IP Library Granted Patent US 9,838,060
Granted Patent B2
US 9,838,060 · App. 14/071,197 · Granted Dec 5, 2017

Protective cover for a wireless device

Inventors: Ryan Gerard McCaughey (Leesburg, VA); Nikhil Nilakantan (Leesburg, VA); Karl Richard Shields (Leesburg, VA)
Assignee: Antenna79, Inc.
H04B1/3838H01Q1/243H01Q1/245H01Q7/00H01Q19/005H01Q19/28H04B1/3888H04M1/0202H04M1/0283H04M1/185
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,838,060
App. No.
14/071,197
Granted
Dec 5, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a protective cover configured to attach to a wireless device having an exterior surface. The surface includes a first portion and a second portion mutually exclusive from the first portion. The second portion of the surface is associated with at least a portion of an antenna of the wireless device that performs proximity sensing for the wireless device. The protective cover is configured to cover the first portion of the surface when the protective cover is attached to the wireless device. The protective cover is configured to not cover the second portion of the surface when the protective cover is attached to the wireless device. As a result, the proximity sensing and/or the power transmitted by the antenna are not affected by the protective cover when the protective cover is attached to the wireless device and when the wireless device is operational.

Claims (51)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a protective cover shaped and structured to attach to a handheld wireless computing device having an exterior surface including a first portion and a second portion mutually exclusive from the first portion, the second portion of the exterior surface being associated with at least a portion of an antenna of the handheld wireless computing device that performs proximity sensing for the handheld wireless computing device,

the protective cover shaped and structured to attach to the handheld wireless computing device such that the first portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device is covered by the protective cover,

the protective cover shaped and structured to attach to the handheld wireless computing device such that the second portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device is not covered by the protective cover and such that at least one of (1) the proximity sensing during operation is not affected by the protective cover, or (2) power transmitted by the antenna during operation is not affected by the protective cover.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protective cover is transparent and shaped and structured to attach to the handheld wireless computing device such that the first portion of the exterior surface is visible to a user of the handheld wireless computing device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface is a first exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device, the first exterior surface not including a screen of the handheld wireless computing device and not including a touchscreen of the handheld wireless computing device, the handheld wireless computing device having a second exterior surface including at least one of the screen of the handheld wireless computing device or the touchscreen of the handheld wireless computing device, the first exterior surface abuts the second exterior surface at an edge of the handheld wireless computing device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protective cover is shaped and structured to be attached to the handheld wireless computing device such that the protective cover is disposed between the first portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device during operation and at least a portion of a user of the handheld wireless computing device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protective cover is shaped and structured to be attached to the handheld wireless computing device such that the protective cover does not cover a portion of the antenna that is sensitive during operation to changes in local dielectric matching or local impedance matching.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the protective cover is shaped and structured to be attached to the handheld wireless computing device such that the protective cover does not cover a third portion of the exterior surface and such that a user can operate the handheld wireless computing device during operation by touching the third portion of the exterior surface,

the third portion of the exterior surface being mutually exclusive from the first portion and the second portion of the exterior surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protective cover is shaped and structured to be, in use, removably attached to the handheld wireless computing device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protective cover is shaped and structured to attach to the handheld wireless computing device such that a total radiated power (TRP) of the handheld wireless computing device during operation is not affected by the protective cover.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the second portion of the exterior surface is not associated with a component of the handheld wireless computing device that enables a user to operate the handheld wireless computing device by touching the component.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a protective cover shaped and structured to be disposed with a handheld wireless computing device having an antenna with at least a portion that functions as a proximity sensor such that the protective cover covers a portion of an exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device without affecting the proximity sensor and without reducing a total radiated power (TRP) of the handheld wireless computing device during use,

at least a portion of the protective cover having a size and a shape that substantially correspond to a size and a shape of the portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device,

the portion of the exterior surface is a first portion of the exterior surface, the exterior surface having a second portion mutually exclusive from the first portion, the second portion of the exterior surface being associated with the portion of the antenna,

