IP Library Granted Patent US 12,699,468
Granted Patent B2
US 12,699,468 · App. 19/017,106 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Virtual peripherals for mobile devices

Inventors: Elsie de la Garza Villarreal (Nampa, ID); Claudia A. Delaney (Garden City, ID); Madison E. Wale (Boise, ID); Bhumika Chhabra (Boise, ID)
G06F3/038H04M1/0272
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,699,468
App. No.
19/017,106
Filed
Jan 10, 2025
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2626
USPC
345/157
Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for a mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone) supporting virtual peripherals are described. The mobile device may include a projecting component configured to project images to external surfaces outside of the mobile device. In some cases, the mobile device may project an image of a document on a first external surface and an image of a keyboard on a second external surface. Moreover, the mobile device may include an imaging component to receive inputs based on sensing an input device overlaid on the projected image (e.g., the keyboard). Accordingly, the mobile device may function as a computer with an external monitor and a keyboard, virtually added to the mobile device. In some cases, the mobile device may serve two or more users or purposes at a time. For example, the mobile device may operate as an infotainment device of a vehicle.

Claims (51)

1 . A method by a system, comprising:

routing, via a routing component, a first image to a first destination corresponding to a first component of a first device, the first component being associated with a first screen;

displaying the first image via the first screen based at least in part on routing the first image to the first destination;

routing, via the routing component, a second image to a second destination corresponding to a second component of a second device, the second component being associated with a second screen;

displaying the second image via the second screen based at least in part on routing the second image to the second destination;

routing, via the routing component, the first image, the second image, or a third image to a third destination corresponding to a third component of the first device, the third component being associated with a projecting component; and

displaying the first image, the second image, or the third image via the projecting component concurrently with display of the first image via the first screen and display of the second image via the second screen.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

projecting, via the projecting component, the first image, the second image, or the third image to a surface based at least in part on routing the first image, the second image, or the third image to the third destination.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the surface comprises an opaque surface.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the surface comprises a transparent surface.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first image is routed to the first destination during a first duration and the second image is routed to the second destination during a second duration that at least partially overlaps the first duration.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first image is routed to the first destination during a first duration and the second image is routed to the second destination during a second duration following the first duration.

7 . A system, comprising:

a first device comprising a routing component;

a first component of the first device, the first component being associated with a first screen;

a second component of a second device, the second component being associated with a second screen;

a third component of the first device, the third component being associated with a projecting component; and

circuitry configured to:

route, via the routing component, a first image to a first destination corresponding to the first component;

display the first image via the first screen based at least in part on routing the first image to the first destination;

route, via the routing component, a second image to a second destination corresponding to the second component;

display the second image via the second screen based at least in part on routing the second image to the second destination;

route, via the routing component, the first image, the second image, or a third image to a third destination corresponding to the third component; and

display the first image, the second image, or the third image via the projecting component concurrently with display of the first image via the first screen and display of the second image via the second screen.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

project, via the projecting component, the first image, the second image, or the third image to a surface based at least in part on routing the first image, the second image, or the third image to the third destination.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the surface comprises an opaque surface.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the surface comprises a transparent surface.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the first image is routed to the first destination during a first duration and the second image is routed to the second destination during a second duration that at least partially overlaps the first duration.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the first image is routed to the first destination during a first duration and the second image is routed to the second destination during a second duration following the first duration.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

projecting the first image to an external surface via the projecting component.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

projecting, via the projecting component, the first image or the second image to a first surface based at least in part on routing the first image, the second image, or the third image to the third destination; and

projecting, via the projecting component, the third image to a second surface based at least in part on routing the first image, the second image, or the third image to the third destination.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

projecting, via the projecting component, the second image to an external surface based at least in part on routing the first image, the second image, or the third image to the third destination.

16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

coupling the routing component with the first component, wherein routing the first image to the first destination is based at least in part on coupling the routing component with the first component;

coupling the routing component with the second component, wherein routing the second image to the second destination is based at least in part on coupling the routing component with the second component; and

coupling the routing component with the second component, wherein routing the first image, the second image, or the third image to the third destination is based at least in part on coupling the routing component with the third component.

17 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

project, via the projecting component, the first image or the second image to a first surface based at least in part on routing the first image, the second image, or the third image to the third destination; and

project, via the projecting component, the third image to a second surface based at least in part on routing the first image, the second image, or the third image to the third destination.

18 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

project, via the projecting component, the second image to an external surface based at least in part on routing the first image, the second image, or the third image to the third destination.

19 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

couple the routing component with the first component, wherein routing the first image to the first destination is based at least in part on coupling the routing component with the first component;

couple the routing component with the second component, wherein routing the second image to the second destination is based at least in part on coupling the routing component with the second component; and

couple the routing component with the second component, wherein routing the first image, the second image, or the third image to the third destination is based at least in part on coupling the routing component with the third component.