Cover for a tablet device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9729685-B2
Application number	US-201113247942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2011
Priority date	Sep 28, 2011
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

Accurate and reliable techniques for determining information of an accessory device in relation to an electronic device are described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A consumer product system, comprising:
a tablet device comprising:
a housing with an opening defining an entire front portion of the tablet device,
a processor carried by the housing,
a transparent protective layer carried by the housing and disposed within the opening,
a display assembly capable of communicating with the processor and overlaid by the transparent protective layer, the display assembly comprising:
a display layer for presenting an icon viewable through the transparent protective layer, and
a touch sensitive surface covered by the display layer, the touch sensitive surface having a size and a shape in accordance with the display layer and configured to form a capacitive coupling with an object at or near an exterior surface of the transparent protective layer; and

a protective cover releasably attachable to the tablet device, the protective cover comprising:
a first segment that carries the object;
a second segment; and
a folding region between the first segment and the second segment that allows the first segment to fold with respect to the second segment, wherein when:
the first segment engages the transparent protective layer causing the capacitive coupling between the object and the touch sensitive surface defining a covered portion and an uncovered portion of the display layer, the uncovered portion defined by a removal of the second segment from the display layer, the uncovered portion presents a graphical user interface of the icon and the covered portion is inoperable to present the icon, and
the first segment is removed from the transparent protective cover, the uncovered portion extends to a location corresponding to the covered portion and allows the icon to display the graphical user interface and video information.

2. The consumer product system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the protective cover comprises a size and shape to fully cover the display layer, and wherein the touch sensitive surface comprises a plurality of capacitance sensors arranged in a rectangular grid and overlaid by the transparent protective layer.

3. The consumer product system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the object comprises a plurality of capacitive elements that includes correlated conductive strips, at least one of which is oriented diagonal to the rectangular grid.

4. The consumer product system as recited in claim 3 , wherein at least one of the correlated conductive strips is metallic.

5. The consumer product system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the plurality of capacitive elements comprises information used by the tablet device.

6. The consumer product system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the protective cover comprises a capacitively linked user interface in communication with the correlated conductive strips, and wherein the correlated conductive strips are alterable in accordance with an external event at an accessible surface of the protective cover to provide a control input to the tablet device.

7. The consumer product system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the external event comprises a touch event with the accessible surface of the protective cover, the touch event configured to control a media file stored on the tablet device.

8. The consumer product system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the accessible surface of the cover corresponds to a button assembly.

9. The consumer product system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the information corresponds to a property of the protective cover, the property selected from a color or a date of origin of the protective cover.

10. The consumer product system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the protective cover comprises a cut out region, and wherein the tablet device uses the information from the plurality of capacitive elements to 1) locate the cut out region and 2) display the icon on the display layer only at a location corresponding to the cut out region.

11. A tablet device for use with a protective cover, the protective cover comprising a first segment, a second segment, and a folding region between the first segment and the second segment that allows the first segment to fold with respect to the second segment, the tablet device comprising:
a housing comprising sidewalls that combine to form an opening defining an entire front portion of the housing;
a processor carried by the housing;
a display layer capable of communication with the processor, the display layer comprising a perimeter detection circuit configured to detect a perimeter capacitive element disposed in the protective cover when the protective cover overlays the display layer such that the display layer is at least partially covered by the protective cover defining a covered portion and an uncovered portion of the display layer, the uncovered portion defined by a removal of the second segment from the display layer when the second segment folds away from the first segment by the folding region;
a transparent protective layer carried by the housing at the opening, the transparent protective layer covering the display assembly and comprising a display mask that hides the perimeter detection circuit, wherein in response to the perimeter capacitive element capacitively coupling with the perimeter detection circuit:
the display layer is inactive to present the visual content, and
the perimeter detection circuit remains active to communicate with the processor and provide information corresponding to the perimeter capacitive element, wherein in response to the protective cover partially covering the display layer, the display layer presents the visual content only in a location corresponding to the uncovered portion.

12. The tablet device as recited in claim 11 , wherein the visual content in the uncovered portion comprises an icon having a graphical user interface used to modify an operation of the tablet device, and wherein the display assembly comprises a size and a shape capable of being fully covered by the protective cover.

13. The tablet device as recited in claim 12 , wherein in response to the protective cover being partially removed from the display layer, the display layer comprises:
a second covered portion of the display layer less than the covered portion; and
a second uncovered portion of the display layer greater than the uncovered portion, the second uncovered portion causing the icon to 1) extend along the second uncovered portion, and 2) further include a second function comprising video controllable by the graphical user interface.

14. A method for controlling a tablet device with a protective cover comprising a first segment that includes an object, the protective cover further including a second segment secured with the first segment at a foldable region such that the first segment and the second segment are foldable with respect to each other, the tablet device comprising a transparent outer protective layer covering both 1) a display layer arranged to present an icon having a graphical user interface used to modify an operation of the tablet device, and 2) a touch sensitive surface comprising capacitive nodes covered by the display layer, the capacitive nodes configured to capacitively couple with the object at or near an exterior surface of the transparent outer protective layer, the method comprising:
determining, based on a capacitive coupling between at least one of the capacitive nodes and the object, a portion of the transparent outer protective layer that is not viewable defining an unviewable portion of the display layer, wherein a remaining portion of the display layer defines a first viewable portion that displays the icon that includes a

Assignees

• Ive Jonathan P
• Kerr Duncan R
• Rohrbach Matthew D
• Hotelling Steve P
• Mullens Christopher T
• Grunthaner Martin P
• Cretella Jr Michael A
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Ive Jonathan P
• Kerr Duncan R
• Rohrbach Matthew D
• Hotelling Steve P
• Mullens Christopher T
• Grunthaner Martin P
• Cretella Jr Michael A

Classifications

• H04M1/724092

  Interfacing with an external cover providing additional functionalities · CPC title

• G06F2200/1634

  Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer · CPC title

• H04M1/0245 Primary

  using open/close detection · CPC title

• H04M1/0283

  for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate · CPC title

• H04M2250/12

  including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion · CPC title