the protective cover shaped and structured to be disposed with the handheld wireless computing device such that the protective cover does not cover the second portion of the exterior surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:

at least the portion of the protective cover having an outer boundary that substantially corresponds to an outer boundary of the first portion of the exterior surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:

the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device is substantially planar,

at least the portion of the protective cover is substantially planar.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:

the second portion of the exterior surface not associated with a component of the handheld wireless computing device that enables a user to operate the handheld wireless computing device by touching the component.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the protective cover is configured to, in use, removably attach to the handheld wireless computing device.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a planar sheet of material having a first surface and a second surface, the planar sheet shaped and structured to be disposed with a handheld wireless computing device having an exterior surface including a first portion and a second portion that is associated with an antenna of the handheld wireless computing device that functions as a proximity sensor for the handheld wireless computing device,

the planar sheet shaped and structured to be disposed with the handheld wireless computing device such that the second surface of the planar sheet is disposed between the first surface of the planar sheet and the handheld wireless computing device,

the planar sheet shaped and structured to be disposed with the handheld wireless computing device such that the planar sheet of material covers the first portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device and does not cover the second portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device and such that at least one of (1) the proximity sensor is not affected by the planar sheet of material, or (2) power transmitted by the antenna is not affected by the planar sheet of material.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device is not associated with a screen and not associated a component of the handheld wireless computing device that enables a user to operate the handheld wireless computing device by touching the component.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the handheld wireless computing device is a mobile phone or a tablet computer device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the planar sheet is shaped and structured to be disposed with the handheld wireless computing device such that the planar sheet is disposed between the handheld wireless computing device and at least a portion of a user of the handheld wireless computing device during operation.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the planar sheet is shaped and structured to be disposed with the handheld wireless computing device such that, in use, the second surface of the planar sheet is removably attached to the first portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the second portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device covers the portion of the antenna of the handheld wireless computing device,

the protective cover shaped and structured to attach to the handheld wireless computing device such that the second portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device is not covered by the protective cover.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the protective cover shaped and structured to attach to the handheld wireless computing device such that the portion of the antenna of the handheld wireless computing device is not covered by the protective cover.

22. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:

the second portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device covers the portion of the antenna of the handheld wireless computing device,

the protective cover shaped and structured to attach to the handheld wireless computing device such that the second portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device is not covered by the protective cover.

23. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:

the protective cover shaped and structured to attach to the handheld wireless computing device such that the portion of the antenna of the handheld wireless computing device is not covered by the protective cover.

24. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:

the second portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device covers a portion of the antenna of the handheld wireless computing device,

the planar sheet shaped and structured to attach to the handheld wireless computing device such that the second portion of the exterior surface of the handheld wireless computing device is not covered by the planar sheet.

25. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:

the planar sheet shaped and structured to attach to the handheld wireless computing device such that the second portion of the antenna of the handheld wireless computing device is not covered by the planar sheet.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2018
From: HERCULES CAPITAL, INC.
To: PENUMBRA BRANDS, LLC
Reel/Frame 046794/0965 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 13, 2018
From: PENUMBRA BRANDS, INC.
To: PENUMBRA BRANDS, LLC
Reel/Frame 046773/0815 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2018
From: PENUMBRA BRANDS, LLC
To: COMPASS BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046511/0498 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 5, 2018
From: ANTENNA79, INC.
To: PENUMBRA BRANDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 045491/0258 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2017
From: ANTENNA79, INC.
To: HERCULES CAPITAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 042394/0027 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 19, 2016
From: ANTENNA79, INC.
To: HERCULES CAPITAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 039753/0059 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 18, 2015
From: PONG RESEARCH CORPORATION
To: ANTENNA79, INC.
Reel/Frame 035039/0204 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2015
From: MCCAUGHEY, RYAN GERARD; NILAKANTAN, NIKHIL; SHIELDS, KARL RICHARD
To: PONG RESEARCH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 034739/0775 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 13659595 · Oct 24, 2012
Continuation In Part 13287680 · Nov 2, 2011
Related Publication 20140057686A1 · Feb 27, 2014