Abstract:
A method includes removing an adhesive backing from the back of a self-adhesive wallet and adhering the wallet to a handheld device or a case for the handheld device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/981,090, filed Dec. 29, 2010, by Sunder G. Jambunathan et al., titled “Wireless Phone Wallet,” now U.S. Pat. No. 8,726,952. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to add-on wallets for handheld devices, such as wireless phones, and methods for adding wallets to the handheld devices. 
       DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
       [0003]    Wireless phones and wallets are indispensible part of modern life. What are needed are apparatus and methods that combine their functionalities to reduce the number of items a person carries. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In one or more embodiment of the present disclosure, a wallet for a handheld device includes a base having a front and a back, an elastic pocket fixed to the front of the base, an adhesive on the back of the flexible base, and a backing over the adhesive. The elastic pocket is stretchable to accommodate multiple cards and folded bills. The elastic pocket is made of a different material than the base. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    In the drawings: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a back view of a self-adhesive wallet fixed to a wireless phone in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  shows a side cross-sectional view of the construction and the process of applying wallet of  FIG. 1  in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  shows a back view of another self-adhesive wallet fixed to a wireless phone in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  shows back view of a wallet case for a wireless phone in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  shows a side cross-sectional view of the wallet of  FIG. 4  in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  shows a back view of another wallet case for a wireless phone in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show back views of a strap wallet secured to a wireless phone in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  shows a back view of a wallet secured to a wireless phone in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  shows a front view of the wallet of  FIG. 9  in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 11  shows a back view of a battery cover wallet for a wireless phone and the process of applying the battery cover wallet in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 12  shows a front view of a sleeve wallet for a wireless phone and the process of applying the sleeve wallet in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
       [0017]    Use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a back view of a self-adhesive wallet  100  fixed to a wireless phone  102  in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Wallet  100  has the capacity to hold multiple cards  104  and multiple folded bills  106  for the user, thereby eliminating the need for the user to carry a wallet separate from wireless phone  102 . Wireless phone  102  may be an iPhone®, a Blackberry® device, or another wireless device. Cards  104  may be identification cards such as driver&#39;s license, credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, and RFID cards. Cards  104  typically meet the size and the thickness specified for ID-1 format by ISO/IEC 7810 and 7813, which is 85.60 by 53.98 mm in size and 0.76 mm in thickness. 
         [0019]    Wallet  100  has an opening on the top perimeter side and is closed on the other three perimeter sides. The top opening includes a thumb notch  108  for easy removal of cards  104  and folded bills  106 . Wallet  100  may have one or more access holes  110  when the placement of the wallet obstructs any camera, microphone, and speaker built into wireless phone  102 . Wallet  100  may be made of transparent materials so as not be obstruct the camera. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  shows a side cross-sectional view of the construction and the application of wallet  100  in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Wallet  100  includes a base  202 , an elastic pocket  204 , a layer of adhesive  206 , and a backing  208 . Base  202  is made of a flexible material so it can conform to the shape of wireless phone  102 . For example, base  202  is made of a flexible material such as plastic. Wallet  100  may include a thin metal film  209 , which is used to shield cards  104  from electronic scanning (theft) of information on the cards. Metal film  209  may be embedded in elastic pocket  204  or otherwise attached wallet  100 . 
         [0021]    Elastic pocket  204  is dimensioned to be slightly larger than a standard credit or ID card. Elastic pocket  204  is fixed on three sides to the front of base  202  to provide an opening to an interior compartment  210  for holding cards  104  and folded bills  106 . Elastic pocket  204  may be bonded or sewed onto base  202 . Elastic pocket  204  maintains a low profile and stretches as necessary to hold multiple cards  104  and multiple folded bills  106  so they do not fall out of wallet  100 . Elastic pocket  204  is made of a different material than base  202 . For example, elastic pocket  204  is made of a flexible material such as rubber or spandex. Elastic pocket  204  may have a smooth exterior so it can be removed from one&#39;s pocket, briefcase, bag, or purse without snagging. Elastic pocket  204  may have a tacky interior so cards  104  and folded bills  106  do not fall out of wallet  100 . 
         [0022]    Adhesive  206  with backing  208  is disposed on the back of base  202 . Adhesive  206  can be any common adhesive used to permanently or semi-permanently affix objects. Backing  208  is removed prior to fixing wallet  100  to wireless phone  102 . Wallet  100  has a smaller footprint than the mobile phone  102 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  shows a back view of a self-adhesive wallet  300  fixed to wireless phone  102  in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Wallet  300  is a variation of wallet  100  ( FIG. 1 ). Instead of an elastic pocket  204  made of a single piece of material as in wallet  100 , wallet  300  has elastic straps  302  that crosses between two or more perimeter sides of base  202 . Like elastic pocket  204 , elastic straps  302  maintains a low profile and stretches as necessary to hold multiple cards  104  and multiple folded bills  106 . Elastic straps  302  are made of similar material as elastic pocket  204 . Elastic straps  302  may also have a smooth exterior and a tacky interior. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show a back view and a side cross-sectional view of a wallet case  400  for wireless phone  102  ( FIG. 5 ) in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Wallet case  400  includes a main body  402  that secures to wireless phone  102  and leaves the displays and the keys accessible to the user. Main body  402  is dimensioned according to wireless phone  102 . Main body  402  defines an interior compartment  404  to hold multiple cards  104  and multiple folded bills  106 . Wallet case  400  optionally includes thin metal film  209 , which is used to shield cards  104  from electronic scanning (theft) of information on the cards. Metal film  209  may be fixed to the top of main body  402  above compartment  404 . 
