External device and mounting structure for mounting to electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10623541-B2
Application number	US-201916519928-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2019
Priority date	Jun 17, 2016
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

In an aspect, a method of projecting an image using an electronic device having a front face with a display screen, a rear face, and an edge, and further including an LED on a rear face, a processor and memory, and having an application stored in the memory, the method comprising:
providing a projector having an aperture therethrough, and a clip including a first arm which has an arm marker, and a second arm; executing the application so as to display a screen marker in a position based on a make and model of the electronic device; and positioning the clip on the electronic device with the first arm on the front face with the arm marker aligned with the screen marker, positioning the projector's aperture aligned with the LED to pass light through a slide containing an image, to project the image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of projecting an image using an electronic device having a front face with a display screen thereon, a rear face opposite to the front face, and an edge between the front and rear faces, and further including a light emitting element on a rear face, a processor and storage memory, and having an application stored in the storage memory, the method comprising:
providing a device-and-clip system including a projector and a clip, wherein the projector has an aperture therethrough, wherein the clip includes a first clip arm which has an arm marker thereon, and a second clip arm;
executing the application on the electronic device so as to display a screen marker on the display screen in a selected position that is selected by the application based on a make and model of the electronic device; and
positioning the clip on the electronic device such that the first clip arm is on the front face with the arm marker aligned with the screen marker, which in turn positions the projector on the rear face such that the aperture is aligned with the light-emitting element to pass light through a transparent slide containing an image in the aperture, and to project the image onto a receiving surface.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first clip arm includes a transparent portion and the arm marker is positioned in the transparent portion.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the projector further includes a flash conditioner, which, when aligned with the aperture, conditions light passing through the aperture to the transparent slide from the light-emitting element.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the projector further includes a focus adjustment mechanism containing the magnifying lens, the focus adjustment mechanism being movable to translate the magnifying lens axially with respect to the aperture.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the projector includes a first slide alignment structure that is positioned to engage a second slide alignment feature on a slide frame holding the transparent slide so as to align the transparent slide with the aperture, wherein the first slide alignment structure is one of a detent and a notch, and the second alignment structure is the other one of the detent and the notch.

6. A projector-and-mounting structure for an electronic device having a front face with a display screen thereon, a rear face opposite to the front face, wherein the rear face has a light emitting element thereon, and an edge between the front and rear faces, comprising:
a projector body having an aperture therethrough, an inside face defining a light inlet to the aperture, and an outside face defining a light outlet from the aperture, wherein the projector further includes a slot positioned to hold a slide transparency in the aperture for transmission of light therethrough, wherein the projector further includes a magnifying lens aligned with the aperture and positioned to enlarge an image on the slide transparency for projection through the light outlet; and
a mounting structure that engages the front face and the rear face of the electronic device and which holds the projector in engagement with the rear face with the light inlet in alignment with the light emitting element,
wherein the mounting structure has a limit surface that is engageable with the edge of the electronic device to determine a reach of the aperture on the rear face of the electronic device,
wherein the limit surface is positioned such that, for a first type of electronic device in which the light-emitting element is positioned at a first distance from the edge, the mounting aperture is mountable to the first type of electronic device with the aperture aligned with the light-emitting element on the rear face such that the limit surface is spaced from the edge,
and for a second type of electronic device in which the light-emitting element is positioned at a second distance from the edge that is different than the first distance, the mounting aperture is mountable to the second type of electronic device with the aperture aligned with the light-emitting element on the rear face of the second type of electronic device.

Assignees

• Spin Master Ltd

Inventors

• Rebot Natalie R
• Hashemi Hamid R
• Chan Herman

Classifications

• H04M1/0264

  for a camera module assembly · CPC title

• G06F1/1684

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title

• H04B1/3877

  Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• H04B1/3888

  Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers · CPC title