This input data and motion data can be communicated, for example, through a wired connection or wirelessly, from case  102  to portable computer  136 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, portable computer  136  is a component of computing system  130 , such as, for example, a laptop computer or a tablet. Portable computer  136  includes display  138  on which a graphic user interface is displayed that includes cursor  140  and icon  142 . The position of cursor  140  can be controlled by motion data from case  102 , so changing the position of cursor  140  can be accomplished by the user moving case  102  along a surface. Additionally, features and functions of portable computer  136  can be controlled by input data from case  102 . For example, if a user moves cursor  140  to icon  142 , the user can press right button  134 - 1  to select icon  142 . For another example, if user is utilizing an internet browser, pressing hard key  110 - 2  can cause the browser to go back to the previous page. 
     In addition, computing system  130  can include case charging cord  144  which is configured to connect to case port  118  of case  102 . Thereby, battery  116  can be charged. Computing system  130  can further include device connection cord  146  which is configured to connect to connection port  106  on device  100 . This is permitted by connection window  122 - 2 , which allows access to connection port  106 . Thereby, device  100  can be charged and/or communicated with. 
     The components, configuration, and operation of computing system  130  allow for a user to essentially use their device  100  as a computer mouse to interface with portable computer  136 . This prevents user from having to take a separate computer mouse when traveling with portable computer  136 . In addition, device  100  maintains its full functionality because windows  122  prevent case  102  from blocking functional areas of device  100 . 
       FIG. 3  is a multi-view (rear, side, bottom) of device  100  with an alternate embodiment case  202  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Case  202  can be similar to case  102  (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), although with some differences. For example, case  202  lacks connector window  122 - 2 , although case  202  includes case port  218 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, case port  218  is electrically connected to battery  216  and processor  220 , as well as to connection port  106 . More specifically, power lead  248  (which there can be more than one of) is electrically connected to battery  216 /processor  220  and connection port  106 . However, communication lead  250  (which there can be more than one of) runs directly to connection port  106  and is not electrically connected to battery  216 /processor  220 . Thereby, case  202  communicates with device  100  wirelessly, although only one case/device cord (not shown) is required to charge case  202  and charge/communicate with device  100 . This is an advantage over the configuration of case  102 , although it may mean that case  202  is larger than case  102  due to device  102  plugging into case  202  at connection port  106 . 
     The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.