Biometric and proximity sensor compatible protective case for mobile device
View Patent ↗A protective case can be used with a mobile device having front and back surfaces and side surfaces extending between the front and back surfaces, including a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a left side, the mobile device having a screen on the front surface. The protective case can include a shell configured to engage and substantially surround at least three of the surfaces of the mobile device and preferably all or nearly all surfaces of the mobile device while still capable of allowing the user to functionally interact with biometric sensor (such as a fingerprint sensor) and/or not interfere with the intended functionality of the proximity sensors of the mobile device.
1. A removable protective case for a mobile device having a fingerprint sensor comprising an electrode element for emitting electric energy and a sensing element residing below a dielectric region for detecting emitted electric energy passing through a user's finger, the protective case comprising a user interface that includes a conductive element attached to a light-transmissive panel and configured to correspond in shape and be in proximate electrical contact with the electrode element of the biometric sensor to facilitate communication of the electric energy emitted by the electrode element to a user's finger overlying said conductive element.
2. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the conductive element is stainless steel and in the shape of a circular ring.
3. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the conductive element is constructed and configured to communicate electric energy having a radio frequency when the conductive element is in proximate contact with the electrode element of the sensor.
4. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the user interface of the protective case further includes a dielectric element that is configured over the dielectric region of the sensor.
5. The protective case of claim 4 , wherein the dielectric element is configured to be depressible.
6. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the conductive element is sealed to the perimeter of the dielectric region of the sensor.
7. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the conductive element is comprised of a hardened layer of conductive ink.
8. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the conductive element is comprised of two hardened layers of conductive ink that are spaced apart and in electrical contact with one another in at least one discrete region.
9. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the conductive element is comprised of one or more layers of conductive ink and wherein said conductive ink is hardened upon opposing sides of a substrate element.
10. The protective case of claim 9 , wherein the substrate element is comprised of a polymer sheet less than 0.1 millimeters in thickness.
11. The protective case of claim 9 , wherein the substrate element is comprised of a dielectric material having a dielectric constant of less than 14.
12. The protective case of claim 9 , wherein the substrate element is configured to extend over the dielectric region of the sensor.
13. The protective case of claim 8 , wherein the conductive ink layers are separated by a substrate element that includes through holes configured to facilitate electrical contact between the conductive ink layers.
14. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the light-transmissive panel is comprised of glass.
15. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the light-transmissive panel is comprised of a flexible polymer.
16. The protective case of claim 5 , wherein the dielectric element is attached to a flexible light-transmissive panel that is more rigid than the dielectric element.
17. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is three-dimensionally configured to correspond in shape with at least some region of the biometric sensor of the mobile device that it is configured to receive.
18. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is at least partially interposed within an aperture of the light-transmissive panel.
19. The protective case of claim 18 , wherein the aperture of the light-transmissive panel is configured to be dimensionally larger than the underlying electrode element of the biometric sensor for which the protective case is configured to receive and protect.
20. The protective case of claim 1 , further comprising a light-transmissive laminate that is laminated to the inner facing surface of the light-transmissive panel and surrounds the user interface.
21. The protective case of claim 9 , wherein the light-transmissive panel is configured to substantially cover at least one proximity sensor of the mobile device, and wherein a polarizing element positioned on the light-transmissive panel is configured to reside above the at least one proximity sensor of the mobile device for which the protective case is configured to enclose.