Accessories for electronic user devices having wireless accessory buses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10333576-B2
Application number	US-201715612827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2017
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

Various embodiments concern a wireless accessory bus for a user device that enables accessories to be easily and securely attached to the user device. More specifically, the wireless accessory bus enables data to be wirelessly transmitted between the accessory and the user device when the accessory and the user device are located within close proximity to one another (e.g., when the accessory is securely attached to the wireless accessory bus). Power could also be wirelessly transferred from the user device to the accessory (or vice versa). In some embodiments, the user device includes fastening component(s) (e.g., magnets) that allow the user device and the accessory to be magnetically secured to one another. The accessory typically enables the user device to readily utilize a new functionality or an improvement to an existing functionality.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A camera accessory for an electronic device, the camera accessory comprising:
a housing that includes an attachment mechanism configured to secure the camera accessory to a corresponding attachment mechanism of the electronic device;
an electrical contact configured to receive power from the electronic device upon maintaining a physical connection with a corresponding electrical contact of the electronic device;
multiple digital cameras that each have a field of view,
wherein the multiple digital cameras are arranged so that the multiple fields of view form a 360° field of view of an ambient environment;

a memory configured to store image data generated by the multiple digital cameras; and
a processor that effects a bi-directional exchange of information with the electronic device when the attachment mechanism of the housing is secured to the corresponding attachment mechanism of the electronic device.

2. The camera accessory of claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism maintains the camera accessory in a predetermined orientation relative to the corresponding attachment mechanism of the electronic device.

3. The camera accessory of claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism causes the multiple digital cameras to be positioned outside a perimeter of the electronic device.

4. The camera accessory of claim 1 , wherein the multiple digital cameras are controllable by a computer program executing in the electronic device.

5. The camera accessory of claim 1 , further comprising:
an image processing module configured to process the image data generated by the multiple digital cameras.

6. The camera accessory of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to transmit the image data generated by the multiple digital cameras directly to the electronic device for processing.

7. The camera accessory of claim 1 , wherein the electrical contact is one of multiple electrical contacts accessible through the housing.

8. A camera accessory for a mobile phone, the camera accessory comprising:
an attachment mechanism configured to secure the camera accessory to a corresponding attachment mechanism of the mobile phone in a predetermined orientation;
an electrical contact configured to receive power from the mobile phone upon maintaining a physical connection with a corresponding electrical contact of the mobile phone;
multiple digital cameras that each have a field of view,
wherein the multiple digital cameras are arranged so that the multiple fields of view form a 360° field of view of an ambient environment; and

a processor that effects a bi-directional exchange of information with the mobile phone when the attachment mechanism is secured to the corresponding attachment mechanism of the mobile phone.

9. The camera accessory of claim 8 , wherein the attachment mechanism causes the multiple digital cameras to be positioned outside a perimeter of the mobile phone.

10. The camera accessory of claim 9 , wherein the multiple digital cameras include a first digital camera and a second digital camera, and wherein the attachment mechanism causes the first digital camera to be co-planar with a front of the mobile phone and the second digital camera to be co-planar with a rear of the mobile phone.

11. The camera accessory of claim 8 , wherein the electrical contact is arranged along a surface of the attachment mechanism.

12. The camera accessory of claim 8 , wherein the attachment mechanism is detachably connectable to the corresponding attachment mechanism of the mobile phone.

13. The camera accessory of claim 8 , wherein the multiple digital cameras are controllable via a computer program executing in the mobile phone that is also responsible for controlling a front-facing camera, a rear-facing camera, or any combination thereof.

Assignees

• Essential Products Inc

Inventors

• Evans V David John
• Jiang Xinrui
• Rubin Andrew E
• Hershenson Matthew
• Miao Xiaoyu

Classifications

• H04M1/72412

  using two-way short-range wireless interfaces · CPC title

• H04M1/724092

  Interfacing with an external cover providing additional functionalities · CPC title

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• H04M1/0264

  for a camera module assembly · CPC title

• H02J50/90

  involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment · CPC title