Accessory, electronic assembly and controlling method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9651985-B2
Application number	US-201314094799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2013
Priority date	Dec 3, 2013
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

An accessory suitable for an electronic device is provided. The electronic device has a display area. The accessory includes a coupling portion and a cover portion. The coupling portion is suitable to be coupled to the electronic device. The cover portion is connected to the coupling portion and is suitable for covering the display area of the electronic device. The cover portion has a plurality of light-transmitting areas, and the light-transmitting areas are arranged on the display area in an array. An image generated by the display area is projected out of the cover portion through the light-transmitting areas. Moreover, an electronic assembly containing the electronic device and the accessory is also provided. Furthermore, a controlling method is also provided for controlling the electronic assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An accessory for an electronic device, wherein the electronic device has an image display area and a distance sensor, the accessory comprising:
a removable housing having a coupling portion, a cover portion, and a linear segment spanning between the coupling portion and the cover portion;
the coupling portion being shaped to couple to a back side of the electronic device, the back side being opposite the display area; and
the cover portion being integrally formed with the coupling portion along the linear segment, the cover portion being movable about the linear segment with respect to the coupling portion between a closed position, at which the cover portion covers the image display area of the electronic device when the coupling portion is coupled to the electronic device, and an open position, at which the image display area is uncovered, wherein the cover portion has a plurality of light-transmitting areas, the plurality of light-transmitting areas are arranged on the display area in an array, an image generated by the display area is projected out of the cover portion through the plurality of light-transmitting areas;
wherein the cover portion has a distance sensing hole formed therethrough, the distance sensing hole being aligned with the distance sensor when the cover is in the closed position such that the distance sensor remains operative when the cover is in the closed position; and
wherein the image displayed by the display area is controlled, at least in part, by a position of the cover portion such that when the cover portion is in the closed position, the image output by the display area depicts a plurality of low-resolution blocks, the plurality of low-resolution blocks respectively correspond to the plurality of light-transmitting areas and are visible through the cover portion via the light-transmitting areas, with each of the low-resolution blocks containing a plurality of pixels, and when the cover portion is in the open position, the image generated by the display area is enabled to display at a higher resolution than the low-resolution blocks.

2. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a maximum width of each of the light-transmitting areas is less than 3 millimeters.

3. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a minimum width of each of the blocks is greater than the maximum width of each of the corresponding light-transmitting areas.

4. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the minimum width of each of the blocks is greater than a shortest distance between any two adjacent light-transmitting areas.

5. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a flexible portion defining the linear segment coupling the cover portion to the coupling portion.

6. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion is concave and covers the back side of the electronic device to fix a location of the coupling portion relative to the electronic device.

7. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device has a magnetic coupling member, the coupling portion has another magnetic coupling member, and the magnetic coupling member and the other magnetic coupling member are magnetically attracted to each other to fix a location of the coupling portion relative to the electronic device.

8. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device has a magnetic attachment member, the cover portion has another magnetic attachment member, and the magnetic attachment member and the other magnetic attachment member are magnetically attracted to each other to fix a location of the cover portion relative to the display area.

9. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device has a pair of audio output areas, the cover portion covers the pair of audio output areas when in the closed position, the cover portion has a pair of audio output holes, and the pair of audio output holes respectively expose the pair of audio output areas.

10. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cover portion has a plurality of through-holes to form the plurality of light-transmitting areas.

11. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the through-holes has a truncated pyramid shape.

12. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cover portion has a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of light-transmitting bodies, and the plurality of light-transmitting bodies are respectively located inside the plurality of through-holes to form the plurality of light-transmitting areas.

13. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cover portion has a first opaque layer, a second opaque layer, and a light-transmitting layer disposed between the first opaque layer and the second opaque layer, the first opaque layer has a plurality of first openings, the second opaque layer has a plurality of second openings, and the plurality of first openings are respectively aligned with the plurality of second openings to form the plurality of light-transmitting areas.

14. The accessory as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the light-transmitting layer has a plurality of first columns and a plurality of second columns, the plurality of first columns are respectively extended to the plurality of first openings, and the plurality of second columns are respectively extended to the plurality of second openings.

15. An electronic assembly, comprising:
an electronic device having a display, a touch sensor, a distance sensor, and a display device having a display area, wherein the touch sensor is overlapped with the display area; and
an accessory comprising:
a removable housing having a coupling portion, a cover portion, and a linear segment spanning between the coupling portion and the cover portion;
the coupling portion being shaped to couple to a back side of the electronic device, the back side being opposite the display area; and
the cover portion being connected to the coupling portion such that the cover portion is movable between positions that alternately cover and expose the display area of the electronic device, wherein the cover portion has a plurality of light-transmitting areas, the plurality of light-transmitting areas are arranged on the display area in an array, and an image generated by the display area is projected out of the cover portion through the plurality of light-transmitting areas;
wherein the cover portion has a distance sensing hole formed therethrough, the distance sensing hole being aligned with the distance sensor when the cover portion covers the display area such that the distance sensor remains operative; and
wherein, in response to the distance sensor sensing an object approaching a threshold distance when the cover portion is closed, the image displayed by the display area is turned off.

16. The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the image displayed by the display area is controlled, at least in part, by a position of the cover portion such that when the cover portion is in the closed position, the image output by the display area depicts a plurality of low-resolution blocks, the plurality of low-resolution blocks respectively correspond to the plurality of light-transmitting areas and are visible through the cover portion via the light-transmitting areas, with each of the low-resolution blocks containing a plurality of pixels, and when the cover portion is in the open position, the image generated by the display area is enabled to display at a higher resolution than the low-resolution blocks.

17. A controlling method for controlling an elect

Assignees

• Htc Corp

Inventors

• Shih Wen-Yu
• Massucco Michael Ross
• Barthelemy Matthew John
• Wildner Bernhard

Classifications

• G06F1/1677

  for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

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

• H04M1/72527

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G02B27/022

  Viewing apparatus (G02B27/04, G02B27/06, G02B27/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1628

  Enclosures for carrying portable computers with peripheral devices, e.g. cases for a laptop and a printer · CPC title