Patent ID: 7833097

Claim:
A game pad module for connection to a cell phone comprising: an outer casing having an upper part and a lower part; a game control unit within the casing that is communicatively coupled to a game pad module socket; an interface cable configured to electronically connect the cell phone to the game pad module, the interface cable comprising, a first connector at a first interface cable end configured to engage with the game pad module socket, a second connector at a second interface cable end configured to engage with a cell phone socket, an interface cable hub disposed between the first interface cable end and the second interface cable end, wherein the interface cable hub is configured to secure the interface cable when the interface cable is not in use; at least one keypad on the upper part of the casing configured to enable user engagement and control of a game, the keypad comprising diagonal buttons; a seat adjacent to the keypad for seating the cell phone selected from the group consisting of a clam shell cell phone, a bar cell phone and a slider cell phone; a cell phone hub that includes a cylindrical shaft having an outer end that projects outwardly from the cell phone; a channel disposed in the seat, wherein the channel includes a base wall on which a latching mechanism is provided, the latching mechanism being movable between a first position in latching engagement with the hub and a second position which releases the hub, the latch mechanism configured to receive the interface cable hub and the cell phone hub; the channel slidably receiving the cell phone hub when the second connector of the interface cable is coupled to the cell phone socket and the first connector of the of the interface cable is coupled to the game pad module socket; the channel slidably receiving the interface cable hub when the interface cable is not in use; and a latch release plate associated with the latch mechanism, the latch release plate having a latch release tab extending out of the casing that releases the latch mechanism that received the interface cable hub and the cell phone hub when the latch release tab is moved away from one of the interface cable hubs and the cell phone hub; wherein the outer casing has an opening aligned with the base wall and the latch release tab extends from the base wall through the opening in the casing to allow the base wall to be moved into the second latch release position.