         [0025]    The width and height of interior compartment  404  are dimensioned to be slightly larger than those of a standard credit or ID card, and the depth of the interior compartment is dimensioned to accommodate two or more cards  104  and/or two or more folded bills  106 . A top slot  406  provides access to interior compartment  404 , and a vertical thumb slot  408  to the interior compartment allows easy removal of cards  104  and folded bills  106 . Wallet  400  has one or more access holes  410  for any camera, microphone, and speaker built into wireless phone  102 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  shows a back view of a wallet case  600  for wireless phone  102  in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Wallet case  600  is a variation of wallet case  400  ( FIGS. 4  and  5 ). Instead of a top slot  406  as in wallet case  400 , one or more side slots  602  provide access to interior compartment  404 . Instead of a vertical thumb slot opening  408  as in wallet case  400 , a horizontal thumb slot  604  allows easy removal of cards  104  and folded bills  106 . 
         [0027]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show back views of a strap wallet  700  secured to wireless phone  102  in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Strap wallet  700  includes an elastic primary strap  702  and elastic cross straps  704 . Elastic primary strap  702  securely wraps around the perimeter of wireless phone  102 . Elastic cross straps  704  form a pattern across primary strap  702  to hold multiple cards  104  and folded bills  106 . For example, cross straps  704  form a Y-pattern. 
         [0028]    Elastic straps  704  maintain a low profile and stretches as necessary to hold multiple cards  104  and multiple folded bills  106 . Elastic straps  702  and  704  may have a smooth exterior so it can be easily removed from one&#39;s pocket, briefcase, bag, or purse without snagging. Elastic straps  702  and  704  may have a tacky interior so the former grips wireless phone  102  and the latter prevents cards  104  and folded bills  106  from falling out of strap wallet  700 . For example, elastic straps  702  and  704  are made of a flexible material such as rubber or spandex. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 9 and 10  show back and front views of a wallet  900  secured to wireless phone  102  in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Wallet  900  has a pocket  902  and elastic grips  904  that extend at opposite corners of the pocket. Pocket  902  is dimensioned to be slightly larger than a standard credit or ID card. Pocket  902  has an opening with a thumb notch  906  for easy removal of cards  104  and folded bills  106 . Pocket  902  may be made of an elastic material to maintain a low profile and stretches as necessary to hold multiple cards  104  and multiple folded bills  106 . For example, pocket  902  is made of a flexible material such as rubber or spandex. Elastic grips  904  are bonded or sewed onto pockets  902 . Elastic grips  904  are stretched and fitted over opposite corners of wireless phone  102  to secure wallet  900  using tension and friction. For example, elastic grips  904  are made of a flexible material such as rubber. Wallet  900  may have one or more access holes when the placement of the wallet obstructs any camera, microphone, and speaker built-into wireless phone  102 . Wallet  900  may include a thin metal film, which is used to shield cards  104  from electronic scanning (theft) of information on the cards. The metal film may be embedded in elastic pocket  902  or otherwise attached wallet  900 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 11  shows a back view of a battery cover wallet  1100  for wireless phone  102  in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Battery cover wallet  1100  integrates the functions of a battery cover and a wallet. Battery cover wallet  1100  includes a battery cover  1102  that fits a battery compartment  1104  of wireless phone  102 , and a pocket  1106  for holding multiple cards  104  and folded bills  106 . 
         [0031]    A top slot  1108  provides access to an interior compartment  1110 , and a vertical thumb slot  1112  to the interior compartment allows easy removal of cards  104  and folded bills  106 . The width and height of interior compartment  1110  are dimensioned to be slightly larger than those of a standard credit or ID card, and the depth of the interior compartment is dimensioned to accommodate two or more cards  104  and/or two or more folded bills  106 . Battery cover wallet  1100  may include one or more access holes for any camera, microphone, and speaker built-into wireless phone  102 . Battery cover wallet  1100  may include a thin metal film, which is used to shield cards  104  from electronic scanning (theft) of information on the cards. The metal film may be fixed to the top of pocket  1106  above compartment  1110 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 12  shows a front view of a sleeve wallet  1200  for wireless phone  102  in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Sleeve wallet  1200  includes a sleeve  1202  with a top opening  1204 , and a pocket  1206  fixed to the sleeve. Sleeve  1202  and pocket  1206  are made of elastic fabric, and the pocket is sewn onto the sleeve. For example, sleeve  1202  and pocket  1206  can be made of spandex. Wireless phone  102  slides into sleeve  1202  for protection and slide out from the sleeve for use. Pocket  1206  is dimensioned to be slightly larger than a standard credit or ID card. Pocket  1206  holds multiple cards  104  and folded bills  106 . Pocket  1206  includes a thumb notch  1208  at its opening for easy removal of cards  104  and folded bills  106 . Sleeve wallet  1200  may include a thin metal film, which is used to shield cards  104  from electronic scanning (theft) of information on the cards. The metal film may be embedded in elastic pocket  1206  or otherwise attached wallet  1200 . 
         [0033]    Various other adaptations and combinations of features of the embodiments disclosed are within the scope of the present disclosure. Numerous embodiments are encompassed by the following claims.